Heavy smoking rate trends and related factors in Korean occupational groups: analysis of KNHANES 2007-2012 data

OBJECTIVES

The present study was designed to investigate the smoking and heavy smoking trends and identify possible related factors among Korean male workers from 2007 to 2012 by occupational groups.

METHODS

The data were derived from the fourth (2007-2009) and fifth (2010-2012) waves of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Occupational groups were categorised into three groups, which were non-manual, manual and service and sales groups. Age-adjusted prevalence rates of smoking and heavy smoking (>20 cigarettes/day) in men aged 25-64 years were calculated. Factors associated with heavy smoking were investigated using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Smoking rate in manual workers decreased gradually over time (p for trend <0.0001). Smoking rate was higher in manual than non-manual workers, but the difference reduced over time (p for trend <0.0001). Heavy smoking rate decreased from 2007 to 2012 (p for trend <0.0001). Heavy smoking rate was higher in manual than non-manual workers; however, this difference increased over time. Stress, depressive mood and long working hours (≥60 h/week) were associated with heavy smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Antismoking policy should focus on current and heavy smokers. Workplace antismoking programmes should consider working hours and stress, especially in manual workers.

Comparison of smoking habits, knowledge, attitudes and tobacco control interventions between primary care physicians and nurses

Background

Primary care providers are uniquely positioned to initiate smoking cessation. We aimed to evaluate knowledge levels about the health effects of smoking and attitudes toward smoking and tobacco control activities among primary care providers.

Methods

In the cross-sectional and primary care-based study, self-administered surveys modified from the WHO Global Health Professional Survey 5A steps of smoking cessation practice (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist and Arrange) were provided to primary care physicians (PCPhs) and nurses (PCNs).

Results

Respondents included 1182 PCPhs and 1063 PCNs. The proportions of current and former smokers were significantly higher among PCPhs than among PCNs (34.4 vs. 30.7 % and 14.0 vs. 10.1 %, respectively; both P < 0.001). We observed that 77.2 % of PCPhs and 58.4 % of PCNs always or rarely practiced an “Ask” step about their patients’ smoking status (P < 0.001). One-third of PCPhs (33.8 %) stated that they always practiced an “Ask” step, whereas only 27.6 % of PCNs always did so in their practice (P < 0.001). A small minority of primary care providers had advised patients to quit smoking, although there was a significant difference in this between PCNs and PCPhs (8.4 vs. 15.6 %; P < 0.001). Most PCPhs considered themselves competent in advising about smoking interventions, but only a minority of PCNs did so (75.1 vs. 17.3 %; P < 0.001). Among barriers to tobacco intervention measures, lack of time was the item most commonly cited by PCPhs, whereas low patient priority was most commonly cited by PCNs (35.9 and 35.7 %; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Smoking intervention practice by primary care nurses was quite low. Lack of time and low patient priority were identified as barriers by primary care providers. Strategies by which primary care providers could improve tobacco control should be established.

Perceptions of Supervision Among Injured and Non-Injured Teens Working in the Retail or Service Industry

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a teen is injured every 9 minutes at work. Workplace supervision may affect whether teens are injured on the job. Because research on workplace supervision among teens is limited, the objectives of this study were to characterize the perceptions of supervision among injured and non-injured teen workers and assess the characteristics and perceptions of supervisors that may be associated with work-related injuries. In 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among high school students. Teens who worked in retail or service industries (n= 270) were included in the sample. Non-injured teens were more likely to have reported that their supervisors cared about their safety, were helpful, listened well, and ensured that teen workers understood workplace safety. Most teens (70%) did not feel comfortable talking about safety issues with their supervisors. The importance of supervision and how supervisors are perceived in the workplace may be significant in creating a safety culture that leaves a lasting impression.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of needle stick and sharps injuries among dental professionals of Bangalore, India

Background:

A needle stick injury (NSI) is an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle containing another person's blood or body fluid. Healthcare workers (HCWs) including dental professionals are at an occupational risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens following NSIs and sharps injuries (SIs). A thorough understanding of the safe practices while handling needles and sharps is crucial for HCWs to create a risk-free work place environment.

Aims and Objectives:

To assess the knowledge, attitude, practice, and prevalence of NSIs and SIs among dental professionals in a dental college at Bangalore.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September 2012 using a structured, pretested, guided interview-based questionnaire that was administered to 200 dental professionals in a dental college at Bangalore to assess the knowledge, attitude, practices, and self-report information of NSIs.

Results:

In the present study, 81.5% of dental professionals were vaccinated against hepatitis B. A total of 27.5% participants had an NSI during the previous 12 months. About 41.80% of NSIs occurred during device recapping. Most common reason for failure to report the incidents of NSIs, as declared by 29.09% of the participants, included the fear of being blamed or getting into trouble for having an NSI.

Conclusion:

The knowledge of dental professionals on NSIs and their preventive measures are inadequate; however, training on Universal Precaution Guidelines, protocols regarding post-exposure prophylaxis, and safety devices has to be provided to prevent such injuries in future among the dental professionals.

Smoking and All-cause Mortality in Older Adults: Results From the CHANCES Consortium

INTRODUCTION

Smoking is known to be a major cause of death among middle-aged adults, but evidence on its impact and the benefits of smoking cessation among older adults has remained limited. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the influence of smoking and smoking cessation on all-cause mortality in people aged ≥60 years.

METHODS

Relative mortality and mortality rate advancement periods (RAPs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards models for the population-based prospective cohort studies from Europe and the U.S. (CHANCES [Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the U.S.]), and subsequently pooled by individual participant meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were performed from June 2013 to March 2014.

RESULTS

A total of 489,056 participants aged ≥60 years at baseline from 22 population-based cohort studies were included. Overall, 99,298 deaths were recorded. Current smokers had 2-fold and former smokers had 1.3-fold increased mortality compared with never smokers. These increases in mortality translated to RAPs of 6.4 (95% CI=4.8, 7.9) and 2.4 (95% CI=1.5, 3.4) years, respectively. A clear positive dose-response relationship was observed between number of currently smoked cigarettes and mortality. For former smokers, excess mortality and RAPs decreased with time since cessation, with RAPs of 3.9 (95% CI=3.0, 4.7), 2.7 (95% CI=1.8, 3.6), and 0.7 (95% CI=0.2, 1.1) for those who had quit <10, 10 to 19, and ≥20 years ago, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking remains as a strong risk factor for premature mortality in older individuals and cessation remains beneficial even at advanced ages. Efforts to support smoking abstinence at all ages should be a public health priority.

Up-Regulation of PKM2 Relates to Retinal Ganglion Cell Apoptosis After Light-Induced Retinal Damage in Adult Rats

Pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2), a key glycolytic enzyme, which is involved in ATP generation and pyruvate production, participates in tumor metabolism, growth, and other multiple cellular processes. However, one attractive biological function of PKM2 is that it translocates to the nucleus and induces cell apoptosis. Recently, increased PKM2 has been found in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but little is known regarding its function in the AMD pathophysiology. To investigate whether PKM2 participated in retinal degeneration, we performed a light-induced retinal damage model in adult rats. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis showed a significant up-regulation of PKM2 in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) layer (GCL) after light exposure. Immunofluorescent labeling indicated that PKM2 located mainly in RGCs. Co-localization of PKM2 and active caspase-3 as well as TUNEL in RGCs suggested that PKM2 might participate in RGC apoptosis. In addition, the expression patterns of cyclin D1 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) were parallel with that of PKM2. Furthermore, PKM2, cyclin D1, and active caspase-3 protein expression decreased by intravitreal injection of U0126, a highly selective inhibitor of MAPK/ERK kinase. Collectively, we hypothesized that PKM2 might participate in RGC apoptosis after light-induced retinal damage medicated by p-ERK through cycle re-entry mechanism.

Scheduling and shift work characteristics associated with risk for occupational injury in newly licensed registered nurses: An observational study

BACKGROUND

Registered nurses across the globe bear a heavy injury burden. Every shift, nurses are exposed to a variety of hazards that can jeopardize their health, which negatively impacts their ability to provide high-quality patient care. Previous research suggests that inexperienced, or newly licensed nurses, may have an increased risk for certain occupational injuries. However, the current knowledge base is insufficient to fully understand how work hours influence newly licensed nurses' occupational injury, given the significant variation in hospital organization and work characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

To describe newly licensed nurses' shift work characteristics and determine the association between shift type and scheduling characteristics and nurse injury, before and after adjusting for individual and combined effects of demographics, external context, organizational context, and work context, following the Organization of Work model.

DESIGN

This study is a secondary analysis of a nationally representative survey of newly licensed registered nurses using a cross-sectional design.

PARTICIPANTS

The analytic sample includes 1744 newly licensed registered nurses from 34 states and the District of Columbia who reported working in a hospital and were within 6-18 months of passing their state licensure exam at the time of survey administration.

METHODS

Descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression models to assess the relationship between shift type and scheduling characteristics and nurse injury. Lastly, full models with the addition of demographics, external context, organizational context, and work context variables were calculated.

RESULTS

The majority (79%) of newly licensed nurses worked 12-h shifts, a near majority worked night shift (44%), and over half (61%) worked overtime (mandatory or voluntary) weekly. Nurses working weekly overtime were associated with a 32% [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.32, CI 1.07-1.62] increase in the risk of a needle stick and nurses working night shift were associated with a 16% [IRR 1.16, CI 1.02-1.33] increase in the risk of a sprain or strain injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Overtime and night shift work were significantly associated with increased injury risk in newly licensed nurses independent of other work factors and demographic characteristics. The findings warrant further study given the long-term consequences of these injuries, costs associated with treatment, and loss of worker productivity.

Nonstandard working schedules and health: the systematic search for a comprehensive model

BACKGROUND

Theoretical models on shift work fall short of describing relevant health-related pathways associated with the broader concept of nonstandard working schedules. Shift work models neither combine relevant working time characteristics applicable to nonstandard schedules nor include the role of rest periods and recovery in the development of health complaints. Therefore, this paper aimed to develop a comprehensive model on nonstandard working schedules to address these shortcomings.

METHODS

A literature review was conducted using a systematic search and selection process. Two searches were performed: one associating the working time characteristics time-of-day and working time duration with health and one associating recovery after work with health. Data extracted from the models were used to develop a comprehensive model on nonstandard working schedules and health.

RESULTS

For models on the working time characteristics, the search strategy yielded 3044 references, of which 26 met the inclusion criteria that contained 22 distinctive models. For models on recovery after work, the search strategy yielded 896 references, of which seven met the inclusion criteria containing seven distinctive models. Of the models on the working time characteristics, three combined time-of-day with working time duration, 18 were on time-of-day (i.e. shift work), and one was on working time duration. The model developed in the paper has a comprehensive approach to working hours and other work-related risk factors and proposes that they should be balanced by positive non-work factors to maintain health. Physiological processes leading to health complaints are circadian disruption, sleep deprivation, and activation that should be counterbalanced by (re-)entrainment, restorative sleep, and recovery, respectively, to maintain health.

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive model on nonstandard working schedules and health was developed. The model proposes that work and non-work as well as their associated physiological processes need to be balanced to maintain good health. The model gives researchers a useful overview over the various risk factors and pathways associated with health that should be considered when studying any form of nonstandard working schedule.

Evaluation of a Worksite Diabetes Education Program at a Large Urban Medical Center

Evidence suggests that diabetes education can be delivered at the worksite to better support employees' diabetes self-management and improve productivity and health care costs. This study was conducted to address the feasibility of a diabetes worksite education program for employees at a large urban academic health care institution. The diabetes education program was delivered in the diabetes center at the institution, a resource that was previously underutilized by employees. Through collaboration with groups in the institution, 20 employees of diverse ethnicity participated in the worksite diabetes education program with positive outcomes: improved glycemic control measured (HbA1c), attainment of self-management goals, and satisfaction with the program. Work absences trended downward, but numbers of hospitalizations and emergency department visits were unchanged in the 3 months following education. Recommendations include replication of the study with more employee participation and program evaluation over a longer period of time to continue assessment of employees' educational needs.

Worker-to-Worker Violence in Hospitals: Perpetrator Characteristics and Common Dyads

Worker-to-worker (Type III) violence is prevalent in health care settings and has potential adverse consequences for employees and organizations. Little research has examined perpetrator characteristics of this type of violence. The current study is a descriptive examination of the common demographic and work-related characteristics of perpetrators of Type III workplace violence among hospital workers. Analysis was based on documented incidents of Type III violence reported within a large hospital system from 2010 to 2012. Nurses were involved as either the perpetrator or target in the five most common perpetrator-target dyads. Incidence rate ratios revealed that patient care associates and nurses were significantly more likely to be perpetrators than other job titles. By examining characteristics of perpetrators and common worker dyads involved in Type III workplace violence, hospital stakeholders and unit supervisors have a starting point to develop strategies for reducing conflict between workers.

Age Impacts Pulmonary Inflammation and Systemic Bone Response to Inhaled Organic Dust Exposure

Agricultural workers have high rates of airway and skeletal health disease. Studies recently demonstrated that inhaled agricultural organic dust extract (ODE)-induced airway injury is associated with bone deterioration in an animal model. However, the effect of age in governing these responses to organic dusts is unclear, but might be important in future approaches. Young (7-9 wk) and older (12-14,o) male C57BL/6 mice received intranasal (i.n.) inhalation exposure to ODE from swine confinement facilities once or daily for 3 wk. Acute ODE-induced neutrophil influx and cytokine and chemokine (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, keratinocyte chemoattractant [CXCL1], macrophage inflammatory protein-2 [CXCL2]) airway production were reduced in older compared to young mice. Repetitive ODE treatment, however, increased lymphocyte recruitment and alveolar compartment histopathologic inflammatory changes in older mice. Whole lung cell infiltrate analysis revealed that young, but not older, mice repetitively treated with ODE demonstrated an elevated CD4:CD8 lymphocyte response. Acute inhalant ODE exposure resulted in a 4-fold and 1.5-fold rise in blood neutrophils in young and older mice, respectively. Serum IL-6 and CXCL1 levels were elevated in young and older mice i.n. exposed once to ODE, with increased CXCL1 levels in younger compared to older mice. Although older mice displayed reduced bone measurements compared to younger mice, younger rodents demonstrated ODE-induced decrease in bone mineral density, bone volume, and bone microarchitecture quality as determined by computed tomography (CT) analysis. Collectively, age impacts the airway injury and systemic inflammatory and bone loss response to inhalant ODE, suggesting an altered and enhanced immunologic response in younger as compared to older counterparts.

Exposure of mental health nurses to violence associated with job stress, life satisfaction, staff resilience, and post-traumatic growth

Workplace violence towards health workers in hospitals and in mental health units in particular is increasing. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of exposure to violence, job stress, staff resilience, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) on the life satisfaction of mental health nurses. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of mental health nurses (n = 118) working in a large mental health centre in Israel. Verbal violence by patients was reported by 88.1% of the nurses, and 58.4% experienced physical violence in the past year. Physical and verbal violence towards nurses was correlated with job stress, and life satisfaction was correlated with PTG and staff resilience. Linear regression analyses indicated that life satisfaction was mainly affected by PTG, staff resilience, and job stress, and less by exposure to verbal and physical violence. The present study is the first to show that, although mental health nurses are frequently exposed to violence, their life satisfaction is affected more by staff resilience, PTG, and job stress than by workplace violence. Therefore, it is recommended that intervention programmes that contribute to PTG and staff resilience, as well as those that reduce job stress among mental health nurses, be explored and implemented.

Workplace bullying prevention: a critical discourse analysis

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyse the discourses of workplace bullying prevention of hospital nursing unit managers and in the official documents of the organizations where they worked.

BACKGROUND

Workplace bullying can be a self-perpetuating problem in nursing units. As such, efforts to prevent this behaviour may be more effective than efforts to stop ongoing bullying. There is limited research on how healthcare organizations characterize their efforts to prevent workplace bullying.

DESIGN

This was a qualitative study.

METHOD

Critical discourse analysis and Foucault's writings on governmentality and discipline were used to analyse data from interviews with hospital nursing unit managers (n = 15) and organizational documents (n = 22). Data were collected in 2012.

FINDINGS

The discourse of workplace bullying prevention centred around three themes: prevention of workplace bullying through managerial presence, normalizing behaviours and controlling behaviours. All three are individual level discourses of workplace bullying prevention.

CONCLUSION

Current research indicates that workplace bullying is a complex issue with antecedents at the individual, departmental and organizational level. However, the discourse of the participants in this study only focused on prevention of bullying by moulding the behaviours of individuals. The effective prevention of workplace bullying will require departmental and organizational initiatives. Leaders in all types of organizations can use the results of this study to examine their organizations' discourses of workplace bullying prevention to determine where change is needed.

A Systematic Literature Review on Security and Privacy of Electronic Health Record Systems: Technical Perspectives

Background:

Even though many safeguards and policies for electronic health record (EHR) security have been implemented, barriers to the privacy and security protection of EHR systems persist.

Objective:

This article presents the results of a systematic literature review regarding frequently adopted security and privacy technical features of EHR systems.

Method:

Our inclusion criteria were full articles that dealt with the security and privacy of technical implementations of EHR systems published in English in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings between 1998 and 2013; 55 selected studies were reviewed in detail. We analysed the review results using two International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards (29100 and 27002) in order to consolidate the study findings.

Results:

Using this process, we identified 13 features that are essential to security and privacy in EHRs. These included system and application access control, compliance with security requirements, interoperability, integration and sharing, consent and choice mechanism, policies and regulation, applicability and scalability and cryptography techniques.

Conclusion:

This review highlights the importance of technical features, including mandated access control policies and consent mechanisms, to provide patients' consent, scalability through proper architecture and frameworks, and interoperability of health information systems, to EHR security and privacy requirements.

AAOHN Competencies

The AAOHN Competency document is one of the core documents that define occupational health nursing practice. This article provides a description of the process used to update the competencies, as well as a description of the new competencies.

Recent Updates in the Social and Environmental Determinants of Sleep Health

In this brief review article, we provide an overview of recent (since 2010) scientific contributions to our understanding of the social and environmental determinants of sleep health. In particular, we focus on three areas where we saw the most contributions to the determinants of sleep health among children, adolescents, and adults. First, studies of neighborhood context and sleep health find that sleep quality and quantity are lower in disadvantaged neighborhoods. These negative associations are often stronger for women than for men. Second, family factors matter for sleep health. Children from families with more parental resources sleep better than do children from families without such resources. Adults with children sleep less than those without, and work-family conflict is an impediment to good sleep. Third, media use is problematic for sleep health. Around the world, higher levels of screen media use are associated with lower quality and quantity of sleep. Future research on the social and environmental determinants of sleep health will grow out of these three areas of current research. In addition, we anticipate new research in the international realm and in the area of interventions designed to improve the population's sleep health.

Work-family conflict, cardiometabolic risk, and sleep duration in nursing employees

We investigated associations of work-family conflict and work and family conditions with objectively measured cardiometabolic risk and sleep. Multilevel analyses assessed cross-sectional associations between employee and job characteristics and health in analyses of 1,524 employees in 30 extended-care facilities in a single company. We examined work and family conditions in relation to: (a) validated, cardiometabolic risk score based on measured blood pressure, cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, body mass index, and self-reported tobacco consumption and (b) wrist actigraphy-based sleep duration. In fully adjusted multilevel models, work-to-family conflict but not family-to-work conflict was positively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Having a lower level occupation (nursing assistant vs. nurse) was associated with increased cardiometabolic risk, whereas being married and having younger children at home was protective. A significant Age × Work-to-Family Conflict interaction revealed that higher work-to-family conflict was more strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk in younger employees. High family-to-work conflict was significantly associated with shorter sleep duration. Working long hours and having children at home were both independently associated with shorter sleep duration. High work-to-family conflict was associated with longer sleep duration. These results indicate that different dimensions of work-family conflict may pose threats to cardiometabolic health and sleep duration for employees. This study contributes to the research on work-family conflict, suggesting that work-to-family and family-to-work conflict are associated with specific health outcomes. Translating theory and findings to preventive interventions entails recognition of the dimensionality of work and family dynamics and the need to target specific work and family conditions.

Yoga for Self-Care and Burnout Prevention Among Nurses

The promotion of self-care and the prevention of burnout among nurses is a public health priority. Evidence supports the efficacy of yoga to improve physical and mental health outcomes, but few studies have examined the influence of yoga on nurse-specific outcomes. The purpose of this pilot-level randomized controlled trial was to examine the efficacy of yoga to improve self-care and reduce burnout among nurses. Compared with controls ( n = 20), yoga participants ( n = 20) reported significantly higher self-care as well as less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization upon completion of an 8-week yoga intervention. Although the control group demonstrated no change throughout the course of the study, the yoga group showed a significant improvement in scores from pre- to post-intervention for self-care ( p < .001), mindfulness ( p = .028), emotional exhaustion ( p = .008), and depersonalization ( p = .007) outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.

Policy versus practice: a community-based qualitative study of the realities of pharmacy services in Nunavut, Canada

Objectives

Nunavut is an Arctic territory in Canada subject to many social, economic and health disparities in comparison to the rest of the nation. The territory is affected by health care provision challenges caused by small, geographically isolated communities where staffing shortages and weather related access barriers are common concerns. In addition to national universal healthcare, the majority of the inhabitants of Nunavut (~85 %) are Inuit beneficiaries of no-charge pharmaceuticals provided through federal and/or territorial budgetary allocations. This research examines how existing pharmaceutical administration and distribution policies and practices in Nunavut impact patient care.

Methods

This grounded theory research includes document analysis and semi-structured interviews conducted in 2013/14 with patients, health care providers, administrators and policy makers in several communities in Nunavut. Thirty five informants in total participated in the study. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed with qualitative data analysis software for internal consistency and emerging themes.

Results

Four distinct themes emerge from the research that have the potential to impact patient care and which may provide direction for future policy development: 1) tensions between national versus territorial financial responsibilities influence health provider decisions that may affect patient care, 2) significant human resources are utilized in Community Health Centres to perform distribution duties associated with retail pharmacy medications, 3) large quantities of unclaimed prescription medications are suggestive of significant financial losses, suboptimal patient care and low adherence rates, and 4) the absence of a clear policy and oversight for some controlled substances, such as narcotics, leaves communities at risk for potential illegal procurement or abuse.

Conclusions

Addressing these issues in future policy development may result in system-wide economic benefits, improved patient care and adherence, and reduced risk to communities. The interview informants who participated in this research are best positioned to identify issues in need of attention and will benefit the most from policy development to address their concerns.

Organizing workplace health literacy to reduce musculoskeletal pain and consequences

Background

Despite numerous initiatives to improve the working environment for nursing aides, musculoskeletal disorders (pain) is still a considerable problem because of the prevalence, and pervasive consequences on the individual, the workplace and the society. Discrepancies between effort and effect of workplace health initiatives might be due to the fact that pain and the consequences of pain are affected by various individual, interpersonal and organizational factors in a complex interaction. Recent health literacy models pursue an integrated approach to understanding health behavior and have been suggested as a suitable framework for addressing individual, organizational and interpersonal factors concomitantly. Therefore, the aim of the trial is to examine the effectiveness of an intervention to improve health literacy (building knowledge, competences and structures for communication and action) at both the organizational and individual level and reduce pain among nursing aides.

Methods/design

The intervention consists of 2 steps: 1) Courses at the workplace for employees and management in order to organize a joint fundament of knowledge and understanding, and a platform for communication and action about pain prevention in the organization. 2) Organizing a fixed 3-weekly structured dialogue between each employee and her/his supervisor, with particular focus on developing specific plans to prevent and reduce pain and its consequences. This enables the workplace to generate knowledge about employee resources and health challenges and to act and convey this knowledge into initiatives at the workplace.

Discussion

Previous studies to improve health literacy have primarily targeted patients or specific deprived groups in health care or community settings. Recently the idea of the workplace as an arena for improving health literacy has developed emphasizing the organizational responsibility in facilitating and supporting that employees obtain basic knowledge and information needed to understand and take action on individual and occupational health concerns. The literature about workplace health literacy is very limited but points at the importance of educating employees to be able to access, appraise and apply health information and of organizing the infrastructure and communication in the organization. This study suggests a concrete operationalization of health literacy in a workplace setting. Results are expected published in 2016.

Mental and Physical Symptoms of Female Rural Workers: Relation between Household and Rural Work

This study aimed to investigate the relations among mental disorders, physical discomfort, household work and farm work among women. We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the administration of a structured questionnaire to 182 female farm workers. The data were analyzed by means of Poisson regression, where the significance level was set to 5%. Results indicated that 111 (61%) participants reported work-related mental disorders and physical discomfort was reported by 160 (87.9%). The participants with mental disorders and at least moderate levels of physical discomfort reported significantly higher levels of physical demand, time working (temporal demand), total effort and frustration with regard to farm work, in addition to significantly higher levels of frustration with regard to housework. Women with moderate or greater levels of both physical discomfort and frustration with farm work increased the chances of mental disorders. The results illustrate the complex challenge for health professionals in caring for women with mental disorders and physical discomforts related to their farm work, in the context of both the farm and domestic work demands these workers experience.

Obesity among health service providers in Nigeria: danger to long term health worker retention?

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a global epidemic. There are rising rates of obesity and its associated disorders, especially in developing countries, including among Health Service Providers (HSPs). Obesity is associated with early retirement, increased morbidity and mortality. Thus, obesity has the potential of reducing long-term retention of HSPs in inadequately staffed health systems of developing countries. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of and factors associated with obesity among HSPs of a tertiary health care facility in Lagos, Nigeria.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was carried out with a questionnaire, which included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF). Obesity was defined as BMI ≥30kg/m2. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

300 HSPs were recruited, of which 47.7% were medical doctors and dentists, 43.3% were nurses and other categories of HSPs. The mean age and BMI of the HSPs were 39.3(9.0) years and 27.7(4.6) kg/m2 respectively. Eight two (27.3%) HSPs were obese and 134 (44.7%) were overweight, 149(49.7%) had central obesity. After adjusting for confounding variables using multivariate logistic regression, age > 40 years (OR 3.51, p=0.003), female gender (OR 2.84, p=0.007) and earning a monthly salary of ≤ 200,000 naira relative to 201,000-400,000 naira (OR 2.58, p=0.006) were significantly associated with obesity.

CONCLUSION

Obesity was prevalent among these Nigerian HSPs. This calls for concern, especially with the implication of loosing health workers to obesity related disorders and early retirement.

Catalysts of worker-to-worker violence and incivility in hospitals

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To identify common catalysts of worker-to-worker violence and incivility in hospital settings.

BACKGROUND

Worker-to-worker violence and incivility are prevalent forms of mistreatment in healthcare workplaces. These are forms of counterproductive work behaviour that can lead to negative outcomes for employees, patients and the organisation overall. Identifying the factors that lead to co-worker mistreatment is a critical first step in the development of interventions targeting these behaviours.

DESIGN

Retrospective descriptive study.

METHODS

Qualitative content analysis was conducted on the total sample (n = 141) of employee incident reports of worker-to-worker violence and incivility that were documented in 2011 at a large American hospital system.

RESULTS

More than 50% of the incidents involved nurses, and the majority of incidents did not involve physical violence. Two primary themes emerged from the analysis: Work Behaviour and Work Organisation. Incidents in the Work Behaviour category were often sparked by unprofessional behaviour, disagreement over responsibilities for work tasks or methods of patient care, and dissatisfaction with a co-worker's performance. Incidents in the Work Organisation category involved conflicts or aggression arising from failure to following protocol, patient assignments, limited resources and high workload.

CONCLUSION

Incidents of worker-to-worker violence and incivility stemmed from dissatisfaction with employee behaviour or from organisational practices or work constraints. These incident descriptions reflect worker dissatisfaction and frustration, resulting from poor communication and collaboration between employees, all of which threaten work productivity.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Violence and incivility between hospital employees can contribute to turnover of top performers, hinder effective teamwork and jeopardise the quality of patient care. Identification of common catalysts for worker-to-worker violence and incivility informs the development of mistreatment prevention programmes that can be used to educate hospital staff.

Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Features, Work-Related Conditions, and Level of Anxiety Among Turkish Primary Health Care Workers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among Turkish primary health care workers’ socio-demographic characteristics, working conditions, and anxiety. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 88 of 103 (85.4%) eligible health care workers from the city of Mugla participating. The participants’ average age was 31 years, 85.2% were university graduates, 30.7% were nurses, and 64.8% had been working between 11 and 20 years at the time of the study; 93.6% worked 8 hours each day or less. State anxiety scores for males ( p = .016), health care workers age 31 or older ( p = .035), nurse participants ( p = .043), and individuals who had worked 11 or more years ( p = .044) were significantly higher than the rest of the sample; however, trait anxiety scores for participants who did not work overtime and were not scheduled for shift work were significantly higher ( p = .033 and p = .004, respectively) than the rest of the sample. According to the logistic regression analysis, risk factors for anxiety included being male and older than 31 years.

Skin cancer in rural workers: nursing knowledge and intervention

OBJECTIVETo identify the exposure of rural workers to the sun's ultraviolet radiation and pesticides; to identify previous cases of skin cancer; and to implement clinical and communicative nursing actions among rural workers with a previous diagnosis of skin cancer.METHODObservational-exploratory study conducted with rural workers exposed to ultraviolet radiation and pesticides in a rural area in the extreme south of Brazil. A clinical judgment and risk communication model properly adapted was used to develop interventions among workers with a previous history of skin cancer.RESULTSA total of 123 (97.7%) workers were identified under conditions of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation and pesticides; seven (5.4%) were identified with a previous diagnosis of skin cancer; four (57.1%) of these presented potential skin cancer lesions.CONCLUSIONThis study's results enabled clarifying the combination of clinical knowledge and risk communication regarding skin cancer to rural workers.

Boot Camp for Occupational Health Nurses

Social media is a buzzword frequently referred to in marketing materials, general media, and personal conversations. Although many refer to the term social media, some individuals do not understand its meaning or how it affects their daily lives at work and home. Since the expansion of the Internet to web 2.0, multiple platforms of communication occur virtually through various social media. Understanding and learning how to use these platforms are essential to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues; advance connections to professional organizations; and extend educational opportunities. This article presents basic information for occupational health nurses to improve their understanding of social media and how to communicate virtually using different platforms safely and securely.

Associations of Individual-Related and Job-Related Risk Factors with Nonfatal Occupational Injury in the Coal Workers of Shanxi Province: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the relationships between the risk factors and the incidence of nonfatal occupational injury of coal mine workers of Shanxi Province.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2013 to December 2013, and 4319 workers were recruited from more than 200,000 coal mine employees who are exposed to continuous potential risk of occupational injuries by using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Trained interviewers having necessary medical knowledge conducted face-to-face interviews with the participants. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

A total number of 3618 effective respondents were got from 4319 participants (83.77%) and the mean age of the participants was 41.5 years with the standard deviation of 8.65. Significant crude odds ratios were observed for all factors considered except for marital status, education, work duration, BMI, EPQ-RSC(P) scale and EPQ-RSC(L) scale. Results from multivariable logistic regression model showed significant adjusted odds ratios for risk factors including gender (female vs male 0.275, 0.094-0.800), age (≥55 vs ≤25yr 0.169, 0.032-0.900), work type (light physical labor vs heavy physical labor 0.504, 0.328-0.774), workplace (underground auxiliary vs underground front-line 0.595, 0.385-0.919), length of shiftwork experience (0~5yr vs no shift 2.075, 1.287-3.344 and ≥15yr vs no shift 2.076, 1.230-3.504) and EPQ-RSC(E) score (extraversion vs introversion 0.538, 0.334-0.867).

CONCLUSIONS

Several risk factors of nonfatal occupational injury were identified including male, age, heavy physical labor, underground front-line, length of shiftwork experience and introversion. The coal mining enterprises should pay attention to controlling the hazards associated with frontline physical work. Workers' behaviors, life styles and personality traits should also be considered, so that the enterprises could set achievable targets for workers and lessen the exposed period to the risky underground workstation.

Associations of Individual-Related and Job-Related Risk Factors with Nonfatal Occupational Injury in the Coal Workers of Shanxi Province: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the relationships between the risk factors and the incidence of nonfatal occupational injury of coal mine workers of Shanxi Province.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2013 to December 2013, and 4319 workers were recruited from more than 200,000 coal mine employees who are exposed to continuous potential risk of occupational injuries by using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Trained interviewers having necessary medical knowledge conducted face-to-face interviews with the participants. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

A total number of 3618 effective respondents were got from 4319 participants (83.77%) and the mean age of the participants was 41.5 years with the standard deviation of 8.65. Significant crude odds ratios were observed for all factors considered except for marital status, education, work duration, BMI, EPQ-RSC(P) scale and EPQ-RSC(L) scale. Results from multivariable logistic regression model showed significant adjusted odds ratios for risk factors including gender (female vs male 0.275, 0.094-0.800), age (≥55 vs ≤25yr 0.169, 0.032-0.900), work type (light physical labor vs heavy physical labor 0.504, 0.328-0.774), workplace (underground auxiliary vs underground front-line 0.595, 0.385-0.919), length of shiftwork experience (0~5yr vs no shift 2.075, 1.287-3.344 and ≥15yr vs no shift 2.076, 1.230-3.504) and EPQ-RSC(E) score (extraversion vs introversion 0.538, 0.334-0.867).

CONCLUSIONS

Several risk factors of nonfatal occupational injury were identified including male, age, heavy physical labor, underground front-line, length of shiftwork experience and introversion. The coal mining enterprises should pay attention to controlling the hazards associated with frontline physical work. Workers' behaviors, life styles and personality traits should also be considered, so that the enterprises could set achievable targets for workers and lessen the exposed period to the risky underground workstation.

Exploring the Relationship Between Professional Commitment and Job Satisfaction Among Nurses

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between professional commitment and job satisfaction among nurses. A total of 132 registered nurses were recruited from a hospital in northern Taiwan. A self-reported structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Findings revealed significant differences among nurses in willingness to make an effort and their marital status, appraisal in continuing their careers, job level, and goals and values related to working shifts. Significant differences were found between inner satisfaction and work sector and marital status. Nurses’ professional commitment was strongly related to job satisfaction; aspects of professional commitment explained 32% of the variance in job satisfaction. Study results may inform health care institutions about the importance of nurses’ job satisfaction and professional commitment so hospital administration can improve these aspects of organizational environment.

Occupational stress and mental health among nurses in a medical intensive care unit of a general hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013

Background:

Many nurses have reported experiencing high levels of occupational stress in their work environment. Stress, as an outcome of stressful workplaces and tasks, affects nursing behavior in hospital wards. The objectives of this research were to determine the prevalence of occupational stress and mental health problems in nurses in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013 and to determine the relationship between occupational stress and mental health.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on all of the nurses working in ICU at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital located in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Seventy-two nurses were selected as the population for this study, and all of them were female. Two questionnaires were used in this study, i.e., General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) for assessing mental health and an occupational stress test for assessing job stress. Furthermore, the relationship between occupational stress and mental health was examined. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-test, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation test were used to analyze the data.

Results:

High and moderate levels of occupational stress were experienced by 83.9% and 10.7% of ICU nurses, respectively. The prevalence of mental disorders, somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression were 58.9, 60.7, 62.5, 71.4, and 10.7%, respectively. The findings of the independent samples t-test showed that somatic symptoms had significant relationships with age and working experience (p = 0.01). According to the independent samples t-test, there were no significant differences between somatic symptoms and working different shifts (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

There was a high prevalence of occupational stress among ICU nurses. There was a significant relationship between occupational stress and mental health. Future interventions are needed to codify a comprehensive health program in this field to reduce occupational stress and enhance nurses’ levels of mental health.

Prevalence, consequences and predictors of low back pain among nurses in a tertiary care setting

PURPOSE

Nursing is a profession with high incidence and prevalence of low back pain (LBP), with its medical and professional consequences. These prevalence rates vary among countries, and with various measurements have been used to determine LBP. Individual and work-related factors are regarded as causal factors for many back injuries. The aims of study this were: (1) to estimate the prevalence of LBP using different measures, (2) to determine medical and professional consequences of LBP, and (3) to determine the associated factors and significant predictors of LBP.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 254 nurses from different departments/wards at Hamad General Hospital (HGH), Doha, Qatar over two months (February and March, 2015). A self-administered modified Nordic questionnaire was used to collect data regarding five different measures of LBP, its medical and occupational consequences and individual/lifestyle and work-related risk factors of LBP. Descriptive and analytic statistical analyses were done using chi-square and multivariate logistic regression techniques. Significance was considered at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

The findings of this study broadly confirm the high levels of back pain in nursing, with a one-year prevalence of LBP of 54.3 % for LBP of at least one day, 26.8 % for chronic LBP, 18.1 % for sick leave seeking LBP, and 34.3 % for medical treatment seeking LBP. Difficult or impossible activities of daily living were reported due to LBP in climbing stairs (50.7 %), walking (42.8 %), standing up (39.9 %), sleeping (33.3 %), getting out of bed (30.4 %) and wearing clothes (20.3 %). Work stop due to LBP was reported by 76.8 % of nurses, with 2.03 ± 3.09 days within the last year. Treatment was sought in 58.7 % by medical care, and 15.9 % by physiotherapy, while seeking rest days and/or sick leave was sought in 50.8 % of nurses with LBP. Sports practice (p = 0.003), office work (p < 0.001) and exposure to physical stress (p = 0.002) were the only significant predictors of LBP among nurses, when logistic regression analysis was conducted.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of LBP among nurses at HGH is high and should be actively addressed, however, it was not a major cause of sick leave. Preventive measures should be taken to reduce the risk of lower back pain, such as arranging proper rest periods, educational programs to teach the proper use of body mechanics and sports activity programs.

Exploring Smoking Cessation Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices in Occupational Health Nursing

The purpose of this study was to explore occupational health nurses’ attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding the delivery of smoking cessation services to workers. The study included 707 members of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) who completed a one-time survey during the fall of 2012. Results indicated that occupational health nurses believed that evidence-based treatments are at least somewhat effective and that they should provide smoking cessation services to their workers; however, a majority of occupational health nurses reported that they did not have appropriate smoking cessation training or guidelines in their workplaces. Occupational health nurses would benefit from training in the use of smoking cessation guidelines and evidence-based smoking cessation interventions, which could be used in their clinical practice. Employers should ensure that workplace policies, such as providing coverage for cessation services, facilitate smokers’ efforts to quit. Employers can benefit from many of these policies through cost savings via reduced health care costs and absenteeism.

Constant illumination reduces circulating melatonin and impairs immune function in the cricket Teleogryllus commodus

Exposure to constant light has a range of negative effects on behaviour and physiology, including reduced immune function in both vertebrates and invertebrates. It is proposed that the associated suppression of melatonin (a ubiquitous hormone and powerful antioxidant) in response to the presence of light at night could be an underlying mechanistic link driving the changes to immune function. Here, we investigated the relationship between constant illumination, melatonin and immune function, using a model invertebrate species, the Australian black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus. Crickets were reared under either a 12 h light: 12 h dark regimen or a constant 24 h light regimen. Circulating melatonin concentration and immune function (haemocyte concentration, lytic activity and phenoloxidase (PO) activity) were assessed in individual adult crickets through the analysis of haemolymph. Constant illumination reduced melatonin and had a negative impact on haemocyte concentrations and lytic activity, but its effect on PO activity was less apparent. Our data provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of a link between exposure to constant illumination and variation in haemocyte concentration in an invertebrate model, while also highlighting the potential complexity of the immune response following exposure to constant illumination. This study provides insight into the possible negative effect of artificial night-time lighting on the physiology of invertebrates, but whether lower and potentially more ecologically relevant levels of light at night produce comparable results, as has been reported in several vertebrate taxa, remains to be tested.

[Violence undergone by the general practitioners: Under-reporting of the attacks or of the infringements to their properties]

INTRODUCTION

The main objective of this study was to estimate prevalence on the liberal general practitioners. The secondary objectives are to identify the possible brakes with the declaration in the monitoring observatory for security of the doctors as well as to determine if the feminization of the profession was associated with the situations violence.

METHODS

A questionnaire in 5 parts was submitted by telephone to 146 drawn lots liberal general practitioners. It approached the undergone physical and verbal attacks, the infringements on the properties arisen during their career, and the proven feeling of insecurity.

RESULTS

The rate of participation was 63% (93/146). In all 171 incidents were reported among which 96 physical and verbal attacks (56%), and 75 infringements on the properties (44%) without difference according to the sex. The main motive for the attacks was the refusal of prescription (44%). Practically, no concerned doctor made declaration for the monitoring observatory for the security of the doctors, for lack of interest for 5 of them or the ignorance of its existence for 10 on 32 practitioners having undergone an aggression after the creation of the monitoring observatory.

CONCLUSION

We observed an under-reporting of the attacks or of the infringements on the properties by the doctors victims. Our study did not highlight difference between men and women.

Accidental Trichloroacetic Acid Burn in a Gynecology Office

BACKGROUND

Trichloroacetic acid is routinely used by gynecologists to treat anogenital diseases, and accidental exposure to the health care providers may result in serious burns. This case serves to raise awareness of accidental exposure of trichloroacetic acid and describes preventive, first aid, and treatment recommendations that may limit the incidence and severity of burn injury among gynecologists.

CASE

A 32-year-old female gynecologist incurred a deep second-degree, 12×14-cm, work-related chemical burn by unintentionally spilling a container of approximately 20 mL of 80% trichloroacetic acid onto her right thigh during an outpatient procedure. First aid included removal of her soaked clothing, 5 minutes of soap and cold water irrigation, and liberal placement of petroleum-based ointment onto the injury site. Treatment consisted of topical silver sulfadiazine cream twice a day, coverage with silver-impregnated silicone foam dressing, and a circumferential soft bandage to minimize sheer forces along the wound. A 9-month follow-up demonstrated a well-healed, mildly hypopigmented, aesthetically favorable wound with return of sensation.

CONCLUSION

Accidental trichloroacetic acid burns are a potential hazard in a gynecology office. Health care workers should be familiar with prevention, first aid, and appropriate treatment that often can result in acceptable long-term outcomes.

Prevention of Nurses’ Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Resulting From Repositioning Patients in Bed

Repositioning patients in bed to promote comfort and prevent impairments caused by continuously lying in a prone position is a task frequently performed by nurses and nursing assistants. Repositioning is a high-risk activity, frequently causing occupational injuries. These occupational injuries are attributed to excessive physical demands on nurses due to patients’ weight and awkward nurse postures. During repositioning, risk of injury can be lowered by reducing friction between the patient and the bed. Hence, certain friction-reducing devices have been developed to reduce the manual force required to move patients. Nevertheless, further research is needed to evaluate the potential effectiveness of these devices. Therefore, the aim of this review was to present current research about the risk factors, prevention strategies, and assistive devices that could reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders caused by repositioning patients in bed.

Follow Me, Like Me, Tweet Me! Implementing Social Media Into Occupational Health

Occupational health nurses can advance their professional practices through virtual platforms (e.g., social media and mobile applications). Virtual platforms allow occupational health nurses to disseminate occupational safety and health information efficiently to employees, families, and other stakeholders. Occupational health nurses exchange information with employees, enhancing communication and disseminating appropriate and accurate safety and health information to workers and their families. This article assists occupational health nurses in understanding how to use social media and other mobile applications to enhance their practices.

Results of an Academic, Health Care Worksite Weight Loss Contest for Southeastern Americans: Scale Back Alabama 2011-2013

Few studies have assessed the effectiveness of competitive incentivized worksite weight loss programs. Scale Back Alabama (SBA) is a free, state-supported program designed to promote weight loss among overweight and obese citizens. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the design and preliminary findings of SBA as a worksite intervention among employees at a collegiate institution and university hospital. In teams of 4 employees, SBA participants volunteered to engage in a 10-week competitive weight loss contest; both teams and individuals who lost significant weight were eligible for randomly drawn cash incentives. Trained staff objectively measured participants' weight before and at the conclusion of the contest. Preliminary analyses suggest that SBA as a worksite program can promote weight loss among employees, but future analyses are warranted to understand the context of these findings and determine if current results are confounded by unmeasured factors.

Occupational Stress Management and Burnout Interventions in Nursing and Their Implications for Healthy Work Environments: A Literature Review

This article reports on a literature review of workplace interventions (i.e., creating healthy work environments and improving nurses' quality of work life [QWL]) aimed at managing occupational stress and burnout for nurses. A literature search was conducted using the keywords nursing, nurses, stress, distress, stress management, burnout, and intervention. All the intervention studies included in this review reported on workplace intervention strategies, mainly individual stress management and burnout interventions. Recommendations are provided to improve nurses' QWL in health care organizations through workplace health promotion programs so that nurses can be recruited and retained in rural and northern regions of Ontario. These regions have unique human resources needs due to the shortage of nurses working in primary care.

Nutritional, metabolic and cardiovascular correlations of morning cortisol in health care workers in a gastroenterology service

BACKGROUND

Workplace stress has been associated with obesity. Diminished body weight has also been anticipated in some contexts.

OBJECTIVE

In a cohort of healthcare personnel, morning cortisol was compared to nutritional and metabolic variables, aiming to identify the correlates of such marker.

METHODS

Population n=185, 33.8 ± 9.8 years, 88.1% females, body mass index (BMI) 25.6 ± 4.4 kg/m2, included nurses and other nosocomial professionals, the majority with high social-economic status (75.2%). Participants were stratified according to BMI, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Fasting plasma cortisol and the Framingham Coronary Risk Score was calculated.

RESULTS

Mean cortisol was acceptable (19.4 ± 7.9 µg/dL) although with elevation in 21.6%. No correlation with FBG or MS occurred, and nonobese persons (BMI <25) exhibited the highest values (P=0.049). Comparison of the lowest and highest cortisol quartiles confirmed reduced BMI and waist circumference in the former, with unchanged Framingham Coronary Risk Score.

CONCLUSION

Cortisol correlated with reduced BMI. Despite low BMI and waist circumference, Framingham Coronary Risk Score was not benefitted, suggesting that exposure to cardiovascular risk continues, besides psychological strain. Initiatives to enhance organizational and staff health are advisable in the hospital environment.

[Violence, Burnout and Minor Psychiatric Disorders in Hospital Work]

OBJECTIVE

Identifying the violence suffered by the health team workers and their association with Burnout and minor psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with 269 health team professionals of a public hospital in southern Brazil. Data were collected through the use of the Survey Questionnaire: Workplace Violence in the Health Sector, Maslach Inventory Burnout and Self-Report Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Workplace violence struck 63.2% of workers, prevailing mostly in women (p = 0.001), among nursing auxiliaries/technicians (p=0.014) and was associated with minor psychiatric disorders (p<0.05), as exposure to different forms of violence increased the chances of these disorders by 60% (CI 95%: 1.2-2.1). The three Burnout dimensions were also associated to violence at work (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Health workers experience violence in the workplace and this exposure is associated with Burnout symptoms and minor psychiatric disorders.

The impact of multi-site musculoskeletal pain on work ability among health care providers

Background

Epidemiologic studies have reported that multi-site musculoskeletal pain threatens work ability. However, no study has been conducted on this topic among health care providers. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between multi-site pain and poor work ability among health care providers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire including basic characteristics, job satisfaction, stress screening, musculoskeletal pain at neck, upper extremities, low back, and lower extremities within the last month, and work ability index. Pain intensity was dichotomized according to a numerical pain rating scale score: less than five (no) and at least five (yes). Musculoskeletal pain was divided in three groups: 1) no pain, 2) few pain sites (one to two sites), and 3) many pain sites (three to four sites). The association of the number of pain sites with poor work ability was explored through multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 254 health care providers participated in the present study. The majority of participants were female (73.2 %) with mean age of 33.9 (SD 9.5) years. Few pain sites and many pain sites were reported by 79 (31.1 %) and 39 participants (15.4 %), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for poor work ability of participants who had few pain sites and many pain sites were 1.85 (95 % CI: 0.91 – 3.76) and 2.41 (95 % CI: 1.04 – 5.58), respectively.

Conclusion

The present study showed that multi-site musculoskeletal pain had an association with poor work ability. The magnitude of association was likely to increase by a higher number of pain sites.