Non-occupational Injuries Research Articles

THE ROLE OF PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS IN ZONE II AND ZONE V ACUTE FLEXOR TENDON INJURIES

Our study sought to establish the necessity of prolonged pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients presenting with zone II and zone V acute flexor tendon injuries (FTI). We hypothesized that a single dose of prophylactic antibiotic was adequate in prevention of post-operative wound infection in acute zone II and V FTI.This was a prospective study of 116 patients who presented with zone II and zone V acute FTI. The study included patients who were 18 years and older. Those with macroscopic contamination, immunocompromised, open fractures, bite injuries, and crush injuries were excluded. Patients were randomised into a group receiving a single dose of prophylactic antibiotic and another group receiving a continuous 8 hourly antibiotic doses until the day of surgery. Each group was subdivided into occupational and non-occupational injuries. Their post-operative wound outcomes were documented 10 – 14 days after surgery. The wound outcome was reported as no infection, superficial infection (treated with wound dressings), and deep infection (requiring surgical debridement).There was 0.9% rate of deep post-operative wound infections, which was a single zone V acute FTI case in a single dose prophylactic antibiotic group. There was a 7.8% superficial post-operative wound infection rate, which was mainly zone II acute FTI in both antibiotic groups. There was a strong association between zone II acute FTI and post-operative wound infection (p < 0.05). There was no association between (antibiotic dosage or place of injury) with post-operative wound infection (p > 0.05).There is no benefit in prescribing prolonged pre-operative antibiotic in patients with acute, simple lacerations to zone II and zone V FTI if there is no macroscopic wound contamination.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF OCCUPATIONAL AND NON-OCCUPATIONAL EYE INJURIES: CASES TREATED IN FOUR EYE HOSPITALS IN BANGLADESH Authors

Introduction: Eye injury is an important cause of preventable vision loss in developing as well as developed countries. There are many risk factors for eye injuries. Eye injuries can occur anywhere at any time to anyone regardless of socio-economic conditions, demographic profile, and situation. The principal objective of our research work was to study the epidemiological profile of occupational and non-occupational ocular injuries in Bangladesh. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on purposively selected 117 eye injury cases from four eye hospitals situated in Dhaka (2), Tangail (1), and Rajshahi (1), Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the study subjects. Results: Respondents’ Mean ± SD age was 29.70± 15.95 years where a maximum (69.2%) of them were male. Secondary-level education was more common among the study subjects (24.8%). A great number of respondents (62.4%) monthly income ranges from 12,000- 30,999 Bangladeshi Taka. Not using/lack of protective measures, carelessness, and road traffic accidents were identified as the leading causes of eye injuries at the workplace, home, and other areas, respectively by most of the participants. On the other hand, maintaining or cleaning instruments at the job place, looking after children at home, and riding vehicles were mentioned as the activities during eye injuries by the highest number of respondents. A statistical significance p < 0.05 was found between eye injuries and participants’ age, gender, occupation, educational qualification, and monthly family income. Conclusion: Eye injuries are more or less common at home, the workplace, and other areas irrespective of epidemiological distribution. Therefore, measures should be taken to eliminate eye injuries at personal, community, and national levels.

Gender and Disability in US State Temporary Disability Systems 1942–1949

AbstractDuring the 1940s, four US states established a new form of social insurance, Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), meant to provide wage replacement to breadwinners unable to work due to nonoccupational illness or injury. The first TDI state, Rhode Island, did not initially exclude coverage of pregnancy-related disabilities, threatening the health of the TDI trust fund. Administrators and lawmakers then sought to reduce or eliminate the pregnancy-related disability benefit on the grounds that pregnancy and related conditions were not “real” disabilities. Subsequently, Rhode Island administrators advised lawmakers in California, New Jersey, and New York to exclude pregnancy-related disabilities from coverage. The breadwinner gender ideology animating New Deal social welfare programs intersected with gendered ideas of disability, creating a form of social insurance that excluded or marginalized pregnancy-related disability and further circumscribed women’s social citizenship.

Racial and Ethnic Inequities in the Return-to-Work of Workers Experiencing Injury or Illness: A Systematic Review

PurposeNon-White workers face more frequent, severe, and disabling occupational and non-occupational injuries and illnesses when compared to White workers. It is unclear whether the return-to-work (RTW) process following injury or illness differs according to race or ethnicity.ObjectiveTo determine racial and ethnic differences in the RTW process of workers with an occupational or non-occupational injury or illness.MethodsA systematic review was conducted. Eight academic databases - Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Sociological s, ASSIA, ABI Inform, and Econ lit - were searched. Titles/abstracts and full texts of articles were reviewed for eligibility; relevant articles were appraised for methodological quality. A best evidence synthesis was applied to determine key findings and generate recommendations based on an assessment of the quality, quantity, and consistency of evidence.Results15,289 articles were identified from which 19 studies met eligibility criteria and were appraised as medium-to-high methodological quality. Fifteen studies focused on workers with a non-occupational injury or illness and only four focused on workers with an occupational injury or illness. There was strong evidence indicating that non-White and racial/ethnic minority workers were less likely to RTW following a non-occupational injury or illness when compared to White or racial/ethnic majority workers.ConclusionsPolicy and programmatic attention should be directed towards addressing racism and discrimination faced by non-White and racial/ethnic minority workers in the RTW process. Our research also underscores the importance of enhancing the measurement and examination of race and ethnicity in the field of work disability management.

DE-RISKING THE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP WHEN WORKERS HAVE MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT OR YOUNG ONSET DEMENTIA

Abstract The employee-employer relationship is one that is well established in law and involves a contract between a worker who performs the work, and an employer who determines when, how and where the work is done. Many countries have introduced legislation that helps guide employee-employer behavior when workers’ performance of their duties is disrupted by illness or disability, such as mild cognitive impairment or young onset dementia (MCI|YOD). At any one time, about 8-12% of the workforce is off due to occupational or non-occupational work injury or illness with direct disability and absence costs projected about 7% of payroll in 2000. Drawing from data gathered in a systematic literature review and case study, this paper determined that uncertainty and risk influence employer-employee relationships when workers are identified with MCI|YOD. Employers’ industry context, size and corporate values influence their “integrated risk management” approach to workers with MCI|YOD, and early intervention is considered key to managing financial and liability risk. In contrast, progressive onset, delayed diagnosis, stigma, privacy concerns, workplace uncertainty, and lack of information may delay employee disclosure, a common employee risk mitigation strategy. We conclude by considering strategies to de-risk relationships between workers with MCI|YOD and employers using dual process theory to understand intuitive and rational decisions in the context of the disability management process.

Occupational accidental injury deaths in Tokyo and Chiba prefectures, Japan: A 10-year study (2011-2020) of forensic institute evaluations.

Occupational accidental injury deaths (OAIDs) are a major social problem, and the analysis of individual cases is important for developing injury prevention measures. In this study, OAIDs with autopsies performed at forensic facilities in the metropolitan area of Japan (Tokyo and Chiba prefectures) from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed. The epidemiological characteristics of these OAIDs (n=136), which accounted for 13.5% of OAIDs reported in the region during the study period, were compared with those of non-occupational accidental injury deaths (non-OAID) cases (n=3926). Among OAID cases, 134 (98.5%) were men and 13 (9.6%) were foreign-born workers, which was significantly more than in non-OAID cases (p < 0.001, respectively). OAIDs were most frequent in construction (39.0%) followed by the manufacturing category (21.3%). The percentage of OAIDs in workers aged 65 and over showed an increasing trend. Most accidents occurred just after the start of work or just before the workday ended, as well as during the peak months of the year. The most common type of accident was fall/crash from a height (25.0%), and the most common injury site was the chest; none of these cases were confirmed to have been wearing a safety belt properly. Among foreign-born workers, the most common type of accident was caught in/between. As the working population is expected to change in the future, and an increase in the number of older adults and foreign workers is expected, it is necessary to take preventive measures such as improving the work environment based on ergonomics and providing safety education.

Non-Fatal Occupational Injury Prevalence and Associated Factors in an Integrated Large-Scale Textile Industry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Occupational injuries disproportionately impact workers of the textile industry in low-income countries. The present study investigates the prevalence of non-occupational injury and its associated factors among workers in an integrated textile industry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 17–26 May 2021. A total of 311 workers were eligible for participation. The information was collected through an interview-administered questionnaire. The findings were presented with descriptive statistics and the relationship among variables was assessed with multi-variable analyses. A total of 291 (93.6%) participants were interviewed. The prevalence of non-fatal occupational injury was 11% [95% CI: 7.7–15.5] in the past 12 months. The hands and fingers were the most affected body parts. Male gender [AOR: 3.40; 95% CI (1.13–10.5)], the age group of 18–29 years [AOR: 6.69; 95% CI (1.35–32.7)], sleeping less than seven hours in a night [AOR: 2.67; 95% CI (1.03–6.97)], machine-based jobs [AOR: 3.59; 95% CI (1.02–12.6)], the workplace housekeeping [AOR: 5.87; 95% CI (1.45–23.8)], and inadequate empowerment to prevent injury accident [AOR: 4.6; 95% CI (1.01–20.9)] were associated factors with occupational injury. The prevalence of non-fatal occupational injuries is lower than the previous studies among textile workers. As a result, improving workplace safety, changing sleeping habits, and empowering workers to participate in injury prevention should be a priority in intervention.

Occupational and Non-occupational Injuries Can Result in Prolonged Augmentation of Psychiatric Disorders.

BackgroundThe long-term effects of occupational injury (OI) on psychiatric diseases are unclear. This study assessed and compared the effects of OI, no injury (control), and non-OI (NOI) on the development of psychiatric diseases.MethodsWe used Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the incidence of psychiatric disorders in OI, NOI, and control groups. The subjects were aged 20–50 years, actively employed in 2000, and did not have history of injury or psychiatric disorders. All subjects were followed from 2000 and were classified into OI, NOI, and control groups according to occurrence of target injury later on. Individuals in each group were matched by age, sex, insurance premium before the index date, and year of the index date. Psychiatric disease-free days were compared among the groups using survival analysis and Cox regression.ResultsWe included a total of 12,528 patients for final analysis, with 4,176 in each group. Compared with the control group, the OI group had an increased occurrence of trauma and stress-related disorder, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and alcohol and other substance dependence. These increases were similar to those in the NOI group. Elevated cumulative incidence rate of any psychiatric disorders was observed among those with OI or NOI up to 10 years after injury.ConclusionWe confirmed that OI and NOI induced psychiatric disorders. These findings highlight the need for workers’ compensation mechanisms to consider long-term psychological care among injured workers.

Occupational vs. non-occupational equestrians: Differences in demographics and injury patterns

IntroductionNineteen million people participate in horseback riding activities in the US, and the horse industry employs more than 460,000 full-time workers. Emergency department data suggest young female amateurs and male professionals are most at risk of death from horse-related injuries. However, there has been no investigation into factors that may increase severe injury and mortality risk in these populations. This study investigates demographics and injury pattern differences between occupational and non-occupational horse-related injuries in the US. MethodsThe 2017 American College of Surgeons National Trauma Databank (ACS NTDB) was analyzed for horse-related injury using ICD 10 codes. Demographics, injury data, protective device use, and hospital procedures were analyzed. Occupational versus non-occupational injuries based on incident location (farm, sports, recreational, residential) were compared using ANOVA or Pearson's Chi-squared test. ResultsOf 3911 incidents, the most common injury mechanism was falling from the horse, but occupational and non-occupational farm injuries showed higher incidence of being struck by a horse. One-third required surgery. Upper extremity injuries were most common. Occupational injuries more often affected upper extremities of working age, minority males with commercial insurance. Non-occupational injuries most often affected heads of women at the extremes of age. Helmet use was higher in occupational, non-occupational sports, and non-occupational recreation injuries, and severe head injury incidence was decreased in these groups. Complications and discharge dispositions were not different across groups. ConclusionsIn the largest trauma center study to date, we have shown equine-related trauma to be common and affect a predictable demographic that may permit injury prevention initiatives. Helmets may reduce severe head injury, but the efficacy of protective clothing remains to be validated.

Rupture Rate, Functional Outcome and Patient Satisfaction after Primary Flexor Tendon Repair with the Modified 4-Strand Core Suture Technique by Tsuge and Using the Arthrex FiberLoop® with Early Motion Rehabilitation.

Purpose:Our hypothesis was that the rupture rate after primary flexor tendon repair in the modified 4-strand core suture technique using the FiberLoop® (Arthrex, Munich, Germany) is lower than in other suture materials and functional outcome and patient satisfaction are superior compared to the current literature. Patients and methods: A 2-stage retrospective, randomized follow-up study of 143 patients treated with the Arthrex FiberLoop® after flexor tendon injury in zones 2 or 3 from May 2013 to May 2017 was performed. In the 1st stage, the rupture rate of all patients was assessed after a follow-up of at least one year by interview to exclude revision surgery. In the 2nd stage, 20% of the patients could be randomly clinically examined. Functional parameters, such as finger and wrist range of motion measured by goniometer, grip strength measured by Jamar dynamometer (Saehan, South Korea), patient satisfaction measured by school grades (1–6), pain levels measured by visual rating scales (0–10) and functional outcome according to the DASH-score were assessed. The Buck-Gramcko and Strickland scores were calculated. The length of sick leave was recorded. Results: A rupture rate of 2.1% was recorded. 29 patients (20%) were followed up at a mean of 34 ± 7.5 months postoperatively. 10.3% of these patients had an incomplete fingertip palm distance. The mean postoperative grip strength was 24 ± 3.1 kg. 93% of the patients were very satisfied with the treatment. No patient complained of pain postoperatively. The mean postoperative DASH score was 6.7 ± 2.8 points. The mean Buck-Gramcko score was 14 ± 0.2 points. 93% of the patients had excellent and 7% good results according to the Strickland score. 67% of patients had a work accident and returned to work at a mean of 4 ± 0.2 months postoperatively. 31% of patients suffered a non-occupational injury and returned to work at a mean of 3 ± 0.4 months postoperatively. Conclusions: Primary flexor tendon repair in the modified 4-strand core suture technique using the Arthrex FiberLoop® has proven to be a viable treatment option in our series. The rupture rate was lower than in other suture materials. It leads to acceptable pain relief, grip strength and functional outcome. Level of Evidence: IV; therapeutic.

Non-occupational injuries caused by transport packaging: Residential and retail hazards

BackgroundBackground: Pallets are key components of domestic supply chains, and yet present unique hazards when used by homeowners and retailers for unintended uses. No previous works have investigated non-occupational injuries that occur due to unintentional contact with pallets. This study sought to describe the incidence and epidemiology of non-occupational pallet-related injuries as seen in United States emergency departments (EDs). Method: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was used to derive national, weighted estimates of pallet-related injuries by age, sex, injured body part, and location where injury occurred. Data for the years 2014 to 2018 were analyzed with all relevant narratives reviewed. Results: From 2014 to 2018, there were an estimated 30,493 persons who visited an ED for a pallet-related injury. The yearly incidence of pallet injuries rose during this period. The 35–44 age group (n = 5,481) was most likely to be injured, but about 3,000 children and youth under 18 years of age were injured and more than 4,000 persons 65 years of age or older suffered injuries. The elderly were especially likely to suffer injuries from slip, trip and fall incidents. The lower extremities were the most commonly injured body parts. An estimated 3,964 persons, accounting for approximately 14% of all pallet-related injuries, were treated for injuries incurred while at a retail establishment. African Americans, Hispanics, and the elderly appeared to be disproportionately more likely to have pallet-related injuries in retail locations. Conclusions: Non-occupational pallet-related injuries affect a wide range of patients and cause a variety of injuries, with the elderly being especially vulnerable to tripping incidents. Retailer prevention strategies should focus on the misuse of pallets for merchandising purposes. Industry should maintain control of pallets so they are not used for unintended purposes. Practical applications: Retailers should limit the use of pallets for floor-level merchandising purposes and remove pallets from customer-facing locations where unintentional contact could occur. Owners of pallets should maintain them in a controlled supply chain so that they don’t leak out into the hands of homeowners. Policy-makers should educate the public about the dangers of used pallets.

Occupational vs Non-Occupational Equestrians: Differences in Demographics and Injury Patterns

ABSTRACT Introduction : Nineteen million people participate in horseback riding activities in the US, and the horse industry employs more than 460,000 full-time workers. Emergency department data suggest young female amateurs and male professionals are most at risk of death from horse-related injuries. However, there has been no investigation into factors that may increase severe injury and mortality risk in these populations. This study investigates demographics and injury pattern differences between occupational and non-occupational horse-related injuries in the US. Methods : The 2017 American College of Surgeons National Trauma Databank (ACS NTDB) was analyzed for horse-related injury using ICD 10 codes. Demographics, injury data, protective device use, and hospital procedures were analyzed. Occupational versus non-occupational injuries based on incident location (farm, sports, recreational, residential) were compared using ANOVA or Pearson's Chi-squared test. Results : Of 3,911 incidents, the most common injury mechanism was falling from the horse, but occupational and non-occupational farm injuries showed higher incidence of being struck by a horse. One-third required surgery. Upper extremity injuries were most common. Occupational injuries more often affected upper extremities of working age, minority males with commercial insurance. Non-occupational injuries most often affected heads of women at the extremes of age. Helmet use was higher in occupational sports, non-occupational sports, and non-occupational recreation injuries, and severe head injury incidence was decreased in these groups. Complications and discharge dispositions were not different across groups. Conclusions : In the largest trauma center study to date, we have shown equine-related trauma to be common and affect a predictable demographic that may permit injury prevention initiatives. Helmets may reduce severe head injury, but the efficacy of protective clothing remains to be validated.

Occupational injury and psychological distress among U.S. workers: The National Health Interview Survey, 2004–2016

Introduction: Injuries at work may negatively influence mental health due to lost or reduced working hours and financial burden of treatment. Our objective was to investigate, in U.S. workers (a) the prevalence of serious psychological distress (SPD) by injury status (occupational, non-occupational, and no injury) and injury characteristics, and (b) the association between injury status and SPD. Methods: Self-reported injuries within the previous three months were collected annually for 225,331 U.S. workers in the National Health Interview Survey (2004–2016). Psychological distress during the past 30 days was assessed using the Kessler 6 (K6) questions with Likert-type scale (0–4, total score range: 0–24). SPD was defined as K6 ≥ 13. Prevalence ratios (PR) from fitted logistic regression models were used to assess relationships between injury and SPD after controlling for covariates. Results: The prevalence of SPD was 4.74%, 3.58%, and 1.56% in workers reporting occupational injury (OI), non-occupational injury (NOI), and no injury, respectively. Workers with head and neck injury had the highest prevalence of SPD (Prevalence: OI = 7.71%, NOI = 6.17%), followed by workers with scrape/bruise/burn/bite (6.32% for those with OI). Workers reporting OI were two times more likely to have SPD compared to those without injury (PR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.62–2.96). However, there was no significant difference in SPD between workers with OI and workers with NOI (PR = 0.98, 95%CI: 0.65–1.48). Conclusion: The prevalence of SPD varied by injury status with the highest being among workers reporting OI. We found that the workers reporting OI were significantly more likely to have SPD than those without injury, but not more than those with NOI. Practical Applications: Mental health management programs by employers are necessary for workers who are injured in the workplace.

Permanent Disability between Current Medicolegal System and Reality (A Retrospective Study in Menoufya Medicolegal Authority, Egypt)

Introduction: Disability is simply the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity as a result of any physical or mental impairment. Disability, impairment and infirmity are interchangeable terms. It is always difficult and confusing to distinguish between these terms. Disabilities and permanent infirmity have a great impact on most of the societies. They represent a challenging health, social and medicolegal wide world problem. Around 15% of the world's population, or estimated 1 billion people, live with disabilities. According to 2006 Egyptian census, it was estimated that 1.8% of the Egyptian population is living with disabilities and the number increase as 10.7% of the Egyptian population is living with disabilities according to 2017 Egyptian census. Aim of the Work: To assess the validity and effectiveness of laws and tables determining disability percentage and compare between Egyptian permanent infirmity tables and other methods like ICF Methods: A retrospective study of all cases with permanent infirmity prescribed to Menoufya Medicolegal Authority for 6 months period starting from 1st of July 2015 till the 31th of December. Results: The total cases of injuries with permanent infirmity were 295 of which 205 were excluded as some of these cases were not considered as disabilities according to the Egyptian permanent infirmity tables e.g. skin distortion, so only 90 cases (30.5%) were enrolled in the study. The highest percent was in age group between 30-45 years old (42.2%) and the least in age group between 15- 30 years old (4.4%). Male cases were the predominant represented (74 cases, 82.2%) blunt instruments were accountable for (55 cases, 61.1%) followed by sharp instruments (18 cases, 20%). Skeletal disabilities were the predominant (48 cases, 53.4%) followed by peripheral nerve affection (13 cases, 14.4%). The cause of disability was mostly due to non-occupational injuries (84 cases, 93.3%), which occurred as a sequence of homicidal manner (68 cases, 81%) while there were no suicidal cases that ended in permanent infirmities. Conclusion: The Egyptian permanent infirmity tables are in need for reupdating and fulfillment of the missing infirmities. Recommendations: Applying ICF as a tool for disability assessment guarantees amore fair compensation method. A large study on disability assessment in Egypt should be carried out to cover all governorates and include ,not only entities of the Medicolegal Authority but also those of the Health Insurance Organization ,being the other party involved in this critical risk with applying ICF as a tool for infirmity assessment

Inpatient Data of Occupational Burn Injuries Treated at a Tertiary Burn Center.

Occupational burns are among the important causes of work-related injuries. We aimed to investigate the epidemiology and reasons of occupational burns and thereby to emphasize preventive measures. Between January 2017 and December 2018, the data of major occupational burn injury patients admitted to our burn center were evaluated in this cross-sectional retrospective study. During the study period 342 patients older than 16 years were admitted to the burn center. Among them 80 patients with occupational burns (23.4%) were identified. The mean age of the patients was 34.73 ± 12.3 years. Seventy-eight patients (97.5%) were male. Electrical burns and flame burns were the two leading type of occupational burns. The most common occupation of our patients was construction work. Dangerous behavior, carelessness, lack of protective equipment, and failure to follow instructions were causes of injury. Only 14 patients (17.5%) experienced unavoidable accident. Thirty-seven patients (46.3%) worked on temporary basis. Occupational experience was under 5 years in majority of the cases (62.5%). For the occupational burns the percentage of burned TBSA was 17.08 ± 14.5 (1-60) and the length of hospital stay was 23.94 ± 21.9 days (2-106). There were no significant differences between occupational and nonoccupational burn injuries considering TBSA, total length of hospital stay, and complications (P > .05). Occupational burn injuries are common in less experienced and younger workers. Therefore, recognition of the problem and maintaining awareness is important. In order to prevent occupational accidents and burns, occupational health and safety rules must be obeyed.

Redesigning a Sentinel Surveillance System for Collecting and Disseminating Near Real-Time Agricultural Injury Reports: System Usability Study.

BackgroundInjury data and reports provide valuable information for both public and private organizations to guide programming, policy, and prevention, but in the increasingly complex and dangerous industry of US agriculture, the injury surveillance needed to produce this data is lacking. To address the gap, AgInjuryNews was established in 2015. The system includes fatal and nonfatal injury cases derived from publicly available reports, including occupational and nonoccupational injuries, occurring in the agricultural, forestry, and fishing (AFF) industry.ObjectiveThe study aimed to develop a stakeholder-engaged redesign of the interactive, up-to-date, and publicly available dataset of US AFF injury and fatality reports.MethodsInstructor-led heuristic evaluations within a 15-student undergraduate course, data from 8 student participants of laboratory-based usability testing and 2016 and 2017 AgInjuryNews-registered user surveys, coupled with input from the National Steering Committee informed the development priorities for 2018. An interdisciplinary team employed an agile methodology of 2-week sprints developing in ASP.NET and Structured Query Language to deliver an intuitive frontend and a flexible, yet structured, backend, including a case report input form for capturing more than 50 data points on each injury report.ResultsAgInjuryNews produced 17,714 page views from 43 countries in 2018 captured via Google Analytics, whereas 623 injury reports were coded and loaded, totaling more than 31,000 data points. Newly designed features include customizable email alerts, an interactive map, and expanded search and filter options. User groups such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America have endorsed the system within their networks. News media have cited or referenced the system in national outlets such as the New York Times, Politico, and the Washington Post.ConclusionsThe new system’s features, functions, and improved data granularity have sparked innovative lines of research and increased collaborative interest domestically and abroad. It is anticipated that this nontraditional sentinel surveillance system and its dataset will continue to serve many purposes for public and private agricultural safety and health stakeholders in the years to come.

Work-Relatedness.

Work-Relatedness.

Acute Nonoccupational Pesticide-Related Illness and Injury - United States, 2007-2011.

CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) collects data on acute pesticide-related illness and injury reported by 12 states (California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington). This report summarizes the data on illnesses and injuries arising from nonoccupational exposure to conventional pesticides that were reported during 2007-2011. Conventional pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fumigants. They exclude disinfectants (e.g., chlorine and hypochlorites) and biological pesticides (1). This report is a part of the Summary of Notifiable Noninfectious Conditions and Disease Outbreaks - United States, which encompasses various surveillance years but is being published in 2016 (2). The Summary of Notifiable Noninfectious Conditions and Disease Outbreaks appears in the same volume of MMWR as the annual Summary of Notifiable Infectious Diseases (3). In a separate report, data on illnesses and injuries from occupational exposure to conventional pesticides during 2007-2011 are summarized (4).

Descriptive Study of sickness absence in the health care sector of Catalonia (2009-2012)

To describe the incidence and evolution of sickness absence (SA) for non-occupational and occupational illness/injury in the population of workers in Catalonian Health Centers based on the definition of a set of common indicators. The study population consisted of 25,964 workers from 30 health centers in Catalonia, during 2009-2012. Information on SA episodes was obtained from records of the Directorate of Human Resources. SA indicators were defined, and SA incidence rates and temporal evolution were calculated, depending on the length and type of episode, and the size and activity of health centers. SA incidence rates for non-occupational illness and injury showed a decreasing trend during 2009-2012. Smaller centers had lower SA rates for non-occupational conditions than larger centers (p〈0.001). Social health centers had higher SA rates of non-occupational illness and injury, especially those with a very short duration (p〈0.001). Primary care centers had the lowest SA occupational illness and injury rates, with the highest rates occurring in the social health centers, especially long-term centers (p〈0.001). The differences in incidence rates of SA detected by type of activity of the health centers could be due to differences in working conditions.

Improving occupational injury surveillance by using a severity threshold: development of a new occupational health indicator

BackgroundHospital discharge data are used for occupational injury surveillance, but observed hospitalisation trends are affected by trends in healthcare practices and workers’ compensation coverage that may increasingly impair ascertainment of...