The overall goal of this proposal is to assist NIOSH in implementing the goals set forth in the NIOSH Surveillance Strategic Plan to strengthen the capacity of state health departments to conduct occupational health surveillance. CSTE plans to build upon their previous collaboration with NIOSH to increase state-based occupational health surveillance capacity by maintaining and enhancing the occupational health indicators (OHIs), demonstrating the practical applications of occupational health surveillance data, and promoting collaboration among States. The specific activities to be conducted over the next five years are to: Maintain the utility of the OHIs by updating the OHI guidance document, which contains definitions and processes for generating the OHIs and ensures data consistency across states;Establish criteria for adding or removing OHIs according to current needs and available data;Evaluate the OHIs to ensure continued utility of surveillance information gathered;Build awareness and increase utilization of surveillance data by compiling case studies that demonstrate the effect use of occupational health surveillance data to inform workplace intervention programs;Enhance the CSTE occupational health website to serve as a repository to share state-based occupational health surveillance information, including data, methods, and data dissemination methods;Host an annual educational teleconference to build surveillance skills;and Build capacity in States with new occupational health surveillance programs by establishing mentoring relationships with more experienced States. Surveillance systems that provide information about the magnitude and distribution of work-related injuries and illnesses, and the circumstances in which they occur are essential to developing effective prevention programs. A recent assessment of state epidemiologic capacity found that 10% of state health departments had substantial occupational health surveillance capacity, while 77% had minimal to no capacity. CSTE proposed activities will help increase capacity for state-based occupational health surveillance.
