Current Magnitude of Occupational Disease in the United States

Abstract

The data from our study indicate that the magnitude of occupational disease in New York State is considerable, and that a detailed and comprehensive plan must be initiated and implemented if occupational disease is to be controlled. New York State contains slightly less than 10% of the nation's workforce. A direct linear extrapolation of findings in New York State cannot be made to derive estimates of the national burden of work-related illness. Nevertheless, a crude estimate of the national magnitude of occupational disease can be derived from the New York experience. Such extrapolation provides a crude estimate of 50,000-70,000 deaths each year from occupational disease and of 350,000 new cases of occupational illness. These numbers are distressingly similar to the annual estimates of 100,000 deaths and 400,000 cases of occupational illness developed almost 15 years ago by Ashford. Clearly substantial progress remains to be made.