Injury inequalities among U.S. construction workers.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Health Disparities
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Construction industry workers face significant risks of work-related injuries.
• Racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by socioeconomic disadvantages.
• Understanding injury disparities is critical for targeted safety interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial/ethnic inequalities in work-related injuries within the U.S. construction sector.
• To examine demographic, socioeconomic, and injury status disparities among construction workers by race/ethnicity.
• To identify factors contributing to work-related injuries in construction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2004-2017 National Health Interview Survey.
• Estimated work-related injuries by race/ethnicity in construction.
• Conducted multiple logistic regression analyses to control for confounders.

Main Results:

• Minority construction workers exhibited higher odds (70%) of work-related injuries compared to white, non-Hispanic workers.
• Injuries were more severe among minorities, with Hispanics missing more workdays.
• After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, race/ethnicity was not a significant predictor of injury, but younger age, male gender, lower education, poverty, and blue-collar occupations remained significant risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Racial/ethnic differences in construction work-related injuries are strongly linked to underlying demographic and socioeconomic inequalities.
• Targeted interventions addressing socioeconomic factors are essential to reduce injury disparities.
• Implementing the hierarchy of controls paradigm can help eliminate identified injury disparities.