Citation

Schnitzer PG, Shannon J. Public Health Rep. (1974) 1999; 114(3): 242-248.

Affiliation

Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, 65211, USA. schnitzerp@health.missouri.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Association of Schools of Public Health)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10476993

PMCID

PMC1308475

Abstract

The authors describe the growth from 1987 through 1996 of the Occupational Pesticide Poisoning Surveillance Program at the Texas Department of Health. The program was initially based on a Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) model, using sentinel providers to report cases, supplementing the passive reporting by physicians that was required by law. The model was evaluated after five years, and significant changes were implemented to improve case ascertainment. Current active surveillance methods emphasize collaboration with a number of agencies and organizations for identification of cases and follow-up. The number of confirmed occupational cases increased from 9 workers in 1987 to 99 workers in 1996. The evolution from a passive system to an active surveillance program expanded the number of reported cases and strengthened inter-agency collaborations.

Language: en