Construction work is difficult and dangerous, with one of the highest injury rates
of ConsumerAffairsConstruction work is tough and dangerous, and workers often get hurt. Because of this, many construction workers use strong painkillers called opioids, which can be addictive and dangerous.
A recent study looked at whether other ways to manage pain, without using drugs, could help construction workers.
What they found
-
Most workers had pain: 85% of the construction workers in the study said they had pain in the past year.
-
Many used strong painkillers: 72% used painkillers, and 19% used opioids.
-
Other ways to manage pain: There are many ways to manage pain without drugs, like physical therapy, exercise, meditation, and even music therapy.
-
Some workers used these other methods: The study found that things like training on the dangers of opioids and knowing about things like music therapy made workers more likely to use non-drug methods for pain.
-
Women and minorities used non-drug methods more: Women were more likely to use these other methods, and minorities were more likely to use things like spiritual healing.
Why this is important
-
Reduce opioid use: Using other ways to manage pain could help reduce the number of construction workers who use opioids.
-
Safer pain relief: These other methods can be safer and have fewer side effects than drugs.
More about the study
Construction work has some of the highest injury, illness and fatality rates across all occupations. In 2020, for example, 41,400 of the 10.3 million construction workers in the United States experienced nonfatal workplace injuries due to falling, slipping or tripping.
Participants were workers in the U.S. construction industry, were 18 years old or older, could consent and take the survey in English, and were recruited nationally through social media campaigns, industry stakeholders (trade and labor unions, business owners, trade organizations, and The Center for Construction Research and Training) and chain referral sampling (wherein current participants help recruit prospective participants).
It wasled byDr. Aurora Le, an associate professor of health behavior with theTexas A&M University School of Public Health.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-16 17:06:26
