Recently published research from the Australian National University examines how different jobs affect a person's chances of dying.
Researchers studied a large group of people in Australia between 25 and 64 years old, using information from the national Census and data about deaths, to compare the mortality rates among different occupations.
To do this, the researchers used a statistical method called negative binomial regression, which helped them calculate the chances of dying for each occupation group compared to managers. They looked at both men and women separately and divided them into age groups.
Their results demonstrate that some jobs have higher mortality rates than others. For example, men who worked as machinery operators and drivers or labourers had higher chances of dying compared to men who were managers. The same was true for women in those occupations. On the other hand, people in higher-skilled jobs like managers and professionals had lower chances of dying.
Researchers estimated the number of extra deaths associated with working in certain jobs by comparing the mortality rates to the overall population. They found a significant number of deaths among men and women were associated with working in jobs other than managerial roles.
The research also mentioned that unemployment and not being in the labor force were associated with higher mortality rates compared to all other job categories.
The study concluded that there are inequalities in mortality rates based on occupation, meaning that some jobs are riskier for people's health than others. These findings are similar to studies done in other countries. They also noted that men in 'lower-skilled' jobs had higher risks, especially in younger age groups. The researchers suggested that further analysis could be done to understand the specific causes of these differences and to improve health equity among different job categories.
It's important to note that the research had some limitations. The information they used from the Census might not accurately reflect a person's lifetime occupation, especially for younger people. Also, the study focused on all-cause mortality and didn't examine specific causes of death. A longer study period with more deaths would provide more accurate estimates.
Access the research here.