Use of GIS in visualization of work-related health problems.
BACKGROUND
Occupational health and safety (OHS) information is often complex, diverse and unstructured and suffers from a lack of integration which usually precludes any systemic insight of the situation.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse to what extent the use of geographical information systems (GISs) can help to integrate, analyse and present OHS data in a comprehensive and communicable way relevant for surveillance purposes.


METHODS
We first developed a 'macro-approach' (from national to local level), mapping data related to economic activity (denominator of active workers displayed by activity sectors), as well as work-related ill-health (numerators of workers suffering from work-related ill-health). The latter data are composed of compensated occupational diseases on the one hand and work-related diseases investigated by specialized clinics on the other hand. Then, a 'micro-approach' was worked out, integrating at a plant level, using computer-aided drawing, occupational risks data and OHS surveillance data (e.g. use of medication and sickness absence data).


RESULTS
At the macro-level, microelectronics companies and workers were mapped at different scales. For the first time, we were able to compare, up to the enterprise level, complementary data showing different pictures of work-related ill-health, allowing a better understanding of OH issues in this sector. At the micro-level, new information arose from the integration of risk assessment data and medical data.


CONCLUSIONS
This work illustrates to what extent GIS is a promising tool in the OHS field, and discusses related challenges (technical, ethical, biases and interpretation) and research perspectives.
Univ. Grenoble Alpes/CNRS/TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525 (EPSP team: Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations), Grenoble F-38000, France, Univ. Paris 8/CNRS/Ladyss Laboratory UMR 7533 (Laboratoire Dynamiques sociales et recomposition des espaces), Saint-Denis F-93526, France, Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/).
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Delaunay
Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/), Cape Peninsula University of Technology/Faculty of Applied Sciences/Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies, Cape Town 8000, South Africa, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Environment and Health, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Van der Westhuizen
Univ. Paris 8/CNRS/Ladyss Laboratory UMR 7533 (Laboratoire Dynamiques sociales et recomposition des espaces), Saint-Denis F-93526, France.
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Godard
Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/), The University of Manchester/Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences/Institute of Population Health/Centre for Epidemiology/Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Agius
Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/), ANSES (French Agency for Health Safety in Food, Environment and Work)/RNV3P, Maisons Alfort Cedex, F-94701, France.
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Le Barbier
Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Environment and Health, 3000 Leuven, Belgium, Idewe, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
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Godderis
Univ. Grenoble Alpes/CNRS/TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525 (EPSP team: Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations), Grenoble F-38000, France, Modernet Network (Monitoring Occupational Diseases and new Emerging Risks in a NETwork, http://www.costmodernet.org/), CHU Grenoble (Grenoble Teaching Hospital)/Centre de Ressources de Maladies Professionnelles (Grenoble's Occupational Diseases Consultations Centre), Grenoble F-38000, France. vbonneterre@chu-grenoble.fr lode.godderis@med.kuleuven.be.
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Bonneterre
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health; D011322:Primary Prevention; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Databases; epidemiology; exposures; geographic information systems; geostatistics; occupational diseases; occupational health; occupational hygiene.