Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

The New Professional: Prioritize Self-Care To Avoid Burnout, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In this inaugural column, “The New Dentist”, Dr. Amrita Patel shares her journey of recognizing and combating burnout in dentistry. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, boundary-setting, delegation, and seeking support. By prioritizing these strategies, professionals can safeguard their well-being, enhance job satisfaction, and deliver quality patient care without falling victim to burnout's detrimental effects.

Study Protocol: Identifying Transcriptional Regulatory Alterations Of Chronic Effects Of Blast And Disturbed Sleep In United States Veterans, Molly J. Sullan, Kelly A. Stearns-Yoder, Zhaoyu Wang, Andrew J. Hoisington, Adam D. Brenoweth, Walter Carr, Yongchao Ge, Hanga Galfalvy, Fatemah Haghighi, Lisa A. Brenner

Faculty Publications

Injury related to blast exposure dramatically rose during post-911 era military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is among the most common injuries following blast, an exposure that may not result in a definitive physiologic marker (e.g., loss of consciousness). Recent research suggests that exposure to low level blasts and, more specifically repetitive blast exposure (RBE), which may be subconcussive in nature, may also impact long term physiologic and psychological outcomes, though findings have been mixed. For military personnel, blast-related injuries often occur in chaotic settings (e.g., combat), which create challenges in the immediate assessment of …

Association Of Blast Exposure In Military Breaching With Intestinal Permeability Blood Biomarkers Associated With Leaky Gut, Qingkun Liu, Zhaoyu Wang, Shengnan Sun, Jeffrey Nemes, Lisa A. Brenner, Miciej Skotak, Christina R. Lavalle, Yongchao Ge, Walter Carr, Fatemeh Haghighi

Faculty Publications

Injuries and subclinical effects from exposure to blasts are of significant concern in military operational settings, including tactical training, and are associated with self-reported concussion-like symptomology and physiological changes such as increased intestinal permeability (IP), which was investigated in this study. Time-series gene expression and IP biomarker data were generated from “breachers” exposed to controlled, low-level explosive blast during training. Samples from 30 male participants at pre-, post-, and follow-up blast exposure the next day were assayed via RNA-seq and ELISA. A battery of symptom data was also collected at each of these time points that acutely showed elevated symptom …

Work Ability Among Older Workers In An Agricultural Community In Nan Province, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jate Ratanachina, Wilawan Mormoon

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: There is a global challenge regarding demographic change together with theaging population. Research on work ability among older workers in an agricultural area remains crucial, particularly in Thailand, an aged society country with thirty percent of its working population in the agricultural sector.

Objective: To estimate work ability among older workers in an agricultural community and to determine the relationship between work ability and its associations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of adults aged 40 to 65 was conducted in an agricultural community in Nan province, Thailand, between May and August 2019. The study participants consisted of 345 villagers …

Enhancing Patient Safety In Spain: Streamlining Adverse Event Detection In Occupational Healthcare Records, Diego Moya, Rafael Manzanera, Jordi Ortner, Marta Torres, Joan Carles Serfaty, Carme Sauri, Ma. Lourdes D. Jimenez, Jose Joaquin Mira

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Given the lack of previous studies on adverse events (AEs) in the area of occupational healthcare in Spain, it is very important to begin to understand this phenomenon in order to act on it. The objective was to accurately quantify AE occurring in occupational healthcare in MC Mutual during May 2021.

Methods

We conducted a review of a representative random sample of 250 clinical records to identify AEs through an active search audit, focused on the frequency, type, severity, and preventability of these events, categorized using standardized scales.

Results

We detected seven AEs in the sample of clinical records, …

Daily Income Targets And Passenger Pressure On Safety Risky Riding Behavior Among Online Motorcycle Taxi Riders In Jakarta, Indonesia, Zulkifli Djunaidi, Agra Mohamad Khaliwa, Azka Hafia, Nadya Putri

Kesmas

Online motorcycle taxi riders, a vulnerable group on the road, are more susceptible to serious injury than non-motorcycle riders. This study analyzed a correlation between daily income targets, passenger pressure, risk perception, safety attitudes, and risky riding behavior. This cross-sectional study used a semi-quantitative approach by collecting online-based questionnaires from 500 online motorcycle taxi riders in Jakarta, and 50 of them were obtained through offline interviews. The findings revealed a significant relationship between daily income targets, passenger pressure, risk perception (danger level, stochastic evaluation, and safety priority), safety attitudes (pragmatic attitude to rule violations and dissatisfaction with traffic rules), and …

Whitening Efficacy Of Activated Charcoal-Based Dentifrices Related To The Mode Of Action And Adverse Effects On The Tooth Surface, Douglas Silva

Annual Research Symposium

To evaluate if tooth color alteration of activated charcoal-based dentifrices may be attributed to the dye adsorption potential of charcoal (chemical action - C - slurry only) or to the association of dye adsorption with abrasion (chemo-mechanical action - CM- slurry/toothbrushing). Potential adverse effects in surface roughness, gloss, and wear were also assessed.

Validity And Reliability Of The Indonesian Version Of Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (Enss) As A Job-Stress Assessment Tool For Nurses, Hasto Harsono, Herqutanto Herqutanto, Suryo Wibowo, Aria Kekalih, Astrid Sulistomo

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Background: Job stress is a serious health problem in the 21st century because of its high incidence and impact. Nurses are known as a profession that has high risks of stress, has distinctive characteristics, and hence requires a work stress assessment instrument that suits its peculiarities. The Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) is a nurse-specific stress assessment instrument that has high validity and reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96) and is widely used in many countries but is not yet available in Indonesian. This study aims to obtain the Indonesian version of ENSS and evaluate its reliability and validity.

Method: …

Prognosis Of Covid-19 On Workers With History Of Asthma: An Evidence-Based Case Report, Parmitasari Parmitasari, Dewi Yunia Fitriani, Indah S. Widyahening

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background. As the COVID-19 pandemic occurs, those with asthma were thought to have an increased risk of infection. Question arisen whether special preparation for severe clinical outcomes might be needed for remote site workers. Method. A literature search was conducted through PubMed, Scopus and ProQuest databases, as well as hand searched. The inclusion criteria were systematic review, cohort study, retrospective study, cross sectional study, COVID-19, asthma, and ICU. Then, they were critically appraised based on Center of Evidence-Based Medicine, Oxford University, Critical Appraisal for Prognostic Studies and Systematic Reviews. Result. Three systematic review studies and three retrospective cohort studies were …

The Effectiveness Of Education Through Web-Based Seminar In Increasing Knowledge About The Early Detection And Reporting Of Occupational Diseases, Keyne Christa Monintja, Dewi Sumaryani Soemarko, Dewi Yunia Fitriani, Herqutanto Herqutanto, Suryo Wibowo

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background: In 2022, the Indonesian Occupational Medicine Association (IOMA) collaborated with oil and gas companies and conducted a web-based seminar (webinar) to enable participants to recognize occupational disease earlier and enhance reporting in companies. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the webinar in increasing the intended knowledge.

Method: The webinar was separated into three batches, with different participants per batch. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, we utilized secondary data from IOMA. The effectiveness of the webinar was determined by participants' satisfaction and knowledge as measured by pre-test and post-test. After performing item analysis, we removed poor discriminating items in …

Psychosocial Factors In The Workplace, Suryo Wibowo

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

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The Association Between Mental Workload And Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain Among Operators Of An On Shore Oil And Gas Company In South Sumatera, Ardi Artanto, Suryo Wibowo, Nuri Purwito Adi

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background: Work location influences the proportion of operators with low back pain (LBP) at a South Sumatera onshore oil and gas company. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nonspecific chronic LBP among the company's operators, as well as the association between quantitative and qualitative mental workload and nonspecific chronic LBP.

Methods: This study was cross-sectional in design, with 96 samples collected through purposive sampling. Questionnaires and physical examinations were used to collect data.

Results: Nonspecific chronic LBP was found in 32.3 percent of people. According to the multivariate analysis, moderate-heavy qualitative mental workload (OR: 5.14; 95 percent CI: …

Factors Affecting Superoxide Dismutase Activity In Railway Workers In Jakarta, Indonesia, Vera Winata, Muhammad Ilyas, Aria Kekalih, Suryo Wibowo, Muchtaruddin Mansyur

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Introduction. Railway workers are exposed to many occupational health risk factors that may cause oxidative stress. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity is one of the response biomarkers of oxidative stress.

Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July-October 2021. Eighty-four participants were included in this study. Data about participants’ characteristics, physical activity intensity as measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) version 2, and stress levels as measured by Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory were collected using Google Forms. The physical examination yielded data on blood pressure, ear condition, and waist circumference. Blood Superoxide dismutase activity and HbA1c levels were determined using …

Relation Of Salivary Alpha-Amylase (Saa) Concentration To Fatigue Biomarkers In Palm Oil Office Workers In Jambi Province: Preliminary Study, David Kusmawan, Willia Novita Eka Rini, Wahyu Indah Dewi Aurora

Makara Journal of Science

The salivary α-amylase (sAA) concentration has a potential role as a biological indicator of occupational fatigue. This study aimed to determine the levels of sAA and its influencing factors. This research used a cross-sectional design with a sample of 40 office staff respondents at PT. X (Persero). Mental workload (MWL), sleep quality, and occupational fatigue were measured using the NASA-Total Load Index (TLX), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Industrial Fatigue Research Committee, respectively. Meanwhile, the basic sAA levels was measured through the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method using the Bioenzy® Kit Assay. Descriptive analysis showed that the workers were mostly …

Associations Of Essential Worker Status, Sex, Lifestyle Behaviors, And Moods: Findings From A Sample Of Working Adults In The United States During The Early Stages Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ali Boolani, Joel Martin, Erica Jansen, Nelson Cortes, Shane Caswell, Jeremy Lackman, Staci Drewson, Matthew Lee Smith

Health Behavior Research

COVID-19 profoundly impacted the world by causing disruptions in the global job markets due to business closures to support physical distancing in the earliest stages of the pandemic. To maintain basic societal function in the early stages of the pandemic, workers were classified based on the nature of their employment responsibilities as essential (i.e., continued working outside the home) and non-essential (i.e., required to work from home). Using a cross-sectional design, this study identified the lifestyle behaviors (sleep, diet, physical activity) and mood among US workers. An internet-based survey was used to collect data from US adults from April 13 …

The Effects Of Night Shift Work On Heart, Gut, And Reproductive Health, A Systematic Review, Courtney Grayson, Preeti Oza

Pacific Journal of Health

Night shift work, a commonplace in today’s society, creates a variety of health-related challenges for individuals who participate in it. Often, the only adverse health effects discussed in relation to night shift work are sleep dysfunction and mental health issues. This systematic review examined the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and fertility health effects that plague individuals working night shift. The goal of this work is to illuminate these lesser known, but equally important, health effects in an effort to bring awareness to the issues. By educating night shift workers and health care providers of the acute risks associated with this type of …

Development Of A Methodology For The Quantification Of Reaerosolization Of A Biological Contaminate Surrogate Particle From A Military Uniform Fabric, George Cooksey, Jeremy M. Slagley, Casey W. Cooper, Douglas Lewis, Alisha Helm

Faculty Publications

In a mass casualty medical evacuation after a bioaerosol (BA) dispersal event, a decontamination (DC) method is needed that can both decontaminate and prevent biological particle (BP) re-aerosolization (RA) of contaminated clothes. However, neither the efficacy of current DC methods nor the risk of BP RA is greatly explored in the existing literature. The goals of this study were to develop a repeatable method to quantify the RA of a biological contaminant off military uniform fabric swatches and to test the efficacy of one DC protocol (high-volume, low-pressure water) using 1 µm polystyrene latex (PSL) spheres as a surrogate. A …

Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang

All Dissertations

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) provide an environment favorable for the transmission of three critical human pathogens: human norovirus (HuNoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Clostridioides difficile. Given residents in LTCFs are susceptible to infections due to their advanced ages and compromised immune systems, effective environmental surface disinfection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of human pathogens within these settings and, therefore, mitigates the risk of infections caused by these pathogens. This dissertation aimed to assess the efficacy of various types of disinfectants against two HuNoV surrogates [feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV)], two …

Understanding Occupational Injury And Substance Use Issues Among Workers In The Shellfish And Lobster Industries, Tora Johnson, Katherine Weatherford Darling, Debra Kantor, Joseph Spiller, Oliver G. Jones, Lois-Ann Kuntz, Tara Casimir, Amy Dowley, Greyson Kurtz, Lauren Sachs, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy

Maine Policy Review

In 2022, American lobster (Homarus americanus) and softshell clam (Mya arenaria) harvests contributed $283 million to Downeast Maine’s economy, employing thousands of harvesters. Harvesting is grueling work. Pain from work-related injuries precedes most opioid deaths, and workers in fisheries are disproportionately at risk. Harvesters are typically self-employed and often uninsured or underinsured, complicating access to care. Prior studies have focused on injury risk or drug use among harvesters without revealing how injury, pain and substance use intertwine with cultural, social and regulatory factors. This study examined the socio-ecologically embedded injury/ pain/ substance use process with surveys of harvesters (n=106) and …

The Power Of An Effective Safety Culture, Justin B. Negley

Capstone Experience

Workplace injuries and illnesses have continued to decrease significantly through increased regulations, awareness, and technological advances. These enhancements are not enough to continue to drive these rates lower. A robust safety culture within an organization is required to truly affect change that will continue to diminish the occurrence of injuries and illnesses within the workplace. This project seeks to define the key aspects and elements that are fundamental to a culture of safety as a top priority amongst competing demands. The foundations of a robust safety culture were identified through a systematic literature review, a site comparison example of safety …