Occupational Medicine

Abstract

Occupational medicine concerns keeping workers healthy, screening for early signs of health problems, and promoting good health through workplace initiatives. According to recent estimates, 55,000 deaths and 3.8 million disabling injuries per year result from occupational illness at a cost of $125 to $155 billion. This chapter covers the basic principles and clinical evaluation of occupational disease, guidelines for taking a patient’s occupational history, and exposure assessment. Major occupational disorders in developed countries are discussed, including respiratory tract disorders, skin disorders, disorders of the kidneys, liver disease, central and peripheral nervous systems, organs of sensation, occupational cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, hematologic disorders, endocrine and reproductive effects, stress and psychogenic effects, and nonspecific illness. Tables outline critical dimensions of occupational medicine, the conceptual approach to a patient with a suspected workplace injury or illness, common hazards with widely available tests for exposure, historically common occupational disorders, and established occupational carcinogens. Figures includes a chest film of asbestosis, a sample occupational and environmental history questionnaire, lungs in various states of pneumoconiosis, a photograph of contact dermatitis, and a graph showing hearing decline at 4,000 Hz frequency. Illustrations demonstrate the impact of occupational exposure on the kidneys and liver and the anatomy of the hearing mechanism. This review contains 9 highly rendered figures, 5 tables, and 112 references.