西南地区不同性别、学历、年龄、工龄人群职业紧张比较

目的探讨不同性别、学历、年龄、工龄人群的职业紧张。方法采用职业紧张量表(OSI-R),测试4278例职工的职业紧张、紧张反应、应对资源。结果职业任务、紧张反应总均分及各子项得分(除工作环境、业务、心理紧张反应外):男性均高于女性,且差异有显著性(P<0·01)。自我保健子项:女性显著高于男性(P<0·01),同时在社会支持、人际关系和工作满意度方面女性也高于男性。在年龄方面,40岁~及≥50岁两个组,职业任务总均分及任务过重、任务冲突、责任感、任务不适四个子项得分均显著高,而应对资源子项中,≥50岁组,在社会支持子项得分最低(P<0·05)。在工龄方面,也表现出最长工龄组:≥30年组职业任务总均分及任务过重、任务冲突、责任感等子项得分均高,而应对资源子项中:20年~组在社会支持子项得分最低(P<0·05)。在文化程度方面,低学历组职业任务、紧张反应得分高,而应对资源得分却最低(P<0·05)。结论针对不同性别、年龄、工龄、学历群体的职业紧张源、紧张反应、应对资源,采取有效的干预措施,降低不同职工,特别是中、老年职工的职业紧张,提高职工的劳动能力及生活质量是职业卫生面临的重要任务之一。     

Physical workload and the ageing worker: a review of the literature

In the coming decades, demographic, economic and social changes will result in an increased proportion of elderly persons in the workforce in most industrialized countries. This trend is causing growing interest in the problems of the ageing worker in current employment. The objective of this particular paper is to provide more insight into the impact of ageing on the balance between physical work capacity and physical workload. To this end, the scientific literature in the field is reviewed and ordered by means of a specific conceptual model of ageing and physical workload. A progressive decline in physical work capacity, characterized by diminished aerobic capacity and muscular capacity, has consistently been reported. However, inter-individual differences appear to be considerable. The question of whether there are systematic differences in physical work demands between younger and older workers within occupations has been answered vaguely. Conflicting results in this matter bring into discussion the role of the actual working method as one of the determinants of the physical workload. An agerelated imbalance between physical workload and physical work capacity is suggested to result in a chronic overload, increasing the risk of long-term health effects such as musculoskeletal complaints and disorders. For many ageing workers in physically demanding occupations, extreme physical workloads, increasing the risk of disease or disablement, are still reported. The multiconceptual study of ageing and physical workload in the present paper reveals several possibilities for preventive measures. However, as information is still lacking, additional research is needed, in particular on the onset and development of long-term effects on health in relation to age and work demands.     

After-effects of night work on physical performance capacity and sleep quality in relation to age

Summary The after-effects of night work on physical performance capacity and sleep quality were studied. Ten younger (age 34 years) and eight older (age > 34 years) experienced shift workers were examined. Subjects performed cycle ergometer tests at an exercise intensity requiring 70% of the individual maximal oxygen uptake. Two conditions were studied: a baseline condition, i.e. the last day of a 4 days-off period, and a recovery condition after a period of seven consecutive night shifts, i.e. the second day-off after the night-shift period (32 h after leaving the night-shift period). Sleep quality of the sleep period preceding the test was also measured for both conditions. During the recovery condition the endurance time (i.e. time to exhaustion) was reduced by an average of 20% (–160s, P < 0.05) for the older shift workers only. In both age groups exercise ventilation, heart rate, oxygen uptake, perceived exertion and sleep quality remained unaffected. These findings support the hypothesis that the aging shift worker is faced with increasing complaints, even after the night-shift period. However, to clarify the mechanisms responsible for these after-effects of night work, further extensive studies must be designed.     

Prevalence of common mental disorders and their work consequences in France,according to occupational category

In the previously published version of this article Marcel Goldberg name was misspelled within the authorship as Marcel Gorldberg. The corrected version, Marcel Goldberg, appears above to amend the record.     

Musculoskeletal pain,depression, and stress among Latino manual laborers in North Carolina

The jobs of Latino manual laborers place their mental and physical health at risk. This study evaluates the associations among musculoskeletal pain, mental health, and work organization in Latino manual laborers. Farmworkers and nonfarmworkers (n = 189) in North Carolina were interviewed for self-reported musculoskeletal pain, depressive symptoms, stress, work safety climate, and precarious job status. More nonfarmworkers than farmworkers had neck and shoulder pain, but they did not differ in other areas of musculoskeletal pain. Depressive symptoms had a significant association with neck and shoulder pain (p < .05). Precariousness had a significant association with back pain (p < .05). Farmworker participants had H-2A visas and were afforded some protection compared to nonfarmworker manual workers. Research is needed to improve policy that relieves pain and improves mental health for all Latino manual workers.     

Physically demanding workloads and the risks of musculoskeletal disorders in homecare workers in the USA

Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are prevalent among homecare workers, little is known about the MSD risk factors. This study investigated whether physically demanding workloads among homecare workers are related to MSDs, especially in neck, shoulder and back pain. Data were taken from two waves of a random sample (June to December 2003 and December 2003 to February 2004). The sample included 1643 homecare workers at Wave 1 and 1198 homecare workers at Wave 2, respectively. A basic telephone interview and 30 minutes computer‐assisted interview were performed for homecare workers in Wave 1 and Wave 2. The prevalence of neck, shoulder and back MSDs was assessed at Wave 1 and Wave 2 using the Nordic questionnaire of musculoskeletal symptoms. The incidence of MSDs at 6 months was estimated at Wave 2 using only those who were in the asymptomatic reference group at Wave 1 as the denominator. At Wave 1, back MSDs were the most prevalent (10.2%), followed by neck (9.6%) and shoulder (7.1%) MSDs. After 6 months, the incidence of neck MSDs was the highest (7.0%), followed by back (6.4%) and shoulder (4.8%) MSDs. Physical demands of work were assessed using items developed from focus groups of workers. When compared with asymptomatic workers, those with MSDs showed a dose–response effect for physical job demands. After controlling for age, psychosocial demands and social support on‐the‐job, physical demands among homecare workers were significantly associated with an excessive odds of neck, shoulder and back MSDs incident at 6 months (odds ratios of 1.14–1.17 for each unit increase on a physical demand scale). Our study shows that the physical demands of work are a significant risk factor for MSDs among homecare workers. Considering the high physical demands among homecare workers, the finding in this study clearly indicates that practical intervention strategies should be implemented to protect homecare workers from exposure to MSD risk factors.     

Health complaints and working conditions experienced in relation to work and age.

OBJECTIVES--The main objective is to describe the potential health and work problems of the aging employees in the Dutch working population. In this way, we can identify groups at extra risk of specific health problems. METHODS--In The Netherlands, occupational health services gather questionnaire data about work and health as part of periodical occupational health surveys (POHSs). These data from the POHSs of complaints about health and working conditions, aggregated into occupational groups and age categories, are used to provide indications for groups at extra risk of specific health problems. These problems are assessed by overviews of the relation between age and complaints about health and working conditions. RESULTS--Almost all of the health questions show an increase in health complaints with increasing age. White collar workers, especially the high grade white collar workers, usually have lower complaint percentages on health questions than blue collar workers. Female employees have relatively high complaint percentages on the health questions. Differences between occupational groups in the complaints about work and working conditions reflect the differences in work demands and exposure. The relation between age and work complaints is generally inconsistent and weak. The complaint percentages on work questions of female employees tend to be equal to or lower than those of the male employees. CONCLUSIONS--The absence of a clear increase of work complaints with advancing age in the presence of a decrease in health and working capacity may be explained by a selective turnover in the working population, especially in demanding occupations. To enhance the work participation of older employees it may be necessary to reduce the work demands and to increase decision latitude.     

中山市溶剂型涂料行业员工对职业卫生认知水平的调查

目的对中山市溶剂型涂料行业员工进行职业卫生认知水平调查。方法以问卷的方式对603名员工进行职业卫生相关问题调查。结果中资，台日资和欧美投资等3类企业，在职业卫生管理认知水平上三者比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。职业有害因素知晓率随工种变化，而且随学历变化明显（P〈0．01）。定期职业健康检查需求率较高（23．6％）。结论涂料行业要加强建设项目职业病危害的申报、审核和评价工作；尤其要加强已建成企业就业前职业卫生培训工作。     

Pre-return to work consultation and therapeutic part-time work: Cross-sectional study on level of knowledge and use by general practitioners in France

BackgroundIn France, general practitioners (GPs) may use two tools specifically designed to help employees who experience difficulties in returning to work after sick leave: the pre-return-to-work (PRW) medical consultation and therapeutic part-time (TPT) work.ObjectivesThe objective was to investigate the level of knowledge and use of these two tools by GPs in Maine-et-Loire, France.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was performed using a telephone questionnaire to evaluate the level of knowledge of GPs and the use of these two tools in patients having difficulties returning to work.ResultsAmong the 200 randomly selected GPs, 122 responded (response rate: 61%). More than half of the interviewed GPs declared they ‘often’ (46%) or ‘always’ (14%) contacted the occupational physician in these situations. Moreover, 62.2% and 32.7% believed that they had a ‘vague’ or ‘very good’ level of knowledge, and 41% and 51% declared either ‘frequent’ or ‘regular’ level of use of the PRW medical consultation, respectively. Regarding TPT work, 47% and 53% reported a ‘very good’ or ‘vague’ level of knowledge, and 41% and 51% a ‘frequent’ or ‘regular’ level of use, respectively. GPs who had a better level of knowledge of this tool reported a higher level of use (p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study shows that while the level of knowledge and use of the PRW medical consultation and TPT work is good, it is not optimal. This could be improved by organising training courses for GPs. Obstacles to their wider use could be investigated further in a qualitative study.     

Trends in cigarette smoking habits in The Netherlands in relation to age, gender and educational level 1987-1991

The objective of the study was to obtain information on recenttrends in smoking habits in socioeconomic subgroups (gender,age and educational level) in The Netherlands. The data wereanalysed from the Monitoring Project on Cardiovascular DiseaseRisk Factors yearly cross-sectional surveys that were performedbetween 1987 and 1991. Each year a random sample of men andwomen aged 20–59 years in three towns in The Netherlandswas invited to participate in the study. The overall responserate was 50% for men and 57% for women. A total of over 36,000subjects participated in the study. The age-standardized prevalenceof current, former and never smoking was the outcome measure.Data on smoking habits were collected by means of a self-administeredquestionnaire. The age-standardized smoking prevalence between1987 and 1991 fell from 41.4 to 38.9% in men (–0.5 percentagepoints per year and 95% Cl: –1.0 to –0.02) and from42.0 to 38.2% in women (–0.8 percentage points per yearand 95% Cl: –1.3 to –0.3). The prevalence of currentsmoking decreased in men with low education and in women withlow and intermediate/high education. In the 1961–1970birth cohort of men with intermediate/high education a relativelylarge increase of 2.8 percentage points (95% Cl: 1.0–4.5)per year was observed. The decrease In smoking prevalence observedbetween 1987 and 1991 was small compared to the period before1987. Differences in the magnitude and direction of trends wereobserved between birth cohorts and educational levels. The resultsof the study emphasize the need for an approach that is targetedtoward specific sociodemographic subgroups.     

Long working hours, occupational health and the changing nature of work organization

BACKGROUND: The impact of long working hours on health has been of major concern since the late 19th Century. Working hours are again increasing in the US. METHODS: An overview of historical, sociological, and health-related research presented at an international conference on long working hours is discussed as an introduction to a special section in this issue. RESULTS: Research indicates that long working hours are polarizing along class lines with professionals working regular though longer hours and less well-educated workers having fewer though more irregular hours. Extended and irregular hours are associated with acute reactions such as stress and fatigue, adverse health behavior such as smoking, and chronic outcomes such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Improved methodologies are needed to track exposure to long working hours and irregular shifts longitudinally. Research should focus on the adverse impact that sleep-deprived and stressed workers may have on the health of the public they serve. A variety of protective efforts should be undertaken and evaluated.     

Envisioning the future of work to safeguard the safety,health, and well-being of the workforce: A perspective from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

The future of work embodies changes to the workplace, work, and workforce, which require additional occupational safety and health (OSH) stakeholder attention. Examples include workplace developments in organizational design, technological job displacement, and work arrangements; work advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and technologies; and workforce changes in demographics, economic security, and skills. This paper presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Future of Work Initiative; suggests an integrated approach to address worker safety, health, and well-being; introduces priority topics and subtopics that confer a framework for upcoming future of work research directions and resultant practical applications; and discusses preliminary next steps. All future of work issues impact one another. Future of work transformations are contingent upon each of the standalone factors discussed in this paper and their combined effects. Occupational safety and health stakeholders are becoming more aware of the significance and necessity of these factors for the workplace, work, and workforce to flourish, merely survive, or disappear altogether as the future evolves. The future of work offers numerous opportunities, while also presenting critical but not clearly understood difficulties, exposures, and hazards. It is the responsibility of OSH researchers and other partners to understand the implications of future of work scenarios to translate effective interventions into practice for employers safeguarding the safety, health, and well-being of their workers.     

Relationship of work schedules to gastrointestinal diagnoses, symptoms, and medication use in auto factory workers

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) complaints are common in shift workers. This study examines the relationship between work schedules and GI symptoms, medications, and diagnoses. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey of 343 US auto factory workers, four work schedule variables were examined: assigned shift, number of hours worked, number of night hours, and schedule variability. Multiple regression tested the relationship between GI outcomes and work schedule variables while controlling for covariates. RESULTS: The evening shift was associated with more GI symptoms and GI diagnoses. Unexpectedly, more consistent work times were associated with having a GI diagnosis. As schedule variability increased the probability of GI medication use increased in low noise exposure. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that evening shift and widely varying work start and end times may increase risks for GI disturbances.     

Inequalities in health in The Netherlands according to age, gender, marital status, level of education, degree of urbanization, and region

Inequalities in health have attracted much epidemiological interestUsually, differences in rates of ill-health between the sexes,among socio-economic groups, geographical regions, etc., arequantified separately, so that it remains undear which variablesare associated with the largest degree of variation. We analyzedvariations in perceived general health, prevalence of chronicconditions, and mortality associated with six sociodemographiccharacteristics: age, gender, marital status, level of education,degree of urbanization and region. Nationally representativedata from the Netherlands were used. The Index of Dissimilarity(the proportion of the number of cases of ill-health in thewhole population which has to be redistributed to achieve completeequality) was used to summarize the degree of variation in thesehealth measures. Age was associated with the highest degreeof variation in all three health measures. The rank order ofthe other background characteristics differed slightiy amonghealth measures, but on the whole gender, marital status andlevel of education appeared to be of equal importance. Degreeof urbanization and region were less important, although notnegligible. Improvements in the health status of groups havinghigh rates of health problems could contribute substantiallyto further reduction of the burden of ill-health in the populationas a whole. The results of this analysis suggest that such interventionsshould not be limited to one dimension of inequality only, andthat, at least in the Netherlands, inequalities by gender, maritalstatus and level of education deserve equal attention from healthpolicy makers. Examples of specific factors and mechanisms involvedin these inequalities are given, and possible strategies forreduction of these inequalities are discussed.     

Musculoskeletal disorders in relation to age and occupation in Swedish construction workers

BACKGROUND: Physical exposure load varies between trades in the construction industry. Our hypothesis is that the prevalence of MSD in a trade, reflects the level of physical exposure; the aim of the study was to describe MSD in relation to age and occupation within the industry. METHODS: The study is based on data from self-administered questionnaires filled out by 85,191 males in the Swedish construction industry. RESULTS: Construction workers had higher age-adjusted prevalence of MSD than foremen and office workers. In general prevalence rates increased steadily with age. Scaffolders showed the highest prevalence of MSD in all body locations. Elevated prevalence of neck disorders was found in crane operators, insulators, and painters, and of lower back and lower extremity disorders in roofers and floorers. CONCLUSION: MSD increase with age. The variation between trades of MSD prevalence seems to correspond to the variation with respect to physical exposure.     

Factors related to the return to work potential in persons with severe mental illness

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the relationship between the return to work potential, according to the Worker Role Interview (WRI) assessment, and clinical characteristics and level of empowerment and occupational engagement among persons with severe mental illness who express their own interest in working. Methods: 120 participants entered the study. The WRI, the Brief Psychiatric and Rating Scale, a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Empowerment Scale, and the Profiles of Occupational Engagement in Severe mental illness were used for data collection. Correlation and regression analyses were used for statistics. Results: The return to work potential was significantly associated with having fewer symptoms, rehabilitation support or productive activities, and higher levels of engagement and empowerment. A younger age had an inverse relation to the lifestyle component in WRI. Depressive symptoms and occupational engagement explained 42% of the variance. Conclusions: The findings support the use of an empowerment approach, taking into account the clients’ symptoms, age, and time use. In addition, involvement in vocational support and productive activities may be advantageous early on in the recovery process.