Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection prevention and control (IPC) practices and related factors among paramedics. We selected 249 paramedics using convenience sampling from three areas in Korea. Data on the demographics, infection-related characteristics, awareness, and practice of IPC were collected using self-reported questionnaires. The mean IPC practice score was 4.47 ± 0.54. The compliance with IPC practices was relatively high among those with a disease history (B = 0.194, p = 0.045) and who were aware of the safety management standard guidelines. Provision of sufficient protective equipment and infection prevention monitoring were associated with higher IPC practice scores. Education for increasing awareness of the recent IPC guidelines and the allocation of personal protective equipment would be helpful in improving the practice.

This study examined work-family enrichment, protective resources and psychological implications among working Israeli parents during COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, 409 working parents were recruited during Israel's third lockdown. Levels of FWC/WFC and resilience were moderate, psychological distress and fear of COVID-19 were low, and perceived social support was high. All the study variables showed significant associations with each other. A multivariate regression analysis explained 30% of the WFC and FWC variance. We found differences in FWC/WFC based upon children's age but not on parents' gender. FWC/WFC mediated the effect of perceived social support and resilience on fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. The findings explain the importance of personal resources during the pandemic in buffering the negative effects of parents' work- and family-related burdens and have important implications for helping families with young children cope during challenging times.

Cigarette smoking can cause and/or worsen a variety of health conditions. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that smoking cessation services be offered to all adults who currently smoke, and governmental and non-governmental professional organizations support providing these interventions to patients who smoke. The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, a federal program that provides health monitoring and treatment to those directed exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, provides smoking cessation therapy for eligible members. This paper identifies treatment strategies for smoking cessation and references the treatment coverage policy in the WTC Health Program. In addition, this paper notes the higher smoking prevalence among those with mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the need for heightened cessation efforts given the lower quit success rates among such persons.

This study examines the anxiety levels of midwives and nurses working for filiation during management of the COVID-19 pandemic(n = 205) The cross-sectional data were collected using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I and II). Having COVID-19 test done and provision of protective equipment affected their STAI-I and II. High anxiety status was found to be those who did not experience fear of carrying the coronavirus to their families (O.R: 1.128), who had diagnosis tests done (O.R:0.888), who had good feeling states before COVID-19 process (O.R:1.076). Information about infection spreads, required equipment and providing social support will lead to a reduction in their anxiety levels in working filiation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has subjected healthcare workers to enormous stress. Measuring the impact of this public health emergency is essential to developing strategies that can effectively promote resilience and wellness. The Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory Supplemental Healthcare Module-Brief Version (EPII-SHMb) was developed to measure impacts among occupational cohorts serving on the front lines of healthcare. While this instrument has been utilized in COVID-19 related studies, little is known about its psychometric properties. This study collects evidence for validity of the EPII-SHMb by evaluating its internal structure and how its scores associate with other variables. Physicians and nursing staff across a large New York health system were cross-sectionally surveyed using an online questionnaire between June and November 2020. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 3-factor solution, identifying factors Lack of Workplace Safety (7 items), Death/Dying of Patients (3 items), and Lack of Outside Support (2 items). Internal consistency was high overall and within physician/nursing and gender subgroups (Cronbach's alpha: 0.70 - 0.81). Median scores on Death/Dying of Patients were higher among those who directly cared for COVID-19 patients or worked in COVID-19 hospital units. These results are promising. Additional studies evaluating other dimensions of validity are necessary.

The aims of this study were to compare the incidence of occupational accidents during one-year periods of the COVID-19 Pandemic and before the COVID-19 Pandemic, and to determine in which sectors occupational accidents occurred and what types of injuries were sustained in the population of Tokat, Turkey. A retrospective review was made of the records of Tokat State Hospital of patients injured in occupational accidents between 12.03.2019 and 11.03.2021. The patients injured in occupational accidents were classified according to age, gender, sector, accident type, trauma localization and type, time of the accident, and outcome of the injuries. Of 608 patients injured in occupational accidents, 384 (63.2%) were injured in the period before the pandemic and 224 (36.8%) were injured in the period during the pandemic (p < 0.001). Most work-related injuries occurred in the industry sector (n = 287; 47.2%; p < 0.001). Occupational accidents increased in the service sector (p < 0.001), but decreased in other sectors. The increase in occupational accidents in the health sector (p < 0.001) and transportation sector (p < 0.05) within the service sector caused a general increase despite the decrease in other service sectors (p > 0.05). In current study, the increase in the number of injuries in the transportation sector due to the increase of motor courier accidents, in health sector, and in pandemic quarantines were remarkable. It was evaluated that this narrow-scoped study pioneered comprehensive studies on the measures that can be taken to prevent occupational accidents in such pandemics in the future.

PM2.5 provokes atherosclerotic events. Atorvastatin presents anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and may ameliorate PM2.5-induced atherosclerosis development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cardiotoxic effect of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) on atherosclerosis (AS) in rats, and the intervention effects of atorvastatin (ATO) on PM_2.5-induced AS development. AS model was established using 32 male Wistar rats through intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D3 combined with a high-fat diet (10% fat and 4% cholesterol). The rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, PM_2.5-exposed group, ATO group, and ATO treated PM_2.5-exposed group. PM_2.5 increased levels of TC, TG, LDL, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as decreased SOD levels. Besides, PM_2.5 also enhanced AI. After the treatment of ATO, most levels of various contents in serum, including TC, TG, LDL, MDA, IL-6, TNF-α, hS-CRP, and ox-LDL, significantly decreased compared to the PM_2.5-exposed group. Moreover, after the treatment of ATO, AI was significantly reduced compared to the PM_2.5-exposed group. In addition, PM_2.5 exacerbated the nuclear translocation and ATO resulted in an obvious decrease in PM_2.5-induced nuclear translocation. The present study suggests that PM_2.5 could induce oxidative damage and systemic inflammatory response in atherosclerosis model rats, while ATO could ameliorate PM_2.5-induced atherosclerosis development, possibly by lowering lipid, inhibiting inflammation, and suppressing oxidation.

More than 20 years have elapsed since the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), Pentagon and at Shanksville, PA. Many persons continue to suffer a variety of physical and mental health conditions following their exposures to a mixture of incompletely characterized toxicants and psychological stressors at the terrorist attack sites. Primary care and specialized clinicians should ask patients who may have been present at any of the 9/11 sites about their 9/11 exposures, especially patients with cancer, respiratory symptoms, chronic rhinosinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, psychiatric symptoms, and substance use disorders. Clinicians, especially those in the NY metropolitan area, should know how to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with conditions that could be associated with exposure to the 9/11 attacks and its aftermath. As such, this issue of Archives contains a series of updates to clinical best practices relevant to medical conditions whose treatment is covered by the WTC Health Program. This first paper in the 14-part series describes the purpose of this series, defines the WTC Health Program and its beneficiaries, and explains how relevant Clinical Practice Guidelines were identified. This paper also reminds readers that because physical and mental health conditions are often intertwined, a coordinated approach to care usually works best and referral to health centers affiliated with the WTC Health Program may be necessary, since all such Centers offer multidisciplinary care.

Introduction: NIHL may affect some domains of cognitive function. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between NIHL and working memory, attention and response time.

Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 154 textile workers with exposure to noise higher than 85dBA in a textile factory. The participants were divided into two groups: with and without NIHL and some domains of cognitive function were compared between two groups. Wechsler working memory test and Stroop color-word test were used to measure working memory, selective attention and response time. Data were analyzed by SPSS (ver. 24) using student's T test, and multiple linear regression model.

Results: Totally, 154 workers entered the study (77 with NIHL and 77 without NIHL). All participants were males. Working memory score and response time were higher and interference score was lower in NIHL group, although only the difference in working memory was significant. Due to the significant difference of age and work history between case and control groups, cognitive parameters were compared between two groups after adjusting for these two variables, but the significance was not changed.

Conclusion: This study showed that noised-exposed middle-aged males with NIHL had probably a lower working memory span than their counterparts without NIHL.

Asthma is defined as a heterogeneous disease with respiratory symptoms (wheeze, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough) that vary over time and intensity, and variable expiratory airflow limitation. Environmental and occupational exposures contribute to its causation. WTC-related or aggravated asthma is considered a World Trace Center (WTC) Health Program certifiable disease. Criteria include defined exposures to the WTC dust and fumes, the presence of symptoms, or aggravated symptoms that are present within 5 years after the last potential for WTC dust/fume exposures (the last 9/11 exposures occurred on July 31, 2002), and a WTC-provider diagnosis of asthma. Asthma is the 3^rd most common non-cancer certification among WTC responders and survivors. In this review we provide evidence-based information on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with WTC-related or aggravated asthma and include peer-reviewed research findings in WTC-exposed populations.