Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia

Background: Disparities in exposure to occupational hazards may be linked to social position as well as the type of job a person holds. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of exposure to workplace hazards among three migrant worker groups and to assess whether social disparities in exposure...

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Main Authors: Gosselin, A., Daly, Alison, El Zaemey, Sonia, Fritschi, Lin, Glass, D., Perez, E.R., Reid, Alison
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: WILEY 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160100660
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91842
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author Gosselin, A.
Daly, Alison
El Zaemey, Sonia
Fritschi, Lin
Glass, D.
Perez, E.R.
Reid, Alison
author_facet Gosselin, A.
Daly, Alison
El Zaemey, Sonia
Fritschi, Lin
Glass, D.
Perez, E.R.
Reid, Alison
author_sort Gosselin, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Disparities in exposure to occupational hazards may be linked to social position as well as the type of job a person holds. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of exposure to workplace hazards among three migrant worker groups and to assess whether social disparities in exposure for these groups remain after adjusting for occupational characteristics. Methods: Data were collected in 2017/2018 from 1630 Australian workers born in New Zealand, India, and the Philippines. Weighted estimated prevalence of exposure to 10 carcinogens and four psychosocial hazards (discrimination, job strain, vulnerability, and insecurity) was calculated for sociodemographics and occupation. Regression estimated the likelihood of exposure by sociodemographics after adjustment for occupational characteristics. Results: Exposure to workplace hazards ranged from 11.7% (discrimination) to 61.2% (exposed to at least one carcinogen). Compared with workers born in India, New Zealand born workers were over twice as likely to be exposed to diesel engine exhaust (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.60) and 60% more likely to be exposed to at least one carcinogen (aOR = 1.60) but less likely to be exposed to any psychosocial hazard. Social disparities by country of birth, sex, age, education, and number of years in Australia, as well as company size, employment type, and hours, worked remained associated with greater likelihood of reporting one or more workplace hazards after adjusting for occupational characteristics. Conclusion: Examining sociodemographic as well as occupational characteristics helps to clarify groups most likely to be exposed to workplace hazards who can be hidden when examining occupational characteristics alone.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-918422023-06-07T02:53:36Z Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia Gosselin, A. Daly, Alison El Zaemey, Sonia Fritschi, Lin Glass, D. Perez, E.R. Reid, Alison Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health ecosocial public health workplace hazards EMPLOYMENT PRECARIOUSNESS GENDER-DIFFERENCES WORKING-CONDITIONS DISCRIMINATION CARCINOGENS PREVALENCE HEALTH TRAJECTORIES IMMIGRANTS STRAIN ecosocial public health workplace hazards Adolescent Adult Aged Australia Carcinogens, Environmental Cluster Analysis Female Health Status Disparities Humans India Male Middle Aged New Zealand Occupational Exposure Occupations Philippines Prevalence Regression Analysis Socioeconomic Factors Surveys and Questionnaires Transients and Migrants Workplace Young Adult Humans Carcinogens, Environmental Prevalence Cluster Analysis Regression Analysis Occupational Exposure Socioeconomic Factors Adolescent Adult Aged Middle Aged Transients and Migrants Workplace Occupations Philippines India Australia New Zealand Female Male Health Status Disparities Young Adult Surveys and Questionnaires Background: Disparities in exposure to occupational hazards may be linked to social position as well as the type of job a person holds. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of exposure to workplace hazards among three migrant worker groups and to assess whether social disparities in exposure for these groups remain after adjusting for occupational characteristics. Methods: Data were collected in 2017/2018 from 1630 Australian workers born in New Zealand, India, and the Philippines. Weighted estimated prevalence of exposure to 10 carcinogens and four psychosocial hazards (discrimination, job strain, vulnerability, and insecurity) was calculated for sociodemographics and occupation. Regression estimated the likelihood of exposure by sociodemographics after adjustment for occupational characteristics. Results: Exposure to workplace hazards ranged from 11.7% (discrimination) to 61.2% (exposed to at least one carcinogen). Compared with workers born in India, New Zealand born workers were over twice as likely to be exposed to diesel engine exhaust (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.60) and 60% more likely to be exposed to at least one carcinogen (aOR = 1.60) but less likely to be exposed to any psychosocial hazard. Social disparities by country of birth, sex, age, education, and number of years in Australia, as well as company size, employment type, and hours, worked remained associated with greater likelihood of reporting one or more workplace hazards after adjusting for occupational characteristics. Conclusion: Examining sociodemographic as well as occupational characteristics helps to clarify groups most likely to be exposed to workplace hazards who can be hidden when examining occupational characteristics alone. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91842 10.1002/ajim.23146 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160100660 WILEY fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
ecosocial
public health
workplace hazards
EMPLOYMENT PRECARIOUSNESS
GENDER-DIFFERENCES
WORKING-CONDITIONS
DISCRIMINATION
CARCINOGENS
PREVALENCE
HEALTH
TRAJECTORIES
IMMIGRANTS
STRAIN
ecosocial
public health
workplace hazards
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Australia
Carcinogens, Environmental
Cluster Analysis
Female
Health Status Disparities
Humans
India
Male
Middle Aged
New Zealand
Occupational Exposure
Occupations
Philippines
Prevalence
Regression Analysis
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Transients and Migrants
Workplace
Young Adult
Humans
Carcinogens, Environmental
Prevalence
Cluster Analysis
Regression Analysis
Occupational Exposure
Socioeconomic Factors
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Middle Aged
Transients and Migrants
Workplace
Occupations
Philippines
India
Australia
New Zealand
Female
Male
Health Status Disparities
Young Adult
Surveys and Questionnaires
Gosselin, A.
Daly, Alison
El Zaemey, Sonia
Fritschi, Lin
Glass, D.
Perez, E.R.
Reid, Alison
Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title_full Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title_fullStr Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title_full_unstemmed Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title_short Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia
title_sort does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? an analysis of foreign-born workers in australia
topic Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
ecosocial
public health
workplace hazards
EMPLOYMENT PRECARIOUSNESS
GENDER-DIFFERENCES
WORKING-CONDITIONS
DISCRIMINATION
CARCINOGENS
PREVALENCE
HEALTH
TRAJECTORIES
IMMIGRANTS
STRAIN
ecosocial
public health
workplace hazards
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Australia
Carcinogens, Environmental
Cluster Analysis
Female
Health Status Disparities
Humans
India
Male
Middle Aged
New Zealand
Occupational Exposure
Occupations
Philippines
Prevalence
Regression Analysis
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Transients and Migrants
Workplace
Young Adult
Humans
Carcinogens, Environmental
Prevalence
Cluster Analysis
Regression Analysis
Occupational Exposure
Socioeconomic Factors
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Middle Aged
Transients and Migrants
Workplace
Occupations
Philippines
India
Australia
New Zealand
Female
Male
Health Status Disparities
Young Adult
Surveys and Questionnaires
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160100660
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91842