[Limitations in using international occupational disease statistics for comparative analysis].

The comparability of international statistical data on the incidence of occupational disease is discussed. The examples of some countries served to present the reasons why the relevant data available in publications cannot be often used as a frame of reference to comparative studies. The problem results mainly from different definitions of the term "occupational disease" as they frequently include in their context also these pathologies which are numbered among work-related diseases.

[Data processing computer system for evaluation of health effects due to occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland].

General consequences of occupational diseases for both employees and the country's economy have been known for many decades. Nevertheless there were no legal instruments and financial means to carry out studies leading to a comprehensive evaluation of health effects induced by occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland. Only recently, the legal basis has been provided by the revision of the regulations on occupational diseases (Official Journal of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare no 9, heading 51, 1989), and the financial means allocated according to the Governmental Strategic Programme (SPR-1) for the years 1995-1998.

[Health effects of occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland during the years 1990 and 1994].

The study was carried out on the material of 15,136 occupational diseases that accounted for 71.9% and 65.6% of all cases detected in 1990 and 1994, respectively.

[Morbidity of occupational diseases in Poland in the years 1994-1996].

The authors analysed all cases of occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland over the last three years. The following variables were considered: age, gender of patients, duration of exposure to factors inducing occupational disease, nosologic units, and the types of work places by the European Activity Classification and their localization by voivodships. The obtained results helped to formulate the following conclusions: 1.

Mortality among different occupational groups of workers with pneumoconiosis: results from a register-based cohort study.

A mortality cohort study was carried out on 11,224 men with pneumoconiosis diagnosed during the period 1970-1985. The cohort was selected from among subjects entered into the National Register of Occupational Diseases and included 7,065 coal miners, 924 employees of underground work enterprises, 1,796 workers of the metallurgical industry and iron and nonferrous foundries, as well as 1,439 refractory materials, china, ceramics, and quarry workers. The cohort was traced up to the end of 1991.