Work-related hearing loss resulting from combined exposure to noise and ototoxicsolvents remains underestimated in occupational prevention practices. Substancessuch as toluene, xylene, and styrene, which are widely present in industrialenvironments, potentiate auditory damage even at levels below the tolerancelimits considered safe. By conditioning the implementation of the HearingConservation Program solely on the action level for isolated noise exposure,Brazilian legislation proves insufficient in addressing the complexity ofcontemporary occupational risks. This opinion article proposes a criticalreflection on the current regulatory limits and advocates for the revision ofoccupational hearing health prevention policies. Integrated strategies arediscussed, including the simultaneous monitoring of exposure to noise andototoxic chemical agents, the revision of occupational exposure limits, thecontinuous training of professionals in the field, and the adoption ofhierarchical control measures. Protecting workers’ hearing health requires morecomprehensive approaches capable of recognizing the interaction among differentrisk agents and promoting truly safe work environments.

IntroductionWhile the nursing workforce is fundamental to providing safe and qualityaccess to health care, turnover poses a challenge to its stability.ObjectivesTo identify the reasons nursing professionals working in emergency/urgentcare units intend to leave or stay in their current position, institution,or the nursing profession, determining the differences and/or similaritiesamong these reasons by location.MethodsThis exploratory, descriptive field study included 118 nursing professionalsworking in urgent care/emergency departments in 2 states in Brazil. Theparticipants reported why they intended to remain in their current position,institution, and profession, or why they intended to leave, and thefrequency of each reason was recorded.ResultsOrganizational factors related and working conditions were often cited asreasons for leaving. The reasons for staying included affinity with the workand the profession, coworkers, salary, and job stability. The reasons forintending to leave or remain in the current position, institution, andprofession were diverse and varied among themselves. There were commonfactors and differences between the groups.ConclusionsMany of the reasons for intending leave were modifiable. Strategies topromote employee retention should include analysis of local factors.

IntroductionSickness absenteeism impacts the healthcare workforce and may be related tojob satisfaction and burnout.ObjectivesTo analyze the association between job satisfaction and burnout syndrome in apublic university hospital.MethodsCross-sectional study, carried out between January and February 2022. Asociodemographic questionnaire, the Job Satisfaction S20/23, and the BurnoutCharacterization Scale were used for data collection. Secondary data wereobtained through medical certificates. The descriptive and multivariateanalysis of statistical data considered a significance level of 5%.ResultsThere was a statistically significant correlation between sicknessabsenteeism and job satisfaction, since the lower the satisfaction inhierarchical relationships (p = 0.001) and the lower the intrinsic jobsatisfaction (p = 0.000), the higher the sickness absenteeism, and thehigher the job satisfaction, the lower the burnout (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIt can be inferred that the greater the job satisfaction, the lower theburnout and the lower the absenteeism-illness.

The update of Regulatory Standard No. 1 issued by the Brazilian Ministry of Laborand Employment represents progress by formally recognizing psychosocial risks asan integral part of occupational risks. This change requires organizations toadopt new practices aimed at preventing illness through more comprehensiveassessments of psychosocial risks present in the workplace. This study conductedan integrative review with the objective of analyzing how psychosocial riskshave been addressed in the scientific literature related to hospital riskmanagement. Nine articles published between 2019 and 2025 were included. Ofthese, five directly addressed psychosocial risks, although the hospitalenvironment is recognized as a critical context regarding workers’ mentalsuffering. Limitations were observed in the use of validated instruments forassessing these risks. The new wording of the standard may act as a catalyst forstructural changes in risk management practices, promoting more integratedstrategies that consider technical, subjective, and relational aspects of thework environment. It is concluded that, although psychosocial risks arerecognized in the theoretical field, their practical incorporation into hospitalinstitutions still occurs incipiently. Strengthening institutional policies andconducting future studies to evaluate the impacts of regulatory changes on theBrazilian hospital reality are recommended.

Workplace violence is associated with workers’ mental health impairment. Thisstudy aimed to characterize the scientific production on workplace harassmentand/or violence in the public sector and to synthesize the main availableevidence. An integrative literature review was conducted, with a protocolregistered on the Open Science Framework platform (https://osf.io/phq4z/).Searches were performed in the VHL, PubMed, and APA PsycInfo®.The search strategy included the descriptors “public sector,” “harassment,non-sexual,” and “workplace violence.” Inclusion criteria were original articlespublished within the last 10 years, available in full text, written inPortuguese, English, or Spanish, whose study population included public sectorworkers and addressed workplace harassment and/or violence. After the selectionprocess, 10 articles were included. Verbal violence showed a prevalence rangingfrom 19.4% to 63.5%, followed by physical violence, with rates between 9.8% and16%, and sexual harassment, ranging from 9.1% to 12%. The public sector wasapproximately three times more affected compared with the private sector.Factors associated with increased susceptibility to workplace harassment andviolence included being married, female sex, working as a physician or member ofthe nursing staff, night shift work, and professional practice in hospitalemergency departments. Managerial support was identified as a protective factor.Repeated exposure to violent episodes was associated with an increased risk ofsuicide attempts and death by suicide. Public sector workers are significantlyexposed to workplace harassment and violence. Greater attention from managers isrecommended, along with strengthening public policies and educational programsaimed at implementing preventive measures and promoting healthier workenvironments.

IntroductionAdvanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), have beenprogressively incorporated into clinical practice. However, their adoptionin occupational medicine still faces specific challenges.ObjectivesTo analyze the perceptions of Brazilian occupational physicians regarding theuse of technologies in their daily professional practice.MethodsObservational, cross-sectional, quantitative study. A structuredquestionnaire was administered to a non-probabilistic convenience samplebased on voluntary participation, consisting of physicians invited by emailand through the communication channels of the Brazilian National Associationof Occupational Medicine from May to June 2025.ResultsOf the 1,600 physicians invited, 260 responded to the questionnaire (90%confidence level; 4.69% margin of error) between May and June 2025.Participants identified epidemiological data analysis (78%) and theautomation of reports and medical evaluations (67%) as the areas with thegreatest potential for AI application.ConclusionsThere is broad potential for the use of AI in occupational health, includingleave management, identification of risk factors for chronic diseases, andhealth promotion. Its effective implementation will require professionaltraining and capacity building.

IntroductionOccupational medicine is a broad specialty that plays a fundamental role inprotecting the workers’ health and well-being.ObjectivesTo analyze Brazilian occupational physicians’ perspectives on theirtransition to retirement, addressing aspects such as financial planning,reasons for retirement, and intended post-retirement activities.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 450 activeoccupational physicians in Brazil. An online questionnaire was administeredto a convenience sample recruited through social media between July andAugust 2024.ResultsMost physicians reported undertaking some form of financial planning forretirement; however, 72.00% did not consider themselves financiallyprepared. Furthermore, 64.40% planned to continue paid work afterretirement, predominantly in consulting roles.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the need for expanded financial educationinitiatives and structured support to support a healthy transition toretirement.

IntroductionTuberculosis is an infectious disease of major public health concern.Although most studies focus on health care professionals, other economicsectors may also present conditions that favor transmission and illness.ObjectivesTo analyze the occurrence of work-related social security benefits grantedfor tuberculosis in Brazil and to review scientific evidence on economicactivities and occupations associated with increased risk of infection,excluding health care professionals.MethodsThis ecological study used publicly available data from the BrazilianNational Institute of Social Security. Work-related temporary disabilitybenefits (B91) granted from 2022 to 2024 and linked to codes A15 to A19 ofthe International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, were included.Results were described according to the number of benefits and thecorresponding codes of the National Classification of Economic Activities.In parallel, a narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed andSciELO databases, including primary studies in Portuguese and Englishinvolving workers from different productive sectors.ResultsA total of 115 B91 benefits due to tuberculosis were granted in 2022, 123 in2023, and 65 in 2024. The literature identified increased tuberculosis riskamong workers in cleaning, laundry, baking, construction, waste collection,sewage, textile manufacturing, and mining, associated with factors such asinadequate ventilation, silica exposure, unsanitary conditions, and socialvulnerability.ConclusionsWork-related tuberculosis extends beyond the health care sector, affectingmultiple productive sectors. Recognizing these exposures is essential toguide surveillance, inspection, and prevention measures aimed at reducingoccupational tuberculosis.

IntroductionPhysical activity may influence symptoms of depression and anxiety,especially among healthcare professionals exposed to high levels ofoccupational stress.ObjectivesTo investigate the association between physical activity levels and symptomsof depression and anxiety in professionals at a Brazilian universityhospital, using analyses based on continuous scores.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional observational study conducted with 199professionals from medical, healthcare, and administrative areas. Habitualphysical activity, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were assessedusing standardized questionnaires. The association between physical activityand symptoms was analyzed using generalized linear models, adjusted for sex,age, and body mass index, considering both overall and area-specificanalyses.ResultsThe sample was predominantly female, from the healthcare area, and sedentary.Regarding categorical prevalence, 44.2% of professionals presented symptomsof depression and 54.2% symptoms of anxiety. In analyses based on continuousscores, individuals classified as active and very active had lowerdepression and anxiety scores compared to sedentary individuals.Stratification by area of work confirmed the inverse association, especiallyamong medical and healthcare professionals.ConclusionsHigher levels of physical activity were significantly associated with lowersymptoms of depression and anxiety among professionals at a Brazilianuniversity hospital.