TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1976//
TI  - An evaluation of epidemiologic studies related to accident prevention
JO  - Journal of safety research
A1  - Schaeffer, M. H.
SP  - 19
EP  - 22
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
N2  - It was Gordon who, in 1948, first suggested the epidemiologic approach as a tool for the study and prevention of accidents. Most epidemiologic accident research, however, has been performed in the area of traffic accidents rather than industrial accidents.  There are some notable examples of the application of an epidemiologic approach to occupational accident studies and these are discussed.  The utility of epidemiologic methods for reducing occupational accidents lies mainly in the capability to define the nature and extent of a new problem area.  As a research strategy, however, the epidemiologic approach has the following major shortcomings: no systematic use of the approach in practice; failure to classify environments; failure to study social and psychological indices of the host; failure to study the influence exerted by the socioeconomic environment; and too much concentration on broad descriptive survey results.  To achieve its theoretical potential, future epidemiologic research must correct these laws.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-4375
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -