Expanded Occupational Health Surveillance in MA

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Work-related injuries and illnesses are a significant public health problem in Massachusetts, imposing substantial human and economic costs. Massachusetts recognizes the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses as a public health priority and the need for state-based surveillance to promote effective intervention and prevention activities at the state and local levels. State surveillance findings can also fill gaps in occupational health surveillance at the national level. Since1986, the MA Department of Public Health has worked to build an Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP). OHSP has developed targeted surveillance and intervention systems for priority occupational health conditions and populations, carried out broad-based prevention activities based on surveillance findings, conducted surveillance research, and worked to integrate occupational health into mainstream public health practice. OHSP proposes to build on past experience and to implement an expanded occupational health surveillance program in Massachusetts. The proposed expanded program includes fundamental surveillance activities and four additional focused surveillance and intervention projects addressing two priority health conditions and two priority populations that have been identified with input from key stakeholders in the state. The overarching goal is to reduce the incidence of work-related injuries and illnesses among Massachusetts workers. Specific aims of the proposed expanded program are to: (1) Continue fundamental occupational health surveillance activities, including generation of state occupational health indicators; (2) Continue and enhance the Massachusetts surveillance system for work-related asthma; (3) Continue and enhance the Massachusetts surveillance system for work-related injuries to youths less than 18 years of age; (4) Continue and enhance the new Massachusetts surveillance system for sharps injuries to hospital workers; and (5) Implement occupational health surveillance in five community-based health centers in order to characterize occupational injuries and illnesses among minority and immigrant workers. OHSP activities will continue to be guided by an advisory board of local occupational health experts and advocates.