Workplace violence victimization in young workers: An analysis of the US National Crime Victimization Survey, 2008 to 2012

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the frequency of workplace violence (WPV) victimization in 16 to 24-year olds in the United States and compare rates by occupation and demographics. Methods: As an open cohort, participants 12 years or older in the National Crime Victimization Survey were interviewed at 6-month intervals over a 3-year period from 2008 to 2012. WPV victimization rates were calculated. Weighted, multilevel Poisson regression was used to compare WPV victimization rates by occupation and demographics. Results: The rate of WPV victimization was 1.11 incidents per 1000 employed person-months (95% confidence interval: 0.95-1.27). The highest rates of WPV were in protective service occupations (5.24/1000 person-months), transportation (3.04/1000 person-months), and retail sales (2.29/1000 person-months). Compared with their respective counterparts, lower rates of WPV victimization were found among younger, black, and rural/suburban workers. Conclusions: Findings identify occupations and target populations in need of future research and evidence-based interventions to improve the working conditions for young workers.