The Brazilian System for Monitoring Workers and General Population Exposed to Asbestos: Development, Challenges, and Opportunities for Workers’ Health Surveillance

Rafael Junqueira Buralli (), Regina Dal Castel Pinheiro, Laura Lima Susviela, Sandra Renata Canale Duracenko, Eduardo Mello De Capitani, Alexandre Savaris and Eduardo Algranti
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Rafael Junqueira Buralli: Departamento de Vigilância em Saúde Ambiental e Saúde do Trabalhador, Ministério da Saúde, Brasil (CGSAT/DSAST/SVS/MS), SRTV 702, Via W5 Norte, Brasília 70723-040, DF, Brazil
Regina Dal Castel Pinheiro: Gerência em Saúde do Trabalhador, Diretoria de Vigilância Sanitária do Estado de Santa Catarina (GESAT/DIVS/SUV/SES), Av. Rio Branco, 152, Centro, Florianópolis 88015-200, SC, Brazil
Laura Lima Susviela: Gerência em Saúde do Trabalhador, Diretoria de Vigilância Sanitária do Estado de Santa Catarina (GESAT/DIVS/SUV/SES), Av. Rio Branco, 152, Centro, Florianópolis 88015-200, SC, Brazil
Sandra Renata Canale Duracenko: Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador de Piracicaba (Cerest Piracicaba/SMS/PMP), Rua do Trabalho, 634, 1º andar, Vila Independência, Piracicaba 13418-220, SP, Brazil
Eduardo Mello De Capitani: Departamento de Clínica Médica, Centro de Informação e Assistência Toxicológica (CIATox) de Campinas, FCM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Rua Vital Brasil 251, Campinas 13083-888, SP, Brazil
Alexandre Savaris: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Extensão Universitária (FAPEU), Rua Delfino Conti, S/N, Florianópolis 88040-370, SC, Brazil
Eduardo Algranti: Division of Applied Research, Fundacentro, Rua Capote Valente, 710, São Paulo 05409-002, SP, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: The lack of safe levels of asbestos exposure and the long latency of asbestos-related disease (ARD) makes workers’ health surveillance challenging, especially in lower-income countries. This paper aims to present the recently developed Brazilian system for monitoring workers and general population exposed to asbestos (Datamianto), and to discuss the main challenges and opportunities for workers’ health surveillance. Methods: a descriptive study of the Datamianto development process, examining all the stages of system planning, development, improvement, validation, availability, and training of health services for its use, in addition to presenting the main challenges and opportunities for its implementation. Results: The system was developed by a group of software developers, workers’ health specialists, and practitioners, and it was recently incorporated by the Ministry of Health to be used for workers’ health surveillance. It can facilitate the monitoring of exposed individuals, epidemiological data analysis, promote cooperation between health services, and ensure periodical medical screening guaranteed to workers by labor legislation. Moreover, the system has a Business Intelligence (BI) platform to analyze epidemiologic data and produce near real-time reports. Conclusions: Datamianto can support and qualify the healthcare and surveillance of asbestos-exposed workers and ARD, promoting a better quality of life for workers and improving companies’ compliance with legislation. Even so, the system’s significance, applicability, and longevity will depend on the efforts aimed at its implementation and improvement.

Keywords: asbestos; occupational health; public health surveillance; lung diseases; asbestosis; mesothelioma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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