Epidemiological requirements for medical-environmental data management.

In establishing a system to provide data for epidemiological research in occupational health, it should be recognized that such studies require more information than what usually becomes available routinely in occupational health programs. Additional types of data that may have to be put into the system include supplementary diagnostic information, level and duration of exposure to potentially hazardous substances, demographic information related to socioeconomic status and fertility, population census statistics for the entire company and various company installations, and follow-up-data on retired employees. The quality of the data is especially important for epidemiologic research. Therefore, data validation procedures need to be established whereby the information that goes into the system is reviewed for precision, completeness, and reliability.