PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Computer Terminals”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Risk factors for asthenopia among computer terminal operators].

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of asthenopia among computer terminal operators as compared to unexposed administrative workers and to identify the risk factors associated with this condition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample of 35 computer terminal operators and 70 unexposed administrative workers from eight computing centers at an educational institution were included in the study. The risk factors studied were: lighting, contrast, type of lighting, screen type, electrostatic field, eye to monitor distance, time and number of hours worked, age, use of corrective lenses, seniority and overtime. Asthenopia was clinically identified as the presence of at least one sign and symptom present in a given workday. RESULTS: Asthenopia was found in 68.5% of the exposed group and in 47.7% of the unexposed group (p < 0.05). Among the risk factors studied, working for more than four hours at the video display terminal was shown to have a significant association with asthenopia (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A recommendation is made to take breaks during the workday at computer terminals in order to avoid visual fatigue. Also, more extensive studies should be carried out in our population to establish safety criteria and to standardize work activities using computer terminals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A review of adverse effects on reproduction amongst female computer terminal workers.

It has been suggested that pregnant women working with computer terminals and visual display unit (VDUs) could be at an increased risk of having a spontaneous abortion or giving birth to children with congenital defects. This has led to apprehensions and worry among computer operators. This review attempts to evaluate some of the recent studies and provide some current knowledge on the possible reproductive hazard of VDUs. According to current scientific knowledge, the use of computer terminals during pregnancy does not by itself, lead to increased risks of adverse reproductive effects.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1983

Combination medication cart and computer terminal in decentralized drug distribution.

A decentralized unit dose distribution system using mobile pharmacy carts and computer terminals for filling inpatient and discharge medication orders is described. The system uses computer terminals mounted on mobile medication carts. Medication orders are collected from each nursing station by the pharmacist. Using the mobile combination decentralized medication cart/computer terminal (cart/CRT), the pharmacist examines and updates the patient's drug profile, checking for drug allergies and interactions, and bills the patient for drugs dispensed. Unit dose drugs requiring no additional labeling are dispensed from the decentralized cart to the patient's drawer in the unit dose medication cart. When a label is necessary, the pharmacist commands the computer to print a label in the central pharmacy. Discharge orders are entered at the cart/CRT, filled and recorded in the central pharmacy, and distributed to the patients by the pharmacist on the nursing unit. Turnaround time for routine inpatient orders and discharge orders decreased substantially using this system, and the system was perceived as beneficial by nurses, physicians, and pharmacists.

Computers↗
PubMed2001

Is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) contamination of ward-based computer terminals a surrogate marker for nosocomial MRSA transmission and handwashing compliance?

A survey of two acute district general hospitals (A and B) was undertaken to investigate the extent of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) contamination of ward-based computer terminals. Of 25 terminals examined, MRSA was identified in six (24%). Environmental contamination was of a low level. Five of the MRSA positive terminals were from hospital A which had a significantly higher rate of MRSA transmission compared to hospital B (1.02 vs. 0.49 new inpatient MRSA cases per 100 hospital admissions for 1999). MRSA containment and handwashing policies were similar at both hospitals, though only hospital B actively audited handwashing compliance and had a 44% higher rate of paper towel usage per hospital bed. Ward-based computer terminals pose a low risk of MRSA cross-infection. This risk can be further reduced if all staff wash their hands before and after patient contact.

Computer Terminals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The evaluation of central visual fatigue in computer terminal users by visual evoked potentials].

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in a group of 20 operators aged 25-45 years during two sessions, before and after a 5-hour work at computer terminals, in order to assess visual system fatigue. The outcomes were referred to the norms established for the age-matched population of 30 subjects not exposed to professional contact with computers. Most of the examined operators suffered various complaints concerning not only the organ of vision but the central nervous system as well. VEPs were elicited by means of monocular stimulation using the reversal checkerboard pattern and recorded simultaneously from the scalp electrodes placed over the right and the left cerebral hemisphere. Only recording acquired after finishing of a working day demonstrated significant statistically abnormalities of the VEPs waveforms, which suggests their transient character. The changes mentioned above included prolongation of peaks P100 and N2 latency with concomitant attenuation of their amplitudes and a decrease of the correlation coefficient values for the recordings from the hemispheres. The preliminary findings presented in this paper seem to justify a conclusion that the non-invasive VEPs method can be considered as the objective indicator of the central visual fatigue induced by the workload at computer terminals.

Accommodation, Ocular↗
PubMed1990

[Skin diseases in computer terminal operators].

Authors describe two cases of computer operators (female subjects) which experienced face skin disorders in connection with computer's terminal staffing. The first case was concerned with acute worsening of seborrheic dermatitis, the second one with photosensitive reaction complicated partially by psychogenic erythema.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Effect of computer terminal irradiation on mice prior to mating on tumorigenesis in the offspring].

Male and female SHR mice were exposed to irradiation from the display terminal of a personal computer, 1 hr, 5 times a week for 2 weeks. Then the animals were mated and tumor yield in the progeny was studied. The descendants of intact mice were used as control. A significant increase in total tumor incidence was recorded in males and females in the experimental group. Adenocarcinoma of the mammary gland highly featured in females while lung tumors--in males.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

A computer terminal program to evaluate cardiovascular functional limits and estimate coronary event risks.

A system of computer terminals was set up in a group of office practices, industrial medical departments and hospitals and connected to a central computer. This service provides a means of analyzing treadmill exercise results, which are displayed graphically on the computer printout. The system also provides estimates of probabilities of primary or secondary coronary heart disease events developing based on the exercise responses.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Myoelectric signal measurement during prolonged computer terminal work.

Myoelectric signal (MES) behaviour was studied during prolonged, sustained, low level contractions using a portable system with limited data storage capacity. A pre-processing technique is described which overcomes memory and data storage limitations in a portable multichannel MES data logger. This technique for data reduction was used to study MES behaviour in four muscle groups during prolonged computer terminal work. Myoelectric signal parameters were recorded from eighteen individuals while they performed computer work both without breaks, and with "microbreaks" (short rest breaks of 30 seconds duration) at twenty minute intervals. Myoelectric signal (MES) data were collected from the cervical paraspinal extensors, the lumbar erector spinae, the upper trapezius, and the forearm extensors while participants performed their usual computer work activities. No significant slope for either amplitude or mean frequency was determined in either the break or no break trials over an eighty minute recording period. Instead, most data sets revealed a cyclic trend in terms of frequency and amplitude parameters of the MES. Characteristic values were compared between trials when subjects did and did not take microbreaks. It was found that the overall median value of mean frequency was higher for the "break" than the "no break" protocol only in the cervical extensors, although the clinical significance of this finding is not well understood. By far, the most interesting finding of this work was the discovery of a cyclic trend in the mean frequency of the myoelectric signals studied. This trend was present even when participants did not take breaks. The trend is a potential indicator of the cyclic recruitment of motor units during sustained postural contractions, and is the primary area to be investigated in future studies by the authors.

Arm↗
PubMed1979

Electromagnetic radiation emitted from video computer terminals.

There has been a developing concern about potential health hazards attributable to electromagnetic radiation from video computer terminals. Since users of these devices typically spend many hours daily in close proximity, they would be subject to chronic long-term exposures to any emitted radiation. Radiation was detected at frequencies ranging from 1.5 kHz to 1,420 MHz in the RF portion of the EM spectrum and from 350 nm to 600 nm in the ultraviolet and visible region. However, the levels were far less than the most restrictive permissible exposure levels established by any agency or government of any nation. There is no experimental or epidemiological evidence presently available to indicate that these levels of RF radiation have any deleterious effects on the human biological system.

Computers↗
PubMed1996

[Effect of radiation emitted from personal computer terminal on urethan-induced lung tumors in mice].

Female SHR mice were injected intraperitoneally 0.2 ml of 1% solution of urethan on days 1, 8, 54 and 61 of the experiment. Beginning from day 1, they were exposed to radiation emitted from the video terminal of the EGA/PC/AT-286 (personal computer), for 1 hr, 5 times a week. The exposure was conducted with or without the Ergostar G-14 protective filter. The distance between the PC screen and the cage bottom was 38 cm. It was found during the 12 months of the experiment that the lifespan of urethan-injected animals was somewhat shorter as a result of the exposure. A significantly higher frequency of all or only malignant tumors of the lung and uterine polyps was recorded in urethan- and irradiation-treated mice than in non-irradiated controls. However, irradiation of urethan-treated animals from a filter-protected screen was followed by a significant decrease in frequency of incidence of all neoplasms and multiple tumors of the lung, as compared with those exposed to unfiltered radiation. It is suggested that long-term exposure to PC-emitted irradiation may cause slight stimulation of urethan-induced carcinogenesis of the lung. The Ergostare filter was found to make no contribution to carcinogenesis. It is also thought that the urethan dose was too large and the entire model--too rigid to adequately assess the PC influence on neoplastic formation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Computer terminal work and the benefit of microbreaks.

Microbreaks are scheduled rest breaks taken to prevent the onset or progression of cumulative trauma disorders in the computerized workstation environment. The authors examined the benefit of microbreaks by investigating myoelectric signal (MES) behavior, perceived discomfort, and worker productivity while individuals performed their usual keying work. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups. Each participant provided data from working sessions where they took no breaks, and from working sessions where they took breaks according to their group assignment: microbreaks at their own discretion (control), microbreaks at 20 min intervals, and microbreaks at 40 min intervals. Four main muscle areas were studied: the cervical extensors, the lumbar erector spinae, the upper trapezius/supraspinatus, and the wrist and finger extensors. The authors have previously shown that when computer workers remained seated at their workstation, the muscles performing sustained postural contractions displayed a cyclic trend in the mean frequency (MNF) of the MES (McLean et al., J. Electrophysiol. Kinesiol. 10 (1) (2000) 33). The data provided evidence (p < 0.05) that all microbreak protocols were associated with a higher frequency of MNF cycling at the wrist extensors, at the neck when microbreaks were taken by the control and 40 min protocol groups, and at the back when breaks were taken by the 20 and 40 min protocol groups. No significant change in the frequency of MNF cycling was noted at the shoulder. It was determined (p < 0.05) that microbreaks had a positive effect on reducing discomfort in all areas studied during computer terminal work, particularly when breaks were taken at 20 min intervals. Finally, microbreaks showed no evidence of a detrimental effect on worker productivity. The underlying cause of MNF cycling, and its relationship to the development of discomfort or cumulative trauma disorders remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Optical correction for presbyopia patients using computer terminals].

The study of the ergonomic conditions of office work with a computer screen, the study of the workstation, the nature of the tasks carried out and the knowledge of the visual possibilities of the user allow various optical corrections to be envisaged for this activity. Indications for monofocal, bifocal, trifocal and progressive lenses are envisaged. Optical corrections designed only for work with a screen are described.

Accommodation, Ocular↗
PubMed2001

Use of computer terminals on wards to access emergency test results: a retrospective audit.

OBJECTIVE: To assess delay in clinicians obtaining emergency biochemistry test results when the telephoning of results by laboratory staff is supplanted by installation of computer ward terminals. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Accident and emergency department and acute medical admissions ward of a teaching hospital. SAMPLE: 3228 emergency requests for biochemistry tests sent from the accident and emergency department and 1836 from the medical admissions ward during August 1999 to January 2000 when there was no recorded telephone contact for results. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of emergency biochemistry results accessed via a ward terminal within 1 or 3 hours of becoming available and the proportion never seen by this means. RESULTS: The results from 1443/3228 (45%) of urgent requests from accident and emergency and 529/1836 (29%) from the admissions ward were never accessed via the ward terminal. Results from 794/3228 (25%) of accident and emergency requests and 413/1836 (22%) of admissions ward requests were seen within 1 hour of becoming available while a further 491/3228 (15%) and 341/1836 (19%) respectively were accessed between 1 and 3 hours. In up to 43/1443 (3%) of the accident and emergency test results that were never looked at the findings might have led to an immediate change in patient management. CONCLUSIONS: When used as the sole substitute for telephoning results, the provision of terminal access to laboratory results on wards can hinder rather than promote the communication of emergency blood results to healthcare staff.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗