International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health最新文献

Background: Several observational studies have suggested a link between pesticide exposure and breast cancer, but the causal relationship remains debated.

Methods: This study employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to explore the potential causal link between pesticide exposure and breast cancer risk. Genetic instruments for pesticide exposure were identified from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 88,141 participants. Breast cancer data was sourced from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. The primary MR analysis was conducted using the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method, supplemented with additional sensitivity analyses to ensure result validity.

Results: The IVW analysis demonstrated strong statistical evidence supporting a causal relationship between pesticide exposure and breast cancer risk (Overall breast cancer: OR = 3.213, 95% CI = 1.326-7.785, p = 0.010; ER + breast cancer: OR = 3.963, 95% CI = 1.258-12.480, p = 0.019; ER - breast cancer: OR = 6.886, 95% CI = 1.490-31.825, p = 0.013). These findings were reinforced by two additional MR analysis methods and further sensitivity testing.

Conclusion: The findings from this MR study suggest that pesticide exposure may contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Objective: This study aims to quantify pesticide concentrations in personal air samples during durian pesticide spraying, assess the associated health risks, and examine the relationships among exposure levels, reported health symptoms, and blood acetylcholinesterase levels in durian farmers.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among durian farmers in the southern region of Thailand. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on general information, pesticide use and self-protection behaviors, and health effects related to pesticide exposure. Personal air sampling was conducted using OSHA Versatile Sampler (OVS) tubes, and pesticide concentrations were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, and associations between variables were assessed using the Chi-square test at a 95% confidence level.

Results: The majority of farmers were male (73.2%) and had 1-5 years of pesticide spraying experience (56.1%). Most of them (97.6%) had normal and safe blood acetylcholinesterase levels. After pesticide exposure, the most commonly reported symptoms were nose burning (52.4%), conjunctivitis/eye burning/ocular pruritus (13.4%), sore or dry throat (12.2%), and dizziness or headache (12.2%). Four pesticides were detected with concentrations exceeding the standard limits, including chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, diazinon, and fenobucarb. In contrast, four pesticides were found with concentrations below the standard limits, namely metalaxyl, buprofezin, difenoconazole, and azoxystrobin. Most pesticides had hazard quotient (HQ) values less than 1, except for dichlorvos. A statistically significant association was observed between chlorpyrifos concentrations and abnormalities in all body systems except the musculoskeletal system. Additionally, chlorpyrifos concentration was significantly associated with blood acetylcholinesterase levels. The use of personal protective equipment also showed a statistically significant association with acetylcholinesterase levels in the blood.

Conclusions: Government authorities should regulate and monitor pesticide use among durian farmers to ensure it does not exceed safety standards and should develop occupational health and safety plans to protect farmers in the future.

Purpose: It is estimated that, every year, one fifth of the working population is affected by common mental disorders. Common mental disorders are associated with functional impairments, including those that affect work performance, such as exhaustion and cognitive problems. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the mental health impacts of work-focused interventions involving organisational-level strategies through work modifications and manager cooperation.

Methods: Studies were eligible for inclusion if interventions incorporated organisational strategies to improve work functioning outcomes for employees with symptoms of common mental disorders and compared the effectiveness of the intervention with a control group. The types of organisational strategies and therapeutic approaches utilised in interventions were also compared. In March 2024, a search was completed across Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases.

Results: A total of 30 studies met inclusion criteria. Data from 10 studies (n = 2281) was available post intervention to examine work functioning outcomes and from 22 studies (n = 3963) to examine mental health outcomes. Overall pooled effect sizes of work functioning (Standardised Mean Difference = 0.41, Standard Error = 0.08, 95% Confidence Interval = [0.25, 0.57]) and mental health (Standardised Mean Difference = 0.18, Standard Error = 0.05, 95% Confidence Interval = [0.08, 0.27]) outcomes post intervention were small but significant in favour of interventions. These effects were not sustained 12 to 24 months later. Organisational strategies with a focus on work modifications had superior benefits compared to those with a focus on manager cooperation.

Conclusion: Findings suggests that employees completing work-focused interventions were better supported in the short term than those who received usual care or no intervention. More research needs to be undertaken to assess essential components of organisational strategies, under which circumstances and for whom the implementation of these strategies would be indicated.

Objectives: E-waste recycling releases toxic metals into the environment, posing a considerable threat to children's health. Since 2012, China has implemented strict regulations and import controls on the e-waste industry. This study investigates the six-year trends of urinary metal levels and health risks in preschool children, including exposure levels, health risks, and association with hemoglobin.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 762 preschool children in Guiyu, China. We measured levels of 20 urinary metals and hemoglobin levels. To explore the independent and joint associations between metals and hemoglobin, multiple linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression models were used.

Results: Most metals decreased significantly over the period, but some metals remained relatively constant or even increased. Among the metals, lead may be a potential biomarker for e-waste control. The Hazard Index of four metals (nickel, arsenic, cadmium, and lead) exceeded 1 for 98.3% of children. The carcinogenic risk of nickel and arsenic exceeded the threshold for every child and 99.1% of children, respectively. Urinary metal and excretion levels were higher in female. Single metal and mixture metal exposures were significantly correlated with hemoglobin levels and highlight the gender-specific associations.

Conclusions: Urinary metal levels showed a significant downward trend over time under e-waste control, but the risks from nickel and arsenic remain concerning. Female children face higher risks from metal exposure and elevated hemoglobin levels.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hearing loss among welders, grinders, and stampers in a district of Ningbo City, identify distinct subtypes of hearing loss, and explore associated risk factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using occupational health examination records and on-site environmental monitoring data from enterprises in a district of Ningbo City in 2023. A data-driven clustering approach with a Gaussian mixture model, was used to identify subtypes of hearing loss. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with hearing loss.

Results: The prevalence of hearing loss was 54.24% among welders (n = 695), 58.95% among grinders (n = 497), and 64.36% among stampers (n = 390). Increased age, male sex, high noise exposure, and employment within the Construction and Related Services were significant risk factors. Three subtypes of hearing loss were identified: Class 1 (mild, flat threshold elevation at 4-6 kHz), Class 2 (steep threshold elevation at 3-6 kHz), and Class 3 (elevation in speech-frequency ranges). Class 2 was the most prevalent and showed the strongest association with occupational noise exposure.

Conclusion: Hearing loss is common among welders, grinders, and stampers, with stampers being the most affected. Class 2 audiometric pattern was consistent with noise - induced hearing loss. These findings highlight the need for targeted preventive measures in high-risk occupational settings.

Purpose: The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the risk of spontaneous abortions, congenital anomalies, and stillbirths among women professionally exposed to anaesthetic gases.

Methods: This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), and we followed the PRISMA 2020 checklist to develop the study protocol. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed using specific keywords to identify observational studies involving women professionally exposed to anaesthetic gases. Data were extracted and analysed using a random-effects model.

Results: A total of 32 studies were included, involving 155,437 healthcare professionals exposed to anaesthetic gases. The analysis revealed an increased risk of spontaneous abortions (OR = 1.47; 95% CI [1.19-1.81]), congenital anomalies (OR = 1.37; 95% CI [1.09-1.73]), and stillbirths (OR = 1.43; 95% CI: [1.09-1.86]) among these women. The risks varied across different professions and countries, with moderate heterogeneity observed in the analyses.

Conclusion: This study confirms an elevated risk of spontaneous abortions, congenital anomalies, and stillbirths in women professionally exposed to anaesthetic gases. These findings highlight the need for preventive measures to minimize exposure and underscore the importance of further research to clarify the risks and develop effective strategies.

Registration: International prospective register of systematic reviews; registration number: CRD42023450226.