Workplace Debt: Sleep Loss

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean D. Humphries
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Patient Safety ◽  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Sleep Loss ◽  
Sleep Disruption ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Safety Strategies ◽  
Normal Sleep

Normal sleep is characterized by definite cycles of varying sleep depths as well as synchrony with the 24-hour circadian rhythm. Irregular work schedules put nurses at risk for sleep disruption, which is associated with adverse health effects as well as decreased patient safety. Strategies based on maintaining normal sleep cycles and the circadian rhythm can help nurses avoid the adverse effects of sleep loss.

scholarly journals Risk Assessment of "Other Substances" – L-threonine

2020 ◽  
pp. 63-65
Author(s):  
Martinus Løvik ◽  
Livar Frøyland ◽  
Margaretha Haugen ◽  
Sigrun Henjum ◽  
Kristin Holvik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Food Supplements ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Other Substances ◽  
One Year

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has, at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet; NFSA), assessed the risk of "other substances" in food supplements and energy drinks sold in Norway. VKM has assessed the risk of doses given by NFSA. These risk assessments will provide NFSA with the scientific basis while regulating "other substances" in food supplements. "Other substances" are described in the food supplement directive 2002/46/EC as substances other than vitamins or minerals that have a nutritional and/ or physiological e ffect. It is added mainly to food supplements, but also to energy drinks and other foods. In this series of risk assessments of "other substances" the VKM has not evaluated any claimed beneficial effects from these substances, only possible adverse effects. The present report is a risk assessment of specified doses of L-threonine in food supplements, and it is based on previous risk assessments and articles retrieved from literature searches. According to information from NFSA, L-threonine is an ingredient in food supplements sold in Norway. NSFA has requested a risk assessment of 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2400 mg/day of L-threonine from food supplements.  L-threonine is an essential amino acid not known to cause any adverse health effects. Previous reports do not indicate a tolerable upper intake level, apart from an approval of a dose of 1150 mg/day by the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN). Long-term studies in humans were not found. The only available human studies were: a small uncontrolled one-year pilot study with doses ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 g/day, one eight-week randomised controlled trial (RCT) using a dose of 7.5 g/day, and two 2-week RCTs using doses of 6 and 4.5 g/day. No adverse effects (diary method of registration of adverse effects) were reported in the eight-week clinical trial, and the only adverse effects observed in the two-week trials were one case of indigestion and one case of diarrhoea. A four-week rodent toxicity study indicated a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 854.3 mg/kg bw per day (only dose tested, no adverse effects observed).  The value used for comparison with the estimated exposure in the risk characterisation is the NOAEL defined in an 8-week randomised placebo controlled study in humans, 7500 mg/day. For a 70-kg individual, this corresponds to 107 mg/kg bw per day. Two human two-week studies and a small one-year pilot study support the notion that this dose will be well tolerated. The overall mean threonine intake according to NHANES III (3 g/day) is slightly larger than the doses requested for evaluation in the present risk assessment. No studies in children (10 to <14 years) and adolescents (14 to <18 years) were identified. Based on the included literature there was no evidence indicating that age affects the tolerance for relevant doses of threonine. Therefore, in this risk characterisation a tolerance as for adults, based on body weight, was assumed for these age groups. VKM concludes that: In adults (≥18 years), the specified doses 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2400 mg/day L-threonine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects. In adolescents (14 to <18 years), the specified doses 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2400 mg/day L-threonine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects. In children (10 to <14 years), the specified doses 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2400 mg/day L-threonine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects. Children younger than 10 years were not within the scope of the present risk assessment.

The Effects of Night Work on Nurses and an Analysis of Countermeasures

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 1289-1293
Author(s):  
Gregory Costedoat ◽  
Dan Nathan-Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Patient Safety ◽  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Health Care Delivery ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Night Shift ◽  
Health Care Delivery System ◽  
Night Shifts

Nurses are expected to work a variety of different shifts throughout their careers, including traditional day shifts, night shifts, and swing shifts. Research suggests that night shifts can have potentially adverse effects on a worker’s perceptual and motor capacities, circadian rhythm, and ability to function the following day. Due to the critical role that nurses play in the health care delivery system, it is worth exploring options that serve to mitigate the aforementioned consequences associated with working at night. A number of potential countermeasures are explored, including slow shift rotations, naps, melatonin supplements, and caffeine. It is concluded that implementing slow rotating shifts and allowing time for a nap during the first night shift of a new rotation could have the largest impact on maximizing worker and patient safety.

scholarly journals Reform Workplace Practices of Chain Pharmacies to Reduce Medication Errors

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal D. Grant ◽  
Daniel J. Desautels ◽  
Jennifer Puthota
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Medication Errors ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Pharmacy Practice ◽  
Quality Metrics ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Compromise Patient Safety ◽  
Minimal Data

Pharmacists employed by chain pharmacies have raised concerns over corporate-mandated practices that compromise patient safety. Harsh working conditions and the pressure to meet mandated quality metrics have increased the likelihood of medication errors. Complications associated with medication errors exceed $40 billion and cause adverse health effects for hundreds of thousands of Americans annually. Despite their ubiquity, chain pharmacies face varying regulations as state pharmacy boards dictate individual statewide policies. There is minimal data collection on pharmacy practices and state pharmacy boards do not require pharmacies to report errors. We recommend Congress pass a bill mirroring the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act to improve pharmacists’ working conditions and mandate data collection on medication errors nationwide.

scholarly journals Estimates of PI*S and PI*Z Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency alleles prevalence in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America

2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
F.J. De Serres ◽  
I. Blanco ◽  
E. Fernández-Bustillo
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
South America ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
North Central ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
The Caribbean

Background. AAT deficiency is not a rare disease, but one of the most common congenital disorders increasing susceptibility of individuals with this deficiency to both lung and liver disease as well as other several adverse health effects. Studies to develop accurate estimates of the magnitude of this genetic disorder in any given country is critical for the development of screening programs for detection, diagnosis, and treatment of those individuals and/or families at risk. In the present study, estimates of the prevalence of the two major deficiency alleles PI S and PI Z were estimated for 25 countries in the Caribbean and North, Central, and South America to supplement our previous studies on 69 countries worldwide. Method. Using data on the prevalence of the two most common deficiency alleles PI S and PIZ in the mother countries that provided the majority of immigrants to these 25 countries, as well as genetic epidemiological studies on various genetic subgroups indigenous to the Caribbean and North, Central and South America it was possible to develop new formulas to estimate the numbers in each of five phenotypic classes, namely PI MS, PI MZ, PI SS, PI SZ and PI ZZ for each country. Results. When these 25 countries were grouped into six different geographic regions, the present study demonstrated striking differences when comparisons were made in numeric tables, maps and figures. Highly significant numbers of individuals at risk for AAT Deficiency were found in both the European, Mestizo and Mulatto populations for most of the 25 countries studied in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America. Conclusions. Our studies demonstrated striking differences in the prevalence of both the PIS and PIZ alleles among these 25 countries in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America and significant numbers of individuals at risk for adverse health effects associated with AAT Deficiency in a given country. When these data are added to the results from our earlier studies on 69 countries, we now have data on AAT Deficiency in 94 of the 193 countries worldwide listed in the CIA FactBook.

scholarly journals Commensal-Related Changes in the Epidermal Barrier Function Lead to Alterations in the Benzo[ a ]Pyrene Metabolite Profile and Its Distribution in 3D Skin

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Lemoine ◽  
Dilan Bayrambey ◽  
Alexander Roloff ◽  
Christoph Hutzler ◽  
Andreas Luch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Barrier Function ◽  
Metabolite Profile ◽  
Epidermal Barrier ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
3D Skin

Exposure to xenobiotics has repeatedly been associated with adverse health effects. While the majority of reported cases relate to direct substance effects, there is increasing evidence that microbiome-dependent metabolism of xenobiotic substances likewise has direct adverse effects on the host.

scholarly journals Adverse Effects, Health Service Engagement, and Service Satisfaction Among Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Users

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee Zahnow ◽  
Jim McVeigh ◽  
Jason Ferris ◽  
Adam Winstock
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Sexual Function ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Service Satisfaction ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Service Engagement

There are a number of adverse health effects associated with the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), ranging from mood disturbances to gynecomastia and impaired sexual function. Despite the potentially serious nature of adverse effects, evidence suggests that users are reluctant to seek medical assistance. This study explores factors associated with health service engagement and treatments related to service satisfaction among a sample of AAS users. The analyses are based on a sample of 195 respondents from the Global Drug Survey 2015 who reported using steroids in the previous 12-month period and experiencing concerns about adverse health effects. The results indicate reluctance among AAS users to engage with health services, with only 35.23% reporting that they visited a doctor when experiencing concerns about adverse effects. Concern about sexual function increased the likelihood that users engaged with health services, while concern about changes in sexual organs decreased the odds of service engagement. Among AAS users who engaged with health services, individuals who received a mental health assessment or diabetes test rated the service as more helpful than those who did not; a finding that resonates with literature indicating a desire among AAS users to monitor the health impacts of their drug use and respond to issues as they arise. While more research is needed, the present results underscore a need for nonjudgmental health services aimed at assisting AAS users to monitor adverse effects and minimize harm through early intervention.

scholarly journals Associations between Suboptimal Sleep and Smoking, Poor Nutrition, Harmful Alcohol Consumption and Inadequate Physical Activity (‘SNAP Risks’): A Comparison of People with and without a Mental Health Condition in an Australian Community Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5946
Author(s):  
Alexandra P. Metse ◽  
Tara Clinton-McHarg ◽  
Elise Skinner ◽  
Yogayashwanthi Yogaraj ◽  
Kim Colyvas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Mental Health Condition ◽  
Adverse Health Effects

Introduction: People with a mental health condition experience disproportionate morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. This inequity has been largely attributed to a higher prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours including smoking, poor nutrition, harmful alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity (‘SNAP risks’). Suboptimal sleep is highly prevalent among people with a mental health condition and, as an identified risk behaviour for several chronic diseases, has been implicated as an additional contributor to this health inequity. Research involving people without a mental health condition suggests associations between poor sleep and each SNAP risk; however, interactions with mental health status have not been reported in an Australian population. This study explored associations between suboptimal sleep and all four SNAP risks, and assessed whether they vary by mental health status. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study (n = 1265) was undertaken using self-report data from a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian adults. Based on national guidelines and recommendations that indicate when someone might be at risk of adverse health effects, SNAP risks and sleep variables were reduced to two levels: ‘at risk’ or ‘not at risk’; and ‘appropriate’ or ‘suboptimal’, respectively. Chi square tests and multivariable logistic regression models explored associations between suboptimal sleep, SNAP risks and mental health status. Results: Fifteen per cent (n = 184) of participants identified as having a mental health condition in the past 12 months. Being at risk of adverse health effects due to smoking had the strongest association with several measures of suboptimal sleep (ps < 0.05). Two-way interactions revealed that being at risk of adverse health effects due to alcohol use and physical inactivity resulted in a significantly greater likelihood of suboptimal sleep duration (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.41 to 6.64; OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.41 to 6.69) and nap duration (OR 7.96, 95% CI 1.90 to 33.22), respectively, for people with a mental health condition compared to those without. Conclusions: The findings suggest associations between suboptimal sleep and smoking, risky alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, with the latter two perhaps being stronger among people with a mental health condition compared to those without such a condition. Poor sleep should be considered in interventions to address smoking, alcohol and physical activity; and vice versa. This study lends further support for the value of multirisk lifestyle interventions to promote physical and mental health for people with mental health conditions.

scholarly journals Exploring the Use of Mould Estimation Software in New Zealand Residential Houses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jarred Butler
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Research Association ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
House Condition ◽  
The Impact

<p>Regularly being exposed to the types of mould spores that can grow in houses has been shown to lead to adverse health effects such as respiratory diseases, and the exacerbation of asthma. While susceptible groups such as children, the elderly, and atopic persons are more susceptible to these effects, adverse health effects from mould spores have been shown to affect non-topic populations.  The 2015 Building Research Association of New Zealand House Condition Survey found that 46% of owner-occupied properties, and 54% of rented properties in a representative sample of the New Zealand housing stock have some form of mould in them. This means that a large portion of the population could be at risk of suffering from the adverse health effects associated with mould growth in houses. Increased air-tightness in new houses could also be at risk of being under-ventilated, potentially exacerbating this mould issue.  It is unknown whether the current New Zealand Building Code, at the time of writing, provides sufficient ventilation requirements to prevent new houses from being under-ventilated. It also does not consider existing houses, which is where most of the mould in the HCS was found.  This study explored whether data from the House Condition Survey and WuFi-Bio could be used to test mould mitigation strategies in New Zealand residential bathrooms. This was done by modelling a subset of houses from the House Condition Survey in WuFi-Pro, estimating the risk of mould in them with WuFi-Bio, and comparing this to the observations from the House Condition Survey. Parameters in the models were then changed to reflect the impact that strategies would have on the humidity and temperature in the bathrooms. The aim of this was to develop a hierarchy of recommendations that could help home occupiers and designers determine the most appropriate methods they could use to prevent mould from growing in their homes/designs.  However, the results did not align with the observations from the House Condition Survey, and testing the validity of the models by exploring the impact of assumptions showed they had no significant impact. The cause of this misalignment could not be determined, however a lack of internal condition time-series data and information about how observed mould from the House Condition Survey were identified of areas of uncertainty and prevented further exploration.  The exploration that was conducted revealed the importance of having enough data to understand the conditions that lead to any observed mould if an existing bathroom is being assessed using WuFi-Bio. It was concluded that attempting to assess a large number of houses with little data using WuFi-Bio was impractical. A controlled experimental study aimed at understanding a few houses in-depth would be a more appropriate method to test mould mitigation strategies, and help address the mould issue in New Zealand houses.</p>

scholarly journals Exploring the Use of Mould Estimation Software in New Zealand Residential Houses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jarred Butler
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Research Association ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
House Condition ◽  
The Impact

<p>Regularly being exposed to the types of mould spores that can grow in houses has been shown to lead to adverse health effects such as respiratory diseases, and the exacerbation of asthma. While susceptible groups such as children, the elderly, and atopic persons are more susceptible to these effects, adverse health effects from mould spores have been shown to affect non-topic populations.  The 2015 Building Research Association of New Zealand House Condition Survey found that 46% of owner-occupied properties, and 54% of rented properties in a representative sample of the New Zealand housing stock have some form of mould in them. This means that a large portion of the population could be at risk of suffering from the adverse health effects associated with mould growth in houses. Increased air-tightness in new houses could also be at risk of being under-ventilated, potentially exacerbating this mould issue.  It is unknown whether the current New Zealand Building Code, at the time of writing, provides sufficient ventilation requirements to prevent new houses from being under-ventilated. It also does not consider existing houses, which is where most of the mould in the HCS was found.  This study explored whether data from the House Condition Survey and WuFi-Bio could be used to test mould mitigation strategies in New Zealand residential bathrooms. This was done by modelling a subset of houses from the House Condition Survey in WuFi-Pro, estimating the risk of mould in them with WuFi-Bio, and comparing this to the observations from the House Condition Survey. Parameters in the models were then changed to reflect the impact that strategies would have on the humidity and temperature in the bathrooms. The aim of this was to develop a hierarchy of recommendations that could help home occupiers and designers determine the most appropriate methods they could use to prevent mould from growing in their homes/designs.  However, the results did not align with the observations from the House Condition Survey, and testing the validity of the models by exploring the impact of assumptions showed they had no significant impact. The cause of this misalignment could not be determined, however a lack of internal condition time-series data and information about how observed mould from the House Condition Survey were identified of areas of uncertainty and prevented further exploration.  The exploration that was conducted revealed the importance of having enough data to understand the conditions that lead to any observed mould if an existing bathroom is being assessed using WuFi-Bio. It was concluded that attempting to assess a large number of houses with little data using WuFi-Bio was impractical. A controlled experimental study aimed at understanding a few houses in-depth would be a more appropriate method to test mould mitigation strategies, and help address the mould issue in New Zealand houses.</p>

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