Medicina Del Lavoro最新文献

Background: Colleague violence experiences of students negatively affect their vocational education in the short term and their desire to stay in the profession in the long term. This study aims to determine the levels of colleague violence experienced by nursing students and the affecting factors in Türkiye.

Methods: This study was conducted with second-, third-, and fourth-year nursing students (N = 703) from three state universities in three different provinces in Turkey. The data were collected using the "Student Information Form" and "The Scale of Exposure to Colleague Violence" with an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, the Independent Samples t-test, and the ANOVA test were employed for data analysis.

Results: students' total mean score on the scale was 46.72 ± 21.30. The "exposure to verbal/psychological violence" and "effect of violence on physical and mental health" subscales were 21.62 ± 10.09 and 25.10 ± 12.02, respectively. The most common reaction to the violence they were exposed to was "remain silent" (34.7%).

Conclusions: nursing students were exposed to moderate levels of verbal/psychological colleague violence, and students' physical and mental health were moderately affected by this violence. Most students remained silent as a response to colleague violence. This study contributed to the emergence of factors that affect and are related to colleagues' violence. The results highlighted the need for programs that educate people about colleague violence and what should be done.

Background: Work-related quality of life (WRQoL) is a multidimensional concept related to life satisfaction. Evaluating WRQoL is essential in healthcare settings since employee satisfaction affects patient service quality. Only a few studies have focused on the quality of life of rehabilitation health workers. We aimed to validate the Italian version of the WRQoL scale on a population of rehabilitation health professionals; the secondary objective was to investigate the work-related quality of life of professionals concerning the work settings in which they operate.

Methods: Participants were recruited from January 2022 to December 2023 according to specific inclusion criteria. Questionnaires were administered through an online survey requiring also personal employment data, and together with the SF-12 questionnaire, a test-retest was performed on 30 therapists. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha, test-retest stability through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and concurrent validity was calculated using Pearson's correlation.

Results: We enrolled 284 individuals. Internal consistency analysis showed statistically significant results: Cronbach's alpha was > 0.70; construct validity analyses revealed statistically significant data for total scores and subscales, compared to SF-12 scores.

Conclusion: The WRQoL scale is a valid and reliable tool to assess the quality of working life of rehabilitation professionals.

Background: This study aimed to explore the association between occupational exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and gynaecological and breast cancers.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify cohort studies reporting results on the association between occupational exposure to DE and risk of gynaecological and breast cancers. STROBE guidelines and PECOS criteria were followed. We identified 6 studies for breast cancer (BC), 4 for cervical cancer (CC), 4 for endometrial cancer (EC) and 7 for ovarian cancer (OC). Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on the relationship between DE exposure and BC, CC, EC, and OC risk; 95% confidence intervals (CI) and prediction intervals (PI) were reported. We investigated between-study heterogeneity and potential publication bias using Egger's test.

Results: No associations were observed between occupational DE exposure and risk of BC [RR=0.93; CI: 0.77-1.13; PI:0.50-1.73, I2=80.31%], EC [RR=0.89; CI: 0.75-1.05; PI:0.61-1.30, I2=0.78%], and OC [RR=1.08; CI: 0.89-1.32, PI: 0.76-1.56, I2=11.87%]. A weak association was observed for CC [RR=1.41; CI: 1.17-1.17; PI:0.85-2.30, I2=6.44%]. No between-study heterogeneity or publication bias was detected.

Conclusions: This study identified an association between DE exposure and CC, which was not adjusted for potential confounders. No evidence of an association was found with BC, EC, and OC.

Contact dermatitis is a common cutaneous inflammatory condition, triggered by exposure to irritant substances or allergens. Nickel is the most prevalent allergen, a metal widely used in accessories, furniture, office materials, food and in industry, with multiple exposure pathways, making it difficult to assess which exposure is causing allergic dermatitis. Here, we report a case of an administrative worker with chronic hand eczema, limited to the radial metacarpophalangeal region of the left hand, caused by occupational exposure to nickel, confirmed by nickel deposition test on the hand and a positive test with a metallic stapler used at her workplace.

Background: In the regeneration of waste oil, a strategical technological process for the European Union circular economy action plan, exhausted oils are regenerated to produce high performing oil bases. Aim of this work was to assess the exposure to benzene in plant workers during ordinary activities.

Methods: 59 workers, potentially exposed to benzene, and 9 administrative workers from an Italian plant were monitored for the whole work shift with personal air samplers; urinary benzene (BEN-U) and S-phenyl mercapturic acid (SPMA) were measured by mass spectrometry methods in end-shift urine samples. Different job tasks were identified among workers.

Results: Median (minimum-maximum) airborne exposures to benzene were <0.9 (<0.9-6.3) and <0.9 (<0.9-0.9) µg/m3, BEN-U and SPMA levels were 0.094 (<0.015-3.095) µg/L and 0.15 (<0.10-9.67) µg/g crt and 0.086 (0.034-0.712) µg/L and <0.10 (<0.10-3.19) µg/g creatinine in workers and administrative workers, respectively. No differences were found among job tasks and between workers and administrative workers, while higher levels were found in smokers than in non-smokers. For all job tasks, the exposure to benzene was always below occupational limit values.

Conclusions: This study has investigated for the first time the exposure to benzene of workers employed in the re-refining of exhaust oil. The results showed that normal production activities in regenerating used oils do not pose a risk of exposure to benzene in workers.

Background: In recent years, substantial changes have occurred in the work organization and arrangements. One of the main ones has been the popularization of teleworking among non-manual workers. This paper aims to assess the exposure of psychosocial risks among non-manual Spanish wage-earners, depending on the working modality (mainly telework, combining teleworking with onsite work, or onsite work).

Methods: Based on an online survey conducted between April and May 2021, a cross-sectional study was carried out among n=11,519 members of a trade union where Psychosocial Risks (PSR) were measured through COPSOQ Questionnaire Scales. All analyses were performed stratifying by sex.

Results: Women who combine telework and face-to-face work (aPR: 1.21; 95%CI 1.07-1.37) and men who mainly telework (aPR: 1.26; 95%CI 1.11-1.43) and that combine (aPR: 1.27; 95%CI 1.11-1.45) are more exposed to quantitative demands than men and women who do not telework. On the other hand, women who telework, either entirely (aPR: 0.89; 95%CI 0.82-0.97) or combining (aPR: 0.89; 95%CI 0.81-0.98), are less exposed to emotional demands than women who do not telework, and the same occurs among men who mainly telework (aPR: 0.84; 95%CI 0.76-0.92). Telework and horizontal or vertical social support are not associated, except for supervisor support among males, nor with work-life conflict.

Conclusions: Except for quantitative demands, employees who combine telework and face-to-face work are less exposed to psychosocial risks than those who mainly telework or work face-to-face only. More studies with a gender and class perspective are needed in this area.

Background: This study, conducted on a sample of Italian occupational physicians (OPs), aimed to gather data regarding professional activity and their needs in managing workers with multiple sclerosis.

Methods: A convenience sample of OPs recruited by e-mail invitation to the list of Italian Society of Occupational Medicine members was considered. A total of 220 OPs participated between July and October 2022. An ad hoc questionnaire was developed based on previous survey experiences. It investigated, among others, the characteristics of OP respondents, the evaluation of fitness for work issues, and the OP training and updating needs on multiple sclerosis and work.

Results: Ninety-one percent of OPs had to assess the fitness for work of workers with multiple sclerosis during their activity. Sixty-four percent experienced particular difficulties in issuing a fitness for work judgment. Regarding the level of knowledge on multiple sclerosis, 54% judged it sufficient. The "Assessment of fitness for work for the specific task" and the "Role of the OPs in identifying reasonable accommodations" were the most interesting training topics regarding MS management in work contexts chosen by the respondents.

Conclusions: The interest in the work inclusion and job retention of people with disability, particularly the aspects linked to the Identification and implementation of reasonable accommodations, will require integration with the occupational safety and health protection system and will undoubtedly impact the OP's activities.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS), because of its early age at onset, greatly impacts the working lives of those affected by it in ways linked to different factors, both professional and personal. It has been observed that only a small percentage (20-40%) of workers with MS retain their jobs after the diagnosis. When identifying factors determining job retention or loss in this setting, it is essential to consider the direct perspectives of people with MS (PwMS).

Methods: A qualitative study, based on the conduction of two focus groups, was conducted to explore the personal experiences of PwMS who work.

Results: The results show that there are numerous factors, both positive and negative, that can influence these people's ability to retain their jobs. The climate established in the workplace and the relationship between workers with MS and their colleagues were fundamentally important aspects, as was knowledge of the disease at the level of public opinion.

Conclusions: Managing work is a complex undertaking for people with a disabling condition like MS. There needs to be greater awareness of the employment rights of PwMS. Improving these knowledge-based aspects could undoubtedly improve the quality of the working lives of PwM.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) pose a significant occupational health challenge in Europe. The digitization of the economy substantially reshaped the nature and organization of work. The proliferation of hybrid working, characterized by a combination of office-based and remote work, has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This review covers hybrid forms of work, their impact on WRMSDs, and the potential implications for WRMSD compensation. Approximately 30-40% of the European workforce could potentially transition to hybrid forms of work. Hybrid work arrangements can result in prolonged static postures of the trunk, neck, and upper limbs without adequate breaks, thereby increasing the risk of neck and lower back pain. As teleworking and hybrid working become more prevalent, an increase in non-specific WRMSDs is anticipated among the working population. In many countries, claims for WRMSDs necessitate a formal diagnosis by a healthcare professional. However, cases of non-specific WRMSDs, such as cervicalgia or chronic shoulder pain, - commonly observed in sedentary workers engaged in predominantly low-intensity, prolonged static work amid visually and cognitively demanding tasks - often do not meet the criteria for compensation as occupational diseases. The compensation system and/or the criteria for compensation must be adapted to accommodate the rise of telework, necessitating evolving criteria for compensation that address both medical and risk exposure considerations.

This paper discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on occupational health and safety. Although the integration of AI into the field of occupational health and safety is still in its early stages, it has numerous applications in the workplace. Some of these applications offer numerous benefits for the health and safety of workers, such as continuous monitoring of workers' health and safety and the workplace environment through wearable devices and sensors. However, AI might have negative impacts in the workplace, such as ethical worries and data privacy concerns. To maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks of AI in the workplace, certain measures should be applied, such as training for both employers and employees and setting policies and guidelines regulating the integration of AI in the workplace.