[Epileptic disease and fitness for specific jobs involving driving motor vehicles].
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of the problems the occupational health physician meets in health surveillance of workers with a clinical history of epilepsy, in order to assess fitness for specific jobs requiring driving of motor vehicles.


METHODS
A health protocol was used which required acquisition of all information related to job features, work organization, past and current clinical-functional status of epilepsy and any treatment in progress.


METHODS
The cases of four workers with clinical history of epilepsy were examined who were judged to be representative both of the most frequent forms of epileptic disease and of jobs requiring driving of motor vehicles.


RESULTS
Application of the chosen health protocol allowed us to make balanced assessments of fitness for the different specific jobs performed by the four workers.


CONCLUSIONS
With the use of this protocol it was possible to protect the health and the safety of both the workers concerned and their fellow workers and also, as far as possible, to respect the occupational competence of such workers. We also addressed the problems related to anti-epileptic drug consumption and in itinere road accidents. Lastly, the different medical-legal aspects of the problem were further investigated, analysing national and international legislation with respect to epilepsy and fitness for driving motor vehicles.
Di Lorenzo
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L
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Medicina Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina del Lavoro, Università di Bari, Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy. l.dilorenzo@medlav.uniba.it
Troccoli
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G
Catanesi
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R
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
D000927:Anticonvulsants