ABSTRACT
Given the ageing population of occupational health physicians and the deteriorating situation of employee health, reforms targeting the multi-disciplinary nature of occupational health are currently being drawn up. These are of great concern to doctors in terms of the future of occupational health, notably with regard to changing medical practices. The objective of this study is to explore the actual practices of occupational health physicians within the framework of MSD prevention in France. By analysing the activity of occupational health physicians, we could gain a better understanding of the coordination between those involved in OHS with the ultimate goal being to improve prevention. Based on an analysis of peer activity, this method made it possible to push beyond pre-constructed discourse. According to activity theories, it is through others that the history and controversies of a profession can be grasped and skills developed. The results produced by these collective discussions on activity analysis contributed to establish a collective point of view about the important aspects of their profession that need defending and the variations in professional genre in relation to the current reforms, notably.
Subject(s)
Diffusion of Innovation , Musculoskeletal Diseases/prevention & control , Occupational Medicine/organization & administration , Female , France , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Practice Patterns, Physicians'ABSTRACT
A retrospective study of pleural mesothelioma diagnosed between 1980 and 1988 in the Rhône-Alpes région allowed to identify 224 cases. From the 187 patients in which occupational history was available 105 (56%) had been exposed to asbestos at work and 44 had been recognised as occupation disease and compensated. These data illustrate that the real incidence of the disease is largely underestimated and that legal procedure for occupational disease recognition is highly deficient.
Subject(s)
Asbestos/adverse effects , Mesothelioma/epidemiology , Mesothelioma/etiology , Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , Occupational Diseases/etiology , Pleural Neoplasms/epidemiology , Pleural Neoplasms/etiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , France/epidemiology , Humans , Incidence , Male , Mesothelioma/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Occupational Exposure , Occupational Medicine , Pleural Neoplasms/diagnosis , Time Factors , Workers' CompensationABSTRACT
Azodicarbonamide (Chemical Abstract Service Registry No 123.77.3) is an organic low molecular weight agent used for blowing and foaming plastics. Finely ground azodicarbonamide can be a pulmonary and sometimes a cutaneous acute sensitiser. Four cases of work related asthma are reported.
