Occupational Injuries Among Immigrant Poultry Workers: Development & Progression

描述(由申请人提供)：与其他行业的工人相比，美国家禽加工工人经历的职业伤害和疾病比例不成比例。这一行业最近的趋势导致了工人人口的贫困、少数民族，并越来越多地由移民组成。很少有研究记录家禽加工业移民的职业伤害、这些职业伤害的进展，或与这些职业伤害有关的职业和个人特征。这项研究的总体目标是记录少数民族家禽加工工人职业伤害的性质和来源。在此之前，该小组与目标社区的工作人员一起进行了几年的社区参与性研究，其中已经制定了一个抽样框架。具体目标是：(1)比较拉丁裔家禽加工工人和对照(非家禽、拉丁裔体力劳动者)中选定的肌肉骨骼(MSD)和皮肤病的患病率，并评估职业(任务、班次)、结构性(收入、教育、获得医疗保健)和社会文化(种族、信仰、价值观、文化适应)因素对这些障碍的中介和调节作用；(2)记录选定的MSD和皮肤病的发展情况，并评估职业、结构和社会文化因素对这种发展的中介和调节作用；(3)描述选定的MSD和皮肤病对工人和对照人员健康相关生活质量的影响，包括横断面和随时间的变化；和(4)确定对工人职业病和伤害症状、自我护理行为和预防、寻求治疗和报告障碍的解释。这些具体目标将使用联系的队列和人种学设计，结合定性和定量的研究方法来实现。将招聘276名具有加工生产线工作经验的外来家禽工人和276名控制人员。收集的数据将包括体检、神经传导、手腕超声波和面谈。133名无疾病新人和133名对照人员将在6个月后再次接受采访，并在12个月后进行全面检查。30名经历了进行性肌肉骨骼损伤或皮肤病的工人将被招募进行深入访谈，这一框架是基于疾病的解释模型框架。 与公共卫生相关：家禽加工工人的受伤率很高，但无法对受伤的数量和类型进行准确的估计。这项研究将提供这些数据，以及关于这些伤害的原因和后果的信息。这项研究将为今后通过教育和执法减少肉类加工业这一增长最快部门的职业伤害差距提供基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): U.S. poultry processing workers experience a disproportionate share of occupational injuries and illness compared to workers in other industries. Recent trends in this industry have resulted in a worker population that is poor, minority, and increasingly comprised of immigrants. Little research documents the onset of occupational injuries among immigrants in the poultry processing industry, the progression of these occupational injuries, or the occupational and personal characteristics associated with these occupational injuries. The overall goal of this research study is to document the nature and sources of occupational injuries among minority poultry processing workers. It follows several years of community participatory research by this team with workers in the target communities, in which a sampling frame has been developed. The specific aims are: (1) to compare the prevalence of selected musculoskeletal (MSDs) and skin disorders among Latino poultry processing workers and controls (non-poultry, Latino manual laborers), and assess the mediating and moderating effects of occupational (task, shift), structural (income, education, access to healthcare), and socio- cultural (ethnicity, beliefs, values, acculturation) factors on these disorders; (2) to document the development of selected MSDs and skin disorders and assess the mediating and moderating effects of occupational, structural, and socio-cultural factors on this development; (3) to delineate the impact of selected MSDs and skin disorders on workers' and controls' health-related quality of life, both cross-sectionally and over time; and (4) to determine the interpretation of occupational illness and injury symptomatology, self-care behaviors, and barriers to prevention, treatment seeking, and reporting among workers. These specific aims will be achieved using a linked cohort and ethnographic design, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. 276 immigrant poultry workers with experience in processing line work </= 3 yr and 276 controls will be recruited. Data collected will include physical examination, nerve conduction, wrist ultrasound, and interview. 133 disease free new hires and 133 controls will be interviewed again at 6 months, and the complete examination at 12 months. 30 workers who have experienced progressive musculoskeletal injury or dermatological illness will be recruited for in-depth interviews based on an "explanatory models of illness" framework. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Poultry processing workers experience high rates of injuries, but good estimates of the number and types of injuries are unavailable. This study will provide such data, as well as information on the causes and consequences of these injuries. Such research will provide the basis of future efforts to reduce disparities in occupational injuries in the fastest growing segment of the meat processing industry through education and enforcement.