The effects of solvent exposure on memory and motor dexterity in working children

OBJECTIVES: Children working in vehicle spray-painting, mechanical, and other trade workshops are at significant risk of exposure to organic solvents and, as a result, may be at significant risk of developing clinical and subclinical signs of neurotoxicity. This study reports on the association between exposure to solvents and neurobehavioral performance on a number of non-computerized tests for working children exposed to solvents in comparison with nonexposed working children and nonexposed children at school. METHODS: A convenience cross-sectional sample of 300 male children aged 10-17 years was recruited for study. The exposed working group and the two nonexposed groups (working and nonworking school) were matched, as far as possible, on geographic location of residence and age. Neurotoxic effects were assessed through a questionnaire and the child's performance on a selection of neurobehavioral tests. RESULTS: Exposed working children scored worse on the overall neurotoxicity symptoms score (mean=6.8; standard deviation [SD]=3.6) compared with the nonexposed working children (mean=1.3; SD=2.0) and school children (mean=1.2; SD=1.8). Analysis of the non-computerized neurobehavioral tests demonstrated that exposed working children performed significantly worse than the two nonexposed groups on the motor dexterity and memory tests. Results of the mood test showed that exposed working children were more angry and confused than the nonexposed groups. CONCLUSION: There is an association between exposure to solvents and lower neurobehavioral performance, with significant neurobehavioral deficits among children exposed to solvents in comparison with working children not exposed to solvents and nonworking school children. Memory and motor dexterity appear to be particularly affected in solvent-exposed working children.     

Relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption: results of the TACOS study

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption based on a stress coping model. The investigation is part of the study 'Transitions in Alcohol Consumption and Smoking' (TACOS), a representative general population survey in a Northern German region. The current evaluation includes 2,471 working individuals, aged 18-64 years. Data with regard to alcohol consumption were collected via the 'Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview' (M-CIDI). The three scales of the 'Normative and Subjective Assessment of working analysis' (NUSA) Contents of work, Physical work conditions and Intensity of work gathered differentiated information on subjectively perceived working conditions. The ANOVA results show that alcohol consumption does not account for variance in the scales of subjective working conditions. Further correlation and regression analyses do not reveal a relationship between the scales of NUSA and the quantity of drinking.A substantial relationship between subjectively perceived working conditions and moderate alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence could not be established. The reported results appear to indicate complex and multifactorial associations between subjectively perceived working conditions and alcohol consumption. Implications for alcohol prevention in worksite environments are discussed.     

某坑道执勤部队士兵健康综合评价

[目的]了解军事作业坑道内执勤士兵的健康状况,探讨坑道环境对士兵健康的影响。[方法]应用国家军用标准(简称军标)对某军事坑道内、外执勤士兵分组进行健康状况的调查测试,并进行综合评价。[结果]①坑道内执勤组群体体质指数为52.10,群体心理指数为53.54,部队疾病状况指数为49.19;②坑道外执勤组群体体质指数为54.90,群体心理指数为50.34,部队疾病状况指数为49.42;③坑道内执勤组部队健康综合评价指数为51.50,坑道外执勤组为52.30,同属3等。[结论]军事作业坑道内环境对短期在坑道内执勤士兵的健康不会造成较大的影响。     

广东省乡镇卫生院医生满意度研究

目的：了解广东省乡镇卫生院医生的：七作满意度，为制定相应的管理政策提供科学依据。方法：采用现场问卷调查的方法，对全省随机抽样的18家乡镇卫生院的486名医生：防质回报、精神回报、成长与发展、工作背景、工作胜任度、工作群体和医院管理等方面的满意度进行调查。结果：广东省乡镇卫生院医生总体满意度处于一般水平．最不满意的是职称晋升机会。结论：广东省乡镇卫生院医生的工作满意度有待提高，尤其是职称晋升机会。建议：探索合理的晋职机制，对乡镇卫生院医生职称晋升给予政策倾斜；注重培训，加强乡镇卫生院医生的业务学习。     

Characteristics of adaptation of adolescents to different conditions of occupational training in coal mines

The pattern of forming of the adaptational process to occupational-industrial factors of working in a coal mine depending on the conditions of carrying out practical work was determined. It was found out that the adaptation of young boys to the working activity in deep horizons was accompanied by a more marked tension of the functional status and regulation mechanisms compared to working in less deep horizons.     

Chronic aspecific respiratory tract diseases in workers of pig-breeding farms

To study chronic nonspecific respiratory diseases of people working in industrial swine confinement buildings, a cross sectional study was initiated. Based on history of diseases, clinical and parameters of ventilatory screening in 238 swine producers a frequency of chronic respiratory symptoms were found in 25.6%. The possible dependence on age, sex, smoking history, working conditions and duration of activity was investigated. The influence of professional and non professional factors had different intensity. The results of investigations of working conditions did not exceed the permitted maximal working place concentrations. So they could not prove the large frequency of respiratory diseases.     

Factors associated with the ability and willingness to continue working until the age of 65 in construction workers

Objectives

The working population is aging and a shortage of workers is expected in the construction industry. As a consequence, it is considered necessary that construction workers extend their working life. The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with construction workers’ ability and willingness to continue working until the age of 65.

Methods

In total, 5,610 construction workers that participated in the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey filled out questionnaires on demographics, work-related and health-related factors, and on the ability and willingness to continue working until the age of 65. Logistic regression analyses were applied.

Results

Older workers were more often able, but less willing, to continue working until the age of 65. Frequently using force, lower supervisor support, lower skill discretion, and the occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints were associated with both a lower ability and willingness to continue working. In addition, dangerous work, occasionally using force, working in awkward postures, lack of job autonomy, and reporting emotional exhaustion were associated with a lower ability to continue working, whereas working overtime was associated with a higher ability. Furthermore, low social support from colleagues was associated with a higher willingness.

Conclusion

In addition to physical job demands, psychosocial job characteristics play a significant role in both the ability and willingness to continue working until the age of 65 in construction workers. Moreover, preventing musculoskeletal complaints may support the ability and willingness to continue working, whereas preventing emotional exhaustion is relevant for the ability to continue working.     

Working conditions and weight gain: a 28-year follow-up study of industrial employees

Longitudinal studies observing working conditions and weight gain are rare. We aimed to study whether weight gain can be predicted by working conditions or changes in them in a 28-year follow-up. The study population consisted of working-aged industrial employees (n = 449). Data on height and weight were collected in clinical examinations in 1973, 1983 and 2001, and information on working conditions by questionnaires. We analysed the impact of changes in physical strain, temporal requirements and indicators of mental strain at work in 1973 and 1983 on weight changes using analysis of variance, logistic regression analysis and linear mixed longitudinal growth model. The latter was done to account for individual variation in temporal weight change over the study period. Weight gain was prominent in the data and about a third of the participants gained at least 15 kg by the final survey. Changes in physical strain and temporal requirements including working overtime hours among men, and experiencing increased working pace among women, were associated with greater mean weight gain and major weight gain. Job efforts and increasing mental strain showed weak associations with weight gain in men. Changes in the physical strain and temporal requirements seem to predict weight gain but working conditions were in general mostly weakly associated with weight gain in this cohort of initially young adults. The results highlight the importance of stable working hours and reasonable workload on healthy weight.     

应用密切值法评价计划免疫工作质量

目的 全面评价安庆市10年(1993—2002)来计划免疫工作质量。方法 用密切值法对1993—2002年的安庆市计划免疫考核资料进行分挤。结果 通过比较各年的密切值，得出安庆市计划免疫工作质量位于前3位的是1999年、2001年、2002年，且1998—2002年工作质量明显优于1993—1997年，与实际工作情况相符。结论实施乡级定点接种，提高了儿童基础免疫接种率，改善了计划免疫工作质量，密切值法是基层防疫部门评价其工作质量的一种有效方法。     

宜宾市珙县男性煤矿工人高血压流行病学调查

目的了解井下矿工高血压患病情况及相关知识知晓率,为制定防治对策与有效预防提供依据。方法以宜宾市珙县所有男性煤矿工人为研究对象,对地面作业和井下作业的矿工进行问卷调查和血压、心率、身高、体重测量,描述矿工高血压患病率与知识知晓率。结果矿工中井下作业组高血压患病率为37．62％,地面作业组为12．57％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;高血压检出率随井下工龄增长升高（P〈0．05）;有吸烟、饮酒、肥胖、高脂血症、低钾血症、高血压家族史等因素的井下矿工高血压患病率为65．16％,无上述因素者为17．24％;初中以上文化组对高血压与相关疾病知识知晓率及高血压患病危险因素知晓率为87．43％,初中以下组为39．47％。结论井下煤矿工人高血压患病率高于地面作业人员,高血压病井下工作时间有关,与吸烟、饮酒、肥胖、高脂血症、低钾血症、有高血压家族史和高血压病知识知晓情况等有关。     

职业紧张对石油作业工人工作能力影响的因素分析

为了研究职业紧张与工作能力的关系及其影响因素 ,抽取 12 2个不同工种石油作业工人 12 30人 ,填写职业紧张调查问卷表和工作能力指数问卷表。结果表明 ,不同性别石油工人的工作能力差异有显著性(P <0 0 0 0 1) ,女性工作能力指数显著高于男性。随年龄、工龄的增长工作能力逐渐降低。石油工人工作能力随紧张强度的增加而降低。紧张强度越高工作能力越差 (P <0 0 0 1)。工作负荷和工作环境中的各种生产性有害因素与工作能力呈负相关。提示职业紧张可降低工人的工作能力 ,不良的工作环境因素、过重的工作负荷是影响工作能力的重要因素。     

Estimation of the number of working hours critical for the development of mental and physical fatigue symptoms in Japanese male workers - application of benchmark dose method

BACKGROUND: To clarify the influence of working hours on subjective fatigue symptoms and obtain the critical dose (number of hours) to determine the number of permissible working hours, we calculated the benchmark dose (BMD) and the 95% lower confidence limit on BMD (BMDL) of working hours for subjective mental and fatigue symptoms using multivariate logistic regression. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to all 843 male daytime workers aged < or = 60 years in a single chemical factory, and 715 provided complete replies. The odds ratios of daily working hours were determined using positive findings of the Self-rating Depression Scale and 8 subscales of the Cumulative Fatigue Symptom Index as dependent variables, and other potential covariates as independent variables. Using significant parameters for the working hours and those for other covariates, the BMD and BMDL (BMD/BMDL) values were calculated for corresponding dependent variables. The benchmark response (BMR) was set at 5% or 10%. RESULTS: The BMDL with a BMR of 5% was shown to be 9.6-11.6 hr per day, which corresponds to 48-58 working hours per week and 36-78 overtime hours per month. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that special attention should be paid to the workers whose working hours exceed these BMD/BMDL values.     

Facilitators and barriers for co-ordinated multi-agency services

BACKGROUND: Greater collaboration between agencies and the need to improve interagency working is a key policy priority. The lack of co-ordinated multi-agency working in children's services has been highlighted in many research studies. Evidence on the facilitators of and barriers to such working and the outcomes for children and families of co-ordinated services is important to inform local developments. METHODS: Literature on multi-agency working was reviewed as part of the evidence gathering to inform the Children's National Service Framework. Searches were mainly concentrated on existing reviews, plus recent studies which included children's services and were not covered by the reviews obtained. RESULTS: There is little evidence on the effectiveness of multi-agency working itself or of different models of such working in producing improved outcomes for children and families. However, reviews of evidence on multi-agency working provide consistent findings on facilitators and barriers, including: clear aims, roles and responsibilities and timetables that are agreed between partners; a multi-agency steering group, commitment at all levels of the organizations involved and good systems of communication and information sharing, including IT systems, are central; support and training for staff in new ways of working is needed. There is some evidence that interprofessional programmes of continuing education can help to remove barriers to joint working. CONCLUSIONS: Existing research provides useful information for organizations developing multi-agency services. However, there is a need for methodologically sound research which investigates the outcomes of different models of multi-agency working in services for children, includes assessment of cost effectiveness, and explores the ways in which the factors identified as facilitating multi-agency working relate to outcomes.     

山东省三县乡镇卫生院医护人员工作意愿研究

目的通过研究乡镇卫生院医护人员的工作意愿,为乡镇卫生院吸引和留住人才提供政策依据。方法基于离散选择实验进行实验设计,利用混合Logit模型进行统计分析。共调查266名乡镇卫生院医护人员。结果工作属性中的经济激励因素和非经济激励因素对乡镇卫生院医护人员的工作选择都具有显著影响。乡镇卫生院医护人员对居民认可程度低和职业发展机会少的工作单位具有强烈的负向偏好,而对福利状况和工作条件具有较强的正向偏好。结论为了吸引和留住卫生人才,首先需要改善乡镇卫生院工作中医护人员具有强烈负向偏好的属性,同时还要继续完善乡镇卫生院工作条件、提高医护人员福利待遇。     

Hygienic characteristics of working conditions and their effect on the functional state of workers engaged in the manufacture of reinforced concrete products

The study of the impact of working conditions on body functioning state of those engaged in the production of reinforced concrete products showed that these working conditions were characterized by a number of unfavourable factors, complex occupational aerosol and industrial microclimate being the leading ones. It was pointed out that working conditions affected the degree and the character of shifts in workers' body functioning state. Climatic and geographical characteristics also had some influence on the parameters of occupational microclimate and workers' body functioning state.     

提高为部队服务能力效益的做法

本院在完善保障制度机制上、提升保障能力水平上、促进保障优质高效上下功夫,全力做好为部队服务工作,取得满意效果.     

Moderating effects of psychological job strain on the relationship between working hours and health: an examination of white-collar workers employed by a Japanese manufacturing company

The effects of working hours on health were examined taking psychological job strain into account. White-collar workers employed at the main office of a Japanese manufacturing company provided data for analysis done in 1997. The eligible subjects were 286 workers aged 20-39. Causal relationships between working hours, health, and psychological job strain were examined by covariance structure analyses. The main findings were as follows: Not only working hours but also sleeping hours and vacations affected the workers' effort to deal with work as a work-related hour factor. Decision authority and skill discretion of Karasek's psychological job strain items significantly constituted a discretion in the work factor, and this factor moderated the effects of the work-related hour factor on health. The effects of psychological job strain, especially discretion, must always be taken into account in examinations of working hours and health.     

Effects of the menstrual cycle on working memory: comparison of postmenstrual and premenstrual phases

This study aimed to examine the effects on working memory of the postmenstrual and premenstrual phases. The subjects were 12 female students. Computer-based tasks formulated by the authors, using the working memory that actively retains the information as the index, were used for experiments of 60 min during the premenstrual and postmenstrual phases. Session order was counter-balanced. The results showed that there was a significantly lower error rate for working memory tasks in the premenstrual phase, suggesting that task performance was good. Mild premenstrual symptoms had no effect on working memory function of the premenstrual phase. Further, no clear difference in terms of phase was found for mental workload or change in heart rate variability, which are used to evaluate workload. For this reason, the estrogen sex hormone secreted from the ovaries in relation to the menstrual cycle is thought to be involved in the working memory function rather than the indefinite menstrual complaint.     

Hygienic features of working conditions and their impact on the health of women engaged in the present-day manufacture of paper wallpaper

The purpose of the investigation was to comprehensively assess working conditions and their impact on the health of female workers engaged in the manufacture of present-day paper wallpaper. A complex of sanitary-and-hygienic, clinical-and-physiological, sociomedical, and statistical studies was used to tackle the tasks set in the investigation. Stage 1 made a sanitary-and-hygienic assessment of industrial factors (microclimate, noise, vibration, the content of toxicants and dust) in the workplaces of female workers from the papering shops using an Elita rolling automatic machine. The following stage analyzed morbidity among the workers and identified a number of functional parameters. A combination of poor factors characterizing their parameters and exceeding the sanitary standards influenced on the workers engaged in the manufacture of paper wallpaper. The leading harmful industrial factors are heating microclimate, production noise, and the working air level of harmful chemical substances in the working air. The production process under such microclimatic conditions causes the body's thermal changes characterized by the senses of total warm discomfort and the tension of thermoregulatory mechanisms, as confirmed by weighed mean skin temperature studies and decreased working capacity. The working conditions in the manufacture of wallpaper products are shown to result in an increase in female morbidity.     

不同工作时间对胶新线运转值班员身体疲劳程度的影响

目的为了解铁路运转值班人员不同工作时间对身体疲劳情况的影响,为铁路运输的合理倒班、合理用工提供依据。方法对胶新铁路的117名运转值班人员做了工作前后和工作不同时间的生理疲劳指标改变调查,评价其工作期间身体和生理健康水平和工作前后的疲劳情况。结果从运转值班员作业前后各项测试指标可看出,躯体因子的头沉、头痛、全身倦怠、打哈欠,精神因子的思维不集中、厌于思考问题、精神涣散、不爱动、不爱说话,神经因子的眼睛疲劳、眼发干发涩、动作不灵活、听觉迟钝,耳鸣方面差异有统计学意义,作业时间10 h疲劳情况比6和8 h的严重;疲劳测试的选择反应时、闪光融合频率、剂量作业、短期记忆等方面,错漏删字数、错误率各指标作业前后也有差异,作业10 h的疲劳情况比6和8 h的严重。结论工作时间长、工作单调和责任大是引起疲劳的主要原因,科学安排工作时间、开展健康教育和干预,是保证运转值班人员身体健康的主要手段。