Reported occupational respiratory diseases in Catalonia

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Public Health Surveillance
• Respiratory Diseases

Background:

• Occupational respiratory diseases pose a significant public health challenge.
• Existing compulsory reporting systems may not fully capture the true incidence of these conditions.
• Understanding the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative surveillance methods is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility, incidence, and characteristics of occupational respiratory diseases using a voluntary surveillance system in Catalonia, Spain.
• To compare the data from the voluntary system with the existing compulsory official reporting system.

Main Methods:

• A voluntary surveillance system was established, inviting physicians to report newly diagnosed occupational respiratory diseases bimonthly.
• Data collected included diagnosis, patient demographics, occupation, suspected causative agent, and physician's assessment of work-relatedness.
• Data from the compulsory official system, based on insurance company declarations for disability benefits, were used for comparison.

Main Results:

• The voluntary system successfully engaged 74% of approached physicians, reporting 359 cases.
• The most common diagnoses were asthma (48.5%), asbestos-related diseases (14.5%), and acute inhalations (12.8%).
• The voluntary system identified four times more cases than the compulsory official system, indicating substantial underreporting.

Conclusions:

• The compulsory reporting scheme for occupational lung diseases in Catalonia seriously underreports cases.
• A voluntary physician-led surveillance program offers a more comprehensive understanding of occupational respiratory disease incidence and characteristics.
• Key identified causes for occupational asthma include isocyanates, persulphates, and cleaning products, with metal and cleaning industries prominent in acute inhalations.