For the research, it emphasized the critical considerations to determine whether or not to continue medical monitoring for developing occupational and environmental respiratory illnesses. It presented a number of recent cases that demonstrated the deployment and use of medical surveillance, as well as the lessons learned from these experiences. Medical surveillance that followed sentinel outbreaks of constrictive bronchiolitis in microwave popcorn and flavoring production plants demonstrated the utility of this approach in documenting disease burden, identifying specific problem areas as targets for preventive interventions, and tracking progress. Researchers also discovered the value of longitudinal spirometry, it allowed them to compare their findings to earlier tests they’ve taken. The cluster of cases of constrictive bronchiolitis identified among military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrated the importance of identifying a sentinel outbreak that required further examination. The World Trade Center disaster demonstrated the importance of having baseline lung function data for future comparison, as well as quickly identifying exposed populations at greatest risk for health effects, and thus potentially benefiting the most from medical surveillance. When utilized in the right way, medical surveillance helped to address growing occupational and environmental respiratory disorders by improving primary prevention and enabling actions to aid individuals through secondary prevention.
