# Improving Occupational Health in Oregon: Turning Data to Action

> **NIH ALLCDC U60** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $394,120

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 The Oregon Occupational Public Health Program (OPHP) is a mature and productive occupational health
surveillance system. With continuous funding from NIOSH since 1992, the OPHP has excelled at cultivating
partnerships, conducting surveillance, and occupational health education/outreach. Since 2002, our Expanded
Program has operated as a unique university-government collaboration between Oregon Health & Science
University (OHSU) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The foundation of this work rests on our
fundamental surveillance system that includes collection and analysis of occupational health indicators (OHIs),
and on our Expanded Program surveillance activities, including workplace fatality prevention through the
Oregon Fatality Assessment Control & Evaluation (OR-FACE) project. Our dissemination efforts leverage
decades of experience, partnerships and systems available through the Outreach Program at the Oregon
Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU. Accomplishment highlights (2015-current) include an in-
depth evaluation of our surveillance system; examination of work-related traumatic brain injuries; assessment
of non-disabling workers compensation claims among young workers; a new state-of-the art fatality
surveillance database; fatality prevention outreach through training partnerships; and innovative fatality
prevention outreach with small construction firms and agricultural employers. The need for occupational safety
and health surveillance programs remains high. While some occupational health indicators (OHIs) have
improved in Oregon, workplace injuries and illnesses remain far too common. In 2017, Oregon had over
46,000 work-related injuries and illnesses, and experienced 688 million dollars in worker’s compensation
claims. The Oregon occupational fatality rate was 3.1 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2018 (2018 US average =
3.5), but lower rates are achievable. In our renewal agenda, we will continue to provide state-level leadership
for occupational public health, and create action through collaborative surveillance, partnerships, and impactful
outreach. Our overarching goal is to provide quality surveillance data and intervention recommendations
(outputs) to safety professionals who can take actions to promote workplace health and save lives (impacts
and outcomes). To accomplish this goal and achieve our target outcomes, we propose an innovative program
strategy with the following specific aims: (1) Maintain and improve fundamental occupational surveillance
systems through Occupational Health Indicator (OHI) activities; (2) Investigate emerging issues, occupational
illnesses and injuries; (3) Place underserved and vulnerable worker populations at the center of occupational
health surveillance; and (4) Promote collaboration, communications, workforce development and translation of
science into action.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318866
- **Project number:** 2U60OH008472-16
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Curtis Cude
- **Activity code:** U60 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $394,120
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318866

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318866, Improving Occupational Health in Oregon: Turning Data to Action (2U60OH008472-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318866. Licensed CC0.

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