Scientific production and international collaboration in occupational health, 1992-2001

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the present study were twofold, to describe international scientific production in occupational health and to examine international collaboration in this discipline. METHODS: A bibliometric study was carried out, using Science Citation Index, in order to evaluate the articles published during the period 1992-2001 in eight representative occupational health journals. Scientific production, collaborative profiles for each country, and the significant relationships established between countries are reported. RESULTS: One or more institutions in the United States had contributed to over 40% of the articles examined. The United States was followed by the United Kingdom (9.15%) and then Sweden (8.65%). When population size effects were eliminated, the Scandinavian countries proved to be the leading producers. After correction for gross domestic product, there was an increase in the ranking of apparently scientifically modest countries. The Scandinavian countries remained high. In terms of international collaboration in general, there was an inverse relationship between the production of a country and the proportion of articles co-authored with institutions in other countries. Finally, the significant relationships between countries permitted the identification of up to six large collaboration nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: The high absolute and relative Scandinavian production is suggestive of the great importance of occupational health in these countries. Access to publication by more modest countries, scientifically speaking, is observed to occur through collaboration with the high-production countries. In this sense, it would seem necessary to study the basis underlying these relationships. Finally, the characterization of the collaborative nuclei does not differ greatly from what was expected.     

Non-governmental organizations in the health field: collaboration, integration and contrasting aims

Non-governmental organizations, from being voluntary agencies often with relief or religious mission orientations, have become very important players in the field of social development. In this paper something is given of their evolution, diversity, aims and activities; and of the important role they now play in many instances, as well as some of the obstacles to collaboration, co-ordination and integration at different levels of operation--internationally, nationally and locally.     

Collaborative field research and training in occupational health and ergonomics

Networking collaborative research and training in Asian developing countries includes three types of joint activities: field studies of workplace potentials for better safety and health, intensive action training for improvement of working conditions in small enterprises, and action-oriented workshops on low-cost improvements for managers, workers, and farmers. These activities were aimed at identifying workable strategies for making locally adjusted improvements in occupational health and ergonomics. Many improvements have resulted as direct outcomes. Most these improvements were multifaceted, low-cost, and practicable using local skills. Three common features of these interactive processes seem important in facilitating realistic improvements: 1) voluntary approaches building on local achievements; 2) the use of practical methods for identifying multiple improvements; and 3) participatory steps for achieving low-cost results first. The effective use of group work tools is crucial. Stepwise training packages have thus proven useful for promoting local problem-solving interventions based on voluntary initiatives.     

Personalised Medicine: implication and perspectives in the field of occupational health

“Personalised medicine” relies on identifying and integrating individual variability in genomic, biological, and physiological parameters, as well as in environmental and lifestyle factors, to define “individually” targeted disease prevention and treatment. Although innovative “omic” technologies supported the application of personalised medicine in clinical, oncological, and pharmacological settings, its role in occupational health practice and research is still in a developing phase. Occupational personalised approaches have been currently applied in experimental settings and in conditions of unpredictable risks, e.g. war missions and space flights, where it is essential to avoid disease manifestations and therapy failure. However, a debate is necessary as to whether personalized medicine may be even more important to support a redefinition of the risk assessment processes taking into consideration the complex interaction between occupational and individual factors. Indeed, “omic” techniques can be helpful to understand the hazardous properties of the xenobiotics, dose-response relationships through a deeper elucidation of the exposure-disease pathways and internal doses of exposure. Overall, this may guide the adoption/implementation of primary preventive measures protective for the vast majority of the population, including most susceptible subgroups. However, the application of personalised medicine into occupational health requires overcoming some practical, ethical, legal, economical, and socio-political issues, particularly concerning the protection of privacy, and the risk of discrimination that the workers may experience. In this scenario, the concerted action of academic, industry, governmental, and stakeholder representatives should be encouraged to improve research aimed to guide effective and sustainable implementation of personalised medicine in occupational health fields.Key words: Personalised medicine, occupational health, individual variability, exposure assessment     

职业卫生103项获奖科技成果初步分析

职业卫生是研究劳动条件对劳动者健康的影响以及研究改善劳动条件的一门学科,是预防医学的一个重要内容。对职业卫生科技成果进行分析研究,有助于加强职业卫生的科学研究和对实际工作的指导。为此,笔者对湖南省劳动卫生职业病防治研究所历年来103项获奖科技成果进行了初步分析,结果报告如下。1 资料来源与方法     

Non-government organizations in the health field: collaboration, integration and contrasting aims in Africa

How and why non-government agencies operate their many health projects in less developed countries deserves more than causal mention. Among salient factors are sources and magnitude of funding, size and duration of projects, the philosophy, operation and performance of non-government organizations. Most NGOs have many strengths, vantage points and ability to initiate viable health programmes. Their strengths, however, account for most of their shortcomings such as autonomy, lack of linkages with established health systems and policy isolation. Can the gaps be bridged without loss to the beneficiary country and the NGO and, if so, how?     

The concept of health in Italian occupational health legislation

This study describes the evolution of the concept of health in Italian occupational health legislation (1900-2001). Mental health dimensions at work (such as reduction in monotony and repetitiveness, mental risks in pregnancy and so on) were introduced only recently. This can be explained with: 1) poor working conditions; 2) the delay of the occupational health community in including mental health in the concept of health; 3) the gap between scientific knowledge of risk factors for mental health and legislation aimed at prevention.     

The challenge of interdisciplinary collaboration in acute psychiatry: Impacts on the occupational milieu

This paper, based on a larger ethnographic exploration of the acute inpatient environment for older people with mental illness, describes and provides interpretations of staff perceptions and actions in order to highlight tensions between professional groups which adversely affect opportunities for patients to engage in meaningful occupations. Fieldwork conducted in 1999–2000, supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews with a range of mental health professionals, provides the foundation for suggesting that the extent and nature of occupational engagement is significantly impacted by interdisciplinary relations. The skill of occupational therapists to collaborate with their nursing colleagues in a socially complex environment, and the importance of personal leadership skills among our new graduates are discussed.     

氧化镍生产厂的劳动卫生学调查

在某镍业公司氧化镍生产厂进行了劳动卫生状况调查，测定了空气中有害物质浓度和部分接镍人员指导甲中镍含量。结果表明，该厂主要职业危害因素是空气镍浓度高，焙烧车间部分受检工人指甲镍含量全部超过健康成人指甲镍正常上限值。这说明该人群体内镍负荷增高，需积极采取措施降低接镍水平。     

芬兰政府在职业卫生工作中的作用

芬兰的职业卫生工作发展较早且较为完善,为国际职业卫生工作做出了巨大贡献.重点介绍芬兰政府在职业卫生领域中的工作内容,包括颁布实施法规、领导职业卫生管理工作、维护雇员尊严与平等、保障职业健康、关注雇员心理紧张、主导广泛的三方合作与应对突发公共卫生事件等七个方面.芬兰经验对我国职业卫生管理工作具有借鉴意义,对于我们开展具有...