High exposures to organic solvents among graffiti removers

Summary The exposure to organic solvents among 12 graffiti removers was studied. Health effects were also assessed by structured interview and a symptom questionnaire. Blood and urine samples were collected at the end of the day of air sampling. The concentrations of dichloromethane, glycol ethers, trimethylbenzenes and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone in the breathing zone of each worker were measured during one working day. The 8-h time-weighted average exposure to dichloromethane ranged from 18 to 1200 mg/m³. The Swedish Permissible Exposure Limit value for dichloromethane is 120 mg/m3. The air concentrations of glycol ethers, trimethylbenzens and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone were low or not detectable. No exposure-related deviations in the serum concentrations of creatinine, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, -glutamyl transpeptidase or hyaluronan or the urine concentrations of ₁-microglobulin, R2-microglobulin or N-acetyl--glucos-aminidase were found. Irritative symptoms of the eyes and upper respiratory tract were more prevalent than in the general population. This study demonstrates that old knowledge about work harzards is not automatically transferred to new professions. Another aspect is that the public is also exposed as the job is performed during daytime in underground stations. At least for short periods, bystanders may be exposed to high concentrations of organic solvent vapours. People with predisposing conditions, e.g. asthmatics, may risk adverse reactions.     

Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate

Summary The study validated the use of urinary toluene diamine (TDA) in postshift samples as an indicator of preceding 8-h exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Nine workers exposed in TDI-based polyurethane foam production were studied. Their exposure levels varied in 8-h time-averaged samples from 9.5 to 94 g/m³. The urinary TDA concentrations varied from 6.5 to 31.7g/g creatinine and they were linearly related to the atmospheric TDI levels. Approximately 20% of TDI is metabolized to diamines but their specificity is remarkable to the extent that by analysis for the 2,4- and 2,6-diamino isomers an idea of the percutaneous absorption may be had.     

On the need of a sampling strategy in biological monitoring: The example of hexane exposure

Ambient and biological monitoring of hexane exposure were repeatedly carried out in 14 female shoe makers. Airborne hexane (Ci-H) was measured in 4-h samples collected by a diffusive method. Urinary spot samples were collected before, during (at noon), and at the end of a work shift. 2,5-Hexanedione (2,5HD) in urine collected at noon was poorly related to morning Ci-H. End-of-shift 2,5HD were also poorly related to afternoon air samples. The correlation was still relatively low when end-of-shift 2,5HD was related to 8-h TWA Ci-H (r= 0.44; P<0.01 on=" a=" linear=" scale,=" and=">r-0.58, P< 0.01=" on=" a=" log-log=" scale).=" end-of-shift=" 2,5hd=" levels=" estimated=" on=" the=" basis=" of=" pre-shift=" values=" using=" a=" mathematical=" model=" were=" much=" higher=" (2.3=" times=" on=" average)=" than=" those=" experimentally=" measured=" during=" the=" study=" period.=" owing=" to=" its=" relatively=" long=" half-time,=" 2,5hd=" seems=" to=" be=" influenced=" not=" only=" by=" current=" exposure,=" but=" also=" by=" hexane=" absorbed=" during=" the=" day(s)=" preceding=" sampling.=" the=" lack=" of=" a=" sampling=" strategy=" may=" account=" not=" only=" for=" inconsistencies=" between=" environmental=" and=" biological=" data,=" but=" also=" for=" a=" possible=" misuse=" of=" biological=" monitoring=" when=" utilized=" for=" risk=" assessment.=" despite=" sometimes=" poor=" correlations=" with=" ci-h,=" 2,5hd=" may=" still=" be=" preferred=" to=" other=" indicators=" as=" a=" marker=" of=" effective=" internal=" dose.=" a=" sampling=" strategy=" should=" ensure=" that=" measured=" values=" are=" representative=" of=" the=" individual=" risk=" for=" adverse=">     

Management practices and priorities for mental health system performance: evidence from England and West Germany

Performance priorities for high quality care, multiprofessional team care and deinstitutionalization of patients among mental health services in England and West Germany were found to be significantly influenced by management practices fostering goal congruence, peer review and staff participation in decision making.     

Drug use in pregnancy: an overview of epidemiological (drug utilization) studies

Summary The need for further information on drug utilization patterns during pregnancy in different countries was assessed by reviewing literature obtained by hand and computer searches for the years 1960–1988.The 13 identified studies showed that pregnant women used an average of 4.7 drugs. The most commonly ingested medications were vitamins and iron preparations (almost all women), analgesics, antiemetics and antacids.However, the important variables taken into account differently in each study, such as date of surveillance, country, size of population, personal habits, and physiopathological and demographic characteristics, may it impossible to construct a comprehensive, detailed, up-to-date picture of drug utilization during pregnancy.The evaluation confirmed the need for systematic permanent surveillance of drug utilization in pregnancy, so as to avoid the use of data based on widely differing contexts, times and methods, in a field where knowledge is often derived from scanty information.This study was supported in part by the National Research Council (CNR, Rome, Italy), Convenzione Farmacologia Clinica     

医学生艾滋病知识的调查及其健康教育

①目的 调查医学生对艾滋病知识的了解情况,探讨健康教育的有效措施。②方法 参考WHO关于艾滋病的知识、态度、信念、行为问卷,根据医学生实际情况编制调查问卷,以无记名选择答案的方式,对558名医学生进行了有关艾滋病知识的调查。③结果 100％的医学生知道艾滋病,但只有67.6%的学生知道艾滋病的病原体是HIV,62.2%的被调查者能正确回答出艾滋病的传播途径,92.0%的学生对艾滋病病人和HIV感染者表示不歧视,72.4%的学生较关心艾滋病的流行趋势,84.2%的学生认为我国现在广泛地开展艾滋病的健康教育十分必要。④结论 在医学生中加强艾滋病的健康教育势在必行。     

略论《内经》的形神兼养理论及意义

形神兼养理论是中医养生思想体系中的重要组成部分 ,通过对《内经》相关文献的整理研究 ,试从辨证的形神一体观和具体的形神兼养大法两个方面对这一理论进行全面的探讨和总结 ,使之进一步系统化、理论化 ,并阐述了它的现实意义。为医学模式的转变提供理论依据 ;为现代心身医学的建立和养生保健提供宝贵经验和理论指导     

全科医生社区卫生服务中的工作范畴与方式的探讨

社区卫生服务对象以老人、妇女、儿童为主 ,疾病所涉及的面广 ,以慢性疾病为主。我们选用全科医生从事此项工作 ,依靠三级甲等省级医院的技术优势 ,立足于本社区 ,开展预防保健 ,巡诊随访 ,开办家庭病房等项目 ,从心理护理到疾病治疗的整体服务方式。使儿童计划免疫率达 10 0 %。做好科普宣传 ,杜绝管区内甲类传染病的发生 ,为管区居民建立健康档案 ,沟通与居民的联系 ,做到小病在社区 ,大病到医院。在心脑血管急症发作时 ,可就地抢救后护送到省医院进一步治疗 ,由于抢救及时 ,使死亡率有所下降。对慢性疾病 ,开设家庭病房 ,在达到与住院相同治疗效果 ,减少病人的经济负担 ,同时也降低了病人再次住院率     

南京城郊居民卫生服务需求调查分析

为了解南京市西部城郊社区居民卫生服务需求情况 ,我们对该地区 15岁以上居民 80 0 0人进行了问卷调查。结果显示 ,受调查人群两周患病率为 31 5 % ,两周就诊率 5 9 9% ,6 4 6 %的受调查者近两年内没有接受健康体检。当身体不适时 ,34 2 %的居民选择自我医疗。在 35岁以上的妇女中 ,5 8 3%没有接受乳房检查 ,6 3 9%没有接受宫颈涂片检查。提示我们社区居民潜在的卫生服务需求市场有待开发     

父母养育方式与中学生个性特点及心理健康的相关分析

目的 探讨父母养育方式对中学生个性及心理健康的影响。方法 采用父母养育方式评价量表（EMBU）,艾森克个性问卷（EPQ）,心理卫生自评量表（SCL－90）,对140名高中一年级学生进行测查。结果：1．父母养育方式与中学生个性特点具有相关性。2．学生的个性特点与自身的心理健康水平密切相关。3．女生的个性与心理健康问题多于男性。结论 父母养育方式与中学生个性的形成和心理健康有密切关系。