Global-, regional- and country-level estimates of the work-related burden of diseases and accidents in 2019.

OBJECTIVE: This study provides the global-, regional- and country-level estimates on the work-related burden of diseases and accidents for 2019, including deaths, disability adjusted life years (DALY) and economic losses. METHODS: Data on occupational illnesses and injuries from international organizations, institutions, and public websites were used. Risk ratios (RR) and population attributable fractions (PAF) for the risk factor-outcome pairs were derived from the literature. Estimated mortality and DALY for a group of seven major diseases covering 120 risk-outcome pairs attributable to work were calculated for 181 countries. RESULTS: Globally, 2.9 million deaths were attributed to work, with 2.58 million deaths due to work-related diseases and 0.32 million related to occupational injuries. Globally, work-related diseases with a long latency period are increasing, while the number of occupational injuries has decreased. Work-related circulatory diseases were the major cause of 912 000 deaths globally, followed by 843 000 work-related malignant neoplasms. In high-income, American, Eastern European and Western Pacific World Health Organization (WHO) regions, however, work-related malignant neoplasms comprised the biggest disease group. DALY attributable to work were estimated to be 180 million in 2019, with an associated economic loss of 5.8% of global GDP. New estimates of psychosocial factors increased the global loss. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of work-related diseases and injuries increased by 26% from 2.3 million annual deaths in 2014 to 2.9 million in 2019. The DALY attributable to work have also substantially increased from 123 million in 2014 to 180 million in 2019 (47% increase). We found large regional and country variations.

Sociodemographic characteristics and disability pensions of frequent attenders in occupational health primary care - a follow-up study in Finland.

BACKGROUND: Work disability is a complex issue that requires preventive efforts from healthcare systems and individuals, and that too often results in disability pensions (DP). While many studies have attempted to characterize risk factors of work disability, many showing for example a link between socioeconomic positions, working conditions and frequent attendance to OH primary care it is not known if frequent attendance is associated with DP despite the sociodemographic factors. This study aims to address this gap and examine the association between frequent attendance to OH primary care and DP, when adjusted by sociodemographic factors. METHODS: This study combines routine medical record data of an occupational health service provider with comprehensive national registers. Medical record data were used to define groups of frequent attenders to OH primary care (FA) (1-year-FA, 2-year-FA, persistent-FA and non-FA) from 2014 to 2016. The sociodemographic factors (including i.e. educational level, occupational class, unemployment periods) were derived from Statistic Finland and DP decisions were derived from Finnish Centre for Pensions. Association of frequent attendance to OH primary care with DP decisions were analyzed and adjusted by sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: In total, 66,381 patients were included. Basic and intermediate education along with manual and lower non-manual work predicted frequent attendance to OH primary care. Unemployment in 2013 did not predict frequent attendance to OH primary care. Frequent attendance to OH primary care was associated with DP within next two years, even when adjusted for sociodemographic factors. The association of frequent attendance to OH primary care with DP grew stronger as high service use persisted over time. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent attendance to OH primary care is associated with DP risk in the near future despite the underlying sociodemographic differences. Patients using OH primary care services extensively should be identified and rehabilitative needs and measures necessary to continue in the work force should be explored. Sociodemographic issues that co-exist should be explored and considered when planning interventions.

Burnout syndrome as an occupational disease in the European Union: an exploratory study.

The risk of psychological disorders influencing the health of workers increases in accordance with growing requirements on employees across various professions. This study aimed to compare approaches to the burnout syndrome in European countries. A questionnaire focusing on stress-related occupational diseases was distributed to national experts of 28 European Union countries. A total of 23 countries responded. In 9 countries (Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden) burnout syndrome may be acknowledged as an occupational disease. Latvia has burnout syndrome explicitly included on the List of ODs. Compensation for burnout syndrome has been awarded in Denmark, France, Latvia, Portugal and Sweden. Only in 39% of the countries a possibility to acknowledge burnout syndrome as an occupational disease exists, with most of compensated cases only occurring in recent years. New systems to collect data on suspected cases have been developed reflecting the growing recognition of the impact of the psychosocial work environment. In agreement with the EU legislation, all EU countries in the study have an action plan to prevent stress at the workplace.

[Assessment of exposure in suspected occupational asthma]. / Altistumisen arviointi ammattiastmaa epäiltäessä.

One fifth of adult-onset asthma cases are associated with adverse effects occurring at work. In investigating occupational asthma an overall assessment is required of materials handled by the patient at work. This evaluation is based on several sources: history of exposure from the patient, medical records in the occupational health service, process, material and chemical data obtained from the workplace, including safety data, and if necessary, workplace measurements and other documents. In suspected occupational asthma, the occupational health service has the primary responsibility to carry out assessment of exposure. In order to start investigations of occupational disease without delay, it is essential to recognize the role of work in the pathogenesis of the disease.