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Use of GIS in visualization of work-related health problems.

Delaunay, M; Van der Westhuizen, H; Godard, V; Agius, R; Le Barbier, M; Godderis, L; Bonneterre, V

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England). 2015;65(8):682-92.

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Abstract

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. AIMS: 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.

Bibliographic metadata

Type of resource:
Content type:
Publication type:
Published date:
Abbreviated journal title:
ISSN:
Place of publication:
England
Volume:
65
Issue:
8
Pagination:
682-92
Digital Object Identifier:
10.1093/occmed/kqv152
Pubmed Identifier:
26503981
Pii Identifier:
kqv152
Access state:
Active

Institutional metadata

University researcher(s):

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:284159
Created by:
Zarin, Nazia
Created:
11th December, 2015, 09:33:01
Last modified by:
Zarin, Nazia
Last modified:
11th December, 2015, 09:33:01

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