Workdays lost due to occupational injuries among young workers in Brazil

• Published in: American journal of industrial medicine Vol. 55; no. 10; pp. 917 - 925
• Main Authors: Santana, Vilma S., Villaveces, Andrés, Bangdiwala, Shrikant I., Runyan, Carol W., Albuquerque-Oliveira, Paulo Rogério
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.10.2012; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Accidents, Occupational - statistics & numerical data; Adolescent; Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Disability Evaluation; disability workdays; Disabled Persons; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational Health; occupational injuries; Occupational medicine; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Social Security; workdays lost; workers compensation data; Workers' Compensation - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; young workers; South America; Brazil; America; Human; Handicap; workers compensation data; Indemnity; occupational injuries; Absenteeism; Occupational exposure; Indemnization; Disability; Occupational accident; young workers; Compensation; Young adult; workdays lost; Worker; disability workdays; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0271-3586; 1097-0274
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22099

Background The severity of non‐fatal work‐related injuries has seldom been examined among young workers. We estimated the extent and distribution of workdays lost due to non‐fatal work injuries using compensation data. Methods Data are from the Brazilian Institute of Social Insurance, for 2006. The study population is comprised of all insured workers of age 16–24. Descriptive statistics reflect workdays lost due to health‐related disability, according to sex, age group, wage, and trade. Results Out of 4.8 million insured workers ages 16–24 years, we estimated 1,282,940 workdays lost. We observed a larger number of median workdays lost among males age 20–24 in retail and service trades (83 days) and among 16–19‐year‐old females in the agriculture/fish/forestry/cattle (142 days). Conclusions Young workers experience a heavy burden of work‐related injuries. Disability workdays may compromise school attendance and performance. Other potential impacts affect productivity and social insurance costs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55:917–925, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.