Age in relation to worker compensation costs in the construction industry1. Issue 3 (10th July 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schwatka, Natalie V.; Butler, Lesley M.; Rosecrance, John C.
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 56:Issue 3(2013:Mar.)
• Page Start: 356
• Page End: 366
• Publication Date: 2012-07-10
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22093
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1-1" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>A better understanding of how workers' compensation (WC) costs are affected by an aging US workforce is needed, especially for physically demanding industries, such as construction.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs1-2" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>The relationship between age and injury type on claim costs was evaluated using a database of 107, 064 Colorado WC claims filed between 1998 and 2008 among construction workers.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs1-3" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Mean WC costs increased with increasing age for total cost (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001), medical costs (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001), and indemnity costs (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001). For each one‐year increase in age, indemnity, and medical costs increased by 3.5% and 1.1%, respectively. For specific injury types, such as strains and contusions, the association between age and indemnity costs was higher among claimants aged ≥65 compared to claimants aged 18–24.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs1-4" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Our findings suggest that specific injury types may be partially responsible for the higher indemnity costs among older construction workers, compared with their younger coworkers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:356–366, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>