PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Dryson

Publications and source records attributed to E Dryson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Occupational bladder cancer in New Zealand: a 1-year review of cases notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry.

AIM: To identify which cases of adult bladder cancer notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry in 2001 had a probable occupational cause. METHODS: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), in conjunction with the Massey University Centre for Public Health Research, interviewed and obtained an occupational history for 210 (162 men, 48 women) cases. RESULTS: Of the 162 male cases (response rate 65%), 45 (28%) were considered to be 'probable' occupational cancers. Of the 48 female cases (response rate 76%), three cases (6%) were considered to be 'probable' occupational cancers. The largest occupational group for men was truck drivers, which made up 51% of probable cases. Other common groups were engineering and metal workers (18%), crop farmers/orchardists (7%), textile and leather workers (7%), painters/furniture finishers (7%), and plastics manufacturing workers (4%). The three female cases considered to be of occupational origin included two textile workers and one telephonist. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of cases considered to be of occupational origin is similar to that reported in Europe and the United States, indicating that occupational cancer is a major occupational health problem in New Zealand as it is in other parts of the world.

Female↗
PubMed2001

Hazards associated with the boat building industry in New Zealand: an OSH audit.

AIM: To randomly audit the boat building industry in New Zealand to assess the occupational health status and level of knowledge of employees. METHODS: A survey was conducted using a nurse and inspector administered questionnaire. 151 workers from 120 randomly selected firms participated in the survey. RESULTS: 31.5% respondents thought they had had some sort of work related health problem since working in that job. 22% reported wheezing during the last twelve months. 14-16% met criteria for occupational causation, and 4% met a measure of severe wheezing related to work. 25.6% of workers had dermatitis. Only a quarter of these met criteria for occupational causation. No respondents reported symptoms suggestive of chronic solvent neurotoxicity. Solvents and epoxy resins comprised the majority of chemicals with which there was contact. Observation suggested little use of Material Safety Data Sheets as a source of knowledge about toxicity of the chemicals used. Although 94.3% reported wearing gloves, this did not correlate with numbers reporting dermatitis suggesting non-compliance or glove failure. CONCLUSION: New Zealand boat builders and their employees remain at risk for occupational health problems by virtue of their employment.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Associations between body morphology and microalbuminuria in healthy middle-aged European, Maori and Pacific Island New Zealanders.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between albuminuria and measures of body morphology. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of European, Maori and Pacific Island workers aged 40 y and over. SUBJECTS: 3960 non-diabetic, non-hypertensive, non-lipidaemic, non-proteinuric middle-aged men and women. MEASUREMENTS: Height, weight, waist, hip, fasting and 2 h glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, urinary creatinine and urinary albumin measurements. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and gender, the relative risks (95% confidence interval) of microalbuminuria were 4.87-fold (3.10-7.64) higher in Maori, and 4.96-fold (3.40-7.24) higher in Pacific Islanders compared to European New Zealanders. In contrast, age and gender adjusted relative risks (95% confidence interval) for high albumin:creatinine ratios were 6.38 (4.27, 9.53) in Maori and 5.14 (3.54, 7.48) in Pacific Islanders compared to European workers. Workers with microalbuminuria had higher urinary creatinine concentrations than those with urinary albumin in the normal range. Age and gender adjusted partial correlation coefficients between urinary albumin concentrations and the inverse of urinary creatinine concentrations were highest in European and Maori workers. Apart from Pacific islanders, urinary creatinine concentrations accounted for over 20% of the variation in urinary albumin concentrations in healthy individuals. Other independent predictors of urinary albumin concentrations were waist measurements, short stature and body mass index in Europeans and Pacific Islanders, and systolic blood pressure levels and gender in Europeans. After adjusting for age, gender, waist, height, 2 h glucose, urinary creatinine, systolic blood pressure and body mass index Maori and Pacific Islanders still had significantly higher urinary albumin concentrations than Europeans. CONCLUSION: Urinary creatinine concentrations were significantly associated with urinary albumin concentrations in all ethnic groups, and, with the exception of Pacific Islanders, accounted for a large proportion of the variation in urinary albumin concentrations in healthy individuals. Urinary albumin concentrations were associated with measures of obesity and short stature in Europeans and Pacific Islanders, and systolic blood pressure levels and gender in Europeans. However, measures of body morphology did not completely explain the higher urinary albumin concentrations in Maori or Pacific Islanders.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire in European and Polynesian New Zealanders.

The reproducibility and validity of a self-administered 142-item food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was assessed in a population comprising 124 European and 52 Polynesian (17 Maori and 35 Pacific Island) New Zealanders aged 40-65 years. Reproducibility correlation coefficients, determined by administration of the same questionnaire on two occasions 3 years apart, were higher in European than Maori and Pacific Island participants, ranging from 0.47 to 0.87 in Europeans (median 0.66) and from 0.41 to 0.79 in Maori and Pacific Island people (median 0.44). In general, there were no significant differences in mean nutrient intakes calculated from the two FFQs by Europeans or Maori and Pacific Island participants despite their cultural and language differences. When the FFQ was compared with a 3-day food diary in a subsample of 101 Europeans, 15 Maori and 22 Pacific Islanders, the validity was good for most nutrients, with overestimation of a few nutrients in each ethnic group. Correlation coefficients between the 3-day food diary and FFQ ranged from 0.41 to 0.81 in Europeans (median 0.48) and from 0.36 to 0.56 in Maori and Pacific Island people (median 0.55). Ratios of energy intake to resting metabolic rate suggested that Maori and Pacific Island people were more likely to underestimate their habitual energy intake by the 3-day diet diary method compared to Europeans, but that Europeans were more likely to underestimate total energy intake by the food frequency method and Pacific Island participants to overestimate it. Obese Europeans and Maori were more likely to under-report dietary intakes by the 3-day diary method. We conclude that our FFQ performed better in European than Maori and Pacific Island participants.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels decreased in impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus.

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in a New Zealand Polynesian and Caucasian workforce of 5677 staff aged 40-64 years to determine whether serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 are altered in people with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentration was significantly lower in newly detected cases with diabetes and IGT (n = 238) compared with controls individually matched by sex, age (+/- 2 years), ethnicity, and date of interview (mean (S.D.): 69 (31) vs. 76 (34) nmol/l; P = 0.0016). Among controls, serum concentrations were significantly lower in Maori (mean (S.E.) = 65 (5) nmol/l; P = 0.0013) and Pacific Islanders (59 (4) nmol/l; P = 0.0001) compared with Europeans (82 (3) nmol/l), after adjusting for age, sex, and time of year. We conclude that diabetes and IGT are associated with low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and that low concentrations of this hormone in New Zealand Polynesians may partly explain their increased prevalence of diabetes/IGT compared with Europeans.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentration in newly detected hypertension.

Although blood concentrations of the active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D are raised in hypertension, concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the main vitamin D metabolite, do not appear to have been reported in newly detected hypertension. Serum levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol were measured in 186 newly detected hypertensive patients (blood pressure > 160/95 mm Hg and never on antihypertensive medication) and normotensive controls individually matched by sex, age (+/- 2 years), ethnicity, and date of interview. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were similar in cases (mean (SD) = 64 (21) nmol/L) and controls (67 (28) nmol/L, P = .20). We conclude that serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, a marker of body vitamin D, is normal in hypertension.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

Preferred components of an occupational health service for small industry in New Zealand: health protection or health promotion?

Two hundred workers in small industry in New Zealand completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire about worksite occupational health services. The majority (71%) saw a need for these. Only 15% considered that they should include general health advice. The component with the highest approval was specialist referrals (95%), followed by biological monitoring (80%), occupational health education (77%), local environmental issues (77%) and workplace environmental monitoring (74%). General health education and health promotion ranked lowest at 65% and 55%, respectively. There was no difference between occupational groups except for general health education (P = 0.003), which the administrative group rated lower (41%) than the other groups did (66-83%). The most favoured single component in a protection/prevention service was biological monitoring (42%), and the most favoured component in a service dealing with non-work-related issues was local environmental issues (37%), with counselling and lifestyle issues the least favoured (9% each). There were statistically significant differences (P = 0.03) between occupational groups for non-work-related services. The results of the survey suggest that there is little demand for health promotion activities but good support for a protection/prevention service in small industry.

Health Education↗
PubMed1995

Health status and occupation: use of a health status index to measure the health of occupations.

A total of 4466 employed persons completed the short Auckland University Health Status Index (AUHSI) questionnaire and a health score was assigned to each individual on the basis of their responses. This health score was found to have statistically significant associations with a number of health-related measures, including socio-economic status (P < 0.001), and with occupational group: administrative, clerical/sales/service, skilled trades and unskilled labour (P < 0.001). Within the occupational groups, 3361 employees could be assigned to 42 specific occupations having 19 or more members each. After controlling for age and gender, significant differences in mean health score for specific occupation were found in the clerical/sales/service (P < 0.05), skilled trades (P = 0.002) and unskilled manual (P < 0.05) groups. It is postulated that these differences may be due to the nature of the specific occupation. Some possible reasons are listed. It is concluded that a global measure of health status such as this may be useful in the planning and evaluation of occupational health services.

Female↗
PubMed1995

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is related to physical activity and ethnicity but not obesity in a multicultural workforce.

BACKGROUND: Recent research suggests that body vitamin D levels are decreased in coronary heart disease and diabetes, but it is unclear which cardiovascular risk factors are related to vitamin D status. AIMS: To examine the relation between vitamin D status and major cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, a marker of recent sun exposure and vitamin D status, was measured in 390 New Zealand residents (95 Pacific Islanders, 74 Maori and 221 others mostly of European descent), who were part of a larger cross-sectional survey of a workforce (n = 5677) aged 40-64 years. RESULTS: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were significantly lower in Pacific Islanders (mean (SE) = 56 (3) nmol/L; p = 0.0001) and Maoris (68 (3) nmol/L; p = 0.036) compared with Europeans (75 (2) nmol/L) after adjusting for age, sex and time of year. Also adjusting for ethnic group, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was higher in people doing vigorous (aerobic) leisure physical activities (71 (2) nmol/L; p = 0.0066) and moderate (non-aerobic) activities (68 (3) nmol/L; p = 0.12) compared with those who were inactive (63 (2) nmol/L). However, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was unrelated to body mass index, serum lipids, blood pressure or cigarette smoking. CONCLUSIONS: People with increased skin pigmentation, such as Polynesians, and people who are inactive, have decreased body levels of vitamin D; this might partly explain their increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hypertension and its treatment in a New Zealand multicultural workforce.

AIMS: To investigate ethnic variations in blood pressure levels and the likelihood of hypertension being treated in a multicultural New Zealand workforce. METHODS: An employed population of 5651 staff aged 40 to 64 years at worksites in Auckland and Tokoroa, who recorded their current prescribed medication, were measured for blood pressure, weight and height. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. RESULTS: Mean blood pressure levels were higher in men than women, and increased with age and BMI. Compared with Europeans, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in Maori (by 5 to 6 mmHg), Pacific Islanders (by 4 to 6 mmHg) and Asians (by 1 to 5 mmHg) after controlling for age and blood pressure treatment. This increase in Maori and Pacific Islanders, compared with Europeans, was approximately halved after also controlling for BMI, but still remained statistically significant (p < 0.05). In contrast, ethnic differences in BMI did not explain any of the blood pressure increase in Asians. In analyses restricted to hypertensive participants, the likelihood of hypertension being treated was higher in women than men (odds ratio (OR) = 3.42; 95% CI 2.13, 5.47), and lower in Maori (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.19, 0.58), Pacific Islanders (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.16, 0.47) and Asians (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.10, 0.86) than Europeans. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the likelihood of hypertension being treated is related to sex and ethnic group; and that other unknown factors, in addition to increased BMI levels, explain the higher blood pressure levels in Polynesians compared to Europeans.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Serum lipid levels in a New Zealand multicultural workforce.

AIMS: To examine ethnic variations in serum lipid levels and to determine whether lipids are related to lifestyle variables in a New Zealand multicultural workforce. METHODS: Fasting blood samples were collected from 5671 employed people for determination of serum total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. Individual exposures over the previous three months to smoking, alcohol, leisure time physical activity were recorded, and weight and height were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Maori and Pacific Islanders had lower age-adjusted total and LDL cholesterol levels than Europeans, and these differences were increased by controlling for BMI. In contrast, age-adjusted mean (SE) HDL cholesterol levels were also lower in Maori (men = 1.17 (0.02); women = 1.38 (0.03) mmol/L) and Pacific Islanders (men = 1.17 (0.01); women = 1.30 (0.02) mmol/L) compared with Europeans (men = 1.20 (0.01); women = 1.47 (0.01) mmol/L), but when BMI, smoking and other variables were controlled, levels were significantly higher in Maori and Pacific Islanders. With serum triglycerides, the pattern was not consistent in Maori and Pacific Islanders. Age-adjusted mean levels in Maori (men = 2.25 (0.07) mmol/L; women = 1.53(0.07) mmol/L) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in Pacific Islanders (men = 1.82 (0.06); women = 1.34(0.05) mmol/L) of the same sex. After controlling for BMI and other variables, triglyceride levels were also significantly lower in Pacific Islanders than in Europeans and Asians. BMI and smoking were positively associated with total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and negatively with HDL cholesterol, after controlling for alcohol and physical activity. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle risk factors, particularly BMI and smoking, are strongly related to serum levels of all major lipids. Ethnic variations in coronary heart disease mortality rates in New Zealand are more consistent with ethnic variations in triglycerides than with variations in the other serum lipids.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Occupational health needs in small industry in New Zealand: preferred sources of information.

An audit of occupational health needs assessment and service utilization was carried out in a survey of small industry. Fifteen per cent of the workforce considered that working conditions were poor, and 8 per cent considered that their health had been affected by work. The proportions were highest in manual workers, rising to 31 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Thirty-eight per cent of the workforce had needed occupational health information or advice in the past, particularly amongst manual workers (53 per cent). The 'boss' was the commonest source of information, followed by the general practitioner. These findings have important implications for planners of occupational health services who need to ensure that these two groups have access to high quality information. Fifty-nine per cent of those who had needed information had not actually sought and obtained it. This suggests that information needs are not being met. Information which was received, however, generally met the requester's need.

Female↗