New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network Report: Key Updates 2006-2015

The New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network is unique in the United States as a partially-funded, statewide, public health-based network offering clinical and preventive occupational disease services. There are 11 clinics located throughout the state, including a Clinic specializing in agricultural safety and health. Since 1988, the Occupational Health Clinic Network has contributed to maintaining a healthy workforce in New York. Utilizing a public health approach, regionally-based clinics diagnose and treat occupational diseases and help improve working environments in New York State. The clinics also assist in meeting the goal in the New York State Department of Health Prevention Agenda 2013-2017 of reducing occupational injury and illness.

This report represents an update of a selected subset of figures from the initial New York State Occupational Health Clinic Report (1988-2003) to include data from 2006 through 2015. Data in this report is not directly comparable to previous reports because analysis in this report utilized each patient’s first visit during each year between 2006-2015, whereas previous reports utilized an individual’s first visit throughout the selected years.

The current report provides updated data to better reflect current trends in diagnoses and exposures, and a more detailed description of data found in the original report. Properly identifying workplace hazards can be used to improve treatment and management of occupational diseases as well as prevent them from occurring. Data in this report will assist in identifying current occupational health needs in NYS as well as those being met by the Occupational Health Clinic Network.

Overview

  • Between 2006 and 2015, 30,534 new patients were seen in 119,700 visits.
  • Patients were seen from all counties in NYS, with most people residing in counties with large metropolitan areas.
  • A higher percentage of patients were employed in public administration (35%), services industry (26%), and manufacturing (10%). This does not reflect the NYS workforce.
  • Patients were primarily seen for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, and injuries and poisonings.
  • Approximately one-third of patient exposures were ergonomic factors, including keyboard use and repetitive motion. The next largest groups of exposures included physical factors such as heat, cold, and radiation (18%) and mineral/inorganic dusts, including asbestos, silica and non-specified dusts (15%).