Intentional self-harm associated mortality among U.S. White physicians, nurses, lawyers & judges

The mortality associated factors can be quantified in terms of proportionate mortality ratios (PMR) per National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) data. Therefore, we explored NOMS data for the United States (U.S.) occupational workers’ mortality during 1999, 2003-2004, 2007-2014 to compare physicians’ mortality associated factors to the mortality associated factors among nurses vs. the mortality associated factors among lawyers & judges. Due to lack of adequate sample sizes of decedents being concurrently present among physicians, nurses, and lawyers & judges of Black race, we were able to tabulate 25 causes of death with significant PMRs among physicians, nurses, and lawyers & judges only of White race. Therein, intentional self harm associated mortality was found to be common among U.S. White physicians, nurses, lawyers & judges.

Does ‘right to work’ imperil the right to health? The effect of labour unions on workplace fatalities

ObjectiveEconomic policies can have unintended consequences on population health. In recent years, many states in the USA have passed ‘right to work’ (RTW) laws which weaken labour unions. The effect of these laws on occupational health remains unexplored. This study fills this gap by analysing the effect of RTW on occupational fatalities through its effect on unionisation.MethodsTwo-way fixed effects regression models are used to estimate the effect of unionisation on occupational mortality per 100 000 workers, controlling for state policy liberalism and workforce composition over the period 1992–2016. In the final specification, RTW laws are used as an instrument for unionisation to recover causal effects.ResultsThe Local Average Treatment Effect of a 1% decline in unionisation attributable to RTW is about a 5% increase in the rate of occupational fatalities. In total, RTW laws have led to a 14.2% increase in occupational mortality through decreased unionisation.ConclusionThese findings illustrate and quantify the protective effect of unions on workers’ safety. Policymakers should consider the potentially deleterious effects of anti-union legislation on occupational health.