The effectiveness of an educational programme on occupational disease reporting

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Public Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Occupational diseases are frequently underreported in the general population.
• Targeted educational interventions for occupational physicians (OPs) may enhance the reporting rates of occupational diseases.
• Improving reporting is crucial for understanding disease burden and implementing preventive measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an active, multifaceted workshop designed to improve occupational disease reporting by OPs.
• To assess the impact of the workshop on OPs' knowledge, self-efficacy, and satisfaction regarding occupational disease reporting.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 112 OPs in an intervention group and 571 OPs in a comparison group.
• The intervention consisted of a 1-day workshop focused on occupational disease reporting.
• Occupational disease reporting data were collected pre- and post-intervention using the national registration system; knowledge, self-efficacy, and satisfaction were measured in the intervention group.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed a significantly higher percentage of reporting OPs post-workshop (19% vs. 11%, P < 0.01).
• No significant difference was observed in the average number of reported occupational diseases per reporting physician between groups.
• Increased self-efficacy was identified as a significant predictor of occupational disease reporting (P < 0.05); knowledge and self-efficacy scores significantly improved and were sustained.

Conclusions:

• An active, multifaceted workshop effectively increases the proportion of physicians reporting occupational diseases.
• Physician self-efficacy is a critical factor influencing the reporting of occupational diseases.
• The educational intervention demonstrates a positive impact on improving occupational disease surveillance systems.