Musculoskeletal disorders and associated healthcare costs among family members of injured workers.
BACKGROUND
Research has infrequently looked beyond the injured worker when gauging the burden of occupational injury.


OBJECTIVE
We explored the relationship between occupational injury and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among family members of injured workers.


METHODS
We used 2005 and 2006 Truven Health Analytics databases, which contain information on workers' compensation and family healthcare claims. We used descriptive analyses, and negative binomial and two-part models.


RESULTS
Family members of severely injured workers had a 15% increase in the total number of MSD outpatient claims and a 34% increase in the mean cost of MSD claims compared to family members of non-severely injured workers within 3 months after injury. Extrapolating cost results to the national level implies that severe occupational injury would be associated with between $29 and $33 million additional cost of family member outpatient MSD claims.


CONCLUSIONS
Occupational injury can impose a formerly unrecognized health burden on family members of injured workers.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Economic Research and Support Office (ERSO), Washington, District of Columbia.
Abay
A
Asfaw
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Economic Research and Support Office (ERSO), Washington, District of Columbia.
Regina
R
Pana-Cryan
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Economic Research and Support Office (ERSO), Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tim
T
Bushnell
Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY.
Steven
S
Sauter
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics
family health; musculoskeletal disorders; negative binomial; occupational injury; two-part model