© 2003 American Public Health Association
The authors are with the Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Lenore S. Azaroff, ScD, Work Environment Department, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01854 (e-mail: lenore_azaroff{at}uml.edu).
Objectives. This study sought to characterize occupational injury and illness cases identified through 3 different sources of data on a population of immigrant workers. Methods. Participants were Cambodian and Lao workers living in Lowell, Mass. A household survey allowed comparisons between characteristics of work-related cases documented in workers compensation wage replacement records and hospital records and characteristics of self-reported cases. Results. The household survey captured types of cases missing from existing data, particularly illnesses self-reported to be associated with chemical exposures. Injuries and illnesses affecting the study population appeared to be significantly underrepresented in workers compensation wage replacement data. Conclusions. Community-based methods can supplement available occupational health data sources.
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