Identification and characterization of Kentucky self-employed occupational injury fatalities using multiple sources, 1995–2004
✍ Scribed by Terry Bunn; Julia Costich; Svetla Slavova
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2006
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 120 KB
- Volume
- 49
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0271-3586
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Background
Identification and characterization of occupational injury fatalities in self‐employed workers typically relies on a single data source and thus may miss some cases.
Methods
Kentucky self‐employed worker injury fatalities were identified using Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program data (1995–2004) and compared to non self‐employed worker data. Occupations and industries listed on death certificates were compared to those in which the decedent was actually engaged.
Results
Of 1,281 Kentucky worker injury deaths, 28% were self‐employed. Death certificates failed to identify 31% of these deaths as work‐related; industry and occupation were incorrectly identified in 27% and 16%, respectively. Fifty‐seven percent of the deaths were in agriculture, primarily tractor‐related. For Kentucky, the self‐employed crude death rate was higher (27.6/100,000) than the non self‐employed worker (5.4/100,000) rate or the US (11.5/100,000) self‐employed rate.
Conclusions
Multiple information sources improve identification of self‐employed status in work‐related injury fatalities. Effective prevention requires accurate surveillance and examination of contributing factors. Self‐employed worker injuries in high‐risk industries should be more fully examined for development of effective injury prevention programs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.