AB 9. Health management of occupational diseases challenge for the bulgarian economy and public health

Background: In 2001 a National Registry of Occupational Diseases was founded in Bulgaria which introduced a new system of reporting and recording Occupational illness into practice. In 2009 more than 400,000 people in Bulgaria were recorded with permanent disability, a lot of them representing victims of Occupational illness or injury. The intention of our present study was to analyze the frequency and type of different Occupational diseases over the last decade, and to determine which types of employment represent the greatest Occupational hazards to the employees’ health and safety.

Patients and methods: A detailed and thorough record of patients with Occupational illnesses was collected by experts for the mentioned time frame. An analysis of the health information was conducted and the characteristics and hazards at the work place were identified. The type and frequency of different Occupational illnesses were investigated and the Occupational Hazards and their effects on employment were determined.

Results: From 1998 until 2008 the number of Occupational diseases in Bulgaria increased especially in specific areas of employment. Musculoskeletal diseases and peripheral nerve-damage caused by exposure to hazardous substances at the workplace represent 55% of all cases. While respiratory diseases (like chronic bronchitis, COPD and bronchiectasis) and diseases caused by noise and vibrations comprise 22% and 12% of cases, accordingly.

Conclusions: The number of patients with permanent disability in Bulgaria is extremely high - which is unacceptable from the medical, social and economic point of view. This is the result of changes of Occupational dynamics (the aging work-population, immigration) and unfavorable work conditions at a time of economic transition. Contributory are also changes of law and practice of Occupational Medicine as well as insufficient training and information of employees about Occupational health and safety. It is important to improve the training of Occupational Physicians which will facilitate preventative and early diagnostic measures of Occupational illnesses and thus substantially contribute to the improvement of Occupational conditions especially regarding serious Occupational hazards. This process needs to be well coordinated and in collaboration with all the parties responsible for the Occupational Health and Safety of employees. (This study was sponsored by “Proekt GRANT” 2012, of the Medical University of Sofia - Bulgaria.)