Certain Workers More At Risk For Flu

Though a job may guard a person from the flu somewhat,a recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control indicate some employees are not as prone to get it as employees in different industries.

The author of the report says" We need this data for distinguishing and  reacting to the flu in primary groups who are most prone to get it. These can include teachers, food service and retail employees, and others who are exposed constantly to the general public.



When the H1N1 flu broke back in 2009, National Institute for Occupational Safety and the Emerging Infections Program from CDC gathered figures from over 3000 adults who came down with the flu and went to the hospital because of it. Though it is not typical to need hospitalization for the flu, the reason the writer published this study was to gain some insight on certain employees who may be impacted by a serious case of the flu.

Employees Who Are Prone to Flu

The number one occupation at an increased risk for flu are workers in the health care industry. They account for around 16% of hospitalization while retail workers make up 12%. Those who are employed in food service, retail workers, and teachers, account for 9%-10% each of the 3365 surveyed.

Instead of examining the complete amount of those who were hospitalized because of the flu,
the ones behind the research also wanted to get details about the types of industries with the greatest proportion of of workers with serious cases of flu which called for a stay in the hospital.

What they found should be no surprise. Research indicated those who worked in warehousing or transportation like airport employees and bus drivers had  1.5% more risk for the flu. However, it is impossible for certain components to compensate for all hospitalizations. The authors states more studies need to be completed to understand the reasons behind serious flu cases in certain industries.