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Company characteristics and workplace medical testing
1Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, MA 02118, USA.
American Journal of Public Health
|August 1, 1995
Summary
Company economic factors, not workplace hazards, influence medical testing prevalence. This suggests employer testing may not benefit worker health, potentially shifting illness costs.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Health economics
- Medical surveillance
Background:
- Medical testing in the workplace is common.
- Understanding factors influencing its prevalence is crucial for public health.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the role of economic versus hazard-related factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relative impact of company economic characteristics and workplace hazards on medical testing prevalence.
- To assess the potential public health implications of these testing patterns.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Occupational Hazards Survey and National Occupational Exposure Survey.
- Incorporated industry-specific wage and turnover data.
- Employed logistic regression to analyze relationships between economic variables, workplace risks, and medical testing.
Main Results:
- Company economic variables showed a relationship with the prevalence of medical testing.
- No consistent positive association was found between workplace health hazards and the extent of medical testing.
Conclusions:
- Employer decisions on medical testing may not align with worker health benefits.
- Testing practices could potentially transfer illness costs to employees or other businesses.
- Safer workplaces might over-provide testing, while less safe ones may under-provide it.