prefer parameters of occupational health surveillance system (oss) in expert opinions of occupational staffs: a qualitative study

Occupational Health Surveillance System (OHSS) provides a critical opportunity to monitor and evaluate occupational disorders and injuries over the time. Among more than 21 million employees in Iran, 62.08% and 38.03% had been worked in the industrial and private sections respectively. Present qualitative study was designed for collection of expert opinion of staffs in this field and determined proper characters of suitable Iranian OHSS. Present qualitative study was performed on an interview based on data from occupational medicine staffs. Some questions about OHSS definition, temporary accompaniment of occupational diseases and injuries surveillance system, OHSS promoters and consumers, type of requested data for OHSS and rewarding and controlling systems to prepare qualitative and valid OHSS data. Interview answers were read, summarized and presented. Most of study participants’ staff believed that OHSS in the scientific base must cover all of essentially its parts including disorders, hazards and accidents together. They believed that this combination was made by a team working with occupational medicine staffs and other specialties such as occupational hygienist and information technologists. They emphasized that the Iranian ministry of health had the capacity to promote OHSS and organizing executive committee with all of OHSS involved as team working in this field. Occupational staff had been focused on this fact that OHSS data must cover all of needed data of Iranian working population and their relatives. Iranian occupational registry system must be change and develop as Occupational Health Surveillance system according the main parameters which were found in occupational staff interview.