Morbidity and Disability Among Workers 18 Years and Older in the Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector, 1997 - 2007

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the Federal agency responsible for occupational safety and health research. In collaboration with its many partners, NIOSH is committed to the collection, analysis, dissemination, and use of data describing the prevalence of disease and health risk factors among workers in the United States. The National Academies has urged greater use of injury and illness data at the national level to identify priorities, focus resources, and evaluate prevention program effectiveness. The Occupational Research Group at the University of Miami is illustrative of an extramural partnership which complements NIOSH intramural programs of surveillance and research. Using population health data collected through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), they have successfully undertaken a broadly based research program that describes employed worker's disability, disease, health care access, health behaviors and mortality among occupational groups and industry sectors. With the second decade of NORA, NIOSH is developing strategies and programs to better move research to practice within workplaces, using an industry sector-based approach to define high priority needs. The Occupational Research Group at the University of Miami has since completed extensive analyses describing the prevalence of disability, morbidity, mortality, and injury & disease burden among workers employed within the eight NORA sector groups identified in 2006: Agriculture, forestry and Fishing; Mining; Construction; Manufacturing; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities; Services; and Healthcare and Social Assistance. This report is one of a series of reports developed to describe the prevalence of disability and morbidity among current workers within these eight sectors. Survey data from the years 1997-2007 were used to describe the five aspects of worker's health, including (1) health status, (2) physical activity limitations or disability, (3) prevalent chronic conditions (cancer, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and severe psychological distress); (4) access to and use of health care services; and (5) health risk factors or behaviors. The report was developed as a descriptive resource to supplement ongoing research, and guide occupational health research and research-to-practice activities within industry. Additionally, the information in this report will facilitate a Total Worker Health(TM) approach to occupational safety and health research. NIOSH increasingly sees the value of integrating occupational safety and health programs that safeguard workers from work-related hazards and programs that promote overall well-being. This report provides data on characteristics of workers health that must be better understood to fulfill the mandate to assure safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources.