Table 2.
Occupational accidents and work-related illness among young Nordic workers in general
| Author (Year) | Data source, population | Industry gender | Exposure | Effect | Results and recommendations | Study design and quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational accidents among young Nordic workers in general (N = 13) | ||||||
| Bull et al (1999) Norway |
Injury claims from the Daisy database. Injuries in the general working population from the period 1991–1996. | Various work Male and female |
Age | Injury claims | Various types of occupational injury claims were found to increase with increasing age. Considering injuries affecting fingers, the highest rate was found among men in the age group 20–24. Injury rates were more than twice among men than among women. | Register study Validity: Internal 8/24 = 33% External 4/5 = 80% |
| Bull et al (2001) Norway |
Injury claims from the Daisy database. Injuries among fisheries workers from 1991–1996. | Fisheries Mostly male workers. |
Age | Injury claims | Injury rates are highest among fisheries workers younger than 30 years. Fingers and hands were mostly affected. Bruises and fractures were the most frequent injury types. The authors suggest that young fisheries workers should have better on-the-job training and closer follow-up of experienced workers | Register study Validity: Internal 8/24 = 33% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Bull et al (2004) Norway |
Occupational eye injuries: 1. from a selection of emergency centers to the Norwegian Injury Surveillance System, 1990–2002. 2. from the employers of the National Insurance Administration, 1998–2001. |
Various work | Age | Eye injury | Young male workers aged 20–24 years had the highest eye injury incidence. Workers in the metal industry had a high risk of eye injuries. A preventive action could be the use of eye protection. |
Register study Validity: Internal 8/24 = 33% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Dööse et al (1994) Sweden |
Data on 537 accidents among personnel employed in the period 1986–1987. | Workers at an truck and automobile plant | Age and nationality (people from Finland mostly). | Accidents/injuries | A higher frequency rate of occupational accidents among young workers (16–20 years) than older workers (45–64 years). No increased accident risk for immigrants versus workers with Swedish nationality. For employees younger than 25 years, a tendency for immigrant workers (mostly from Finland) to have higher accident frequency rate. | Register study Validity: Internal 1/24 = 4% External 3/5 = 60% |
| Gravseth et al (2003) Norway |
Occupational injuries (n = 1153) treated by Oslo Emergency Ward over a three-month period (March–June) in 2001 | Various work | Age | Occupational injuries treated in an emergency ward | The injury incidence was highest in the youngest age groups (16–19 and 20–24). Men had three times the injury incidence of women. Of those with serious injuries, 30% had a non-Scandinavian language as their first language. Occupations such as electricians and carpenters had the highest observed injury incidences. Need for more in studies on risk factors and possible preventive actions. | Register study Validity: Internal 9/24 = 38% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Laflamme & Menckel (1996) Sweden |
Data were taken from two national sources: ISA (the information system on occupational injuries) and by Statistics Sweden. Accident frequency in the period 1980–1990. | Male nonferrous ore miners | Age | Accident resulting in 1 day's absence from work or more | A higher AR (age-related accident ratio) in younger age groups (16–24 and 2–-34) and 35–44 than in the age groups 45–54 and 55–65. For the youngest age group, there was a decrease in the AR in all types of accidents during the time period for all types of accidents, except overexertion. Results suggest the age-related risks are influenced by labor market factors. For example, reduction in personnel may expose young and middle-aged workers to higher risks because of lack of relevant experience. | Register study Validity: Internal 9/24 = 38% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Laflamme (1996) Sweden |
Data were taken from two national sources: ISA (the information system on occupational injuries) and by Statistics Sweden. Accident frequency in the period 1980–1990. | Female assembly workers in the automobile industry | Age | Accident resulting in 1 day's absence from work or more | Higher accident rates were found for female workers aged 16–24 years than for female workers aged 45–54 years. The pattern was similar when split in specific types of accidents (e.g., falls and lifting). Age-related variation between accident types remain worthy of future research attention. | Register study Validity: Internal 9/24 = 38% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Laflamme (1996) Sweden |
Data were taken from two national sources: ISA (the information system on occupational injuries) and by Statistics Sweden. Accident frequency in the period 1980–1990. | Male assembly workers in the automobile industry | Age | Accident resulting in 1 day's absence from work or more | Higher accident rates were found for young male assembly workers (aged 16–24 years) regardless of accident type (nonspecific vs. specific). Inequalities in risk exposure, labor market factors, and early deselection from the occupation are emphasized as significant external factors in the age-related difference observed. | Register study Validity: Internal 9/24 = 38% External 5/ = 100% |
| Laflamme et al (1996) Sweden |
Data were taken from two national sources: ISA (the information system on occupational injuries) and by Statistics Sweden. Accident frequency in the period 1980–1990. | Male iron ore miners | Age | Accident resulting in 1 day's absence from work or more | The tendency is higher accident rates in younger age groups (16–24 and 25–34), than in the age group of 45–54 and 55–65. Tendency that there is lower median number of lost days among younger workers than among older indicates more severe accidents. Results may indicate inequality in risk exposure between age groups. Age may be a good predictor of accident severity provided that differences in risk exposure are controlled for. | Register study Validity: Internal 10/24 = 42% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Laflamme & Blank (1996) Sweden |
Data on accidents were taken from ISA (the information system on occupational injuries) and data registered by the companies. | Male iron ore miners all working at the underground level. | Age | Accident resulting in 1 day's absence from work or more | Accident rate ratios were higher in younger age categories (<30) than in the oldest age group (50+) for sprain/strain because of overexertion and cuts/contusions/crushing injuries. The possibility that young workers were more exposed than their older colleagues to workload and injury risks is supported to some extent by the findings | Register study Validity: Internal 13/24 = 54% External 3/5 = 60% |
| Lindqvist et al (1999) Sweden |
Data on injuries were taken from inpatient and outpatient facilities from a Swedish municipality (n = 41.000) during a period of 1 year. | Various work Females and males. |
Age | Work-related injuries treated by a doctor. | Young (aged 15–24 years) men showed the highest rate of injury. Gender difference in work-related injury was found among young workers (men 67 per 1000, women 14 per 1000). More attention to the gender aspect of work-related injuries. |
Register study Validity: Internal 10/24 = 42% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Rasmussen et al (2011) Denmark |
Birth cohort comprising all adolescents in the county of Ringkjøbing, Denmark, born in 1989. Young workers were followed up from 15 to 18 years of age. N = 2181 (answered at both time points). | Various work Females and males. |
A variety of work environment factors | Experienced a work accident | Heavy lifting, high psychological demands, and low social support increased the risk of experiencing work accidents among young workers. Encourages more cohort studies of risk factors for accidents among adolescents. | Prospective study Validity: Internal 21/33 = 64% External 6/8 = 75% |
| Salminen (1996) Finland |
Data from 99 serious occupational accidents in the provinces of Uusimaa and Southern Häme in the period of Sep 1988 to Dec 1989. Interview of 73 workers with serious accidents. The second data set was based on a representative sample of the Finnish population aged >14 years. 87% (n = 13.762) |
Various work Females and males. |
Work task | Accident at work (frequency and type) | Both data sets showed that the accident frequency was slightly higher among young workers (15–24 years) than among older workers. Incautiousness was an important accident factor for young workers. Feeding and cleaning machines were the main work tasks related with accidents for young workers. To prevent accidents of young workers, companies should introduce training programs for new employees. |
Register study Validity: Internal 5/24 = 21% External 5/5 = 100% |
| Work-related illness among young Nordic workers in general (N = 8) | ||||||
| Boström et al (2008) Sweden |
Young adults aged 18–25 years with musculoskeletal symptoms followed up for 1 year for assessing conditions at school and work (n = 2914) | Various work | Computer use and individual conditions | General productivity due to MSD. | The main risk factors for reduced productivity due to musculoskeletal symptoms among young adults were chronic symptoms and widespread symptoms in the neck and upper extremity. | Prospective study Validity: Internal 21/39 = 54% External 6/8 = 75% |
| Boström et al (2012) Sweden |
Swedish young workers aged 21–25 years (n = 1311) sampled from a larger population study. Baseline (2007) and 1-year follow-up (2008). | Various workers | Physical and psychosocial work factors | Work ability (WAI) | Decreased job control and increased job demands on private life over time was found as the most important work factors associated with reduced work ability among young male and female workers. No difference in work ability by gender. This study proposes the importance of intervention strategies aimed toward influencing work situations that may affect workers work ability. | Prospective study Validity: Internal 24/39 = 62% External 5/8 = 63% |
| Khatun et al (2004) Sweden |
Young men and women followed up from 16 to 30 years of age. | Various work | Individual factors: aged 16 years. Psychosocial work factors: aged 30 years. |
MSD at 30 years | School grades at age 16 years were associated with MSD for men and women. Psychosocial working conditions at age 30 years were associated with MSD for men and women. The accumulation of adverse behavioral and social circumstances from adolescents to early adulthood might be an explanation for the class differentials in MSD for both men and women. Gender difference in MSD found. |
Prospective study Validity: Internal 29/39 = 74% External 8/8 = 100% |
| Korpinen & Paakkonen (2011) Finland |
A sample of adult men and women aged ≤30 years from a bigger cohort in 2002. | Various work | Use of mobile phones and computers | Symptoms such as ache, pain, or numbness in different body parts the past year. | Computer use at leisure time was associated with symptoms in different body parts, and exhaustion at work had associations with some physical symptoms. It is essential in future research to note the ergonomic reasons and exhaustion at work when young adults experience pain, numbness, or aches. Gender difference in physical symptoms was found. | Cross-sectional study Validity: Internal 13/26 = 50% External 5/8 = 63% |
| Liukkonen et al (2010) Finland |
Nonpermanent employees (n = 1898) and sample of the national workforce (n = 9623). Analyses grouping by age (one of the groups aged 18–29 years) | Various work | Employment status. Labor market position patterns |
Sense of coherence | Provides evidence that stabilization of sense of coherence associates with stabilization of the labor market position. The effects of employment trajectory on sense of coherence are particularly strong among individuals aged ≤30 years. | Prospective study Validity: Internal 321/39 = 54% External 5/8 = 63% |
| Mikkonen et al (2012) Finland |
Sample of adolescents aged 16 years followed up at the age 18 years after 2 years of work (n = 1984) from the Northern Finland 1986 birth cohort. | Various work | Physical workload | Low back pain Incidence and persistence |
Among females, work exposure was associated with incident low back pain. Awkward trunk posture was associated with low back pain in both genders. No association between workload and persistent pain. Physical workload factors constitute a risk for low back pain even in adolescents. |
Prospective study Validity: Internal 24/39 = 62% External 7/8 = 88% |
| Taimela et al (2007) Finland |
Blue-collar workers (n = 1341 aged 18–61 years). Separate analyses of workers in the age group 18–30. |
Construction and maintenance workers Males and females |
Age and self-reported health problems | Archival data of sickness absence | The young age group (18–30) had higher propensity for (any) sickness absence than the older workers. Young workers reported better health than their older colleagues but had higher probability for sickness absence. | Cross-sectional study Validity: Internal 21/26 = 81% External 5/8 = 63% |
| Vaez et al (2004) Sweden |
In paid employment aged 20–34 years (n = 863). | Various work Males and females |
Occupation and educational level | Self-rated health and perceived quality of life. | No education-based difference and few differences based on occupation were found. Among young working adults, health status and quality of life are not strongly conditional on socioeconomic position. | Cross-sectional study Validity: Internal 12/26 = 46% External 6/8 = 75% |
MSD, musculoskeletal disorder.