Citation

Clemmer DI, Mohr DL. Spine 1991; 16(7): 831-834.

Affiliation

Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1833830

Abstract

Trends in rates of low-back strains, low-back impact injuries, and non-low-back injuries among field employees of a petroleum drilling company, 1979-1985, were examined to investigate the relationship between economic factors and the incidence of low-back and other injuries. Economic indicators included the rate of resignations, a surrogate for turnover, and the rate of layoffs. Only lost-time low-back strain rates increased during times of worker layoffs. Non-low-back injury rates were highest during periods of high turnover and no layoffs. Although the increasing age of the work force and the anxiety generated by an industry-wide depression may have played a role, it is likely that the increase in lost-time low-back strain injuries was a worker response to possible layoff.