Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39992195›Full record

ArticleLa Medicina del lavoro2025

Diagnosing and Reporting of Occupational Diseases: An Assessment Study of Reports from an Italian Workplace Safety Prevention Program Service.

Luigi Isaia Lecca, Sergio Pili, Michele Lai, Alessandro Murru, Giuseppe Campo, Antonio Pizzuti, Stefano Mattioli, Marcello Campagna

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Article in La Medicina del lavoro, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
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1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Luigi Isaia LeccaDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy.
Sergio PiliDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy";}.
Michele LaiDepartment of Hygiene and Health Prevention, ASL Oristano, Italy.
Alessandro MurruDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy.
Giuseppe CampoDepartment of Work and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Italy.
Antonio PizzutiDepartment of Work and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Italy.
Stefano MattioliDepartment of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Marcello CampagnaDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe criteria for diagnosing and compensating for occupational diseases vary significantly between countries. The lists of occupational diseases often include diagnostic and attribution criteria that are usually not very specific. As a result, the quality of occupational disease reports is frequently subpar. The aims of this study were to assess the quality of diagnosis and reporting, as well as to evaluate the causal link between reported occupational diseases and occupational risk factors.

methodsFour occupational physicians assessed the quality of diagnosis by blindly applying Spreeuwers' performance indicators for diagnosis and reporting. Following Violante's criteria, the four evaluators also tested the levels of evidence to evaluate the quality (and associated likelihood) of the diagnosis and the quality of exposure to occupational risk factors in a sample of 104 occupational disease reports, grouped by diagnosis and examined by the local Workplace Safety Prevention Service. Separate scores for each performance indicator and the Total Quality Score (TQS, ranging from 0 to 10), along with the progressive levels of evidence, were then assigned for each occupational disease report.

resultsThe mean TQS was below the threshold of sufficiency (<6) for 28% of the diagnoses, while an almost sufficient score (>6) emerged for 72% of the diagnoses, primarily including musculoskeletal disorders, pulmonary silicosis, and noise-induced occupational hearing loss. When applying Violante's criteria for the level of evidence of the diagnosis, it was insufficient for 13.5% of the reported cases, while the level of evidence for exposure to occupational risk factors was deemed insufficient for 19% of the cases, and no cases demonstrated a level of evidence that was highly probable or nearly certain.

conclusionsDespite the overall quality of the reported cases of occupational diseases being reasonably good, improvements in the quality of diagnosis and reporting could be achieved through strict adherence to standardized diagnostic criteria and by training health personnel to collect data regarding occupational and non-occupational risk factors properly.

Indexed as

Occupational DiseasesOccupational HealthHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID39992195
PMCPMC11883838

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