title: Using multiple data sets for public health tracking of work-related injuries and illnesses in California.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research suggests the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses underestimates the magnitude of workplace injuries and illnesses. Enumerating workplace injuries and illnesses may be improved by utilizing multiple state-based data sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using California-based datasets (workers' compensation claims, health care facility data, and physician reports), we enumerated unique cases of amputations and carpal tunnel syndrome (2007-2008), and evaluated the datasets for usefulness in occupational health tracking by performing record linkage across all datasets and calculating match rates between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6,862 amputation and 39,589 carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) cases were identified. Match rates between the datasets ranged from 34.0% to 45.6% (amputations) and 3.0% to 43.5% (CTS). Enumerated amputation and CTS cases from state-based sources were about five and ten times greater than the BLS SOII estimates (1,390 and 3,720).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful demonstration of this state level approach has broad implications for improving federal and state efforts to track and prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joe
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roisman
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003625:Data Collection; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D062486:Public Health Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: amputation; carpal tunnel syndrome; occupational; record linkage; surveillance