SouthON Conference Grant

Project Summary/Abstract The southeast region occupational fatality rates are 37% higher than the US fatality rate. From 2008-2011, the overall southeastern occupational fatality rate was 4.8 deaths/100,000 workers compared to 3.5/100,000 for the overall US; rates were higher than overall US rates in 9 of the 12 southeastern states. The Southeastern States Occupational Health Network (SouthON) collaborative working meetings'' goal over the next five years is to build on the foundation for regional occupational health surveillance (OHS) capacity and research in the 12-state Southeastern US region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) through: 1) establishment of southeast regional partnerships and collaborations among state health departments, academic partners, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)- funded agricultural centers and education research centers (ERCs), agencies, organizations, and other stakeholders; 2) development of occupational injury and illness research hypotheses; 3) southeastern occupational injury and illness surveillance; 4) state and southeast regional OHS capacity optimization; and 5) translation of southeastern occupational injury and illness research into public health action and planning. Objectives of SouthON meetings are to 1) develop common priorities for OHS epidemiological analyses, and worksite interventions; 2) build partnerships with other occupational epidemiologists, NIOSH, academic colleagues, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), worker organizations, and other OHS partners; 3) provide epidemiology and program planning tools for OHS capacity building; and 4) promote scientific collaboration among OHS partners in the Southeast region. NIOSH funds will support SouthON meeting participant travel and build on SouthON’s mission of optimum OHS capacity and research in the southeastern region through: 1) enhanced regional scientific collaborations; 2) analysis of OHS data sets; 3) case referrals; and 4) capacity building.