Medycyna pracy最新文献

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.

One of the priorities in the field of occupational safety and health in the European Union (EU) is research on dissemination and application of scientific results, which results in changes in legislation on exposure assessment to chemical agents and risk estimation. The aim of this paper is to analyze the EU legislation on exposure assessment and risk estimation to chemical agents based on biological monitoring studies, in the context of workers' health protection, with reference to the occupational hygiene management system and standard. An analysis was made of the current legal regulations as well as recommendations and guidelines for biological monitoring studies in the assessment of workers' exposure to selected metals. A comparison was made between the regulations in force in Poland and in EU. The rationale for implementing biological monitoring tools in occupational health prevention as an additional tool to protect workers from chemical agents was evaluated. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):349-56.

Background: To analyze the impact of the flood disasters, social support and personality on the mental health of residents in Henan Province, China, providing fundamental knowledges for making measuring strategies to improve the psychological protection and anti-stress ability of the residents after the disaster.

Material and methods: A cross-section study was conducted via an online survey platform "questionnaire star," which included 572 residents in Henan Province, which underwent the history of ever flood disaster on July 20. The questionnaires of Impact of Event Scale-Revised Edition (IES-R), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the scales of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) version in Chinese were also administered to each participant. Generalized linear regression model was performed.

Results: The residents who live in the flooding areas, are male and married had a significantly higher post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) score than their counterparts. The scores of depression-anxiety-stress in the residents with stable emotion were significantly lower than those with unstable emotion (p < 0.001). Machine learning showed that PTSD ranked the top risk factor, followed by neuroticism for Depression-Anxiety-Stress after disaster. The PTSD was negatively correlated with social support (p < 0.01), while it was positively correlated with depression-anxiety-stress and emotional stability (p < 0.01). There was a statistically significant interaction between PTSD, social support and neuroticism on depression-anxiety-stress (p < 0.001), with an independent effect of 1.4% on depression-anxiety-stress. Emotional stability showed the largest association with depression-anxiety-stress.

Conclusions: Residents living in the catastrophic flooding areas had significant post-traumatic mental health issues, and the severity of mental problems was differently affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and social support in individuals with different personalities. Introvert and PTSD were the major risk factors for depression-anxiety-stress after the disaster. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):305-14.

Background: The use of information and communication technologies by employees of organizations may cause technostress for their users. The sources of technostress in organizations are techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, techno-uncertainty. An organization may also have technostress inhibitors that counteract the experience of technostress.

Material and methods: The purpose of this research was to determine the psychometric properties of the Polish adaptation of Technostress Creators and Technostress Inhibitors Scale.

Results: In the first study (N = 632), the 8-factor structure of the questionnaire was confirmed by the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Furthermore, a high internal consistency of the adapted method was obtained. The second study (N = 451) confirmed the external validity of the adapted method by correlating it with the Perceived Stress Scale. The third study (N = 123) confirmed high stability at the time of results obtained in 2 measurements with the adapted scale.

Conclusions: To conclude, it can be stated that the Polish adaptation of the Technostress Creators and Technostress Inhibitors Scale is characterized by good psychometric indicators and can be successfully used in various organizations in the diagnosis and reduction of technostress. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):277-93.

Background: So far, studies based on the dualistic model of passion have ignored how the 2 different types of passion interact in a person's identity. The aim of this article is to identify profiles of passion for work and their consequences for psychological well-being.

Material and methods: The survey was conducted on a sample of 522 employees of various employment sectors. The Passion Scale was used to assess passion for work, while to explore well-being, the anxiety and depression subscale of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Subjective Vitality Scale were employed. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to distinguish the passion profiles, following which the results regarding well-being in the following groups were compared using non-parametric tests.

Results: Four passion profiles have been identified. They are termed as high-moderate (profile 1: high harmonious passion for work and moderate obsessive passion for work), high (profile 2: high harmonious passion for work and obsessive passion for work), optimal (profile 3: high harmonious passion for work and low obsessive passion for work), and low (profile 4: low harmonious passion for work and low obsessive passion for work). Employees with a low score for both harmonious passion for work and obsessive passion for work had the lowest score regarding well-being.

Conclusions: This study was one of the first to use the LPA approach to explore the configuration of passion for work. It provided an indication of how the different dimensions and levels of passion set up with each other and what their consequences would be. The conducted research emphasized the protective role of the harmonious passion for work against the negative effect of obsessive passion for work. Med Pr. 2022;73(4):315-23.