High-risk Occupational Groups Research Articles

Epidemiological and numerical simulation of rabies spreading from canines to various human populations in mainland China.

BackgroundThe mortality of humans due to rabies in China has been declining in recent years, but it is still a significant public health problem. According to the global framework, China strives to achieve the goal of eliminating human rabies before 2030.MethodsWe reviewed the epidemiology of human deaths from rabies in mainland China from 2004 to 2018. We identified high risk regions, age and occupational groups, and used a continuous deterministic susceptibility-exposure-infection-recovery (SEIR) model with periodic transmission rate to explore seasonal rabies prevalence in different human populations. The SEIR model was used to simulate the data of human deaths from rabies reported by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC). We calculated the relative transmission intensity of rabies from canines to different human groups, and they provided a reliable epidemiological basis for further control and prevention of human rabies.ResultsResults showed that human deaths from rabies exhibited regional differences and seasonal characteristics in mainland China. The annual human death from rabies in different regions, age groups and occupational groups decreased steadily across time. Nevertheless, the decreasing rates and the calculated R0s of canines of various human groups were different. The transmission intensity of rabies from canines to human populations was the highest in the central regions of China, in people over 45 years old, and in farmers.ConclusionsAlthough the annual cases of human deaths from rabies have decreased steadily since 2007, the proportion of human deaths from rabies varies with region, age, gender, and occupation. Further enhancement of public awareness and immunization status in high-risk population groups and blocking the transmission routes of rabies from canines to humans are necessary. The concept of One Health should be abided and human, animal, and environmental health should be considered simultaneously to achieve the goal of eradicating human rabies before 2030.

Overview of Studies on the Cognitive Workload of the Air Traffic Controller

Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) will be the branch that will have the most impact in the air transport system. The duty of ATCOs is to prevent the collision of airplanes in the air provided by the controllers on the ground and to overcome the possible confusion. Being exposed to a very high cognitive workload of ATCOs, which is one of the high-risk occupational groups, is important in terms of flight safety. However, it has been observed that studies on the differences in cognitive workload that may occur between experienced and inexperienced ATCO under different task difficulties are quite insufficient in literature. This study presents research studies on cognitive workload measurement methods and ATCO's cognitive workload. In this study, first of all, the importance of determining the cognitive workload and its measurement methods are explained. In addition, literature studies related to cognitive workload of ATCOs, particularly by using eye tracker are presented.

COVID-19 Antibody Seroprevalence Among General Population and High-Risk Occupational Groups in Eighteen Cities of Iran

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, rapid case increase was observed in multiple cities in Iran. However, in the absence of seroprevalence surveys, the true infection rate remains unknown. In this population-based study we assessed the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in eighteen cities of Iran.Methods: We randomly selected and invited study participants from the general population (N = 3,547) and occupations with high risk of COVID-19 exposure, defined as high-risk population (e.g., supermarket employees) (N = 5,391), in eighteen cities of Iran. SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kits were used to detect antibody against COVID-19. Crude, population weight adjusted, and test performance adjusted seroprevalence rates were estimated.Findings: The population weight adjusted and test performance adjusted prevalence rates of antibody seropositivity in general population were 13·1% (95% CI 11·6-14·8%) and 18·5% (95% CI 16·1-21·3%), respectively. The population-weighted seroprevalence estimate implies that 3,290,633 (95% CI 2,907185-3,709,167) individuals, from the eighteen included cities in this study, were infected by end of April 2020.The overall prevalence rate was higher among individuals aged ≥ 60 years (32·0%, 95% CI 23·9-40·8%) and with comorbidity condition (23·7%, 95% CI 18·5-28·8%). The estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies varied greatly by city and the highest population test-adjusted prevalence rates were in Rasht 78·1% (95% CI 58·3-98·3%) and Qom (66·5%, 95% CI 39·9-95·4%) cities. The test-adjusted prevalence did not differ between low and high-risk populations and was about 20.0%.Interpretations: The findings of this study imply that prevalence of seropositivity is likely much higher than the reported prevalence rates based on confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran. Despite the high seroprevalence rates in a few cities, the low overall prevalence estimates indicate that a large proportion of population is still susceptible to the virus. The similar seroprevalence estimates between low and high-risk occupations might be an indicator of inadequate or low adherence to infection control measures among general population.Funding Statement: Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education COVID-19 Grant (number 99-1-97-47964).Declaration of Interests: None to disclose.Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics approval for this study was granted by Vice-Chancellor in Research Affairs-Tehran University of Medical Sciences (IR. TUMS.VCR.REC.1399.308)

Non-fatal occupational accidents in Brunei Darussalam.

Globally, ILO estimates 374 million non-fatal and 380,500 fatal occupational accidents annually. Slips, trips, falls and contact with objects are the leading modes of injury, with extremities being the most common body part involved. Occupational accidents are of major concern for high risk occupational groups such as migrant workers, or work areas e.g. construction, manu-facturing, wholesale, and retail industries. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of non-fatal occupational injuries and its trends among industry workers in Brunei Darussalam. A retrospective cross-sectional review of occupational accidents notified to the Occupational Health Division, Ministry of Health, over a five-year period from January 2014 until December 2018 was conducted. A total of 424 non-fatal occupational accidents were notified, with increasing trend from 44 in 2014 to 132 in 2018. Accidents were more common in males (98%), migrant workers (86%), in the 30–39 age group (42.5%), and in the construction industry (56.4%). Struck by object (37.7%) was the commonest cause and upper limb (43.9%) was the commonest body part involved. There is a need for workplaces to develop capabilities and support mechanisms for risk assessments, as well as auditing and reviewing performances to minimize occurrence of preventable occupational injuries.

Prevalence, Related Factors, and Levels of Burnout Among Midwives: A Systematic Review.

Burnout refers to a constellation of feelings of exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment that develops secondary to long-term occupational stress. Several studies have identified that health care professionals are a high-risk occupational group for burnout, but knowledge about this syndrome among midwives has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the prevalence and levels of burnout among midwives and analyze the related factors. The following databases were searched: CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, SciELO, and Scopus. Any date of publication was acceptable. Literature from different countries was included. Studies were appraised for quality following the recommendations of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The literature review identified 27 studies with a total of N = 5612 midwives. The main factors related to burnout were working conditions such as work overload, lack of autonomy, and professional recognition. Midwives who had less than 10 years of experience were more vulnerable to burnout than those who had more than 10 years' experience. With regard to the subcategories of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and perceived personal achievement), midwives who did not live with a partner were more vulnerable low levels of personal accomplishment when compared with midwives who were living with a partner. The most significant protective factors against burnout were good leadership and the use of continuity models of care. Midwives had moderate levels of emotional exhaustion and low levels of personal accomplishment. Working conditions were identified as the main modifiable factors related to burnout syndrome. Intervention programs for midwives should be aimed at reducing emotional exhaustion and enhancing personal accomplishment.

Seroprevalence of <i>Brucella</i> Antibodies and Risk Factors Associated with Human Brucellosis in High-Risk Occupational Groups of the Noun Division in the West Region of Cameroon

Brucellosis is an anthropozoonotic disease with an important public health impact. Although the transmission of Brucella from animals to humans can occur in different epidemiological settings of sub-Saharan African countries, little data has been published on human brucellosis. This study aimed to detect Brucella antibodies and the risk factors associated to brucellosis among high-risk occupational groups of people in the Noun Division of Cameroon. For this study, a structured questionnaire was used to assess risk factors associated with human brucellosis. Thereafter, blood samples were collected from high-risk occupational groups of people in four villages. Plasma was extracted from each sample and Brucella antibodies were detected using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (i-ELISA). Of the 273 participants enrolled, the overall seroprevalence of Brucella antibodies was 12.45% with RBPT and 10.26% with i-ELISA test. This seroprevalence was significantly (P = 0.04; X2 = 9.73) higher among livestock herdsmen (15.8%), slaughterhouse workers (9.8%), butchers (4.8%), participants having no educational level (14.3%) and those experiencing above 5 years of risky activity (15%). Raw milk consumption (OR: 4.8; P = 0.001), no formal education (OR: 6.4; P = 0.03) and assistance of animal during parturition (OR: 7.2; P < 0.0001) appeared as factors that may increase the risk of Brucella infections. The detection of Brucella antibodies indicates the risk of human brucellosis in some groups of people of the Noun division. Consuming unpasteurized milk, participating in parturition and lacking knowledge on brucellosis appeared as risk factors associated with human brucellosis in western Cameroon. It raises the need of developing and implementing control measures for human and animal brucellosis.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in the general population and high-risk occupational groups across 18 cities in Iran: a population-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundRapid increases in cases of COVID-19 were observed in multiple cities in Iran towards the start of the pandemic. However, the true infection rate remains unknown. We aimed to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 18 cities of Iran as an indicator of the infection rate.MethodsIn this population-based cross-sectional study, we randomly selected and invited study participants from the general population (from lists of people registered with the Iranian electronic health record system or health-care centres) and a high-risk population of individuals likely to have close social contact with SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals through their occupation (from employee lists provided by relevant agencies or companies, such as supermarket chains) across 18 cities in 17 Iranian provinces. Participants were asked questions on their demographic characteristics, medical history, recent COVID-19-related symptoms, and COVID-19-related exposures. Iran Food and Drug Administration-approved Pishtaz Teb SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kits were used to detect SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in blood samples from participants. Seroprevalence was estimated on the basis of ELISA test results and adjusted for population weighting (by age, sex, and city population size) and test performance (according to our independent validation of sensitivity and specificity).FindingsFrom 9181 individuals who were initially contacted between April 17 and June 2, 2020, 243 individuals refused to provide blood samples and 36 did not provide demographic information and were excluded from the analysis. Among the 8902 individuals included in the analysis, 5372 had occupations with a high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and 3530 were recruited from the general population. The overall population weight-adjusted and test performance-adjusted prevalence of antibody seropositivity in the general population was 17·1% (95% CI 14·6–19·5), implying that 4 265 542 (95% CI 3 659 043–4 887 078) individuals from the 18 cities included were infected by the end of April, 2020. The adjusted seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies varied greatly by city, with the highest estimates found in Rasht (72·6% [53·9–92·8]) and Qom (58·5% [37·2–83·9]). The overall population weight-adjusted and test performance-adjusted seroprevalence in the high-risk population was 20·0% (18·5–21·7) and showed little variation between the occupations included.InterpretationsSeroprevalence is likely to be much higher than the reported prevalence of COVID-19 based on confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran. Despite high seroprevalence in a few cities, a large proportion of the population is still uninfected. The potential shortcomings of current public health policies should therefore be identified to prevent future epidemic waves in Iran.FundingIranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education.TranslationFor the Farsi translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Analysis of Plant Type and Color Preference and Psychological Assessment for Gardening Activities of Firefighters

Background and objective: This study investigated plant type and color preference and conducted a psychological assessment for gardening activities of fire-fighters in a high-risk occupational group.Methods: A survey was conducted on 117 firefighters aged 39.01±9.17 in Sunchang in March 2020 to examine their preferences in plant type and color and conduct a psychological assessment of firefighters on gardening activities.Results: For plant experience and awareness, plant-related event showed the highest score, followed by plant preference tendency and plant growing experience. The level of plant gardening activities was higher among older age and higher job position. As a result of examining the quality of life according to the demographic characteristic with WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument), it was found that the quality of life was higher among the 20s–30s than 50s, firefighter position than fire lieutenant or higher, those with higher average monthly income, and the singles group than married (p < .05). The administration group showed lower scores than the fire suppression group working in the field, showing statistical significance. Most firefighters showed high preference for herbal plants among the 12 types of flowering plants, in the order of Rosmarinus officinalis > Lavandula spp. > Mentha piperita, Calendula officinalis. Pelargonium spp. was preferred the least out of the flowering plants, Lycopersicon esculentum was preferred the most out of 12 types of vegetable plants, while Angelica acutiloba was preferred the least statistical significance. For the preference of plant colors, yellow was the most preferred color, followed by white, blue, orange, red, and green, showing statistical significance. For the psychological survey responses of emotion words toward 6 plants colors, it was found that ‘bright’ was the emotion felt most strongly by the white, yellow, and orange groups, ‘calm’ and ‘comfortable’ by the green and blue groups, and ‘fancy’ by the red group.Conclusion: The effect of agro-healing programs can be increased by using mostly yellow plants when creating indoor healing gardens at the workplaces of fire officials in a high-risk occupational group, and using herbal plants and Lycopersicon esculentum in the gardens for agro-healing activities.Key words: fancy, fire lieutenant, world health organization quality of life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-BREF)

Cannabis use and work-related injuries: a cross-sectional analysis.

Although the association of cannabis use with automobile accidents has been well-studied, the impact of cannabis on workplace safety and injuries is less clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between work-related injury and cannabis use in the past year. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2013-16) of working individuals. We used multiple logistic regression modelling to calculate the odds of experiencing a work-related injury (defined as non-repetitive strain injury) among workers who reported using cannabis more than once during the prior 12 months as compared to non-users. We repeated the analysis among participants working in high injury risk occupational groups only. Among the 136 536 working participants, 2577 (2%) had a work-related injury in the last 12 months. Of these 2577 who had a work-related injury, 4% also reported being a cannabis user in the same period. We found no association between past-year cannabis use and work-related injury (odds ratio for work injury among users 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.66-0.99). The association was unchanged in the subgroup analysis limited to high injury risk occupational groups. We found no evidence that cannabis users experienced higher rates of work-related injuries. While awaiting prospective studies, occupational medicine practitioners should take a risk-based approach to drafting workplace cannabis policies.

Blood Lead Levels among Blood Donors and High-Risk Occupational Groups in a Mining Area in Ghana: Implications for Blood Transfusion among Vulnerable Populations.

Lead poisoning has been a major global health problem for decades, and blood transfusion has been suspected as a neglected potential source of lead exposure. Children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and over 40 percent of blood transfused in Ghana is given to children under 5 years. However, there is little data on the levels of lead in donor blood and the main sources of lead exposure in the Ghanaian population. This study compared blood lead levels (BLL) among selected occupations at risk of lead exposure with healthy blood donors in nonexposed occupations in a Ghanaian mining area. We enrolled 40 participants each from the following high-risk occupational groups: small scale miners, painters/sprayers, drivers/fuel station attendants, and auto-mechanics as well as 40 healthy blood donors (made up of teachers, traders, and office workers). One millilitre of blood was collected from each participant for determination of their BLL, haemoglobin concentration, and blood film morphology. A total of 200 participants made up of 186 (93%) males and 14 (7%) females were enrolled. The mean age of participants was 28.6 ± 8.2 years and their geometric mean (GM) BLL was 6.3 GSD 1.4 µg/dL [95% CI: 6.0 – 6.6]. Participants in high risk occupations had significantly higher GM BLL of 6.7 µg/dL [95% CI :6.4−7.0] compared to 5.0 µg/dL [95% CI: 4.4−5.7] for healthy blood donors [p < 0.001]. The prevalence of elevated BLL (≥5 µg/dL) among the entire study participants, high risk occupations and blood donors was 84.5%, 89.4% and 65% respectively. There was significant association between elevated BLLs and working in an at-risk occupational group [aOR = 3.58, p = 0.014]. Haemoglobin concentration was not significantly associated with elevated BLLs. Basophilic stippling was not observed in any of the blood smears. Blood lead levels were high in blood donors and at-risk occupations in the study area and occupation was associated with elevated BLLs. It is important that measures to safeguard the integrity of donor blood go beyond screening for infectious diseases to include screening individuals in high-risk occupations for lead and other heavy metals to ensure that donor blood from such individuals is safe and does not pose potential danger to the health of vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women.

SAT-439 Thyroid Ultrasound Reports and Thyroid Function Tests in Florida Firefighters: Data from the Firefighter Cancer Initiative

Background: Several epidemiological studies suggest firefighters are at risk for numerous site-specific malignancies, including thyroid cancer. However, it is not well known if chronic exposure to carcinogenic compounds or radio frequency radiation, increases the rate of thyroid nodules and/or affect the thyroid function in this high-risk occupational group. To gain a better understanding, we examine the rate of thyroid nodules and assess the presence of thyroid dysfunction in a sample of Florida firefighters. Methods: A cross sectional study design was conducted to evaluate 103 firefighters, with not known thyroid disease, who were assessed by a physician-performed, real time ultrasound protocol followed by a blood collection to evaluate TSH, Free T4, T4, T3, TPO and Tg antibodies. Additional data such as gender, age and race were also collected and analyzed. Results: Among the 103 firefighters who completed the study protocol, the sample mean age was 39.4+-7.6 years (range 26 to 60) 88.4% male, 87.6% Caucasian and 65% Hispanic. 8.7% of men and 33% of women were found to have thyroid nodules. Of the 20 participants with thyroid nodules only three nodules were above 1 cm, and only one was classified as high risk and met criteria for fine needle aspiration. 8.7 % of men and 33% of women were found to have +TPO antibodies. 18.6% of men and 25% of women were found to have isolated low T3. Conclusion: The prevalence of thyroid nodules, and of Hashimoto thyroiditis, among Florida firefighters, is comparable with the rate found in the general population based on previous epidemiological data. Surprisingly, we found that a significant number of subjects have isolated low T3. In this study, the level of Free T3 was not assessed, however since T4 was normal, we can conclude that the low T3 was not related to a low level of TBG. Low T3 is usually found in systemic illness and has been postulated as a prognostic factor in cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, survival after stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. The clinical significance and the prevalence of Low T3 in a healthy population has not been well described. Further research is needed to fully understand the significance of this finding.

사회인문학적 관점에서 본 한국사회 위험업무종사자에 대한 태도 고찰 - 경찰관, 소방관, 군인의 위험부담에 대한 융합학문적 논의 -

이 성과는 2018년도 정부(과학기술정보통신부)의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임(No. 2018R1A5A7025522). This work was supported by the N ational Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT) (No. 2018R1A5A7025522).

Road traffic crash experience among commercial motorcyclists in Kigali, Rwanda

Objective: Road traffic injuries (RTI) cause ∼1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries annually, disproportionately occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Although policy changes and infrastructural developments have continued to contribute to the decrease in RTI-related deaths, limited studies have investigated the relationship between motorcycle taxi driver behaviors and RTIs in Rwanda. This study aims to describe the safety behaviors of commercial motorcyclists in Kigali, Rwanda.Methods: We surveyed 609 commercial motorcyclists in January 2014 then conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the results, including descriptive and bivariate logistic regression analyses.Results: We found that 38.7% of surveyed motorcycle drivers experienced a crash during their lifetime, of which, more than half (n = 134, 56.8%) suffered injuries. Of all injuries, 38.8% (n = 52) resulted in hospitalization, and 14.2% (n = 19) in disability. Among motorcyclists, 100% reported always wearing a helmet, 99% reported always wearing a chin strap, and 98.8% reported always having a passenger helmet. There was an association between sustaining a crash and believing that helmets (p = 0.08) and chin straps (p = 0.05) reduced crash risk.Conclusions: Rwandan commercial motorcyclists demonstrate generally proper safety behaviors, but remain a high-risk occupational group. Road safety policy initiatives have been effective in changing driver behavior regardless of driver safety beliefs.

Do Occupational Factors Render Army Service a High-Leptospirosis-Risk Occupation?

Objective: Leptospirosis is a known zoonotic disease which is closely related to certain high-risk occupational group. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with seropositive leptospirosis among army personnel. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted involving 616 army personnel using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic, occupational and environmental data as well as recreational activities history. Serum sample for leptospirosis was taken for screening with IgM Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (IgM ELISA) test. Positive tests were confirmed by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). Results: All respondents were male, Malays and married with the mean age of 29.28 (7.15) years old. The mean duration of working was 11.50 (7.75). Majority of the respondents were non-officer and riflemen, smokers (455 (73.9%), stayed inside the camp and engaged in recreational activities. The mean duration of employment was 11.50 (7.75) years. The overall seroprevalence of leptospirosis was 16.2% (95% CI: 13.32, 19.15) and the predominant pathogenic serovar identified was Terengganu (38.2%). Those who had lower educational levels were more protective for positive leptospirosis compared to those who have only primary education (OR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.76; p = 0.009). Conclusion: Despite being named as one of the high-risk occupations for leptospirosis, this study found no significant occupational factors related to leptospirosis seropositivity among army personnel.

Analysis of the characteristics of reported cases of occupational brucellosis in a city from 2008 to 2018

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological, occupational characteristics and clinical manifestations of reported cases of occupational brucellosis (OB) in Hulunbeier city from 2008 to 2018, so as to provide scientific basis for the formulation of prevention and control measures for occupational brucellosis. Methods: China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention had exported the network report data of "occupational diseases and occupational health information monitoring" from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018 and had created the database; The epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations and laboratory examinations of OB were analyzed. Results: There were 262 OB cases in Hulunbuir from 2008 to 2018, including male in 235 cases, female in 27 cases. The most age was 41-50 years old (97 cases, 37%) . The length of service was concentrated in 0-10 years (146 cases, 55.7%) ; in the time distribution, the incidence in January was mostly (87 cases, 33.2%) . The industry distribution of veterinarians was the most (139 cases, 53.1%) , followed by epidemic prevention workers (58 cases, 22.1%) . The regional distribution is mainly concentrated in Ergun city (51 cases, 19.5%) , Hailar District (43 cases, 16.4%) , Orogen Autonomous Banner (40 cases, 15.3%) . The main clinical features were asthenia (194 cases, 74.0%) , hyperhidrosis (144 cases, 55.0%) , joint and muscle pain (156 cases, 59.5%) . The course of disease was mostly chronic (181 cases, 69.1%) . Conclusion: The cases of OB in Hulunbuir city are distributed in the developed areas of animal husbandry, and the incidence months are concentrated. Veterinarians are the key high-risk occupational groups.

Spatial, temporal, and occupational risks of Q fever infection in South Australia, 2007–2017

BackgroundThe burden of Q fever on at risk population groups in Australia is substantial, despite the availability of a vaccine. Our objectives were to: (a) describe the epidemiology of notified Q fever cases in South Australia (SA), (b) identify if Q fever infection is associated with occupational exposure, and (c) detect the possible spatial and temporal association of Q fever with livestock density. MethodsLaboratory confirmed Q fever notifications from January 2007 to December 2017 were obtained from the SA Health Department. Q fever notification rates and incidence rate ratios were calculated for gender, notification year, age group, occupation category, and primary exposure suburb. Spatial mapping and analysis of Q fever notifications was undertaken using livestock data, and abattoirs and saleyards located in SA. ResultsDuring the study period 167 Q fever cases were notified. Males predominated (72%), with higher rates observed in the 21–40year age group (1.52/100,000), and eight cases (5%) reported prior Q fever vaccination. Most frequently listed occupation categories were livestock farmers (35%), and abattoir workers (20%), but in 15% of cases, there was no known occupational risk. Highest notifications (22%) were recorded in the suburb containing an abattoir. The number of goats, cattle and sheep was not associated with Q fever notifications. ConclusionsQ fever predominance among males in their twenties and thirties may indicate vaccination under-coverage among the young workforce possibly due to high turnover of workers. Q fever among those vaccinated raises concerns about vaccine efficacy or potential waning immunity. Our findings are consistent with previous studies highlighting abattoir workers as a high-risk occupational group because of its transient workforce, and low vaccination coverage. Q fever notifications in SA may be unrelated with spatial livestock density. Further One Health research involving veterinary, public health and environmental data is required.

Knowledge, habits and attitudes towards TBE and other tick-borne diseases in German forestry trainees

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an occupational hazard for forestry workers. We measured knowledge levels, misbeliefs, and vaccination rates in forestry trainees in order to tailor specific measures aimed at reducing occupational TBE incidence. A paper-based survey was performed at a central training site for forestry workers in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The questionnaire contained items regarding vaccination status against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), self-reported tick-borne diseases, knowledge of and attitudes towards tick-borne disease, and practices in the context of ticks and tick bites. All trainees in the period June-December 2018 were surveyed. Statistical analyses were conducted using Mann-Whitney-Rank sum test and one-way ANOVA tests. Two-hundred-twenty-five trainees participated in the survey. Almost all (>99%) were aware of living in a TBE high-risk area. Eighty-three percent of respondents were vaccinated in line with current recommendations. Seventeen percent had no effective vaccination status. Twenty-seven percent believed that ticks can transmit only TBEV and Borrelia spp. Sixty-two percent knew that TBEV infections can be fatal. Only 8% of respondents use tick repellents and only 17% wear long sleeves and pants. Trainees who graduated from a six and (eight or) nine secondary school (Realschule and Abitur respectively) had more knowledge on ticks and tick-borne disease compared to graduates from a five year school (Hauptschule) (p = 0.002 and p = 0,037 respectively). Overall, the TBE vaccination rate is not high enough in this high-risk occupational group. We identified gaps in knowledge and practices that could have an impact on TBE incidence in this group if addressed. Further epidemiological research is needed on knowledge, attitudes, and practices in different high-risk populations.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Iranian military personnel: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe overweight and obesity among military personnel, as an occupational group, beside the health issues, might affect their military performance. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the pool prevalence of overweight and obesity among Iranian military personnel.MethodsThe national databases including Science Information Database, MagIran, and the following international databases; Web of Science, Medline via PubMed, and Scopus were searched, up to December 2017, for relevant published studies without time limitation.ResultsTotally,1431 studies were reterived and 10 studies included in meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of overweight and obesity were 41% (95%CI:26, 57%) and 13% (95%CI:10, 17%), respectively. In the subgroup analyses, a lower and higher prevalence of overweight was reported in the ground (12%) and Navy (69%) forces military, recpectively. For the obesity, the air forces had the lowest prevalence (11%) and the ground and Navy forces military had highest prevalence (15%). The prevalence of overweight and obesity were slightly higher in studies conducted after 2014.ConclusionOur findings suggest a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the military personnel as a high-risk occupational group. Owing to the high observed heterogeneity among the included studies, large representative studies are needed to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the military personnel.

Failure of a Print Media Sun Safety Campaign to Reach High-risk Occupational Groups.

Failure of a Print Media Sun Safety Campaign to Reach High-risk Occupational Groups.

English

Tobacco use remains a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide. The World Health Organization states that 19.1% of the Pakistani population consumes smoked or smokeless tobacco (SLT). Although many population focused studies have focused on the use of SLT in Pakistan, but they have failed to address the use of SLT among laborers, especially the niche population of public and heavy load drivers (that is, transporters). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SLT consumption among this population and the relationship of this parameter with knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding SLT use. From a sample size of 714 participants, 615 responses were obtained, generating an overall response rate of 86%. The prevalence of SLT consumption in the study population was 93.7%; here, gutka was the most frequently consumed preparation (60.2%), followed by naswar (35.8%), paan (32.4%), and Mawa (16.7%). A masticatory habit was the most commonly cited factor leading to dependence (87.8%), followed by the influence of friends and family (83.9%), peer pressure (80.7%), and increased alertness (52.8%). However, 61.3% of participants reported experiencing strong withdrawals upon ceasing SLT use and believed themselves to be addicted and unable to quit usage. These findings suggest that for transporters, a high-risk occupational group dependent on SLT consumption, specific, tailored tobacco-cessation programs and medical assistance are needed to reduce the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Key words: Smokeless tobacco (SLT), tobacco use, gutka, heavy load and public drivers, transporters, Karachi.