Association between occupational physical activity and quantitative bone ultrasound in sawmill workers

A small number of studies have examined the relationship between bone health and level of physical load. We explored the effect of occupational physical activity on skeletal status in younger sawmill workers using ultrasonic indices of bone density. In a cross-sectional study, we measured bone density with quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in 128 sawmill workers (89 men and 39 women), mean age 39.1 +/- 10.8 years. Back strength was measured by dynamometry. Information on occupational and leisure physical activity, joint pain, education and smoking were obtained with the questionnaire. All QUS bone parameters and back strength were significantly higher in men than in women. A T score for quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) of − 2.2 or lower was found only in two men and one women. QUI did not significantly differ based on presence of parameters of physical occupational activity (carrying loads exceeding 5 kg, repetitive movements, physical exertion while working and non-sitting position at work). When controlling for age, gender and body mass index, participants with higher smoking index had significantly lower QUI (p=0.004). Physical workload was not significantly associated with QUI. In our working population, some lifestyle habits, such as smoking, had a greater impact on bone health than physical occupational activity.

The Impact of Lifetime Work and Non-work Physical Activity on Physical Fitness Among White – and Blue – Collar Retirees: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: The literature offers significant amount of data on the effects of occupational activity on health, with a distinct link between retirement and health among the most frequently tackled topics. Studies on the relationship between past occupational activity and physical fitness among older retirees remain scarce. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of physical activity on physical fitness in white- and blue-collar retirees.Methods: A total of 200 participants (aged ≥60) were included in the study. Lifetime physical activity was assessed using the Lifetime Physical Activity Questionnaire. Mean MET/week/year values of total Physical Activity and for each domain separately (occupational, sports, household) were calculated. Participants were stratified to blue- or white- collar group. Physical performance, hand-grip strength (HGS) and pulmonary function were assessed.Results: Mean total MET/week/year values for the blue- and the white-collar workers were 140.48 ± 55.13 and 100.75 ± 35.98, respectively. No statistically significant differences in physical performance scores were found between the white- and blue- collar groups. Adjustment for age, sex weight and height revealed a statistically significant association between work-related PA FEV*1 in the blue-collar group. White – collar workers presented higher odds ratio for membership in highest quartile in regard to short physical performance battery test score.Conclusion: Only minimal association of type of occupation on physical fitness were found despite statistically significant differences between mean intensity and duration of sports- and work-related lifetime physical activity. These findings may indicate that the type of past work is not an independent factor influencing the state of a person in old age. Large-scale investigations with physically fit and unfit participants, are necessary.

Meaningful work, work and life satisfaction: Spanish adaptation of Work and Meaning Inventory Scale

Meaningful work is the subjective experience that work has meaning and is understood as an avenue for personal development, from a eudaimonic point of view. The aim of this study is to adapt the WAMI scale of meaningful work to Spanish, as well as to explore its relationship with job and life satisfaction. Two independent studies were developed. A first study analyzed the consistency of the original factorial model using a sample of Spanish varied workers (N = 350) through a confirmatory factor analysis. Results show an adequate replication of the original model and the validity of the Spanish version. A second study addressed the predictive capacity of the scale in relation to two satisfaction measures in a sample of Spanish health workers (N=312), through a mediation analysis. The relationship between meaningful work and job satisfaction is mediated by life satisfaction. The idea of meaningful work as a eudaimonic construct discards it as a variable resulting from or consequence of work, as it is an inherent part of occupational activity itself.

ACTIVITY OF THE FAMILY CARERS OF THE ELDERLY DURING SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC

Article focuses on various aspects of the family carers activity in the age of pandemia. The carers activity has been divided into several categories: care activity; activity related to the health issues; occupational activity and the activity in the sphere of new technologies, especial digital tools and social media. The researches used in the article has shown that the decline of the access to the formal services (both social and medical) and the shortening of the informal, social contacts led to the increasing burden of the family carers. Thus, the care activity has been intensified, so that other forms of activities could be retrenched. Also, other restrictions and risks of that time could have impact on non-care activities of family caregivers. Pandemic time affected also the use of digital technologies in many aspects, such as searching for information, communication, contacts with formal institutions, groups of support and webinars attendance. Also labour activity opportunities has been changed that time. On the one hand, development of tele-work has given potential chance to reconciliation between working and caring duties, but on the other hand additional care burdens and difficult situation on labour market could make the labour activity of carers difficult to manage.

Occupational Chromium Allergy and Contact Dermatitis: 10 Years Evolution

Introduction: Chromium has been responsible for occupational skin disease, both irritant and/or allergic contact dermatitis. In order to minimize this problem, regulatory measures limiting its use have been implemented. The impact of these regulations should be monitored over time. Material and Methods: A retrospective study from 2009 to 2018 was carried out in the Department of Dermatology to assess the temporal trend of chromium sensitization evaluated by patch testing with potassium dichromate 0.5% pet, particularly considering age, sex and its relationship with occupational activity. Results: 3277 individuals were studied, 2369 females (72.29%) and 908 males (27.71%). Of those 621 (18.95%) fulfilled criteria for occupational contact dermatitis. Chromium allergy was found in 118 (3.60%) patients, 64 females (54.4%) and 54 males (45.76%). We found that male patients were significantly more frequent (45.76% vs 27.03%; p<0.001), as well as occupational dermatitis (31.35% vs 18.47%; p<0.001), hand dermatitis (53.54% vs 23.52%; p<0.001) and age above 40 years (70.34% vs 56.76%; p=0.003). Discussion/Conclusion: The results show a high prevalence (3.60%) of chromium positive patch tests. In our study, there has not been a significant decrease in sensitization to chromium over the years. Interestingly cases classically related to this allergy (cement in the building industry) are no longer the main cause of the problem. We found other sources such as leather as a main cause of allergic sensitization, suggesting a change of the panorama.

Occupational physical activity, mortality and CHD events in the Italian Longitudinal Study

Purpose Several recent studies have suggested a ‘physical activity paradox’ whereby leisure-time physical activity benefits health, but occupational physical activity is harmful. However, other studies imply that occupational physical activity is beneficial. Using data from a nationally representative Italian sample, we investigate if the context, or domain, of physical activity matters for mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD) events. Methods Among 40,220 men and women aged 40–55 at baseline, we used Cox models to compare associations of occupational, domestic and leisure-time physical activity with risk of mortality and CHD events over a follow-up period of up to 14 years. We accounted for sociodemographic factors, smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical and mental health, and educational qualifications. Results Occupational physical activity was not significantly associated with risk of mortality or CHD events for women, or with CHD events for men. In crude models, risk of mortality was higher for men in the highest occupational activity group, compared to the lowest (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.01, 1.57). This attenuated with adjustment for health-related behaviours, health, and education (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.77, 1.38). In crude models, leisure-time physical activity was significantly associated with decreased mortality and CHD risk only for men. Domestic physical activity was not associated with either outcome for either gender. Conclusion In a large sample of middle-aged Italian workers, we found limited evidence of harmful or beneficial effects of occupational physical activity on mortality or CHD events. However, confidence intervals were wide, and results consistent with a range of effects in both directions.

OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT SYNDROME AS AN INDICATOR OF PROFESSIONAL MALADJUSTMENT OF A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR

Introduction. University professors’ occupational activity is affected by a large number of stress factors prolonged exposure to which can contribute to the development of burnout syndrome, which is absolutely necessary to prevent. Purpose: assessment of occupational burnout syndrome as an indicator of professional maladjustment of a university professor The objects and research methods. Female professors (68 people) of 3 age categories (up to 30 years old, from 30 to 49 years old, 50 years old and older). Questionnaire, psychophysiological, statistical methods. Results. The analysis of the OBS phases formed in the university professors has shown that the Tension phase has the minimal severity (11.4 ± 0.04%). The Resistance phase is more pronounced (22.9 ± 0.05%). The Depletion phase is second in severity (11.4 ± 0.04%). A post-symptom analysis of the OBS phases formed has shown a predominance in the Resistance phase characterized, firstly, by the "curtailment" of professional activity, due to the reduction of duties requiring emotional costs (P4. Reduction of professional duties); secondly, the uncontrollable influence of mood on professional relations (P1. Inadequate emotional response); thirdly, when a professor feels that both working conditions and professional interpersonal relationships are traumatic (H1. Traumatic experiences). Regarding the age aspect, the burnout effect is not unambiguous. Thus, the formed Resistance phase predominates in the third group (50 years and older); the Resistance phase at the stage of formation (forming) is prevalent in the first age group (up to 30 years old). Conclusion. University professors’ occupational activity causes the development of OBS and can be considered a work-related disease which entails disability i.e., inability of an employee to perform their professional duties in a qualified manner.

HEALTH MAINTENANCE OF WORKERS EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIES AS A POSSIBLE FACTOR IN THE PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL PATHOLOGY

Recent researches in the occupational medicine demonstrate a significant occurrence of cardiovascular and metabolic pathology. They are often associated with occupational activity in workers exposed to hazardous industries. The aim of the paper is to study the condition of somatic health in workers exposed to hazardous industries to identify the trends of preventive measures. Research methods. We studied the influence of somatic diseases in workers of aluminum, refractory and asbestos-processing industries for the development of occupational pathology. Results. The study has identified the relationship of some somatic diseases with work, as well as their influence on the development of occupational pathology: fluorosis, asbestos and silicosis. A predictive mathematical model of the development of arterial hypertension in workers exposed to hazardous industries is created. Conclusion. Therefore, an early diagnosis and prevention of the development of somatic diseases in workers is one of the key areas of current measures to reduce occupational risks.

Professional undergraduate internships as a work insertion device: work modality and hiring.

The article discusses the need to reflect on the educational level related to changes and transformations in the world of work, especially regarding higher education's professional internships. Issues related to preparedness and the legitimation of social institutions are recognized, as well as the recognition of production and work systems. Those are referred to as devices for labor incorporation, as they become scenes to apply disciplinary theories and knowledge, in order to assume problems at real contexts, institutions, and organizations, with conditions associated with “decent or full jobs”. In this case, internships refer to a traditional status job, a concrete project-oriented to ensure a better future, (uncertain) working conditions, and to match with some kind of professional who works fiscally or virtually, collets data, is involved with technological structures, duplicates in networks, is flexible, handles with uncertainty, and works – as an identifiable trend- on precarious paradoxical condition of being a student-worker, characterized as well as a means for the actual re-institutionalization of the world of work as a form to be included and hired. This reflection is based on research experiences and conceptual approximation from academic and applied spaces at professional levels, related to concepts such as Employability in its multi-dimensional sense and includes labor insertion and recognizes the undergraduate professional internships phenomena as a working modality which is being consolidated at re re-institutionalization of the work itself, and ends up legitimating other social spheres of occupational activity that must be discussed beyond curricular and academic aspects exclusively. Finally, undergraduate professional internships are reconfigured as a social space of projection an insertion in and for work.

463Association of physical activity with obstructive sleep opena

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep disorder in clinical practice, which leads to impaired quality of life and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Due to limitations of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the gold standard treatment for OSA, studies have recommended lifestyle interventions such as physical activity to prevent OSA. This study was to investigate the association of physical activity with OSA risk among adult Chinese. Methods 9733 participants aged 35-74 years were selected from baseline survey of the Guangzhou Heart Study. OSA was ascertained by using Berlin Questionnaire and the physical activity, including leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), occupational activity and transport activity, was measured with modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used to extract the patterns of LTPA with varimax orthogonal transformation. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated by using logistic regression method. Results For all participants, LTPA (High vs. Inactive, OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.64 - 1.03), occupational activity (Vigorous vs. Retirement, OR:1.28, 95% CI: 0.93 - 1.75) and transport activity (High vs. Retirement, OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.69 - 1.60) were not associated with OSA risk after considering potential confounders. Any specific component of LTPA and two LTPA patterns were not associated with OSA risk, either. Stratified analysis yielded similar nonsignificant association of OSA risk with three dimensions of physical activity in both retirement group and non-retirement group. Conclusion This study found that three dimensions of physical activity, including LTPA, transport activity and occupational activity, were not associated with any risk of OSA. Future studies with longitudinal design are needed. Key message Physical activity may not decrease the risk of obstructive sleep apena.