New Jersey Department Of Health Research Articles

Choice of revascularization strategy for ischemic cardiomyopathy due to multivessel coronary disease

ObjectiveLimited comparative data guide the decision between coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel revascularization in ischemic cardiomyopathy. The study objective was to compare the long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention for ischemic cardiomyopathy. MethodsClinical registries from the New Jersey Department of Health linked to administrative databases were used to compare all-cause mortality, repeat revascularization, heart failure readmissions, myocardial infarction, and stroke using Cox proportional hazards and propensity matching with competing risk analysis in 5988 patients with ejection fraction 35% or less who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (3673, 61.3%) or percutaneous coronary intervention (2315, 38.6%) for multivessel coronary disease between 2007 and 2018. Median follow-up time was 5.2 years (range, 0-13 years); the last follow-up date was December 31, 2020. ResultsAfter controlling for completeness of revascularization, at 13 years, mortality was 57% (95% CI, 51-63) after percutaneous coronary intervention and 60% (95% CI, 53-66) after coronary artery bypass grafting (hazard ratio [HR], 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93-1.31; P = .28); risk of repeat revascularization was 18% for percutaneous coronary intervention versus 14% for coronary artery bypass grafting (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.17-2.25; P = .003); risk of readmission for heart failure was 16% after percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting (HR, 1.13,95% CI, 0.84-1.51, weighted P = .10); risk of myocardial infarction was 10% versus 6%, respectively (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.18-3.09; P = .007); and stroke risk was 3% versus 4%, respectively (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.41-1.53; P = .52). Rate of complete revascularization was lower after percutaneous coronary intervention than after coronary artery bypass grafting and associated with higher mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.20-1.52; P < .001). ConclusionsCoronary bypass was associated with similar mortality, stroke, and heart failure readmissions, and reduced repeat revascularization compared with percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy if similar rates of complete revascularization were achieved. These findings support consensus recommendations for coronary artery bypass grafting and medical therapy in patients with multivessel coronary disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

Engage, educate, escape: The New Jersey Department of Health Project Firstline Escape Room

Objective: Participating in an escape room is not just an entertainment but can also be a form of education. Because of this, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), Project Firstline (PFL) created an escape room interactive training tool and skills-building exercise to encourage the identification and use of key infection control principles by current and future healthcare workers. Design and Setting: PFL is a US initiative that aims to provide infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge to frontline healthcare workers. This article details health educators’ descriptions and experiences of an escape room developed as part of this initiative; guidance on how to incorporate this modality of learning into present and future teaching; and assessment data and feedback from participants to begin to understand the impact and effectiveness of this approach to learning. Methods: A total of 8 sessions, conducted in 3 locations, with 64 participants, yielded survey assessment data from 41 participants. Results: Quantitative results indicated that participants were highly satisfied with the escape room experience and reported an increased level of knowledge after participation. In addition, participants reported extremely high levels of intention to implement the training they received, and all would recommend the escape room experience to a friend or a colleague. Qualitative data supports the overall findings and provides specific examples of how participants said they would implement the knowledge they learned, along with additional positive feedback. Conclusion: Current and continuing efforts to promote PFL’s escape room are described, along with improvements and future actions.

An Interview With Susan Reinhard.

This column addresses how AARP, a consumer organization, is leading a Center for Health Equity through Nursing. The Center is working to support nursing to mitigate the nursing workforce crisis. Susan C. Reinhard is a senior vice president at AARP, directing its Public Policy Institute (PPI), the focal point for public policy research and analysis at the state, federal, and international levels. She leads PPI's family caregiving initiatives and serves as the chief strategist for the Center to Champion Nursing in America, a national resource center created to ensure that America has the highly skilled nurses it needs to provide care in the future. As a previous deputy commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Reinhard led the development of policies and nationally recognized programs for family caregiving, consumer choice, and community-based care options. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, the Gerontological Society of America, and Salzburg Global. She holds a master's degree in nursing and a PhD in sociology.

A Novel Solution to a Novel Pandemic

This paper provides an outline for how Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) established a student-run coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination clinic. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), referred to as COVID-19, has ravaged the nation since January of 2020. One of the largest issues during the first months of the vaccine rollout was vaccine distribution to the qualified public. RowanSOM sought to address this obstacle in New Jersey (NJ) by implementing the state’s first medical student-led COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Through the establishment of a supply chain, vaccination area, vaccine storage area, and registration center, the medical school created a straightforward format for “mega sites”, interested medical schools and pop-up sites to follow to implement their own clinics to help to end the fight against COVID-19. RowanSOM closely collaborated with the NJ Department of Health, which has been fundamental in the implementation of the State’s vaccination plan through the creation and execution of this student-run vaccination clinic.

The ghost of polio haunts us once again. The appeal of the scientific community is clear: “Vaccinate your kids today!”

IntroductionIn the summer of 2022, a vaccination campaign for the prevention of poliomyelitis was launched and “The CDC recommend that all children be vaccinated against polio, or poliomyelitis”. The scientific community is on the alert for new cases of polio, which is spreading. Although polio seemed to have been almost completely eradicated throughout the world, the disease has surprisingly reappeared in some Western countries. The risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). MethodThe authors reviewed recent polio cases in some western countries which have caused significant public health concern and they underline the meaning and weight of this issue emphasizing the importance of vaccination. DiscussionIn June 2022, the British authorities announced that they had detected traces of a form of polio derived from a vaccine strain in the wastewater of some London boroughs. Although no cases of disease were identified, the British government immediately announced that it was proceeding to reinstate polio vaccination for all children. A few weeks later, on July 18, 2022, the New Jersey Department of Health notified the CDCP of the detection of type-2 poliovirus in an unvaccinated young man in the New York metropolitan area. This case immediately triggered an appeal from the CDCP to get vaccinated and, above all, to vaccinate children.Low vaccination coverage means that the population is constantly at risk of further cases of paralytic poliomyelitis. ConclusionThe appeal to vaccinate children against polio is crucial, as prevention through vaccination is the only defense against the disease. We think that an efficient vaccination campaign can positively influence the process of eliminating the virus. At the same time, however, it demonstrates that simply lowering one's guard can quickly lead to a resurgence of polio cases. Hence, until polio is eradicated, we can be sure that contagion by the wild virus and the risk of vaccine-derived poliovirus will remain possible.

Legionella pneumonia as a rising public health threat in Argentina: Is it the time to worry?

Legionella pneumonia as a rising public health threat in Argentina: Is it the time to worry?

Characterizing Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) Compliance in New Jersey: 2008-2017.

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) became a law in 1986, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was mandated to promulgate rules to regulate the inspection, management, and abatement of asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) in schools. This study describes 10 years (2008-2017) of AHERA compliance site inspection data conducted by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). To establish the level to which inspected NJ schools comply with AHERA regulations, to characterize compliance deficiencies including those that may lead to increased asbestos exposure risk to students and school employees, and to determine whether age, type, and geographic location of school impacted the likelihood of noncompliance. Information collected during 456 unique inspections between 2008 and 2017 was analyzed. Inspections were conducted at public and private schools in New Jersey. These included elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as charter and vocational/technical schools. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression modeling of 3 factors, school type, geographical region, and school age. NJDOH inspectors found damage to friable ACBM in 50% (n = 229) of the schools and fiber release episodes in 27% of inspections (n = 121). The case of schools failing to attach warning labels on or immediately adjacent to ACBM was the most frequently noted compliance deficiency over the 10-year period. The modeling output showed that compliance was associated with the type of school and geographical region. Inspected schools during the 10-year period were in serious noncompliance with AHERA regulations. This included deficiencies that demonstrate a potential exposure to asbestos such as missing ACBM in management plans, damaged ACBM, lack of protection of short-term workers and custodial staff, and the identification of fiber release episodes. Modeling results of specific school characteristics can help direct limited resources to mitigate potential asbestos exposures.

COVID-19 School vs. Community-Based Outbreak Trends among New Jersey K-12 Schools during the 2020-2021 School Year.

Identifying potential rapid methods to track COVID-19 trends within schools has become a necessity in understanding how to provide both education and maintain health and safety during a pandemic. This study examined COVID-19 trends and sociodemographic information in New Jersey (NJ) schools during the 2020–2021 school year. A database was compiled for this study in Microsoft Excel using various state and federal resources. Data used in the study are a combination of extracted data from weekly NJ Spotlight reports, weekly NJ COVID-19 Activity Level Index (NJ CALI) reports, and reports of school-based outbreaks via the NJ Department of Health (NJDOH). In 2020–2021, in NJ K–12 schools, the NJDOH defined a school-based outbreak incidence as two or more students and/or adult staff with a laboratory-confirmed positive molecular test for COVID-19 based on transmission occurring on campus. Data were organized into six regions across 21 counties within NJ (3–4 counties per region per NJDOH). COVID-19 trends in NJ schools mirrored trends in their districts, i.e., communities, within the state’s region; noticeably, there were consistently high trends during the winter holiday season (November 2020–January 2021). The cumulative number of incidences of school-based outbreaks remained relatively low but, nevertheless, increased throughout the 2020–2021 school year. This study recommends increased accessibility to COVID-19 reports for school and public health officials, and in the future for data to be reported to identify rates of transmission of other communicable diseases within K–12 students, and to further reinforce established mandates and other preventative measures in public while traveling during holiday seasons.

The Non- Universal Understanding of the New Jersey Universal Transfer Form: Evaluating Resident Physicians’ Knowledge Gaps

Miscommunications and handoff errors are 2 leading causes of preventable medical errors in the US. In an effort to decrease these types of errors when transferring patients from one facility to another, the New Jersey (NJ) Universal Transfer Form (UTF) was jointly developed by providers, hospital administrators, and the New Jersey Department of Health in 2011 to standardize the communication of pertinent clinical information during care transitions. The UTF serves as an important tool for relaying information especially in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Arena when PALTC residents are transitioned to and from hospitals.

Registered nurses: can our supply meet the demand during a disaster?

BackgroundDeath and destructions are often reported during natural disasters; yet little is known about how hospitals operate during disasters and if there are sufficient resources available for hospitals to provide ongoing care during these catastrophic events. The purpose of this study was to determine if the State of New Jersey had a supply of registered nurses (RNs) that was sufficient to meet the needs of hospitalized patients during a natural disaster – Hurricane Sandy.MethodsSecondary data were used to forecast the demand and supply of New Jersey RNs during Hurricane Sandy. Data sources from November 2011 and 2012 included the State Inpatient Databases (SID), American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey on hospital characteristics and staffing data from New Jersey Department of Health. Three models were used to estimate the RN shortage for each hospital, which was the difference between the demand and supply of RN full-time equivalents.ResultsData were available on 66 New Jersey hospitals, more than half of which experienced a shortage of RNs during Hurricane Sandy. For hospitals with a RN shortage in ICUs, a 20% increase in observed RN supply was needed to meet the demand; and a 10% increase in observed RN supply was necessary to meet the demand for hospitals with a RN shortage in non-ICUs.ConclusionFindings from this study suggest that many hospitals in New Jersey had a shortage of RNs during Hurricane Sandy. Efforts are needed to improve the availability of nurse resources during a natural disaster.

174. Increase in Candida auris cases in New Jersey healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic — 2017–2020

Background Candida auris is a fungal pathogen associated with multidrug resistance, high mortality, and healthcare transmission. Since its U.S. emergence in 2017, to March 19, 2021, 1708 clinical infections were reported nationwide, of which 235 (13.8%) were reported in New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) maintains C. auris surveillance in healthcare facilities (HCF) such as acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), and skilled nursing facilities, to monitor clinical infections and patient colonization. We aimed to characterize the epidemiology of C. auris infection and colonization among HCF patients during 2017–2020.MethodsHCFs report C. auris cases identified from clinical specimens and surveillance activities such as admission screenings and point prevalence surveys (PPS) to NJDOH. Cases are classified as either infection or colonization using National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System case definitions. We analyzed cases reported during 2017–2020 to describe types of cases, facilities reporting cases, and demographics of affected patients. We analyzed PPS results to calculate percent positivity of tests from patients without previously identified infection and compared percent positivity between types of facilities. We examined quarterly trends for all variables before and after the COVID-19 pandemic peak in the second quarter of 2020.ResultsDuring 2017–2020, 614 C. auris cases identified from clinical specimens were reported to NJDOH [243 (39.6%) infection, 371 (60.4%) colonization]; of these, 139 (57.2%) and 301 (81.1%) , respectively, were identified at long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs). PPS percent positivity was higher at LTACHs (mean 7.6%) compared with all other facility types (mean 3.6%) for 13 of 16 quarters during 2017–2020. Case reports increased 2.6-fold from the Q2 2020 peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to Q3 2020.From Q1 to Q4 2020, PPS percent positivity increased from 4.8% to 10.5%.Figure 1. Candida auris cases reported to New Jersey Department of Health, 2017–2020 Figure 2. Candida auris test percent positivity among healthcare facility patients sampled for point prevalence surveys* and total number of C. auris point prevalence tests performed, New Jersey, 2017–2020. *Excluding individuals already known to be cases ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated C. auris transmission in HCF and potential causes should be further explored. LTACHs carry a disproportionate burden of patients colonized with C. auris and should be prioritized for surveillance and containment efforts. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Does Public Reporting of Staffing Ratios and Nursing Home Compare Ratings Matter?

ObjectivePublic reporting is a policy to improve quality and increase data transparency. The objective was to examine the association between publicly available staffing ratios and the Five-Star Quality Ratings from Nursing Home Compare over time. DesignPanel data analysis. Setting and ParticipantsAbout 146 nursing homes with complete quarterly data in New Jersey between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019. MethodsUsing data from the State of New Jersey Department of Health and Nursing Home Compare, staff-to-resident ratios were trended for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants by shift and over time. Panel data analysis was used to test the association between the ratios and the ratings. ResultsCompared to 2012, staffing ratios improved slightly for licensed practical nurses but not for registered nurses or certified nursing assistants in 2019 (P < .001). The number of residents assigned doubled at night for all personnel. During the day and evening shifts, registered nurse staffing was significantly associated with the Nursing Home Compare staffing rating (P < .01) but not the overall rating. Conclusions and ImplicationsDecreasing the number of residents assigned to a registered nurse in NHs results in an increase in staffing ratings. Mandatory public reporting holds nursing homes accountable for quality outcomes but does not improve staffing ratios. Quality resident care is the cumulative result of multiple measures inclusive of staffing; therefore, administrators should continue to focus on improving quality in NHs, which may improve staffing ratios across shifts.

Proposal to New Jersey Department of Health for Modification of New Employees’ Orientation

This paper is about a program proposal for New Jersey Department of Health to find an alternative way to conduct their orientation training to be appropriate for adult learners, and to meet the four key elements of learning- motivation, reinforcement, retention, and transference. The proposed project will train New Jersey educators how to modify the orientation training using the adult learning principles of Knowles’ Andragogy to help them to design the teaching methodologies that are useful for adults from different educational, cultural and developmental backgrounds. The proposed program will consist of the basic phases of program planning include needs assessment, program outcomes and learning objectives, transfer of learning, program structure, and program evaluation. Two informal and one formal method or strategies for gathering data needs/ideas were designed. One informal and two formal methods or strategies for program evaluation data were also designed to determine the program effectiveness and future direction. The program structure, timeframe and resources were explained in detail. An instructional plan and program budget were developed and included.

Can Disclosure of Pharmaceutical Industry Payments Induce Cost Conscious Prescribing? Evidence from New Jersey

This paper examines whether disclosure of pharmaceutical industry payments to physicians reduces branded prescribing by disclosed physicians in hospital care. The basis of disclosure is the threat of reputational consequences; however, it is not clear that reputational incentives (either social or financial) will be particularly strong in the hospital context. Using hospital discharge data from the New Jersey Department of Health, I exploit a unique natural experiment in which physicians are observed after receiving payments but before they are aware that they will be disclosed. Using differences-in-differences to compare within-physician prescriptions of branded drugs before and after their payments were disclosed, I find that disclosure does not induce cost consciousness as hoped: disclosure led to a 0.8 percentage point increase in the share of branded drugs by disclosed physicians relative to undisclosed physicians.

Increase in Hospital-Acquired Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Infection and Colonization in an Acute Care Hospital During a Surge in COVID-19 Admissions - New Jersey, February-July 2020.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), an opportunistic pathogen primarily associated with hospital-acquired infections, is an urgent public health threat (1). In health care facilities, CRAB readily contaminates the patient care environment and health care providers' hands, survives for extended periods on dry surfaces, and can be spread by asymptomatically colonized persons; these factors make CRAB outbreaks in acute care hospitals difficult to control (2,3). On May 28, 2020, a New Jersey hospital (hospital A) reported a cluster of CRAB infections during a surge in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hospital A and the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) conducted an investigation, and identified 34 patients with hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant CRAB infection or colonization during February-July 2020, including 21 (62%) who were admitted to two intensive care units (ICUs) dedicated to caring for COVID-19 patients. In late March, increasing COVID-19-related hospitalizations led to shortages in personnel, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical equipment, resulting in changes to conventional infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. In late May, hospital A resumed normal operations, including standard IPC measures, as COVID-19 hospitalizations decreased, lessening the impact of personnel and supply chain shortages on hospital functions. CRAB cases subsequently returned to a pre-COVID-19 baseline of none to two cases monthly. The occurrence of this cluster underscores the potential for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) to spread during events when standard hospital practices might be disrupted; conventional IPC strategies should be reinstated as soon as capacity and resources allow.

Maternal and fetal health effects of working during pregnancy

We provide some of the first empirical evidence of maternal and fetal health effects of working during pregnancy by using a unique dataset from the New Jersey Department of Health that includes information not only on pregnancy and birth outcomes but also on maternal employment. We match the mother’s occupation with the Metabolic Equivalent of Task, provided by the Census Occupational Classification System and used as a measure for the strenuousness of the work activities performed. We find robust evidence that working in a relatively more strenuous job during pregnancy raises the likelihood of fetal macrosomia by about 1.5 percentage points. There are no statistically or economically significant effects on other birth outcomes. Our study further indicates an under-studied link between gestational diabetes (a known risk factor for fetal macrosomia) and intensive physical activities at work during pregnancy, potentially mediated by disrupted sleep due to greater work intensity. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

Estimating the effect of New Jersey's 2005 administrative nurse mandate on mortality and hospitalizations for medicare hemodialysis patients.

In 2005, the New Jersey Department of Health enacted a rule requiring that an administrator or designate always be present in a hemodialysis clinic and that the individual may not be involved in patient care activities at any time. Our investigation examines the effect of this unique rule on patient mortality and hospitalizations and is meant to inform the public policy discussion. We utilized a synthetic control estimation to analyze the effect of this rule on patient mortality in New Jersey. We also compared trends for hospitalizations in New Jersey to other similar states. We find no evidence that the law affected patient mortality or the number of hospitalizations for Medicare patients in New Jersey. The New Jersey law poses substantial costs to hemodialysis clinics and we find little evidence of any measurable benefit to patients.

Quality Measurement in Assisted Living: Emerging Practices

Quality Measurement in Assisted Living: Emerging Practices

Biomonitoring of emerging contaminants, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in New Jersey adults in 2016-2018.

New Jersey (NJ) residents in some areas may be exposed to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to PFAS contamination of public drinking water. This contamination stems from industrial discharges and the use of aqueous film-foaming foams at military bases and commercial airports for drills and locations where fires occurred. Exposure to PFAS has raised significant public health concerns due to its persistence both in the environment and human body. The potential toxicity of these chemicals may pose risks to human health. Statewide biomonitoring data is needed to establish a baseline of exposure and to identify the subpopulations at risk. The NJ Department of Health (NJDOH) conducted a statewide NJ Biomonitoring (NJBM) study for PFAS utilizing a cost-effective sampling approach, i.e. acquiring remnant sera from both clinical laboratories and blood banks across NJ. This convenience sampling approach was adopted as an alternative to a costly and labor-intensive probability-based population sampling. One thousand and thirty human sera were collected from NJ adults between 20 and 74 years of age from 2016 to 2018, with additional information of county, sex, and age. The serum collection was demographically and geographically dispersed across four seasons. Twelve PFAS analytes were measured for the specimens collected. The data were post-stratified by county, sex, and age groups (20-39, 40-59, and 60-74 years old). Stratified individual sample weights were developed and used to estimate population means, compare least-squared mean differences, and examine contributing variables. Geometric means (GMs) and percentiles with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the target analytes are presented, providing preliminary baselines of the statewide PFAS exposure for NJ adults. PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFOS were selected for in-depth analyses because their GMs were greater than 0.5 ng/mL and they were detected over 99% in study population. Subjects from this study had higher serum levels of PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS compared to the general U.S. population reported by the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES in 2015-2016). However, the distributions of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFOS across sex and age groups were consistent with the patterns found in NHANES, i.e. all differed by sex and age group. Further sex and age stratification showed significantly lower concentrations of the 4 analytes in younger females (20-59 years old) than in older females (60-74 years old) and males (20-74 years old). Future research is needed to identify PFAS exposure sources and to develop effective intervention strategies. Continuing PFAS biomonitoring using population sampling is recommended for tracking trends and better identifying subpopulations at risk.

Reported injury, hospitalization, and injury fatality rates among New Jersey adolescent workers

BackgroundWorkplace injuries are a public health concern, including among adolescents and young adults. Secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries are mandated by code under jurisdiction of New Jersey Department of Education to be reported online to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. These are the only U.S. law-based surveillance data for young workers in secondary school career-technical-vocational education. New Jersey Department of Health’s hospitalization and fatality records provide additional information about other secondary school career-technical-vocational education and non- secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries not necessarily reported to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. This report compared data available to the New Jersey Department of Health and New Jersey Safe Schools Program on injuries among young workers ages 14–21 years.MethodsAnnual work-related hospitalizations, 2007–2016, were abstracted from hospital discharge data. Denominator data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics was used to estimate annual crude rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 employed persons. Hospitalization rates were stratified by demographic data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitalization rates for primary diagnoses and job title/status with ≥2 documented cases were reported. Annual crude fatality rates per 100,000 full time equivalent workers, age ≥ 16 years, were estimated for 1990–2016 using annual average full time equivalent workers and the U.S. National Institute Occupational Safety and Health’s Employed Labor Force Query System as denominator.ResultsAnnual crude hospitalization rates decreased over time. Hospitalization and fatality rates were higher among young adult workers ages 19–21 years; non-Hispanic Whites; and, males. Percent fatality for ages 19–21 years was greater than ages 14–17 years and 18 years. Declines in hospitalization rates corresponded to decreases in reported injuries among career-technical-vocational education students. Age distribution varied slightly between hospital discharge data and New Jersey Safe Schools Program data.ConclusionHospitalization and fatality rates were higher among males than among females, possibly reflecting a tendency for males to engage in riskier jobs than females. Understanding injury disparities can inform public health prevention efforts. Trainings/interventions should aim at addressing the most frequently diagnosed conditions or nature of reported injuries, within those most impacted career clusters like sales/restaurant workers.