Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

Occupational Stress Among Academicians Between Two Selected Universities In Malaysia And Indonesia During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study, Nur Husna Rusli, Siti Marwanis Anua, Ajeng Tias Endarti, Wan Siti Hajar Wan Mohd Amin, Nurzafirah Mazlan, Tengku Azmina E Ibrahim

Kesmas

Occupational stress has become a major concern for both employees and employers globally. Stress leads to a loss of interest among workers as well as unproductive and valueless outputs if not managed well. The education sector is one work setting dominated by stress. This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to determine the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among academicians as well as their work-related stressors and coping strategies between a selected public university in Malaysia and a private university in Indonesia. A total of 82 academicians from universities in Malaysia and 52 from Indonesia were recruited using convenience sampling. Data …

Reaction Time Analysis On Female Workers With A Night Shift Work System At A Textile Factory In Sumedang: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Sang Ketut Suratna, Liem Jen Fuk, Dian Kusumadewi

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction. Shift work is a common work system in textile factories. The shift system affects workers’ diet and nutritional needs. Malnutrition has a high potential in causing fatigue. Thus, additional food recommendations and nutritional education for this population are needed. Linear Programming (LP) can be used to create a Food Based Recommendation (FBR) for textile industry owners who employ female workers with a shift system. Local food ingredients can be used to optimize nutritional content.

Objective. To analyze the effect of additional food recommendations on reaction time in female night shift workers.

Methods. This study analyzed the diet …

Correlation Of Plasma Melatonin Concentration And Alertness Level Among Female Nurses In Jakarta Indonesia, Andreas Kresna, Liem Jen Fuk, Indah Suci Widyahening, Dewi Sumaryani Soemarko, Dewi Yunia Fitriani

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background

Working in shift especially night shift could alter alertness level, increase fatigue, and working accident. One of the factors that affect the circadian rhythm were melatonin. Melatonin was a hormone that regulate the wake and sleep cycle that have an impact on alertness levels. This study was aimed to find correlation between plasma melatonin and alertness level.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 female night shift nurses. Individual characteristics were obtained by self-administered questionnaire. Plasma melatonin concentrations and alertness level was collected twice at night time (11 pm – 00 am) and at morning (7 am − …

Brominated Flame Retardants: A Literature Review Of The Toxicity Mechanisms, Clinical Manifestations, And Current Treatments, Yacobus Christian Prasetyo, Eti Nurwening Sholikhah

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are organohalogen compounds that can inhibit fire formation and delay its spread in manufacturing materials. BFRs are known to be toxic for the environment and humans. BFRs could persist for years prolonging potential exposure and toxicity to living beings. Indonesia had begun to reduce the use, even though some of toxic BFRs are still illegally circulating. This review aims to describe some aspects of BFRs toxicity including the mechanism, its clinical manifestations, and the current possible treatments. Toxicity after BFRs exposure includes endocrine, neurodevelopmental, and genotoxicity. The toxicity is manifested into some clinical conditions such as …

The Vigilance Screening Tool In The Workplace: Scoping Review, Iwan Sugiarta, Dewi Yunia Fitriani, Muchtaruddin Mansyur

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

VIGILANCE SCREENING TOOLS IN THE WORKPLACE: SCOPING REVIEW

ABSTRACT

Background: Vigilance performance examination is currently used widely in many disciplines, neurophysiology, sleep medicine, psychology to its application to workers whose daily activities require prime vigilance. A more objective inspection of vigilance has not yet become a routine screening examination for workers to detect decreased vigilance as part of a fit-to-work assessment, but only in the form of research / study using a partial sampling technique. The aim is to provide an overview of vigilance screening tools in the workplace, its terminologies and how the process of maintaining quality such …

Examining The Chelating Effectiveness Of Dimercaptosuccinic Acid And Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid Calcium Disodium In Patients With Lead Poisoning : An Evidence-Based Case Report, Heru Alfares, Reza A. Rafsanzani, Muchtaruddin Mansyur

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Evidence Based Case Report:

Examining the Chelating Effectiveness of Dimercaptosuccinic Acid and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid Calcium Disodium in Patients with Lead Poisoning

Heru Alfares¹, Reza A. Rafsanzani¹, Muchtaruddin Mansyur²

¹ Occupational Medicine Specialist Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta,

² Dept. of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta,

ABSTRACT

Background: Lead environmental and occupational exposures harm workers’ health, both acute and chronic lead poisoning. Chelation therapy is one of the treatments for lead poisoning using several chelating agents available, including ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and 2,3-dimercaptopropanol …

Smallholder Farmers’ Health, Occupational Nutrition, And Sustainable Agriculture, Jen Fuk Liem

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Smallholder Farmers’ Health, Occupational Nutrition, and Sustainable Agriculture

Editorial, Al Asyary

Kesmas

No abstract provided.

Pandemic Response Officers: Integration Between Medical, Public Health, And Higher Education Systems To Expedite Prevention And Response., Anne C Jones, Genevive R Meredith, Donna Leong, Sabine Jamal, Rachel Buckwalter, John D Clarke, Marin Clarkberg, Allan Bishop, Frank Cantone, Claire Espey, Frank Kruppa, Mary George Opperman, Gary A Koretzky

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: Research and policy studies alike have enumerated population and community health benefits of system integration between medical, public health, and social entities. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the necessity of a well-trained and adequately staffed public health and medical workforce in order to process SARS-CoV-2 cases and prevent subsequent transmission. Higher education systems, in particular, represented defined populations of exposure and transmission. Opportunities existed for collaboration and task sharing between institutions of higher education and local public health departments to limit spread and impacts.

PROGRAM: This article describes the Pandemic Response Officer (PRO) program at Cornell University, …

Maternal Occupational Exposure To Selected Organic And Chlorinated Solvents And Delivery Of Small-For-Gestational Age Or Preterm Infants, Kristen W. Van Buren, Carissa M. Rocheleau, I‐Chen Chen, Tania A. Desrosiers, Wayne T. Sanderson, Maria D. Politis, Elizabeth C. Ailes, The National Birth Defects Prevention Study

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background: Potential reproductive effects of organic solvent exposure during pregnancy remain unclear. We investigated the association between maternal occupational exposure during pregnancy to six chlorinated solvents, three aromatic solvents, and Stoddard solvent, and delivery of preterm infants or those born small‐ for‐gestational age (SGA).

Methods: In this case–control study of SGA and preterm birth (PTB) nested within the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) from 1997 to 2011, we analyzed data from 7504 singleton live births without major birth defects and their mothers. Self‐reported information on jobs held in the periconceptional period was assessed for solvent exposure. Unconditional logistic regression …

Assessment Of Iso Heart Rate Method To Estimate Metabolic Rate, Karl Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Thermal equilibrium is primarily maintained by the body’s ability to dissipate internal heat generated during muscle contraction. A number of methods have been used to quantify this thermal burden such as charts and observation of workplace activities and behavior, however these have varying levels of validity. ISO 8996 defines a more accurate method of metabolic rate estimation that uses heart rate and maximal work capacity (MWC); however this requires the use of laboratory settings and equipment that are rarely available in the field. Equations such as the ACSM metabolic equation for the total energy expenditure of walking, hereafter referred to …

A Study Of Relationship Between Exertional Heat Illness And Heat Stress Levels, Rolando J. Fargas-Martinez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Heat stress is clearly associated exertional heat illnesses (EHI) in workers in a number of studies. With expected increase in extreme thermal changes, an increase understanding the effects of heat stress conditions is necessary. The purpose of this study was to compare heat stress levels in a manufacturing plant to determine whether a relationship exists between heat stress level relative to the occupational exposure limit and exertional heat illness incidents.Methods: OSHA recordable heat illness cases (n=35) were collected over a three year period. Over the same period, hourly ambient Heat Index data was collected. For this manufacturing plant, heat …

Evaluation Of Two Methods To Estimate Wet Bulb Globe Temperature From Heat Index, Stephi Pofanl

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a common method to evaluate environmental factors that contribute to occupational heat stress. The Heat Index (HI) is readily available as an alternative to exposure methods. They both assess the most important contributors that are air temperature and humidity. WBGT also includes radiant heat and air motion. To account for radiant heat and/or air motion, some investigators have suggested adjustments to HI. The purpose of this study is to explore two methods to estimate the usefulness of WBGT from HI.

WBGT data were collected in a variety of locations that included direct sun …

The Impact Of Sars-Cov-2 On The Consolidated Meatpacking System In The United States, Judith R. Solomon

Anthós

The Sars-Cov-2 virus has had a particularly intense impact on the meatpacking industry in the United States. In this paper I provide a brief introduction to the social, economic, and political realities that lead to mass deaths of meatpacking workers from COVID, and the impact of a consolidated meatpacking system on disease mitigation. These workers are considered expendable due to a lack of power.

Development Of Pandemic Burnout Inventory For Health Personnel, Sisca Mayang Phuspa, Anjarie Dharmastuti, Adi Heru Sutomo, Syahirul Alim

Kesmas

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the workload of health personnel in Indonesia, and the risk of burnout has thus doubled. Several instruments exist to assess burnout, but none have been specifically developed for health personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, to close this gap, developing a Pandemic Burnout Inventory for health personnel is important. This study used mixed methods with a sequential exploratory design at five COVID-19 referral hospitals. A total of 30 informants were employed in the qualitative phase, selected using an intensity sampling approach, and 731 respondents in the quantitative phase were obtained in field trials and online …

Investigating And Mitigating The Harmful Impact Of Precarious Employment On The Health And Well-Being Of New York City Food Workers, Emilia F. Vignola

Dissertations and Theses

Much of the United States (US) food chain – from production to processing, wholesale, retail, and services – is characterized by precarious employment, defined as work with little employment security, inadequate income, and limited rights and protections. Studies show that precarious employment is associated with adverse mental and physical health and well-being outcomes. Separate research indicates numerous health issues in certain segments of the food workforce; little scholarly work has explored the contribution of precarious employment as an upstream driver of these health issues. Gaps remain in our understanding of 1) the health needs and status of workers across the …

Living Separate Lives: How To Nurture A Work-Life Balance, Amanda Bullington

OVGTSL 2023: Ongoing Challenges, Creative Solutions

Librarians faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us quite literally brought our work home with us as we learned to interact with our colleagues virtually and adapted to performing our job duties from home. During this time, I was handed an additional personal challenge. I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition requiring multiple surgeries. I was now not only struggling to work from home as a cataloger but struggling to work from home as a cataloger while managing my daily pain. As someone who does not enjoy working from home, this seemed like an impossible challenge. …

Comparing Particulate Matter Exposures During Two Work Shifts In A Large University Dining Commons Kitchen, Shalom Emmanuel, Atin Adhikari

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Objective: Cooking emits a huge concentration of indoor air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM). Exposure to PM can lead to long-term adverse respiratory effects among workers engaged in cooking. Only a few studies have measured cooking-related air pollutants in large school cafeterias where young student workers are frequently employed. The objective of this research was to compare stationary exposures to PM from cooking during two work shifts at a very large university dining commons kitchen.

Methods: Number concentrations of PM of varying aerodynamic sizes (1, 2.5, 5, and 10 µm) were measured at the back kitchen, DC grill, and …

The Benefits Of Static Stretching On Health: A Systematic Review, Semir Masic, Denis Causevic, Nedim Covic, Seth Spicer, Ahmed Gawash

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The positive effects of static stretching exercises (SS) on physical fitness and rehabilitation are well established, but the effect on general health and physical fitness, including muscle function, flexibility, and activities of daily living at the individual level are less well understood.

Objectives: The objective of this systematic review was to compile the latest research on the effects of SS on general health and different occupational groups with regards to improving or maintaining general health.

Search Methods: This review was registered on PROSPERO and followed PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE-Online medical articles, and Science Direct databases …

Research Personnel Exposure To Carbon Dioxide During Euthanasia Procedures, Devon Nealer, Felicia Reibstein, Jennifer Bendorf, Emily Lafferty, Stephanie Ramborger, Taylor Swift, Jacqueline O'Malley, Thomas Boyle

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a commonly used euthanasia agent in animal facilities. This procedure is carried out by replacing oxygen with carbon dioxide in animal cages, thus providing a quick and painless method of euthanasia. Unfortunately, there has been limited research on the potential effects of human exposure to CO2 during euthanasia procedures.

Following a previous carbon dioxide exposure study in the vivarium at Rowan SOM in 2016, the CO2 cylinders and euthanasia chambers have been relocated to room 153 Science Center and the vivarium has adopted a localized exhaust that helps remove the contaminant at the source.

While the …

The Association Of Long Working Hours And The Use Of Prescription Sedatives Among U.S. Workers., Emmanuel Ezekekwu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Meeting the needs of a round-the-clock and globalized society has led to an increase in long working hours. This trend has been accompanied by a corresponding rise in sleep disorders and subsequent use of sedating medications. Overtime hours have been associated with adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases, symptoms of psychological distress, and health behaviors, including risky intake of alcohol and smoking. Hence, the main objectives of this three-paper dissertation were to examine the multi-faceted relationship between working hours, the use of prescription sleep aids, the onset of psychological distress, and the use of health care services. METHODS: …

Surviving The Stigma: Incorporating Mental Health Literacy To Increase Help-Seeking In California First Responders, Yvonne C. Newson

Master's Projects and Capstones

First responders are at risk of developing mental health problems due to repeated exposure to traumatic incidents, increasing their chance of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and suicide. Unfortunately, first responders do not recognize that they may have a mental illness and are reluctant to seek help. This paper will discuss the prevalence of mental health problems among first responders and the barriers to their help-seeking. These barriers include the stigma around mental illness within the culture, the assessability of professional help, and the lack of mental health literacy regarding their well-being. Further discussion will focus …

Physician Stress In The Era Of Covid-19 Vaccine Disparity: A Multi-Institutional Survey, Sarah Zahl, Debasis Mondal, David Tolentino, Jennifer A Fischer, Sherry Jimenez

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: Healthcare workers are at a high risk of infection during infectious disease outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the availability of several vaccines against COVID-19, the absence of vaccination in patients and colleagues remains a continuous source of stress in healthcare workers. We conducted a survey of physician preceptors, both MDs and DOs, to explore the impact of differences in the patients' and colleagues' vaccination status on their well-being, stress, and burnout.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to determine whether exposure to unvaccinated patients and/or colleagues increases stress and burnout in physician preceptors by utilizing a …

Occupational Safety And Health Practices Among Physical Therapists In Metro Manila During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study Protocol, Zyra Mae V. Sicat, Paulin Grace M. Espino, Kristina B. Devora, Richard Lemuel Q. Budomo, Jewel Jace M. Abella, Barbara Nicole Y. Angeles, Giancarlo Philip H. Benzonan, Coby Jaleeyah Y. Chan, Erika L. Ignacio, Peter Oliver G. Palacio Jr., Julia Erin G. Tan

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction: The purpose of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to protect and prevent workers from being exposed to risks and hazards that are detrimental to their health and safety. For the past two years, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the most significant occupational health outcomes to physical therapists (PTs) due to the nature of their work. However, minimal studies have been conducted about the experiences and OSH practices of PTs during the pandemic. This study aims to understand the experiences of clinical PTs in Metro Manila, Philippines during the pandemic. The study also seeks to explore …

Relationships Between Leading And Trailing Indicators At Construction Sites In Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia, Anas H. Halloul

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Statement of Purpose: This study sought to assess the relationship between leading and lagging indicators in construction safety Management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In particular, it sought to determine whether construction sites with higher leading indicators predicted fewer incidents/accidents.Rationale for Study: Construction safety management is a critical occupational health concern globally. Scholars have researched approaches to improve safety measures and performance in construction sites. However, there is little discourse assessing the relationship between the leading indicators and the occurrence of incidents and accidents in construction sites. General Methods: A quantitative analysis was used in this study. Data were …

Adult Asthma Associated With Roadway Density And Housing In Rural Appalachia: The Mountain Air Project (Map)., W Jay Christian, John Flunker, Beverly May, Susan Westneat, Wayne T Sanderson, Nancy Schoenberg, Steven R Browning

UK CARES Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Appalachian Kentucky is a rural area with a high prevalence of asthma among adults. The relative contribution of environmental exposures in the etiology of adult asthma in these populations has been understudied.

OBJECTIVE: This manuscript describes the aims, study design, methods, and characteristics of participants for the Mountain Air Project (MAP), and focuses on associations between small area environmental exposures, including roadways and mining operations, and lifetime and current asthma in adults.

METHODS: A cohort of residents, aged 21 and older, in two Kentucky counties, was enrolled in a community-based, cross-sectional study. Stratified cluster sampling was used to select …

Identifying Occupational Health And Safety Risks Among Environmental Health Officers In Australia And New Zealand Through An Online Survey, Garry Dine, Sue Reed, Jacques Oosthuizen, Edmore Masaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

To identify the occupational health and safety (OHS) risks among environmental health officers (EHOs) in Australia and New Zealand. The objectives were to profile and compare OHS experiences from different countries and regions to gain a regional perspective on OHS hazards that impact EHOs. An online hazard exposure survey was conducted among 339 EHOs (Australia: n = 301, 88.8%; New Zealand: n = 38, 11.2%). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare 2 ordinal data groups, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for more than 2 ordinal groups, and the independent samples t test was used to compare the …

Risk-Reduction Research In Occupational Safety And Ergonomics: An Editorial, Roger C. Jensen, David P. Gilkey

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Occupational health and safety is one of the pillars of public health. The magnitude of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities has been well documented through retrospective analyses of existing record systems. This Special Issue in IJERPH sought research papers addressing risk reduction studies in occupational safety and ergonomics.

Workers' Perceptions On The Tolerability Of Their Respirators In Malaysia, Muhammad Z. Yusof, Nor I. Mukhtar

Journal of Health Research

Background: Little is known about Malaysian workers' tolerance for respirators in the workplace. This study aimed to assess Malaysian workers' perceptions of respirator tolerability and its relationship to socio-demographics and compliance.

Method : This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2021 among respirator users in the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. Background information and respirator compliance were collected using a structured online questionnaire. A R-COMFI questionnaire was used to measure respirator tolerability.

Results: This study recruited 340 participants, but only 278 of them met the inclusion criteria. More than half reported that wearing respirators was uncomfortable, impacted focus, …

Modeling Radiation Exposure On Flight Missions To Analyze Aircrew Risk, Camila V. Quintero Hilsaca

Theses and Dissertations

GCR and SPE comprise the majority of the ionizing radiation experienced in the upper atmosphere within flight-altitude environments. Although previous studies have analyzed radiation doses from single sources on civilian flight operations, there is a lack of research focused on dose received by military personnel during flight from both sources simultaneously. In-flight radiation environments are modeled through the MCNP6 for two separate aircraft, an Air Force A-10 and a Boeing 737. Particle fluence values for galactic cosmic rays and solar particle events for four separate flight paths are determined using the CARI-7A software and the SIRE2 toolkit, respectively. MCNP6 code …