The OCCHLTH Mnemonic-Construction and Content of a Tool for Increasing Awareness of Occupational Illness and Injury

Abstract

Introduction: Unidentified or nonmitigated occupational illnesses and injuries can complicate disease management. The "occupational health" (OCCHLTH) mnemonic aims to raise awareness of work-related exposures and associated illnesses and injuries.

Methods: Occupational safety and health history-taking elements were combined with peer-reviewed information [from the PubMed database (first review January 1, 2000, to February 8, 2016; updated to February 8, 2021)] about workplace exposure-outcome associations to create the mnemonic.

Results: Seven components constitute the OCCHLTH mnemonic. Literature results support its categories and subcategories. Three components represent symptom onset and health conditions. Four represent occupational exposures. Evaluating published occupational illness cases explored mnemonic applicability.

Conclusions: Awareness of occupational risk factors can affect clinical decision-making. The OCCHLTH mnemonic encourages consideration of occupational causes of illness and injury to optimize patient care. Further evaluation of the utility of the OCCHLTH mnemonic is needed.

FIG. 1.

Literature search strategy to identify occupational exposure-outcome associations to support the OCCHLTH mnemonic. Results are organized by HLTH categories and subcategories. 1. Number from subcategory searches of first pool of 14,272 results. In parenthesis are those (1) retained after excluding duplicates, experimental studies, and studies on pediatric populations, pharmaceutical treatments, surgical interventions, implantable/prosthetic devices, and unpaid work/workers and (2) obtained from key publications’ reference list reviews and targeted/hand searches. 2. Listing of publications by year-based timeframes. 3. Publications meeting inclusion criteria described in methods comprise the selected results. CBRN-DP, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, dust, and particulate matter.