Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim for Low Back Pain and Associated Factors: Analysis of 2015 National Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the degree of reporting work-related low back pain (LBP) by workers' compensation (WC) claim filing and associated factors among US workers. METHODS: We conducted multivariable logistic regression using the 2015 National Health Interview Survey data. RESULTS: Among 1203 US workers with self-reported work-related LBP diagnosis, only 19.6% filed for WC. Compared with non-Hispanic White workers, Black, Asian, and Hispanic workers were less likely to file for WC. Workers' compensation filing was less frequent among workers in independent work arrangement and who stopped working, changed jobs, or made a change in work and more frequent among workers 45 to 64 years of age and having high LBP frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings suggest underreporting of work-related LBP to the WC system is common. Barriers to WC filing should be addressed especially for racial/ethnic minorities and independent workers.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Perceptions of Health, Work Environment and Experiences of Work-Related Symptoms Among Cleaning Workers.

This study explored racial and ethnic differences in perception of work environment, safe work practices, general health status, experience of work-related injury or illness and subsequent symptom reporting and health care seeking behaviors among cleaning workers. This study analyzed cross-sectional data obtained from 183 cleaning workers employed in a university hospital or a health sciences campus in Northern California. The sample included 120 Asians (65.6%), 37 Hispanics (20.2%), and 27 other ethnicities (14.2%); 85.7% were foreign-born. Asian workers perceived lower job control and supervisor support and higher job strain than other workers. The odds of perceiving general health as excellent or very good were lower among Asians compared to Hispanics and Others. Asians who experienced chemical-related symptoms were less likely than Hispanics and others to report the symptoms to their supervisor or seek healthcare. Our study findings indicated racial/ethnic differences in perceptions of work and general health, seeking healthcare, and reporting behaviors among cleaning workers. Asian workers, specifically, may need special attention to improve their experiences of work environments and health in the workplace.