摘要:

Approximately 1800 workers in pipe manufacturing plants in the United States may have been exposed to &bgr;-napthlyamnine between 1970 and 1996. Once the chemical was detected, the contaminated additive in the resin was identified and discontinued. A bladder cancer-screening program was initiated in 1999. An annual two-stage screening program was developed to test for microscopic hematuria (stage one) and cytology (stage two), with a urology referral of positive or suspicious cytology. This paper presents the program methodology, cohort enumeration, recruitment, and enrollment strategies, and screening protocol. Enrollment data from the first 3 years are presented. Annual screening of a cohort of current and former employees is feasible. Original personnel records are often incomplete, making cohort identification important. Personal contact and follow-up are key elements of successful recruitment and retention.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that the Standard Threshold Shift (STS) be replaced as the sentinel indicator of hearing loss in workplace audiometric surveillance programs. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1220 workers followed for eight consecutive years in the hearing conservation program at the Hanford nuclear facility, to evaluate the relative accuracy of eight candidate threshold-shift criteria for detecting hearing loss over time, using two evaluation methods and comparing to NIOSH findings. The NIOSH-recommended criterion was one of the better criteria. However, the differences between better criteria were less evident using a different evaluation method than the one described by NIOSH. Also, when we compared our findings with those underlying the NIOSH recommendation, the between-database differences were large enough that the smaller between-criteria differences may have limited importance.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

A cohort including all female workers born 1906 through 1945 (n= 413,877) in Finland was identified through the Population Census of Finland of 1970. Incident cases of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract were explored during 1971 to 1995. Job titles in census records were converted to exposures of 31 occupational agents through a job-exposure matrix. For each agent, the product of level and probability of exposures was calculated and subdivided in three categories: zero, low and medium/high. Poisson regression models estimated relative risks (RR) for each agent, standardized for birth cohort, follow-up period, and socioeconomic status. Adjustment at job title level was done for alcohol use for cancers of the esophagus and liver and smoking for pancreatic cancer. The results showing either statistically significant RR at the medium/high level of exposure (RRH) or statistically significant trend (P< 0.05) over the exposure categories were considered as positive findings. Colon cancer risk (2009 cases) was positively associated with sedentary work (RRH1.3, 95% CI = 1.1–1.6;Ptrend 0.001) and negatively associated with perceived workload (Ptrend = 0.007). For stomach cancer (1881 cases), we observed an association with exposure to electromagnetic fields (RRH1.44, 95% CI = 1.01–2.05) and man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF) (p trend 0.03). Rectal cancer (1323 cases) showed an association with chromium (RRH1.9, 95% CI = 1.2–3.1) and oil mist (RR 2.0; 95% CI = 1.0–3.9). For pancreas cancer (1302 cases) we found associations with exposure to chromium (RRH1.8; 95% CI = 1.0–3.1;Ptrend 0.01), electromagnetic fields (RRH1.8; 95% CI = 1.2–2.8;Ptrend 0.02), and sedentary work (RRH1.3; 95% CI = 1.0–1.7;Ptrend 0.05). We found no significant associations between any FINJEM agents and cancers of the esophagus (389 cases), liver (389 cases), and gallbladder (651 cases). Having examined the associations between seven cancer sites and over 30 exposures there exists the real possibility that some of the associations detected are chance findings. Therefore, the associations observed should need to be confirmed in other studies.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

We estimate the incidence and describe patterns of work-related injuries during 1998 to youth in retail trades and services industries. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System and the Current Population Survey were analyzed. The highest number of work-related injuries to youth younger than 18 years occurred in eating and drinking establishments and food stores. Injuries occurring in these industries accounted for 44% of all young worker injuries. Injury rates were similar during summer and school months. Youth continue to experience high numbers and rates of injuries in retail trades and services. Improvements in safety training and injury prevention in these industries, particularly eating and drinking establishments, food stores, and health services, need to be addressed for youth.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Health-related quality of life was estimated using the physical and mental summary scores of the SF-12 Health Survey in a cross-sectional study of a general population of 23,312 individuals aged 40–47 years in Hordaland County, Norway. The mean scores in the main occupational groups were adjusted for lifestyle factors using a six-way analysis of covariance. The category of legislators, senior officials, and managers scored highest on both the physical and the mental components, whereas the drivers scored lowest on the physical health and agricultural and fishery workers scored lowest on mental health. Smoking showed marked dose-response relationships with reduced physical and mental health, and inverse U-shaped relationships were found for alcohol consumption and the body mass index, with the mental scale for body mass index peaking above the recommended range of 18.5 to 25.0 kg/m2. Although selection bias related to the choice of occupation cannot be ruled out, the low scores of the quality of life measure for the agricultural and fishery workers and the drivers most likely reflect the effect of known health stressors for these occupations.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

While aspects of the national response to the last years’ terrorist attacks have included preparedness training for health care institutions, much of the focus has been on clinician recognition of biologic exposures. However, many hospital workers have nonclinical responsibilities (such as housekeepers and mailroom workers) and many more, though active in clinical care, are para-professionals with limited medical training (such as nursing assistants). These workers are critical to the achievement of our institution’s mission to provide competent and compassionate medical care, even during an emergency. In recognition of this, and to understand their attitudes and concerns, we conducted focus groups. The process provided a forum to receive immediate feedback from the workers, and will be used to design customized knowledge and skills training sessions that empower them to take proper responsive action should a terrorist attack occur. Our experience may be useful to others who are planning terrorism preparedness training programs.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID