Occupational and environmental medicine in Sweden

Great changes have taken place in the fields of occupational and environmental medicine in Sweden during the past decade. Unemployment, work stress, and indoor climate problems have become increasingly common. Chemical exposures in industry and serious work accidents have continued to decrease. State subsidies to occupational health services have been withdrawn and the legislation concerning, for example, occupational diseases has been changed in order to decrease state expenditure. Research has focused on, for instance, ergonomic and psycho-social factors, electromagnetic fields and exposures causing allergy. There is a growing awareness of the need for more emphasis on prevention, which should act in favour of both hospital-based occupational and environmental medicine and the occupational health services sector.