title: Occupational health disparities: a state public health-based approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This report used employment and public health surveillance data in Michigan to characterize work-related race/ethnic health disparities.
  
  
  METHODS
  U.S. Census data were used to calculate the percent by race/Hispanic ethnicity in occupational groups ranked by three measures for potential work-related health risks. Disparities by race/ethnicity were generated from occupational health surveillance data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blacks and Hispanics were over-represented in lower wage-higher manual-labor occupations and in highest risk occupations. Blacks were at greater risk of silicosis, work-related asthma, and work-related burns than whites, and Hispanics had higher rates of work-related acute fatal injuries and pesticide injury than non-Hispanics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Michigan employment data indicated that blacks and Hispanics were overly represented in lower paid and more hazardous jobs. Occupational health surveillance data confirmed disparate risks for some illnesses and injuries. This approach can be used in other states to bring awareness to policy makers and direct interventions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanbury
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Rosenman
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059366:Asthma, Occupational / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012829:Silicosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: health disparities; occupational health surveillance; work-related injury/illness