L Godderis1, G Mylle2, M Coene2, C Verbeek2, B Viaene2, S Bulterys2, M Schouteden2. 1. IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Environment and Health, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Lode.godderis@idewe.be. 2. IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Occupational health and safety (OHS) services collect a wide range of data during health surveillance. AIMS: To build a 'data warehouse' to make OHS data available for research and to investigate sector-specific health problems. METHODS: Medical data were extracted, transformed and loaded into the data warehouse. After validation, data on lifestyle, categorized medication use, ICD-9-CM encoded sickness absences and health complaints, collected between 2010 and 2014, were analysed with logistic regression to compare proportions between employment sectors, taking into account age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and year of examination. RESULTS: The data set comprised 585000 employees. Average age and employment seniority were 39 ± 12 and 8 ± 9 years, respectively. BMI was 26 ± 5 kg/m(2). Health complaints, medication use and sickness absence significantly increased with BMI and age. The proportion of employees with health problems was highest in health care (64%), government (61%) and manufacturing (60%) and lowest in the service sector. In all sectors, 10% of workers reported locomotor health problems, apart from the service sector (8%) with similar results for medication consumption. Neuropsychological drugs were more frequently used by health care workers (8%). The transport sector contained the highest proportion of cardiological medication users (12%). Finally, 30-59% of employees reported at least one sickness absence episode. Sickness absence due to locomotor issues was highest in manufacturing (11%) and health care (10%), followed by government (9%) and construction (9%). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in indices of workers' health were observed between sectors. This information is now being used in the implementation of a sector-oriented health surveillance programme.
BACKGROUND: Occupational health and safety (OHS) services collect a wide range of data during health surveillance. AIMS: To build a 'data warehouse' to make OHS data available for research and to investigate sector-specific health problems. METHODS: Medical data were extracted, transformed and loaded into the data warehouse. After validation, data on lifestyle, categorized medication use, ICD-9-CM encoded sickness absences and health complaints, collected between 2010 and 2014, were analysed with logistic regression to compare proportions between employment sectors, taking into account age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and year of examination. RESULTS: The data set comprised 585000 employees. Average age and employment seniority were 39 ± 12 and 8 ± 9 years, respectively. BMI was 26 ± 5 kg/m(2). Health complaints, medication use and sickness absence significantly increased with BMI and age. The proportion of employees with health problems was highest in health care (64%), government (61%) and manufacturing (60%) and lowest in the service sector. In all sectors, 10% of workers reported locomotor health problems, apart from the service sector (8%) with similar results for medication consumption. Neuropsychological drugs were more frequently used by health care workers (8%). The transport sector contained the highest proportion of cardiological medication users (12%). Finally, 30-59% of employees reported at least one sickness absence episode. Sickness absence due to locomotor issues was highest in manufacturing (11%) and health care (10%), followed by government (9%) and construction (9%). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in indices of workers' health were observed between sectors. This information is now being used in the implementation of a sector-oriented health surveillance programme.
Keywords:
Data collection; information storage and retrieval; occupational diseases; occupational health services; population surveillance; public health.
Authors: Lode Godderis; Domenica Matranga; Laura Maniscalco; Martijn Schouteden; Jan Boon; Sofie Vandenbroeck; Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-06-08 Impact factor: 4.135
Authors: Godelieve J M Vandersmissen; M Schouteden; C Verbeek; S Bulterys; L Godderis Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2019-07-15 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Laura Maniscalco; Martijn Schouteden; Jan Boon; Domenica Matranga; Lode Godderis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-10-14 Impact factor: 3.390