Citation

Dembe AE. J. Public Health Policy 2010; 31(2): 227-243.

Affiliation

Division of Health Services Management & Policy, Center for Health Outcomes, Policy and Evaluation Studies, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, 5042 Smith Laboratories, 174 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. adembe@cph.osu.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan)

DOI

10.1057/jphp.2010.6

PMID

20535104

Abstract

A recent meeting of leading workers' compensation (WC) researchers was held in Washington, DC to consider ways of improving the use of WC data for injury and illness prevention. Participants identified specific deficiencies that limit the application of WC data for research purposes. For example, commercial insurers are often reluctant to provide claims records to research organizations. Unlike many other countries, the Unites States lacks a comprehensive national system for compiling and analyzing WC data, or mechanisms for linking WC data with other health care, employment, and disability records. Many of these deficiencies can be traced to historical circumstances surrounding the early development of WC laws in the United States. Inconsistencies among states developed in the absence of a federal WC system. Opportunities exist for using WC data more broadly to support public health research aimed at improving the health of populations and communities.

Language: en