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Disease and the Workplace:  It Really is a Matter of Prevention

Disease and the Workplace:  It Really is a Matter of Prevention. National Occupational Health Nurses ’ Conference. Chris Martin, MD, MSc Professor and Director, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health West Virginia University School of Medicine. Conference Theme.

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Disease and the Workplace:  It Really is a Matter of Prevention

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  1. Disease and the Workplace:  It Really is a Matter of Prevention National Occupational Health Nurses’ Conference Chris Martin, MD, MSc Professor and Director, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health West Virginia University School of Medicine

  2. Conference Theme The Prevention of Known Occupational Diseases

  3. Conference Theme The Prevention of Known Occupational Diseases • What are the known diseases? • What can we do to prevent them?

  4. Prof Gordon Waddell CBE, DSc, MD, FRCS

  5. What employment status? • Associated with 40% increase in self-reported new health condition (blood pressure, diabetes) in first 1.5 years Strully K. Soc Sci Med. 2009 Sep;69(5):768-76.

  6. What employment status? • More than doubles the risk of heart attack or stroke in people between 51 and 61 years over 6 and 10 years. Gallo WT, Brand JE, Teng HM, Leo-Summers L, Byers AL. Res Aging. 2009 May 1;31(3):345-360.

  7. What employment status? • Increases the risk of death overall by 63% based on a review of 42 studies with data on more than 20 million persons. Roelfs DJ, Shor E, Davidson KW, Schwartz JE. Soc Sci Med. 2011 Mar;72(6):840-54.

  8. Involves 1,604,900 Canadians (August 2012) % Canadian Population Source: Stats Can

  9. In addition… • Increased mental illness • Economic impact • Social exclusion

  10. Yet for most sick and disabled people, work: • “is therapeutic; • helps to promote recovery and rehabilitation; • leads to better health outcomes; • minimises the harmful physical, mental and social effects of long-term sickness absence; • reduces the risk of long-term incapacity; • promotes full participation in society, independence and human rights; • reduces poverty; • improves quality of life and well-being”. IS WORK GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING? Gordon Waddell, A Kim Burton, 2006.

  11. Re-employment • Adverse health effects largely reversible • However, depends on job

  12. So, what do we do? • Acknowledge and address the social context of our work • Change our attitude about work

  13. Changing the culture of work & health Culture:The collective attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that characterise a particular social group over time Slide courtesy Gordon Waddell, accessed from: www.cf.ac.uk/cwerc/events/seminar1/Gordon%20Waddell.ppt

  14. 2. Employment • Secure, ‘healthy’ jobs • Accommodations for the injured and ill • Promote workplace wellness programs for all health conditions.

  15. What is the leading cause of on-duty death in this group of workers?

  16. 3. Individuals • Need to take greater responsibility for their health in general and rehabilitation following averse health events • …and live in an environment that makes healthy choices easy

  17. Traditional Occupational Disease remains with us • Mostly incurable! • Mostly affect lung and skin • Mostly allergic and neoplastic • We need to be vigilant

  18. PMF “Hot Spots”

  19. PMF “Hot Spots”

  20. Percent of miners with CWP by tenure in mining, 1970-1999

  21. Percent of miners with CWP by tenure in mining, 1970-2006

  22. Deaths with CWP, age 15-44, national data Rising?

  23. For occupational disease • Surveillance systems always essential(even when they report few cases)

  24. Percent of miners with CWP by tenure in mining, 1970-1999

  25. For occupational disease • Surveillance systems always essential(even when they report few cases) • Constant vigilance with primary prevention • When these measures are not in place, lives are lost needlessly

  26. For occupational disease • Surveillance systems always essential(even when they report few cases) • Constant vigilance with primary prevention • When these are not in place, lives are lost needlessly

  27. March 9, 2012 “Significant Milestone Reached to Reactivate St. Lawrence Fluorspar Mine The $100 million reactivation of St. Lawrence fluorspar mine is a step closer as the Provincial Government finalized the details of its $17 million repayable contribution to Canada Fluorspar Inc. (TSX-V: CFI). During the two-year construction phase, 370 full-time jobs are expected to be created while 175 full-time positions will be maintained at the facility once production begins”. Source: http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2012/ibrd/0309n01.htm

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