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Gheorghe CE, Leigh SJ, Tofani GSS, Bastiaanssen TFS, Lyte JM, Gardellin E, Govindan A, Strain C, Martinez-Herrero S, Goodson MS, Kelley-Loughnane N, Cryan JF, Clarke G. The microbiota drives diurnal rhythms in tryptophan metabolism in the stressed gut. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114079. [PMID: 38613781 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress disrupts microbiota-gut-brain axis function and is associated with altered tryptophan metabolism, impaired gut barrier function, and disrupted diurnal rhythms. However, little is known about the effects of acute stress on the gut and how it is influenced by diurnal physiology. Here, we used germ-free and antibiotic-depleted mice to understand how microbiota-dependent oscillations in tryptophan metabolism would alter gut barrier function at baseline and in response to an acute stressor. Cecal metabolomics identified tryptophan metabolism as most responsive to a 15-min acute stressor, while shotgun metagenomics revealed that most bacterial species exhibiting rhythmicity metabolize tryptophan. Our findings highlight that the gastrointestinal response to acute stress is dependent on the time of day and the microbiome, with a signature of stress-induced functional alterations in the ileum and altered tryptophan metabolism in the colon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra E Gheorghe
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Sarah-Jane Leigh
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Gabriel S S Tofani
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Thomaz F S Bastiaanssen
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Joshua M Lyte
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Elisa Gardellin
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Ashokkumar Govindan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy Co, P61 C996 Cork, Ireland
| | - Conall Strain
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy Co, P61 C996 Cork, Ireland
| | - Sonia Martinez-Herrero
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Michael S Goodson
- 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH 45324, USA
| | - Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
- 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH 45324, USA
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland.
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Xiao H, Tian Y, Gao H, Cui X, Dong S, Xue Q, Yao D. Analysis of the fatigue status of medical security personnel during the closed-loop period using multiple machine learning methods: a case study of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8987. [PMID: 38637575 PMCID: PMC11026406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59397-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Using machine learning methods to analyze the fatigue status of medical security personnel and the factors influencing fatigue (such as BMI, gender, and wearing protective clothing working hours), with the goal of identifying the key factors contributing to fatigue. By validating the predicted outcomes, actionable and practical recommendations can be offered to enhance fatigue status, such as reducing wearing protective clothing working hours. A questionnaire was designed to assess the fatigue status of medical security personnel during the closed-loop period, aiming to capture information on fatigue experienced during work and disease recovery. The collected data was then preprocessed and used to determine the structural parameters for each machine learning algorithm. To evaluate the prediction performance of different models, the mean relative error (MRE) and goodness of fit (R2) between the true and predicted values were calculated. Furthermore, the importance rankings of various parameters in relation to fatigue status were determined using the RF feature importance analysis method. The fatigue status of medical security personnel during the closed-loop period was analyzed using multiple machine learning methods. The prediction performance of these methods was ranked from highest to lowest as follows: Gradient Boosting Regression (GBM) > Random Forest (RF) > Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) > K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) > Support Vector Regression (SVR). Among these algorithms, four out of the five achieved good prediction results, with the GBM method performing the best. The five most critical parameters influencing fatigue status were identified as working hours in protective clothing, a customized symptom and disease score (CSDS), physical exercise, body mass index (BMI), and age, all of which had importance scores exceeding 0.06. Notably, working hours in protective clothing obtained the highest importance score of 0.54, making it the most critical factor impacting fatigue status. Fatigue is a prevalent and pressing issue among medical security personnel operating in closed-loop environments. In our investigation, we observed that the GBM method exhibited superior predictive performance in determining the fatigue status of medical security personnel during the closed-loop period, surpassing other machine learning techniques. Notably, our analysis identified several critical factors influencing the fatigue status of medical security personnel, including the duration of working hours in protective clothing, CSDS, and engagement in physical exercise. These findings shed light on the multifaceted nature of fatigue among healthcare workers and emphasize the importance of considering various contributing factors. To effectively alleviate fatigue, prudent management of working hours for security personnel, along with minimizing the duration of wearing protective clothing, proves to be promising strategies. Furthermore, promoting regular physical exercise among medical security personnel can significantly impact fatigue reduction. Additionally, the exploration of medication interventions and the adoption of innovative protective clothing options present potential avenues for mitigating fatigue. The insights derived from this study offer valuable guidance to management personnel involved in organizing large-scale events, enabling them to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions to address fatigue among medical security personnel. In our upcoming research, we will further expand the fatigue dataset while considering higher precisionprediction algorithms, such as XGBoost model, ensemble model, etc., and explore their potential contributions to our research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Xiao
- Department of Emergency, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Yingping Tian
- Department of Emergency, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Hengbo Gao
- Department of Emergency, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Xiaolei Cui
- Department of Emergency, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Shimin Dong
- Department of Emergency, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Qianlong Xue
- Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Dongqi Yao
- Department of Emergency, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
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Liu C, Zhang Y, Xu Q, Yang C, Tang Y, Zhang Q, Liu X, Yue Y, Yu F. The risk of sexual dysfunction in Chinese women with recurrent pregnancy loss and the associated factors: a multicenter cross-sectional study. Sex Med 2024; 12:qfae031. [PMID: 38803794 PMCID: PMC11128721 DOI: 10.1093/sexmed/qfae031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a severe traumatic event for women of childbearing age. However, the association between RPL and female sexual dysfunction was unknown. Aim The study sought to investigate the association between RPL and sexual dysfunction, and to explore the risk factors of sexual dysfunction for RPL patients. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study involving both RPL patients and healthy women was performed in 3 different hospitals in West China from May 2021 to January 2023. Baseline information including sociodemographic data and disease histories were collected. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to assess the sexual function of participants. Outcomes The main outcome was the proportion of women at increased risk of sexual dysfunction (total FSFI scores <26.55), and the secondary outcome was risk factors of sexual dysfunction in RPL patients. Results A total of 233 RPL patients and 185 healthy women were included in this study. RPL patients had significantly lower total FSFI scores (median 31.7 [interquartile range, 26.6-33.5] vs 33.0 [interquartile range, 31.2-34.1]; P < .001) and a significantly higher risk of sexual dysfunction than healthy women (24.9% vs 8.6%; P < .001). Body mass index >24 kg/m2 (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.132; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.902-8.976, P < .001), working >8 h/d (adjusted OR, 2.111; 95% CI, 1.020-4.369, P = .044), and unexplained RPL (adjusted OR, 3.785; 95% CI, 1.967-7.280, P < .001) were independent risk factors of sexual dysfunction for RPL patients. Clinical Implications RPL patients, especially those patients with the previously mentioned risk factors, should be focused on the risk of sexual dysfunction, and appropriate preventions could be applied. Strength and Limitations We explored the association between RPL and sexual dysfunction and explored the risk factors of sexual dysfunction among RPL patients for the first time, and the multicenter data increased the generalizability of results. However, the cross-sectional design did not provide an exact causal relationship between RPL and sexual dysfunction, and potential risk factors related to mental health were not investigated. Conclusion RPL patients were at an increased risk of sexual dysfunction. Overweight, fatigue caused by work, and unexplained RPL were risk factors of sexual dysfunction for RPL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjiao Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yiduo Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qian Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yuanting Tang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ziyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Ziyang 641300, China
| | - Xiumei Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ziyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Ziyang 641300, China
| | - Yangang Yue
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610300, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Fan Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
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Krizan Z, Jones M. Investigative fatigue: how sleep-circadian factors shape criminal investigations. SLEEP ADVANCES : A JOURNAL OF THE SLEEP RESEARCH SOCIETY 2024; 5:zpae017. [PMID: 38559774 PMCID: PMC10980285 DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Investigating criminal complaints and identifying culprits to be prosecuted in the court of law is an essential process for law-enforcement and public safety. However, law-enforcement investigators operate under very challenging conditions due to stressful environments, understaffing, and public scrutiny, which factors into investigative errors (e.g. uncleared cases). This paper argues that one contributing factor to investigative failures involves sleep and circadian disruption of investigators themselves, known to be prevalent among law-enforcement. By focusing on investigative interviewing, this analysis illustrates how sleep and circadian disruption could impact investigations by considering three broad phases of (1) preparation, (2) information elicitation, and (3) assessment and corroboration. These phases are organized in a framework that outlines theory-informed pathways in need of empirical attention, with special focus on effort and decision-making processes critical to investigations. While existing evidence is limited, preliminary findings support some elements of investigative fatigue. The paper concludes by placing investigative fatigue in a broader context of investigative work while providing recommendations for future research throughout. This paper is part of the Sleep and Circadian Health in the Justice System Collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zlatan Krizan
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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Wang J, Huang Y, Wang S, Zhang Z, He Y, Wang X, Guo H. The impact of workplace violence on job burnout among Chinese correctional officers: the chain mediating effects of stress and insomnia. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:566. [PMID: 38388879 PMCID: PMC10885376 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18048-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of workplace violence and job burnout among Chinese correctional officers is high. Stress and insomnia may influence the relationship between workplace violence and job burnout; however, this influence has been rarely studied. This study aimed to explore the effect of workplace violence on job burnout among Chinese correctional officers and to assess the contribution of stress and insomnia to this effect. METHODS In this study, the workplace violence scale, the Assens insomnia scale, the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey scale were used to assess the workplace violence, insomnia, stress, and job burnout experienced by the 472 correctional officers, respectively. RESULTS The results showed that (1) workplace violence was significantly and positively predictive of job burnout, (2) workplace violence affected job burnout through the mediation of stress, (3) workplace violence affected job burnout through the mediation of insomnia, and (4) stress and insomnia played fully interlocking mediating roles in the effect of workplace violence on job burnout. CONCLUSION Stress and insomnia may play a full mediating role in the relationship between workplace violence and job burnout. This suggested that correctional officers may take measures to reduce stress and improve insomnia, thereby reducing their job burnout. Further research may focus on the development of effective interventions to reduce stress and improve insomnia among correctional officers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jizhi Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Pingtang Compulsory Isolation Detoxification Institute in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China
| | - Yuqiong He
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China.
| | - Huijuan Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China.
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Zheng B, Chen F, Wang J, Deng H, Li J, Zhou C, Ye M. The Prevalence and Correlated Factors of Occupational Stress, Cumulative Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Disorders among Information Technology Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chongqing, China. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2322. [PMID: 37628520 PMCID: PMC10454031 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11162322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are major concerns in the field of occupational health. Previous studies on occupational health focused on key industries, such as medical care, while there were few related studies on Information Technology (IT) industry. Our study explored the factors influencing occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders in the IT industry. We collected 1363 IT workers' valid questionnaires, of which 73.1% of participants were technicians in Chongqing, 2021. The core occupational stress scale (COSS), self-diagnosis checklist for the assessment of workers' accumulated fatigue and Chinese musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire were used to measure the occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders of the respondents. Logistic regressions were used to explore the correlated factors affecting these indicators. The results showed that the prevalence of occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders was 50.4%, 47%, and 72.3%, respectively. Working in the current position for 3-10 years was a common increased risk for all three indicators. Insomnia was associated with an increased risk of cumulative fatigue (Odds Ratio, OR = 2.156, p < 0.001) and musculoskeletal disorders (OR = 1.878, p < 0.001). Cumulative fatigue was also associated with an increased risk of having WMSDs (OR = 3.207, p < 0.001). According to our findings, occupational factors, such as long working years, overtime work, and personal lifestyle, are highly related to the occurrence of occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders for IT industry workers. More attention should be paid to women and those with long working hours in the IT industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailiang Zheng
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401331, China; (B.Z.)
| | - Fengqiong Chen
- Institute of Occupational Health and Radiation Health, Chongqing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing 400042, China; (F.C.)
| | - Jin Wang
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China;
| | - Huaxin Deng
- Institute of Occupational Health and Radiation Health, Chongqing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing 400042, China; (F.C.)
| | - Jinshan Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401331, China; (B.Z.)
| | - Chunmin Zhou
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401331, China; (B.Z.)
| | - Mengliang Ye
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401331, China; (B.Z.)
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Clements AJ, Woodhams J, Young JK, Duran F. Editorial: The wellbeing of criminal justice personnel. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1245541. [PMID: 37519371 PMCID: PMC10374425 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1245541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica Woodhams
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph K. Young
- School of Public Affairs and the School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Fazeelat Duran
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Wong I, Swanson N. Approaches to managing work-related fatigue to meet the needs of American workers and employers. Am J Ind Med 2022; 65:827-831. [PMID: 35661203 PMCID: PMC10583120 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
On September 13-14, 2019, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) hosted a national forum entitled "Working hours, sleep and fatigue: Meeting the needs of American workers and employers." The purpose of this inaugural meeting was to discuss current evidence about the broad-based risks and effective countermeasures related to working hours, sleep, and fatigue, with further considerations to tailor solutions for specific industries and worker populations. We aimed to identify the knowledge gaps and needs in this area and future directions for research. We also sought to identify similarities across industries with the goal of sharing lessons learned and successful mitigation strategies across sectors. Participants included an international representation of academics, scientists, government representatives, policymakers, industry leaders, occupational health and safety professionals, and labor representatives. A total of eight manuscripts were developed following stakeholder comments and forum discussions. Six focused on sector-specific approaches (i.e., Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing; Healthcare & Social Assistance; Mining; Oil and Gas Extraction; Public Safety; Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities) to identify unique factors for fatigue-risk and effective countermeasures. Two additional manuscripts addressed topic areas that cut across all industries (disproportionate risks, and economic evaluation). Findings from the Forum highlight that the identification of common risk factors across sectors allows for transfer of information, such as evidence for effective mitigation strategies, from sectors where fatigue risk has been more widely studied to those sectors where it has been less so. Further considerations should be made to improve knowledge translation activities by incorporating different languages and modes of dissemination such that information is accessible for all workers. Additionally, while economic evaluation can be an important decision-making tool for organizational- and policy-level activities, multi-disciplinary approaches combining epidemiology and economics are needed to provide a more balanced approach to economic evaluation with considerations for societal impacts. Although fatigue risk management must be tailored to fit industries, organizations, and individuals, knowledge gained in this forum can be leveraged, modified, and adapted to address these variabilities. Our hope is to continue sharing lessons learned to encourage future innovative, multi-disciplinary, cross-industry collaborations that will meet the needs of workers and employers to mitigate the risks and losses related to workplace fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imelda Wong
- Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Naomi Swanson
- Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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