Nonfatal occupational injuries among African American women by industrial group

Objective: This study examined characteristics of nonfatal work-related inj uries treated in emergency departments (EDs) among African American women b y industry in the U.S. in 1996. Method: Injury data were from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Employment data were from th e Current population Survey (CPS). Results: In 1996, African American women , age 16 or older, were treated in EDs for an estimated 158,335 nonfatal wo rk-related injuries (2.6/100 full-time equivalents, FTEs). Of these injurie s, 39% occurred in healthcare, 14% in retail trade, and 12% in manufacturin g. Healthcare experienced the highest injury rate of 5.1/100 FTEs, followed by a rate of 2.6/100 FTEs in retail trade. Summary: This study is the firs t report on work-related injuries treated in EDs among African American wom en by industry on a national level. Injury patterns varied by industry in t erms of source, event, diagnoses, and body part. I:or example, in healthcar e the leading source involved interactions with patients and the leading ev ent was physical exertion; whereas in retail trade the leading source was s tructures and surfaces, and the leading event was contact with objects. Imp act on Industry: These findings demonstrate that nonfatal work-related inju ries are often concentrated in certain high-risk industries, such as health care, manufacturing, and retail trade. To improve occupational safety and h ealth for African American women, future research activities and prevention strategies should address the high-risk industries identified in this anal ysis. Q 2001 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.