Workplace Health & Safety最新文献

Background: Stable staff and trainers are essential to racing yards and horse welfare, yet limited research focuses on this vital workforce that the thoroughbred industry heavily relies on. This systematic narrative review synthesizes existing literature on the occupational health and well-being of stable staff and trainers in the thoroughbred horse racing industry.

Methods: A systematic narrative review was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus using relevant keywords. Manuscripts reporting occupational or mental health data on stable staff and/or trainers and had the full-text available were synthesized narratively in line with PRISMA guidelines.

Findings: Of 2,456 studies screened, 21 met eligibility criteria. In the past year, 43% of staff experienced an injury, with 18% requiring medical attention. Mental health concerns were prevalent, with 65% of injured staff experiencing anxiety, 60% depression, and up to 80% of UK stable staff and trainers reporting stress linked to financial pressures and limited support. Poor sleep contributed to self-reported daytime dysfunction and psychological distress. Substance misuse was notable, with 34% needing treatment for alcohol and 14% for drug misuse. The staffing crisis was influenced by occupational illnesses, poor working conditions, inexperienced staff, and limited career progression.

Conclusions/application to practice: Occupational health challenges highlight the need for interventions to improve mental health support, workplace safety, and working conditions. Industry governing bodies and racing authorities should implement frameworks and standards that ensure safe, supportive, and sustainable work environments. Racing yards should prioritize career progression and educational programs to safeguard the well-being and longevity of this workforce.

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) account for 30% of workplace injuries, creating significant occupational health and economic burdens. The purpose of this review was to synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of combined ergonomic and physical activity interventions compared to single-approach methods in preventing WMSDs among workers engaged in manual handling and repetitive motion.

Methods: A systematic search across Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed was conducted for English-language studies (2019-2024) following PRISMA guidelines. Studies examining ergonomic interventions, manual handling training, or workplace physical activity programs for adult workers were included. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model guided quality assessment. Seven studies from six countries met the inclusion criteria: one Level I randomized controlled trial (A quality), four Level II quasi-experimental studies (B quality), and two Level III observational studies (B quality).

Results: Combined interventions of ergonomic and physical activity showed potential benefits of pain reductions (neck: 38%, hand/wrist: 37%) and flexibility improvements, though effect sizes varied considerably. Single interventions showed fewer benefits: ergonomic education reduced high-risk MSDs from 35.1% to 0%, while whole-body stretching achieved greater pain intensity reduction (mean difference 3.6) compared to education alone (mean difference 2.5). Intervention durations ranged from 6 weeks to 22 months across healthcare, manufacturing, and industrial workers.

Conclusions/application to practice: Combined ergonomic and physical activity interventions appeared more effective than single approaches for WMSD prevention, demonstrating clinically meaningful improvements with high completion rates. However, study design variability necessitates cautious interpretation. Future research requires standardized trials with long-term and cost-effectiveness analyses.

Background: Despite their proximity to healthcare and being the source of health information, healthcare workers experience high rates of preventable chronic diseases. Work is the most common source of health insurance and other resources, yet only a few studies examined healthcare workers' preventive care use and the availability of employer-sponsored benefits by healthcare job categories: service workers (e.g., environmental services), support workers (e.g., nursing assistants), or clinicians (e.g., nurses).

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 773 healthcare workers recruited through the American Population Panel in August 2023.

Findings: While 94% of participants reported having employer-sponsored health insurance, service and support workers received fewer fringe benefits, such as paid time off and flexible spending accounts. They also had lower rates of blood pressure (48.6% vs. 53.2% vs. 68.5%, p < .001), cholesterol (21.6% vs. 26.9% vs. 40.8%, p < .01), diabetes (23% vs. 29.4% vs. 40.9%, p < .01), and mental health (10.8% vs. 21.4% vs. 29.6%, p < .05) screenings compared to clinicians. No significant differences were observed in vaccination rates. Reducing future burdens and trust in healthcare providers were primary intrinsic and extrinsic motivators in receiving preventive care.

Conclusions: Disparities in preventive care utilization and fringe benefits exist among service and support workers despite high rates of employer-sponsored insurance.

Application to practice: Occupational health practitioners are well-positioned to advocate for accessible workplace health initiatives, such as on-site screenings. By addressing disparities, occupational health practitioners can promote workforce sustainability and improve the health of service and support healthcare workers.

Background: The tripling of U.S obesity rates since 1990 has accelerated employee health issues, employer health care costs, and loss of productivity and contributed to staggering levels of overall healthcare costs. In this paper, we describe an academic-business partnership to determine the feasibility of implementing within a local city government department, the anti-obesity program-Teaching Awareness of Mindful Eating (TAME).

Methods: Based on the Information, Motivation, Behavior Skills Model, 15 employees classed as overweight (n = 4) or obese (n = 11) completed the 8-week mindful eating pilot program emphasizing (1) nutrition-related information and eating triggers and satiety, (2) guided self-exploration of motivational strategies to change eating behaviors, and (3) behavioral skills: practice of consuming food in the context of bountiful buffet-served food availability. At the beginning and end of the program, changes in body weight, hemoglobin A1C blood test, and blood pressure were measured.

Results: Participants showed a statistically significant average reduction in body weight from 228 ± 62.4 SD pounds to 220 ± 65.3 (p = .001) and a percent drop in HbA1c from 5.6 ± 0.5 SD to 5.4 ± 0.6 SD (p = .037). Of the four people with BP readings outside of normative range, two dropped into normative range by the end of the study.

Conclusion/implications for practice: Our encouraging findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of providing such a program to promote health within the workplace. We believe that forming academic-business partnerships can improve both employee health outcomes and employer return on investment in health care costs.

Background: Home-based workers in Thailand, such as those engaged in longan peeling, wooden furniture production, and craft paper lantern making, face multiple occupational health hazards. However, evidence on the associations between specific hazards and health outcomes in this vulnerable group remains limited.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 575 home-based workers. Data were collected through the "Healthy i-Work" web application and analyzed using logistic regression. Occupational hazards and self-reported health outcomes were systematically assessed.

Findings: The most frequently reported hazards included awkward postures (59.7%), unstable income (52.9%), use of sharp tools or machinery (51.3%), and dust exposure (45.9%). Musculoskeletal disorders were the most common adverse health outcome (69.6%), followed by fatigue, numbness, eye strain, and stress. Logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between ergonomic hazards and musculoskeletal pain; psychosocial hazards and stress-related symptoms; dust and chemical exposure and respiratory or skin symptoms; noise exposure and hearing impairment; heat exposure and heat-related symptoms; and insect or animal bites and infection-related symptoms.

Conclusions: Home-based workers are exposed to diverse occupational hazards that significantly impact their physical and psychological health. These results highlight the urgent need for occupational health interventions and preventive strategies tailored to informal work settings.

Application to practice: The findings emphasize the importance of developing practical workplace safety measures, providing ergonomic and protective equipment, and strengthening inclusive social protection policies. Occupational health professionals and policymakers should prioritize interventions that reduce risks, promote worker well-being, and safeguard the health of informal home-based workers.