Sexual health and HIV in travellers and expatriates

Travellers engaging in sexual contact with a new partner abroad may be at high risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection. This review examines the impact of travel on sexual health and provides prevention, management and treatment recommendations to practising occupational health physicians.     

Patterns of outpatient visits by Japanese male expatriates in Thailand

Objective of this study is to clarify the health-related conditions of Japanese male expatriates in Thailand. Records of Japanese male expatriates in their 30s to 50s who consulted outpatient clinics at Bangkok Hospital in 2005 were analyzed for number and type of outpatient visits then compared with data from the "Patient Survey" 2005 for age-matched males in Japan. "Diseases of the respiratory system" and "Certain infectious and parasitic diseases" had a higher rate of diagnosis among Japanese men living in Thailand than those living in Japan. "Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases," and "Mental and behavioral disorders" had a lower rate of diagnosis among Japanese men living in Thailand than those in Japan. "Acute upper respiratory infections" accounted for 87.4% of "Diseases of the respiratory system" and "intestinal infections" accounted for 59.9% of "Certain infectious and parasitic diseases" among expatriates. Japanese male expatriates have a tendency of not visiting hospital when they have no subjective or objective symptoms. To support a healthy expatriate life, health information should be propagated widely and available support services, such as counseling via e-mail or fax, should be actively promoted. Expatriates should be informed of the availability of these services before they go abroad and during their stay.     

工程建设企业海外员工传染病健康素养现状及影响因素

目的  了解中国工程建设企业海外员工的传染病健康素养水平及其影响因素,为中资企业海外员工传染病防治工作提供依据。方法  采取整群抽样,选取某大型石油公司所属工程建设企业2019年9月-12月参加出国培训的员工,采用自行设计的传染病健康素养问卷进行调查。结果  员工传染病健康素养水平为51.5%。单因素分析显示,女性员工传染病健康素养高于男性(χ² =4.559, P=0.045),年龄＜50岁者高于年龄≥50岁者(χ² =6.027, P=0.015),管理人员高于操作人员(χ² =53.025, P＜0.001)。多因素分析显示,文化程度和职业类型是影响传染病健康素养的主要因素。相较小学文化程度,初中(OR=3.847, 95% CI: 0.476~31.086, P=0.206)、高中/中专/职高(OR=7.439, 95% CI: 0.932~59.377, P=0.058)、大专/本科(OR=15.887, 95% CI: 1.992~126.673, P=0.009)、硕士及以上(OR=14.581, 95% CI: 1.681~126.479, P=0.015)者传染病健康素养较高;管理人员素养高于操作人员(OR=1.588, 95% CI: 1.105~2.281, P=0.012)。结论  工程建设企业海外员工的传染病健康素养水平较低,主要影响因素为文化程度、职业类型和年龄。建议企业在员工出国前开展传染病防治的健康教育,重点教育对象应为高中及以下学历者、操作人员和≥50岁员工。     

Health service utilization,unmet healthcare needs,and the potential of telemedicine services among Korean expatriates

Background

With the significant growth of migration and expatriation, facilitated by increased global mobility, the number of Koreans living abroad as of 2016 is approximately 7.4 million (15% of the Korean population). Healthcare utilization or health problems, especially among expatriates in developing countries, have not been well researched despite the various health risks these individuals are exposed to. Consequently, we identified the health utilization patterns and healthcare needs among Korean expatriates in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Uzbekistan.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey examined 429 Korean expatriates living in Vietnam (n?=?208), Cambodia (n?=?60), and Uzbekistan (n?=?161) who had access to the Internet and were living abroad for at least 6?months. A 67-item questionnaire was used, and feedback was received via an online survey program. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate factors associated with unmet healthcare needs and preferences of certain type of telemedicine.

Results

We found that 45.5% (195/429) of respondents had used medical services in their country of stay. Among those who visited health institutions >?3 times, the most popular choice was general hospitals (39.4%, 15/38); however, they initially visited Korean doctors’ or local doctors’ offices. The most essential criteria for healthcare service facilities was a “skilled professional” (39.3%, 169/429), 42% wanted a health program for chronic disease management, and 30% wanted specialized internal medicine. A substantial number wanted to access telemedicine services and were willing to pay for this service. They were particularly interested in experts’ second opinion (61.5%, 264/429) and quick, 24-h medical consultations (60.8%, 261/429). Having unmet healthcare needs and being younger was strongly associated with all types of telemedicine networks.

Conclusions

Nearly half of the expatriates in developing countries had unmet healthcare needs. Telemedicine is one potential solution to meet these needs, especially in developing countries.

     

Stress in Industry

Industrial stress is important on account of distress causednot only to individuals but to society as a whole.Stress inindustry occurs at every level. It is usually of psychologicalrather than physical origin and may originate outside industry.Thecauses of stress in shop-floor workers, junior management andsenior management are considered. They usually involve injuriesto self-esteem, or insecurity, isolation or responsibility.Symptoms and signs of acute and chronic stress are described.Prevention of stress in shop-floor workers includes good presonnelpractices—fair treatment, good communications and participation—andgiving gratitude or praise. Remedies for the problems of managementinvolve selection, education and training, organisation andcommunications. Some case histories are given.     

紧张和职业紧张

本文概述了紧张，职业紧张及其影响因素，对紧张（stress)的研究虽已有多年，就其定义至今仍无共识，作者认为紧张的定义应当努力体现心理状态的变化。在本文中综合提出了紧张和职业紧张的概念，概述了导致紧张的三种模式，与职业紧张有关的三类主要症状，精疲力竭的三个主要表现，以及影响职业紧张的主要因素等。概述将为开展紧张和职业紧张的研究提供参考。     

Stress in nursing

The general purpose of this exploratory research was to understand the stress in different nursing occupations, aiming at determining the meaning of stress to nurses, identifying the stressors regarding different nursing occupational activities and investigating if the nurses' occupational activity is perceived as stressful. The sample consisted of three groups of Nurses (clinical, managers and professors) working in the public service of the city of Brasília and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Although the concept of stress is not clear among nurses, they do experience diverse stressors; related to intrinsic job factors, to relationships at work, to their roles and to the organizational structure.     

Acceptance,attitude, and factors affecting the intention to accept COVID-19 vaccine among Thai people and expatriates living in Thailand

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide problem. Vaccination as primary prevention is necessary. Thailand is in the initial phase of the vaccination program. However, the demand for this vaccine among Thais and expatriates living in Thailand is still unknown. This study aims to assess acceptance, attitude, and determinants for COVID-19 vaccination among Thai people and expatriates living in Thailand.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted in Thailand during May 2021. An online survey (REDcap) was distributed through online social media platforms. Adult (>18 years old) Thai and expatriates living in Thailand were invited. Any person who already received any COVID-19 vaccine was excluded from this study.ResultOne thousand sixty-six responses were collected in this survey. A total of 959 were available for analysis. Six hundred thirty-seven 637 responses were from Thais and 322 responses from expatriates living in Thailand. The acceptance rate was significantly higher among expatriates than local people (57.8% vs 41.8%, p-value < 0.001). The acceptance rate increased up to 89.0–91.3% if they could select the vaccine brand, and 80.7–83.2% when they were recommended by the health care professionals. Both groups had a similar mean attitude score toward COVID-19 vaccination. Being Thai, health care worker, good compliance to social distancing, accepting serious side effects at level 1 per 100,000, and having a good attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination were associated with vaccine acceptance.ConclusionThailand's COVID-19 vaccination program could improve the acceptance rate by informing the public about vaccine efficacy, vaccine benefit, and vaccine safety. Moreover, supplying free of charge high efficacy alternative vaccines and letting all people living in Thailand make their own vaccine choices could increase the acceptance rate.     

医师职业紧张和紧张反应的研究

[目的]评价医师职业紧张和紧张反应强度。[方法]应用职业紧张量表修订版(OSI-R)(1998修订版)对 342名医师(医师组)和362名非卫生部门脑力劳动者(对照组)进行了测试。[结果]医师职业任务得分高于对照组, 差异有非常显著性(P<0．01)。医师的主要紧张源为任务过重、任务不适和责任感。医师仅人际关系紧张反应因子得分显著高于对照组(P<0．01)。医师的职业紧张水平和紧张反应强度随年龄增长而增高,不同年龄段之间差异呈非常显著性(P<0．01);男医师的职业紧张水平和紧张反应显著高于女医师(P<0．01)。[结论]医师职业是个紧张的职业,加强医师业务和医德学习,缓解医患矛盾,减少工作压力可保护和促进他们的健康。     

不同程度心理应激对小鼠卵巢内氧化应激水平的影响

目的:探讨不同程度刺激对小鼠卵巢氧化应激水平的影响,以期为不孕症患者辅助心理治疗提供理论依据。方法:80只雌鼠随机分为4组,给予不同程度且不可预知性刺激4周,观察小鼠体质量及行为学改变。造模成功后,检测小鼠血清中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)含量、活性氧(ROS)水平,小鼠卵巢组织中SOD活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量、SOD2、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)3种抗氧化物酶的m RNA水平。结果:不同程度心理应激组与正常组相比,小鼠体质量降低,不动时间和中央区域滞留时间延长,进入中央区域次数及中央区域活动时间减少,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);血清中ROS水平升高,SOD含量降低,卵巢组织中SOD活性降低,MDA含量升高,SOD2、CAT及GSH-Px活性降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:心理应激能够降低小鼠的自主活动欲望和探索欲望,ROS的累积引发机体内氧化应激反应,影响女性生殖功能。     

Stress proteins in medicine

Stress proteins or in other words heat shock proteins form an ancient defense system of our cells. They are necessary to prevent the aggregation of damaged proteins and to help their refolding after stress. Stress protein-assisted remodeling of protein structure is an important step of many cellular processes, such as protein transport, signaling and protein degradation. Stress proteins have a key role in many diseases. Thus they 1. protect our cells against the deteriorating effects of ischemia/reperfusion in myocardiac infarcts or in stroke; 2. protect transplanted tissues and organs; 3. act against the multiple damage of chronic diseases such as diabetes, or neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease); 4. participate in the etiology of several autoimmune diseases; 5. their activation, and role in antigen presentation can be used as an anticancer-therapy; 6. stress proteins increase longevity, and lastly 7. stress proteins act as a buffer of phenotypically silent mutations and may contribute to the onset of "civilizational diseases" (cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, etc.). In this review the authors also summarize the existing stress protein-related pharmacological approaches to cure a large variety of diseases.     

Stress in der Arbeit

Zusammenfassung Stress in der Arbeit kann erst dann angemessen erfasst werden, wenn ein Stresskonzept zugrunde gelegt wird, das die Beziehung zwischen Arbeitsbedingungen und individuellen Merkmalen als einen Prozess wechselseitiger Beeinflussung versteht. Arbeitssituationen im Sinne «potentieller» Stressoren werden dann als konkrete Stressoren bedeutsam, wenn sie den Arbeitenden überfordern oder unterfordern und als nicht durchschaubar, vorhersehbar und beeinflussbar erlebt werden. Intrapsychische Wahrnehmungs-, Bewertungs- und Verarbeitungsprozesse sowie Handlungskompetenz bestimmen den Stil der Auseinandersetzung mit aversiv erlebten Arbeitssituationen.Arbeitsbedingungen können jedoch nicht nur als Stressoren, sondern auch als Voraussetzung für den Erwerb von Bewältigungskompetenz wirksam werden. Damit werden Arbeitsgestaltungsansätze nicht nur für die Reduktion bzw. Prävention von aktuellem Stress, sondern auch für die Vermittlung von Kompetenz für die Bewältigung zukünftiger Anforderungen relevant.

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Stress at Work

Summary Stress at work has to be described by a basic concept of stress which understands the relations between work conditions and personal characteristics as a process of mutual influence. Work situations as «potential» stressors become significant when the workers feel under-or overcharged and consider the situation as not transparent, not predictable and not controllable. Intrapsychic perceptional and evaluative processes and competence of action determine the manner of coping with threatening work situations.On the other hand, work conditions not only function as stressors but also as a determinant factor for the acquisition of coping competence. By this fact, job design becomes important not only for the reduction or prevention of actual stress but also for the acquisition of coping competence for future demands.

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Stress dans le travail

Résumé Stress dans le travail doit Être décrit par un concept de stress comprenant les relations entre les conditions de travail et les signes caractéristiques personnels comme procès d'influence mutuelle. Les conditions de travail comme éléments possibles de stress deviennent significantes au moment où les travailleurs se sentent surchargés ou souschargés et considèrent la situation sans transparence, imprévisible et sans possibilité de prendre influence. Des procès psychiques de perception et d'évaluation ainsi que la compétence d'action déterminent la faÇon de surmonter des situations de travail aversives. Les conditions de travail ne sont pas seulement des éléments de stress mais aussi des déterminantes pour l'acquisition de compétence d'accomplissement. De ce fait, l'organisation du travail est importante non seulement pour la réduction ou la prévention de stress mais également comme moyen d'acquérir de la compétence d'accomplissement pour de futures demandes.