Definition

Annual number of work-related inpatient hospitalizations for persons age 16 years or older.

Numerator

Number of inpatient hospital discharges with primary payer coded as workers' compensation.

Denominator

Total number of employed persons age 16 years or older for the same calendar year.

Data Interpretation Issues

The majority of individuals with work-related illnesses and injuries do not file for workers' compensation. Individuals hospitalized for work-related injuries and illnesses represent less than 10 percent of all workers who receive workers' compensation. Additionally, self-employed individuals such as farmers and independent contractors, federal employees, railroad or longshore and maritime workers are not covered by state workers' compensation systems.

Why Is This Important?

Individuals hospitalized with work-related injuries and illnesses have some of the most serious and costly work-related adverse health outcomes. Tracking of these significant adverse health effects can help target prevention programs and activities, and to identify previously recognized settings in which workers may continue to be at high risk. For example, analysis of these data can assist researchers to assess disparities among racial/ethnic groups and among young and older workers.

How Are We Doing?

In NJ there have been over 86,000 work-related hospitalizations between 2000 and 2019. In 2019 there were 4,199 work-related hospitalizations. Of these, 2,681 (64%) individuals were male and the average age was 49 years. Over 2,000 (52%) of the hospitalized individuals were White; 796 (19%) were Black; and over 1,000 (27%) were of Hispanic origin. New Jersey annual rates have slightly decreased from 143 per 100,000 in 2000 to 96 per 100,000 in 2019.

What Is Being Done?

New Jersey law requires the reporting of occupational diseases, injuries, and poisonings by hospitals (NJAC 8:58). [https://www.nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/occupational-health-surveillance/rptrequirements.shtml]