Tim F. Morse, PhD, Community Medicine/Occupational Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Ergo Center MC6210, Farmington, CT 06030-6210, 8606794720, tmorse@nso.uchc.edu

Occupational illness, including musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among stete employees has not been closely examined since the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not systematically collect and report data for all states, but only for those states with a state OSHA plan. In Connecticut, rates among state employees for musculoskeletal disorders are the highest of any specific industry, with 236 MSD workers’ compensation reports in 2001. This study will present the results of a systematic review of BLS MSD data for state employees in all states where this data is collected. It will also compare the BLS data for Connecticut to other available sources of data, including workers’ compensation and physician reports to better understand possible reporting artifacts.

Learning Objectives: