Occupational health

Prevalence of primary headache disorders among information technology staff in China: the negative effects of computer use and other correlative factors

To date, there have been very few studies that have explored the relationship between headaches and computer use. The chief aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of primary headache disorders amon...

Authors: Chunlin Li, Lei Zhang, Jin Zhou, Zhiliang Fan, Yan Wang, Xiaolin Wang, Weidong Wang and Shengyuan Yu

Association of Serum Uric Acid with cardio-metabolic risk factors and metabolic syndrome in seafarers working on tankers

There is still controversy over the clinical interpretation of the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and serum uric acid (SUA) levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the associ...

Authors: Fereshteh Baygi, Kimmo Herttua, Ali Sheidaei, Alireza Ahmadvand and Olaf Chresten Jensen

The effects of counseling via a smartphone application on microentrepreneurs’ work ability and work recovery: a study protocol

Authors: J. Laitinen, E. Korkiakangas, J. P. Mäkiniemi, S. Tiitinen, P. Tikka, H. Oinas-Kukkonen, A. M. Simunaniemi, S. Ahola, J. Jaako, M. Kekkonen, M. Muhos, K. Heikkilä-Tammi, H. Hannonen, S. Lusa, A. Punakallio, J. Oksa…

Study protocol of a co-created primary organizational-level intervention with the aim to improve organizational and social working conditions and decrease stress within the construction industry – a controlled trial

Within construction industry, physical work exposures have long been recognized as possible determinants for musculoskeletal disorders, but less attention has been given the increasing organizational and socia...

Authors: Emma Cedstrand, Anna Nyberg, Theo Bodin, Hanna Augustsson and Gun Johansson

Effects of exposure to workplace terrorism on subsequent doctor certified sickness absence, and the modifying role of psychological and social work factors: a combined survey and register study

Studies have shown that terrorist attacks affect the mental and physical health of persons exposed to terrorism. When terror strikes at the workplace where people spend much time, and should feel safe, the hea...

Authors: Mona Berthelsen, Marianne Bang Hansen, Alexander Nissen, Morten Birkeland Nielsen, Stein Knardahl and Trond Heir

Psychological resources in adolescence and the association with labour market participation in early adulthood: a prospective cohort study

Young adults at the age of 25–29 in Denmark have the highest unemployment rate and are at higher risk of labour market marginalization. Exclusion from the labour market may have negative individual consequence...

Authors: Jacob Devantie Jensen, Johan Hviid Andersen and Trine Nøhr Winding

Influence of benzene exposure, fat content, and their interactions on erythroid-related hematologic parameters in petrochemical workers: a cross-sectional study

Ubiquitously distributed benzene is a known hematotoxin. Increasing evidence has suggested that erythroid-related hematologic parameters may be sensitive to benzene exposure. Fat content, which is also closely...

Authors: Xue Zhang, Qifei Deng, Zhini He, Jie Li, Xiaoju Ma, Zhaorui Zhang, Dehua Wu, Xiumei Xing, Jing Peng, Hongyu Guo, Ming Huang, Liping Chen, Shanfeng Dang, Yanqun Zhu, Zhengbao Zhang, Boyi Yang…

Development and content validity of the Abilitator: a self-report questionnaire on work ability and functioning aimed at the population in a weak labour market position

The unemployed have lower work ability and poorer health than the employed. This situation deteriorates when unemployment continues. The long-term unemployed often have co-morbidities and face many other chall...

Authors: Miia Wikström, Heidi Anttila, Minna Savinainen, Anne Kouvonen and Matti Joensuu

Time-efficient and computer-guided sprint interval exercise training for improving health in the workplace: a randomised mixed-methods feasibility study in office-based employees

The efficacy of high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient exercise strategy for beneficially modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease has repeatedly been demonstrated in controlled la...

Authors: Richard S. Metcalfe, Hady Atef, Kelly Mackintosh, Melitta McNarry, Gemma Ryde, Denise M. Hill and Niels B. J. Vollaard

The status of job burnout and its influence on the working ability of copper-nickel miners in Xinjiang, China

Job burnout is increasingly common among occupational groups, and it is evolving into a new occupationally harmful phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of job burnout and its inf...

Authors: Xuemei Sun, Li Zhang, Chen Zhang, Jiwen Liu and Hua Ge

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards viral haemorrhagic fevers amongst healthcare workers in urban and rural public healthcare facilities in the N’zérékoré prefecture, Guinea: a cross-sectional study

The 2013–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa began in Guinea’s Forest region, a region now considered to be at high risk for future epidemics of viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF). Good knowledge, attitudes and pr...

Authors: Manuel Raab, Lisa M. Pfadenhauer, Tamba Jacques Millimouno, Michael Hoelscher and Guenter Froeschl

Sick-listed workers’ experiences with motivational interviewing in the return to work process: a qualitative interview study

When returning to work after being on long-term sick leave, individuals may experience varying levels of motivation and self-efficacy. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling style that aims to increase...

Authors: Vegard Stolsmo Foldal, Martin Inge Standal, Lene Aasdahl, Roger Hagen, Gunnhild Bagøien, Egil Andreas Fors, Roar Johnsen and Marit Solbjør

A probabilistic approach for economic evaluation of occupational health and safety interventions: a case study of silica exposure reduction interventions in the construction sector

Construction workers are at a high risk of exposure to various types of hazardous substances such as crystalline silica. Though multiple studies indicate the evidence regarding the effectiveness of different s...

Authors: Amirabbas Mofidi, Emile Tompa, Seyed Bagher Mortazavi, Akbar Esfahanipour and Paul A. Demers

Facilitators, barriers and support needs for staying at work with a chronic condition: a focus group study

Working with a chronic condition can be challenging. Providing support to workers with a chronic condition can help them to stay at work and prevent work-related problems. Workers with a chronic condition who ...

Authors: A. R. Bosma, C. R. L. Boot, F. G. Schaafsma and J. R. Anema

Process evaluation of a workplace-based health promotion and exercise cluster-randomised trial to increase productivity and reduce neck pain in office workers: a RE-AIM approach

This study uses the RE-AIM framework to provide a process evaluation of a workplace-based cluster randomised trial comparing an ergonomic plus exercise intervention to an ergonomic plus health promotion interv...

Authors: Alyssa Welch, Genevieve Healy, Leon Straker, Tracy Comans, Shaun O’Leary, Markus Melloh, Gisela Sjøgaard, Michelle Pereira, Xiaoqi Chen and Venerina Johnston

Occupational stress and the risk of turnover: a large prospective cohort study of employees in Japan

Although several studies have examined the association between occupational stress and turnover, these studies relied on cross-sectional designs, subjects’ self-report, healthcare workforce, or small sample si...

Authors: Yuko Kachi, Akiomi Inoue, Hisashi Eguchi, Norito Kawakami, Akihito Shimazu and Akizumi Tsutsumi

Does lung function predict the risk of disability pension? An 11-year register-based follow-up study

Spirometry is widely used in medical surveillance in occupational health and as a diagnostic test for obstructive and restrictive lung disease. We evaluated the effect of spirometry parameters on the risk of a...

Authors: Irmeli Lindström, Paula Pallasaho, Jouko Remes, Tuula Vasankari and Markku Heliövaara

The prevalence and correlates of burnout among Chinese preschool teachers

A series of studies have suggested that teachers are likely to experience professional burnout in various regions around the world. To date, no known research has been conducted to investigate the prevalence a...

Authors: Shen Li, Yibo Li, Hao Lv, Rui Jiang, Peng Zhao, Xin Zheng, Lili Wang, Jie Li and Fuqiang Mao

The design and development of a hybrid off-job crafting intervention to enhance needs satisfaction, well-being and performance: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Employees dealing with job demands such as high workload and permeable work-life boundaries could benefit from bottom-up well-being strategies such as off-job crafting. We have developed a hybrid off-job craft...

Authors: Merly K. Kosenkranius, Floor A. Rink, Jessica de Bloom and Machteld van den Heuvel

Development and evaluation of a strength-based method to promote employment of work-disability benefit recipients with multiple problems: a feasibility study

For people with disabilities, chances to find or keep work are negatively affected by multiple problems like lower education, poverty and poor health. Furthermore, although active labour market policies proved...

Authors: Kor A. Brongers, Bert Cornelius, Jac J. L. van der Klink and Sandra Brouwer

Factors affecting HBV vaccination in a Medical training College in Kenya: A mixed methods Study

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is highly endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa with 70 to 90% of the population becoming infected before the age of 40 years. Healthcare workers (HCWs) including healthcare students (HCSs) are...

Authors: Anne Njeri Maina and Leah Chebet Bii

Workers’ physical activity data contribute to estimating maximal oxygen consumption: a questionnaire study to concurrently assess workers’ sedentary behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness

Sedentary behavior (SB) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are important issues in occupational health. Developing a questionnaire to concurrently assess workers’ SB and CRF could fundamentally improve epidem...

Authors: Tomoaki Matsuo, Rina So and Masaya Takahashi

The mediating role of cognitive and affective empathy in the relationship of mindfulness with engagement in nursing

The work of health professionals is characterized by a high demand for psychological and emotional resources and high levels of stress. Therefore, the promotion of commitment and job well-being through strateg...

Authors: María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes, José Jesús Gázquez Linares, María del Mar Molero Jurado, María del Mar Simón Márquez and África Martos Martínez

Cluster-randomised trial evaluating a complex intervention to improve mental health and well-being of employees working in hospital – a protocol for the SEEGEN trial

Health care employees in Germany and worldwide are exposed to a variety of stressors. However, most of the hospitals in Germany lack a systematic workplace health management. Thus, this study aims at the evalu...

Authors: Nadine Mulfinger, Anja Sander, Felicitas Stuber, Regina Brinster, Florian Junne, Ronald Limprecht, Marc N. Jarczok, Tanja Seifried-Dübon, Monika A. Rieger, Stephan Zipfel, Martin Peters, Maja Stiawa, Imad Maatouk, Madeleine Helaß, Christoph Nikendei, Eva Rothermund…

Fatigue in ferry shipping employees: the role of work-family conflict and supervisor support

Fatigue is a concern in ferry shipping as it has a negative impact on crew members health and plays a major role in marine incidents and accidents. Research within land-based occupational settings has found th...

Authors: Solveig Boeggild Dohrmann, Kimmo Herttua and Anja Leppin

The effectiveness of workplace nutrition and physical activity interventions in improving productivity, work performance and workability: a systematic review

Healthy lifestyles play an important role in the prevention of premature death, chronic diseases, productivity loss and other social and economic concerns. However, workplace interventions to address issues of...

Authors: Aikaterini Grimani, Emmanuel Aboagye and Lydia Kwak

Implementation of the Swedish Guideline for Prevention of Mental ill-health at the Workplace: study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial, using multifaceted implementation strategies in schools

Given today’s high prevalence of common mental disorders and related sick leave among teachers, an urgent need exists for a more systematic approach to the management of social and organizational risk factors ...

Authors: Lydia Kwak, Caroline Lornudd, Christina Björklund, Gunnar Bergström, Lotta Nybergh, Liselotte Schäfer Elinder, Kjerstin Stigmar, Charlotte Wåhlin and Irene Jensen

Prevalence of burnout and associated factors among general practitioners in Hubei, China: a cross-sectional study

High occupational burnout among general practitioners (GPs) is an important challenge to China’s efforts to strengthen its primary healthcare delivery; however, data to help understand this issue are unavailab...

Authors: Yong Gan, Heng Jiang, Liqing Li, Yudi Yang, Chao Wang, Jianxin Liu, Tingting Yang, Sampson Opoku, Sai Hu, Hongbin Xu, Chulani Herath, Yuanyuan Chang, Pengqian Fang and Zuxun Lu

Development of a new measure for mental retirement; testing of a three-factor structure of mental retirement in different subgroups

The aim of this study is to develop a new measure for the concept of mental retirement and test the construct validity of the measure. Employees who are ‘mentally retired’ are present at their work physically,...

Authors: Jenny J. J. M. Huijs, Irene L. D. Houtman and Roland W. B. Blonk

Association of work-related and leisure-time physical activity with workplace food purchases, dietary quality, and health of hospital employees

While leisure-time physical activity (PA) has been associated with reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease, less is known about the relationship between work-related PA and health. Work-related PA is often not...

Authors: Emily H. Feig, Douglas E. Levy, Jessica L. McCurley, Eric B. Rimm, Emma M. Anderson, Emily D. Gelsomin and Anne N. Thorndike

OTP-PRL: an app for occupational risk prevention in policing activities

The rapid progress in information and communication technologies has promoted the development of smartphone applications (apps) for a wide variety of purposes including workplace safety. However, no specific a...

Authors: José C. Vera-Jiménez, Marta Ferreiro-González, Gerardo F. Barbero, José Ángel Álvarez, Francisco Fernández-Zacarías and Jesús Ayuso

Moderating role of job satisfaction on turnover intention and burnout among workers in primary care institutions: a cross-sectional study

Global countries are suffering from a shortage of health professionals. Turnover intention is closely related to job satisfaction and burnout, making good use of these relationships could alleviate the crisis....

Authors: Xuyu Chen, Li Ran, Yuting Zhang, Jinru Yang, Hui Yao, Sirong Zhu and Xiaodong Tan

Occupational social class trajectories in physical functioning among employed women from midlife to retirement

Prior analyses of class differences in health trajectories among employees have often omitted women and transitions to retirement. We examined social class trajectories in physical functioning among Finnish fe...

Authors: Eero Lahelma, Olli Pietiläinen, Tarani Chandola, Martin Hyde, Ossi Rahkonen and Tea Lallukka

Social-ecological correlates of accelerometer-measured occupational sitting among Japanese desk-based workers

Although the main targets for reducing workplace sedentary behavior have been clarified, only a few studies have examined the association between social-ecological factors and workplace sedentary behavior for ...

Authors: Satoshi Kurita, Ai Shibata, Kaori Ishii, Mohammad Javad Koohsari and Koichiro Oka

Epidemic characteristics and related risk factors of occupational exposure for pediatric health care workers in Chinese public hospitals: a cross-sectional study

Health care workers have a high risk of occupational exposure. However, the risk of occupational exposure for pediatric health care workers has not been acknowledged in previous studies. The purpose of this st...

Authors: Yuanshuo Ma, Xin Ni, Yu Shi, Chunmei Yan, Lei Shi, Zhe Li, Xiangxu Gao, Dinan Wang, Xi Yang, Lihua Fan and Yongchen Wang

Determinants of occupational injuries among building construction workers in Kampala City, Uganda

Globally, about 1000 people die and close to 860,000 people sustain injury at work daily. Injury prevention and control require contextual evidence, although most studies in Uganda have focused on general caus...

Authors: Arthur Kiconco, Nathan Ruhinda, Abdullah Ali Halage, Stephen Watya, William Bazeyo, John C. Ssempebwa and Joseph Byonanebye

Work participation trajectories among 1,098,748 Finns: reasons for premature labour market exit and the incidence of sickness absence due to mental disorders and musculoskeletal diseases

Early exit from paid employment is a notable public health and societal challenge. Previous research has largely focused on the relationships among variables instead of the relationships among individuals with...

Authors: Tea Lallukka, Erkki Kronholm, Johanna Pekkala, Sauli Jäppinen, Jenni Blomgren, Olli Pietiläinen, Eero Lahelma and Ossi Rahkonen

Associations between occupational factors and self-rated health in the national Brazilian working population

The literature remains seldom on the topic of self-rated health (SRH) among the national working populations of emerging countries. The objectives of the study were to examine the associations of occupational ...

Authors: Nágila Soares Xavier Oenning, Bárbara Niegia Garcia de Goulart, Patrícia Klarmann Ziegelmann, Jean-François Chastang and Isabelle Niedhammer

Trends in working conditions and health across three cohorts of older workers in 1993, 2003 and 2013: a cross-sequential study

Over the past decades, the number of older workers has increased tremendously. This study examines trends from 1993 to 2013 in physical, cognitive and psychological functioning among three successive cohorts o...

Authors: M. van der Noordt, H. J. Hordijk, W. IJzelenberg, T. G. van Tilburg, S. van der Pas and D. J. H. Deeg

Injury rate and risk factors among small-scale gold miners in Ghana

To determine the potential risk factors for injury, estimate the annual injury rate and examine the safety perceptions, and use of personal protective equipment among small-scale gold miners in Ghana.

Authors: Emmanuel Kweku Nakua, Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Samuel Newton, Adofo Koranteng, Easmon Otupiri, Peter Donkor and Charles Mock

Investigating the association between occupational exposure to asbestos and ovarian carcinoma: results from a pilot study in Germany

The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a large-scale epidemiologic investigation elucidating the quantitative association between occupational exposure to asbestos and ovarian cancer in f...

Authors: Zara Rajput, Kurt Georg Hering, Thomas Kraus, Andrea Tannapfel, Günter Sonnenschein, Alexandra Centmayer, Katja Radon, Dennis Nowak and Tobias Weinmann

Spontaneous and repeat spontaneous abortion risk in relation to occupational characteristics among working Korean women: a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative data from Korea

The association between spontaneous abortion (SA) and occupational characteristics among working women is not well-studied. This study aimed to assess the risk of SA and occupational factors such as occupation...

Authors: Wanhyung Lee, Sung Won Jung, Young-Mee Lim, Kyung-Jae Lee and June-Hee Lee

Burnout among healthcare providers in the complex environment of the Middle East: a systematic review

Burnout is a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, increased depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment due to chronic emotional stress at work. Burnout impacts job satisfac...

Authors: Z. Chemali, F. L. Ezzeddine, B. Gelaye, M. L. Dossett, J. Salameh, M. Bizri, B. Dubale and G. Fricchione

An exploration of rollover protective structures (ROPS) rebate program media coverage: strategies for implementation and sustainment

Media advocacy plays an important role in public health initiatives, as it can provide vital information to target populations, policy makers, or other relevant stakeholders. Unfortunately, little is currently...

Authors: Pamela J. Tinc, Julie A. Sorensen, Lars Weinehall and Kristina Lindvall

Recurrent sick leave and resignation rates among female cancer survivors after return to work: the Japan sickness absence and return to work (J-SAR) study

To date, there have not been any workforce-based Japanese cohort studies investigating work sustainability after return to work (RTW). The objective of this study was to investigate the post-RTW cumulative rec...

Authors: Motoki Endo, Yasuo Haruyama, Go Muto, Yuya Imai, Kiyomi Mitsui, Tetsuya Mizoue, Hiroo Wada, Gen Kobashi and Takeshi Tanigawa

Effects of occupational exposure to dust on chest radiograph, pulmonary function, blood pressure and electrocardiogram among coal miners in an eastern province, China

Coal dust is one of the most serious risk factor that leads to respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases in miners. This study aimed to observe the effects of occupational dust exposure on chest radiogr...

Authors: Qiuyun Wu, Lei Han, Ming Xu, Hengdong Zhang, Bangmei Ding and Baoli Zhu

Health outcomes of the July 14, 2016 Nice terror attack among hospital-based professionals and students: the « ECHOS de Nice » health survey protocol

The terror attack of July 14, 2016, in Nice, France, resulted in 86 deaths, including children, and several hundred wounded, with a major psychological impact on the population. Hospital staff had to cope with...

Authors: Laurence Bentz, Philippe Pirard, Yvon Motreff, Stéphanie Vandentorren, Thierry Baubet, Roxane Fabre, Pia Touboul Lundgren and Christian Pradier

Activate Your Health, a 3-year, multi-site, workplace healthy lifestyle promotion program: study design

Workplace Health Promotion Programs (WHPP) have been shown to be an efficient way of improving workers’ health. These programs can be incorporated in the worker’s daily schedule and improve their productivity ...

Authors: Thiffya Arabi Kugathasan, François Lecot, Suzanne Laberge, Jonathan Tremblay and Marie-Eve Mathieu

Breaking barriers: using the behavior change wheel to develop a tailored intervention to overcome workplace inhibitors to breaking up sitting time

The workplace is a prominent domain for excessive sitting. The consequences of increased sitting time include adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and poor mental wellbeing. There is evidence...

Authors: Samson O. Ojo, Daniel P. Bailey, Marsha L. Brierley, David J. Hewson and Angel M. Chater

Psychosocial working conditions across working life may predict late-life physical function: a follow-up cohort study

Increasing life expectancy has made understanding the mechanisms underlying late-life health and function more important. We set out to investigate whether trajectories of change in psychosocial working condit...

Authors: Charlotta Nilsen, Ross Andel, Alexander Darin-Mattsson and Ingemar Kåreholt