Journal of Occupational Health最新文献

Pilonidal sinus is a recognized occupational condition sometimes seen in barbers and pet groomers, and it involves most commonly interdigital spaces. We present a previously unreported case of chronic paronychia with 2 separate digital pilonidal sinuses resulting from multiple embedded hair fragments in the eponychium of a dog groomer, who had been repeatedly treated with antibiotics with no success and ended up having surgical treatment. The objective of this study is to remind readers of this rare but possible occupational disease, particularly among employees working with hair, and to emphasize the importance of preventive measures to prevent its occurrence. Intraoperatively, a crescent of eponychial skin parallel to the proximal nail fold was excised, which incorporated the sinuses. Additionally, the nail plate was removed, and multiple hair fragments were retrieved from the nail folds. At the follow-up, the infection had resolved, and nail growth had resumed. Additional animal hair was found in the nail folds, as the patient continued to work without protective gloves. This case highlights the importance of considering embedded hair as a potential cause for chronic paronychia in individuals with occupations involving hair cutting and grooming. Chronic hand infection poses a risk of infection contaminating clients or patients; for example, a veterinarian should not operate with an infected hand. The costs of sickness absences are considerable for all the stakeholders. The use of protective gloves, hand hygiene, skin care, and thorough removal of loose hair fragments should be emphasized for workers in professions dealing with animal or human hair.

Objectives: To evaluate lifestyle and weight changes in new male employees of Japanese companies and clarify the effects of environmental and lifestyle changes on weight changes in early years after joining the company.

Methods: We analyzed health checkup results and lifestyle questionnaires of 160 male graduates hired by a particular company between fiscal years 2009 and 2012. The data obtained included health examinations from the time of the job offer to the fourth year at the company. Weight changes were analyzed using a Friedman test. Lifestyle questionnaires were analyzed using a McNemar test. Twelve male employees who had been with the company for 5-10 years were interviewed about their lives before and after joining. The results were transcribed and analyzed using the Steps for Coding and Theorization method.

Results: Compared with employees' weight at the time of the job offer, their weight at the time of joining the company and in the second and third years increased significantly. (P <.001). An increasing number of participants ate dinner late, missed opportunities for exercise, and did not get sufficient sleep. Interview results indicated that overtime, commuting, and work-related drinking parties among new employees led to late dinners and difficulty in maintaining exercise habits, and that stress at work led to overeating.

Conclusions: New employees gained weight during their first 3 years at the company, and lifestyle changes such as overtime work, late dinners due to drinking parties, and loss of opportunities for exercise during the same period had an impact.

Background: Self-rated health is a comprehensive measure of health status that may influence occupational accidents, particularly those involving human factors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-rated health and occupational accidents across various industries and occupations. We also investigated the relationship stratified by the type of accidents.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study using online self-administered questionnaires targeting workers in Japan. A baseline survey was conducted in March 2022, followed by a 1-year follow-up survey. Self-rated health at baseline was categorized into 4 groups: very good/good, slightly good, slightly poor, and poor/very poor. The dependent variable was the occurrence of occupational accidents and types of occupational accidents during the follow-up period. Logistic regression analyses adjusted for covariates were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. We also performed trend tests and calculated P for trend.

Results: The analysis included 15 744 participants, among whom 1534 experienced workplace accidents. Compared with the very good/good group, the ORs for occupational accidents were 1.37 (95% CI, 1.21-1.56) in the slightly good group, 2.41 (95% CI, 2.07-2.80) in the slightly poor group, and 3.67 (95% CI, 2.94-4.59) in the poor/very poor group. Trend tests revealed significant associations between self-rated health and injuries from falls, injuries from cutting and rubbing, and heat stroke but not with injuries from crashes or tumbles and injuries from flying or falling objects.

Conclusions: Self-rated health was significantly associated with occupational accidents, particularly those involving substantial human factors.

Objectives: Many Japanese adults experience poor sleep quality. Prolonged sedentary behavior negatively affects health, including sleep-associated problems. We investigated the association between sedentary behavior and sleep quality among urban white-collar workers in Japan with metabolic syndrome or at risk of metabolic syndrome, a population thought to have particularly prolonged sedentary time.

Methods: This study was conducted using a prospective cohort study design as a secondary analysis of participants' data in a lifestyle intervention program using a smartphone application in 5 different companies (>1000 employees) in Tokyo from December 2018 to March 2019. The primary outcome was sleep quality, obtained as the daily score of relevant items in the St Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ) during the study period. The primary exposure was daily sedentary time (hours), which was objectively measured using a wristwatch-type wearable device (Fitbit Versa). Multilevel linear mixed effects analysis adjusted for covariates was used to estimate between-person and within-person associations. Sensitivity analyses were used to investigate between-/within-person associations between sedentary time and the scores of each item related to sleep quality on the SMHSQ.

Results: A longer sedentary time was inversely associated with the SMHSQ scores related to sleep quality in multivariable-adjusted models at the individual level (β coefficient -.046; SE 0.016; 95% CI, -.077 to -.015). Longer sedentary time was also inversely associated with each sleep satisfaction-related SMHSQ item. However, no significant associations were observed at the population level.

Conclusions: Longer sedentary time was inversely associated with sleep quality at the individual level.

Objectives: Voice and emotional analyses have gained attention in the diagnosis and monitoring of depression in clinical settings. However, evidence supporting its use for early detection in occupational health is lacking. This study aimed to develop a predictive model to identify early depressive symptoms in workers using voice and emotional analyses.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with 62 call center workers in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The participants' voices were automatically recorded during routine operations and analyzed using a voice and emotional analysis system based on Layered Voice Analysis. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 4 time points over 12 weeks using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Recursive Feature Elimination identified optimal voice features, while logistic regression was used to calculate the probability scores and build a predictive model for depressive symptoms. Predictive accuracy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve.

Results: The predictive model's accuracy reached 0.783 (95% CI, 0.691-0.875) for the area under the curve, with a sensitivity of 0.649, a 1 - specificity of 0.174, and a cutoff value of 0.334. Individuals with composite voice indicators above the determined cutoff were significantly more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms 1 month later (odds ratio = 7.78; 95% CI, 3.27-18.5).

Conclusions: This study suggests that voice and emotional analysis can serve as an objective tool for the early identification of depressive symptoms in workplace settings. Accumulating real-world evidence from observational studies in diverse occupational populations is required to support broader implementation.

Objectives: Occupational health studies have identified positive associations between work duration and presenteeism, but there is limited understanding of this relationship in disaster responders. We examined the relationship between the number of work days and presenteeism and the mediating effect of fatigue in disaster responders deployed after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined disaster responders deployed after the Noto Peninsula earthquake (Japan, 2024). Data were collected using the health management version of the app for Japanese Surveillance in Post-extreme Emergencies and Disasters, and included days of work, fatigue score, and presenteeism. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the direct and indirect effects of the number of work days on presenteeism, with fatigue as a potential mediator. Sensitivity analysis was also performed.

Results: We analyzed 4656 disaster responders who were deployed after the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Presenteeism increased with the number of work days, and ranged from 3.4% (1 day) to 16.9% (>7 days). However, fatigue decreased as the number of work days increased. SEM demonstrated a significant direct effect of the number of work days on presenteeism, and that fatigue slightly decreased this effect for work durations of 4 to 7 days and more than 7 days. Sensitivity analyses supported these findings.

Conclusions: Working more days led to increased presenteeism in disaster responders, but fatigue decreased as the number of work days increased. Future longitudinal studies should examine additional factors that may affect presenteeism in disaster responders and other individuals exposed to stressful environments.

Objectives: This systematic scoping review examined the strategies used by different countries and institutions to support the mental health of health care workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify effective practices and the lessons learned in dealing with the associated challenges.

Methods: Of 1330 retrieved articles from PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science, 34 articles were ultimately included in the final analysis.

Results: The analysis revealed that mental health consultation services, especially telephone support lines, online interventions, and apps, played a critical role in addressing the psychological burden experienced by HCWs. Group activities and peer support strategies offered personalized support, and educational programs offered crucial information regarding stress management. Improvements in the work environment, such as the addition of dedicated rest areas, enhanced the well-being of HCWs. However, many interventions suffered from low participation and a lack of tailored content, despite their apparent effectiveness.

Conclusions: Many interventions have focused on psychological support and resilience-building for HCWs, but they often overlook systemic issues. Comprehensive mental health support must address these systemic factors, such as adequate staffing, training, and resource allocation. Future strategies should emphasize leadership commitment to tackling root causes and actively involve HCWs in program design to ensure relevance and effectiveness. Educational resources and wellness interventions, although reported as effective, need to be tailored and adapted to specific emergencies. Additionally, research gaps, especially in low-resource settings, highlight the need for further studies to enhance preparedness for future crises.

Objectives: This study examined the extent to which the severity of andropause symptoms affects daily functioning, specifically in work, housework, outings, social relationships, and leisure activities, among employed Japanese men.

Methods: A cross-sectional internet-based survey was conducted in September 2024. Participants (n = 1054), aged 20-69 years, completed the Aging Males' Symptoms scale to evaluate symptom severity. Impacts on daily life were assessed using a 4-point scale. Multivariate logistic regression analyses estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs.

Results: After adjusting for relevant covariates, moderate and severe symptoms were significantly associated with greater difficulties in daily life. Compared with individuals with very mild symptoms, those with moderate symptoms had higher ORs for severe difficulties in work (OR = 7.2; 95% CI, 2.9-18.0), social relationships (OR = 17.7; 95% CI, 4.0-78.4), and housework (OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-9.0). Associations were stronger for severe symptoms: work (OR = 21.1; 95% CI, 8.0-55.5), social relationships (OR = 37.2; 95% CI, 7.9-174.3), and housework (OR = 8.5; 95% CI, 2.9-24.4). Severe symptoms were also linked to significant difficulties in outings (OR = 4.7; 95% CI, 1.8-12.4) and leisure (OR = 8.2; 95% CI, 3.0-22.5).

Conclusions: Andropause symptoms significantly affect multiple areas of daily life, particularly work, social engagement, and household tasks. These findings underscore the importance of early recognition and intervention.

Objectives: Strengthening the research workforce is essential to safeguard public health and human lives. This study examined the associations between work hours and perceived performance appraisal, and the intention to leave the medical research workforce.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data collected from medical researchers between December 2022 and January 2023. The questionnaire was distributed to participants via all 141 societies of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences. Weekly work hours were self-reported using 10 response options. Perceived appraisal of research performance at work was assessed using 6 response options and dichotomized into inappropriately appraised (slightly disagree/totally disagree) and the rest. Intention to leave the research workforce was also self-reported and dichotomized. We calculated multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for intention to leave, according to work hours and perceived appraisal.

Results: Of 3139 participants (852 women), most (n = 686) worked 60-79 hours weekly. One in four (n = 745) felt inappropriately appraised, and 11% (n = 356) intended to leave. A U-shaped association was observed between work hours and intention to leave (aOR: 2.05; 95% CI, 1.12-3.73, for weekly working 100 hours or longer), although the quadratic trend was not significant (P = .15). The inappropriately appraised group had a 3.6 times (95% CI, 2.81-4.58) higher OR of intending to leave compared with their appropriately appraised counterparts.

Conclusions: The results suggest that researchers who work long hours and feel inappropriately appraised are more likely to consider leaving the medical research workforce.

Objectives: Cancer screening is crucial for early detection and improved health outcomes. Limited evidence exists on the association between occupational class and cancer screening participation in Japan. Therefore, we aimed to examine screening participation rates and disparities among active workers across different occupational classes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a nationwide web-based survey conducted in Japan (September to November, 2023). Eligible participants included current workers aged 40-64 years for colorectal, lung, and stomach cancer screenings (n = 7038); workers aged 40-64 years for breast cancer screening (n = 2929); and workers aged 30-64 years for cervical cancer screening (n = 4252). Cancer screening participation rates across occupational classes (upper nonmanual, lower nonmanual, and manual workers) were compared using the chi-square test. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs for nonparticipation, adjusted for sex, age, educational attainment, household income, and workplace scale. Upper nonmanual workers served as the reference group.

Results: Manual workers consistently had lower cancer screening participation rates. Compared with upper nonmanual workers, manual workers exhibited significantly higher PRs for nonparticipation in colorectal (PR = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.22), lung (PR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.12-1.34), stomach (PR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05-1.23), and cervical cancer screenings (PR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02-1.33). The disparities were particularly pronounced among male workers.

Conclusions: Manual workers had lower cancer screening participation rates, particularly for colorectal, lung, stomach, and cervical cancer. Targeted interventions are needed to improve screening, particularly among manual workers, and reduce occupational disparities in cancer prevention and outcomes.