Waiting time from identification to recognition an occupational disease in Spain.

Objective: To estimate the waiting time since a suspected an occupational disease (OD) is identified, notified and recognized in Spain.

Method: A series of 34 patients attended at Occupational Diseases Unit (ODU) of Hospital del Mar in Barcelona were follow up since their identification until final resolution by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS). Median, and 25 and 75 percentiles (interquartile range [IQR]) were calculated in weeks by total time (n=27), ODU time (n=34), patient time (n=31) and INSS time (n=27).