[Analysis of formal and substantial errors in the diagnosis of occupational diseases in Poland 1985-1987]

Abstract

Formal and substantial errors in the diagnosis and certification of occupational diseases during 1985-1987 were analysed. The evaluation was based on occupational disease certificates obtained from the Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Station and registered at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Lódź. Most errors were related to misnaming of diseases, certifying some diseases as occupational though they are not included in the mandatory list of occupational diseases, or--qualifying specific health disorders under improper items on the list. The problem of erroneous diagnoses in analysed years applied mainly to diseases of the voice organ (error percentage from 15 to 20%) and motor organs (error percentage from 10 to 16%). In addition, the information on the type of aetiological factors of diseases and evaluation of occupational exposure was found to be deficient.