Journal of occupational and environmental medicine最新文献

Objective: This study aimed to identify gaps in nonfatal injury and illness (NII) reporting between physicians and other occupations.

Methods: Bureau of Labor Statistics data (2011-2019) were analyzed, comparing annualized NII incidence rates using incidence rate ratios (IRR), with physicians as the reference.

Results: Between 2011 and 2019, physicians reported significantly lower NII rates compared to high-hazard nonmedical occupations (IRR, 17.2-70.8; all P < 0.01) and most low-hazard nonmedical occupations (IRR, 1.2-6.3; all P < 0.01), except lawyers. NII rates among physicians were also lower than those in nonphysician medical occupations (IRR, 1.4-27.6; all P < 0.01). In 2020, relative NII rates between physicians and nonphysician medical occupations decreased but returned to prepandemic levels by 2021.

Conclusions: Physicians report significantly lower NII rates than other occupations, likely due to underreporting or undercounting, highlighting a potential gap in occupational injury data.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis of a beneficial role of worker participation in the decision-making process as a buffer against demanding work organization on mental and physical health and commitment.

Methods: A cross-sectional study ( N = 1134) was conducted among workers employed in the health and homecare sector. Multiple regressions and moderation analyses were performed to test whether worker participation in decision-making moderates the association between demanding work organization and health and whether it directly predicts work commitment.

Results: As hypothesized, results show that demanding work organization is negatively associated with the mental and physical health of workers and that participation in the decision-making moderates this negative association. Finally, participation in decision-making is directly related to work commitment.

Conclusions: Results are discussed in light of the recent evolution of work conditions in the health and homecare sector.

Objective: Develop and validate a multidimensional tool consistent with an expanded occupational safety and health (OSH) paradigm.

Methods: Systematic development process; cross-sectional survey design for psychometric properties. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and reliability estimates on key theoretical constructs.

Results: The Organic Farmer Safety, Health & Life Questionnaire (OFSHLQ) is a population-specific, theory-based, multilevel tool that integrates work and life dimensions. The development process contributed to face and content validity. The EFA identified 11 scales with acceptable factor loadings. Reliability estimates across scales ranged from 0.58 to 0.92.

Discussion: OFSHLQ integrates traditional dimensions of OSH and other intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors that contribute to overall workers' health and well-being.

Conclusion: OFSHLQ constitutes a resource for traditional OSH surveillance and research, and is also consistent with an expanded paradigm of OSH.

Objective: We examined the association between the occupations of pregnant women's partners and infant low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PB).

Methods: Birth outcome data were collected from 46,540 participants enrolled in the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Participants were recruited from January 2011 to March 2014. Associations between the occupations of pregnant women's partners and birth outcomes were examined using logistic regression models adjusted for confounding factors.

Results: LBW and PB incidences were 7.5% and 4.1%, respectively. In the major occupational group, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of LBW for clerical (1.19; 1.03-1.37) and service workers (1.21; 1.05-1.39) were higher than those for professional and engineering workers. However, no associations existed between the major occupational groups of the pregnant women's partners and PB.

Conclusions: Partner's employment in clerical and service works increases the risk for LBW.

Objectives: To identify the most frequent deviations and factors associated with the number of deviations from a work injury debiasing checklist among claims referred for peer review.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 141 work injury claims sent to a musculoskeletal specialist for additional scrutiny and counted deviations from a checklist developed to catch common pitfalls in evaluation and treatment.

Results: Nearly all claims had a deviation (99%) including mislabeling of non-injury pathophysiology as an injury (92%), overlooking mental health (91%), and work restrictions in the absence of risk or incapacity (91%). There were no associations between the number of deviations from the checklist and any patient or clinician factors.

Conclusions: A debiasing checklist has potential to help clinicians avoid common pitfalls in the care of claims of work injury.

Background: Dentists, dental hygienist, and veterinary technicians using drills, scalers and polishers are at risk of developing sensorineural deficits in the fingers and hands. The goal of this study was to determine whether exposure to high-frequency vibration contributed to changes in sensory function.

Methods: The tails of rats were exposed to vibration at 1250 Hz (constant acceleration of 49 m/s2) for 4 hours per day, for 10 days. The effects on sensory nerve function, and vascular function were measured.

Results: Vibration increased sensitivity to applied pressure and to transcutaneous electrical stimulation at 2000 and 250 Hz. It also resulted in a reduction in blood flow and myogenic tone.

Conclusions: Exposure to high-frequency vibration has detrimental effects on both peripheral sensorineural and vascular function.

Objective: This study explored the association between ethylene oxide exposure, a human carcinogen, and serum neurofilament light (sNfL) levels, a potential biomarker for neurological disorders, using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, focusing on sNfL levels, ethylene oxide exposure, socio-demographics, and comorbidities. Multiple regressions and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses assessed the relationship between ethylene oxide and ln-transformed sNfL levels, with stratified analyses for subgroups.

Results: Among 641 participants, those in the highest ln(sNfL) quartile had higher ethylene oxide levels, were older, and had more diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. Ethylene oxide exposure correlated positively with ln(sNfL) levels, especially among older adults, women, and non-Hispanic Whites.

Conclusion: Ethylene oxide exposure is positively associated with elevated sNfL levels, especially in older adults, women, and non-Hispanic Whites, indicating its potential impact on neurological biomarkers.

Objectives: Increasing heatwaves pose a significant health risk. This study investigates the impact of heatwaves on staff in outpatient care services in a large city in western Germany.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to June 2023, which targeted the managers of 78 outpatient nursing services. The 33-item questionnaire addressed attitudes toward climate change, health impacts on patients and staff, and potential measures to improve working conditions during heatwaves.

Results: Of the 40 services that participated, 90% had not received training on climate adaptation; 38% felt uninformed about heat-related measures; and 50% requested more time for caregiving duties during heatwaves. Guidelines for heatwaves were supported by 78% of participants, and 75% wanted more heat-protection training.

Conclusion: Outpatient care services require more active involvement in heat-protection planning to safeguard staff as heatwaves become more frequent.

Objective: To analyze work-environment determinants that could affect emergency healthcare workers' (EHW's) personal lives in the Spanish health system.

Methods: A structured self-administered questionnaire consisted of socio-demographics, work environment-related and EHW's personal life-related questions was sent to the professionals. Descriptive statistics were used. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the presence of an association between the outcomes.

Results: Doctors were more likely to be influenced by the stress of working and the rotating shift than other professionals. Men were less likely to be influenced by the rotating shift. Workers aged between 31-40 years were 6.35 times more likely to have their sleep affected by the rotating shift than workers over 51 years.

Conclusion: The findings show a significant impact of work environment determinants on the personal life and well-being of EHW's in Spain.