Use of a national reporting system for occupational injuries in Costa Rica.
Occupational injury surveillance in developing countries may be hindered by the lack of health data infrastructure as well the large numbers of informal-sector workers. The goal of this study was to elucidate the scope of occupational injury in the Monteverde district of Costa Rica using data collected through the national workers social security system. A list of occupational injuries occurring in the district reported to the National Insurance Institute (INS) central office between 1998 and 2002 was taken to the regional INS office, and the original injury reports for the cases were pulled. Specific data on the injuries were collected. There were 184 injuries reported during the five year period. Occupations with the highest number of injuries included production, building and grounds maintenance, and agricultural/forestry/fishing. Descriptive data showed that prevention efforts in this rural region should target food manufacturing, hotels, and construction.
Buchanan
Susan
S
University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Occupational Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. sbucha3@uic.edu
Krantz
Anne
A
Klempner
Sophia
S
Alvarado
Rebeca
R
Wesseling
Catharina
C
Fernández
Eduardo
E
Forst
Linda
L
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*