Objective: To assess associations between diabetes and occupational injury.
Methods: Data from the 1997 to 2005 National Health Interview Survey comprised a sample of 195,284 adult workers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed associations between diabetes and occupational injuries, adjusting for age, sex, race, and education. Additional logistic regression analysis examined the effect of medical therapy and duration of diabetes with occupational injury.
Results: There was no significant association between diabetes and occupational injury (adjusted OR = 1.18; 95% CI = 0.86 to 1.61). Subgroups of diabetics who reported no current diabetes therapy (OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.01 to 3.47) or duration of diabetes longer than 12 years (OR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.05 to 3.18) were at increased risk for occupational injury.
Conclusion: The finding of no overall increased risk for occupational injury among workers with diabetes provides nationally representative results that may be useful to policymakers. Increased risk for occupational injury among untreated diabetics or those with long duration of disease may lead to focused efforts to prevent occupational injuries.