Socioeconomic Characteristics and Economic Burden of Occupational Health Risk in Nigeria

Economic burden is a financial strain, costs, and negative impacts that individuals, families, communities, and societies undergo due to health conditions, diseases, and other adverse events. This study examines the nexus between socioeconomic characteristics and economic burden of occupational health risk factors in Nigeria. The study employed an ex-post facto method that involves examining an existing state of affairs and retrospectively identifying potential relationships and contributing factors. Data from the Global Burden of Disease with a comprehensive image of mortality and disability across countries, time, age, and gender were used. The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs) measured the occupational health risks which constitutes the economic burden on individuals and households. The results show variations in the DALYs’ and YLDs’ attributed to different health risk factors, indicating changes in the health burden caused by asthmagens, carcinogens, injuries, and particulate matter. Asthmagens, carcinogens, injuries, and particulate matter increase DALYs and YLDs over time, suggesting a worsening impact of the risk factors on health and an increasing economic burden on individuals and households. The prevalence of the risk factors and their corresponding disability weights determine the extent of the health burden measured by DALYs and YLDs. These findings illustrate the complexity of health and economic burdens in the workplace risks. It was suggested that government should design age and gender specific occupational health interventions to lessen the workplace health risks.