| Abstract |
Not all of the tasks outlined in our original application were completed due to limitation of funds. This was primarily due to a salary increase of the epidemiologist/program manager. However, we were able to complete many tasks outlined in our application and progress was made in reaching the stated aims. Because workplace illness and injury include a wide variety of industries, occupations, tasks and issues, it is necessary for our program, in addition to tracking the occupational health indicators, to narrow the focus of our intervention activities to two main areas each grant period. These priority areas are determined by trends in indicator data, as well as NORA, NIOSH, CSTE and State priorities. During the period of this cooperative agreement, the Wisconsin Occupational Health Surveillance Program has focused on noise-induced hearing loss and respiratory issues such as work-related asthma. Wisconsin's approach to occupational health surveillance has been through partnerships and leveraging of others expertise. While staff within the Occupational Health Surveillance Program gather and compile data for the occupational health indicators we share these data with others so that they can develop and implement interventions. Some of the interventions developed by others based on our data, include, a web-based program to deliver work-related asthma knowledge to medical students and practitioners, information for asthma coalition newsletters, a study and publication of asthmagens in the dairy industry, and an educational program that includes audiograms, for carpenters and construction workers. |
