From our surveillance database, we are also conducting telephone follow-up studies on a number of specific types of injuries. The objective of the study is to evaluate the contribution of acute musculoskeletal trauma to the occurrence of subsequent musculoskeletal symptoms. The initial interview focuses on injury circumstances, musculoskeletal symptoms, previous history of musculoskeletal trauma, and lost work-time and light duty subsequent to the injury. We are also telephoning these injured workers at one year and two years after their injury. These interviews focus on the employment status of each worker as well as on the physical, financial, and emotional implications of their injuries.
All questionnaires are available in both English and Spanish.
Since 1990, we have conducted surveillance of construction worker injuries treated in George Washington University's Emergency Department. We hope to identify specific high risk tasks across construction trades, and explore factors which might account for differences in the eye injury experiences of maintenance workers and traditional construction workers. The eye injury follow-up study is oriented towards finding methods of prevention. In the future we hope to be able to use the results to design jobsite interventions to help reduce the number of eye injuries in the construction injury. Telephone interviewers continue to collect detailed information on the circumstances of each injury, including the injury-related tasks, work practices, equipment, and environment.