[The incidence of occupational diseases: a study of medical evaluations for work incapacity in Barcelona (1987-1991)].
BACKGROUND
The number of professional diseases (PD) declared in Spain is low. The existence of diseases of labor etiology treated as a common disease is recognized, thus disregarding important labor health risks.


METHODS
The incidence of PD in the province of Barcelona from 1987-1991 was prospectively studied by the Units of Medical Evaluation of Incapacities (UMEI). The sociodemographic, medical and administrative data of the cases of PD were reported by a protocol of data collection. The cases of PD are described and the annual incidence in relation with the active working population calculated.


RESULTS
The UMEI of Barcelona confirmed 554 cases of PD of which 331 were evaluated as permanent invalidity over the five years of the study. The most frequent diagnoses of PD were pneumoconiosis, skin diseases, diseases causing tendinous fatigue and hypoacusis or deafness. Eleven neoplasms were reported, 9 being caused by asbestos. During the five years the incidence of PD increased from 76 cases to 144 per 100,000 active workers. The procedure of information probably underreported the incidence of PD.


CONCLUSIONS
A low incidence of professional disease was observed. The clinical-labor history is generally not carried out. The way in which the Units of Medical Evaluation of Incapacities report data concerning incidence may contribute to greater detection of professional diseases on registration being integrated into a system of epidemiologic surveillance in which all the health care, labor and administrative centers were effectively coordinated.
Franqués
L
L
Unidades de Valoración Médica de Incapacidad de Cataluña, Institut Català de la Salut, Departament de Sanitat i Seguretat Social, Barcelona.
Badia
X
X
Benavides
F G
FG
Rajmil
L
L
Segura
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*