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PubMed2005

[Working conditions in home health care nursing: a survey of home care nurses in hospitals in Korea].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to address the working conditions of home health nurses through a nationwide home health agency survey conducted at hospitals. METHOD: The mail surveys were sent to 303 home health nurses nation wide and returned with a response rate of 71.8%. RESULT: (a) Seventy-five percent of home health agencies were established within the past 5 years and half of home health nurses are over 40 years old. (b) Working conditions were considered as follows: Seventy-one percent of respondents were full-time employees, sixty-six percent of home health nurses had unscheduled visits on a regular day of duty and forty-eight percent were on vacation. Fifty-one percent of home health nurses have experienced traffic accidents and paid penalties (65.9%). Self-reported monthly income level per year was an average of 28,364,000 won. (c) Rates were significantly higher for shoulder pain (61.5%), lower back pain (54.1%), knee pain (39.4%), and gastrointestinal problems (33.0%). CONCLUSION: These baseline results show the importance of improving home health nursing working conditions, a comprehensive prevention system and safeguards from physical discomfort.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Working conditions, living conditions and physical health problems declared among penitentiary administration personnel in France].

A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted among prison staff in France to investigate the relationships between working conditions and health. The sample included men and women 20 to 64 years old belonging to all categories of prison personnel: prison guards, administrative staff, socioeducational workers, technicians, health care workers, and managers (n = 4587, response rate 45.7%). A mailed self-administered questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions, and physical and mental disorders. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the effects of working conditions and social relationships on health of prison staff. However, the results reported here only concern 17 health disorders: body mass index, sick leave, medication use, accidents, digestive disorders, lower extremities and back disorders, hypertension, hemorrhoids, arthritis, skin disorders, urinary infections, chronic bronchitis, cholesterol, gastric ulcer, respiratory infections, ocular disorders. The living non professional conditions mostly associated with health disorders were financial difficulties (OR: 1.9 for digestive disorders, 1.8 for gastric ulcer, 1.7 for medication use) and irregularity of meals (OR = 1.5 for digestive disorders, and hypertension). In the occupational environment, the factors most associated with health disorders are seniority (OR = 4.2 for arthritis, 2.3 for cholesterol) and constraints (OR = 1.7 for lower extremities disorders). In spite of some limits associated to this kind of study, relationships between occupational and non occupational factors and physical health conditions were observed; the results also pointed out the protective role of the social relationships for health conditions.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2000

Questionnaire surveys on health and working conditions: development of an instrument for risk assessment in companies.

Periodic Occupational Health Surveys (POHS) are frequently used by occupational health and safety services in the Netherlands as a risk assessment instrument. These surveys include a questionnaire on work and health. Systematic attention is paid in this questionnaire to a broad range of working conditions and health complaints. In this article a method is presented to identify and evaluate work risks and health problems in groups of workers. Working conditions and health in any given company or department are assessed by comparing questionnaire data from its worker populations with data from one or more reference populations. Significant differences are interpreted as signals for both adverse working conditions and health problems. Considerations and choices with regard to the technical, operational and strategic quality of the method are elucidated. Probabilities of alpha- and beta-errors, choice of significance levels, and selection of reference populations are dealt with. Finally, a way of presentation of the results is shown. The method is considered to be part of a broader approach toward risk assessment. We recommend the combined use of questionnaire results and other available information, such as workplace surveys and sickness absence data. Questionnaires about work and health can be seen as one step in a multi-phase design: like in many diagnostic processes, the latter phases can enhance the precision of previous results. Recommendations are made for validating and evaluating this instrument.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Working conditions in international seafaring.

BACKGROUND: Seafaring is a global profession and seafarers have their second home on board and live there for several months at a time. AIM: To assess self-rated health status and the main characteristics of seafarers' working conditions. METHODS: Questionnaire study concerning the most recent tour of duty. RESULTS: A total of 6,461 seafarers in 11 countries responded. In general, the seafarers' self-rated health was good, but it declined significantly with age. Seafarers from South-East Asian countries spent longer time periods at sea, and had lower numbers of officers and older seafarers than found among seafarers from western countries. Most seafarers worked every day of the week, and on average for 67-70 h a week during periods of 2.5-8.5 months at sea. CONCLUSIONS: Seafarers' self-rated health was generally good but varied significantly by country. Working conditions also differed by country but did not reflect working conditions in general. Further studies are necessary to describe more closely the influence of work schedules on the health and social life of seafarers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Stress from working conditions among home care personnel with musculoskeletal symptoms.

A large proportion of the working population experiences musculoskeletal symptoms, which affect the individual's quality of life. Neck/shoulder and/or low back complaints are common among home care personnel. This occupational sector is characterized by high physical and psychosocial demands and the staff is typically female. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of those factors in the work environment of home care personnel that the individuals perceive as demanding and problematic. Eight employees in the home care service were interviewed in depth. Each interview was transcribed and Grounded Theory was applied. Stress, related to demanding physical and psychosocial working conditions, emerged as the core variable that probably contributed to the development and maintenance of musculoskeletal symptoms. Financial cut-backs at the municipality was seen as a cause of the demanding working conditions. In future studies it is important to evaluate prevention programmes focused upon coping strategies against stress.

Communication↗
PubMed1999

Age, working conditions, and sleep disorders: a longitudinal analysis in the French cohort E.S.T.E.V.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of occupational factors on both the incidence and the disappearance of sleep disorders after a five-year follow-up period. DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal investigation E.S.T.E.V. carried out in 1990 and 1995. SETTING: Seven regions of France. SUBJECTS: A random sample of employed men and women born in 1938, 1943, 1948, and 1953. In 1990, 21,378 subjects were interviewed (87% of those contacted), and 88% were interviewed again in 1995. MEASURES: Sleep disorders (SD), objectifiable and psychosocial working conditions. RESULTS: Prevalence of SD increased with age and were more frequent among women than men in every age group. Incidence of SD varied little with age, but their disappearance decreased with age. After adjustment for age and sex, SD in 1995 were found to be associated both with objectifiable working conditions and with psychosocial aspects of the way work is experienced. Among objectifiable occupational risk factors, shift work, work week often longer than 48 hours, and exposure to vibrations appeared to be the principal risk factors for SD. Among psychosocial occupational factors, finding it difficult or irksome to have to hurry appeared to be the principal risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account the adjustments for health criteria, sociodemographic characteristics, and leisure activities, these results suggest useful courses of action for prevention which, it seems to us, must not be only limited to objectifiable working conditions. Issues about work organization, while clearly difficult to resolve, must also be taken into account.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Somatic health status as a reflection of the efficacy of optimization of work conditions for railroad dispatchers].

The article presents the findings of the sanitary studies of work condition and sickness rate of railway yard-masters. The obtained data have allowed developing a complex of measures directed to preventing risk factors of tense work. The approved recommendations on optimization of work condition had positive sanitary effect resulting in decreasing a sickness rate and preventing the development of occupational diseases.

Health Status↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Working conditions of Chagas' disease patients in a large Brazilian city.

This study evaluated the working conditions of Chagas' disease patients in the city of Campinas, São Paulo, focusing on two-hundred-fifty patients with steady employment and treated at the University Hospital (HC-FCM/Unicamp): 98% were working-age and 77.6% were men. The origin of the patients reflected the migratory process occurring among this population. Most of the patients had limited professional skills, while 63.6% had not finished primary school and 21.6% were illiterate. However, 63.6% were regularly employed under duly processed work contracts. Their jobs were mainly in general services (21.6%) and heavy industry (21.2%). Some 55% of the patients reported a monthly income less than or equal to U$100.00, and 40.4% reported having been fired at least once during the last ten years, in 8.9% of the cases because of a diagnosis of Chagas' disease. Of the patients undergoing pre-hiring physical examinations (57.2%), 9.1% were refused, 92.3% of whom due to positive serology for T. cruzi. Finally, 78.4% reported not belonging to a labor union. The study demonstrated the precarious working conditions and discrimination experienced by workers with Chagas' disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Working conditions and health among female and male employees at a call center in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The call center industry is one of the most expansive labor market sectors in Sweden today. The purpose of this study was to investigate the working conditions and symptoms among employees at a call center in Sweden. METHODS: This study represents the cross-sectional baseline survey, which was part of a prospective cohort study. Fifty-seven call center workers were compared with a reference group of 1,459 professional computer users from other occupations. A questionnaire covered physical and psychosocial working conditions and symptoms during the last month. Structured observations in accordance with an ergonomic checklist were used to assess workstation design during the subject's ordinary work. RESULTS: The call center group had worked for a shorter time in their present tasks and spent longer continuous time in front of the computer than the reference group. There were deficiencies in workspace, keyboard- and input device placement. The subjects reported poor support from their immediate supervisor, low control and limited opportunities to influence their work. A higher proportion of the call center group reported musculoskeletal symptoms. CONCLUSION: The call center operators were exposed to working conditions that in other studies have indicated an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The study also shows that young computer operators in the call center group with a short working career had a higher prevalence of neck- and upper extremity symptoms than older computer workers in other labor market sectors.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Working conditions and cultural competence when interacting with children and parents of foreign origin--Primary Child Health Nurses' opinions.

BACKGROUND: Interaction with children and parents of foreign origin is an important part of Primary Child Health Care (PCHC) services. Cultural competence among Primary Child Health Nurses' (PCHNurses') must therefore be regarded as essential. Cultural competence has been described as a process with different steps through which an individual must proceed. AIM: The present study investigates PCHNurses' opinions regarding their working conditions and cultural competence. The focus will be placed on their interaction with children and parents of foreign origin. METHODS: A total of 270 PCHNurses working in the PCHC services in Stockholm County responded to a questionnaire (response rate 70%). The association between experiences of difficulties and nine explanatory variables were analysed with logistic regression. RESULTS: Many of the PCHNurses reported inadequate working conditions and dissatisfaction with the quality of their healthcare work and said that they lacked written guidelines, support and help. A majority (84%) experienced difficulties in their interactions with children and parents of foreign origin, although to different degrees. The odds of experiencing difficulties were increased when nurses were responsible for a high proportion of children of foreign origin, when nurses had long professional experience and when they worked more than 50% on child-health-services assignments. Many nurses had no formal training in cultural competence and the majority felt that their formal and clinical cultural competence was insufficient. CONCLUSIONS: Deficiencies were found regarding the PCHNurses' working conditions and cultural competence when interacting with children and parents of foreign origin. Improvements are needed to facilitate the nurses' healthcare work and to enable high quality health care on equal terms for all children and parents visiting the PCHC services.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[The significance of working conditions with regard to disability pensions. A case-controlled study among unskilled workers].

The incidence of disability pension varies considerably from occupation to occupation. General workers are the occupational group where disability pension is most frequently recognized. In this investigation, the significance of the working conditions for awarding disability pension is illustrated by means of a case-control design. The case group consisted of 581 unskilled workers who received the middle or highest disability pension. The control group consisted of 1,550 age-matched unskilled workers. Disability pensioners had commenced work at a young age significantly more frequently. They had been exposed to physically strenuous work, too rapid a tempo and a long series of unpleasant working conditions. In addition, disability pensioners had frequently experienced periods of unemployment. No differences were observed as regards piece work, shift work or the number of places of employment. The stressing working conditions which occurred more frequently among disability pensioners are all accessible for preventative measures.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Working conditions and adverse pregnancy outcome: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between working conditions and adverse pregnancy outcomes by performing a meta-analysis of published studies. DATA SOURCES: We searched the English-language literature in MEDLINE through August 1999 using the terms standing, posture, work, workload, working conditions, shift, occupational exposure, occupational diseases, lifting, pregnancy complications, pregnancy, small for gestational age (SGA), fetal growth retardation (FGR), preterm, and labor. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We included observational studies evaluating the effect of one or more of the following work-related exposures on adverse pregnancy outcome: physically demanding work, prolonged standing, long work hours, shift work, and cumulative work fatigue score. Outcomes of interest were preterm birth, hypertension or preeclampsia, and SGA.We conducted a meta-analysis based on 160,988 women in 29 studies to evaluate the association of physically demanding work, prolonged standing, long working hours, shift work, and cumulative work fatigue score with preterm birth. Also analyzed were the associations of physically demanding work with hypertension or preeclampsia and SGA infants. The data were analyzed using the Peto-modified Mantel-Haenszel method to estimate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Physically demanding work was significantly associated with preterm birth (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.16, 1. 29), SGA (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.30, 1.44), and hypertension or preeclampsia (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.30, 1.96). Other occupational exposures significantly associated with preterm birth included prolonged standing (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13, 1.40), shift and night work (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06, 1.46), and high cumulative work fatigue score (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.33, 1.98). We found no significant association between long work hours and preterm birth (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.92, 1.16). CONCLUSION: Physically demanding work may significantly increase a woman's risk of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Female↗
PubMed1997

[Psycho-social work conditions as risk factors for premature birth and newborn hypotrophy].

On the basis of the studies carried out the authors verified a hypothesis that psychosocial work conditions and occupational stress are risk factors for premature birth and newborn hypotrophy. The following aspects were considered in the evaluation of psycho-social work conditions: (a) work-related psychological demands; (b) the extent to what an employee is able to control the situation at work; (c) occupational stress arising from the discrepancy between work-related demands and the extent of control over the work situation; and (d) interpersonal relations at work. The analysis covered 219 cases of premature births and 159 cases of newborn hypotrophy. The control group comprised 586 women sampled randomly who gave birth at term to a healthy baby with correct birth weight. The authors found that ill interpersonal relations and a low level of control over the situation at work elevate the risk of giving birth to a baby with hypotrophy, while good interpersonal relations and a high level of control over the situation at work play a protective role. The effect of these psycho-social factors applied only to hypotrophy of a newborn and it was related neither to other features of occupational work nor to biomedical factors. It seems that this kind of factors may have generally less pronounced impact on premature birth.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Working conditions and prevalence of pre-eclampsia, Norway 1989.

OBJECTIVE: To study the associations between working conditions and pre-eclampsia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on questionnaires to all parturients was conducted in Norway from 16 October 1989 to 26 November 1989, with an 87.2% response rate. Of the 5388 responders with singleton pregnancies, 3321 continued in paid work beyond the 3rd month of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia was recorded if the woman reported hospitalization for hypertension, or if proteinuria and hypertension were diagnosed more than once in the pregnancy. RESULTS: The prevalence of pre-eclampsia was increased in work involving the lifting of heavy loads of 10-20 kg (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5), hectic work pace (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.0, P < 0.05), work with hands above shoulder level (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.2; P = 0.07) and for parous women, shift work (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.6). It was reduced when the woman had an influence on work pace (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-1.0; P = 0.07). Prevalence was also increased with daily consumption of more than four cups of coffee (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3). CONCLUSION: Prenatal care should include assessment of working conditions, as early improvements may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The working conditions and health status of miners in Donets Basin coal mines].

Data are reported on working conditions of coal miners considering the main physical (dust, noise, vibration, microclimate) and chemical environmental professional factors and their prognosis up to the year 2005. The authors analyze professional morbidity (pneumoconiosis, dust-induced bronchitis, vibration disease, cochlear neuritis etc.) and diseases with temporary loss of the working capacity invalidity and mortality of miners. The relation between working conditions and health status of miners were analyzed.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed2001

Effects of de-industrialization on unemployment, re-employment, and work conditions in a manufacturing workforce.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a 20-year process of de-industrialization in the British Columbia (BC) sawmill industry on labour force trajectories, unemployment history, and physical and psychosocial work conditions as these are important determinants of health in workforces. METHODS: The study is based on a sample of 1,885 respondents all of whom were sawmill workers in 1979, a year prior to commencement of de-industrialization and who were followed up and interviewed approximately 20 years later. RESULTS: Forty percent of workers, 64 years and under, were employed outside the sawmill sector at time of interview. Approximately one third of workers, aged 64 and under, experienced 25 months of more of unemployment during the study period. Only, 1.5% of workers were identified as a "hard core" group of long-term unemployed. Workers re-employed outside the sawmill sector experienced improved physical and psychosocial work conditions relative to those employed in sawmills during the study period. This benefit was greatest for workers originally in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in sawmills. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that future health studies should pay particular attention to long-term employees in manufacturing who may have gone through de-industrialization resulting in exposures to a combination of sustained job insecurity, cyclical unemployment, and adverse physical and psychosocial work conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Work condition of electricians servicing railway shunting and maneuvering yards].

The article represents main occupational hazards and work conditions of such railway occupation as electromechanic and electromounter of shunting yards of railway stations. Complete hygienic evaluation of the occupational activities is given for individuals working at Moskovskaya, Oktjabrskaya and Sevemaya railroads. Health state of the workers was studied according to transitory disablement materials, the morbidity and its structure were analyzed. The authors outline some suggestions to improve the work conditions and decrease the morbidity.

Adult↗