Citation

Osinubi OY, Gandhi SK, Ohman-Strickland PA, Boglarsky C, Fiedler N, Kipen HM, Robson M. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2008; 50(2): 112-125.

Affiliation

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, NJ 08854, USA. oosinubi@eohsi.rutgers.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0b013e31815e92bd

PMID

18301168

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess if organizational factors are predictors of workers' health and productivity after the World Trade Center attacks. METHODS: We conducted a survey of 750 workers and compared those who had direct exposures to the World Trade Center attacks (south of Canal Street workers; primary victims) with those less directly exposed (north of Canal Street workers; other victims and non-victims). RESULTS: South of Canal Street workers reported headache more frequently than north of Canal Street workers did (P = 0.0202). Primary victims reported headache and cough more frequently than did other victims and non-victims (P = 0.0086 and 0.0043, respectively). Defensive organizational culture was an independent predictor of cough and job stress, and job stress was an independent predictor of on-the-job productivity losses. CONCLUSION: Organizational variables may modify health and productivity outcomes after a large-scale traumatic event in the workplace.

Language: en