Workplace Health & Safety最新文献

Background: The International Safety Center disseminates the Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) surveillance system to standardize a system for healthcare facilities to track mucocutaneous blood and body fluid exposures.

Methods: Occupational exposure incidents to blood and body fluids were recorded within the participant health systems and hospitals (N = 41), using the EPINet Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Report Form. Forms include detailed questions about the circumstances surrounding the exposure, including the type of exposure, body part(s) involved, and if the employee reporting the incident was wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Results: There were statistically significant differences between participants who wore PPE at time of exposure versus those who did not. Differences were noted by job category (χ² =32.91, p-value = <.001); where the exposure occurred (χ² = 32.31, p-value = <.001); what the exposure was a result of (χ² = 50.19, p-value = <.001); and day versus night shift (χ² = 11.47, p-value = .001).

Conclusion/applications to practice: The study found that occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in 2021 remain high risk given the frequency with which they happen, the exposure site (face) and lack of PPE use. The pandemic seemed to matter little in changing frequencies despite high awareness and growing PPE availability and supply. The findings provide robust information about how exposures occur, why they remain high risk, and how important it is to improve reporting and surveillance to prevent occupational exposures and disease in healthcare in future.

Medical interpreters play a vital role in fostering understanding and ensuring safety and transparency in healthcare for patients with non-English language preference. Limited research describes work-related experiences of medical interpreters. The purpose of this research was to explore perceptions of occupational health and safety among medical interpreters. A structured, online survey was administered to all certified medical interpreters in Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, California, and Texas. Participants described occupational experiences as an interpreter via an open-ended question. Responses were coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Response text was reviewed, a codebook of descriptive themes developed, and data thematically coded and summarized. Of 981 potential participants, 199 responded (20.3% response rate). Four main themes were identified: Professionalism and Role, Work-Related Challenges, Approaches to Mitigate Vicarious Trauma, and The Rewarding Nature of the Job. Respondents described compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, intentional emotional distancing from clients, and loneliness. Respondents identified needs for workplace support to ensure professionalism and safeguard interpreter safety. Medical interpreters appreciate their work, yet face challenges, including compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Employers and healthcare institutions should support the occupational and emotional needs of medical interpreters as a vital member of the healthcare team.

Background: Healthcare and social assistance workers are at increased risk for obesity. This industry has limited access to workplace health promotion resources and reports low rates of physical activity programs for workers.

Methods: This article describes the application of the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model (PPM) to plan, implement, and evaluate a pilot physical activity intervention, Project Move, tailored to promote occupational physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors among female workers. Actions taken by the community-based participatory research partnership assisted in the identification of the predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors that influenced the physical activity behaviors of female workers. The resources and capacities of the partnership were leveraged to implement and evaluate the pilot intervention.

Findings: After the 12-week intervention, the participants' daily average steps while at work met the recommended minimum 7,000 steps/day, and the time spent sitting decreased along with positive changes in health-related psychosocial measures.

Conclusions/application to practice: The PPM represents a feasible approach for community-based participatory partnerships to create a tailored intervention to address the occupational physical activity and sedentary behaviors of at-risk female healthcare and social assistance workforce.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected well-being and health behaviors, especially among healthcare workers and employees in other fields. This is of public health concern because health behaviors and well-being influence long-term negative health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore health behaviors and well-being among university and medical center staff during COVID-19.

Methods: EMPOWER (Employee Well-being during Epidemic Response) was a three-wave observational study (wave 1: 1,994; wave 2: 1,426; wave 3: 1,363) measuring health behaviors and well-being of university and medical center staff. Surveys were disseminated online to all employees between April and September 2020. Descriptive statistics explored trends across waves for health behaviors (physical activity [PA], diet), and well-being (mental well-being [MWB], depression, anxiety, and stress). Logistic regressions explored associations between health behaviors and well-being factors adjusting for demographics and clinical role. Interactions explored moderation by clinical role.

Results: Most participants reported same/healthier changes in PA (54-65%) and diet (57-73%) and decreased MWB across waves (62%-69%). Nonclinical workers were less likely than clinical workers to experience worse MWB and moderate/severe anxiety and stress (odds ratios [ORs] ranged from 0.38 to 0.58 across waves and well-being outcomes). Participants who maintained/increased PA and diet were less likely to experience worse well-being (ORs ranged from 0.44 to 0.69 across waves and well-being outcomes). Interactions by clinical role were not significant.

Conclusion/application to practice: Maintaining/increasing health behaviors during COVID-19 may be protective of mental health/well-being in some healthcare workers. These findings support health promotion efforts focused on maintaining or improving diet and PA.

Background: Breastfeeding is recommended for infants through 6 months of age, when solid foods are introduced, and continued until 12 months of age. However, many mothers in the United States discontinue breastfeeding at an early age and return to work following childbirth. The purpose of this study was to identify individual and organizational factors associated with breastfeeding practices in a sample of employed mothers who participated in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on a sample of 953 employed mothers who completed the Infant Feeding Practices Study II between 2005 and 2007. The analysis compares infant feeding status (breastfeeding/feeding pumped milk vs. not breastfeeding/feeding pumped milk) over a 12-month period, using generalized linear mixed modeling (GLMM).

Findings: Generalized linear mixed modeling (GLMM) revealed that working mothers who were employed part-time (≤34 hours/week) were 97% more likely to continue breastfeed compared with mothers employed full-time over the 12-month follow-up period (OR = 1.97, p = .002). Mothers who perceived high levels of breastfeeding support in the workplace were 178% more likely to continue breastfeeding compared with those with low levels of perceived support (OR = 2.78, p < .001).

Conclusions: Prenatal breastfeeding only feeding intentions, non-smoking, part-time employment, and higher levels of perceived breastfeeding support in the workplace were significant predictors of breastfeeding/feeding pumped milk at all time points.

Application to practice: Occupational health nurses may be able to address barriers to breastfeeding in the workplace and improve supportive workplace practices to promote continued breastfeeding in employed mothers consistent with national and international recommendations.

Background: Approximately 50% of women in all workplaces experience sexual harassment. Women who work in male-dominated occupations may be more susceptible to sexual harassment than those who work in non-male-dominated occupations. Research on factors contributing to workplace sexual harassment in male-dominated occupations is limited. This paper reviews the known antecedents that put female workers at risk of sexual harassment in select male-dominated occupations and to identify gaps in the literature and opportunities for future occupational health nursing research.

Methods: A search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Included articles addressed sexual harassment of female workers in male-dominated occupations such as law enforcement, firefighting, truck driving, and construction.

Results: The search yielded 25 relevant research articles. Antecedents to sexual harassment in the workplace included lower rank, shorter tenure, physicality of the job, job insecurity, negative relationships with peers and/or supervisors, treating women as outsiders, exaggerated gender differences, unequal gender ratios, and promotions based on gender. Common antecedents to sexual harassment in the workplace identified in the literature include organizational culture and gender composition.

Conclusion/application to practice: Workplace sexual harassment of women is a problem in male-dominated occupations. Research is needed to better understand the organizational antecedents of sexual harassment in male-dominated occupations within community settings to prevent workplace sexual harassment.

Background: Presenteeism, the act of showing up to work when one is ill, is a prevailing global phenomenon, at rates varying from 30% to 90%. Presenteeism results in consequences to the worker's health, like pain, depression, and poor work ability, as well as consequences to the organization like productivity loss, negative feelings and engagement of coworkers, and risk of accidents. Agriculture is an important sector for the global economy, providing employment for 27% of the global workforce. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of presenteeism and its associated factors among agricultural workers.

Methods: A systematic review was performed through searches at PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases. Observational studies (cross-sectional, cohort or case-control) that reported the prevalence of presenteeism in agricultural workers were eligible.

Findings: A total of 139 studies were found but only two met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies reported prevalence rates of presenteeism of 5.0% and 58.2%. Poor work safety climate, female workers, workers dissatisfied with management, and sunscreen not available at the workplace were strongly associated with the prevalence of presenteeism.

Conclusions/applications to practice: We concluded that the scientific literature about the prevalence of presenteeism among agricultural workers is scarce. Future studies about presenteeism among agricultural workers should measure the prevalence and/or incidence of presenteeism by using the epidemiological approach and, furthermore, should integrate these measures with the work productivity approach.