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Le AB, Shkembi A, Gibbs SG, Neitzel RL. A pilot study on psychosocial factors and perceptions of organizational health among a sample of U.S. waste workers. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9185. [PMID: 38649762 PMCID: PMC11035587 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59912-9] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Solid waste workers encounter a number of occupational hazards that are likely to induce stress. Thus, there are likely to be psychosocial factors that also contribute to their overall perceptions of organizational health. However, attitudes regarding the aforementioned among solid waste workers' have not been assessed. This descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study operationalized the INPUTS Survey to determine workers' perceptions of organizational health and other psychosocial factors of work. Percentage and mean responses to each INPUTS domain are presented in accordance with their survey manual. Pearson's chi-squared tests were run on count data; Fisher's exact tests were run for count data with fewer than five samples. ANOVAs were run on the continuous items. Due to a relatively low sample size (N = 68), two-sided p values < 0.1 were considered statistically significant. Most solid waste worker participants reported high decision authority, that they perceived their management to prioritize workplace health and safety, and had high job satisfaction. However, perceptions of support for health outside of the realm of occupational safety and health was lower. Addressing traditional occupational health hazards continues to take precedence in this industry, with less of a focus on how the social determinants of health may impact workplace health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora B Le
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Road (TAMU 1266), College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Abas Shkembi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shawn G Gibbs
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Richard L Neitzel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Njoku A, Agbalenyo M, Laude J, Ajibola TF, Attah MA, Sarko SB. Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 21:25. [PMID: 38248490 PMCID: PMC10815197 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Electronic waste (e-waste) or discarded electronic devices that are unwanted, not working, or have reached their end of life pose significant threats to human and environmental health. This is a major concern in Africa, where the majority of e-waste is discarded. In the year 2021, an estimated 57.4 million metric tons of e-waste were generated worldwide. Globally, COVID-19 lockdowns have contributed to increased e-waste generation. Although Africa generates the least of this waste, the continent has been the dumping ground for e-waste from the developed world. The flow of hazardous waste from the prosperous 'Global North' to the impoverished 'Global South' is termed "toxic colonialism". Agbogbloshie, Ghana, an e-waste hub where about 39% of e-waste was treated, was listed among the top 10 most polluted places in the world. The discard of e-waste in Ghana presents an issue of environmental injustice, defined as the disproportionate exposure of communities of color and low-income communities to pollution, its associated health and environmental effects, and the unequal environmental protection provided through policies. Despite the economic benefits of e-waste, many civilians (low-income earners, settlers, children, and people with minimal education) are exposed to negative health effects due to poverty, lack of education, and weak regulations. We critically examine the existing literature to gather empirical information on e-waste and environmental injustice. Comprehensive policies and regulations are needed to manage e-waste locally and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuli Njoku
- Department of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA;
| | - Martin Agbalenyo
- Southwestern AHEC, Inc., 5 Research Drive, Shelton, CT 06484, USA;
| | - Janaya Laude
- Department of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA;
| | - Taiwo Folake Ajibola
- Department of Public Health Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA;
| | - Mavis Asiwome Attah
- Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Akuapem North Municipal Assembly, Akropong-Akuapem P.O. Box 100, Ghana;
| | - Samuel Bruce Sarko
- Department of International Development, Presbyterian University, Akropong-Akuapem P.O. Box 393, Ghana;
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Tadese M, Tessema SD, Mihretie A, Wake GE, Teshome HN, Mulu GB, Habtewold TD. Perceived stress and its associated factors among people living in post-war Districts of Northern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279571. [PMID: 36576931 PMCID: PMC9797080 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND War and conflict environments result in long-term physical and psychological consequences. Sexual violence, displacement, malnutrition, death, illness, injury, torture, and disability are some of the physical effects, whereas stress, depression, aggressive behaviors, and anxiety are some of the emotional complications of war. Hence, evidence-based interventions are required particularly to monitor mental health disorders. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of perceived stress and its associated factors among people living in post-war situations, Northern Ethiopia. METHOD A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 812 samples from April 1 to May 15, 2022. The study participants were selected using a multistage sampling technique. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured and pre-tested tool. Data were cleaned and entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and transferred to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify determinants of perceived stress. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit was applied to test for model fitness and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT The prevalence of perceived stress was 76.1%, 95% CI (72.9-78.8). Age above 45 years (AOR (CI) = 2.45 (1.07-5.62), poor educational level (AOR (CI) = 5.92 (2.36-14.8), large family size (AOR (CI) = 0.48 (0.31-0.74), alcohol consumption (AOR (CI) = 0.63 (0.42-0.94), smoking (AOR (CI) = 0.17 (0.06-0.56), and exposure to multiple traumatic events (AOR (CI) = 2.38 (1.23-4.62) have shown a statistically significant association with perceived stress. CONCLUSION This study revealed that more than three-fourths of participants living in post-war settings were found to have perceived stress. Older age, poor level of education, large family size, alcohol consumption, smoking, and the number of traumatic events were significant associates of perceived stress. Psychotherapy that can effectively address the medical, social, and psychological well-being of the community is important to reduce the burden of perceived stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesfin Tadese
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Saba Desta Tessema
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Abebe Mihretie
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Getu Engida Wake
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Hana Nigussie Teshome
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Getaneh Baye Mulu
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfa Dejenie Habtewold
- Branch of Epidemiology, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Kageyama I, Hashiguchi N, Cao J, Niwa M, Lim Y, Tsutsumi M, Yu J, Sengoku S, Okamoto S, Hashimoto S, Kodama K. Determination of Waste Management Workers' Physical and Psychological Load: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Biometric Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192315964. [PMID: 36498046 PMCID: PMC9739088 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Waste management workers experience high stress and physical strain in their work environment, but very little empirical evidence supports effective health management practices for waste management workers. Hence, this study investigated the effects of worker characteristics and biometric indices on workers' physical and psychological loads during waste-handling operations. A biometric measurement system was installed in an industrial waste management facility in Japan to understand the actual working conditions of 29 workers in the facility. It comprised sensing wear for data collection and biometric sensors to measure heart rate (HR) and physical activity (PA) based on electrocardiogram signals. Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate significant relationships between the parameters. Although stress level is indicated by the ratio of low frequency (LF) to high frequency (HF) or high LF power in HR, the results showed that compared with workers who did not handle waste, those who did had lower PA and body surface temperature, higher stress, and lower HR variability parameters associated with higher psychological load. There were no significant differences in HR, heart rate interval (RRI), and workload. The psychological load of workers dealing directly with waste was high, regardless of their PA, whereas others had a low psychological load even with high PA. These findings suggest the need to promote sustainable work relationships and a quantitative understanding of harsh working conditions to improve work quality and reduce health hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itsuki Kageyama
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
- Merge System Co., Fukuoka 810-0041, Japan
| | - Nobuki Hashiguchi
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
| | - Jianfei Cao
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
| | - Makoto Niwa
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
| | - Yeongjoo Lim
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
| | | | - Jiakan Yu
- School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 108-0023, Japan
| | - Shintaro Sengoku
- School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 108-0023, Japan
| | - Soichiro Okamoto
- College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Seiji Hashimoto
- College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Kota Kodama
- Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, 2-150 Iwakuracho, Osaka 567-8570, Japan
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, The Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
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Issah I, Arko-Mensah J, Agyekum TP, Dwomoh D, Fobil JN. Health Risks Associated with Informal Electronic Waste Recycling in Africa: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14278. [PMID: 36361155 PMCID: PMC9655142 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling in Africa has become a major public health concern. This review examined studies that report on the association between e-waste exposure and adverse human health outcomes in Africa. The review was conducted following the updated version of the Preferred Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA 2020) statement checklist. We included papers that were original peer-reviewed epidemiological studies and conference papers, written in English, and reported on e-waste exposure among human populations and any health-related outcome in the context of Africa. Our results from the evaluation of 17 studies found an association between informal e-waste recycling methods and musculoskeletal disease (MSD) symptoms and physical injuries such as back pains, lacerations, eye problems, skin burns, and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). In addition, the generation and release of particulate matter (PM) of various sizes, and toxic and essential metals such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), etc., during the recycling process are associated with adverse systemic intermediate health outcomes including cardiopulmonary function and DNA damage. This systematic review concludes that the methods used by e-waste recyclers in Africa expose them to increased risk of adverse health outcomes. However, there is a need for more rigorous research that moves past single pollutant analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Issah
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra 00233, Ghana
| | - John Arko-Mensah
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra 00233, Ghana
| | - Thomas P. Agyekum
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra 00233, Ghana
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Duah Dwomoh
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra 00233, Ghana
| | - Julius N. Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra 00233, Ghana
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Le AB, Shkembi A, Sturgis AC, Tadee A, Gibbs SG, Neitzel RL. Effort-Reward Imbalance among a Sample of Formal US Solid Waste Workers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116791. [PMID: 35682374 PMCID: PMC9179994 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Background: Solid waste workers are exposed to a plethora of occupational hazards and may also experience work-related stress. Our study had three specific hypotheses: (1) waste workers experience effort−reward imbalance (ERI) with high self-reported effort but low reward, (2) unionized workers experience greater ERI, and (3) workers with higher income have lower ERI. Methods: Waste workers from three solid waste sites in Michigan participated in this cross-sectional study. We characterized perceived work stress using the short-version ERI questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and linear tests for trend were assessed for each scale. Linear regression models were constructed to examine the relationship between structural factors of work stress and ERI. Gradient-boosted regression trees evaluated which factors of effort or reward best characterize workers’ stress. Results: Among 68 participants, 37% of workers reported high effort and low reward from work (ERI > 1). Constant pressure due to heavy workload was most indicative of ERI among the solid waste workers. Union workers experienced 79% times higher ERI than non-unionized workers, while no significant differences were observed by income, after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions: Organizational-level interventions, such as changes related to workload, consideration of fair compensation, and increased support from supervisors, can decrease work stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora B. Le
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.S.); (A.C.S.); (A.T.); (R.L.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-734-615-7105
| | - Abas Shkembi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.S.); (A.C.S.); (A.T.); (R.L.N.)
| | - Anna C. Sturgis
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.S.); (A.C.S.); (A.T.); (R.L.N.)
| | - Anupon Tadee
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.S.); (A.C.S.); (A.T.); (R.L.N.)
| | - Shawn G. Gibbs
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Richard L. Neitzel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.S.); (A.C.S.); (A.T.); (R.L.N.)
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