Doctors of occupational medicine help workers.
The field of medicine has many branches or specialties. Preventive medicine, one of those specialties, deals with health-care issues related to preventing disease at the individual and community levels. Preventive medicine is broken down further into three subspecialties: public health and general preventive medicine, aerospace medicine and occupational medicine.
Definition
Occupational medicine deals with preventing disease and treating illness and injury at the workplace level. Its main role is to provide guidance and treatment to employees of all levels and to ensure that occupational safety and health are maintained. Due to the ever-evolving nature of the American workplace, occupational medicine is an important medical specialty that continues to develop.
History
The field of occupational medicine developed as a result the efforts of the Progressive Era's female reformers, although changes to workplace health began earlier in the 19th century.
At this time, working conditions were dangerous, worker health was ignored, wages were low and hours were long. Workers were simply cogs in the machine---if a cog broke, there were several more waiting to replace it.
In response to these deficiencies, labor unions began to request better treatment for workers, occupational diseases were being identified and organized health insurance plans began to surface. Also during this time, doctors were starting to identify the cause-and-effect relationship of poor work conditions and health issues.
Legislation developed in response to workers' needs with New York's Workman's Compensation Law in 1910. By 1955 all states had adopted this law.
As the workplace moved from industrial to clerical, new workplace issues emerged. The wide use of computers in the workplace has now brought on a new group of health concerns.
Examples
Examples of issues that a doctor of occupational medicine is concerned with include farm workers and illness due to pesticides; meat packers and injuries due to numerous sharp edges and slippery surfaces; seafood processor and conditions caused by constant work in icy water; soldiers exposed to toxins such as Agent Orange, radioactivity and poison gas; and office and factory workers affected by repetitive strain injuries such as carpel tunnel syndrome.
Professional Organizations
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) provides membership to more than 5,000 physicians and health professionals. According to its website, its mission is to promote "the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, research and education." The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is an organization dedicated to preventing disease and promoting good health. The American Public Health Association (APHA) is a diverse group of public-health professionals committed to protecting Americans from serious health threats.
Significance
The efforts of doctors in the occupational medical discipline have transformed the American workplace into one of safety and worker respect. Although shortcomings do still exist, awareness of the workplace and its possible negative effects on health have helped greatly diminish or eliminate issues such as mercury or radiation poisoning in factory workers, physical injuries or death due to unsafe conditions, and diseases caused by continuous unprotected exposure to, for example, coal tar, hot metal fumes and asbestos.
Tags: occupational medicine, preventing disease, American College, American workplace, deals with
