| Author | R Cali Corleo |
| Abstract | Pre-employment and pre-activity medical screening is an established practice worldwide. With the advent of Evidence Based Medicine the advantages of such medical examinations as against a self-administered health questionnaire are not clear. Occupational divers and caisson workers are obliged to undergo an annual medical examination before being permitted to carry out any pressure related activity. This practice is being increasingly contested by the divers. The aim of this study is to examine the usefulness of pre-dive medical examinations as a means of reducing diver morbidity and mortality and their validity as health protective measures. The observed morbidity and mortality in Maltese divers during the period 1994 to 2000 was compared to a population of European divers as represented by the Divers Alert Network Europe membership during the same years. The two populations were found to be similar enough to permit the desired comparison. The incidence rate of decompression illness (DCI) in the Maltese divers was found to be 1 DCI per 16420 dives while that in the DAN Europe divers was found to be 1 DCI per 6400 dives. This gave a relative risk of 0.4 that was found to be significant (p < 0.001). The only significant difference between the two populations identified in this study is that the Maltese divers are obliged to undergo a diving medical examination before starting to dive and at regular intervals while the DAN Europe population is under no such obligation and may opt to complete a self administered health checklist instead. The conclusion of this study is that a pre-participation medical examination is a useful health protection tool and has advantages over a self-administered health checklist. |
Published in: | |
| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
| Pages | - |
| Date | |
| Link to journal | |
| Key words | occupational medical screening, diving, caisson worker, medical examination, diver morbidity |