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Mohsin M, Yin H, Huang W, Zhang S, Zhang L, Mehak A. Evaluation of Occupational Health Risk Management and Performance in China: A Case Study of Gas Station Workers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19073762. [PMID: 35409446 PMCID: PMC8997918 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
China has a large number of gas stations, with which thousands of workers are associated. There is abundant online literature documenting the various occupational health risks these workers face. However, this literature has many flaws to address, and it falls short of suggesting measures to manage these risks. This study strives to fill that gap, and aims to improve the occupational health of gas station workers through comprehensive risk management and performance analysis. To this end, a reasonable volume of reliable data, i.e., 208 completed questionnaires, were analyzed through current statistical routines, viz., fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA). These methods were employed to hierarchically organize the main factors and sub-factors of physical risk management, chemical risk management, biological risk management, physiological risk management and psychological risk management according to their appraised importance, and screen out the risk management stratagem for priority improvement. Research findings reveal that chemical risk and biological risk response schemes have the lowest performance, and need to be prioritized for improvement. Furthermore, this study argues that we can safeguard the occupational health of gas station workers through appropriate risk management strategies. It also elaborates on implications, limitations and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Mohsin
- College of International Finance and Trade, Zhejiang YueXiu University of Foreign Languages, Shaoxing 312000, China;
| | - Hengbin Yin
- School of Finance and Trade, Wenzhou Business College, Wenzhou 325035, China; (W.H.); (S.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-158-5855-7931
| | - Weilun Huang
- School of Finance and Trade, Wenzhou Business College, Wenzhou 325035, China; (W.H.); (S.Z.)
| | - Shijun Zhang
- School of Finance and Trade, Wenzhou Business College, Wenzhou 325035, China; (W.H.); (S.Z.)
| | - Luyao Zhang
- School of Business, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea;
| | - Ana Mehak
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
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Aktas E, Bergbom B, Godderis L, Kreshpaj B, Marinov M, Mates D, McElvenny DM, Mehlum IS, Milenkova V, Nena E, Glass DC. Migrant workers occupational health research: an OMEGA-NET working group position paper. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2021; 95:765-777. [PMID: 34661721 PMCID: PMC8521506 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01803-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Objective The aims of the study were: (1) to clarify the definitions of “migrant” used in occupational health research; (2) to summarize migrant workers’ industry sectors, occupations and employment conditions; (3) to identify the occupational health and safety services available to migrant workers; (4) to summarize work-related health problems found among migrant workers; (5) to identify the methodological challenges to research into occupational health of migrant workers; and (6) to recommend improvements in migrant occupational health research. Methods This position paper was prepared by researchers from several European countries and Australia, working within the EU COST Action OMEGA-NET. The paper drew on two recent systematic reviews on the occupational health of international migrant workers and other literature, and also identified uncertainties and gaps in the research literature. Migrants may, for example, be temporary or permanent, moving for specific jobs migrants or other reasons. Their ethnicity and language capabilities will affect their work opportunities. Results The occupational health literature seldom adequately identifies the heterogeneity or characteristics of the migrant group being studied. Migrants tend to work in more physically and mentally demanding environments with higher exposures than native workers. Migrants tend to have an increased risk of physical and mental ill health, but less access to health care services. This has been demonstrated recently by high rates of COVID-19 and less access to health care. There have been a number of cross-sectional studies of migrant health but few long-term cohort studies were identified. Other study designs, such as registry-based studies, surveys and qualitative studies may complement cross-sectional studies. Mixed-methodology studies would be valuable in research on migrants’ occupational health. Language and lack of trust are barriers to migrant research participation. Conclusion Targeted research, especially longitudinal, identifying how these economically important but often-vulnerable workers can be best assisted is needed. Researchers should identify the characteristics of the migrant workers that they are studying including visa/migration circumstances (temporary, permanent, undocumented), racial and ethnic characteristics, existing skills and language abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Aktas
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Department of Public Health Nursing, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Lode Godderis
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, IDEWE, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Bertina Kreshpaj
- Unit of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Mario Marinov
- South-West University "Neofit Rilski", Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Dana Mates
- The National Institute of Public Health, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Damien M McElvenny
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, UK.,University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum
- National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Evangelia Nena
- Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Deborah C Glass
- MonCOEH, Monash University, 553 ST Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3004, Australia.
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Amiri S. Obesity and overweight prevalence in immigration: A meta-analysis. OBESITY MEDICINE 2021; 22:100321. [DOI: 10.1016/j.obmed.2021.100321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
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Alfouzan W, Al-Wathiqi F, Altawalah H, Asadzadeh M, Khan Z, Denning DW. Human Fungal Infections in Kuwait-Burden and Diagnostic Gaps. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040306. [PMID: 33233367 PMCID: PMC7711545 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections are an increasingly important public health issue, yet accurate statistics on fungal burden worldwide and in Kuwait are scarce. Here we estimate the incidence and prevalence of fungal infections in Kuwait. Population statistics from 2018 collected by the Public Authority for Civil Information were used, as well as data from the Ministry of Health. A literature search for Kuwait data on mycotic diseases and population at risk (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV infection/AIDS, cancer, and transplant patients) was conducted. The population in 2018 was estimated at 4,226,920 million people: 1,303,246 million Kuwaitis and 2,923,674 million expatriates. We determined the annual burden of serious fungal infections number (per 100,000) from high to low based on earlier reported fungal rates for populations at risk: recurrent Candida vaginitis 54,842 (2595); severe asthma with fungal sensitisation 10,411 (246); allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, 7887 (187); chronic pulmonary aspergillosis 995 (21.3); invasive aspergillosis 704 (16.7); fungal keratitis 654 (15.5); candidaemia 288 (6.8); Candida peritonitis 63 (3.5) and oesophageal candidiasis in HIV 33 (0.8). Besides identifying rising new risk groups and expanding reports on antifungal resistance, surveillance programs and further epidemiological studies are needed to achieve more precise assessments of fungal disease epidemiology and correlated morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wadha Alfouzan
- Microbiology Unit, Department of Laboratories, Farwaniya Hospital, P. O. Box 13373, Farwaniya 81004, Kuwait;
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P. O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait; (H.A.); (M.A.); (Z.K.)
| | - Faten Al-Wathiqi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, P. O. Box. 31470, Sulaibikhat 90805, Kuwait
- Correspondence:
| | - Haya Altawalah
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P. O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait; (H.A.); (M.A.); (Z.K.)
- Virology Unit, Department of Laboratories, Yacoub Behbehani Center, Sabah Medical Area, P.O. Box 4078, Shuwaikh 13001, Kuwait
| | - Mohammad Asadzadeh
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P. O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait; (H.A.); (M.A.); (Z.K.)
| | - Ziauddin Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P. O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait; (H.A.); (M.A.); (Z.K.)
| | - David W. Denning
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, The University of Manchester and the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
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Li L, Liu H, Wang Y, Han X, Ge T, Pan L. Construction of a nomogram for predicting the risk of allergic rhinitis among employees of long-distance bus stations in China. INDOOR AIR 2020; 30:1178-1188. [PMID: 32445588 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined indoor air pollutants and their health effects on allergic rhinitis in 3194 employees of 226 bus station halls and then constructed a nomogram model to predict allergic rhinitis risk in those employees. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity, PM10 , PM2.5 , total bacteria, and total fungi were measured, and questionnaires were used to collect basic station information and employee health information. The results revealed that the over-standard rates of PM10 , PM2.5 , total bacteria, and total fungi were 18.16%, 31.13%, 2.22%, and 55.89%, respectively. Seasonal variations were found in temperature, relative humidity, and PM2.5 . Passenger flow could affect temperature, and total bacteria. Central air conditioning could affect total bacteria. A total of 15.90% of the employees were diagnosed as allergic rhinitis by physicians. Relative humidity, fungi, self-reported allergic rhinitis symptoms, and exposure to smoking were the influencing factors for allergic rhinitis. These four variables were incorporated to construct a nomogram. The concordance index of the nomogram was 0.775 (95% CI: 0.745-0.806) and 0.749 (95% CI: 0.715-0.783) for the training cohort and test cohort, respectively. The calibration plot revealed that the nomogram model exhibited good discrimination and consistency. This nomogram model may help predict the occurrence of allergic rhinitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Liu
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Han
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Tanxi Ge
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Pan
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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Amiri S. Worldwide prevalence of smoking in immigration: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. J Addict Dis 2020; 38:567-579. [PMID: 32780650 DOI: 10.1080/10550887.2020.1800888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sohrab Amiri
- Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Lifestyle Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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