Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Occupational Health

How do occupational injury rates vary with race and ethnicity, and how important is occupational concentration (differences in the occupation distribution across groups) compared to within-occupation disparities in injury risk?In this cross-sectional analysis of California workers’ compensation claims from 2005 to 2019, Black (non-Hispanic) and Hispanic workers experienced lost-time injury rates that were 74% and 90% higher, respectively, compared with White (non-Hispanic) workers. Occupational concentration accounted for 53% of the disparity between Black and White workers and 71% of the disparity between Hispanic and White workers.Occupational concentration contributes to occupational health disparities, but within-occupation disparities in risk are also important for public health.

Corresponding Author: Michael Dworsky, PhD, 1776 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (mdworsky@rand.org).

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