Time trend of potential years of life lost due to fatal occupational accidents according to race/skin color in Bahia, 2000-2019

Abstract Introduction: few studies seek to highlight racial differences and the social impact of early deaths resulting from work, which contributes to the lack of public policies that aim to overcome these inequalities. Objective: to analyze the time trend of Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) rates resulting from occupational accidents, according to race/skin color in Bahia, Brazil, from 2000 to 2019. Methods: a time series study was conducted using data collected from the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM). Only deaths from work-related accidents were included. Joinpoint linear regression was used to analyze the times series; the PYLL rates were estimated by annual percentage change. Results: the state of Bahia notified 2,137 deaths due to work-related accidents in the studied period, corresponding to a 64,791.5 PYLL, of which 74.2% involved black/brown skin workers. PYLL rates among brown and black workers was, respectively, 2.3 and 3.0 times that of white workers. Brown workers died earlier and had greater loss of PYLL, in quantity, and higher growth speed of the PYLL rates, when compared with white workers. Conclusion: early mortality due to occupational accidents constitute a relevant public health issue, especially among non-white workers.