BOHS Repository Index this is a link to a concise overview of the Repository, without short descriptions
BOHS Repository Complete this is a link to the complete Repository, with short descriptions
The repository is an online bibliographic database referring to publications on Basic Occupational Health Services (BOHS) and similar activities in primary or community health care. The authors are Suvarna Moti, Consultant Public Health Specialist and member of the Indian Association of Occupational Health (IAOH), and Frank van Dijk, staff of the Learning and Developing Occupational Health Foundation (LDOH).
The collection offers for each of the 189 publications included in the database, bibliographic data, a short description of the content, and a link to the publication. The publications are scientific articles, reports, key international policy documents, and opinion papers dealing with BOHS and similar initiatives. The repository is a dynamic database that must be updated regularly. A scientific article on the development of the repository, including as well information on the included literature searches, has been submitted to a scientific journal.
The motivation to develop this database stems from the knowledge that a large majority of workers in the world, often working in hazardous working conditions causing accidents and serious diseases, do not have access to occupational health services in a more elementary, expert-based, or hospital-based form. This regards especially informal workers, workers in agriculture or in small industrial enterprises, and self-employed. Low and middle-income countries are most affected. A disproportionate number of female workers and migrant workers are underserved. So-called Basic Occupational Health Services (BOHS), essential healthcare activities integrated into primary or community healthcare, focused on workers’ health issues such as the prevention of work-related and occupational diseases and injuries, can contribute significantly to a solution. A supportive infrastructure is needed, as a well-designed education and training. A good complementary infrastructure on health and safety on the labor side is necessary as well, organized by employers, unions, branch-wise organizations, labor inspection, and social security bodies.
The aim of the repository is to support the development and evaluation of BOHS and similar activities in the world, focused on workers’ health, in primary or community health care. We hope that the repository encourages innovations, studies, and intensified international collaboration.