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Results for “harmful working position”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Intramuscular pressure of the infra- and supraspinatus muscles in relation to hand load and arm posture.

In work engaging the upper extremities, the musculoskeletal system of the shoulder is sometimes exposed to prolonged excessive load, leading to musculoskeletal disorders of the shoulder. One way of reducing work-related shoulder disorders is to establish guidelines for working postures. The purpose of this study was to identify harmful working positions, by performing a comprehensive survey of the intramuscular pressure (IMP) in the infra- and supraspinatus muscles in relation to different arm positions and external loads. Ten healthy males participated, and the IMP in the infra- and supraspinatus muscles was studied in a total of 112 combinations of arm positions and hand loads at levels that occur frequently in industrial work. High-precision spatial recordings were accomplished with a three-dimensional motion-analysis system, and the IMP was measured using the microcapillary infusion technique. The mean IMP of the infraspinatus muscle as well as that of the supraspinatus muscle increased continuously from a resting pressure at 0 degrees of upper arm elevation to a maximal pressure at 90 degrees of upper arm elevation, for all elevation planes. The mean IMP of the supraspinatus muscle appeared to be more dependent upon the elevation plane and less dependent upon the hand load, compared to the infraspinatus muscle. Even during only moderate arm elevation, the mean IMP of the infra- and supraspinatus muscles, presented here in polar diagrams, had already exceeded the levels of reduced recovery from local muscle fatigue and blood flow impairment. The elevation angle and the hand load primarily influence the development of IMP in the infra- and supraspinatus muscles.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Physical Workload Analysis Among Small Industry Activities Using Postural Data.

Small industry workers are often involved in manual handling operations that require awkward body postures, therefore, musculoskeletal disorders and occupational injuries are a major problem. In this study, various types of tasks were recorded with a video camera to chart and analyze different postures by computerized OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysing System). Collected data showed that poor postures were adopted not only for lifting or hammering operation but also for other tasks; mostly with bent and twisted back. The main aim was to determine the physical workload by identifying harmful postures and to develop recommendations for improving the existing situation. Forty-eight male workers from eight different units (M age = 37 years) participated. The performed activities were then divided into 26 subtasks. Altogether, 1,534 postures were selected for analysis and then classified into different OAC (OWAS Action Categories). From all observations, unhealthy postures, for which corrective measures had to be considered immediately (i.e., 10.6% classified as OAC III, and 3.3% as OAC IV), were found. The applied method was useful in determining the physical workload by locating potential activities due to harmful postures, providing a detailed description with analysis, and suggesting successful means to reduce postural load.

OWAS↗

PubMed1998

Arterial hypertension in correlation with age and body mass index in some occupational groups in the harbour of Rijeka, Croatia.

The research was carried out among 3787 workers in the harbour of Rijeka (Croatia), divided into six professional groups: harbour-transportation workers, administration staff, warehouse and assistant workers, artisans, motor vehicles drivers and seamen aboard the tugboats. The prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) in relation to age and body mass index (BMI) was analysed. Significant correlation between prevalence of AH and age (r = 0.97) and between prevalence of AH and BMI (r = 0.98) was proven. Prevalence of AH for all the subjects was 10.6%. The lowest prevalence (7.3%) was established for harbour-transportation workers, who were the youngest on average and who were of lowest mean value of BMI. The highest prevalence of AH (16.6%) was for the warehouse and assistant workers, who were the oldest on average and were of highest mean value of BMI. Those differences were statistically significant in relation to other groups but in relation to the average age and the average values for those professional groups they fitted into the expected values. Results did not confirm positive relationship between potentially harmful working conditions of the surveyed professions and the development of AH. Age and BMI as reliable predictors of AH were pointed out.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

The emergence of amphetamine use in New Zealand: findings from the 1998 and 2001 National Drug Surveys.

AIMS: To examine changes in the use of amphetamines, measure current conditions of supply, and investigate harms related to amphetamine use, in New Zealand. METHODS: National Drug Surveys were conducted in 1998 and 2001. In each survey, a sample of approximately 5500 people aged 15-45 years were asked about their alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use, using a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) system. In 2001, those who had used stimulants (uppers, speed, amphetamine, methamphetamine) within the previous year were asked a number of new questions about harms experienced from use and present conditions of supply. RESULTS: Last-year use of stimulants increased from 2.9% in 1998, to 5.0% in 2001; use of ice (crystal methamphetamine) increased from 0.1% to 0.9%, while use of marijuana (19.9% and 20.3%) and LSD (3.8% and 3.2%) remained static. Forty one per cent of users thought stimulants were easier to obtain in 2001 compared to a year earlier, and 20% thought the price was lower. One fifth of stimulant users reported harmful effects on 'energy and vitality', while one in ten reported harms to 'financial position', 'health', and 'work opportunities'. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulants moved from being the third most popular illicit drug type in 1998, to the second most popular by 2001. Additional research is required to adequately assess the extent of harms experienced by amphetamine users in New Zealand.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Physical workload of ambulance assistants.

The physical workload of ambulance assistants was assessed by means of the Ovako Working posture Analysis System (OWAS) observation method and a Work and Health Questionnaire (WHQ) for measuring perceived workload. In addition, a biomechanical model was applied to several specifically strenuous conditions that were simulated in a laboratory situation. Bad postures were identified for a number of activities: 16% to 29% of a work shift was spent in harmful positions. Strenuous situations occur particularly during rides in emergency situations. The results of observed and perceived workload are generally in agreement. A number of practical recommendations are made. They concern, for example, the equipment in ambulance cars, training of ambulance assistants and adaptations in working procedures.

Ambulances↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Substance use management: a harm reduction-principled approach to assisting the relief of drug-related problems.

Disease (particularly HIV) has increased our motivation to reconsider how the current help system deals with drug-related problems. A more concrete focus on disease prevention as an additional goal has, for many, lead to a reevaluation of the goals of drug help work. Such a critical examination shows how much there is to improve within the system even in the absence of blood borne disease. Integrating the heart of harm reduction--respecting work on any positive change as a person defines it for his/herself--into treatment fashions a health sensitive alternative to the predominant practice of abstinence-only assistance for the relief of drug problems. This new approach is called substance use management (SUM), as it no longer requires abstinence but instead focuses on a range of options for improvements while still including abstinence among the possible self-selected outcomes. SUM is suggested as a framework for change within the treatment system that would maximize treatment's constructive impact, cost-effectiveness and maturation as a distinct discipline that can appropriately attract support and gain stature for making society healthier. This article describes a formalized system for applying some of the main principles of harm reduction within the treatment system. Viable options for a SUM treatment focus are suggested herein as well as a critical process, based on respect and collaboration, for use with these options.

Disease Management↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Position paper on harm reduction and HIV care for drug users: integrating harm-reduction methods and HIV care.

As the epidemic of HIV disease continues to grow among drug users and their sexual partners, new ways must be adopted to do prevention work, outreach, and service delivery to this population. The Harm Reduction Model offers methods of working with drug users, which are in contrast to traditional methods based on confrontation and that require abstinence before change can occur. This position paper examines the Harm Reduction Model and outlines areas in which the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care can play a role in the expansion of harm-reduction-based intervention and policies.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2002

Adolescent victimization and problem drinking.

This study explores the connection between violent victimization in adolescence and subsequent problem drinking. Using national data we estimate the effects of adolescent victimization on a 3-category problem drinking measure (Abstainers, Moderate, and Binge Drinkers). We also examine the differences in the social and personal consequences of drinking across victims and non-victims. These consequences include harm to friendships, health, outlook on life, marriage, work, studies, and financial position. Victims of adolescent violence are more likely to engage in subsequent binge drinking and experience negative drinking consequences, particularly negative financial consequences. The findings are consistent with the adolescent development literature, which has highlighted the importance of violent victimization in the transition to adult roles and responsibilities. Additional research, particularly longitudinal data on violent victimization and substance abuse on a nationally representative sample of young people and adults is needed to further explore the connection between violent victimization and subsequent problem drinking.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of welfare reform on teenage parents and their children.

A key question in welfare policy concerns the potential that welfare-to-work programs have to develop in teenage parents the motivation and skills to provide financially for themselves and their children. The Teenage Parent Welfare Demonstration was a major experiment initiated in 1986 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and evaluated by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., to test the impact of a welfare-to-work program for teenage parents which anticipated many features of the federal Job Opportunities and Basic Skills training program later established in the Family Support Act of 1988. Teenage mothers entering the welfare system were randomly assigned to a regular services group or to an enhanced services group. Teen mothers in the enhanced services group faced mandatory school and work requirements enforced by financial sanctions and received support services such as case management, parenting workshops, child care assistance, and education and training opportunities. This article reviews the policy context in which the Teenage Parent Welfare Demonstration was designed and implemented, and describes how participation in the enhanced services group affected the teen mothers as adults and as parents. Results showed that, for the reasonable aggregate annual cost of $2,400 per participant, the program increased the 'teenagers' attendance at school and job training programs, and modestly increased the proportion who were employed to 48%, compared with 43% among those receiving regular welfare services. As the participants' earnings from employment increased, their welfare grants shrank. Because these changes offset each other, the program did not improve the economic well-being of the families, although fewer tax dollars were needed to support them. The program did not discourage further childbearing, however, or affect either the parenting behavior of the young women or the development of their children, although the mothers who were most engaged in self-sufficiency activities were more positive and supportive when playing with their children. The Teenage Parent Welfare Demonstration experience revealed that the problems faced by teenage parents vary widely, making tailored services necessary. The evaluation results suggest that supportive, mandatory welfare-to-work interventions need not harm parents or their children in the short term, and that their modest positive effects on the financial independence of the teenage mothers may yield long-term rewards.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1977

The training of social caseworkers for a multi-cultural society.

This paper examines problems which arise between immigrants and social workers: conflicts and misunderstandings related to lack of awareness of each other's cultural patterns; racial prejudice, particularly expressed towards 'coloured' clients by white social workers. It is suggested that these problems reflect a more fundamental problem in social work: the gulf in communication and understanding between middle class social workers and working class clients. The currently held argument is examined that it is best to use 'immigrant' soical workers to look after immigrant clients, and the more radical position that casework with immigrants does more harm than good. The paper then describes a practical innovation in social work education for training social workers to function more effectively within a multi-cultural society. A review of relevant studies and discussions is also presented.

Asia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationships of alcohol use, stress, avoidance coping, and other factors with mental health in a highly educated workforce.

PURPOSE: The relationships of drinking, stress, life satisfaction, coping style, and antidepressant use to mental health were examined in a highly educated workforce. DESIGN: This study used a one-time mail-out, mail-back cross-sectional survey design to examine the relationships of mental health with three kinds of stress (life events, work stress, home stress); two kinds of life satisfaction (work and home); use of avoidance coping; and antidepressant use. SETTING: This study was conducted at a large worksite in northern California in which the workforce was comprised of predominantly highly educated employees. SUBJECTS: Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 10% of 8567 employees, and 504 were completed and returned by participants (59%). Complete data were provided by 460 participants (53%). MEASURES: Respondents completed the Mental Health Index, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and measures of coping style, work and home stress and satisfaction, stressful life events, and antidepressant use. RESULTS: Mean Mental Health Index scores were at the 32nd percentile of the U.S. population-based norms, with low percentile values associated with worse mental health. Using multiple regression analysis, the factors examined in this study were significantly related to Mental Health Index scores as the dependent variable [F(16, 443) = 27.41, p < .001, adjusted overall R2 = .48]. Poor mental health scores were significantly related to the following: age (p < .05); screening positively for current harmful or hazardous drinking (p < .05); having high levels of stress at work (p < .05) or home (p < .01); experiencing dissatisfaction with work (p < .001) or home life (p = .01); engaging in avoidance coping (p < .001); and using antidepressants (p < .001). Employees currently using antidepressants had significantly more outpatient medical and mental health visits, indicating higher health costs. Furthermore, mental health status was also significantly related to the interactions between several pairs of these variables: education and gender, age and job stress, home satisfaction and work stress, home satisfaction and avoidance coping, and home satisfaction and use of antidepressants. CONCLUSION: Mental health status was poorer on average in a highly educated workforce compared with general U.S. norms. Most of the factors that were found to be associated with poorer mental health were ones that are potentially modifiable, such as experiencing more stress and less satisfaction in work and home life and engaging in current hazardous or harmful drinking. The findings that mental health is worse among individual employees who exhibit combinations of these factors suggest that we need to better understand possible effects of these factors in the context of one another. As interpretation of these results may be limited by the single worksite that participated in this study, future research should re-examine these relationships in other worksites varying from this one in geography and demographic characteristics.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1991

Harmful effects of inotropic agents on myocardial protection.

Using an isolated working rat heart model, the pretreatment effects of positive inotropic agents on ischemia-reperfusion injury were investigated. The experiment consisted of (1) working control perfusion; (2) working perfusion with isoproterenol (I), milrinone (M), a combination of these drugs (I + M) and dibutyl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (DB) followed by ischemic arrest for 33 minutes at 37 degrees C or 150 minutes at 20 degrees C and Langendorff reperfusion; and (3) working perfusion. Under conditions of normothermic ischemia, percent recoveries of postischemic cardiac output (mean +/- standard error of the mean) in the I, M, I + M, and DB groups were 37.8% +/- 12.7%, 61.3% +/- 3.1%, 0%, and 53.1% +/- 5.2%, respectively. Under conditions of hypothermic ischemia, the percent recoveries in I + M and DB groups were 10.9% +/- 7.9% and 29.8% +/- 9.5%; they were all significantly lower than that in the control group. The addition of diltiazem or ryanodine at several concentrations and lowering of the Ca2+ concentration in the St. Thomas' cardioplegic solution did not prevent I + M-induced injury. Our data suggest that pretreatment by I + M aggravated ischemia-reperfusion injury, and adjustments in Ca2+ concentration were not sufficient to prevent that injury.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

[Investigation and evaluation on the harmfulness of partial vibration and the contact vibration time].

The harmfulness from partial vibration with extended contact vibration time was studied by investigating into the symptoms and signs of workers with local vibration disease in Taiyuan Iron & Steel Company. The sense of hand, the function of nerve ending and the microcirculation of fingernail wrinkles of 321 workers working on local vibration operations were examined and observed. The indexes examined are worse with the increase of contact time and are better in low contact group. A positive correlation between the abnormal of microcirculation, the pain and numbness of hand was observed. It is concluded that the degree of harmfulness on hands and upper limbs of whom working on local vibration operation is related to the time of contact vibration. The function of nerve ending and the ending circulation were injured at the same time.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Communicating with each other.

Most dentists commit their professional lives to improving oral health by providing preventive and treatment services to their patients. In addition, dentists often participate in community, professional or legal activities that promote oral health. This paper describes five ways that dentists have worked with each other and with others to enhance oral health: (1) Dentists working with each other to promote oral health without the use of organized dentistry. Described as an example is the experience of all the periodontists in one city in the USA in providing community education. (2) Dental associations organizing or facilitating groups of dentists and other dental health professionals to develop and implement programmes that promote oral health. Two community-based educational efforts stimulated by the American Dental Association are described. (3) Dental specialty associations encouraging and facilitating specialists to work with other dentists to enhance their knowledge and skills in prevention, treatment and appropriate referral. The American Academy of Periodontology's efforts to teach communication skills to periodontists and diagnosis and treatment skills to general practitioners is cited as an example. (4) Dentists working with physicians and other non-dental health professionals to promote oral health. Integrating dental education into childbirth preparation classes for expectant parents is one instance of an interdisciplinary approach. (5) An individual dentist taking a leadership role to positively influence legislation to regulate a harmful substance. The efforts of one dentist to restrict the sale and promotion of smokeless tobacco are described. Working with other dentists, health care providers and legislators represent alternative ways that dentists have affected the oral health of individuals.

American Dental Association↗

PubMed1983

Discomfort and pain from loaded passive joint structures.

Sensations of strain and pain from healthy elbow and knee joints kept in an extreme position were reported on Borg's category-ratio scale (4) by 12 male volunteers in an experimental situation. The purpose of the study was to find out whether passive joint structures give sensations of discomfort and pain when moderately loaded for a certain time in an extreme position. Sensations of discomfort and pain were reported every 15th second. The mean values of ratings followed a straight line of increasing values during the first four minutes. Great variations were found between individuals. The elbow joint was six times more sensitive to the loading dose expressed as the product of the moment of force and time than was the knee joint. After the load was removed the provoked sensation slowly decreased. Sometimes the initial after-load rating was higher than the last rating with the load. The results imply that static work postures should also be analyzed with respect to joint position.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Misuses and misunderstandings of boundary theory in clinical and regulatory settings.

OBJECTIVE: This paper outlines a number of misapplications of boundary theory in both regulatory settings and clinical situations. METHOD: The authors review clinical vignettes that illustrate the difference between boundary crossings, which lead to productive work in psychotherapy, and boundary violations, which are harmful to the patient and exploit the patient's vulnerable position. They also discuss developments in the field that have led to an excessively rigid and defensive posture on the part of some clinicians that may lead to less than optimal psychiatric treatment. They survey recent developments in the wording of state statutes that broadly define sexual misconduct in psychotherapy. RESULTS: This review of the current status of boundary theory in both the law and clinical practice suggests that an overreaction has occurred that requires corrections. CONCLUSIONS: The critical role of context must be considered whenever a boundary problem has been alleged, and boundaries must be regarded as flexible standards of good practice rather than lists of generically forbidden behavior.

Expert Testimony↗

PubMed2003

Screening for postpartum depression in an inner-city population.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of positive screens for postpartum depression by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in an inner-city population. STUDY DESIGN: At their postpartum visits, women who were seen in two inner-city practices between February 20 and April 30, 2002, self-administered the EPDS. A threshold of 10 or more points was selected as a positive screen for postpartum depression. If the patient responded that she had thoughts of harming herself or others, she was referred immediately for social work or psychiatric evaluation. Otherwise, providers were blinded to the results of the screen. RESULTS: Of the 443 patients who were scheduled for postpartum visits during this time period, 285 (64%) patients presented for their postpartum visit. One hundred twenty-one (42%) of these patients participated in the study and 1 patient did not complete the questionnaire. Twenty-seven (22%) of the 121 patients had a positive screen for postpartum depression. Eight patients (6.6%) reported experiencing suicidal ideation within the previous week. Without use of the screening tool, providers identified 16 (13%) patients who they thought were at risk for postpartum depression. Of those 16 patients, 14 had positive screens on the EPDS. Eight patients eventually had clinical depression diagnosed. There was a significant relationship between women with elevated scores on the EPDS and a personal history of depression (P <.0006), history of prior treatment for depression (P <.0001), and feeling depressed during the pregnancy (P <.0001). Providers failed to comment on the patient's mood in 34 (28%) of the 121 patients. CONCLUSION: A larger than expected number of women had a positive screen for postpartum depression in our population. This unexpected finding suggests the need for more resources to be directed toward the research, identification, and treatment of postpartum depression in inner-city populations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2025

Radiation Without Borders: Unraveling Bystander and Non-Targeted Effects in Oncology.

Radiotherapy (RT) remains a cornerstone of cancer treatment, offering spatially precise cytotoxicity against malignant cells. However, emerging evidence reveals that ionizing radiation (IR) exerts biological effects beyond the targeted tumor volume, manifesting as radiation bystander effects (BEs) and other non-targeted effects (NTEs). These phenomena challenge the traditional paradigm of RT as a localized intervention, highlighting systemic and long-term consequences in non-irradiated tissues. This comprehensive review synthesizes molecular, cellular, and clinical insights about BEs, elucidating the complex intercellular signaling networks gap junctions, cytokines, extracellular vesicles, and oxidative stress that propagate damage, genomic instability, and inflammation. We explore the role of mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetic reprogramming, immune modulation, and stem cell niche disruption in shaping BEs outcomes. Clinically, BEs contribute to neurocognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary fibrosis, gastrointestinal toxicity, and secondary malignancies, particularly in pediatric and long-term cancer survivors. The review also evaluates countermeasures including antioxidants, COX-2 inhibitors, exosome blockers, and FLASH RT, alongside emerging strategies targeting cfCh, inflammasomes, and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes. We discuss the dual nature of BEs: their potential to both harm and heal, underscoring adaptive responses and immune priming in specific contexts. By integrating mechanistic depth with translational relevance, this work posits that radiation BEs are a modifiable axis of RT biology. Recognizing and mitigating BEs is imperative for optimizing therapeutic efficacy, minimizing collateral damage, and enhancing survivorship outcomes. This review advocates for a paradigm shift in RT planning and post-treatment care, emphasizing precision, personalization, and systemic awareness in modern oncology.

Humans↗