An examination of occupational medicine practices

Article Abstract:

The type of health services offered to employees at the work site has changed in recent years. Traditionally, a physician or other health professional practiced on-site if the company was large, but recently corporations have begun offering only health promotion programs aimed at preventing disease. Now, medical care is usually delivered off-site; the employer may have a contract with specific medical providers. The consequences of this trend towards off-site medical services have not been previously studied, and were the topic of this investigation. Data were collected from 4,490 workplaces, evaluated during the National Occupational Exposure Survey. The purpose of the survey, conducted from 1981 to 1983, was to assess the health and safety of the work environment in America. In each company, questionnaires were given to management and an inspection of the physical plant was conducted. The companies were divided into two groups: those with an on-site physician and those with an off-site physician; these groups were then subdivided according to the size of the company. The provision of medical services was compared for these different groups, and it was found that companies using off-site physicians provided fewer screening tests and medical examinations than those with an on-site physician. There is concern that the off-site physicians may not be trained in occupational medicine and that their knowledge of work-related illnesses may be inadequate; ultimately the loss of the on-site physician appears to be to the disadvantage of the worker. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Care and treatment, Occupational health and safety, Occupational safety and health, Medical examination, Practice, Occupational diseases, Workers, Medicine, Industrial, Industrial medicine

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Cigarette smoking during pregnancy and mother's occupation

Article Abstract:

Between 1984 and 1988, 356,656 births were recorded in the state of Washington. The prevalence of cigarette smoking and the occupations of the mothers of these children were analyzed. Demographic information was extracted from the birth records. These data revealed that 82,747 mothers (23 percent) had indicated smoking during part or all of their pregnancy. Smoking prevalence was highest in younger, unmarried mothers, Native American mothers, mothers employed in facilities that served alcohol, and mothers employed in occupations traditionally filled by men. Greater smoking rates were found in lower socioeconomic classes. The author presents detailed lists of occupation and social class with number of births and the prevalence of smoking. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Social aspects, Demographic aspects, Employment, Pregnant women, Smokers, Smoking

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