Accidentalidad laboral entre trabajadores jóvenes y adultos según boletines estadísticos del Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social durante el período 2015-2021.

Abstract

Occupational accidents represent a growing challenge in occupational health, particularly among young workers, who face greater vulnerability in the workplace. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of work-related injury accidents among young people aged 15 to 24, through a comparative analysis with the adult population aged 25 and over, during the period from 2015 to 2021. The methodology applied had a quantitative, descriptive, and retrospective approach, supported by secondary data extracted from the Statistical Bulletins of the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS). The population consisted of workers affiliated with the general occupational risk insurance, with a sample defined by 107,691 occupational accidents recorded in various economic activities analyzed. The results clearly show that young workers have a significantly higher risk of suffering occupational accidents, a trend that is even more pronounced among men. When observing the sectors with the highest risk, gender-based differences are evident: among young women, accidents are more frequent in activities such as commerce, restaurants, and hotels; in contrast, among young men, the greatest risks are found in sectors such as finance, insurance, transportation, storage, commerce, and manufacturing. The study highlights the need to implement specific prevention policies for young workers, taking into account differences by economic activity and gender.