Work-related Health Complaints Research Articles

The Influence of Age, Gender, Health-Related Behaviors, and Other Factors on Occupationally Relevant Health Complaints of Singers.

Professional singers' careers are usually associated with health-relevant factors that they themselves may or may not be able to influence. We have therefore investigated the effect of modifiable health-related behaviors and non-modifiable factors on singers' occupational health. In an explorative, questionnaire-based study, self-reported, occupationally relevant health complaints and behaviors, along with singer-specific characteristics, were surveyed from 349 professional singers and voice teachers (116 men, 233 women; age 18-73 years) and the influence of age, gender, duration of daily and lifelong singing, voice category, and health-related behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity) on occupationally relevant health complaints were analyzed using bi- and multivariate statistical methods. Singers reported less risky alcohol consumption (5.4% versus ≈15%) and smoking (15.5% versus 29.7%) than the general population, and too little physical activity was described in two thirds of both populations. After controlling for multiple testing, no effect was found for these behaviors, the time spent singing daily, gender, or voice categories on singers' complaints. Health complaints were significantly fewer for males (P < .001) and older women and were reported more frequently for higher-pitched male voices, a trend not found in females. Singers seem to smoke and drink less than members of the general population. These factors did not affect their complaints. Female singers described more work-related health complaints than males, a finding that corresponds to women in the general population. Older singers reported fewer complaints than younger singers, possibly because of selection effects or older singers acquiring strategies to avoid health-damaging behavior.

Assessment of Workplace Hazard Awareness, Work-related Health Complaints and Safety Measures among Welders in Benin City, Nigeria

Background: Welding processes are known to expose welders to occupational health hazards. Awareness gap regarding these hazards and their control is a major factor contributing to high rate of occupational illnesses and injuries among welders. This research is aimed at assessing awareness of workplace hazards, work-related health complaints and safety measures among welders in Benin City.&#x0D; Methods: Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire from 441 welders recruited by a multistage sampling technique in a descriptive cross-sectional study design. IBM SPSS 25 was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done with p-values of 0.05 considered statistically significant&#x0D; Results: High proportions 402 (91.2%) and 435 (98.6%) of the welders had good awareness for their workplace hazards and PPEs respectively, while all 441 (100%) of them were exposed to noise levels &gt; 85 decibels. Itchy eyes, 365 (82.8%), was the most prevalent work-related health complaint. Safety goggles 430 (97.5%) and helmet 11 (2.5%) were the most and least utilized PPE respectively. Overall, a high proportion 349 (79.1%) of the welders had poor usage of PPEs. Educational level was statistically associated with awareness of PPEs (p = 0.02).&#x0D; Conclusions: There was a high degree of awareness of workplace hazards, PPEs and of some workrelated health complaints but poor usage of PPEs among the welders. The National Institute of Welding should implement focused educational interventions to increase understanding of occupational health and the proper use of PPE to mitigate the health risks connected with this profession.

Prevalence and factors associated with occupational health problems among leather footwear manufacturing workers in Ambur town, Thirupathur district, Tamil Nadu, India

Background: In India, the leather footwear manufacturing sector contributes to a significant segment of leather products, and workers were exposed to a wide range of hazardous substances during the manufacturing process. The present study was conducted to identify the prevalence of various work-related health complaints and the factors associated with occupational health problems among leather footwear workers in Tamil Nadu. &#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 275 leather footwear workers in Ambur town, Thirupathur district, Tamil Nadu from June 2019 to July 2019. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic and workplace characteristics, work-related self-reported health complaints, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Descriptive analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to identify factors associated with work-related health problems at a 5% level of significance. &#x0D; Results: The study demonstrated a prevalence of 19.33% respiratory disorders, 16.4% skin ailments, and 37% musculoskeletal complaints. Workers involved in the scouring/finishing process had nearly two times the odds (95% CI: 0.977-3.923); workers who do not use PPE like gloves or masks had two times the odds (95% CI: 1.307-4.346); workers who reported inadequate windows/fans or blowers in their work station had four times the odds (95% CI: 1.421-12.413) and workers who reported lack of regular work training had 3.5 times odds (95% CI: 1.954-6.531) of occupational health problems. &#x0D; Conclusions: Implementation of strict protocols on the use of PPE, periodic monitoring and safety training should be regulated to prevent the workers from these health problems.

Digital transformation: The role of computer use in employee health

This paper studies employee health in the context of digital transformation in Germany. While most studies have focused on mental health, we focus on physical health. Using pooled survey data, we estimate how an increased use of computers in the workplace relates to subjective health and work-related health complaints. We find that employees using the computer frequently report better subjective health and a significantly lower prevalence of back pain and physical exhaustion. After controlling for physical work exposures, the health-promoting effect of computer use is much smaller, suggesting that high computer use is associated with a less physically demanding work environment, which in turn relates to better (physical) health outcomes. While digital transformation seems to foster physical health, there are hints that mental health could deteriorate. Thus, the focus of occupational health is shifting towards the prevention of mental stress.

Exploring expected and perceived facilitators and barriers of an indicated prevention strategy to prevent future long-term sickness absence; a qualitative study among employers and employees

BackgroundAn indicated prevention strategy (IPS), consisting of a screening questionnaire and early treatment, was found to be effective for the prevention of future long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in two large Dutch RCT’s. This IPS aims to detect employees who have a high risk to become absent, and subsequently offer them early treatment. Despite the overall effectiveness, only a few companies have implemented this strategy so far. This suggests that companies may not be convinced of the (cost) effectiveness of this strategy yet. In companies where IPS has been implemented, screenings uptake and adherence to early treatment appeared to be moderate, indicating that both employees and employers might perceive barriers.MethodsThe aim of this qualitative study was to explore the expected and perceived facilitators and barriers for the implementation of the IPS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 employers and 11 employees (acquainted and unacquainted with IPS) from large companies. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically.ResultsThe employers believed they were primarily responsible for psychological and work-related health complaints and SA, while the employees felt responsible for health complaints related to their lifestyle. According to the employees, the responsibility of the employer was solely related to work-related health. This finding exposed a relation with the health culture, which was solely based on creating a safe work environment, omitting psychological health issues. The efficacy of this IPS regarding reducing SA was estimated positive, however, the efficacy regarding LTSA was questioned. Fear of a privacy breach was often mentioned by the respondents as an important barrier.ConclusionsThis study showed that the health culture within a company may be important for the perceived responsibility towards SA and health. A health culture which primarily focuses on physical complaints may raise barriers for the adoption and implementation of this preventive strategy. Participant’ perceptions of the nature of LTSA and the fact that not all participants were familiar with the exact content and phasing of IPS may have doubted the efficacy regarding LTSA. This study provides important clues for future and improved implementation of IPS.

Functional Interviewing Was Associated With Improved Agreement Among Expert Psychiatrists in Estimating Claimant Work Capacity: A Secondary Data Analysis of Real-Life Work Disability Evaluations.

ObjectiveFunctional evaluations establish functional and work (in-)capacities in the context of disability assessments and are increasingly recommended as a modern technique for work disability assessments. The RELY (Reliable disability EvaLuation in psychiatrY)-studies introduced semi-structured functional interviews in real-life assessments of claimants with mental disorders for evaluating their self-perceived health-related limitations and for investigating the reproducibility of work capacity (WC) estimates. Functional interviews elicit claimants’ self-perceptions about their work-related limitations and capacities in the labour market. This secondary data analysis explored the coverage of work-related key topics in these interviews and investigated whether interviews with high coverage (versus low coverage) of work-related topics resulted in better reproducibility of WC estimates among experts.MethodsThirty video-taped RELY-assessments underwent a content analysis along a predefined framework for functional interviewing, including the claimant’s self-perceived work limitations and work-related health complaints as centrepieces of functional interviewing. Following transcription, interviews were segmented into coding units. Coding units were allocated to the five steps with 19 key topics of the framework. Enquiry into key topics was ascertained by summing the functional coding units per key topic. Median split grouped the interviews into high and low coverage of functional topics and compared them for inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) and inter-rater agreement (standard error of measurement, SEM).ResultsInterviews were broken down in 40,010 coding units, 31% of which addressed functional topics. Enquiries in self-perceived work limitations and work-related health complaints were sparse (coding units medianpsychiatrist between 0 and 1.5, medianpatients between 0 and 9.5). High coverage interviews enquired on more functional topics (68% vs. 42%, chi2(1, N = 38) = 5.32, p = 0.021) and in more depth (36% vs. 16% of functional coding units, chi2(1, N = 1,314) = 141.15, p < 0.001). Interviews with higher functional coverage reached significantly higher inter-rater agreement in WC ratings among experts (mean difference in SEM, low–high coverage, 7.5% WC, 95% CI 0.2 to 15.1%WC). Inter-rater reliability was low in both groups (ICC, 0.38 versus 0.40).ConclusionsContent analysis showed little enquiry by experts on claimants’ self-perceived activity limitations and work-related capacity. The association between interviews with higher functional coverage and better expert agreement on the claimants’ remaining WC requires confirmation in prospective studies.

Work-related acute physical injuries, chronic overuse complaints, and the psychosocial work environment in Danish primary care chiropractic practice \u2013 a cross-sectional study

BackgroundLittle is known about the physical and psychosocial work environment of chiropractors and their work-related health complaints, and this has never been described for Danish chiropractors. The aim of this study was, therefore, to describe work-related acute physical injuries, overuse complaints, and psychosocial stress in Danish chiropractic work settings.MethodsWe developed a questionnaire specifically for this study and distributed it electronically in August 2016 using SurveyXact to all 575 members of the Danish Chiropractors’ Association working in primary care clinics. Chiropractors were asked about their work-related acute physical injuries and overuse complaints as well as any psychosocial stress they experienced at work during the previous year. We described our sample and variables using means, medians, ranges, and confidence intervals where appropriate. Statistically significant differences between genders, types of complaints and injuries, and between clinic owners and associates were examined using Chi-square and Fischer’s exact tests, where appropriate, or by examining confidence intervals for non-overlap.Results355 (65.2%) chiropractors answered the survey. Of these, 216 (61%, 95% CI 56–66) had experienced a work-related acute physical injury and/or overuse complaint during the previous year. Work-related overuse complaints were most commonly reported in the low back, wrist, thumb, and shoulder, and were more common among women (63%, 95% CI 56–70) than men (51%, 95% CI 43–59). Chiropractors with more than five years in practice (59%, 95% CI 52–64) reported significantly fewer work-related acute injuries and overuse complaints during the previous year compared with chiropractors with less than five years in practice (83%, 95% CI 73–91). In general, these practicing Danish chiropractors reported having a good psychosocial work environment, and 90% of chiropractors “always” or “often” felt that they were motivated and committed to their work.ConclusionThis sample of Danish practicing chiropractors commonly reported work-related acute physical injuries or overuse complaints. Overuse complaints were most commonly reported in the low back, wrist, thumb, and shoulder and were more common among women than men. Newly educated chiropractors reported more overuse complaints than experienced chiropractors. Collectively, this sample of Danish chiropractors reported that they had a good psychosocial work environment.

Work environment and health in the fishing fleet: results from a survey amongst Norwegian fishers.

Fishery is an important industry in Norway. Compared to other industries the number of occupational accidents is high. Fishers are exposed to a range of unfavourable working conditions, but there is limited research-based knowledge about the interaction between working conditions and health. The aim of the article is to study fishers' 1) work-related exposures and health complaints, 2) sickness absence, 3) subjective perception of health status and 3) level of job satisfaction. Data was gathered through a telephone survey. The survey included questions about exposure, health complaints, health status and job satisfaction. Methods for analysis were descriptive statistics and relative risk (RR). A total of 830 full-time fishers were interviewed. Coastal fishers are more exposed to factors such as climatic (RR = 1.546, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.311-1.823), ergonomic (RR = 1.539, 95% CI 1.293-1.833) and processing (RR = 2.119, 95% CI 1.847-2.431), compared to other groups of fishers. Coastal fishers are also more likely to experience musculoskeletal problems (RR = 1.623, 95% CI 1.139-2.314), sickness absence (RR = 1.337, 95% CI 1.081-1.655) and to perceive their own health as poor (RR = 2.155, 95% CI 1.119-4.152). Purse sein fishers are less exposed to climatic (RR = 0.777, 95% CI 0.633-0.953), ergonomic (RR = 0.617, 95% CI 0.487-0.783) and processing (RR = 0.292, 95% CI 0.221-0.385) factors and are less likely to experience sickness absence (RR = 0.635, 95% CI 0.479-0.840). In terms of job satisfaction, 99% if our respondents enjoy their work. Norwegian fishers have a high degree of job satisfaction and overall good health. Challenges regarding health complaints and exposures in the working environment were identified. This may be helpful for the industry, showing where measures should be implemented to prevent exposure, illness and sickness absence. Findings may also serve as a basis for future intervention studies aimed at promoting healthy working environments for fishers, especially how to improve vessels and develop user-friendly technology to reduce risk of injuries and strain.

Higher risks when working unusual times? A cross-validation of the effects on safety, health, and work-life balance.

Replication and cross-validation of results on health and safety risks of work at unusual times. Data from two independent surveys (European Working Conditions Surveys 2005 and 2010; EU 2005: n=23,934 and EU 2010: n=35,187) were used to examine the relative risks of working at unusual times (evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays) on work-life balance, work-related health complaints, and occupational accidents using logistic regression while controlling for potential confounders such as demographics, work load, and shift work. For the EU 2005 survey, evening work was significantly associated with an increased risk of poor work-life balance (OR 1.69) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.14), Saturday work with poor work-life balance (OR 1.49) and occupational accidents (OR 1.34), and Sunday work with poor work-life balance (OR 1.15) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.17). For EU 2010, evening work was associated with poor work-life balance (OR 1.51) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.12), Saturday work with poor work-life balance (OR 1.60) and occupational accidents (OR 1.19) but a decrease in risk for work-related health complaints (OR 0.86) and Sunday work with work-related health complaints (OR 1.13). Risk estimates in both samples yielded largely similar results with comparable ORs and overlapping confidence intervals. Work at unusual times constitutes a considerable risk to social participation and health and showed structurally consistent effects over time and across samples.

Global absenteeism and presenteeism in mental health patients referred through primary care.

Disability from mental health (MH) symptoms impairs workers' functioning. Most of what is known about the MH of workers relates to their experiences after intervention or work absence. To profile the clinical symptoms, self-reported absenteeism and presenteeism and treatment response of workers with MH symptoms at the point of accessing MH care and compare the characteristics of patients referred with or without problems related to work. Analysis of 11 years of patient data collected in a Shared Mental Health Care (SMHC) clinic referred within a primary care setting in Ontario, Canada. Multiple regression with MH disorders was used to predict absenteeism and presenteeism. Absenteeism and presenteeism were assessed using the 12-item self-administered version of the WHO-DAS 2. Symptom profiles were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Some psychiatric disorders (depression, somatization, anxiety) contributed more to predicting absenteeism and presenteeism than others. Patients referred with work-related problems differed from the general SMHC population in terms of sex and type and number of symptoms. Treatment response was good in both groups after a mean of three treatment visits. Patients with work-related mental health complaints formed a distinct clinical group that benefitted equally from the intervention(s) provided by SMHC.

Subjective Health Complaints in Registered Nurses: Associations With Select Individual and Organizational Factors

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Subjective health complaints (SHCs)—complaints without objective pathological symptoms—such as headaches and heartburn, have become one of the major reasons for short- and long-term sickness absence from work. Unlike musculoskeletal disorders, existing injury/illness surveillance systems do not capture the degree to which nursing personnel experience specific SHCs. Research has mainly focused on musculoskeletal disorders or combined SHCs under “stress outcomes” or “psychosomatic outcomes” without examining these complaints specifically. This study confirms that the occurrence of substantial SHCs is relatively high and that effective strategies are needed to address these conditions in conjunction with musculoskeletal disorders. Although select individual characteristics examined here may only play a minor role in the onset of SHCs, studies including other lifestyle factors (e.g., alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and activity) may provide further insight to their impact on SHCs. Additionally, results indicate a need for increased focus on the factors originating from the workplace environment.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Evidence exists regarding the prevalence of and extent to which nurses experience work-related musculoskeletal complaints. However, other types of complaints have not been detailed. Most have fallen under the broad term of “stress outcomes” or “psychosomatic outcomes.” Specific complaints need to be examined and understood to fully comprehend work-related subjective health complaints experienced by registered nurses. Objective: This study sought to determine the frequency of subjective health complaint (SHCs, e.g., headaches, heartburn) beyond musculoskeletal disorders among registered nurses and to investigate associations with select individual and organizational factors (e.g., experience, hospital, care area/service, hospital Magnet® status [American Nurses Credentialing Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA]). Method: Data were collected on 193 registered nurses from three hospitals using questionnaires to assess SHCs. Descriptive statistics and prevalence rates were reported for substantial cases of SHCs, since low-level complaints can be highly prevalent in the general population. Univariate logistic regression was used to identify significant associations between select individual and organizational factors and substantial SHCs. Results: Rates of substantial SHCs ranged from 1.1%–29.1%. The most frequent complaints were diarrhea or irregular bowel function, allergies, heartburn, headaches, and difficulty falling asleep. Individual, hospital, and care service factors had significant associations with substantial SHCs. Although the majority of SHC rates were higher for registered nurses working in non-Magnet hospitals, Magnet status did not have a significant association with these complaints. Conclusions: SHCs other than musculoskeletal complaints are common among registered nurses. Significant associations with individual and organizational characteristics emphasize the multi-causal etiology of health and well-being and provide additional opportunity for intervention efforts to modify certain lifestyle factors and further in-depth study of organizational factors.

Work-Related Health Complaints and Injuries, and Health and Safety Perceptions of Latino Day Laborers.

This study describes socio-demographic, health, and work factors as well as health and safety perceptions of day laborers who reported work-related health complaints and injuries. The researchers completed a secondary data analysis of 217 interviews conducted in 2009 with day laborers in a large city. The participants reported 83 health complaints or injuries (38%) that had occurred during the prior 12 months, with 57 of these complaints or injuries resulting in lost work time. Pain and soreness of the back were the most prevalent health complaints or injuries; 66% of participants did not report their injuries, 62% reported no health and safety training, 96% reported they needed personal protective equipment (PPE), and 63% were provided with PPE. Latino day laborers reported a high 12-month prevalence of work-related health complaints and injuries. Ongoing policy work is needed to encourage injury reporting by day laborers and the provision of health and safety training and PPE to this group of workers.

Job strain and stress of conscience among nurse assistants working in residential care

The aim was to investigate job strain and stress of conscience among nurse assistants working in residential care and to explore associations with personal and work-related aspects and health complaints. It is important to investigate job strain and stress of conscience, both for the well-being of the nurse assistants themselves and for the impact on the quality of care they provide. Questionnaires measuring job strain, stress of conscience, personal and work-related aspects and health complaints were completed by NAs (n = 225). Comparisons of high and low levels of job strain and stress of conscience and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Organisational and environmental support and low education levels were associated with low levels of job strain and stress of conscience. Personalised care provision and leadership were related to stress of conscience and the caring climate was related to job strain. There is a need for support from the managers and a supportive organisation for reducing nurse assistants work-related stress, which in turn can create a positive caring climate where the nurse assistants are able to provide high quality care. The managers' role is essential when designing supportive measures and implementing a value-system that can facilitate personalised care provision.

Occupational Health Hazards in Welders of Palakkad District: An Appraisal

Welding exposes welders to a variety of work-related hazards, which may be deleterious to their health. The awareness of these hazards and the attitude towards them are important factors in the prevention of these hazards among the welders. This study assessed the level of awareness of the hazards, the work-related health complaints and the safety measures employed by the welders in local as well as industrial centers in Palakkad District. The study was carried out at 31 local workshops and 1 industrial center surrounding Palakkad Town. The welders were interviewed using semistructured interviewer-administered questionnaires and the data obtained was analysed and presented as frequency tables and graph. The mean age of subjects was 32.68 ± 27.32 years. The literacy rate was 100%, of which, the school dropouts were 6.3% while, the subjects who completed technical education is only 3%. Despite the awareness of one or more occupational health hazards, the use of full protective devices by the subjects was generally low (10%) and the rate of health complaints was cent percent. The most prevalent health complaints were arc eye injuries (>90%) followed by burns (88%), skin problems (69%), tiredness, sleepiness and muscular weakness (45%), hearing impairment (35%) and respiratory ailments (22%); while the common personal protective equipment used were face shield (90%), helmet (77%), hand gloves (77%) and boots (29%). None of them used any form of ear or respiratory protection. The levels of awareness of occupational hazards and the work-related health problems among the welders though high was not commensurate with the use of safety and protective devices against the hazards. There is therefore need for health and safety education of these workers in order to promote positive health among them.

Evaluation of neuropsychological symptoms and exposure to benzene, toluene and xylene among two different furniture worker groups in Izmir

This study was conducted to determine whether there was any exposure to toluene, xylene and benzene and to assess the health impact of these solvents on workers in furniture enterprises in Karabaglar, Izmir. This cross-sectional study covered furniture enterprises in Karabaglar, Izmir. This study was comprised of an exposed group consisting of workers engaged in painting and varnishing and therefore exposed either directly or indirectly toluene, xylene and benzene in the workplace and the non-exposed group engaged in other aspects of production. While a total of 261 individuals completed questionnaires, 210 workers agreed to provide blood samples. Blood solvents levels were determined using gas chromatograph at Ege University, Intoxication Research and Application Centre. The modified EUROQUEST questionnaire was used to assess neuropsychological symptoms and neurological and general examination were performed. Occupational and exposure history, demographic and work-related information was collected. In this study of workers, blood toluene and benzene levels were found to be significantly higher among those engaged in painting and varnishing compared to those who perform other tasks. The average blood toluene and benzene concentrations among exposed workers were 6.95 times and 1.64 times respectively higher than those in the nonexposed groups. Smokers and participants who worked in excess of 8 hours/day had higher blood toluene and benzene levels. The most frequently work-related health complaints were back pain, allergies and asthma. No differences were found in the average scores in the neuropsychological symptoms questionnaire between exposed and non-exposed groups. Neurological examination of two individuals with these complaints revealed a loss of reflexes. The workers were unaware that they were being exposed to solvents at work. Tobacco smoke is a major source of internal exposure to benzene. Improving working conditions in furniture work places is a priority.

Type D personality and cardiovascular function in daily life of people without documented cardiovascular disease

Type D personality, the combination of negative affectivity and social inhibition, is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ischemic heart disease. The mechanisms are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to examine whether Type D personality is associated with cardiovascular function in everyday life of people without documented cardiovascular disease. Eighty-six participants (53% women) aged 27 to 60 years who reported work-related non-cardiac health complaints were equipped with ambulatory cardiovascular monitors for 24 h measuring heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, pre-ejection period, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. With and without controlling for age, sex, educational level, body mass index, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption, mood and social contact, Type D personality was not associated with any cardiovascular measure during the day or at night (all F (1, 79) < 1.00, p > .10). When analyzed separately as continuous variables, only the social inhibition component of Type D personality showed a tendency for an association with nighttime systolic blood pressure ( F (1, 78) = 3.65, p = .06, η 2 = .04). In conclusion, Type D personality generally does not seem to be associated with unfavorable cardiovascular function in daily life of people without any documented cardiovascular disease.

Herstelmogelijkheden en gezondheid in het werk

Recovery opportunities and health at work Recovery opportunities and health at work Marc J.P.M. van Veldhoven &amp; Judith K. Sluiter, Gedrag &amp; Organisatie, volume 23, December 2010, nr. 4, pp. 275-295. Recovery opportunities allow employees to recuperate from work and diminish load effects. We validate a scale for measuring recovery opportunities in relation to health at work, and show that it is different from job control. Cross-sectional data from three Dutch worker samples, which differ in amount of heterogeneity, were used with response rates over 60%. Internal consistency of the scale is good. Recovery opportunities can be discriminated from job control (decision latitude). Recovery opportunities show significant relations with work-related fatigue (need for recovery), sleep complaints, and health complaints, but not with future absenteeism. The recovery opportunities scale has good reliability and shows good construct- and criterion-related validity. It is concluded that the scale is adequate for measuring recovery opportunities, and the implications of this finding for research and practice are discussed.

Work-related health complaints in surgical residents and the influence of social support and job-related autonomy

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the influence of job-related autonomy and social support provided by consultants and colleagues on the stress-related health complaints of surgical residents in the Netherlands. All (n = 400) Dutch residents in training in general surgery were sent validated self-report questionnaires. Odds ratios were calculated predicting health and exposure to long-term stress for gender, number of working hours, type of hospital, level of social support, job-related autonomy and training phase. The interactions between job-related autonomy and level of social support provided by consultants and colleagues, and all variables, were analysed. A total of 254 of 400 (64%) residents returned questionnaires that were eligible for analysis. Residents experienced more health complaints than the average member of the Dutch working population (4.0 versus 2.5; p = 0.000). Male and senior residents were significantly 'healthier' than female and junior residents, respectively. Social support by consultants was a strong predictor of health and social support by colleagues showed a significant interaction with gender. Women and residents in university hospitals experienced less social support by consultants than men and residents in general teaching hospitals. Residents working in university hospitals experienced lower levels of job-related autonomy and less support from colleagues in comparison with those working in general teaching hospitals. A working week of > 60 hours adversely affected health and job-related autonomy. Social support provided by consultants and colleagues, and job control, are important factors that interact with the work-associated, stress-related health of residents in training in general surgery. Residents report a greater number of health complaints than the average member of the working population, especially female and junior residents. General teaching hospitals seem to provide better support at work than university hospitals.

Occupational Health Problems of Welders in Benin City, Nigeria

Welding exposes welders to a variety of work-related hazards, which may be deleterious to their health. The awareness of these hazards and the attitude towards them are important factors in the prevention of these hazards among the welders. This study assessed the level of awareness of the hazards, the work-related health complaints and the safety measures employed by the welders in a Nigerian setting. The study was carried out in Benin City, the capital of one the 36 States of Nigeria and was of a cross sectional design. A total sample of the welders was identified from a list of registered workshops and they were interviewed using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data obtained was analysed by the Computer Programme for Epidemiologic Research (CPER) and presented as frequency tables and graph. The average number of welders per workshop was 3.7 with all of them as males and with a mean age of 32.2 ±10.6years. The illiteracy rate was 3.3% and the school dropout rate was 14.9%. The average level of use of protective devices was generally low (35.9%) when compared to the levels of awareness of the workplace hazards (91.6%) and the work-related health complaints (96.4%). The most prevalent health complaints were arc eye injuries (75.7%) followed by foreign bodies in the eyes (70.0%), back/waist pain (52.1%), metal fume fever (43.8%) and cuts/injuries from sharp metals (37.7%); while the common personal protective equipment used were coverall (31.2%), eye goggles (35.9%) and hand gloves (20.8%). None of them used any form of ear or respiratory protection. The levels of awareness of occupational hazards and the work-related health problems among the welders though high was not commensurate with the use of safety and protective devices against the hazards. There is therefore need for health and safety education of these workers in order to promote positive health among them. Keywords: Occupational Health Hazards, Welders, Nigeria Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research Vol. 5 (1) 2006: pp. 64-69

Work-related recovery opportunities: testing scale properties and validity in relation to health

Recovery opportunities allow employees to recuperate from work and diminish load effects. The aims of this study are to present a scale for measuring recovery opportunities, study its psychometric properties and its relationship with health. Data from three Dutch worker samples were used with response rates over 60%. Sample 1 contained 6,863 employees working in a wide variety of jobs in 114 organizations. Sample 2 contained data from 992 mental health care workers from ten different organizations. Sample 3 were 436 employees working in several specialized health care clinics. Internal consistency of the nine-item recovery opportunities scale is good. Content validity of recovery opportunities, especially how it discriminates from other aspects of job control, is also good. Recovery opportunities show significant effects on work-related fatigue (need for recovery), sleep complaints, and health complaints, but not on future absenteeism. The recovery opportunities scale has good reliability and shows good content-, construct- and criterion-related validity in three samples of workers that differ in amount of heterogeneity.