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Breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive neoplasm and affects many women of working age. The return to work (RTW) of female survivors (BCSs) is associated with a better quality of life and longer survival. A tailored intervention to promote RTW was launched in 2022. A year later, the women were contacted to find out if RTW had occurred regularly and what their health conditions were compared to the baseline. BCSs reported excessive fatigue, poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression and reduced work ability; these parameters had not improved significantly compared to the baseline. Thematic analysis of the interviews confirmed the presence of personal, company, and societal factors that could hinder or favor RTW. The interviews demonstrated that, even in an economically developed country that has provided numerous benefits for BCSs, protection is not always effective. Personalized intervention seems necessary to complete the process of reintegrating BCSs into their future working careers.

Introduction: Law enforcement workers are generally considered to be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This review aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in police officers, focusing on issues related to stress and sleep. Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Medline and Scopus databases and following the guidelines for scoping literature reviews. Eight studies were included, seven with a cross-sectional design and one longitudinal study, which revealed an association between occupational stress, sleep disturbances, metabolic factors, and cardiovascular risk. Results: Specifically, sleep duration and quality were associated with metabolic syndrome. Occupational stress factors, such as psychosocial burden and required effort, were predictive of metabolic syndrome. Discussion: A strategy for managing cardiovascular risk in law enforcement workers was proposed, including health promotion activities within ongoing occupational health surveillance programs to prevent work-related risks.

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to relevant changes in everyday life worldwide. One of these changes has been a rapid transition to and an increasing implementation of working from home (WH) modality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mandatory WH during the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle behaviors, Mediterranean diet adherence, body weight, and depression. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in the early 2022 at the National Research Council of Italy using ad hoc questions and validated scales collecting information on physical activity, sedentary behavior, hobbies/pastimes, dietary habits including adherence to the Mediterranean diet, body weight, and depression during WH compared with before WH. 748 respondents were included in the study. An increased sedentary lifetime was reported by 48% of respondents; however, the subsample of workers who previously performed moderate physical activity intensified this activity. Body weight gain during WH was self-reported in 39.9% of respondents. Mediterranean diet adherence increased (pMUCH LESS-THAN0.001) during WH compared with before WH. The average level of mental health did not record an overall variation; however, the proportion of subjects with mild and moderate depression increased (p = 0.006), while workers who reported values indicative of depression before the transition declared an improvement. These findings highlight health-related impact of WH during the COVID-19 pandemic that may inform future strategies and policies to improve employees' health and well-being.

Healthcare personnel must deal with two problems of growing importance: violence in the workplace and the loss of work ability due to the aging of the workforce. Our objective was to evaluate, with a two-wave perspective design, the relationships of work ability, social support, and occupational stress with workplace violence in nurses. In an Italian public health company, we asked nurses to self-assess their work ability using the Work Ability Index (WAI) and we analyzed the relationship between this indicator and the violence experienced in the previous and following years. A total of 321 out of 344 nurses (99.3%) participated. In a logistic regression model, the WAI score was a significant protective factor for violence experienced in the previous year (OR = 0.94 CI95% = 0.90; 0.98 p < 0.01) and in the following year (OR = 0.88 CI95% = 0.84; 0.92 p < 0.01). In a hierarchical logistic regression model, social support acted as a protective factor (OR = 0.87 CI95% = 0.79; 0.95 for violence experienced in the previous year), while occupational stress was a significant determinant of the risk of aggression (OR = 3.65 CI95% = 1.90; 7.03 in the previous year, OR = 3.54 CI95% = 1.801; 6.947 in the following year). The difficulties that nurses encounter in carrying out their growing work demands in an environment that is not promptly adapted to their changing physical and mental states can lead to an increased risk of violence. Prevention of workplace violence should include organizational and ergonomic measures that reduce stress and increase staff support and work ability.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are occupationally exposed to varicella zoster virus (VZV), and their inappropriate vaccination status could contribute to an outbreak involving both professionals and the patients they care for, with a potential impact on the general population. Therefore, since 2007, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all HCWs have evidence of immunity against varicella. The present meta-analysis was therefore designed to collect the available evidence on the seronegative status of VZV among HCWs. PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched without backward limit for articles reporting on the seroprevalence of VZV among HCWs, and all articles meeting the inclusion criteria were included in a random-effect meta-analysis model. From 1744 initial entries, a total of 58 articles were included in the quantitative analysis (publication range: 1988 to 2024), for a pooled sample of 71,720 HCWs. Moreover, the included studies reported on seroprevalence data on measles (N = 36,043 HCWs) and rubella (N = 22,086 HCWs). Eventually, the pooled seronegative status for VZV was estimated to be 5.72% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.59 to 7.10) compared to 6.91% (95% CI 4.79 to 9.87) for measles and 7.21% (5.36 to 9.64) for rubella, with a greater risk among subjects younger than 30 years at the time of the survey (risk ratio [RR] 1.434, 95% CI 1.172 to 1.756). Interestingly, medical history of either VZV infection/vaccination had low diagnostic performances (sensitivity 76.00%; specificity 60.12%; PPV of 96.12% but PNV of 18.64%). In summary, the available data suggest that newly hired HCWs are increasingly affected by low immunization rates for VZV but also for measles and rubella, stressing the importance of systematically testing test newly hired workers for all components of the measles-pertussis-rubella-varicella vaccine.

The Work Ability Index (WAI) is the most widely used questionnaire for the self-assessment of working ability. Because of its different applications, shorter versions, and widespread use in healthcare activities, assessing its characteristics is worthwhile. The WAI was distributed online among the employees of a healthcare company; the results were compared with data contained in the employees’ personal health records and with absence registers. A total of 340 out of 575 workers (59.1%) participated; 6.5% of them reported poor work ability. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the one-factor version best described the characteristics of the WAI. The scores of the complete WAI, the shorter form without the list of diseases, and the minimal one-item version (WAS) had equal distribution and were significantly correlated. The WAI score was inversely related to age and significantly lower in women than in men, but it was higher in night workers than in their day shift counterparts due to the probable effect of selective factors. The WAI score was also correlated with absenteeism, but no differences were found between males and females in the average number of absences, suggesting that cultural or emotional factors influence the self-rating of the WAI. Workers tended to over-report illnesses in the online survey compared to data collected during occupational health checks. Musculoskeletal disorders were the most frequently reported illnesses (53%). Psychiatric illnesses affected 21% of workers and had the greatest impact on work ability. Multilevel ergonomic and human factor intervention seems to be needed to recover the working capacity of healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the independent and interactive effects of changes in overtime and night shifts on burnout among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Nurses working in an Italian university hospital (N=317) completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory in September 2019 and again in December 2020. Based on hospital administrative data, changes in overtime and night shifts in the same years were categorized into three groups each. Linear regressions were used to estimate 2020 burnout differences between exposure groups, controlling for 2019 burnout levels, demographic and work-related characteristics, and to test the interaction between the two exposures. RESULTS: Nurses in the onset of high overtime group had higher emotional exhaustion [4.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74-6.92], depersonalization (2.10, 95% CI 0.49-3.71), and poor personal accomplishment (2.64, 95% CI 0.55-4.74) compared to stable low overtime nurses. Nurses in the increase in night shifts group had lower emotional exhaustion (-4.49, 95% CI -7.46- -1.52) compared to no night shift nurses. Interaction analyses revealed that this apparently paradoxical effect was limited to stable low overtime nurses only. Moreover, increases in night shifts were associated with higher depersonalization and poor personal accomplishment in nurses in the stable high overtime group. CONCLUSIONS: Increase in overtime is an independent risk factor for burnout among nurses, highlighting the need for specific regulations and actions to address it. Long-standing guidelines for the assignment of night shifts might have contributed to attenuate the impact of their increase on nurses' mental health.

The Work Ability Index (WAI) is the most commonly used tool for evaluating work capacity. Self-assessments made by workers can be influenced by various occupational and emotional factors. We wanted to study the association of work-related factors, such as work annoyance, stress, overcommitment, job satisfaction, social support, and emotional factors, such as anxiety, depression, and happiness, with work ability, in a sample of 490 healthcare workers from an Italian public health company. A principal component analysis indicated the presence of two components of the WAI questionnaire; the first expresses “subjectively estimated work ability” (SEWA), and the second refers to “ill-health-related work ability” (IHRWA). Using stepwise multiple hierarchical linear regression, we identified the factors that best predicted the total score on the WAI and on the two components. The total score was negatively predicted by anxiety, depression, a lack of happiness, low job satisfaction, overcommitment, and work annoyance. Age, being female, anxiety, and occupational stress were associated with a reduction in the IHRWA component score, while overcommitment, work annoyance, a lack of social support, depression, and a lack of happiness were negatively associated with the SEWA component. These results can help interpret those of epidemiological studies and provide guidance on ways to improve work ability.

The risk of violence is present in all workplaces. It must be accurately assessed to establish prevention and protection measures tailored to the features of each situation. The risk management process requires compliance in a sequential order: i) risk identification, ii) quantitative risk assessment, and iii) impact assessment. Gathering workers’ experiences using lists, focus groups, or participatory ergonomics groups is necessary to identify the phenomenon. For risk assessment, spontaneous reporting of events is often insufficient. It may be complemented with two methods: systematic recording of violent events that occurred in the past year during periodic medical examinations of workers and targeted surveys. The epidemiological analysis of data from individual interviews and surveys provides the phenomenon’s prevalence, incidence, and evolution. Moreover, reporting the harm suffered by victims of violence allows constructing impact matrices to allocate resources where they are most needed.

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections in fully vaccinated individuals are considered a consequence of waning immunity. Serum antibodies represent the most measurable outcome of vaccine-induced B cell memory. When antibodies decline, memory B cells are expected to persist and perform their function, preventing clinical disease. We investigated whether BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine induces durable and functional B cell memory in vivo against SARS-CoV-2 3, 6, and 9 months after the second dose in a cohort of health care workers (HCWs). While we observed physiological decline of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, memory B cells persist and increase until 9 months after immunization. HCWs with breakthrough infections had no signs of waning immunity. In 3–4 days, memory B cells responded to SARS-CoV-2 infection by producing high levels of specific antibodies in the serum and anti-Spike IgA in the saliva. Antibodies to the viral nucleoprotein were produced with the slow kinetics typical of the response to a novel antigen.

The association between stress and sleep that the authors observed in Turkey should have been interpreted considering the working conditions of employees.

Introduction: Burnout syndrome (BOS) among healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread phenomenon that leads to poor staff health and diminished quality of medical care. Spirituality has been proposed as a coping strategy against BOS. The relationship between spirituality and BOS needs to be evaluated. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence for understanding association between spirituality and BOS. Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct a systematic search of bibliographical databases, including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and several others in June 2022. Titles. Abstracts, and full-texts of all articles were screened to determine eligibility. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) quality assessment tool was utilized for the risk of bias (RoB) assessment. Pertinent data were collected using a standardized codebook. Results: Of the original 217 studies, 26 were included in the systematic review, with a total sample of 8,666 participants. Only five studies were interventional or experimental, while the remaining were cross-sectional. Most studies indicated a positive relationship between spiritual well-being or spirituality and personal accomplishment, and a negative association with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Interventional studies found that spirituality-based interventions were effective in reducing BOS among HCWs, however, the evidence is fairly scarce. Discussion and Conclusions: There is weak evidence that spirituality is inversely associated with BOS. There are insufficient evidence that spiritual-based health promotion programs in the workplace may be effective in preventing and/or reducing BOS in HCWs. Take-home message: spirituality-based programs could be integrated in broader organization-oriented programs to improve workers’ well-being and reducing BOS in the workplace.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive cancer in the world. Most BC survivors (BCSs) continue working while dealing with cancer-related disabilities. BCSs’ return-to-work (RTW) after cancer treatment is an important stage of their recovery and is associated with a higher survival rate. In this study, we addressed the RTW of BCSs with the intention of facilitating this process through direct action in the workplace. Thirty-two women who requested assistance from January to December 2022 were enrolled in the study. Semi-structured interviews and medical examinations were conducted by a team of three physicians. Interviews were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Moreover, a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the health status of BCSs with that of a control group of 160 working women, using standardized questionnaires on work ability, fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, and happiness. BCSs were also asked to rate the level of organizational justice they perceived at work prior to their illness. From the qualitative analysis emerged three facilitating/hindering themes: (1) person-related factors, (2) company-related factors, and (3) society-related factors. In the quantitative analysis, BCSs had significantly higher scores for anxiety, depression, sleep problems and fatigue, and lower levels of happiness than controls. The RTW of BCSs entails adapting working conditions and providing adequate support. The work-related analysis of each case made it possible to highlight the measures that need to be taken in the workplace to promote RTW. The treatment of cancer should be paired with advice on the best way to regain the ability to work.

Background: Over 20% of healthcare workers (HCWs) are active smokers. Smoking is a targeted issue for workplace health promotion (WHP) programs. Objective: Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Stop Smoking Promotion (SSP) intervention, a 6-hour training course for HCWs, which took place from May 2018 to July 2019. Methods: We compared HCWs who successfully quit smoking (n = 15) to those who did not (n = 25) in terms of Sickness Absence Days (SADs). Moreover, we conducted an econometric analysis by calculating the return on investment and implementing a break-even analysis. Findings: Among the 40 enrolled workers, a success rate of 37.5% was observed after a span of over two years from the SSP intervention (with nurses and physicians showed the best success rate). Overall, participants showed a noticeable absenteeism reduction after the SSP intervention, with a reduction rate of 85.0% in a one-year period. The estimated ROI for the hospital was 1.90, and the break-even point was 7.85. In other words, the organization nearly doubled its profit from the investment, and the success of at least eight participants balanced costs and profits. Conclusion: Our pilot study confirms that WHP programs are simple and cost-saving tools which may help improve control over the smoking pandemic in healthcare settings.

In 2011, NIOSH launched the Total Worker Health (TWH) strategy based on integrating prevention and health promotion in the workplace. For several years now, in Italy, this integration has led to the creation of workplace health promotion embedded in medical surveillance (WHPEMS). WHPEMS projects, which are also implemented in small companies, focus each year on a new topic that emerges from the needs of workers. During their regular medical check-up in the workplace, workers are invited to fill in a questionnaire regarding the project topic, its outcome, and some related factors. Workers receive advice on how to improve their lifestyles and are referred to the National Health Service for any necessary tests or treatments. Results collected over the past 12 years from more than 20,000 participants demonstrate that WHPEMS projects are economical, sustainable, and effective. The creation of a network of occupational physicians who are involved in WHPEMS projects could help to improve the work culture, health, and safety of workers.

Sleep deprivation is a significant risk to the health and judgment of physicians. We wanted to investigate whether anesthesiology residents (ARs) who work only one night shift per week have different physical and mental health from occupational medicine residents (OMRs) who do not work at night. A total of 21 ARs and 16 OMRs attending a university general hospital were asked to wear an actigraph to record sleep duration, heart rate and step count and to complete a questionnaire for the assessment of sleep quality, sleepiness, fatigue, occupational stress, anxiety, depression and happiness. ARs had shorter sleep duration than OMRs; on average, they slept 1 h and 20 min less (p < 0.001). ARs also had greater daytime sleepiness, a higher heart rate and lower happiness than OMRs. These results should be interpreted with caution given the cross-sectional nature of the study and the small sample size, but they are an incentive to promote sleep hygiene among residents.

Introduction: Burnout syndrome (BOS) is a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. This umbrella review aimed to investigate BOS among healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses concerning the prevalence of BOS among physicians, nurses, medical students and other HCWs, and its associated factors was conducted across PubMed Central/Medline, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO and Epistemonikos databases. Only systematic reviews and meta-analyses from inception to 15 January 2020 and restricted to English language documents were included. Results: A total of 43 studies met the full inclusion criteria and were included. Among them, there were 3 meta-analyses, 26 systematic reviews, and 14 systematic reviews with meta-analysis. The prevalence of BOS was highest among nurses, younger persons, and trainees. The most frequent risk factors associated with BOS included stress, lack of family support, and organizational risk factors such as prolonged night shifts, length of experience, and exposure to traumatic events. Individual coping strategies such as exercise and communication with peers, and organizational strategies such as periodic review of shift schedule should be undertaken. Discussion: BOS has profound effects on the mental health states of HCWs. Individuals and the hospital authority need to pay specific attention to work-related stress risk factors to improve the psychological well-being of HCWs.

Despite the advent of modern technologies, biological risks still cause concern in workplaces. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed to a wide range of occupational risks including biological and psychosocial ones. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HCWs experienced unprecedented levels of distress, especially due to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion and the fear of spreading the virus in the work and social community. This emotional overload led to an increase in mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, and burnout) that can hinder patients' safety and the quality of care. After outlining the international safety regulation on biological risks, we discussed the interplay between biohazard and psychosocial risk, focusing on how to prevent occupational infections in healthcare using comprehensive action strategies that aim to ensure a healthy work environment to improve, protect, and promote the health and safety of all workers. Occupational infections, particularly those caused by emerging agents and/or responsible for epidemics, still cause concern in health care workers globally and require prompt action to implement health and safety programs.

In complex systems such as hospitals, work organization can influence the level of occupational stress and, consequently, the physical and mental health of workers. Hospital healthcare workers were asked to complete a questionnaire during their regular occupational health examination, in order to assess the perceived level of organizational justice, and to verify whether it was associated with occupational stress, mental health, and absenteeism. The questionnaire included the Colquitt Organizational Justice (OJ) Scale, the Karasek/Theorell demand-control-support (DCS) questionnaire for occupational stress, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) for mental health. Workers were also required to indicate whether they had been absent because of back pain in the past year. Organizational justice was a significant predictor of occupational stress. Stress was a mediator in the relationship between justice and mental health. Occupational stress was more closely related to perceptions of lack of distributive justice than to perceptions of procedural, informational, and interpersonal justice. Physicians perceived significantly less distributive justice than other workers. In adjusted univariate logistic regression models, the perceptions of organizational justice were associated with a significant reduction in the risk of sick leave for back pain (OR 0.96; CI95% 0.94–0.99; p < 0.001), whereas occupational stress was associated with an increased risk of sick leave (OR 6.73; CI95% 2.02–22.40; p < 0.002). Work organization is a strong predictor of occupational stress and of mental and physical health among hospital employees.

Introduction: Workplace violence (WV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread phenomenon, which contributes to increasing occupational stress. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the world's population to intense stress. It is therefore questionable whether there is a correlation between the two phenomena, violence and COVID-19. This systematic review aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of WV against HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across PubMed Central/Medline, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO and Epistemonikos databases using predefined search criteria. Only studies containing quantitative and mixed-method research from the inception of the pandemic to 22 February 2022 and published in English language were included. Results: Overall, 61 articles were retrieved, and a total of 15 studies met the full inclusion criteria and were included. Most of the studies reported both physical and psychological (verbal and non-verbal) WV, which was perpetrated by personal (family members, friends, neighbors) and/or professional relationships (bosses, co-workers, patients’ relatives, strangers). The overall prevalence of WV ranged from 18.5% to 84.5%. In many cases, victims of WV during the COVID-19 pandemic included frontline HCWs and staff working in emergency departments. Discussion: Our findings showed a high prevalence of WV against HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Males, young people, those with less working experience, and those working in direct contact with patients infected by the virus were the most relevant risk factors for WV, that was mostly perpetrated by caregivers and COVID-19 patients’ family members. Occupational health services, hospital management and policymakers should cooperate to address these psychosocial risk factors to protect the mental health of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Take-home message: This systematic review showed a high prevalence of workplace violence against healthca

OH plays a new and insightful role in helping society achieve higher levels of health. In this regard, WHP programs offer an invaluable and inclusive chance to support workers and a cost-saving prospect for employers.

The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also for an increased risk of mental and physical disorders. This study was aimed at testing this hypothesis. Workers of a local health unit in Italy were asked to fill out the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) during their periodic medical examinations in the second half of 2018. On the same occasion, they also completed the Demand/Control/Support (DCS) measure of job strain, the Effort/Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) to assess psychological health. A total of 345 workers (85.8%) completed the survey. Linear regression analysis showed that the quality of work organization was inversely proportional to psychological health problems (p < 0.001). Occupational stress, measured both by job strain and ERI, was a moderating factor in this relationship. The relationship between the WOAQ and psychological health, moderated by job strain or ERI, remained highly significant even after adjustment for sex, age, social support, and overcommitment. Regression models explained over 40% of the shared variance of the association between quality of work organization and psychological health. The quality of work organization significantly predicted the risk of sickness absence for musculoskeletal disorders (OR = 0.984, CI95% 0.972-0.996) and for other health problems (OR = 0.977, CI95% 0.967-0.988). A continuous improvement of work organization must consider not only the clients' or production needs but also the well-being of workers.

Robberies and other violent acts by strangers and intruders are common in banks, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder in employees. However, the literature indicates that more subtle and less measurable forms of violence, such as psychological violence, can also cause discomfort among employees. The aim of the present work is to investigate the prevalence of verbal aggression and its consequences among 311 Italian bank employees. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 197 employees. The results showed a high prevalence of verbal aggression in the sample. It is important to investigate and find the causes and effects of verbal aggression in order to understand the phenomenon in this workplace. Cases of verbal aggression need to be prevented and responded to appropriately. In addition, it should be noted that the effects of verbal aggression do not only affect the victim, but also the workplace, as productivity decreases, and the feeling of a safe environment is missing.

Introduction: A significant reorganization of working activities including those of teaching hospitals occurred after COVID-19 outbreak, leading to the need to re-assess the current status of training after the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the state of general surgery (GS) residency in Italy. The impact of COVID-19 on GS residents was also assessed. Methods: Between October and November 2020, an anonymous online survey was distributed to GS residents across Italy. Email addresses were provided by the Regional Committees of the Italian Polyspecialistic Society of Young Surgeons. The residents completed a set of questions regarding their training schedule and three standardized questionnaires to measure burnout and psychological distress. Results: Overall, 1709 residents were contacted and 648 completed the survey. Almost two-thirds of the residents (68.4%, n = 443) reported to not reach the minimum annual operative case volume. According to ordinal logistic regression analysis, two of the most perceived effects of COVID-19 by trainees on training were reduction of surgical activities (OR = 2.21, p < 0.001) and increased concerns about future employment (OR = 1.14, p = 0.025). Loss of training opportunities was also associated with a significant increase of distress (OR = 1.26, p = 0.003) but not with burnout. Conclusions: This study provided a snapshot of the situation of GS residents in Italy after COVID-19 outbreak. Reduction of activities due to pandemic highlighted the need to improve the level of surgical education in our country by implementing all the new available tools for training and ensuring at the same time the well-being of the residents.

Existing measures of the impact of job characteristics on workers' well-being do not directly assess the extent to which such characteristics (e.g., opportunity to learn new skills) are perceived as positive or negative. We developed a measure, the Work Annoyance Scale (WAS), of the level of annoyance that workers feel about certain aspects of the job and evaluated its psychometric properties. Using archival data from two cohorts (n = 2226 and 655) of workers that had undergone an annual medical examination for occupational hazard, we show the usefulness of the network psychometric approach to scale validation and its similarities and differences from a traditional factor analytic approach. The results revealed a two-dimensional structure (working conditions and cognitive demands) that was replicable across cohorts and bootstrapped samples. The two dimensions had adequate structural consistency and discriminant validity with respect to other questionnaires commonly used in organizational assessment, and showed a consistent pattern of association with relevant background variables. Despite the need for more extensive tests of its content and construct validity in light of the organizational changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and of an evaluation of the generalizability of the results to cultural contexts different from the Italian one, the WAS appears as a psychometrically sound tool for assessment and research in organizational contexts.

Hopelessness is a particularly critical condition and a risk factor for suicide. Many studies have reported that this condition is common in some occupations and is associated with high stress that is not properly managed. This study examined the prevalence of hopeless status (HS) in a sample of police officers (POs) and the association of hopelessness with depression, burnout, and suicidality. In total, 127 out of 231 POs participated in the survey; they were assessed with the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Beck Depression Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. A total of 26.5% of POs reported hopelessness, and a significant association was found with depression and burnout; in individual cases, these conditions were associated with suicidal thoughts. In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for confounding variables, depression, emotional exhaustion, and reduction of personal accomplishment were significantly associated with HP status. Depression (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1–9.12) and emotional exhaustion (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.06–3.32) significantly increased the risk of hopelessness, while personal accomplishment (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.32–1) was a protective factor. Hopelessness appears to be a very important factor to consider when assessing POs’ mental health.

The Prospective Study of Intensivists and COVID-19 (PSIC) is a longitudinal study that besides investigating a cohort of intensivists from one of the two COVID-19 hub hospitals in Central Italy since the beginning of the pandemic (first wave, April 2020), has conducted a new survey at each successive wave. In addition to the variables investigated in previous surveys (job changes due to the pandemic, justice of safety procedures, job stress, sleep quality, satisfaction, happiness, anxiety, depression, burnout, and intention to quit), the latest fourth wave (December 2021) study has evalu-ated discomfort in caring for anti-vax patients. A multivariate logistic regression model confirmed that high levels of occupational stress (distressed 75.8%) were associated with isolation, monotony, lack of time for meditation, and poor relationships with anti-vaccination patients. Compared to the first phase, there was a reduction in levels of insomnia and anxiety, but the percentage of intensivists manifesting symptoms of depression remained high (58.9%). The study underlined the efficacy of organizational interventions and psychological support.

The aim of this paper is to highlight the organizational factors that might influence perceived discomfort in police officers. The studies included in the thematic review referred to specific factors, not the general terms “organizational stressors” or “workplace stressors”. It is important to emphasize this distinction because most studies use the general term “organizational stressor” (referring to context) to distinguish from “operational stressor” (referring to content, such as exposure to danger, threat, and trauma). For our purposes, we selected the studies that examined specific organizational factors. The results indicate that organizational social support, organizational culture, leadership, and bureaucracy are the organizational factors associated with police officers’ perceived discomfort. These organizational factors could have negative impacts on individuals, perceptions of stigma when contacting support services, anxiety and depressive symptoms, burnout, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts, among others.

Headache is a very common condition that can have a significant impact on work. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of headaches and their impact on a sample of 1076 workers from 18 small companies operating in different sectors. The workers who volunteered to participate were asked to fill in the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and answer questions designed to assess stressful and traumatic factors potentially associated with headaches. The volunteers subsequently underwent a medical examination and tests for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Out of the 1044 workers who completed the questionnaire (participation rate = 97%), 509 (48.8%) reported suffering from headaches. In a multivariate logistic regression model, female gender, recent bereavement, intrusive leadership, and sleep problems were significantly associated with headaches. In univariate logistic regression models, headache intensity was associated with an increased risk of anxiety (OR 1.10; CI95% 1.09; 1.12) and depression (OR 1.09; CI95% 1.08; 1.11). Headache impact was also associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome (OR 1.02; CI95% 1.00, 1.04), obesity (OR 1.02, CI95% 1.01; 1.03), and reduced HDL cholesterol (OR 1.03; CI95% 1.01; 1.04). The impact of headache calls for intervention in the workplace not only to promote a prompt diagnosis of the different forms of headaches but also to improve work organization, leadership style, and the quality of sleep.

Lyme disease (LD) can have significant consequences for the health of workers. The frequency of infection can be estimated by using prevalence and incidence data on antibodies against Borrelia Burgdoferi (BB). A systematic search of studies published in English between 2002 and 2021 and a meta-analysis were conducted in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Out of a total of 1125 studies retrieved, 35 articles were included in the systematic review. Overall, in these studies, outdoor workers showed a 20.5% BB seroprevalence rate. Meta-analysis, performed on 15 studies (3932 subjects), revealed a significantly increased risk in outdoor activities (OR 1.93 95%CI 1.15–3.23), with medium-level heterogeneity (I2 = 69.2%), and non-significant publication bias. The estimated OR in forestry and agricultural workers was 2.36 (CI95% 1.28; 4.34) in comparison with the controls, while a non-significant increase in risk (OR = 1.05, CI95% 0.28; 3.88) was found in the remaining categories of workers (veterinarians, animal breeders, soldiers). The estimated pooled risk was significantly higher in the studies published until 2010 (OR 3.03 95% CI 1.39–6.61), while in more recent studies the odds became non-significant (OR 1.08 95% CI 0.63–1.85). The promotion of awareness campaigns targeting outdoor workers in endemic areas, and the implementation of local programs aimed at controlling range expansion of vectors, are key strategies for protecting workers.

Although counts of occupational neurological disorder compose only a small part of the overall occupational disorders, it has a significant impact on the occupational safety and health system. With this Research Topic, we have promoted an increased attention and interest in strengthening the existing ties and dialogue between neuroscience and occupational health from prevention, to diagnosis and management up labor reintegration strategies of workers. Workplace participation of individuals with disabilities continues to be a challenge. From a broader perspective, this improvement might help to reduce the percentage of work leave due to disease, reduce workplace accidents, and improve the mental health of workers

Occupational exposure to elemental mercury still represents a significant risk in the workplace. The sensitivity of the exposed subjects varies considerably. This study aims to summarize the literature on the role of genetic factors in occupationally exposed cohorts. A systematic search of the literature was carried out on PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases in accordance with the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines, from 1946 to July 2020. Ten cross-sectional studies were included in the review. All studies referred to the polymorphisms that can favour some neurotoxic effects of the metal in occupational cohorts. Some genetic variants may be associated with an increase in the occupational effects of mercury. Given the limited evidence, genetic screening of all mercury-exposed workers is not recommended. However, a personalized search for polymorphisms could be taken into consideration if exposed workers report early neurotoxic symptoms.

Aim: To develop an instrument to investigate knowledge and predictive factors of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) in nursing students during clinical placements. Design: Instrument development and cross-sectional study for psychometric testing. Methods: A self-administered instrument including demographic data, injury epidemiology and predictive factors of NSIs was developed between October 2018–January 2019. Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. The instrument's factor structure and discriminant validity were explored using principal components analysis. The STROBE guidelines were followed. Results: Evidence of content validity was found (S-CVI 0.75; I-CVI 0.50–1.00). A three-factor structure was shown by exploratory factor analysis. Of the 238 participants, 39% had been injured at least once, of which 67.3% in the second year. Higher perceptions of “personal exposure” (4.06, SD 3.78) were reported by third-year students. Higher scores for “perceived benefits” of preventive behaviours (13.6, SD 1.46) were reported by second-year students.