Occupational lung diseases and global occupational health on the Net.
Occupational lung disease is a major area of concern in occupational health, exhibiting a diverse panorama across countries. While pneumoconiosis is deemed to be the most common occupational disease in many developing countries, emphasis is shifting towards asbestos-related lung diseases and occupational asthma in industrialized countries. Following the Occupational Health for All strategies set forth by the World Health Organization, we propose that a model system based upon the Global Health Network can serve as an effective vehicle towards the prevention of occupational lung diseases on a global scale. It has the potential to: (1) enhance transmission of data and collaboration with the primary health care system in disease surveillance; (2) strengthen research and information transfer and (3) promote education and training at all levels of prevention, with a possible application to the interpretation of chest radiograms.
Takahashi
K
K
Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan. ktaka@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Sekikawa
A
A
LaPorte
R E
RE
Satoh
T
T
Pan
G
G
Ren
A
A
Okubo
T
T
Yoshimura
T
T
D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D012829:Silicosis / Q000517:prevention & control