ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine patterns of injury, the impact of these injuries on patients and identification of potentially modifiable contributing factors through industry regulation reforms and education. METHODS: Food delivery rider (FDR)-related presentations to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Emergency and Trauma Centre for a year from September 2020 were identified. Data collected included patient and incident demographics: time, type and location of injuries, investigations and care required, length of stay, admission requirements and follow up. RESULTS: The cohort included 81.8% male with a mean age of 25.2 years. Most injuries occurred on the road from a collision with a vehicle. The most common injury was fractures. Incidence increased on weekends and during the evening. More than half the cohort were admitted to hospital. Only 22.7% of patients were eligible for workers compensation and less than half were covered by Medicare. The majority (72.7%) of cases involved non-resident riders from other countries. CONCLUSION: The majority of FDRs presenting with injuries are not Australian citizens and less than half were Medicare eligible potentially contributing to inadequate access to care especially fracture follow up. There were spikes in injuries occurring at night, weekends and during periods of pandemic associated lockdowns demonstrating an increased usage of delivery services during these times. Results highlight injury patterns experienced by delivery riders and potentially modifiable risk factors for this rapidly growing area of employment within the gig economy.
Subject(s)
Fractures, Bone , Wounds and Injuries , Accidents, Traffic , Adult , Aged , Emergency Service, Hospital , Female , Fractures, Bone/epidemiology , Fractures, Bone/etiology , Head Protective Devices , Humans , Male , Medicare , Motorcycles , Risk Factors , United States , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology , Wounds and Injuries/etiologyABSTRACT
This scoping review describes the current state of research about two-wheeled delivery riders who have been injured while performing commercial food delivery. The key areas of interest are the patterns of injury, associated risk factors and current gaps in knowledge. Five databases were searched to identify key papers that describe injuries to two-wheeled food delivery riders. Papers were assessed for quality and eligibility and key information was extracted relating to patterns of injury and risk factors. From an initial 264 records from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and SafetyLit, studies were screened by title, abstract and full text to yield 12 key papers for analysis. No papers reporting on Australian data were identified. Men comprise over 85% of workers in the food delivery industry. The average age of injured riders varies by country, but is commonly under 30 years old. Most injuries are lower limb musculoskeletal injuries, although there are no consistent data about frequency, severity or cost to the healthcare system. Twenty-three key risk factors were categorised according to rider characteristics, working conditions and environmental factors. The most common risk factors were younger age, lack of driving experience, time-pressured work and inadequate protective gear. There are very few publications describing food delivery rider injuries and risk factors. This is an emerging industry in which the worker population may be younger and more vulnerable. Given the different legal and cultural contexts across different countries, Australian-specific research is needed.