Medycyna pracy最新文献

Background: The research was conducted to determine the effect of age on potential functional changes occurring through the transmission of nerve impulses in the motor nerves supplying selected muscles of the lower limb. The nerve conduction parameters in the lower limb were measured, as well as the ability to control muscle tension with pressure on the foot pedal.

Material and methods: The study included a group of 54 men, differentiated by age. During the research, the speed of nerve conduction, amplitude and latency of the motor response in the tibial and peroneal nerves were measured. During the RAMP-contraction test, the EMG signal was recorded from the tibialis anterior muscles and the gastrocnemius muscles of the medial head.

Results: The results of the research showed that with age the ability to control muscle tone decreases, the speed of transmission of electrical impulses decreases, the motor response is delayed and its amplitude is significantly lower than in the case of younger people.

Conclusions: The deterioration of neuromuscular conduction observed with age and a reduction in the ability to control the generated value of muscle strength may result in a deterioration of the ability to operate equipment or drive vehicles. From the point of view of prolonging the activity in working life, identifying all factors limiting the functioning of an older employee in the work environment may be the basis for creating guidelines and recommendations helpful in the design of devices and workstations for older employees. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):417-25.

Background: Contemporary work psychology indicates that improving the functioning of employees and organizations takes place not only through the prevention of harmful factors but also through the development of positive attitudes towards work. According to the job demands-resources model, it can be assumed that resources are an important factor leading to work engagement. However, the authors of this concept also suggest that the role of resources is also to meet needs. In turn, according to the self-determination theory, the key to the development of intrinsic motivation and thus also work engagement is the satisfaction of basic needs. Therefore, hypotheses argue that resources in the form of the influence at work, possibilities for development, and social community at work are positively related to work engagement. And also that the satisfaction of basic needs, respectively autonomy, competence, and relatedness, are the mediators of these relationships.

Material and methods: Data were collected among 200 workers aged 18-35, employed to work in direct contact with customers. Job resources were measured with the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II) subscales. Basic psychological need satisfaction was measured with the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Scale at Work. Work Engagement was measured with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale.

Results: Regression analyses with mediation effects were performed for 3 models. It has been shown that Influence at work is a predictor of Work engagement and this relationship is mediated by Autonomy satisfaction. Possibilities for development are positively related to Work engagement, in this relationship, the mediator is Competence satisfaction. In the relationship between the Social community at work and Work engagement, the mediator is the relatedness satisfaction.

Conclusions: The results have confirmed hypotheses regarding the mediating role of need satisfaction in the relationship between job resources and work engagement. Despite the limitations of the study, the results obtained confirm and develop the job demands-resources and self-determination theories. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):407-16.

Background: This study was done to see the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among information technology (IT) professionals in Saudi Arabia, the risk factors associated with them, their consequences, and to propose some preventive measures.

Material and methods: A self-administered online questionnaire that included questions on the demographic data, job nature, medical history, work-related pain after joining information technology profession and distribution and severity of pain was sent to 250 information technology professionals working in Saudi Arabia.

Results: Out of 250, 202 (81%) IT professionals participated in the study. At least 62 (32%) reported that they have developed some type of musculoskeletal pain after joining their profession and 38 (61%) respondents further reported that it was so severe that they had to seek some sort of treatment for their pain. On the Visual Analog Scale ranging 0-10, 14 (23%) respondents reported that their worst ever pain was >7. Despite lower representation 67% of the females reported to develop work-related pain.

Conclusions: Development of work-related musculoskeletal pain among information technology professionals has been shown to affect their activities of daily living. It may even force them to change their work setting or reduce working hours. Information technology sector has rapidly grown in Saudi Arabia in the recent times and there is no data on the incidence or prevalence of such disorders among them. Role of ergonomics and counseling should be emphasized during their training that help them work effectively and efficiently. A similar large-scale study should be conducted to see the effect of lifestyle related to COVID-19 on the lives of working population especially IT professionals. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):397-406.

Background: The aim of the study is to analyze the epidemiological situation regarding the occurrence of occupational diseases in Poland in 2020 and to define possible directions for recommendations regarding preventive actions.

Material and methods: The cases of occupational diseases identified in accordance with the Polish judicial system and reported to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases in 2020 were analyzed. The analysis took into account disease entities, causal factors, gender, age of patients, exposure period, NACE section and territorial differentiation. Data are presented in absolute numbers and incidence rates per 100 000 employed and 100 000 employed persons.

Results: In 2020, 1850 cases of occupational diseases were diagnosed in Poland (11.5 cases per 100 000 employees). The disease entities with the highest incidence were infectious or parasitic diseases, pneumoconiosis, chronic diseases of the voice organ, diseases of the peripheral nervous system, diseases of the locomotor system and hearing loss. Over 90% of the statements concerned people >45 years of age. Most of the identified occupational diseases arose after at least 10 years of work in exposure to a harmful factor, and 73.9% of cases concerned people with over 20 years of work experience in exposure.

Conclusions: The epidemiological situation in the field of occupational diseases in our country indicates a disturbing phenomenon, which is the persistence of a high level of pneumoconiosis of hard coal miners. The reflection of the effects of the pandemic in the COVID-19 incidence statistics as an occupational disease in 2020 is small. It is expected that the number of these cases will increase sharply in the coming years. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):427-33.

Background: Chemotherapy drugs are widely used to treat cancer, but their active compounds represent a danger for workers who could be exposed to them. However, they aren't yet included in directive CE No. 1272/2008 and the European Biosafety Network has only recommended a limit value of 100 pg/cm² for surface contamination. Thus, it is crucial to assess surface contaminations in healthcare environments. Currently, the technique of choice is surface wipe test combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to achieve high sensibility.

Material and methods: A campaign involving Careggi University Hospital (Florence, Italy) was performed from January 2020 to December 2021, collecting 1449 wipe samples between administration units, preparation unit, and personnel gloves. From the obtained data, the 90th percentile was calculated for 30 antiblastic drugs and proposed as surface exposure levels (SELs); while from data concerning personnel glove contamination, weekly contamination was estimated.

Results: In the 2-year period only 417 wipe samples were found positive (28.8%), the majority of which regard samples coming from administration unit bathrooms. The proposed SELs are almost all <100 pg/cm², except for few drugs which produce higher contamination on bathroom surfaces. Also, the estimation of pharmacy personnel's glove contamination highlighted very low results (ng/week).

Conclusions: Deeply established protocols and procedures for safe handling of ADs allow for obtaining excellent cleaning results and thus a safer work environment, however, the risk of cytostatic contaminations cannot be avoided in healthcare workplaces, and thus a harmonization of classification and labeling of chemotherapy drugs throughout the European Union should be done. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):383-96.

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the state of knowledge of Medical University of Warsaw (MUW) students on COVID-19, modes of transmission and preventive measures.

Material and methods: The study was conducted in October 2020. The participants were all the students attending classes at MUW - 8922 persons. All had completed the online training "Work safety and hygiene during COVID-19." To assess their state of knowledge an online questionnaire was made available on the MUW e-learning platform. The questionnaire comprised 4 parts: (1) awareness of rules of hand hygiene, (2) medical aspects of COVID-19, (3) preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection transmission in health care facilities, and (4) preventing infection transmissions in the society.

Results: The majority of students (93.9%) demonstrated a sufficient level of knowledge. The highest passing threshold was found on the medical programme (96.7% of students with satisfactory level of knowledge), dentistry (96.2%) and pharmacy (95.5%). The statistically significant factors that differentiated student results proved to be faculty (p < 0.001), study programme (p < 0.001), year of studies (p = 0.001), form of studies (p < 0.001). The participants most often showed full knowledge (100% correct answers in sub-area) of preventing infection transmissions in the society (93.3%) and medical aspects of COVID-19 (91.8%), less complete in terms of ways of preventing infection transmission in health care facilities (85.4%), and in particular hand hygiene rules (78.3%). All the variables characterizing academic status (study programme, faculty, year and form of studies) were statistically significant differentiating factors for students' full knowledge in all of the 4 analyzed sub-areas, while students' sex only in the sub-area of COVID-19 medical aspects.

Conclusions: There is a clear need for conducting systematic educational activities among students of all medical study programmes and assessing their level of knowledge in those areas that were identified as least frequently controlled, namely, hand hygiene and infection transmission in health care facilities. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):369-81.

Background: Studies of influenza, and human coronaviruses provide evidence that the use of a medical mask can prevent the spread of infectious droplets from an infected person to someone else. After global public health emergency of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing illness of COVID-19 was changing frequency of wearing a mask. Therefore, study was undertaken to assess whether the use of protective masks affects the level of oxygen saturation during rest and during exercise.

Material and methods: The test consisted of a non-invasive measurement of oxygen saturation by percutaneous determination of arterial oxygen saturation with the use of the pulse oximeter. Oxygen saturation was measured during rest and after physical exertion performed without a protective mask (2 types of masks were used: surgical and FFP2), as well as during rest and after physical exertion performed with the use of a protective mask. The analysis of the oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate included data on 48 subjects.

Results: Comparing the post-exercise and pre-exercise values showed a significant difference between all of them. There were no differences found in any variables according to the mask/no-mask status.

Conclusions: A short-term physical exercise performed in a group of healthy young people using protective masks did not affect oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate. Med Pr. 2022;73(5):363-68.

The original version of the article can be found at: https://doi.org/10.13075/mp.5893.00780.

Background: The presence of inorganic acids in the air poses a threat to the health of workers. Volatile inorganic acids, e.g., hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid and nitric acid, may cause respiratory, eye and skin irritation. The presented method uses ion chromatography to determine the concentrations of hydrochloric, hydrobromic and nitric acids in air samples.

Material and methods: The method is based on the collection of airborne volatile acids on impregnated quartz fiber filter, extraction of acids with deionized water, and analysis by ion chromatography with conductivity suppression. The separation was performed on the Dionex IonPac™ AS22 (4 × 250 mm) column for trace anion analysis. The carbonate/bicarbonate eluent was maintained at an isocratic flow rate of 1.2 ml/min. The calibration standard solutions have been covering the range of 0.2-5 mg/l of chloride, bromide and nitrate.

Results: The specified chromatographic conditions enable selective measurement of chloride, bromide and nitrate anions. The obtained mass concentration of each anion, having factored in the sample dilution, the conversion factor (to convert anion concentration to acid) and the volume of the air sample, allows the calculation of acid concentrations in the analyzed air.

Conclusions: This method makes it possible to determine the concentration of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid and nitric acid in the workplace air within the concentration range corresponding to 0.1-2 times the exposure limit value in Poland. The method meets the criteria for the performance of procedures for the measurement of chemical agents, listed in PN-EN 482. This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):337-47.

Background: This article presents the verification of the factor structure and validation of the Polish version of the Short Version of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (SVOSES), developed by Rigotti et al.

Material and methods: The study was questionnaire-based and took place in a "paper-and-pencil" format. They were conducted on 2 independent samples of 1261 and 205 employees, respectively. The factor structure of the tool was checked by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Its reliability was calculated using 2 methods - Cronbach's α measure (internal consistency) and test-retest method (temporal stability). The theoretical validity of the scale was estimated using correlation analysis in which the criterion variables were: meaning of work, job satisfaction, general self-efficacy, psychological stress symptoms, somatic stress symptoms, and burnout.

Results: The univariate structure of the scale was confirmed, consistent with the original version, as well as the theoretical validity and reliability.

Conclusions: The Polish version of the SVOSES can be used as a diagnostic instrument for research in the field of mental health at work, as well as in practical activities, e.g., career counseling, recruitment, selection or screening. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):325-36.