title: The demographic and contextual correlates of work-related repetitive strain injuries among Canadian men and women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study sought to identify gender differences in work-related repetitive strain injuries (RSI), as well as examine the degree to which non-work factors such as family roles interact with gender to modify RSI risk. Another aim is to examine whether there are potential provincial differences in work-related RSI risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2003/2005 Canadian Community Health Survey included over 89,000 respondents who reported working in the past 12 months. Separate multi-level models for men and women were used to identify the correlates of work-related RSIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women reported sustaining more work-related RSIs than men. Also, having one or more children in the household was associated with lower work-related RSI risk for females. Both men and women in British Columbia reported higher work-related RSI rates than in Ontario.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender contributes to RSI risk in multiple and diverse ways based on labor market segregation, non-work exposures, and possibly biological vulnerability, which suggests more tailored interventions. Also, the provincial differences indicate that monitoring and surveillance of work injury across jurisdictions can assist in province-wide prevention and occupational health and safety evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. cbreslin@iwh.on.ca
authors.forename: F Curtis
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Breslin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mustard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shankardass
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: gender differences; geographic; occupational health and safety; occupational injury; risk factors