The role of occupational and non-occupational factors in workers ill-health.
In most European countries occupational health and public health have developed separately, the reasons behind this are mainly historical and political. Although this may be understandable, even today, due to the political factors involved, it is amazing that the research on the morbidity and mortality of people of working age does not aim at comprehensive analyses of etiological factors behind these types of health outcomes. Our knowledge on the health needs of workers is limited, in most countries we even lack any information on distribution of the major illnesses amongst the various occupational categories. Some information, however, is currently being gathered, based on the need to make operational the concept of work-related diseases which has been put forward by WHO. The US NIOSH programme on work-related diseases, or the Danish TOP-11-Programme, serve as examples for these types of developments. Additional need to study the causes of ill-health, and ways to counteract them amongst the working population, results from the health promotion action that has also been developed as a part of the HFA 2000. The aim of this overview is to study the importance of occupational and non-occupational factors in the etiology of the ill-health of workers. Evidently, such analyses are premature today. However, some anecdotal examples will be mentioned. The major emphasis of the paper is, however, laid on the needs for the coordination and evaluation of occupational health and other health programmes concerning those of working age. Some assumptions will also be made on the development of occupational health and the consequences of this development for those who are occupational health practitioners.
Järvisalo
J O
JO
D005060:Europe; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors