About the Project

Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European
Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET) project

Occupation and paid employment is an essential component of adult life and a major determinant of health and healthy ageing. However, in recent years there has been very limited coordination and promotion of European health research on occupation and employment.

Europe currently has some of the most valuable occupational, industrial, and population cohorts worldwide. The lack of integration of these cohorts hampers the optimal exploitation of these resources, essential to underpin evidence-based interventions and policy.

The overarching concept of OMEGA-NET (CA COST Action CA16216) is to create a network to optimize the use of occupational, industrial, and population cohorts at the European level.

OMEGA-NET will advance:

the collaboration of existing cohorts, with extensive contemporary information on employment and occupational exposures,
the coordination and harmonization of occupational exposure assessment efforts, and
the facilitation of an integrated research strategy for occupational health in Europe.

The work will provide a foundation for an enhanced evidence base for the identification of health risks and gains related to occupation and employment to foster safe and healthy preventive strategies and policies.

Research Coordination

Coordinate and integrate cohorts on occupational health in Europe.
Implement an online interactive tool with detailed information on existing cohorts.
Facilitate work on harmonisation of occupational exposure and standardisation of health outcome information and new protocols for data collection.
Promote stakeholder engagement from the start of the project.

Capacity Building Objectives

Connect scientific communities on occupational health in Europe.
Provide networking and leadership opportunities for Early Career Investigators, as well as researchers from COST Inclusiveness Target Countries.
Provide training in occupational epidemiology and exposure assessment.