[Survey on opinions among employers regarding special health examinations in small-scale enterprises].
In order to clarify the employers' opinions regarding special health examinations and follow-up measures, we conducted a survey targeting small-scale enterprises that had less than fifty employees and no obligation to assign an occupational physician. We received 354 answers, a response rate of 49.5%. More than 60% of the employers felt that the special health examination was useful for preventing occupational diseases and for the health promotion of employees, and 83.9% of employers felt that the special health examinations were effective. On the other hand, about 30% of the employers felt that it was difficult to allocate a time and pay financial costs for special health examinations. The limited number of employees and financial restriction might prohibit them from carrying out and performing appropriate follow-up measures after the special health examination. Only 21.2% of enterprises had an occupational physician, 44.7% of employers had no information regarding the local occupational health service center, 51.4% of employers did not request an opinion related to employee's health problems after health examination. We concluded that it is important to build a social system to give employers information on where and how they may find sufficient medical resources for the effective application of the special health examination in small-scale enterprises.
Tsutsui
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Department of Health Policy and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Science, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan.
Horie
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Kaji
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D001294:Attitude to Health; D003151:Community Health Centers; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics; D009787:Occupational Medicine / Q000191:economics; D010808:Physical Examination; D017149:Private Sector; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires