Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health最新文献

How working hours are organized can have a substantial effect on workers' health. Using a questionnaire and cross-sectional study design, we evaluated the relationship between working time characteristics, job demands, and health behaviors on musculoskeletal symptoms among 316 Department of Transportation (N = 174) and Department of Corrections (N = 142) workers. Low schedule control was associated with neck/shoulder musculoskeletal symptoms (prevalence ratio: 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.34, p < 0.01), and working long (>48 hours per week) hours more frequently was associated with leg/foot musculoskeletal symptoms (prevalence ratio: 1.26 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.50, p = 0.02). Some working time characteristics were associated with musculoskeletal symptoms, and should be taken into consideration as part of interventions to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and promote health of workers.

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the safety and effectiveness of any public health intervention designed to prevent and/or manage musculoskeletal symptoms (MSSs) in any type of musician. A total of 14 studies were included. Studies investigated exercise and/or education programs, and changes to equipment, with a range of musicians. There was some evidence to suggest that smaller piano keyboards, and exercise programs may be effective. Studies suggesting a benefit of exercise programs typically had lower level designs and higher risk of methodological bias, compared with those that reported no benefit. Future research should use more robust methods to reduce bias and come to definitive conclusions regarding the safety and effectiveness of interventions prior to implementation, to reduce the burden of MSSs for musicians.

We aimed to evaluate and compare the prevalence and profile of musculoskeletal symptom (MSS) outcomes across cohorts of university music students with different 'majors': (i) performance and nonperformance students, and (ii) classical and non-classical performance students. Data were collected using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, and regression analyses were used to compare the groups. Of the 166 participating students, 92.5% reported experiencing MSSs in the last 12 months, and 72.6% in the last 7 days. Few significant differences were identified between groups. Musculoskeletal symptoms are a problem for all types of university music students, and all should have access to support to prevent and manage their MSSs, regardless of their majors.

This study monitored the indoor air PAHs and PM2.5 exposure and their seasonal variations, so as to explore the potential health effects of household air pollution (HAP) on rural women's health in northwest China. It was detected that the average indoor PM2.5 and PAHs concentrations in the heating season were both significantly higher than those in the non-heating season (P<0.01). And they were positively correlated with the urinary 1-OHP levels respectively. Then the PAHs and 1-OHP were both significantly correlated with the urinary 8-OHdG levels (P<0.05). By statistical models, household PM2.5 and PAHs were closely related to urinary 1-OHP levels. Similarly, PM2.5, PAHs and 1-OHP all have significant effects with urinary 8-OHdG (P<0.05). Therefore, housewives in rural northwest China were exposed to higher HAP, and it could improve the risk for oxidative damage.

This study aimed to clarify the association between the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and weather conditions in summer and winter in the same region. At a general hospital inJapan, weather conditions during the onset of 2,381 cases diagnosed with ACS over 25 years were analyzed using a generalized additive model adopting log-quasi-Poisson distribution as the link function, with "the occurrence of ACS" as the dependent variable and "weather data" as the independent variable. In conclusion, we found that ACS occurred at about the same frequency in winter and summer, and the season did not affect the onset. The onset rate decreased 0.960-fold per 1 °C increase in the minimum temperature one day before the day of onset and decreased 0.987-fold per 1 hPa increase in the mean station pressure of the previous day.

Lead exposure has etiological role on cardiovascular system diseases as hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, and arrhythmic events. In this study, we aimed to compare the basal and arrhythmogenic ECG parameters of lead exposed workers before and after chelation therapy and to evaluate the effect of acute change of blood lead levels on ECG. Fourty consecutive occupationally lead exposed workers were enrolled, demographic, blood, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic data's were analyzed before and after chelation therapy. Pmax, P min, P Wave Dispersion, and QT Dispersion values which are arrhythmia predictors were significantly lower after chelation therapy compared to values before chelation therapy. Lead exposed workers are under the risk of ventricular and atrial arrythmias and chelation treatment has a positive effect on these parameters.

We aimed to investigate the association between fatigue and near-miss incidents and between irregular lifestyles and fatigue in ambulance personnel. In this cross-sectional study, we used a self-administered questionnaire and ambulance dispatch records during November 2017. We performed multiple logistic regression; in total, 254 ambulance staff were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The adjusted odds of near-miss incidents were 3.19 times higher for participants with higher fatigue than for those with normal fatigue, with statistical significance. Fatigue was significantly associated with the monthly number of ambulance dispatches, office working hours, mealtimes, daytime napping hours, and napping hours during a night shift. In this study, we demonstrated a positive association between fatigue and near-miss incidents among ambulance personnel. Additionally, our results suggest that irregular lifestyles are a root cause of fatigue in ambulance personnel.

This study investigated the association between parental long working hours and the depression of children living with their parents even after becoming adults in South Korea. Data from two years of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2014 and 2016 were analyzed using a cross-sectional study. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between parental long working hours and their adult children's depression. Adult children of mothers who worked more than 60 hours per week were more likely to have depression than 40 hours or less per week. Comprehending aging mothers' weekly working hours is an important factor for understanding the reason of adult children's depression.

The Farmers are exposed to a wide range of pesticides. The application of these pesticides has been documented to lead to several adverse health effects. This aim of this case-control study was to estimate risks linked to pesticide exposure among farmers in the Souss region of Morocco through the analysis of serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and hematological parameters. This prospective study included 98 participants (49 farmers and 49 controls). A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, technical information regarding the application of pesticides, previous poisonings by pesticides, and training on the use of pesticides. The blood samples were collected for hematological parameters and BChE analysis, and the activity of BChE was measured spectrophotometrically by the butyrlthiocholine method. The results showed no significant differences in hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, platelets, red blood cell, and leukocyte cell counts between both the exposed farmer and the control group. In contrast, a significant decreased in mean corpuscular HB, mean corpuscular HB concentration, eosinophils, and basophils counts were observed. In addition, the exposed group showed a significant decrease in the BChE activity (p < .001) compared to the control group. Farmers exposed to pesticides in the Souss Massa region may be at risk of hematological alterations as well as neurotoxicity, characterized by inhibition of BChE enzyme activity.

We examined the association between exposure to metals, metalloids, and oxidative stress biomarkers among rural community residents in Brazil. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate associations between serum metal and metalloid concentrations and blood oxidative stress biomarkers, adjusting for sex, age, education, smoking, and alcohol use. After adjustment for covariates, glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) was inversely and significantly associated with an increase in serum arsenic (As) levels. Positive and significant associations were seen between elevated glutathione reductase (GR) activity and serum cadmium (Cd), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) concentrations. In addition, we observed a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in association with an increase in Ba levels. These findings suggest that toxic metals and metalloids such as As, Ba, Cd, and Pb alter antioxidant enzyme activities. In addition, Ba seems to promote lipid peroxidation.