Addressing the Population/Labor Force Data Needs for State-Based Occupational Health Surveillance

Brief Summary
Brief Summary: Occupational surveillance focuses primarily upon injury and illness among working people.  To estimate the populations at risk, programs rely upon external sources of labor force and general population data.  These population estimates are often used as denominators when calculating rates of injury and illness.  Depending on data sources and methods, these data may be produced and disseminated monthly or annually for Census regions and divisions, States, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities. NIOSH and BLS sponsored a Workshop in 2002 that provided an orientation on available labor force and population data for occupational health surveillance.  We’ve witnessed significant changes over the past decade, including the availability of new sources of labor force and population data.  For example, since 2002, the American Community Survey has emerged as a major new source of population data for the nation, states, and local communities.  The availability of annual or multi-year data (3-and 5-year aggreagtes) represent a unique data resource unmet through prior decennial censuses. Since 2005 , NIOSH-focused research created demands for industry-specific surveillance and population data.  In addition, industry-centered or focused surveillance and research strategy necessitates access to and use of non-public health  data; e.g., labor force and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics involving sample sizes too small to permit full public access.  Surveillance programs lacks the human capital to develop a working expertise for all these surveys and data systems.  However, advances in the development of web-based database applications have enabled and enhanced user access to these data and statistics, as illustrated by the web-based resources accessible U.S. Census and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These issues will be discussed at the proposed Roundtable.  The Roundtable discussions will be used to plan a 1.5-to-2 day Workshop proposed for FY14.