Occupational Health Epidemiology in Africa: Drought on Fertile Grounds

Abstract

The paper reviews the current situation with respect to occupational health epidemioloyy carried out in Africa through search of three international databases on health publications and review of the published papers. The literature search reveals a dearth of published work despite the enormous numbers of problems and hazards faced. The paper outlines the problems and progress made in occupational health research in Africa, and identifies the main constraints within the nature of the populations studied, the measurement of morbidity and exposure, the design of analytic and intervention studies, and the human and material resources for carrying out such research. Suggestions are made for areas of positive development of occupational health research and practice in Africa, specifically in relation to epidemiologic work.

Keywords:

• occupational health
• epidemiology
• Africa