Blue-Collar Workers

A Chinese study found that white-collar workers had a 1.33 odds ratio advantage over blue-collar workers for adequate health literacy. South Korean research showed that labour class IV (blue-collar) workers had lower health literacy related to social determinants of health. Blue-collar workers in construction, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture face a convergence of personal and occupational factors that elevate their risk of limited health literacy. Risk factors for limited health literacy among blue-collar workers include lower educational attainment, language barriers, smoking, poor diet, medication misuse, psychosocial stress, work-life conflict, and social isolation. Limited health literacy increases workplace injury risk and complicates return to work after illness or injury for blue-collar workers. Peer mentoring approaches may be particularly effective for blue-collar workers given their common reliance on peer support in workplace settings.