Characterization of Foreign-Born vs. Native-Born Worker Fatalities in Kentucky, 2001–2014

Yailet Cruz, Terry Lee Bunn, Nancy Hanner, Svetla Slavova

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Information on foreign-born worker (FBW) and native-born worker (NBW) fatal injuries is scarce. The Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program analyzed 2001–2014 worker fatality data. The Kentucky FBW fatality rate was double the US FBW and NBW rates, and 50% higher than the Kentucky NBW fatality rate. FBW average age at death was 38 years; NBW age was 47 years. FBW deaths occurred in construction (26%) and services (22%) industries, and transportation [28% (54% due to semi truck crashes)] and construction [26%(48% due to roofing, scaffolding, and ladder-related falls)] occupations; in contrast, NBW deaths occurred in services (22%), and transportation (18%) industries, and transportation (25%) and management (20%) occupations, and were due to exposures to inanimate mechanical forces (38%), and transport accidents (30%). Enhanced FBW cultural competent interventions and policies are needed to prevent FBW occupational injuries, and improve FBW workplace safety and health.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)448-455
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume20
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Funding

Yailet Cruz implemented the methods and prepared the initial draft manuscript; Terry Bunn developed the methods and co-wrote the manuscript; Nancy Hanner collected the worker fatality data and performed quality control checks; and Svetla Slavova provided statistical analysis expertise. All authors reviewed the submitted manuscript and approve the manuscript for submission. Grant sponsor: NIOSH; Grant Number: 2460OH008483-12. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. NIOSH had no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication. This manuscript has not been published or submitted elsewhere. All authors declare no conflicts of interest. All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of Kentucky research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. All subjects in the study were deceased so informed consent was not necessary. This study was approved by the University of Kentucky Institutional Review Board. Funding Grant sponsor: NIOSH; Grant Number: 2460OH008483-12. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. NIOSH had no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

FundersFunder number
University of Kentucky Institutional Review Board
National Institutes of Health (NIH)U60OH008483
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2460OH008483-12
Northern Kentucky University Research Foundation

    Keywords

    • Construction
    • Foreign-born
    • Native-born
    • Semi truck
    • Transportation

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Epidemiology
    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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