Occupational injury in America: An analysis of risk factors using data from the General Social Survey (GSS)

J Safety Res. 2012 Feb;43(1):67-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2011.12.002. Epub 2012 Jan 23.

Abstract

Introduction: Although much is known about the distribution of occupational injury in terms of various job and employment factors, considerably less is known about other possible risk factors, particularly those involving psychosocial and organizational factors. These factors have not been emphasized in most injury surveillance systems or large scale, population based surveys.

Method: In this study, data from the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) and NIOSH Quality of Work Life (QWL) module were used to examine the risk of occupational injury in terms of socio-demographic factors, employment characteristics, and organizational factors.

Results: The most informative results were obtained from Poisson regression analyses, which identified race, occupational category, and work-family interference as risk factors, and safety climate and organizational effectiveness as protective factors for occupational injury. These results provide guidance for targeting interventions and protective measures to curtail occupational injury in the United States.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational / prevention & control
  • Accidents, Occupational / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data
  • Family*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.
  • Occupations
  • Organizational Culture
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology