[Characteristics of communication systems of suspected occupational disease in the Autonomous Communities, Spain].

Background: There are several initiatives to develop systems for the notification of suspected occupational disease (OD) in different autonomous communities. The objective was to describe the status of development and characteristics of these systems implemented by the health authorities.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on the existence of systems for the information and surveillance of suspected OD, their legal framework, responsible institution and availability of information.

Occupational diseases compensated in the Basque Country (Spain) from 1990 to 2008.

Objective: Spain, and some of its regions in particular, report higher rates of occupational diseases than many other countries in Europe. We describe the distribution and temporal trend of compensated occupational diseases among the working population of the Basque Country, a heavy industrialized Spanish region, from 1990 to 2008.

Methods: Employment data and occupational disease data were obtained from the Spanish Institute of Statistics and the Basque and Spanish Social Security Departments, respectively.