摘要:

The Occupational Medicine Forum presents questions of general interest received by the ACOEM Committee on Occupational Medical Practice. Answers usually are prepared by the Committee, representing the composite best judgment of its members. Such replies do not necessarily represent an official position of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. In some cases, the responses will be prepared at the Committee's request by consultants with special qualifications in specific fields. Questioners are not named. Readers who wish to submit questions to the Committee should address inquiries to: Committee on Occupational Medical Practice, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55 W. Seegers Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Medical claims cost distributions and factors that relate to these costs were studied among 7796 employees who selected an indemnity medical plan for at least one year during 1985 to 1990. Descriptions for medical claims costs were presented for both single- and multiple-year time periods. Factors that associated with high cost status were studied by using multiple logistic regression models. Employees at or above the top tenth cost percentile were accounted for approximately 80%, 65%, and 58% of the total employees' medical costs to the employer in single-year, 3-year, and 6-year periods, respectively. Bivariate analyses indicated that six of the seven selected demographic variables were significantly related to cost status. When the multivariate models excluded health risk measures, four of the demographic variables and the frequency of health risk appraisal completion were significantly associated with cost status. When the multivariate models included health risk measures, the health risk measures became the dominant predictors of the high-cost status.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

We analyzed data from 1987 to 1990 National Health Interview Surveys and compared them with 1978 to 1980 National Health Interview Surveys data to determine changes in cigarette smoking prevalence by occupation. During this period, cigarette smoking prevalence declined from 31.7% to 24.2% among white-collar workers, from 43.7% to 39.2% among blue-collar workers, and from 37.2% to 34.5% among service workers. For occupational groups, the largest significant declines in smoking prevalence occurred among male sales workers (10.5 percentage points), female and male managers and administrators (9.9 and 8.7 percentage points), female professional and technical workers (8.0 percentage points), and male transportation equipment operatives (7.5 percentage points). Analyses of 1987 to 1990 detailed occupation codes revealed that roofers (57.8%) and crane and tower operators (57.6%) had the highest prevalences of cigarette smoking, whereas physicians (5.4%) and clergy (6.5%) had the lowest smoking prevalences. Since 1978 to 1980, the differences in smoking prevalence by occupation have widened, providing further evidence that smoking has moved from a relatively common behavior practiced by most segments of society to one that has become more concentrated among selected subpopulations. Health professionals need to play an important role in encouraging smoking cessation among workers and in advising management and labor about the benefits of strong work-site smoking policies.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Lead exposures were evaluated at a battery reclamation facility in Alabama. A questionnaire obtained work and health information. Medical tests included blood lead, zinc protoporphyrin, hematocrit, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and uric acid. An investigation of workers' family members and neighborhood residents was conducted. Fourteen of 15 workers had blood lead levels greater than 50 μg/dL. Zinc protoporphyrin was >79 μg/dL in 14 workers. Four workers had hematocrit <40%; six had elevated serum creatinine (>13 mg/dL). Workers' blood lead levels increased significantly over 2 years (β = 1.004 μg/dL per month). Ten workers had elevated air lead levels. Twelve of 16 employee children had blood lead levels >10 μg/dL; 3 were greater than 40 μg/dL. Workers' children had significantly higher blood lead levels than did neighborhood comparison children. Reclamation of lead batteries unaccompanied by smelting poses a health hazard to workers and their children.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The effect of an employer-sponsored health promotion program on worker absenteeism is examined over a 4-year period in a group of 4972 Duke University hourly employees. Program participants experienced an average of 4.6 fewer absentee hours in the third year of program availability than did nonparticipants, after controlling for baseline absenteeism, gender, race, education, and age. These results suggest that employer-sponsored health promotion initiatives can have a favorable influence on absenteeism.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Chronic, recurrent low back pain, although one of the most commonly encountered medical conditions in the workplace, is one of the most difficult to manage. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the proper management of the worker with recurrent low back pain poses an even greater challenge. We propose an interdisciplinary methodology to evaluate the worker at high medical risk of recurrent low back pain and determine the potential ergonomic risks of essential function tasks in material-handling work. The proposal considers the ethical and legal liabilities of risk assessment and fitness for duty evaluation that physicians, ergonomists, attorneys, and ultimately business managers and supervisors experience in balancing the societal interests represented by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID