Search

Background: Undergraduate dental curricula and courses containing ergonomic principles are introduced to students from the very beginning of dental education. Still, dentists present a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, which are a direct burden on quality of life, leading to early retirement from the profession. This study aimed to assess the state of students' knowledge and awareness regarding the role of ergonomics in dentistry and its practical implementation. Methods: a cross-sectional study using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire was conducted among fourth- and fifth-year dental students of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland (response rate of 69.2%). Results: A total of 94.6% of students declared a good, fair, or moderate level of knowledge of the subject, with a significant difference in favor of the fifth-year students (p = 0.008). Moreover, 76.1% of respondents showed a good or very good attitude toward ergonomics as a university curriculum subject. A total of 72.3% of respondents declared that the practical application of ergonomic rules in clinical dentistry is very important (five in a five-point scale). Women found dental ergonomics more important than men (p < 0.001). However, 79.3% of participants admitted not following basic ergonomic principles during clinical procedures. Conclusion: The research revealed a discrepancy between theoretical knowledge and awareness and the practical application of ergonomics in a clinical environment. Only by inculcating correct occupational standards and abiding by them from the commencement of dental education can consistency between theory and practice be achieved. This will hopefully ensure the health and well-being of dental team members throughout their professional lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of work-related diseases (WRDs) and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WR-MSDs), as well as investigate WR-MSD-associated risk factors, among metal industry workers in Turkey. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 1374 members of the Birleşik Metal İş Union from 121 companies. Data were collected using a self-administered 30-item questionnaire. Results. The survey response rate was 81.4% (1374/1686). Almost one out of every six workers (14.8%) stated that they had been diagnosed with a WRD, 3.6% reported that they had been diagnosed with an occupational disease and 38.6% of them indicated that they had suffered an occupational accident (OA) at least once. The prevalence of WR-MSDs was 10.7%, of work-related lung diseases was 1.8% and of occupational hearing loss was 0.6%. Quitting smoking, smoking, OA, heavy lifting, time pressure and working in the automotive industry were all associated with WR-MSDs. Conclusions. Interventions aimed at reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) should focus on smoking cessation, training workers in proper techniques and equipment for lifting and pushing/pulling heavy loads, preventing OAs and injuries, and reducing the time pressure in the workplace in the metal industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Identification of potential hazards, their adverse health effects, and predisposing factors in the workplace are critical to improving safety. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge of occupational hazards, the prevalence of perceived health problems and their predictors among textile dye workers in Abeokuta Nigeria who work in unsupervised settings. Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 199 participants using a validated semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of knowledge while Pearson Chi-square was employed to test the association between perceived health problems, sociodemographics and work environment characteristics. Results. The mean age of the respondents was 40 (SD=12) years with an average work experience of 19 years. The majority of respondents 139 (69.8%) had lower than average scores on knowledge of 25 questions on chemical hazards. There was no correlation between knowledge score and work experience (P=0.492) or age (P=0.462) but the knowledge was significantly associated with exposure score (P=0.004), gender (P=0.002) and adherence to instructions on chemicals usage (P=0.041) after adjusting for safe practice. The most frequent health problems among the dye workers were respiratory disorders (53.8%), allergies (51.8%), and skin disorders (24.1%). Airborne gaseous pollutants from the mixing of chemicals were associated with allergies (P=0.045), circulatory (P=0.02) and skin disorders (P=0.049) while air-borne textile fiber/dye particles could predict allergies (P=0.028). Conclusions. Findings revealed that exposure, gender and adherence to instruction labels on dye/chemical containers could determine knowledge of chemical hazards while physical work environment characteristics could determine health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this paper is to determine the prevalence of the musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) for the teachers in higher education. Examinees and methods: 100 teachers (66% men and 34% women with average age of 38.8 ± 13.1) were included in the prospective study. The information about the state of the teachers' musculoskeletal system was gathered using a questionnaire for the MSD analysis. Potential risk factors for MSD were analyzed. MSD was observed in 74 (74%) teachers and associates (68.9% male and 31.1% female, p˂0.05). 32% Teachers had pain within the first five years of teaching work, while the rest of MSD occurred after that period. 73% of teachers were diagnosed with rigor in the lower back, 62% were diagnosed with neck pain, 45.9% were diagnosed with upper back pain, while 27% had pain in their ankles/feet. Lower pain prevalence was noticed in wrist, hands, hips and elbows. The prevalence of the musculoskeletal disorders for teachers is 74% and it is higher for men than for women. MSD, whose samples are multifactorial, are the most common in the lower back, neck, upper back and shoulders. Ergonomics and ergonomic education are the primary factors in the prevalence and treatment of MSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate whether Swedish ambulance personnel differ in the extent of suffering from health problems compared to other occupational groups. Methods. Two cohorts of ambulance personnel from 2001 and 2008, with 1778 and 2753 individuals, respectively, were followed regarding assignment of diagnostic coding (International Classification of Diseases codes) until 2016. These two cohorts represent all who were employed as ambulance personnel by public employers during these years. Two comparison groups were added: other healthcare workers and other professions. All data were retrieved from national registers. The χ2 test was were used for statistical calculation. Results. Swedish ambulance personnel are at a significantly higher risk of being affected by 'Paroxysmal tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and flutter, other cardiac arrhythmias', by 'Other intervertebral disc disorders' and by 'Arthropathies', when compared to both comparison groups in both cohorts. Almost similar results were seen for 'Gonarthrosis' and for 'Dorsopathies'. Conclusions. Swedish ambulance personnel run the risk of being affected by certain diseases and injuries to a greater extent compared to other professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Textile and garment factories are growing in low and middle-income countries as worldwide demand for inexpensive clothing increases each year. These integrated textile and garment production factories are often built-in areas with few workplaces and environmental regulations, and employees can be regularly exposed to workplace hazards with little regulatory oversight. Consequently, workers' health may be significantly affected due to long term exposure to hazards. This study describes registered health problems and their association to work-related and personal factors among workers in integrated textile factories in Ethiopia.Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed for this analysis. A one-year recording of worker's clinical diagnoses (between March 2016 and February 2017) was gathered from the factory clinics of three integrated textile factories. Clinical diagnosis data was obtained as factory workers visited the clinics if feeling unwell. Sociodemographic characteristics and work-related information were obtained from the factory's human resource departments. The sociodemographic and clinical diagnosis statuses of 7992 workers were analyzed. The association between the registered diagnoses and workplace factors (work in textile production, garment production and support process) and personal factors (age, sex and educational status) were studied using logistic regression analysis.Results: The average employee age and years of service were 40 years and 11 years respectively. 60% of workers were females, comprising of 4778 women. 66% of all workers (5276) had 27,320 clinical diagnoses. In total, this caused 16,993 absent working days due to sick leave. Respiratory diseases (34%) and musculoskeletal disorders (29%) were the most prevalent diagnoses, while bodily injuries were the cause of most work absences. Work department, sex and educational status are variables that were most significantly associated with higher prevalence of disease groups.Conclusions: About two-thirds of the integrated textile factory workers were diagnosed with different types of disease. The textile and garment production department workers were affected at a greater rate than the support process workers, indicating that some diseases may be related to workplace exposure. Further study should investigate rare chronic diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, renal diseases and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is composed of a collection of risk factors for heart diseases and diabetes. In recent decades, metabolic syndrome has been identified as one of the important risk factors leading to the development of work-related diseases. OBJECTIVE: Since few studies have been conducted on evaluating the prevalence of MetS among Iranian workers, this cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the prevalence of MetS and the factors affecting it among Iranian steel workers. METHODS: This study was carried out on 510 employees working in a large steel producing company. The data pertaining to blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, and demographic information were collected and the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) criteria were implemented to diagnose MetS. RESULTS: The prevalence of Mets was obtained equal to 13% and a significant positive relationship was observed between age and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. From among MetS elements, low HDL cholesterol and increased waist circumference were recognized as the most and the least frequently involved elements with 39.3% and 6.5% prevalence, respectively. Chi-square test was run and the results showed that the prevalence of MetS and some of its components rose at higher BMI values. It was also indicated that MetS and its components had no significant relationship with shift work. CONCLUSION: The current findings revealed that the prevalence of MetS increased with aging. Low HDL and high triglycerides levels were among the main risk factors for MetS. Therefore, considering these risk factors, it should be attempted to develop relevant strategies at workplace to encourage workers to go for a healthier lifestyle so that they can prevent the incidence of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal Diseases (MSDs) are among the most prevalent health problems encountered in the workforce in Europe. Multiple risk factors contribute to their onset. In the present study, different individual risk factors for chronic tendinous pathology affecting the shoulder were analysed in a sample of workers from the automotive manufacturing sector.Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted with 73 cases of officially recognised and compensated occupational diseases and 94 aleatory cases of healthy workers from the same car assembly company. The experimental group comprised individuals with tendinous chronic pathology of the rotator cuff. Multiple variables that identified the risks present in the job were assessed along with participants clinical evaluation. Furthermore, two standardised guidelines for risk factors assessment were also used: the Spanish National Institute of Social Security (INSS) and the American Occupational Information Network (O*Net). Both descriptive statistical analysis and Odds ratios calculations considering the occupational disease as a dependent variable were performed.Results: The use of hand tools, exposure to mechanical pressure in the upper limbs and awkward postures were the most prevalent risk factors. Pressure on the palm of the hand and the hand tool impacting the hand were also important risk factors. Some psychosocial factors such as lack of autonomy and mental workload were also associated shoulder tendinous diseases. The association of age, load handling, and awkward postures were the core risk factors responsible for most of the tendinous chronic injuries of the shoulder in this sample of car assembly workers.Conclusions: Both ergonomic and psychosocial factors were present and increased the risk of developing occupational chronic tendinopathies at the shoulder in this sample of workers. Aging, load handling, and awkward postures showed the strongest predictive values. Greater knowledge of how risk factors interact would facilitate the design of better preventive workplace strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS) is a disease in the working population that is still not widely disclosed. GTS characterized by the main symptoms of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, excessive sweating, and occurs when in contact with wet tobacco. This research purpose is to assess the factors associated with the incidence of GTS in tobacco farmers in Jember, Indonesia. Methods. The research design is case control. Research variables are occupational factors and individual factors. Data analysis using binner logistic regression. Result and Discussion. The results stated that the variable influencing the case of GTS in tobacco farmers was the work period OR = 2,944, (CI 1,127-7,693) smoking status OR = 18,083 (CI 6.815-47,984) dermatosis complaints OR = 3,876 (CI = 1,238-12,138) and nutritional status was assessed with a BMI, OR = 2.643 (CI = 1.038-6.733). Farmers with a working period of working 18 years have a risk of 2,944 times GTS compared to farmers with a work period of <18 years. Farmers with smoking status have a risk of 18,083 times GTS compared to non-smoking farmers. Farmers who have dermatoses have a risk of 1,355 times GTS compared to farmers who do not have complaints of dermatosis. Farmers with an abnormal (overweight) BMI have a risk of 2,643 times GTS compared to farmers with a normal BMI. Conclusion. Factors that influence the GTS are age, sex, smoking status, complaints of dermatosis, nutritional status, and years of service. The findings of this study suggest that integrated promotive and preventive measures from both agricultural owners and first-rate health care providers need in the form of providing self-help to reduce direct contact with wet tobacco, healthy living behavior without smoking and maintaining nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study provided a profile of work-related diseases in the farming sector notified by physicians to the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority's (NLIA) Registry for Work-Related Diseases (RAS) over a 10-year period. Methods: Data for the occupational code "farmers" were extracted from RAS for the period 2007–2016. We performed a descriptive analysis to obtain frequency, percentage, and incidence distribution of the data. We also explored the relationship of the notified diagnosis with gender, age, occupational exposures and the type of reporting physicians. Results: Four hundred and sixty-nine cases of work-related diseases among farmers were notified in the period 2007–2016. Eighty-seven percent of the reported cases were males. The incidence of work-related diseases for the entire study period was computed to be 114/100 000 workers. The incidence and number of cases notified were highest among males and for the age group 55–74 years. Noise was the most frequently reported occupational exposure accounted for 291 cases. Hearing loss constituted for 62% of the notified cases, followed by respiratory diseases that accounted for 20% of the cases. Forty-eight cases of skin diseases, while only a few cases of musculoskeletal (n = 7) and mental disorders (n = 1) were notified. There was a strong association (λ = 0.51) between occupational exposure and notified diagnosis, and a moderate association (λ = 0.32) between type of reporting physician and the notified diagnosis. Conclusion: This profile of the physician notified work-related diseases among farmers in Norway yielded a suppressed estimate of the actual incidence of cases. The biased distribution of nature and number of work-related diseases amongst farmers is primarily attributed to the significant undercount of cases. Physician underreporting of cases to the NLIA coupled with lack of Occupational Health Services coverage of workers in the farming sector contributes to this undercount of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational illness is a disease caused by a person's work or work environment. This disease is caused by the actions of someone who is unsafe (unsafe act) and unsafe condition (unsafe condition) in carrying out his work activities. The unsafe act is an act of someone who deviates from the rules of security standards that have been set in doing work. While unsafe conditions are conditions that can endanger workers. Acute respiratory infection is an acute inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract caused by infection with microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, and rickets, without or accompanied by pulmonary parenchyma. Factors that affect a person affected by ARI are environmental factors, individual characteristics, and worker behavior. Environmental factors include air pollution (air pollution due to industrial output and smoke from burning fuel). Dust particles that can cause acute respiratory problems from industrial products that pollute the air such as coal dust, cement, cotton, asbestos, chemicals, toxic gases, dust in rice mills (organic dust). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kesmas: National Public Health Journal is the property of Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Public Health and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Česká a Slovenská Neurologie a Neurochirurgie is the property of Czech Medical Association of JE Purkyne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Česká a Slovenská Neurologie a Neurochirurgie is the property of Czech Medical Association of JE Purkyne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The surveillance programme for uncompensated work-related diseases (UWRDs) in France relies on a network of occupational physicians (OPs) who volunteer to report all UWRDs diagnosed during a biannual 2-week observation period. Aims: To describe this programme and the usefulness of its results. Methods: During the observation period, OPs record job title and employment sector for each worker. For each potential UWRD, they complete a one-page report form. Results: Between 2007 and 2012, the number of reporting OPs ranged from 705 to 965 and they saw between 78 884 and 114 154 employees annually. The UWRD incidence rate reports varied from 5 to 5.3% for men and from 6.5 to 7.7% for women, with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) being most frequent, followed by mental ill-health. Incidence rates, except for hearing loss, were higher for women than men in all categories and, in 2012, were twice as high for women (3.1%) as for men (1.4%) for mental ill-health. Incidence rates in every category increased with age up to 54 years. The highest rates for MSDs were observed among blue-collar workers (6.9% in women and 4% in men in 2012) and the lowest rates in professionals/managers (1.1 and 0.4%, respectively). Conversely, the latter had the highest incidence of mental health disorders (5.9 and 3.3%). Conclusions: This 'Fortnight' protocol provides useful data on the frequency of diseases linked to employment and allows us to estimate the incidence of UWRDs, whether recognized as compensable or not, as well as their trends over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are diseases of high prevalence. The extent to which our work is causing or aggravating them is still questioned because their causes are heterogeneous and usually combined in the same person, and can be attributed to any of them. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to compare Spain with the rest of Europe concerning MSDs. METHODS: The study is based on a comparison between Spanish and European data. The difficulty is that the lists of occupational diseases in the various States of the European Union (EU) are different, and therefore it is difficult to compare data. The study compares two types of data: the views of workers, and the official results of workplace accidents. In the first case, the results of the VII Spanish National Survey of Working Conditions were compared to the V European Working Conditions Survey. In the second case, we compare accident data, published by the Spanish Labour Authorities, to data provided by Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities). RESULTS: During the development of this study, we have proved the importance and significance of MSDs on the Spanish working population in relation to the European one. First, we have discovered a great difference between Spanish and European workers views about the relationship between work and heath. Then, we detected some more important ergonomics risk factors within the Spanish workforces' opinions. These are repetitive movements, tiring positions, and exposure to vibrations. However concerning heavy loads, lifting or moving people, the views of Spanish workers are more carefree than European ones. If we only consider the official results of workplace accidents and diseases, we find Spanish rates higher than the European average. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of MSDs on the Spanish working population significantly exceeds European records in this matter. MSDs account for between 35--40% of Work Accidents and between 70-88% of Occupational Diseases in Spain so, we can see why Spain has one of the top Occupational Accidents rates in Europe. Spain should try to improve this issue by concentrating only on three factors: repetitive work of upper extremities, tiring positions and exposure to vibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates occupational risks and health disorders in professional drivers including bus, taxi and truck drivers who are employed in public and private transport. It discusses the risks of cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders in drivers as suggested by several epidemiological studies. It also evaluates the occupational factors that are responsible for the diseases including traffic pollutants, awkward postures, exposure to noise and whole body vibration.

Copyright of Archives of Industrial Hygiene & Toxicology / Arhiv za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Self-report is an efficient and accepted means of assessing population characteristics, risk factors, and diseases. Little is known on the validity of self-reported work-related illness as an indicator of the presence of a work-related disease. This study reviews the evidence on (1) the validity of workers' self-reported illness and (2) on the validity of workers' self-assessed work relatedness of an illness. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in four databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and OSH-Update). Two reviewers independently performed the article selection and data extraction. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, levels of agreement and predictive values were rated against predefined criteria, and sources of heterogeneity were explored. Results: In 32 studies, workers' self-reports of health conditions were compared with the "reference standard" of expert opinion. We found that agreement was mainly low to moderate. Self-assessed work relatedness of a health condition was examined in only four studies, showing low-to-moderate agreement with expert assessment. The health condition, type of questionnaire, and the case definitions for both self-report and reference standards influence the results of validation studies. Conclusions: Workers' self-reported illness may provide valuable information on the presence of disease, although the generalizability of the findings is limited primarily to musculoskeletal and skin disorders. For case finding in a population at risk, e.g., an active workers' health surveillance program, a sensitive symptom questionnaire with a follow-up by a medical examination may be the best choice. Evidence on the validity of self-assessed work relatedness of a health condition is scarce. Adding well-developed questions to a specific medical diagnosis exploring the relationship between symptoms and work may be a good strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia is the property of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives. The objective was to answer the following questions: What is the prevalence of potentially work-related diseases in the general practice population? What is the incidence of consulting a GP for a potentially work-related disease? What is the relationship between diseases seen in general practice and work ability? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: In contrast to the enormous importance of work to the life of humans and societies, the working environment has so far played only a minor role in health monitoring. However, increasingly it is realized that work has a strong public health impact and therefore is also a cost factor to modern societies. The aim of the project WORKHEALTH, which is currently being carried out under the EU health monitoring programme, is the establishment of indicators for work-related health monitoring in Europe from a public health perspective. Working procedure: The work will be carried out by means of three work packages: a synopsis of existing work-related indicator sets together with the identification of areas still to be developed, resulting specification of new indicators for work-related health monitoring, and the development of operational definitions for these indicators. The project includes strong links to the fields of occupational health and safety, public health, social insurance and labour inspectorates to include demands from, as well as to disseminate results to, these different institutions also involved in aspects of work-related health monitoring. Expected results and contributions: Expected results will be indicators for work-related health monitoring that have been developed jointly with the participation of all Member States and different stakeholders within this field, and which permit comparable and reliable data at a national as well as European level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In contrast to the enormous importance of work to the life of humans and societies, the working environment has so far played only a minor role in health monitoring. However, increasingly it is realized that work has a strong public health impact and therefore is also a cost factor to modern societies. The aim of the project WORKHEALTH, which is currently being carried out under the EU health monitoring programme, is the establishment of indicators for work-related health monitoring in Europe from a public health perspective. Working procedure: The work will be carried out by means of three work packages: a synopsis of existing work-related indicator sets together with the identification of areas still to be developed, resulting specification of new indicators for work-related health monitoring, and the development of operational definitions for these indicators. The project includes strong links to the fields of occupational health and safety, public health, social insurance and labour inspectorates to include demands from, as well as to disseminate results to, these different institutions also involved in aspects of work-related health monitoring. Expected results and contributions: Expected results will be indicators for work-related health monitoring that have been developed jointly with the participation of all Member States and different stakeholders within this field, and which permit comparable and reliable data at a national as well as European level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of social change and a transformation in the work situation, interest in the problem of burnout has grown over the past decade. There is a conspicuous discrepancy, however, between what is regarded as certain knowledge and what is published opinion. To date, there is no generally accepted definition of burnout, or binding diagnostic criteria. According to the most common description at present, burnout syndrome is characterized by exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced satisfaction in performance. Because of its aetiopathogenesis, burnout is today mainly regarded as the result of chronic stress which has not been successfully dealt with. This paper gives an overview of the current definition for burnout syndrome and states possible contemporary hypotheses for its aetiology. By examining diagnostic criteria and possible therapies, methods of prevention are discussed. There is an urgent need for further investigations to determine whether burnout syndrome is a work-related disease. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article, we describe methods which have been applied in the compilation of the Atlas of Health and Working Conditions by Occupation. First, we discuss the need for information systems to identify problems concerning working conditions and health. Such information systems have an exploratory purpose, being deployed to identify work risks in companies, groups of occupations and sectors of industry, and can also be a starting point for the generation of hypotheses on the causes of adverse health effects. In the Netherlands, occupational health services gather questionnaire data about work and health as part of periodical occupational health surveys. In the atlas, aggregated questionnaire data for 129 occupations with male employees and 19 occupations with female employees are presented. In this article, we explain the methodology used to compare occupations with regard to each item in the questionnaire. We then discuss applications of these occupational ranking lists. The cross-sectional nature of the data collection, various forms of selection and the limited size of some occupational populations have to be taken into account when interpreting the results. Occupational ranking lists can be applied in the allocation of resources and in the design of scientific research. The overviews for each occupation, presented in the second half of the atlas, provide an occupational profile of existing problems with respect to work and health. These profiles are used as basic information to develop a practical policy on working conditions and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the general Atlas of Health and Working Conditions by Occupation were compared with the results of the Atlas of Health and Working Conditions in the Construction Industry. Both are based on questionnaire data from periodical occupational health surveys [POHSs]. The scores on most of the items showed considerable differences between the two atlases, partly due to differences in the regional origin of the data. Therefore, direct comparisons between the atlases are biased by regional differences. To study the reliability and the generalizability of the results of both atlases, similarities between the data files with respect to occupations in the construction industry were studied. Most of the items on working conditions, especially those with a widespread distribution, showed a close resemblance between the data files in terms of the relative position of an occupation compared to other occupations in the construction industry. The items on health showed less resemblance, except for the items on musculoskeletal complaints, which showed results similar to those of the work items. These results indicate the reliability and generalizability of the judgements based on both atlases outside the regions of origin, as far as items with a widespread distribution are concerned. Therefore, we recommend the aggregation of POHS data on a national scale, taking regional differences into account. In that way, a greater number of occupations will be described and the reliability of the results will be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material handling tasks result in high load on the skeletal system. Long-term employment in transportation jobs may therefore cause a high frequency of orthopaedic diseases, particularly in the spinal region. An epidemiological study was performed on employees from a large company in order to test this hypothesis. The medical history of 249 male transport workers was examined by means of statistical analysis of the orthopaedic diseases documented in the record file of their company's health service. For purposes of comparison, the same data evaluation was performed for an age-matched reference group consisting of 267 persons chosen randomly from among the male employees in the same company. The proportion of persons with orthopaedic diseases amounts to 77.1% among the transport workers and 62.9% among the reference persons. It is consequently 1.22 times higher for the transport workers than for the reference persons ('rate ratio RR' = 1.22). The greatest part of all orthopaedic diseases affects the spine. Within the spine, the lumbar region is the most frequently damaged. Both for the totality of all spinal sections as well as for diseases of particular spinal sections (cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine), the proportion of the transport workers with diseases is higher than that of the reference persons (RR between 1.20 and 1.36). The proportion of persons with spinal diseases increases with age in both groups. There is no observable difference between the groups with regard to the frequency of persons with degenerative diseases. By contrast, the proportion of persons with 'lumbar complaints' (e.g. lumbago, lumbalgia, lumbar ischialgia) is higher among the transport workers than among the reference persons (RR = 1.22). Lumbar complaints occur particularly frequently among the transport workers after a short period of employment. Suggestions for special medical care of transport workers in the first years of employment are derived from this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occupational stress factors related to specific cardiovascular diseases were studied by a questionnaire mailed to 6213 municipal employees aged 45 to 58 years, (response rate 85%) and by a specific job analysis of certain municipal occupations. The highest prevalences of self-reported chronic hypertension were found among male transport workers (19%), technical supervisors (19%) and auxiliary workers (15%), as well as among female domestic helpers (18%) and auxiliary workers (18%). Among men the prevalence of coronary heart disease varied from 9% for dump workers to 0% for dentists (mean 5%) and among women from 4% for kitchen supervisors to 0% for physicians (mean 3%). In the work profile groups with the highest rates of reported, specific cardiovascular diseases, the stress factors of women's work (domestic help and auxiliary work) were high energy demands, heavy dynamic and static work with high application of strength, poor postures, and uncomfortable climatic conditions. These stress factors were also typical among men doing auxiliary work. Other common stress factors among men included sensory-motor work done alone in static, monotonous sitting postures, exposured to vibration, drafts, and continuous alertness of the senses (transport work) and to processing and organization of information together with time pressure linked to decision-making and the need for accurate sensory perception (technical supervision work). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders in farmers. Topics discussed include association of arthritis of the hip and work in the agricultural sector, less incidence of knee osteoarthritis, and cervicobrachial pain. Other topics discussed include role of hand-arm vibration as a strong risk factor among farmers, and work-related diseases.