Relationships of Job and Some Individual Characteristics to Occupational Injuries in Employed People: A Community-Based Study: Ashis BHATTACHERJEE, et al. Department of MiningEngineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India-This study assessed the associations of job and some individual factors with occupational injuries among employed people from a general population in north-eastern France; 2,562 workers were randomly selected from the working population. A mailed auto-questionnaire was filled in by each subject. Statistical analysis was performed with loglinear models. The annual incidence rate of at least one occupational injury was 4.45%. Significant contributing factors for occupational injuries were job category (60.8%), sex (16.2%), regular psychotropic drug use (8.5%), age groups (7.5%), and presence of a disease (7.0%). The men had higher risk than the women (adjusted odds-ratio 1.99, 95% CI 1.43-2.78). Compared to executives, intellectual professionals and teachers, labourers had the highest risk (6.40, 3.55-11.52). They were followed by farmers, craftsmen and tradesmen (6.18, 2.86-13.08), technicians (3.14, 1.41-6.70), employees (2.94, 1.59-5.48) and other subjects (3.87, 1.90-7.88). The young (≤29 yr) showed an increased risk. Similar odds-ratios were observed for regular psychotropic drug use (1.54, 1.16-2.05) and the presence of a disease (1.50, 1.11-2.02). Univariate analysis showed that smoking habit, overweight and excess alcohol use were also associated with injuries. The loglinear model results showed that there were Received May 6, 2003; Accepted Sep 18, 2003 Correspondence to: N. Chau, INSERM U420, Faculté de Médecine, BP 184, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lés-Nancy, France associations between some of these independent factors. It was concluded that job, sex, young age, smoking habit, excess alcohol use, overweight, psychotropic drug use, and disease influenced the occupational injuries. Preventive measures concerning work conditions, risk assessment and job knowledge should be conducted in overall active population, especially in men, young workers, smokers, alcohol users, overweight workers and in individuals with a disease or psychosomatic disorders. (J Occup Health 2003; 45: 382-391)

Young age, sleep disorders, smoking, disabilities, sporting activity, and experience influenced the occupational injuries. The risk for each worker depended on his job. Occupational physicians could inform the workers of these risks and encourage them to take remedial action.

This study identified a wide range of job demands and living conditions/lifestyle which predicted injury. Preventive measures should be conducted to reduce job demands and to help workers to be aware of the risk and to improve their living conditions/lifestyle.

The causes of injuries were related to jobs. Prevention through working conditions could be made against the revealed risks. The risks for each worker depended on age, body mass index, hearing disorders, sleep disorders, and sporting activities. The occupational physician could inform the workers of these risks and encourage them to practise sporting activities and reduce their hearing disorders and sleep disorders.