Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Heat Stress In Migrant Farmworkers, Stephen L. Mcqueen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rate of heat-related fatalities in crop production workers is almost 20 times that of other industries. Heat stress was investigated in migrant tomato workers in July, 2012, using measurements of body temperature, heart rates, body weight loss, evaluation of the thermal environment, and survey data. Using occupational safety criteria, these workers were found to work in an environment that should require protective measures to prevent heat strain. Increases in body temperature, heart rate, and physiological strain correlated with heat exposure. One third of workers had body weight percentage losses that indicated dehydration. However, working in hot environments appears to …

A Practical Scale For Multi-Faceted Organizational Health Climate Assessment, Zandra M. Zweber

Master's Theses

The current study sought to develop a practical scale to measure workplace health climate in a way that has not previously been conceptualized – as a three-faceted approach from the employee perspective serving as an indicator of a healthy organization. The goal was to create a short, useable yet comprehensive scale that could translate into practical use by organizations and occupational health professionals planning workplace interventions. To accomplish this, the proposed multi-faceted organizational health climate scale (MOHCA) assesses three-facets which match up with three organizational levels: 1) organization 2) supervisor and 3) workgroup. Ten items were developed and tested on …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Beryllium Sensitization And Chronic Beryllium Disease, Jeffrey Robert Miller

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a theoretical model that explains the psychosocial effects of beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Sequential, mixed research methods were used. The study population was current and former workers from Department of Energy laboratories and manufacturing facilities who have either BeS or CBD. A theoretical model based on uncertainty in illness and psychosocial adjustment to illness theories was developed. It was hypothesized that uncertainty had a negative effect on health quality of life unless mediated by the ability to make psychosocial adjustments to illness. Qualitative study results supported …

Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Update, Enrique Diaz-Guzman, David M. Mannino, Shambhu Aryal

David M. Mannino

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized and nonindustrialized countries. Although tobacco use remains the main factor associated with development of the disease, occupational risk factors represent an important and preventable cause. The most common occupationally related factors include exposure to organic dusts, metallic fumes, and a variety of other mineral gases and/or vapors. This article summarizes the literature on the subject and provides an update of the most recent advances in the field.

Recycling And Reuse Of Radioactive Materials, Thomas Joseph O'Dou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Radiochemistry Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has a Radiation Protection Program that was designed to provide students with the ability to safely work with radioactive materials in quantities that are not available in other academic environments. Requirements for continuous training and supervision make this unique program capable of turning out graduates that have an understanding of contamination and dose control techniques that complement their knowledge of the elements that they work with. The Program has also adopted a radionuclide recovery and reuse program that has provided materials from other universities, government agencies, and private companies …

Musculoskeletal Pain And Psychological Distress In Hospital Patient Care Workers, Silje Reme, Jack Dennerlein, Dean Hashimoto, Glorian Sorensen

Dean M. Hashimoto

Purpose

The aim of the study was to assess the association of psychological distress and musculoskeletal pain, how it is related to pain interference with work and multiple pain areas, and potential differences between the different pain areas in hospital patient care workers.

Methods

Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of patient care workers (n = 1,572) from two large hospitals.

Results

Patient care workers with musculoskeletal pain reported significantly more psychological distress than those without pain. Psychological distress was significantly related to pain interference with work, even after adjusting for pain and demographics (OR = 1.05; CI = …

Characterization Of Microflora In Latin-Style Cheeses By Next-Generation Sequencing Technology, Tina S. Lusk, Andrea R. Ottesen, James R. White, Marc W. Allard, Eric W. Brown, Julie A. Kase

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

Cheese contamination can occur at numerous stages in the manufacturing process including the use of improperly pasteurized or raw milk. Of concern is the potential contamination by Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogenic bacteria that find the high moisture levels and moderate pH of popular Latin-style cheeses like queso fresco a hospitable environment. In the investigation of a foodborne outbreak, samples typically undergo enrichment in broth for 24 hours followed by selective agar plating to isolate bacterial colonies for confirmatory testing. The broth enrichment step may also enable background microflora to proliferate, which can confound subsequent analysis if not inhibited …

Introduction Of A Waterless Alcohol-Based Hand Rub In A Long-Term Care Facility, Lona Mody, Mcneil A. Shelly, Rongjun Sun, Bradley Suzanne, Carol A. Kauffman

Rongjun Sun

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of introduction of an alcohol-based hand rub on hand hygiene knowledge and compliance and hand colonization of healthcare workers (HCWs) in a long-term-care facility (LTCF). METHODS: Two floors of an LTCF participated. Ward A used the hand rub as an adjunct to soap and water; ward B was the control. HCWs' hands were cultured using the bag-broth technique for Staphylococcus aureus, gram-negative bacilli (GNB), Candida, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). HCWs completed a questionnaire at baseline and after an educational intervention and introduction of rub. RESULTS: Hand hygiene practices, knowledge, and opinions did not change after …

Lessons From The Trenches: Meeting Evaluation Challenges In School Health Education, Michael Young, George Denny, Joseph Donnelly

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

BACKGROUND: Those involved in school health education programs generally believe that health education programs can play an important role in helping young people make positive health decisions. Thus, it is to document the effects of such programs through rigorous evaluations published in peer‐reviewed journals.

METHODS: This paper helps the reader understand the context of school health program evaluation, examines several problems and challenges, shows how problems can often be fixed, or prevented, and demonstrates ways in which challenges can be met. A number of topics are addressed, including distinguishing between curricula evaluation and evaluation of outcomes, types of evaluation, identifying …

The Presence Of Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Attic Insulation And/Or Other Asbestos Containing Materials In Homes And The Potential For Living Space Contamination, Terry Spear, Julie Hart, Tessa Spear, Molly Loushin, Natalie Shaw, Mohamed Elasheb

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Asbestos-contaminated vermiculite attic insulation (VAI) produced from a mine near Libby, Montana, may be present in millions of homes along with other commercial asbestos-containing materials (ACM). The primary goal of the research described here was to develop and test procedures that would allow for the safe and effective weatherization of low-income homes with asbestos. The presence of asbestos insulation was confirmed by bulk sampling of the suspect asbestos material. The homes were then tested for the presence of asbestos fibers in the living spaces. All 40 homes containing VAI revealed the presence of amphibole asbestos in bulk samples. Asbestos (primarily …

Ergonomic Evaluation Of Shoulder Muscle Activation During Light Weight Hand Tool Exertion Task, Gul Ahmed

Theses

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of shoulder muscle activation during hand exertion tasks using a light weight hand tool by working individuals. Electromyography (EMG) of trapezius, supraspinatus, triceps, and pectoralis major was conducted for 45°, 0° and -45° arm angles, for three different reaches i.e. normal, maximum and extreme and three different push forces low, medium and high. Ten volunteers participated in the experimental study. The effects of push force and reach distance were found to be statistically significant for all four muscles. However the effect of change of angle was not found to be statistically significant, …

Owner/Operator Hauling Asphalt Flux Dies After Driving Into A Ravine And Striking Trees, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

In the early morning of a late summer’s day, a 50 year old semi-truck driver was transporting a load of asphalt flux. He had been driving for approximately five hours and was getting ready to exit the interstate when for an unknown reason, the unit left the interstate, sideswiped a SUV parked on the shoulder, drove through a guardrail then proceeded into a ravine. A passing motorist called emergency services, who upon their arrival contacted the local coroner. The driver had been ejected from the cab and was pronounced dead at the scene.

To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, …

Relationships Of Heat Stress Levels To Heat-Related Disorders And Acute Injury During Deepwater Horizon Cleanup Operations, Michael H. Hiles

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Outdoor workers are often subjected to thermal conditions beyond the comfort zone, but to what degree do such conditions affect the health and safety of those workers is still a matter requiring further investigation. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between thermal conditions and (1) heat-related disorders and (2) acute injuries using injury and illness data collected during the BP Deepwater Horizon clean-up operations. Over an eleven month period, 5,485 cases were identified as either heat-related or an acute injury (incident type) and further divided by severity. Daily weather data were used to estimate the wet …

Timing And Risk Factors Associated With Relapse Among Smokers Attempting To Quit In Malaysia, Retneswari Masilamani

Retneswari Masilamani

BACKGROUND: Many smokers attempt to quit smoking, but very few succeed. OBJECTIVE: To identify the timing and risk factors involved in smoking relapse. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study among staff in two public universities in Malaysia. Behavioural therapy with free nicotine replacement therapy was given as treatment. Participants were followed up for 6 months. Relapse was defined as returning to smoking after having quit for at least 24 h. RESULTS: Of 185 smokers who volunteered to participate, 120 achieved at least 24-h abstinence, and 80% of these relapsed within 2 months. Compared to participants who attended a single …

Roadside Responder Is Struck By A Box Truck And Dies, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

On a winter day, a 53-year-old retired fire chief was working for an environmental company to clean up a tractor trailer crash along an interstate. A semi tractor-trailer driver had fallen asleep and crashed. The environmental company had been deployed to assist in the cleanup and facilitate a lane closure. The cleanup was almost complete and there were five workers left at the incident site. They were working in the right lane loading a tag-along trailer with items from the crash when a box truck crashed into the work zone, striking the worker, and killing him.

To prevent future occurrences …

Factores De Riesgo Psicosociales Laborales Incidentes En La Salud De Los Médicos De Familia En Guadalajara, México, Carolina Aranda-Beltrán, Manuel Pando-Moreno, José G. Salazar-Estrada, Teresa M. Torres-López, María G. Aldrete-Rodríguez

José G. Salazar Estrada

The presence of psychosocial risk factors at work can lead to negative physical and mental manifestations in workers. So any pathology arising from chronic exposure to these risks, as is the burnout syndrome and its consequences can be sequel thereof. The objective of this research was to analyze the psychosocial risk factors that negatively affect family physicians’ health who work for a public health institution, Guadalajara, Mexico. The study was descriptive, analytical and correlational, in wich 203 physicians were included. Two assessment questionnaires were used in this study: the Guide to Identify Psychosocial Factors and the scale of “Maslach Burnout …

"Sewing A Safety Net: Scarborough's Maritime Community, 1747-1765", Charles Foy

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

From 1747 to 1765 Scarborough created a safety net to keep its maritime dependents from becoming impoverished. A web of kinship connections that permitted sailors to move between land and sea as well as between maritime roles as they aged; the employment of maritime servants; the extensive hiring of elderly seamen; the use of the Seamen’s Sixpence after legislative reform in 1747 to develop locally operated seamen’s hospitals for the benefit of sailors and their families; and strong community support of the hospitals worked together to provide a social safety net that was, by eighteenth century standards, robust and effective.

Experimental Validation Of The Multiple-Zone System Ventilation Efficiency Equation Of Ansi/Ashrae Standard 62.1 (1276-Rp), David P. Yuill, Grenville K. Yuill, Andrew H. Coward

David Yuill

This article describes an experiment that was carried out on an existing building to test the validity of the system ventilation efficiency equation for multiple-zone recirculating systems of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1. The system ventilation efficiency equation (SVEE) can be applied to buildings that use a recirculating air distribution system. It accounts for the fact that the return air carries some “unused” outdoor air, so that the amount of new outdoor air introduced at the air handler can be reduced. The SVEE is based on a mass balance but infiltration and interzonal mixing are not included in the formulation. Since infiltration …

Safety Climate Perceptions Of Contingent And Permanent Employees Associated With The Manufacturing Of Office Products, Anthony Jeffery Depietro

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there were differences in the perceived safety climate experienced by contingent employees as compared to the perceptions of permanent workers’ safety climate. Knowledge of these differences will help safety professionals provide better safety training and working conditions for contingent workers. Safety climate is defined as employees’ perceptions of safety polices, procedures, and practices (Kath, Marks, & Ranney, 2010). The population for the study included employees who work for a manufacturer of office products located in Tennessee. A total of 813 employees participated in the study with a response rate of 87% …

Using Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Models To Incorporate Chemical And Non-Chemical Stressors Into Cumulative Risk Assessment: A Case Study Of Pesticide Exposures, Susan C. Wason, Thomas J. Smith, Melissa J. Perry, Jonathan I. Levy

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Cumulative risk assessment has been proposed as an approach to evaluate the health risks associated with simultaneous exposure to multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) models can allow for the inclusion and evaluation of multiple stressors, including non-chemical stressors, but studies have not leveraged PBPK/PD models to jointly consider these disparate exposures in a cumulative risk context. In this study, we focused on exposures to organophosphate (OP) pesticides for children in urban low-income environments, where these children would be simultaneously exposed to other pesticides (including pyrethroids) and non-chemical stressors that may modify the effects of these exposures …

Prioritization Of Biomarker Targets In Human Umbilical Cord Blood: Identification Of Proteins In Infant Blood Serving As Validated Biomarkers In Adults, Nicole Hansmeier, Tzu-Chiao Chao, Lynn R. Goldman, Frank R. Witter, Rolf U. Halden

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Early diagnosis represents one of the best lines of defense in the fight against a wide array of human diseases. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is one of the first easily available diagnostic biofluids and can inform about the health status of newborns. However, compared with adult blood, its diagnostic potential remains largely untapped.

Objectives: Our goal was to accelerate biomarker research on UCB by exploring its detectable protein content and providing a priority list of potential biomarkers based on known proteins involved in disease pathways.

Methods: We explored cord blood serum proteins by profiling a UCB pool of 12 …

Effects Of Temperature On Emergence And Seasonality Of West Nile Virus In California, David M. Hartley, Christopher M. Barker, Arnaud Le Menach, Tianchan Niu, Holly Gaff, William K. Reisen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Temperature has played a critical role in the spatiotemporal dynamics of West Nile virus transmission throughout California from its introduction in 2003 through establishment by 2009. We compared two novel mechanistic measures of transmission risk, the temperature-dependent ratio of virus extrinsic incubation period to the mosquito gonotrophic period (BT), and the fundamental reproductive ratio (R₀) based on a mathematical model, to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of receptivity to viral amplification. Maps of BT and R₀ were created at 20-km scale and compared throughout California to seroconversions in sentinel chicken flocks at half-month intervals. Overall, estimates of BT and …

Peningkatan Pengetahuan Dan Keterampilan Masyarakat Tentang Cara Aman Menggunakan Tabung Gas 3 Kg, Fatma Lestari, Budi Hartono

Kesmas

Konversi penggunaan minyak tanah ke tabung liquified petroleum gas (LPG) merupakan kebijakan yang bertujuan untuk mengurangi subsidi bahan bakar minyak. Namun, program ini menuai beberapa permasalahan dari aspek keselamatan seperti terjadi kebakaran, ledakan yang mengaki- batkan jatuhnya korban jiwa, luka-luka, ataupun kerugian material. Statistik menunjukkan kejadian ledakan dan kebakaran tabung LPG 3 kg pada pengguna cukup tinggi antara tahun 2010 – 2011. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui peningkatan pengetahuan dan keterampilan masyarakat pengguna LPG 3 kg tentang cara aman menggunakan tabung LPG 3 kg setelah dilakukan program intervensi melalui penyuluhan dan pelatihan. Lokasi penelitian ini dilakukan di Kelurahan Tirtajaya, Depok. …

Association Between Workplace And Housing Conditions And Use Of Pesticide Safety Practices And Personal Protective Equipment Among North Carolina Farmworkers In 2010, Donna L. Levesque, Ahmed A. Arif, Ji Shen

School of Health Sciences Publications

Background: There are inconsistencies about the effects of farmworker housing and workplace conditions and use of self-protective behavior practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). Objective: To investigate the association between workplace and housing conditions and farmworker use of pesticide safety practices and PPE. Methods: This study was conducted in 4 counties in North Carolina, USA, from July to October, 2010, during the agricultural growing season. Farmworkers working in agriculture aged 18 to 62 (n=187) were administered a structured questionnaire to collect self-reported measures on housing and workplace conditions. Use of pesticide safety and PPE were examined by asking questions about …

Environmental Exposure To Polychlorinated Biphenyls And P,P'-Dde And Sperm Sex-Chromosome Disomy, Megan E. Mcauliffe, Paige L. Williams, Susan A. Korrick, Larisa M. Altshul, Melissa J. Perry

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Chromosomal abnormalities contribute substantially to reproductive problems, but the role of environmental risk factors has received little attention.

Objectives: We evaluated the association of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p´-DDE) exposures with sperm sex-chromosome disomy.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 192 men from subfertile couples. We used multiprobe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for chromosomes X, Y, and 18 to determine XX, YY, XY, and total sex-chromosome disomy in sperm nuclei. Serum was analyzed for concentrations of 57 PCB congeners and p,p´-DDE. Poisson regression models were used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for …

Association Between Workplace And Housing Conditions And Use Of Pesticide Safety Practices And Personal Protective Equipment Among North Carolina Farmworkers In 2010, Donna L. Levesque, Ahmed A. Arif, Ji Shen

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: There are inconsistencies about the effects of farmworker housing and workplace conditions and use of self-protective behavior practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). Objective: To investigate the association between workplace and housing conditions and farmworker use of pesticide safety practices and PPE. Methods: This study was conducted in 4 counties in North Carolina, USA, from July to October, 2010, during the agricultural growing season. Farmworkers working in agriculture aged 18 to 62 (n=187) were administered a structured questionnaire to collect self-reported measures on housing and workplace conditions. Use of pesticide safety and PPE were examined by asking questions about …

Linking Authentic Leadership To Positive Employee Health, Behavioral Engagement, And Job Performance, Yan Liu

Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the emerging field of positive organizational behavior. The field of Positive Organizational Behavior (POB) has its roots in the concept of "positive psychology" (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008) but is more narrowly defined as "the study and application of positively oriented human resources strengths and psychological capacities that can be measured, developed, and effectively managed for performance improvement in today's workplace" (Luthans, 2002, p.698). More and more researchers have begun to emphasize what is right with people rather than focusing on what is wrong with people.

Given this opportunity, this dissertation explicitly …

Semi Tractor-Trailer Driver Dies In Median Crossover Crash; 10 Others Die, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

At approximately 5:00 AM on a spring morning, a 45 year-old male semi-tractor trailer driver headed south on an interstate highway with a back-haul of brake drums. He crossed a 60’ grass depressed median, drove over a cable barrier, was struck by a northbound 15-passenger van with 12 occupants, hit a cut rock wall and caught fire. The semi truck driver and 10 occupants within the van died.

To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made:

Recommendation No. 1: Commercial vehicle carriers should establish and implement an appropriate comprehensive safety and driver training program that …

Steel Worker Falls From Highway Bridge And Dies, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Falls

On a fall day in 2010, a 49 year-old steel worker fell from a highway bridge he was working from and died. The steel worker was in the process of leveling jacks for concrete forms. He had donned a fall protection harness with an attached lanyard then stepped outside the lifeline onto a 10”x2” wooden board to verify the jacks were level. As the steel worker stepped over the lifeline, he did not attach the lanyard and fell approximately 28 feet onto the railroad tracks below. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died in surgery approximately two …

Critical Heat Stress Evaluation Of Two-Layer Clothing Ensembles And The Contributionof A Full-Face Negative Pressure Respirator, Oclla Michele Fletcher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protective clothing ensembles are worn by workers as a barrier to chemical and physical hazards, but can restrict heat loss and increase worker heat stress. The question of whether a respirator adds to heat stress or strain burden is a continuing concern among occupational health professionals. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in heat stress or strain among the current Toxicological Agent Protective (TAP) ensemble and two ensemble variations used in demilitarization of chemical weapons. Four acclimatized adult males wore five ensembles in a balanced design while walking in a climatic chamber at a …