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Giornale Italiano Di Medicina Del... Mar 2022Professional exposure to benzene has been extensively investigated by occupational medicine, leading to strict regulation of exposure threshold values. However, the... (Review)
Review
Professional exposure to benzene has been extensively investigated by occupational medicine, leading to strict regulation of exposure threshold values. However, the petrochemical industry utilizes many chemical substances, whose exposure, without effective control and mitigation actions, could influence the health status over time. The aim of this narrative review is to describe health status of petrochemical workers related to occupational exposures, inquiring literature from 1980 to present. We used the PubMed and Web of Science search engines. As regards non-neoplastic diseases, despite heterogeneous prevalence estimates, we could say that standardized mortality rate (SMR) for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes does not increase overall, compared to reference populations; a possible explanation may be the "healthy worker effect". Attention should be paid to color disperception and respiratory symptoms, due to toxic or irritating substances exposure. Studies concerning neoplastic pathology have mainly investigated mortality outcomes, finding no increase in cancer, except for melanoma or other skin cancers and leukemia. As regards the former, however, it is not excluded that other risk factors may contribute (e.g. UV rays in offshore workers), while for leukemia, only the most recent studies have analyzed various subtypes of hematopoietic tumors, highlighting a possible risk for the development of myelodysplastic syndrome. The risk of pleural mesothelioma was also increased, likely due to asbestos exposures, while the risk of death from prostate cancer remains controversial.
Topics: Male; Humans; Petroleum; Mesothelioma; Occupational Exposure; Health Status; Leukemia; Occupational Diseases
PubMed: 36346299
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Occupational and... May 2021To develop an actionable plan to sustain and improve the quality of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Occupational and Environmental...
OBJECTIVE
To develop an actionable plan to sustain and improve the quality of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Residency Program.
METHODS
Program metrics were collected and analyzed to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis).
RESULTS
Program strengths are stable funding, full-time faculty and large class size. Weaknesses are limited toxicology curriculum, and the lack of complex clinical cases. Opportunities include establishing an OEM referral clinic, collaborating with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) toxicology programs, aligning OEM research priorities in DoD, and including DoD Civilian physicians in OEM residency training. Threats are Military Health System reorganization, budget, and personnel cuts.
CONCLUSIONS
The USU OEM Residency is strong but must be flexible to adjust to personnel, fiscal, and organizational changes. Aggregating the SWOT analyses for all the OEM residency programs may help identify strategies to sustain OEM training in the United States.
Topics: Curriculum; Environmental Medicine; Humans; Internship and Residency; Occupational Medicine; United States; Universities
PubMed: 33560067
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002151 -
Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do... 2019The aim of the present study was to perform a literature review about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of varicose veins (VV) within the occupational medicine...
The aim of the present study was to perform a literature review about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of varicose veins (VV) within the occupational medicine setting. I reviewed scientific articles, books, master's and doctoral dissertations and synthesized the results of quantitative and qualitative studies. I further retrieved information from Brazilian federal government occupational health websites. The time frame considered was the period from 2004 through 2018. VV are abnormally dilated, twisted and congested veins caused by prolonged peripheral venous hypertension and chronic venous insufficiency. VV most commonly involve the lower limbs in association with static posture and continuous contraction which exhaust the muscles, especially among individuals who remain standing over long periods of time. VV are associated with risk factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle and hormones. Symptoms include feelings of tiredness, pain and swelling. When untreated VV might result in venous ulcers. Occupational physicians should promote changes in the workers' lifestyle, particularly as concerns physical activity (stretching and walking), local massage and elevating the lower limbs - feet about 15 cm above the heart level, and prescribe compression stockings or bandages, and medications such as diosmin, calcium dobesilate, rutosides and horse chestnut extract.
PubMed: 32685759
DOI: 10.5327/Z1679443520190460 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023Sleep 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...
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 ( < 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.
Topics: Humans; Occupational Medicine; Cross-Sectional Studies; Anesthesiology; Sleep; Sleep Deprivation; Fatigue; Work Schedule Tolerance
PubMed: 36767721
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032356 -
Journal of Occupational and... Sep 2020To determine prevalence and key drivers of burnout in Occupational and Environmental Medicine physicians in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To determine prevalence and key drivers of burnout in Occupational and Environmental Medicine physicians in the United States.
METHODS
A nationwide survey of Occupational Medicine physicians was conducted using the Qualtrics® platform. Burnout, measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory®, Social Support, and Job Satisfaction were assessed.
RESULTS
The response rate was 46%, the overall burnout prevalence 38%, and most respondents were men (69%). The mean age and mean years in practice were 56 years and 20 years respectively. Physicians working in government/military (48%) and private medical center group settings (46%) were significantly more likely to report burnout, with consultants (15%) reporting the lowest rate.
CONCLUSIONS
Although the overall burnout prevalence is lower in Occupational Medicine physicians compared with most specialties, the rate varies significantly by practice setting (15% to 48%) affirming the impact of organizational factors.
Topics: Burnout, Professional; Cross-Sectional Studies; Environmental Medicine; Female; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Medicine; Physicians; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States
PubMed: 32890204
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001913 -
New Solutions : a Journal of... Feb 2023An assessment of occupational disease in New York State was undertaken that partially replicated and expanded earlier work from 1987. Utilizing an expanded conception of...
An assessment of occupational disease in New York State was undertaken that partially replicated and expanded earlier work from 1987. Utilizing an expanded conception of occupational disease, the assessment used a variety of data sources and methods to provide estimates of mortality and morbidity of occupational disease; workers exposed to specific workplace hazards; disparities in occupational disease among racial/ethnic groups and gender; costs and distribution of costs of occupational disease; and accessible occupational medical resources. Examples of the pathways work may impact health in some of the major health issues of current import including stress-related health conditions; substance use; and overweight/obesity were included. The report contains recommendations for addressing the problem of occupational disease in New York State and advocates for the convening of a statewide group to develop an occupational disease prevention agenda.
Topics: Humans; New York; Occupational Diseases; Workplace; Costs and Cost Analysis; Information Sources; Occupational Health
PubMed: 36799954
DOI: 10.1177/10482911231152896 -
International Journal of Higher... Dec 2023Field trips are beneficial to students, because they provide experiences outside of the traditional classroom. Incorporating field trips into graduate programs can...
Field trips are beneficial to students, because they provide experiences outside of the traditional classroom. Incorporating field trips into graduate programs can increase students' exposures to real world experiences so that they can incorporate that knowledge as they complete their program. The purpose of the project was to collect and analyze graduate student feedback on 13 in-person interprofessional field trips focused on occupational safety and health. Data were collected through post-field trip structured discussions. Content analysis was used to determine themes. Five themes emerged from the data: Personal Value, Networking and Meeting, Health and Safety Planning and Policy, Environment, and Logistics and Planning. Field trips are valuable learning experiences for graduate students. The field trips in this study offered concrete experiences in occupational safety and health. Post-field trip, students provided feedback through structured discussions, which allowed for reflective observation. Overall, students found personal value in the field trips, observed health and safety procedures and policies in action, learned about various work environments, and provided input on the logistics and planning of field trips.
PubMed: 38077795
DOI: 10.5430/ijhe.v12n6p1 -
HNO Dec 2022Infrasound describes ubiquitous, low-frequency sound (< 20 Hz) in the environment with a long wavelength below the median hearing threshold, which can nevertheless...
Infrasound describes ubiquitous, low-frequency sound (< 20 Hz) in the environment with a long wavelength below the median hearing threshold, which can nevertheless be heard and tactilely perceived, depending on the sound pressure level and frequency spectrum. In nature, infrasound emissions usually occur only in the low-threshold range. Nevertheless, after strong and chronic exposure to usually artificially generated infrasound emissions, various effects on the ear and the body, sometimes questionably critical to health, can be observed. Correct measurement and assessment of infrasound sources is complex and controversial. Established guidelines are scarce. Innovative research areas include infrasound monitoring for evaluation of natural events and infrasound applications in medicine. In the future, it is hoped that new insights will be gained from infrasound research and that a more extensive classification in occupational medicine will be possible.
Topics: Humans; Sound; Hearing
PubMed: 36239759
DOI: 10.1007/s00106-022-01237-y -
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England) Jul 2020
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Fasting; Humans; Occupational Health; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 32428236
DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqaa103 -
La Clinica Terapeutica Apr 2022This work describes what are the regulations in the field of safety and prevention in the workplace, with particular regard to the legal medical aspects of the doctor in... (Review)
Review
This work describes what are the regulations in the field of safety and prevention in the workplace, with particular regard to the legal medical aspects of the doctor in charge of Occupational Medicine in correlation with ergophthalmological examinations. The main subjects of this treatment are the employees videoter-minalists. The first part of this work aims to analyze the compliance, as well as laws and legislative decrees governing the obligations and duties of the employer to its employees, regarding the compliance of workplaces and equipment with the instrument that are routinely used by employees videoterminalists. The discussion continues by focusing on the specific aspects of the ergophthalmological examination. It also describes the different phases of the eye examination, starting from the identification of the employee and then to the collection of anamnestic data, which are an integratedpart of the medical-legal act and are also a useful tool for the final diagnosis. The discussion of the various phases of the ergophthalmological examination concludes with a description of indirect ophthalmoscopy with its crucial points, which are important points in any ophthalmo-logical examination. Given the considerable diffusion and the great amount of tech-nological innovations in the field of display screens, we conclude the discussion with a historical overview of the display screens that have been habitually used by employees in their workplace, describing the mechanism that underlie their operation through some hints of Physics.
Topics: Humans; Occupational Health; Occupational Medicine; Ophthalmologists; Physicians; Workplace
PubMed: 35385044
DOI: 10.7417/CT.2022.2415