Work in multiple jobs and the risk of injury in the US working population.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the risk of injury for multiple job holders (MJHs) with that for single job holders (SJHs).


METHODS
We used information from the National Health Interview Survey for the years 1997 through 2011 to estimate the rate of multiple job holding in the United States and compared characteristics and rates of self-reported injury (work and nonwork) for SJHs versus MJHs.


RESULTS
Approximately 8.4% of those employed reported working more than 1 job in the week before the interview. The rate of work and nonwork injury episodes per 100 employed workers was higher for MJHs than for SJHs (4.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.5, 4.8; vs 3.3; 95% CI = 3.1, 3.5 work injuries and 9.9; 95% CI = 8.9, 10.9; vs 7.4; 95% CI = 7.1, 7.6 nonwork injuries per 100 workers, respectively). When calculated per 100 full-time equivalents (P < .05), the rate ratio remained higher for MJHs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that working in multiple jobs is associated with an increased risk of an injury, both at work and not at work, and should be considered in injury surveillance.
The authors are with Center for Injury Epidemiology, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, Hopkinton, MA.
Helen R
HR
Marucci-Wellman
Joanna L
JL
Willetts
Tin-Chi
TC
Lin
Melanye J
MJ
Brennan
Santosh K
SK
Verma
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology