Janka Buchancová, Ľubomír Legáth, Henrieta Hudečková, Viera Švihrová, Lukáš Murajda
The authors based their work on data about the occupational diseases (ODis) quoted in healthcare yearbooks in the Slovak Republic. These data they extended with their own findings and analyses of ODis in retrospective and prospective view. They evaluated the causes of a decrease of the total number of ODis in the SlovakRepublic (in 1988 there were 1 131 cases and in 2007 there were 556 ODis) and an increasing percentage of the diseases of the locomotor apparatus of extremities, where disease from prolonged excessive uniform load of extremities and disease from vibrations in 2007 represented 72,5 % from all ODis reported that year, which calls for attention in prevention, diagnostics and treatment. They comment the causes of decrease of professional damage of hearing by noise and decrease of skin diseases and professional intoxications, which does not necessarily need to be in accordance with the true occurrence. To enhance prevention with the aim of decreasing the true occurrence of ODis they emphasize a need of developing the occupational health services and a necessity of increasing the qualification for this field. In state sector in the Slovak Republic there work currently 16 doctors altogether, with a specialization in clinical occupational medicine. Their average age is 52.8±8.1 years (x±SD), three quarters of them above 50 years. The Slovak Medical University in Bratislava at the present does not have any younger applicants for this specialization in the evidence. The incidence of ODis in the EU in 2004 was according the accessible data 39.1/100 000, in Slovakia in 2006 it was 9.5/ 100 000. The authors comment possible causes of the difference and a bias which a mechanical comparison of the incidence in the EU countries could create. Fact is, that the catchment of professional damages needs to be improved, starting with their subclinical manifestations. Here a professional history has traditionally an unsubstitutable role, leading to a further medical diagnostic procedure in case of suspicion of negative influence of work on health. The diagnostics heads towards then to revealing the professional disease, to a need of quitting the exposure, to a start of causal therapy and measures directing to the workplace again, with an objective to implement a bundle of primary prevention.