Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine最新文献

Sneddon's syndrome is a rare condition characterized by the presence of neurocutaneous lesions, including reticular livedo and an increase in thrombotic risk, and it is associated with a greater risk of cerebrovascular disease. It is diagnosed through a skin biopsy and neurological manifestations. In this study, we present a clinical report of a 39-year-old nurse exposed to shift and night work in an intensive care unit. She was diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome, whose workplace had to be readapted, considering the complications and restrictions of her condition and aiming her protection and healthcare promotion. Night work can exacerbate cerebral and cardiovascular events due to its impact on metabolism, blood pressure profile, and hormone concentrations. Therefore, given a syndrome characterized by an increased thrombotic risk associated with cerebrovascular events, the restriction of night work is imperative. The occupational physician is responsible for intervening in the workplace and preventing long-term consequences for employees.

Background: Education is very important to prevent occupational injuries and accidents, which are almost all completely preventable. The aim of this study was to evaluate training videos on this subject on the YouTube platform.

Methods: Six search terms related to occupational health and safety (OHS) were scanned on May 31, 2021. After the application of exclusion criteria, a total of 176 videos were included for final analysis using the parameters of country origin, source of the video, content, number of views, comments, likes, dislikes, and video duration. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) and modified DISCERN tools were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the videos in this analytical cross-sectional study.

Results: According to the GQS score, 111 (63.1%) videos were of low quality. Statistically significant differences were found between the low-, moderate-, and high-quality groups with respect to video length, likes, dislikes, comments, likes per day, dislikes per day, comments per day, video category, and the DISCERN scores (P < 0.05). The vast majority of videos contained low-quality information. A large number of videos were uploaded on OHS content from independent users and the USA.

Conclusion: There is a clear need for professionals to play a more active role in uploading and sharing high-quality information on Internet platforms on the subject of OHS.

Context: Due to water scarcity, wastewater is used in agriculture in peri-urban areas.

Aims and settings: We aimed to assess the hazards associated with wastewater farming and develop an incremental improvement plan for the sanitation system of wastewater use for agriculture using Sanitation Safety Planning (SSP) in Bangalore urban district, India.

Methods: Interviews and observations were conducted among 100 farmers in the Mugalur Gram Panchayat area.

Results: Direct ingestion and ingestion after contact with wastewater due to inadequate hand hygiene are the routes of contact with wastewater. The control measures followed in the community are the cultivation of crops, which do not have direct contact with wastewater, furrow and drip irrigation, and restricted irrigation. Methods to mitigate the hazards are the provision of interval between final irrigation and consumption,washing of produce with freshwater before transportation to market, and hygienic cooking.

Conclusion: Occupational hazards and risks associated with wastewater farming can be mitigated through the adoption of locally acceptable preventive measures.

Background: Construction laborers succumb to poor health due to the inherent workplace health hazards and poor socio-economic living conditions. With rising healthcare expenses, the increased risk of poor health may aggravate their economic status, pushing them deeper into poverty.

Settings and design: The current cross-sectional multicenter study comprehensively investigated the determinants of health, health-seeking behavior, and poor economic impact regarding catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) among construction laborers.

Methods and material: We collected details on illnesses among self and family members of the construction laborers that required healthcare visits during the previous year and their approximate expenses. Among the 1110 participants with complete data, 37% reported illness requiring a healthcare visit either for self or a family member.

Results: Regression models to ascertain demographic and living condition determinants of perceived illness revealed an increased risk of illness when the kitchen is shared with the living space (OR = 1.87) and use unhygienic smoky cooking fuels (OR = 1.87). More than 25% of those who reported illness incurred CHE.

Conclusion: We conclude that the frequency of perceived illness and the economic impact, i.e., CHE is relatively higher among the construction laborers. Our results demonstrate that poor living conditions add to the burden of morbidity in construction workers and families. Providing healthcare coverage for this population and engaging and educating them about affordable healthcare are necessary future steps to prevent the worsening of the economic situation.

Context: Tuberculosis (TB) and Silicosis are public health problems with high morbidity and mortality. They also exist as comorbidities and are highly prevalent among mine workers.

Aims: This study aims to estimate the risk of TB in miners with silicosis than in miners not having silicosis.

Methods and material: This systematic review was conducted by literature search using PubMed, and EMBASE for studies published from 1^st Jan 2017 till 20^th July 2022. From the data obtained using relevant keywords for the search, a total of 345 articles were selected for screening after applying our inclusion-exclusion criteria and removing duplicates. PRISMA guidelines were followed. items JBI critical appraisal checklist for cross-sectional studies was used for assessment of the risk of bias. The odds ratio was used to estimate the strength of the association.

Results: After extensive screening, four studies have met our selection criteria. The meta-analysis of those studies revealed that the prevalence of TB in miners with silicosis is 27.11% while the prevalence of TB in miners with non-silicosis is 16.75%. The estimated pooled odds ratio (fixed effect model) is 1.34 (95% CI 1.01 - 1.76).

Conclusions: The present study reveals that there is an increased risk of TB in miners with Silicosis. Newer initiatives must be taken to prevent TB in miners.

Background: Most of the cars are imported as cargo vehicles and then converted into commercial passenger vehicles in Ethiopia. Seats are locally manufactured and installed as part of the conversion to passenger cars, with little regard permitted for the standard specifications required.

Objective: A descriptive survey, an ergonomics assessment of passenger seats was conducted, and subjective evaluations of seat comfort were collected.

Methods and materials: For long journeys, there are problems of discomfort, back pain, and human fatigue. Anthropometric measurements of respondents and locally manufactured seats were used to conduct an objective evaluation of seat attributes.

Results: The findings revealed that the passengers' body proportions and the seat dimensions differ significantly and are not given any preference during design and fabrication of the seat.

Conclusion: This study recommends the anthropometric dimensions of the Ethiopian passengers for the design and manufacturing of the vehicle seats.

Background: Air pollution, especially indoor air pollution, is increasingly recognized as a worldwide hazard that reduces life expectancy. Pollution caused by equipment such as surgical cautery is not just a nuisance but a workplace hazard that exposes the staff to respirable particulate matter and toxic chemical agents. It has not yet received much recognition in India, nor have mitigating measures like smoke evacuators and dedicated scavenging systems become prevalent.

Methods: We aimed to do a prospective observational study of the extent of this hazard in the operation rooms in our tertiary care, Government-run hospital using a consumer-grade pollution measuring equipment (CAIR +^™, Prana Air, New Delhi). We measured and compared the particulate pollutant matter (PM) levels, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide at multiple areas of interest at different time points.

Results: The particulate pollution level in PM 1.0, PM 2.5, and PM 10 and TVOCs rose many times the baseline near the surgical team during cautery use. It remained high near the anesthesia workstation. The median PM 2.5 level in µg/m³(micrograms/cubic meter) was 181 near the surgical team during cautery use, and it was 25 at the anesthesia workstation. This peak level was 30 times the basal level of 6 µg/m³ at the start of the day and was above the annual population-weighted mean PM 2·5 breakpoint of 40 μg/m³ recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in India.

Conclusions: The pollution levels increase dramatically when surgical cautery is used, potentially exposing the team to large peak elevations in particulate matter and TVOCs. We recommend the mandatory use of smoke evacuators and optimization of the air conditioning.

Context: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic lung diseases and is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a heterogeneous and multisystemic disease. Aims of the study was to assess workability of patients with COPD in relation to the workplace.

Settings and design: Prospective study.

Methods and material: The study was conducted on 150 patients with COPD. Each patient was examined by an occupational medicine specialist and a standardized COPD Questionnaire was completed. A physical examination was performed with special emphasis on auscultatory findings on the lungs. Spirometric testing was performed. Using the statistical methods, the results of the parameters of temporary (number of lost working days) and permanent incapacity (exercised right to some kind of disability) of the examined group were analyzed.

Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics. SPSS 10.0. Results of the study showed that out of 150 patients, 48.67% had preserved working capacity for jobs. There are mostly jobs without special working conditions. Out of 150 patients, 51.33% had reduced working capacity for jobs.

Conclusions: These are mostly workplaces with special working conditions, where respondents are exposed to the harmfulness of the workplace. Reduced working capacity was found in 51.33% of examined simple.

The work environment of office workers has hazards. One of the hazards is nonergonomic conditions. Nonergonomic conditions increase musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) risk and interfere with work productivity. This research describes ergonomic risk levels and muscle complaints in office workers while working with computers. The population of this research was 32 office workers in one of Surabaya city government offices. Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method to measure ergonomic risk and Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaires (CMDQ) method to measure muscle complaints. Most workers have a high risk of experiencing MSDs. Workers experience muscle complaints in the neck, right shoulder, left shoulder, upper back, and lower back. Intervention is needed in work facilities and office ergonomics socialization to workers.

Aim: This study investigates the relationship between Work-Family Conflict (WFC) and the individual's experience of burnout by considering the moderating role of a stressful working environment.

Material and methods: The questionnaire holds "Work-Family Conflict" and consists of eight questions adopted from Carlson and Perrewé (1999). "Burnout" consists of three subconstructs, namely "Emotional exhaustion", which carries four questions, "Depersonalization", which has four questions, and "Personal accomplishment", holding three questions adopted from Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach and Jackson, 1981). And finally, "Stressful work environment" consists of 10 questions adopted from Gershon (1999). The research instrument was distributed among women police working in Chennai and Kanchipuram regions. The data from 427 women police personnel were collected through a questionnaire using a simple random sampling method.

Statistical analysis used: First, exploratory factor analysis was performed to test the standardization and tested for reliability using Cronbach's alpha test. It found that all loadings are between 0.649 and 0.866, which is satisfactory. Second, for demographic questionnaire items, descriptive statistics were performed. Finally, to find the moderating effects of stressful work environment on the relationship between WFC and the individual's experience of burnout, multiple hierarchical regression analysis was computed.

Results: The results show that WFC positively affects burnout and it has been found that a stressful working environment moderates the relationship. It also supports that individuals experience a high level of burnout when the working environment and WFC are intense.

Conclusion: The result supports that individuals experience high burnout when the working environment and WFC are intense. The study initiated an attempt to explain the mechanism through which a stressful working environment influences burnout levels.