Milestones in the history ofoccupational health psychology

1966: U.S. Public Health Service recognizes work organization and stress as developing occupational safety and health concerns.

1970: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 charges the National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) with the responsibility for investigating behavioral factors and stress as etiologic agents for occupational disease and injury.

1973: "Work in America," a report commissioned by Elliot Richardson, secretary of Health Education and Welfare, emphasizes that workers and society are bearing medical costs that have their genesis in the workplace, and which could be avoided through preventive measures.

1988 : NIOSH recognizes psychological disorders as a leading occupational health risk.

1990: APA and NIOSH begin partnership to promote the new area of occupational health psychology. Also, the first of four APA/NIOSH international conferences on "Work and well-being" takes place in Washington, D.C.

1993: APA and NIOSH enter into a cooperative agreement to fund postdoctoral training in occupational health psychology at major universities.

1994-97: APA and NIOSH fund seven postdocs in occupational health psychology at Duke University Medical Center, Wayne State University and Johns Hopkins University.

1994: The Journal of Occupational Health is founded.

1997: APA and NIOSH enter into a cooperative agreement to fund the development of graduate-level curricula in occupational health psychology.

1998-2001: APA and NIOSH fund 11 universities to develop and implement occupational health psychology curricula for graduate students.

2000: International Coordinating Group for Occupational Health Psychology is established to promote the development of research, professional practice and education in OHP within an international framework.

2001: Twenty-six stakeholders in OHP meet to discuss the future of training efforts in occupational health psychology.