title: Significance of data collection. Viewpoint - academia.
abstract: The academic view of the collection of data relating to the health of workers must reflect a concern for the value of the data for research purposes. Most routine data systems do not provide information of research quality, and often are not appropriate or sufficiently detailed to allow specific hypotheses to be tested. the cost of serving research purposes in such systems is likely to be prohibitive. However, the monitoring of illness in groups of employees can and should serve as a most valuable research resource when viewed as a screening and detection mechanism. Therefore, a data collection system should be carefully designed with research needs in mind, so that it will be appropriately sensitive and consistent.
mesh_terms: D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D009787:Occupational Medicine