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Hospital records as a data source for occupational disease surveillance: a feasibility study
J Balmes1, D Rempel, M Alexander
1Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, San Francisco.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Hospital records can identify potential occupational diseases, but industry/occupation data accuracy is low. Improved data collection methods are needed for effective occupational disease surveillance using these records.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Medicine
- Public Health Surveillance
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Hospital discharge diagnoses offer a potential data source for occupational disease surveillance.
- Sentinel Health Events (Occupational) [SHE(O)] are key indicators of workplace-related illnesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using hospital records for occupational disease surveillance.
- To assess the quality and accuracy of industry/occupation (I/O) data within these records.
Main Methods:
- Reviewed discharge diagnoses from a health maintenance organization for SHE(O).
- Abstracted I/O information from patient charts and conducted telephone interviews for occupational histories.
- Compared accuracy of chart-derived I/O data with patient interview data.
Main Results:
- Lung cancer, bladder cancer, and toxic hepatitis were identified as potential SHE(O).
- I/O data accuracy from hospital charts was found to be relatively low.
- Work-relatedness assessment indicated a high probability for lung cancer, primarily due to asbestos exposure.
Conclusions:
- Hospital records can aid in identifying potential occupational diseases.
- Accurate I/O information is crucial for assessing work-relatedness.
- Routine administration of a simple data collection instrument is recommended for improving I/O data quality.