Age-related differences in work injuries: a multivariate, population-based study

Abstract

Background: Many population-based studies find that the rate of work injuries is higher among adolescent and young adult workers compared to older adults. The present study examines age-related differences in work injuries, with an emphasis on adjusting for the potential confounding effects of job characteristics.

Methods: Age-related differences in work injuries were examined in a representative sample of 56,510 working Canadians aged 15 years and over. Respondents reported work-related injuries and job characteristics (e.g., occupation) in the past 12 months. Total hours worked in the past year were computed for each worker and accounted for in the logistic regressions. Analyses were stratified by gender.

Results: For men, adjusting for job characteristics substantially reduced, but did not eliminate the elevated risk status of adolescent and young adult workers. For women, only young adult women showed an elevated risk of work injury with job characteristics controlled.

Conclusions: This is one of the few multivariate studies specifically examining contributors to age-related differences in work injuries in a population-based sample of workers. The substantial reduction in age-work injury association in the fully adjusted model suggests that differences in the types of jobs young workers hold play a critical role in their high-risk status.