Inventory of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Environmental and Occupational Health Data
Sources and Surveillance Activities

Inventory of Data Sources

Surveillance Médico-Environnementale de la Santé des Travailleurs (SMEST)
(Medico-Environmental Surveillance of Workers' Health, Québec)

Contacts
Céline Lemieux
Agente de recherche
Direction de la protection de la santé publique
Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux
1075, chemin Sainte-Foy, 11e étage
Québec, QC
G1S 2M1
Tel: (418) 266-6725
E-mail: celine.lemieux@msss.gouv.qc.ca

Diane Morrissette
Pilote d'orientation
DGSP, Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux
[Address same as above]
Tel: (418) 266-5902; (418)266-6725

Organization Maintaining the Database
Direction des technologies de l'information, Direction de la protection de la santé publique, Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (Québec)

Purpose of Database
The database is an occupational health information system which captures data gathered by the occupational health teams of CLSC and the Régies Régionales from the establishments (e.g., industrial) within their respective regions as part of provincial programs or health programs specific to these establishments. There is a component that includes the "Maternity without Danger' program, which is aimed at pregnant or nursing working women. These data serve to track the various interventions and can be used to prepare provincial portraits and reports (together with data from the banque de données ministérielles (BDM), a ministerial database).

Content
Provincial and regional/municipal data on indoor air quality in occupational settings; includes data on chemical and physical contaminants, as well as ergonomic constraints in the work environment. Data types: chemical; biological; and contaminant levels in the workplace. Personal data: The SMEST database includes nominal data at the local level (locally in CSLCs; person-level data with identifiers). SMEST local data: name, address (street and number, city or town, province, postal code), date of birth, telephone number, social insurance number, medical file number, name of employer. All data in the BDM are denominalized (person-level data without identifiers). Group-level data are available for both SMEST and BDM. Geolocators: municipal codes, postal codes.

Data elements pertain mainly to the work establishments visited: name of establishment, address, CAEQ, CSST office, social-health services region, etc. Occupational health data: exposure to physical and chemical contaminants, first aid, medical interventions (results of screening tests for deafness, asbestosis, silicosis, etc.). Also data on interventions relating to the "Maternity without Danger" program.

Data classification codes: CCDP (codes canadien des professions)

There are approximately 376,949 records in the database.

Year Database Established
SMEST has been installed since May 1994; the ministerial database (BDM) is an extract of SMEST, and has been in operation since 1996.

Coverage Period
1994 to 2002

Data Updates
Twice a year

Data Provider
The MSSS receives data from 15 regional boards which collect the data from their CLSC representatives in occupational health. The data of the BDM make up 33% of all the data, and these denominalized data are aggregated by the MSSS.

Data Availability
MSSS and la direction de santé publique de Montréal-Centre extract the data for the MSSS according to specific needs for the BDM (CSST for the BDM). SMEST data are accessible by the CLSCs and their régie régionale; the interveners themselves (CLSCs) have access to all the data, their Régie régionale to 95%, and the MSSS to 33%. Occupational health files do not constitute patient files; these data belong to the company and the medical data are the only tracking data divulged (as group-level data). SMEST data are not patient file data.

There is a data-sharing agreement with CSST

Reports
No; selective studies are done according to need.

Additional Comments
SMEST is a system slated to disappear because it uses older technology and is not user friendly. At present a new information system that will replace SMEST is in development -- the SISAT, an occupational health information system which will work via the Web, and will be much more user friendly and will allow links to different organizations in occupational health

Occupational health intervention data are collected under the authority of Quebec provincial laws governing occupational health and safety.

Keywords for searches: SMEST; retrait préventif; hygiène; médical.

Information on the database is available in electronic and printed formats.