Modernet, a network for development of new techniques for discovering trends in occupational and work-related diseases and tracing new and emerging risksIS1002Start date: 09/11/2010End date: 08/11/2014Year: 2

Annet Lenderink Vice-ChairNCOD Coronel Institute - AMC Amsterdam Netherlands

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Scientific context and objectives (1/2)Background / Problem statement:

• Occupational diseases (ODs) impose a heavy burden on both workers and employers and represent enormous economic costs.

• In general, the information on incidence and prevalence of occupational diseases is rather poor and inconsistent between countries.

• There is an urgent need for new methods and instruments to trace new and emerging occupational health (OH) risks.

Brief reminder of MoU objectives:

Establish and maintain a network of collaborating centres for exchange of information and progress on

• Improving data quality

• Developing new techniques for discovering trends

• Developing new techniques for tracing new and emerging Occupational Health risks

• Using new techniques for dissemination and discussion to provide high quality information to be used for prevention

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Scientific context and objectives (2/2)

Research directions:

• Initiate, stimulate and coordinate knowledge exchange between research groups and research centres at the forefront of research in occupational and work-related health risks

• Initiate and stimulate joint research projects

• Innovate in the development of a comprehensive view on occupational health vigilance based on the “disease first approach” and using the experiences of pharmacovigilance (post-marketing surveillance of drugs)

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Working groups

1. Working group 1: Improvement of quality of data collection

2. Working group 2: Application of new techniques and methods for analysis of trends

3. Working group 3: New techniques for tracing newly occurring occupational diseases

4. Working group 4: Dissemination and implementation of new knowledge on occupational diseases

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Results vs. ObjectivesGoals/objectives Results Challenge

Knowledge exchange between research centres at the forefront of research in OH risks; on methodology as well as exchanges about cases of (potential) new OD

Achieved in WG meetings and presentation sessions and at the international congress on Tracing New Occupational Diseases and on the website

Involve parties at the forefront of research in the field

Execute short term scientific missions to learn from each participant’s strengths in research

In the 1st year no STSMs, in the second year 1 granted. STSM coordinator appointed

More STSMs needed

Initiate and stimulate joint research projects

Joint publication on work-related asthma (F and UK)

Other joint research activities considered

Innovate in the development of a comprehensive view on occupational health vigilance

(Pilot) Studies on different aspects of OH vigilance: data quality, reporting, trends analysis, statistical methods, data mining techniques, case reports

Focus and joint research

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Significant Highlights in Science or Networking(1/2)

• International congress Tracing New Occupational Diseases on 7-8 April 2011 in Amsterdam under auspices of the Dutch group

• Organized together with ICOH SCOM

• > 100 participants, international experts in occupational diseases from all over the world

• 22 new and emerging OH-risks discussed

• Publication of proceedings and articles in peer reviewed journal SH@W Vol.3,No.1,Mar.2012

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Significant Highlights in Science or Networking (2/2)

Important publications on discovering trends include:• Joint publication of the French and UK teams concerning

new methodologies to highlight trends in occupational diseases Paris et al. (2012) Work-related asthma in France: recent trends for the period 2001-2009. Occup Environ Med. 2012 Mar 1. [Epub ahead of print]

• Publication showing how favourable downward trends in occupational disease incidence (e.g. asthma and dermatitis) can be demonstrated at a national level following statutory intervention (e.g. following EU directive on CrVI) or other control measures. Stocks et al. (2011) Has European Union legislation to reduce exposure to chromate in cement been effective in reducing the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis attributed to chromate in the UK? Occup Environ Med. 2012 Feb;69(20:150-2. Epub 2011 Aug.17

Effect of EU directive on allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from chromate (CrVI)

EU Directive Jan 2005

The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of allergic contact dermatitis after the 2005 EU directive limiting the Cr content of cement, comparing ACD in construction workers attributed to chromate with that not attributed to chromate (THOR data from the University of Manchester, UK) Stocks et al Occup. Env. Med. 2012.

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Challenges• There were significant changes in the core group, since the Chair

stepped down and had to be replaced also as WG-leader. • We did not succeed in starting STSMs in the first year, although there

were some workplace visits from researchers to other participating institutes. To stimulate STSMs in 2012, a STSM coordinator is appointed.

For the upcoming year it is critical• to collect information about the databases and surveillance systems

available in each country as a prerequisite to establish guidelines for the best methodologies

• to involve more relevant parties, both within the participating countries as in other COST countries

• to stimulate a balanced contribution from the various participants• to initiate surveillance schemes in the countries that do not have such

systems, building them on the experiences of the other countries. • to use the collaborating space of the Action’s website better

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Grant Holder:

Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam

Mrs. A.F.Lenderink

Netherlands

Action PartiesAction Parties

12

1

15

1

16

1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Kick-off YR 1 YR 2 YR 3 YR 4

Action Parties

Parties Non-COST Countries

1111

Action participantsAction participants

49

5

24

53

7

25

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

YR 1 YR 2 YR 3 YR 4

Action participants

Total no. of indiv. Participants ESRs Female

1212

Use of COST Instruments

Activity (No.) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

MC/WG Meetings 2/2 (2)/(2)/1

STSMs [2] 1[1]

Training Schools 0 0

Workshops or Conferences

1 0

Joint Publications 0 1