Hessel P A, Zeiss E
Epidemiology Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa.
J Occup Med. 1988 Jul;30(7):580-6.
The periodic examination in the South African mining industry was evaluated by determining the number and nature of abnormalities found in 7,758 consecutive examinations and the outcomes of these findings up to 3 years later. Separate analyses evaluated the examination in relation to its role as (1) a screening examination; (2) a means of assessing fitness for work, and (3) a means of identifying workers with compensable diseases. As a screening examination, very little benefit was realized, as only 132 examinations (1.7%) resulted in diagnoses considered significant according to specified criteria. As a means of assessing fitness for work, the examination appeared to be more useful. In 640 of the examinations (8.2%), conditions were discovered which were thought to have at least raised doubt about whether the certificate of fitness should be renewed unchanged. As a means of identifying workers with compensable diseases, the periodic examination was unproductive, with only 20 workers (0.26%) receiving compensation for conditions discovered during the periodic examination. It is suggested that the time between examinations can be extended, especially for the younger workers, and that follow-up of significant conditions can be undertaken more effectively if the examinations are conducted at the workplace.
通过确定7758例连续检查中发现的异常情况的数量和性质以及这些检查结果在3年后的转归来评估南非采矿业的定期检查。单独的分析根据其作为（1）筛查检查、（2）评估工作适应性的手段以及（3）识别患有可补偿疾病工人的手段的作用来评估该检查。作为筛查检查，获益甚微，因为只有132例检查（1.7%）得出了根据特定标准被认为有意义的诊断。作为评估工作适应性的手段，该检查似乎更有用。在640例检查（8.2%）中，发现了一些情况，这些情况被认为至少对是否应原封不动地续签健康证明产生了疑问。作为识别患有可补偿疾病工人的手段，定期检查没有成效，只有20名工人（0.26%）因定期检查期间发现的情况获得了赔偿。建议可以延长检查间隔时间，尤其是对年轻工人，并且如果在工作场所进行检查，可以更有效地对有意义的情况进行随访。
