Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract Introduction Teaching occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) is limited, the situation getting dire in Africa with critical shortages of health workers while increasing numbers of workers are employed in high-hazard industrial jobs. Methods Publications on OEM training in the last 20 years were retrieved from PubMed and other search engines. Inclusion criteria were occupational medicine / environmental medicine / OEM, training, and diploma in the title or abstract or ‘OEM’ in text. Results Out of 4,095 publications, 20 that met inclusion criteria were reviewed. OEM training formats were in-person, online, or hybrid (in-person/online), use of case studies / didactic sessions / workplace field visits / videos / text-based readings and online discussion forum. Diplomas, certificates, and degrees in OEM were awarded. The five basic public health areas (environmental / occupational health, epidemiology / biostatistics, health policy / management, social / behavioral sciences, and public health practice) for OEM training diploma seems suitable to the African context. Conclusions Diplomas in OEM may be a shortcut for the shortage of OEM practitioners while schools are working on strengthening OEM given that occupational health is increasingly recognized as area of importance in Africa. Limited studies of occupational disease and injury in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing showed high prevalence of work-related diseases among workers and serious impact of workplaces on surrounding populations and environment in the context of limited or non-existent occupational / environmental regulations. E-learning discussion forum and workplace field visits showed better results for acquisition of OEM knowledge and skills while reading textbooks provided good foundational knowledge.
Gasana et al. (Mon,) studied this question.