Occupational Claims Due to Hernia

This nationwide retrospective observational study will evaluate administrative records of recognized work-related hernia claims recorded in the National Insurance database between 2018 and 2026. The study is designed to characterize the burden and distribution of hernia-related occupational claims and to examine temporal and geographic variation in these claims.

Analyses will distinguish the number of claim records from the number of individual claimants and will evaluate patterns across administrative districts and local branches. Where available, demographic, clinical, claim-related, and disability characteristics will also be examined. Temporal analyses will assess changes in hernia-related occupational claims across calendar years and geographic analyses will identify variation in claim burden between regions.

Because the study is based on recognized occupational claims rather than direct measurement of workplace exposure, observed associations will be interpreted as patterns in occupational-claim burden and not as proof that a specific occupation or work activity caused the hernia. No intervention will be administered, and no participants will be contacted. All analyses will use previously collected administrative data.

Inclusion criteria

• Recognized occupational hernia claim recorded in the national administrative database during the study period.
• Hernia diagnosis documented as part of the occupational claim.
• Claim recognized within the occupational-injury/occupational-disease ---compensation system.
• Availability of sufficient administrative data for inclusion in the planned analyses.

Exclusion criteria

• Hernia records not recognized as work-related occupational claims.
• Claims outside the predefined study period.
• Records without sufficient diagnostic information to confirm or classify the hernia.
• Exact duplicate administrative records.