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Biomedical subjects

H D Belk

Publications and source records attributed to H D Belk.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Implementing continuous quality improvement in occupational health programs.

In the 1980s, businessmen responded to global competition by massive cuts in staff and by implementing programs for continuous quality improvement to meet customers' needs. During this period, medical care costs escalated at a rate far exceeding the Consumer Price Index. Increasing governmental regulation of the environment and occupational health and safety further contributed to costs. Occupational physicians led a portion of organizational efforts to manage health resources (illness prevention, health promotion, treatment and rehabilitation of occupational injuries); however, these physicians have not provided effective leadership of coordinated programs for health resource management. For greater effectiveness, occupational physicians may benefit from adapting the principles of continuous quality improvement by focusing on the needs of "the customers." Meeting these needs will require new knowledge about the process of continuous quality improvement and new skills for leadership.

Health Promotion↗
PubMed1988

Radiographic abnormalities in relation to total dust exposure at a bauxite refinery and alumina-based chemical products plant.

A cross-sectional study of 788 male employees of an aluminum production company examined the relationship of radiographic abnormalities to smoking and dust exposure from the mining and refining of bauxite to alumina. Among the aluminas produced were low temperature range transitional forms. The present analyses were limited to nonsmokers and current smokers. Two National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified "B" readers interpreted the radiographs. The predominant radiographic abnormalities noted were scanty, small, irregular opacities in the lower zones of profusion 0/1 to 1/1. Rounded opacities were rare. Among nonsmokers with low dust exposures, the prevalence of opacities greater than or equal to 1/0 showed no trend with increasing age and duration of exposure, suggesting no relationship between age and prevalence of opacities of Category 1 or more in this cohort (p greater than 0.10). Nonsmokers who had accumulated higher dust exposures showed a trend of increasing prevalence of opacities with increasing duration, suggesting an effect of occupational exposure at higher cumulative exposure levels (p less than 0.05). In most exposure categories, smokers exceeded nonsmokers in their prevalence of opacities greater than or equal to 1/0; the overall prevalence among smokers being 12 and 11% according to Readers A and B, respectively, compared with 4% in nonsmokers (p less than 0.01). In conclusion, 7 to 8% of aluminum workers in this cohort had radiographic findings of scanty, small, irregular opacities, the prevalence of which was increased among smokers (p less than 0.01). There was a moderate increase in the prevalence of opacities with increasing tenure in nonsmokers with high cumulative exposures (p less than 0.05).

Aging↗