Everyone knows that long work hours and intense periods of stress can make it difficult for us to function effectively at work. People who have more than one job are often extraordinarily busy, straining to juggle their various responsibilities. A 2013 study looked at the effect of additional jobs on an individual’s ability to remain safe and avoid injuries at work.
The report, published last November in the American Journal of Public Health, found that people who have more than one job experience an increased likelihood of work injury. The study reviewed information collected through the National Health Interview Survey, an assessment program (that, in part, covered occupational injury topics) of 269,000 people, with interviews taking place between 1997 and 2011.
The study found that 8% of working Americans have two or more jobs. According to the scientific analysis, members of that multiple-job population were 27% likelier to experience on-the-job injuries (in turn making a larger number eligible for “workers’ comp”). Unsurprisingly, the likelihood of injury outside of work was greater as well, with people who have multiple jobs at 34% greater risk.
Some subgroups more vulnerable
The increase in risk experienced by multiple job holders was not evenly distributed throughout that population, though. Certain demographics among those with more than one job – including women, those under 45 years old, and individuals in blue-collar occupations – were more susceptible to injuries at work. Relationship status affected vulnerability too, as did education: people who had never been married were more likely to be hurt at work, as were those who started college but didn’t complete it.
It’s unclear what specific factors are causing the amplification of work injury among those who hold multiple jobs. The study authors suggested several possible reasons: chronic fatigue, lack of expertise at one of the positions, and the stress of switching between various environments.
Alongside their data analysis, the researchers also argued that studies on occupational injury have often ignored additional jobs as a possible contributor. They also mentioned that occupational injury questionnaires typically don’t ask the in-depth questions required to gauge the “dynamic fluctuations” of today’s job market.
Expert assistance
The above information may be interesting. However, when collecting workers’ comp or otherwise suffering from a job injury, your body doesn’t need statistics. It needs care. Get relief now with our safe and effective pain relief programs at Weston Medical, combining the expertise of multiple disciplines for faster recovery.
