title: National survey on identifying vulnerable workers and availability of occupational health services in the Republic of Macedonia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to identify vulnerable groups and high risk sectors which are at greater need of basic occupational health services, we performed a questionnaire-based study including, as key informants, different stakeholders and key players in the process of improving health and safety at work.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Institute of Occupational Health of Macedonia developed an specially designed questionnaire in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Vulnerable groups/sectors include: unemployed, female workers, workers aged under 18 years, workers aged over 55 years and workers in the informal sector, construction industry, textile industry, agriculture, and the health care workers. The Likert scale method was used to evaluate most of the questions in the questionnaire, and the study subjects were instructed to give their professional opinion in completing the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All examined groups/sectors were judged to have high risk for occupationally related health problems by over 70% of the responders. Aging workers and workers in agriculture and in the construction industry were judged to have the highest risk for such problems, as well as low health status. All examined groups/sectors were judged to have good availability of primary health care services, while agriculture, unemployed, the informal sector and young workers were judged as having poor availability of occupational health services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The provision of Basic Occupational Health Services (BOHS) incorporated in the framework of primary health care via the public health approach was judged as a good conceptfor Macedonia.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health of R. Macedonia, Skopje, R. Macedonia - WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health.
authors.forename: Jovanka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karadzinska-Bislimovska
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minov
authors.forename: Snezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Risteska-Kuc
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stoleski
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mijakoski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todorov
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Basarovska
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kisman-Hristovska
authors.forename: Teuta
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agai-Demjaha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations