[Effectiveness of health examinations by occupational health services]

Health examinations are part of the activities of occupational health services in preventing diseases and promoting occupational health. Their aim is to protect workers from health risks on one hand but also to promote the worker's own resources and health in order to maintain their capacity for work. Initiation of preventive, corrective and rehabilitative measures and those directed toward the workplace is attempted at the earliest possible stage. When interpreting the examination data it is in fact important to recognize whether it is the effectiveness of the health examination visit or the subsequent procedures that is being evaluated.