Occupational health

Job stress and interpersonal relationships cross country evidence from the EU15: a correlation analysis

The aim of the study is to analyse the association between job stress and interpersonal relationships on and outside of the job in Europe. The main assumption of the paper is that since social relations at var...

Authors: Nunzia Nappo

Cumulative, high-stress calls impacting adverse events among law enforcement and the public

The unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous, nature of the occupation exposes officers to both acute and chronic stress over law enforcement officers’ (LEO)  tenure. The purpose of this study is two-fold: 1) De...

Authors: Katelyn K. Jetelina, Alaina M. Beauchamp, Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, Rebecca J. Molsberry, Stephen A. Bishopp and Simon Craddock Lee

Occupational benzene exposure and the risk of genetic damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Benzene, an important component of organic solvents, is commonly used in industry. Meanwhile, benzene is a human carcinogen leading to leukemia. Although the links between benzene and various types of genetic ...

Authors: Yanhua Zhou, Kun Wang, Boshen Wang, Yuepu Pu and Juan Zhang

Association of job category and occupational activity with breast cancer incidence in Japanese female workers: the JACC study

Breast cancer represented the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Japan. Although physical activity has been reported protective against breast cancer, scientific evidence is limited on the risk of b...

Authors: Gita Nirmala Sari, Ehab Salah Eshak, Kokoro Shirai, Yoshihisa Fujino, Akiko Tamakoshi and Hiroyasu Iso

Predicting return to work after long-term sickness absence with subjective health complaints: a prospective cohort study

Long-term sickness absence results in increased risks of permanent disability and a compromised quality of life. Return to work is an important factor in reducing these risks. Little is known about return to w...

Authors: Kristel H. N. Weerdesteijn, Frederieke Schaafsma, Karin Bonefaas-Groenewoud, Martijn Heymans, Allard Van der Beek and Johannes Anema

From long-term sickness absence to disability retirement: diagnostic and occupational class differences within the working-age Finnish population

It is well documented that sickness absence is strongly associated with disability retirement. A long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in particular increases the risk of disability retirement, but little is known...

Authors: Laura Salonen, Jenni Blomgren and Mikko Laaksonen

The occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire (OSPAQ): a validation study with accelerometer-assessed measures

The Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ) was developed as an easy-to-use instrument for self-reported assessment of percentage sitting, standing, walking, and performing heavy labou...

Authors: Iris Maes, Margo Ketels, Delfien Van Dyck and Els Clays

The effect of occupational stress on depression and insomnia: a cross-sectional study among employees in a Ghanaian telecommunication company

Depression and insomnia are major psychiatric conditions predicted by occupational stress. However, the influence of occupational stress on these two conditions is under-explored in telecommunication companies...

Authors: Emma Edinam Kploanyi, Duah Dwomoh and Mawuli Dzodzomenyo

Impact of limited rest areas on truck driver crashes in Saskatchewan: a mixed-methods approach

Long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs) suffer from long work hours often resulting in fatigue. Although several studies have reported that fatigue can contribute to crashes, no study has identified the location and p...

Authors: Alexander M. Crizzle, Ryan Toxopeus and Jennifer Malkin

Improving the health of workers with a low socioeconomic position: Intervention Mapping as a useful method for adaptation of the Participatory Approach

Workers with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) have a higher risk for health problems and premature dropout from the workforce. Unfavorable working conditions and unhealthy behaviors are more prevalent among ...

Authors: R. Schaap, F. G. Schaafsma, A. R. Bosma, M. A. Huysmans, C. R. L. Boot and J. R. Anema

High level of vaccination and protection against hepatitis B with low rate of HCV infection markers among hospital health care personnel in north of Iran: a cross-sectional study

hepatitis B virus (HBV) and C virus (HCV) are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Health care personnel (HCP) are subjected to increased risk of these infections. Therefore, HBV vaccination and po...

Authors: Saffar Hiva, Khoshayand Negar, Parsaei Mohammad-Reza, Ghorbani Gholam-Reza, Aarabi Mohsen, Nadi Ghara Ali-Asghar and Saffar Mohammed-Jafar

Chronic respiratory symptoms, lung function and associated factors among flour mill factory workers in Hawassa city, southern Ethiopia: “comparative cross-sectional study”

Occupational related respiratory diseases arise as a result of the deposition of dust particles in the lungs. Flour milling industries; generate organic dust during industrial processes, such as cleaning, mill...

Authors: Zemachu Ashuro Lagiso, Worku Tefera Mekonnen, Samson Wakuma Abaya, Abera Kumie Takele and Hailemichael Mulugeta Workneh

Psychosocial work exposures and suicide ideation: a study of multiple exposures using the French national working conditions survey

Our study aimed to explore the associations between psychosocial work exposures, as well as other occupational exposures, and suicide ideation in the French national working population. An additional objective...

Authors: Isabelle Niedhammer, Maryline Bèque, Jean-François Chastang and Sandrine Bertrais

High manganese exposure decreased the risk of high triglycerides in workers: a cross-sectional study

Manganese (Mn) participates in lipid metabolism. However, the associations between Mn exposure and dyslipidaemia is unclear.

Authors: Xiaoyu Luo, Zhenfang Liu, Xiaoting Ge, Sifang Huang, Yanting Zhou, Defu Li, Longman Li, Xiang Chen, Lulu Huang, Qingzhi Hou, Hong Cheng, Lili Xiao, Chaoqun Liu, Yunfeng Zou and Xiaobo Yang

Effectiveness of a progressive resistance exercise program for industrial workers during breaks on perceived fatigue control: a cluster randomized controlled trial

There is strong evidence that physical exercise in the workplace is effective for reducing workers’ musculoskeletal complaints. Studies with industrial workers and studies on progressive resistance exercises d...

Authors: Hélio Gustavo Santos, Luciana Dias Chiavegato, Daniela Pereira Valentim and Rosimeire Simprini Padula

Transcultural validation of the return-to-work self-efficacy scale in Korean patients with work-related injuries

This study aimed to develop a Korean version of the Return-to-Work Self-Efficacy (RTWSE)-19 Scale using forward- and backward-translation and investigate the validity of the RTWSE Scale specifically for Korean...

Authors: Jeong-Eun Lee, Su Bin Yoo and Ja-Ho Leigh

Development of a personal heat strain risk assessment (PHSRA) index in workplaces and its validation

There is not a comprehensive heat stress index to screen the people susceptible to heat disorders and illnesses in hot workplaces. The present study was aimed to develop a personal heat strain risk assessment ...

Authors: Saeid Yazdanirad, Farideh Golbabaei, Mohammad Reza Monazzam, Habibollah Dehghan and Abbas Rahimi Foroushani

Predictors of silicosis and variation in prevalence across mines among employed gold miners in South Africa

The stated intention to eliminate silicosis from the South African goldmining industry as well as current programmes to find and compensate ex-miners with silicosis require an understanding of variation in sil...

Authors: Dave Knight, Rodney Ehrlich, Annibale Cois, Katherine Fielding, Alison D. Grant and Gavin Churchyard

Utilization of personal protective equipment and associated factors among building construction workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a material, device, equipment, or clothing used or worn by workers to reduce their chance of exposure or contact with any harmful material or energy that causes injury, d...

Authors: Addisu Alehegn Alemu, Meseret Yitayew, Aklilu Azazeh and Sofia Kebede

Factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms and heart rate variability among cleaners – cross-sectional study

The professionals who perform cleaning activity constitute a major economic sector in Brazil. Cleaners may develop health problems related to the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. It is necessary to ...

Authors: Josiane Sotrate Gonçalves and Tatiana de Oliveira Sato

Occupational post-traumatic stress disorder: an updated systematic review

Although numerous studies on occupational post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been conducted prior to the 1950–2010 seminal systematic review by Skogstad et al., the prevalence, risk factors, and impact...

Authors: Wanhyung Lee, Yi-Ryoung Lee, Jin-Ha Yoon, Hye-Ji Lee and Mo-Yeol Kang

Prevalence and healthcare seeking practice of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among informal sectors of hairdressers in Ethiopia, 2019: findings from a cross-sectional study

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the major threats to public health, with a significant impact on workers, employers, and the general population. Musculoskeletal disorder related to work not o...

Authors: Tesfaye Hambisa Mekonnen, Getachew Guteta Kekeba, Jember Azanaw and Gebisa Guyasa Kabito

When is work a cause of early retirement and are there any effective organizational measures to combat this? A population-based study of perceived work environment and work-related disorders among employees in Sweden

The ageing workforce has an impact on public health. The aim of this study was to evaluate work-related disorders, work tasks and measures associated with the possibility of working beyond 65 years of age or not.

Authors: Kerstin Nilsson

Gender differences and occupational factors for the risk of obesity in the Italian working population

Obesity is a multifactorial condition and a major risk factor associated with several non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, and with a higher risk of premature death and disability. Sex-sp...

Authors: C. Di Tecco, L. Fontana, G. Adamo, M. Petyx and S. Iavicoli

Long-term sickness absence in a working population: development and validation of a risk prediction model in a large Dutch prospective cohort

Societal expenditures on work-disability benefits is high in most Western countries. As a precursor of long-term work restrictions, long-term sickness absence (LTSA) is under continuous attention of policy mak...

Authors: Lennart R. A. van der Burg, Sander M. J. van Kuijk, Marieke M. ter Wee, Martijn W. Heymans, Angelique E. de Rijk, Goedele A. Geuskens, Ramon P. G. Ottenheijm, Geert-Jan Dinant and Annelies Boonen

Sickness absence and disability pension in relation to first childbirth and in nulliparous women according to occupational groups: a cohort study of 492,504 women in Sweden

Childbirth has been suggested to increase sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP). This may vary by occupation; however, knowledge in this field remains limited. We explored SA and DP in the years be...

Authors: Charlotte Björkenstam, Krisztina D. László, Cecilia Orellana, Ulrik Lidwall, Petra Lindfors, Margaretha Voss, Pia Svedberg and Kristina Alexanderson

Decreasing employees’ work stress by a participatory, organizational level work stress prevention approach: a multiple-case study in primary education

Work stress is an important problem among employees in education in the Netherlands. The present study aims to investigate the effects of a participatory organizational level work stress prevention approach to...

Authors: Maartje C. Bakhuys Roozeboom, Roosmarijn M. C. Schelvis, Irene L. D. Houtman, Noortje M. Wiezer and Paulien M. Bongers

Workplace violence against hospital healthcare workers in China: a national WeChat-based survey

Workplace violence (WPV) is a serious issue for healthcare workers and leads to many negative consequences. Several studies have reported on the prevalence of WPV in China, which ranges from 42.2 to 83.3%. How...

Authors: Yusheng Tian, Yuchen Yue, Jianjian Wang, Ting Luo, Yamin Li and Jiansong Zhou

Multimorbidity and quality of life after blast-related injury among US military personnel: a cluster analysis of retrospective data

Blast injury emerged as a primary source of morbidity among US military personnel during the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and led to an array of adverse health outcomes. Multimorbidity, or the pre...

Authors: Andrew J. MacGregor, James M. Zouris, Jessica R. Watrous, Cameron T. McCabe, Amber L. Dougherty, Michael R. Galarneau and John J. Fraser

Diverting blame to stay sane - young people’s strategies for dealing with the mental health effects of precarious employment: a grounded theory study

Precarious employment is a risk factor for poor mental health, particularly among young adults. Knowledge about how young people maintain their mental health while in a precarious employment situation is scarc...

Authors: Susanna Toivanen, Anna Olofsson Tarantino, Maria Emmelin and Per-Olof Östergren

Informal workplaces and their comparative effects on the health of street vendors and home-based garment workers in Yangon, Myanmar: a qualitative study

Globally, two billion workers are employed informally but there is limited research on the relationship between informal work and health. Existing studies have focused on informality as an employment condition...

Authors: Thant Ko Ko, Julia Dickson-Gomez, Gisèle Yasmeen, Wai Wai Han, Katherine Quinn, Kirsten Beyer and Laura Glasman

Effects of procedural justice on prospective antidepressant medication prescription: a longitudinal study on Swedish workers

Procedural justice has been linked to several mental health problems, but most studies have used self-reported data. There exist a need to assess the link between procedural justice and health using outcomes t...

Authors: Viktor Persson, Constanze Eib, Claudia Bernhard-Oettel and Constanze Leineweber

Time trends and social security burden of temporary work disability due to chronic venous disease in Brazil

Chronic venous disease (CVD) and disability are worldwide problems and have significant socioeconomic implications. This study aims to analyze the time trends and social security burden of temporary work disab...

Authors: Raissa M. da Coelho, Marco A. P. Nunes, Cristiane V. C. Gomes, Ilma S. dos Viana and Ângela M. da Silva

Mediating role of coping style on the relationship between job stress and subjective well-being among Korean police officers

Police officers have long been known to have one of the most stressful occupations. This study investigates their stress levels, coping styles, and subjective well-being, including affect and life satisfaction...

Authors: Gi Wook Ryu, Yong Sook Yang and Mona Choi

Physical activity in paid work time for desk-based employees: a qualitative study of employers’ and employees’ perspectives

Poor physical and mental health of employees create significant problems in the workplace. Physical activity (PA) has been shown as an effective strategy for preventing and treating numerous physical and menta...

Authors: Gemma C. Ryde, Patricia Atkinson, Martine Stead, Trish Gorely and Josie M. M. Evans

Proportion of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders attributable to personal and occupational factors: results from the French Pays de la Loire study

Upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSD) are one of the most common and costly occupational health problems. We aimed to assess the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of personal and occupational ...

Authors: Aboubakari Nambiema, Sandrine Bertrais, Julie Bodin, Natacha Fouquet, Agnès Aublet-Cuvelier, Bradley Evanoff, Alexis Descatha and Yves Roquelaure

Prevalence of primary headache disorders among information technology staff in China: the negative effects of computer use and other correlative factors

To date, there have been very few studies that have explored the relationship between headaches and computer use. The chief aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of primary headache disorders amon...

Authors: Chunlin Li, Lei Zhang, Jin Zhou, Zhiliang Fan, Yan Wang, Xiaolin Wang, Weidong Wang and Shengyuan Yu

Association of Serum Uric Acid with cardio-metabolic risk factors and metabolic syndrome in seafarers working on tankers

There is still controversy over the clinical interpretation of the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and serum uric acid (SUA) levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the associ...

Authors: Fereshteh Baygi, Kimmo Herttua, Ali Sheidaei, Alireza Ahmadvand and Olaf Chresten Jensen

The effects of counseling via a smartphone application on microentrepreneurs’ work ability and work recovery: a study protocol

Authors: J. Laitinen, E. Korkiakangas, J. P. Mäkiniemi, S. Tiitinen, P. Tikka, H. Oinas-Kukkonen, A. M. Simunaniemi, S. Ahola, J. Jaako, M. Kekkonen, M. Muhos, K. Heikkilä-Tammi, H. Hannonen, S. Lusa, A. Punakallio, J. Oksa…

Study protocol of a co-created primary organizational-level intervention with the aim to improve organizational and social working conditions and decrease stress within the construction industry – a controlled trial

Within construction industry, physical work exposures have long been recognized as possible determinants for musculoskeletal disorders, but less attention has been given the increasing organizational and socia...

Authors: Emma Cedstrand, Anna Nyberg, Theo Bodin, Hanna Augustsson and Gun Johansson

Effects of exposure to workplace terrorism on subsequent doctor certified sickness absence, and the modifying role of psychological and social work factors: a combined survey and register study

Studies have shown that terrorist attacks affect the mental and physical health of persons exposed to terrorism. When terror strikes at the workplace where people spend much time, and should feel safe, the hea...

Authors: Mona Berthelsen, Marianne Bang Hansen, Alexander Nissen, Morten Birkeland Nielsen, Stein Knardahl and Trond Heir

Psychological resources in adolescence and the association with labour market participation in early adulthood: a prospective cohort study

Young adults at the age of 25–29 in Denmark have the highest unemployment rate and are at higher risk of labour market marginalization. Exclusion from the labour market may have negative individual consequence...

Authors: Jacob Devantie Jensen, Johan Hviid Andersen and Trine Nøhr Winding

Influence of benzene exposure, fat content, and their interactions on erythroid-related hematologic parameters in petrochemical workers: a cross-sectional study

Ubiquitously distributed benzene is a known hematotoxin. Increasing evidence has suggested that erythroid-related hematologic parameters may be sensitive to benzene exposure. Fat content, which is also closely...

Authors: Xue Zhang, Qifei Deng, Zhini He, Jie Li, Xiaoju Ma, Zhaorui Zhang, Dehua Wu, Xiumei Xing, Jing Peng, Hongyu Guo, Ming Huang, Liping Chen, Shanfeng Dang, Yanqun Zhu, Zhengbao Zhang, Boyi Yang…

Development and content validity of the Abilitator: a self-report questionnaire on work ability and functioning aimed at the population in a weak labour market position

The unemployed have lower work ability and poorer health than the employed. This situation deteriorates when unemployment continues. The long-term unemployed often have co-morbidities and face many other chall...

Authors: Miia Wikström, Heidi Anttila, Minna Savinainen, Anne Kouvonen and Matti Joensuu

Time-efficient and computer-guided sprint interval exercise training for improving health in the workplace: a randomised mixed-methods feasibility study in office-based employees

The efficacy of high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient exercise strategy for beneficially modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease has repeatedly been demonstrated in controlled la...

Authors: Richard S. Metcalfe, Hady Atef, Kelly Mackintosh, Melitta McNarry, Gemma Ryde, Denise M. Hill and Niels B. J. Vollaard

The status of job burnout and its influence on the working ability of copper-nickel miners in Xinjiang, China

Job burnout is increasingly common among occupational groups, and it is evolving into a new occupationally harmful phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of job burnout and its inf...

Authors: Xuemei Sun, Li Zhang, Chen Zhang, Jiwen Liu and Hua Ge

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards viral haemorrhagic fevers amongst healthcare workers in urban and rural public healthcare facilities in the N’zérékoré prefecture, Guinea: a cross-sectional study

The 2013–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa began in Guinea’s Forest region, a region now considered to be at high risk for future epidemics of viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF). Good knowledge, attitudes and pr...

Authors: Manuel Raab, Lisa M. Pfadenhauer, Tamba Jacques Millimouno, Michael Hoelscher and Guenter Froeschl

Sick-listed workers’ experiences with motivational interviewing in the return to work process: a qualitative interview study

When returning to work after being on long-term sick leave, individuals may experience varying levels of motivation and self-efficacy. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling style that aims to increase...

Authors: Vegard Stolsmo Foldal, Martin Inge Standal, Lene Aasdahl, Roger Hagen, Gunnhild Bagøien, Egil Andreas Fors, Roar Johnsen and Marit Solbjør

A probabilistic approach for economic evaluation of occupational health and safety interventions: a case study of silica exposure reduction interventions in the construction sector

Construction workers are at a high risk of exposure to various types of hazardous substances such as crystalline silica. Though multiple studies indicate the evidence regarding the effectiveness of different s...

Authors: Amirabbas Mofidi, Emile Tompa, Seyed Bagher Mortazavi, Akbar Esfahanipour and Paul A. Demers

Facilitators, barriers and support needs for staying at work with a chronic condition: a focus group study

Working with a chronic condition can be challenging. Providing support to workers with a chronic condition can help them to stay at work and prevent work-related problems. Workers with a chronic condition who ...

Authors: A. R. Bosma, C. R. L. Boot, F. G. Schaafsma and J. R. Anema