Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine最新文献

Pesticides induce oxidative DNA damage and genotoxic effects such as DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), double-strand breaks (DSBs), DNA adducts, chromosomal aberrations, and enhanced sister chromatid exchanges. Such DNA damage can be repaired by DNA repair mechanisms. In humans, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are present in DNA repair genes involved in base excision repair (BER) (OGG1, XRCC1, and APE1), nucleotide excision repair (NER) (XPC, XPD, XPF, XPG, and ERCC1), and double-strand break repair (DSBR) (XRCC4 and RAD51). This systematic review intends to provide information about occupational pesticide exposure, genotoxic effects of pesticides as well as association of DNA repair gene polymorphisms with the risk of pesticide-induced DNA damage. Polymorphisms present in DNA repair genes may influence interindividual variation in DNA repair capacity (DRC) by altering the functional properties of DNA repair enzymes and thus modulate DNA damage. The mechanisms of oxidative damage and disrupted DNA repair caused by the pesticides explain the link between pesticide exposure and adverse health outcomes. These polymorphisms in DNA repair genes could be used as biomarkers of susceptibility for pesticide-induced DNA damage among agricultural workers. It could also be useful as a preventive measure by identifying the genetic susceptibility of agricultural workers to pesticide-induced oxidative stress as well as pesticide poisoning.

Background: Physical activity appears to be one of the most important strategies for preventing physical and mental disorders. Regular physical activity (PA) may prolong life and appears to be a preventative measure against genetic and molecular aging.

Aim: To find the relationship between aging adults' quality of life (QOL) and PA.

Settings and design: This cross-sectional analytical study included administrative staff members of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry.

Materials and methods: QOL and PA were monitored and assessed using questionnaires (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire [GPAQ] and World Health Organization QOL Brief Version [WHOQOL-BREF]). Statistical analysis was performed with STATA version 14. For continuous variables, descriptive statistics were presented as means and standard deviations (SDs), while categorical variables were given as percentages. The analysis of multivariate linear regression was performed. P < 0.05 was used as the significance level.

Results: A total of 66 subjects were examined, and their mean age was 54.93 (SD 3.26) years. The findings indicated that there were no less-active participants, and that people over the age of 50 were more likely to engage in moderate or vigorous PA. The WHOQOL-BREF findings revealed that people had higher QOL. There was no significant link between WHOQOL-BREF dimensions and GPAQ when the effect of PA patterns on QOL was examined using multivariate linear regression analysis, which was adjusted for covariates such as body mass index and waist circumference.

Conclusion: The amount of physical activity among aging population may differ in different dimensions of QOL.

Background: Female healthcare workers have unique occupational stressors and lifestyle factors that may increase their risk of metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the utility of the fatty liver index (FLI) as a predictor of metabolic syndrome among female employees in the healthcare sector.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 450 female healthcare workers aged ≥18 years, employed in various roles at a tertiary healthcare facility in Gujarat. Clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical tests were conducted. FLI was calculated, and metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using harmonized criteria. Logistic regression analysis evaluated predictors.

Results: The mean age was 44.2 ± 7.8 years, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 61%. Increasing the FLI category was significantly associated with a worsening metabolic profile. The odds of hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease progressively increased with higher FLI levels (P < 0.001), denoting a dose-response relationship. FLI demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for metabolic syndrome with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.81 - 0.89). An FLI cutoff ≥30 provided an optimal balance of sensitivity (71%) and specificity (41%) for predicting metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: FLI demonstrates a strong association with metabolic syndrome and related comorbidities in a dose-dependent manner. FLI can be a simple, low-cost screening tool to identify high metabolic risk individuals in resource-limited settings.

Background: Different domains of cognitive function are important in some jobs, such as office work. Ergonomic risk factors may affect cognitive function.

Aim: This study was designed to assess the effect of an ergonomic training intervention on the cognitive function of office workers.

Materials and methods: This was a before-after study performed in 2020 in Yazd, Iran on female office workers. Cognitive function (working memory, attention, and response time) was assessed by Wechsler working memory and Stroop tests before and after the intervention. Ergonomic intervention consisted of an ergonomic modification of the workstation and a training program about ergonomic principles of office work. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 24) using paired t-test and the multiple regression linear model.

Results: Mean age and work experience of the participants were 35.38 ± 1.60 and 8.54 ± 1.24 yr., respectively. Forward visual memory, response time, and interference time were significantly changed after the intervention, but the change in other aspects of cognitive function (i.e., memory span, backward visual memory, and interference score) was not statistically significant. Marital status, age, and working hours significantly affected working memory, test duration and response time, and number of errors, respectively.

Conclusion: This study showed that ergonomic intervention (modification of workstation and training) may significantly affect some aspects of cognitive function in office workers.

Introduction: Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries are one of the most important public health problems all over the world. Its number greatly varies from country to country over the years. Worldwide approximately 4% of global gross domestic product (GDP) is lost due to occupational injuries. It has also been estimated that daily, approximately 1 million workers get injured, and more than 5000 workers die due to their occupation. In this research work, using modern data analytics techniques, we have tried to explore the current situation and time trend of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries globally and in India.

Materials and methods: Using the open-source data available at the International Labour Organization (ILO) database and the Government of India open database, analysis was performed systematically using R and Python programming languages. Data have been accessed by December 31, 2022. To make a representative sample population for this article, four countries from Europe and Central Asia region (Russia, France, Germany, and United Kingdom), four countries from the Asia-Pacific region (India, Australia, Japan, and Republic of Korea), and two countries from Americas (United States and Argentina) are selected for a meaningful comparison purpose.

Results: Since 2000, the time trend of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries has been increasing trend globally. The yearly average (± standard deviation) of fatal and non-fatal injuries per country per million population was 256 (±68) and 83380 (±41280). The number of fatal injuries in India has increased over the years, but the number of non-fatal injuries in India is decreasing trend.

Discussion: According to the ILO database, it has been revealed in this article that, on average yearly, 83380 per million population total occupational injuries are reported worldwide. Among them, yearly, 256 per million population (0.3%) workers per country succumbed to injuries. According to Government of India database, there was an average of 271 deaths per year between 2000 and 2021. For evidence-based decision and policy making and subsequent program implementation, the availability of timely, good-quality data from every industrial sector of society is most important. It can only be achieved by implementing integrated occupational injury surveillance programs at national and global levels.

Background: Beedi rolling is a labor-intensive occupation that can cause a variety of health problems due to prolonged exposure to tobacco dust. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess morbidity, hematological profile, and DNA damage among beedi rollers in Karnataka.

Methods: A total of 153 participants, including 85 beedi and 65 non-beedi rollers, were enrolled in the study. Morbidity status and hematological parameters were determined through a structured questionnaire and autoanalyzer, respectively. DNA damage was quantified by measuring micronuclei frequency from buccal mucosal cells.

Results: The majority of beedi rollers were women from low socioeconomic background. Nearly half of them work in an environment with poor lighting and one-third in rooms with inadequate ventilation. The most commonly reported morbidities included musculoskeletal symptoms, followed by ophthalmic and respiratory symptoms. When compared to non-beedi rollers, the beedi roller group exhibited significantly lower mean hemoglobin levels, red blood cell count, monocyte count, and packed cell volume. Beedi rollers were observed to have higher frequency of micronuclei, indicating increased DNA damage, compared to non-beedi rollers (P = 0.016).

Conclusion: The elevated micronuclei frequency observed among beedi rollers underscores the importance of continued research to identify and address specific occupational hazards contributing to genetic damage in this population.

Background: Chronic exposure to low-level environmental lead (Pb) causes several health effects in humans. Its biomonitoring by non-invasive biomarkers is imperative to identify Pb exposure in the occupationally unexposed general public.

Objective: To quantify urinary lead (U-Pb) and urinary δ-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in the general population of West Bengal, India, and identify the impact of routine life activities (smoking habit, traveling, and cooking activities) and sociodemographic factors on U-Pb and U-ALA levels.

Method: Urine samples (N = 258) were obtained from urban and rural area residents from November 2021 to February 2022. U-Pb and U-ALA were quantified by atomic absorption (283 nm) and UV-spectrometer (553 nm). A structured questionnaire was used for data collection.

Results: About 8% of rural residents, 15% of urban residential area residents, and 35% of urban commercial area residents had U-ALA levels > 5 mg/L permissible limit. Low-income-group (LIG) individuals had two times higher ALA than the middle-income group. ALA was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in smoker traveler males, traveler females, and females who had passive exposure to tobacco smoke. U-Pb was within permissible limits in total study individuals.

Conclusion: Pb exposure was higher in urban than rural residents; furthermore, urban commercial residents had Pb exposure higher than urban residential residents. Results are evident that vehicular emissions and tobacco smoke were potential contributors to environmental Pb exposure among study participants. The present work provides data on Pb body burden among the residents of West Bengal that might be useful for policymakers and in pollution abatement strategies too.

Background and objectives: Construction workers are prone to develop musculoskeletal problems and it is a leading cause for the morbidity due to their work type. This study aimed to assess the body mechanics practice and perceived musculoskeletal problems of construction workers.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2019 and July 2020 among 390 construction workers at construction sites under selected villages of Udupi District, Karnataka by using by proportionate method. Villages were selected using a simple random sampling method and samples were collected by convenience sampling. Samples were mason helpers between 20 and 50 years of age, without any history of chronic musculoskeletal problems. Tools used were demographic proforma, self-reported body mechanics practice questionnaire, and modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Analysis done with descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS Version 16.0.

Results: Majority 144 (36.9%) of the participants were in the age group between 41 and 50 years. Most 376 (96.4%) of them were men and majority of them 309 (79%) followed fair body mechanics practice and 191 (49%) of the participants had low back problems and were responsible for their activity restrictions. Body mechanic practice of the construction workers was found to be significantly associated with unhealthy practice (P ≤ 0.001) and health problems (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The study concluded that the body mechanic practice of the construction workers was found to be significantly associated with unhealthy practices and health problems. The study recommends that educating construction workers about the importance of following proper body mechanics at the workplace and during day-to-day activities is crucial to prevent musculoskeletal problems and improve quality of life.

Background: Reasonable accommodation (RA) refers to adjustments or modifications that an employer makes to the workplace to enable an employee with a mental illness to perform the essential functions of their job. Employer and employee should work together to determine the most beneficial accommodations that would not impose an undue hardship on the employer.

Materials and methods: An exploratory study design with a purposive sampling technique was used in the current study. Ten in-depth interviews have been conducted with the caregivers (CGs) of persons with severe mental disorders (SMDs).

Results: The CGs' mean age is 55 years. The data have been collected from November 2022 to January 2023. Out of ten CGs, three were female and seven were male. The content analysis of CG interview transcripts suggests that persons with SMD lost or discontinued their jobs due to leaves, lack of peer support/supervision, more targets, shift work, discrimination at the workplace, and lower salaries. The CGs opined that the RAs for persons with SMD are adjustments in the work environment, policy, or procedure modifications that enable the individual to perform their job, allowing them to work from home.

Conclusion: RAs for persons with SMDs are essential from the CGs' perspective. RA for persons with SMD at work can promote their job continuation and social support.