Hand-Wrist Disorders in Chainsaw Operators: A Follow-Up Study in a Group of Italian Loggers

Despite the mechanization process implemented in arboriculture, logging tasks are still manually performed by chainsaw operators, which therefore are exposed to the risk of developing hand-wrist musculoskeletal disorders. Our research aimed to: (a) define whether the slight changes observed in 2017 showed an evolution to overt diseases; (b) study some risk determinants for these diseases such as age, working experience, and performing a secondary job. We recruited in a two-year follow-up study, 38 male forestry workers performing logging tasks employed in the Sicilian Forestry Department located in Enna. All the subjects underwent: (1) personal data collection; (2) administration of questionnaire addressed at upper limbs symptoms with a hand chart; (3) physical examination of the upper limbs, including Tinel’s and Phalen’s maneuvers; (4) ultrasound investigation of the hand-wrist area. In the two-year follow-up study we registered an overall increasing in wrist disorders, thus we can assume that forestry workers may be a target population for wrist diseases and deserve a particular attention in workers’ health surveillance programs. Interestingly, the prevalence of wrist-hand disorders resulted to be higher in younger workers.

Download Full-text

A follow up study of vascular disorders in vibration-exposed forestry workers

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health ◽

10.1007/s00420-007-0225-9 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 81 (4) ◽

pp. 401-408 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Massimo Bovenzi

Keyword(s):

Vascular Disorders ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Forestry Workers

Download Full-text

Hand-arm vibration syndrome with use of anti-vibration chain saws: 19-year follow-up study of forestry workers

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health ◽

10.1007/s00420-006-0099-2 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 79 (8) ◽

pp. 665-671 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Päivi Sutinen ◽

Esko Toppila ◽

Jukka Starck ◽

Anthony Brammer ◽

Jing Zou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vibration Syndrome ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Forestry Workers

Download Full-text

Monitoring bone effect of transdermal hormone replacement therapy by ultrasound investigation at the phalanx: a four-year follow-up study

Menopause The Journal of The North American Menopause Society ◽

10.1097/00042192-200011000-00006 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 402-412 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Maurizio Mauloni ◽

Lucio C. Rovati ◽

Ruggero Cadossi ◽

Francesca de Terlizzi ◽

Vito Ventura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hormone Replacement Therapy ◽

Replacement Therapy ◽

Hormone Replacement ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Ultrasound Investigation ◽

Bone Effect

Download Full-text

Changes in rates of depressive symptoms in a Japanese working population: life-table analysis from a 4-year follow-up study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291700033158 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 1181-1190 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

N. Kawakami ◽

R. E. Roberts ◽

E. S. Lee ◽

S. Araki

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Clinical Population ◽

Never Married ◽

Blue Collar Workers ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Younger Workers ◽

Table Analysis ◽

Married Female

SynopsisTo investigate the effects of demographic variables on changes in rates of depressive symptoms in a non-clinical population, a 4-year follow-up study was conducted on a total of 6378 employees of a Japanese electrical company. Data were collected five times at 1-year intervals (T0—T4) using a questionnaire that included the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Of the non-depressed (i.e. having a SDS score of 47 or less) at baseline (N = 4857), 14% were found depressed at least once during T1—T4. Younger, never married, female and blue-collar workers were significantly at greater risk for becoming depressed during the follow-up period (P < 0·05). Of the depressed at baseline (N = 505), 20% were depressed every time during T1—T4. Younger workers were significantly at greater risk for persistence of depressive symptoms during the follow-up period (P < 0·05). The results suggested that age is associated with both occurrence and persistence of depressive symptoms, while gender, marital status and occupation are associated only with the occurrence.

Download Full-text

One year follow-up study to assess the prevalence and incidence of Lyme borreliosis among dutch forestry workers

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1007/bf01967434 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 413-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

H. Kuiper ◽

A. P. Dam ◽

A. W. Moll van Charante ◽

N. P. Nauta ◽

J. Dankert

Keyword(s):

Lyme Borreliosis ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Forestry Workers ◽

One Year

Download Full-text

Knowledge about Tuberculosis: A Precursor to Effective TB Control—Findings from a Follow-Up National KAP Study on Tuberculosis among Nigerians

Tuberculosis Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2017/6309092 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. O. Hassan ◽

Richard Olukolade ◽

Q. C. Ogbuji ◽

S. Afolabi ◽

L. C. Okwuonye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Information Dissemination ◽

Target Population ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Baseline Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Tb Control ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Quantitative And Qualitative Research ◽

High Level

Tuberculosis (TB) constitutes a significant and major public health emergency globally. Nigeria is one of the 22 high burden Tuberculosis countries. A high level of community awareness and positive perception towards TB and its management is crucial for the success of any control strategy. A national baseline survey was conducted in 2008 and a follow-up study in 2012 to measure knowledge of TB among the general population. This study therefore evaluated the knowledge of the target population about Tuberculosis in the follow-up study. A cross-sectional study design was employed with a total of 3,021 respondents interviewed from six states selected randomly from each of the six geopolitical zones in the country. Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were adopted. From the findings, about 60% of the respondents were aged between 21 and 40 years and more than half had secondary school education. Over 80% had ever heard about TB. Although there has been a significant improvement in correct knowledge of the cause of TB from baseline (19%) in 2008 to 26.5% in 2012 (p<0.001), findings showed that prioritized interventions are needed to improve communication and information dissemination on Tuberculosis to the general public, to aid TB control and all prevention efforts.

Download Full-text

Electron Microscopy of Human Gallstones

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100065523 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 296-297

Author(s):

C. Wolpers ◽

R. Blaschke

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Bile Pigment ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Triclinic Crystal System ◽

X Ray ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Infra Red ◽

Main Components

Scanning microscopy was used to study the surface of human gallstones and the surface of fractures. The specimens were obtained by operation, washed with water, dried at room temperature and shadowcasted with carbon and aluminum. Most of the specimens belong to patients from a series of X-ray follow-up study, examined during the last twenty years. So it was possible to evaluate approximately the age of these gallstones and to get information on the intensity of growing and solving.Cholesterol, a group of bile pigment substances and different salts of calcium, are the main components of human gallstones. By X-ray diffraction technique, infra-red spectroscopy and by chemical analysis it was demonstrated that all three components can be found in any gallstone. In the presence of water cholesterol crystallizes in pane-like plates of the triclinic crystal system.

Download Full-text