Equity/inequity,stress and employee commitment in a health care setting

This article investigates the relationship between perceptions of equity, occupational stress and employee commitment in a health care setting. Significant relationships were found among these variables and implications for the health care field are discussed.     

Relations between upper limb soft tissue disorders and repetitive movements at work

To make a preliminary assessment of whether upper limb soft tissue disorders might be associated with activities at work, we have conducted a case-control study of subjects attending orthopedic clinics in three cities. All subjects between the ages of 16 and 65 years, in whom defined soft tissue conditions of the upper limb were diagnosed by the participating orthopedic surgeons, were invited to take part. Controls were subjects attending the same clinics within the same age range whose clinical diagnosis did not include disease of the upper limb, cervical or thoracic spine. Information concerning repetitive movements of the upper limbs at work was elicited by questionnaire. Five hundred eighty cases and 996 controls were studied, representing 96% and 93%, respectively, of those invited to participate. The diagnoses of the cases included soft tissue conditions affecting the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, thumb, hand, and fingers. The diagnoses of the controls included traumatic, degenerative, and inflammatory conditions, mostly of the legs and lower back. Women predominated among the cases (70%) and men among the controls (56%). Of 221 female cases with injury to the wrist and forearm, 32 were cleaner/domestics (14.5%) compared to 35 of 439 controls (8%), a difference statistically significant at the 2 1/2% level. Other jobs significantly overrepresented (5% level) among female cases with injuries at various anatomical sites included hairdressers, secretary/temps, assembly line workers, and machine operators (type unspecified). Among male cases, electricians were significantly overrepresented (5% level). Jobs for which there was a suggestion (p < 0.1) of overrepresentation among cases included butchers and teacher/ lecturers (both males only) and the combined job groups (chosen a priori for analysis) of keyboard operators, machine operators, and music teachers (all three jobs, females only).     

Nasal septum lesions caused by chromium exposure among chromium electroplating workers

A chromium electroplating worker, suffering from epistaxis during work, was found to have nasal septum perforation. To determine the etiology and prevalence of nasal septum lesions, we conducted a survey of seven chromium electroplating factories and examined 79 workers. Forty workers from three aluminum electroplating factories were also enrolled as the reference group. Subjects were thoroughly examined by an otolaryngologist and each of them provided a blood and urine sample. A questionnaire interview regarding symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, past medical history, life style, and work history was also conducted. Air chromium concentrations were measured by taking area samples for 4–6 hours. Based on field observation and chromium measurements, we divided chromium electroplating into three different exposure zones: workers directly dealing with electroplating tanks (n = 31), other process workers (n = 29), and office workers and drivers (n = 19). Among the 79 chromium electroplating workers, there were 16 cases of nasal septum perforation, and 42 with either scar formation or ulceration; 10 chromium electroplating workers developed skin ulcers after performing chrome plating. No workers from aluminum electroplating factories had any nasal septum or skin abnormalities. There was a consistent trend between the degree of chromium exposure and the signs and symptoms related to the nose, throat, and skin. Immediate improvement of occupational hygiene is warranted.     

Occupational stress management programmes: a practical overview of published effect studies

There are many occupational stress management programmes availablewhich are designed to prevent and cure the negative aspectsof job-stress. The focus of the programmes can be directed towardsthe individual worker, the working group, the organization ofthe work or the organization as a whole. Moreover, programmesshow a considerable variation with respect to the type of interventionsthey promote and their underlying assumptions, as well as theirduration and costs. In this paper, effect studies of occupationalstress programmes published between 1987 and 1994 are reviewed.The aim is to give a practical overview of the variety in occupationalstress programmes, their scope, applicability and the evidenceof their effectiveness. The paper updates the review by DeFrankand Cooper published in 1989.     

医药团结合作 建设放心药房

总结了全国放心药店现场交流会后,全国各地放心药房建设的情况。强调了建设放心药房工作的意义,指出建设放心药房是中医医疗机构精神文明建设的重要部分,是落实中央指示,加强药品管理的具体行动,是加强中医医疗机构内涵建设的重要内容,是保证中医医疗质量的关键环节。对进一步做好放心药房建设工作提出了要求:规范进货行为,把好药品进货关;不断深化改革,加强内部管理;认真贯彻国家有关法规,继续整治药品回扣违法行为;加强医药团结合作,建立稳定的供需关系;加强领导,务求实效,使“放心药房”建设深入持久地开展下去。     

Occupational dermatitis from Synacril Red 3B liquid (Cl Basic Red 22)

A carpet factory worker, exposed to a number of different dyes, developed a severe hand dermatitis. The handling of warm, wet and freshly-dyed yarn with unprotected hands was thought to have caused the onset of dermatitis. Patch testing indicated that the patient was sensitive to only one of the dyes handled, namely Synacril Red 3B liquid, which is based on the single dyestuff Basic Red 22 (CI 11055). Chemical analysis revealed the dyestuff to be of high purity (greater than 95%), suggesting that sensitization was caused by the Basic Red 22 dyestuff itself and not by an avoidable impurity.     

Dermatitis in bulb growers

A damaged skin forms a health hazard in flower-bulb growers as it enables higher permeation rates For pesticides than normal skin. Therefore, an investigation was performed into the skin condition of 103 bulb growers and 49 controls. Contact dermatitis of the hands was of the same order (11 and 10%) in both groups. However, minor signs of dermatitis were seen more often in bulb growers (30 versus 8%, p <0.05). Most growers had contact with narcissus sap during the investigation. This irritant sap, as well as many other skin contacts with irritants such as hyacinth dust and pesticides, seemed to be responsible for many skin complaints. Contact serialization was suspected in 19 growers and 3 controls. Patch tests showed that contact sensitization existed to pesticides in probably 10, and to flower-bulb extracts in 4 growers. Reactions to propachlor were not regarded as very reliable as the test concentration seemed to be marginally irritant. There were only a few allergic reactions to narcissus (3) and tulip (2) and none to hyacinth. This investigation showed that minor irritant contact dermatitis was frequent in bulb growers, and indicated that contact sensitization to pesticides and bulbs seemed to be a less frequent but important cause of dermatitis.     

A case-control study of multiple myeloma and occupation

Lifetime job histories from a population-based, case-control study were analyzed to investigate the relationship between multiple myeloma and employment in various occupations and industries. Interviews were obtained from 89% (692) of eligible incident cases and 83% (1683) of eligible controls. An elevated risk was observed among persons ever employed as painters [odds ratio (OR) + 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) + 1.2–3.6], particularly for those employed for 10 or more years (OR + 4.1, 95% CI + 1.8–10.4). A small excess risk was observed among agricultural workers employed for 10 or more years (OR + 1.3, 95% CI + 1.0–2.2), with a higher relative risk observed among farm laborers (OR + 1.8, 95% CI + 1.0–4.0). Among agricultural workers who reported having been highly exposed to pesticides, the OR was 5.2 (95% CI + 1.6–21.1). Some evidence, based on smaller numbers, was also found to support an association with firefighting and employment in the petroleum- and coal-products manufacturing industries. Little evidence was found to support the previously noted association with wood exposure, and no evidence for an association with employment in the rubber or petroleum refining industries was found. This study lends further support to previously reported associations between multiple myeloma and employment among painters and agricultural workers. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.