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Occupational Illnesses in Connecticut Remain Stable But Still Higher Than National Average
Repetitive Motion Injury Continues as the Most Common Complaint
FARMINGTON, CONN. – Nearly 4,000 Connecticut workers reported an on-the-job related illness in 2007, about the same as the year before, according to a State Labor Department/Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. According to the Occupational Disease Report prepared for the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission by University of Connecticut Health Center occupational and environmental experts Tim Morse and Paula Schenk, the overall illness rate in Connecticut of 29.2 per 10,000 workers was only 3 percent higher than the previous year. Although this reflected a small decline in the rate of illness in private sector workplaces, the 2007 private sector illness rate in Connecticut of 26.5 per 10,000 workers was higher than the national average of 21.8. This was driven by Connecticut’s higher rates of hearing loss, respiratory conditions and repetitive trauma injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Connecticut is below than the national average for poisonings and skin disorders.
"Tracking occupational diseases is the best way to help identify problems that are preventable," says Morse. "But they are typically harder to detect than injuries since they often occur over longer periods of time and can have multiple (including non-occupational) risks. It is extremely important for these diseases to be reported so we can understand what’s happening in the workplace and begin to fix it."
Local government workers (59.8 per 10,000 workers) and manufacturing workers (54.3 per 10,000) accounted for the highest rates of occupational illness in Connecticut. Education and health professionals, along with state government employees, also had higher rates than the state average.
Lost-time musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), which includes strains and sprains, stayed about the same as the year before, but the Connecticut rate of 52 per 10,000 workers is 47 percent higher than the national MSD rate of 35.4.
"Occupational disease can have major impacts on worker health, ability to work, and employer costs," explains Morse. "Some diseases, such as cancers from asbestos exposure, can be fatal. Other diseases, such as carpal tunnel syndrome from ergonomic problems, can result in high levels of disability. Prevention efforts can reduce both diseases and costs because, in theory at least, all occupational diseases are preventable."
The report is part of the Occupational Disease Surveillance System, a cooperative effort between the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Labor Department, the academic occupational health programs at the UConn Health Center and Yale University, and other state occupational health clinics. The system is designed to trace and prevent occupational disease. The report includes a "Who’s Who" of contact information for agencies and programs in occupational health and safety in Connecticut, as well as a list of the most useful websites nationally.
A free copy of the "Occupational Disease in Connecticut: 2009" report that reflects data for 2007, is available at http://www.oehc.uchc.edu/news.asp, or by calling the Workers’ Compensation Commission at 860-493-1500 or Morse at 860-679-4720.
The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about the UConn Health Center is available at www.uchc.edu.
Note: News professionals are invited to visit the Office of Communications home page at today.uchc.edu for archived news releases and other information.
Emphasis on Injury Prevention in Middle School Athletes
FARMINGTON, CONN. – Former UConn women’s basketball great Jennifer Rizzotti, now coach of the University of Hartford women’s team, was the special guest at a girls’ sports injury prevention program at the UConn Health Center October 25. More information and photos are available at http://today.uchc.edu.
Photo: http://today.uchc.edu/images/news/athletes_rizzotti.jpg
Caption: Kaileen Langois, 11, of Berlin, gets a high five from Jennifer Rizzotti after a round of mini-hoops at the UConn Health Center, where Rizzotti was a guest speaker at a sports injury prevention program for middle school girls October 25.
Photo: http://today.uchc.edu/images/news/athletes_walk.jpg
Caption: Jennifer Rizzotti (third from left) joins a group of middle school athletes on a power walk at the UConn Health Center during a sports injury prevention program there October 25.
The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about the UConn Health Center is available at www.uchc.edu.
Note: News professionals are invited to visit the Office of Communications home page at today.uchc.edu for archived news releases and other information.
Calhoun Cardiology Center Receives American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Bronze Performance Achievement Award
FARMINGTON, CONN. – The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center has received the Get With The GuidelinesSM–Heart Failure Bronze Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The recognition signifies that the Health Center has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients for at least 90 days with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients.
Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations. According to Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure treatment guidelines, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics, and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.
According to the American Heart Association, about 5.7 million people suffer from heart failure. Statistics also show each year more than 292,200 people will die of heart failure.
“The Calhoun Cardiology Center is dedicated to making our care for heart failure patients among the best in the country, and implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure program will help us accomplish this by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcome for these patients,” says cardiologist Jason Ryan.
Photo: http://today.uchc.edu/images/news/cardiology_award.jpg
Caption: The American Heart Association’s Amanda McCulley (far right), presents the Get With The Guidelines Bronze Performance Achievement Award to Calhoun Cardiology Center’s (left to right) Allison Patavino, Linda Mickelson, Shelley Dietz, Dr. Patrick Campbell and Dr. Jason Ryan.
The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about the UConn Health Center is available at www.uchc.edu.
Note: News professionals are invited to visit the Office of Communications home page at today.uchc.edu for archived news releases and other information.