Occupational Work Research Articles

Clinical characteristics, depression, anxiety, and stress of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has an extremely high infection rate. This study aimed to investigate emotional states and COVID-19 infection of medical workers during the self-management strategy to COVID-19. Questionnaires were collected via an online questionnaire platform from 20 December 2022 to 19 January 2023, including demographic characteristics, number of vaccine doses, COVID-19 test results, occupation, attendant situations of workers, clinical symptoms, disease duration, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21. A total of 748 complete questionnaires were collected. The average age of participants was 33.61 ± 8.94 years, and 79.55% participants were female. The proportion of anxiety was significantly higher in the infection group (52.32%) than in the non-infection group (28.45%) (p < 0.001), as was the proportion of stress (41.47% vs. 31.90%, p = 0.046). Medical students (odds ratios (OR) 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.93) and other staff (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.40-0.98) had a lower risk for depression than doctors (p = 0.024), and attendant and infective situations of workers was the risk factor for depression (p = 0.007). Occupation (p = 0.029) and infected workers (p = 0.001) were related to anxiety. Infected attendant workers had a higher risk for stress (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.12-3.48) than uninfected attendant workers (p = 0.019). Most medical workers infected with COVID-19 had emotional disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attention and useful measures are suggested to support medical workers.

The Effects of Servant Leadership, Occupational Commitment, and Work Engagement on Creativity of Teacher

This study identifies the influence of servant leadership on teacher creativity. We considered occupational commitment and work engagement as sequential mediators in the relationship between servant leadership and teacher creativity. This current study uses surveys by distributing questionnaires to teachers at the "X" education foundation in one of the cities in East Java. Hypothesis testing uses partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our study shows that servant leadership does not directly enhance teacher creativity but rather through occupational commitment and work engagement. This finding contributed to the understanding that servant leadership influences teacher creativity through the sequential mediation of occupational commitment and work engagement. As an implication, the "X" educational foundation needs to choose principals who are able to act as servant leaders. In order to effectively increase teacher creativity, servant leaders must provide support and opportunities for teachers that will boost their commitment to their work. Teachers with high occupational commitment will be more engaged with their work, allowing them to become more creative. In addition, various employee management activities, such as training, recognition, and selecting effective school principals, are needed to increase teachers' commitment, engagement, and creativity.

Indices of vertebral vein discirculation in workers in noise occupaions

Introduction. Occupational sensorineural hearing loss (OSNHL) is a gradual bilateral hearing loss developing over several years as a result of exposure to constant or non-constant noise (mainly high-frequency) at the workplace as one of the main causes in etiology, researchers name a violation of blood supply and vascular stenosis. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the indices of venous dyscirculation under the influence of industrial noise at the early stages of the development of OSNHL. Materials and methods. Twenty two male patients who have been working in conditions exceeding the maximum permissible noise levels for more than 5 years were examined, and the comparison group included 29 healthy male volunteers from 27 to 55 years old who do not work in the production sector. All the subjects were examined by an otorhinolaryngologist, a neurologist, and a therapist. Audiometry was performed on two axes for everyone. Air and bone conduction were performed separately for each ear. All patients underwent a triplex scan of the arteries and veins of the neck and brain in the supine and standing positions. Results. In comparison with the control group of healthy volunteers who did not work in industrial noise conditions, workers in noise occupations had a significant increase in blood flow, which averaged 25.2 cm/sec. When measuring the diameters of the vertebral veins, a tendency to vasodilation was revealed. Limitations. The limitation was the small sample size, due to the low patient turnover at the preclinical stage. Conclusion. The complex effect of noise on the body leads to changes in the wall of the venous network, a violation of venous outflow and can manifest itself not only with clinical complaints, but also in the form of episodic dizziness, cephalgia, which in turn can worsen the course of the development of OSNHL. It is necessary to perform ultrasound dopplerography of the neck veins for all workers of noise occupations at the preclinical stage to assess the risk of OSNHL occurrence.

Working conditions and health status in workers in boiler and welding production in power engineering

Introduction. Preserving the health of qualified workers of older age groups is especially important under conditions of exposure to occupational hazards. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of occupational hazards on the development of occupational and somatic diseases among workers of various age groups in the main occupations of mechanical engineering. Materials and methods. The study tested the results of hygienic research at workplaces of an enterprise in the power engineering industry in the manufacture of welded metal structures. We assessed the health status in workers based on the results of an in-depth medical examination and ultrasound examination of the vessels of the upper extremities with assessment of blood flow indices. Using a survey method, data were obtained on assessing the influence of production factors on the health status in workers. Results. The working conditions in the main occupational workers groups were assessed as harmful grades 1–3, the priority occupational hazards were: increased noise, and at the workplaces of electric gas workers there were also fibrogenic aerosols, chemical substances, and heavy physical work. Electric and gas welders and boilermakers work in the most unfavourable conditions, about 30% of whom continue to work after reaching retirement age. We have established a significant gain in the incidence of arterial hypertension and sensorineural hearing loss among workers over 40 years of age and an increase in the prevalence of all chronic diseases in the age group over 60 years. Limitations. The study is limited by the number of workers examined and the lack of ability to assess the health status of the studied contingent of workers over time. Conclusion. In conditions of exposure to elevated noise and other occupational hazards, there is an enhancement in the prevalence of work-related and somatic diseases in workers over 40 years of age. With advancing age, the rise in the vascular resistance index is observed, however, the first signs of peripheral blood flow disturbance are often recorded at a young age. In this regard, it is necessary to introduce methods of early diagnosis and prevention of occupational and work-related pathology.

The High Cost of Doing Good: Earnings in Social Assistance Jobs in the United States

Abstract Workers in care occupations and industries in the United States earn less than counterparts with similar personal characteristics in other jobs. We document considerable gradation within care services, showing that workers employed in social assistance earn less than workers in other care industries such as education and healthcare. We posit that social assistance providers are particularly vulnerable to pay penalties because their clients suffer from low bargaining power, weak political voice, and cultural stigmatization. Institutional context matters—social assistance has witnessed a shift from public to private provision since the 1980s; unlike other care industries, private sector workers in social assistance (most of whom work in non-profits) earn less than their counterparts in the public sector. We suggest that public subcontracting to private firms is a cost-cutting strategy that has put downward pressure on the wages of social assistance providers.

Medically assisted reproduction (MAR) with sperm donation: Comparison of the profiles and medical pathways of unmarried women and women in heterosexual couples

Research questionThe legislation allowing unmarried women to undergo medically assisted reproduction (MAR) with sperm donation was adopted in France on August 2, 2021. This major advancement, and its impact on French society, led us to a closer examination of the requests made by unmarried women and the outcomes of ART attempts. DesignA retrospective single center cohort study was conducted in a fertility center in Paris, France. All unmarried women and women in heterosexual couple seeking for MAR using sperm donation between September 2021 and October 2022 were included. Medical and socio-demographic data, as well as details and outcomes of MAR attempts were analyzed until October 31, 2023. ResultsTwo hundred seventy-two unmarried women and 76 women in heterosexual couple were included. Results were compared between the two groups. Unmarried women were significantly older, with a significant decrease in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC). They also exhibited a higher prevalence of gynecological pathologies associated with infertility, such as endometriosis. Unmarried women were more likely to work in intermediate occupations, whereas women in heterosexual couple more often had employee status. Among unmarried women who had undergone at least one MAR attempt by October 31, 2023, significantly lower cumulative early and ongoing pregnancy rates were observed. ConclusionsFemale age appears to play a major role in the likehood of pregnancy and live birth. It is therefore crucial to inform women initiating the process of MAR with sperm donation that success is not guaranteed.

SARS-CoV-2 infection among Colorado adults working outside the home: Occupation, race and ethnicity and mask use.

The workplace is an important setting for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure and transmission. Using data from a large case-control study in Colorado during 2021 and 2022, we aimed to evaluate working outside the home and SARS-CoV-2 infection, the racial and ethnic distribution of workers in occupations associated with infection, and workplace face mask use. Cases were Colorado adults with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) reported to Colorado's COVID-19 surveillance system selected from surveillance data ≤12 days after their specimen collection date. Control participants were randomly selected adult Coloradans with a RT-PCR-confirmed negative SARS-CoV-2 test result reported to the same surveillance system. Working outside the home was associated with infection (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-1.54). Among participants working outside the home, "Food Preparation and Serving Related" (aOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.80-3.06), "Transportation and Material Moving" (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.62-2.69), "Construction and Extraction" (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.36-2.59), "Protective Service" (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.15-2.24), and "Sales and Related" (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.22-1.69) were occupational categories most strongly associated with infection. American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black, and Hispanic/Latino participants were more likely than others to work in occupational categories with the highest odds of infection (p < 0.05). Cases were less likely than controls to report always wearing a mask (31.9% vs. 41.5%) and wearing a KN95/N95/KF94 mask (16.8% vs. 27.2%) at work. These findings emphasize the importance of occupation and workplace mask use in the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate racial/ethnic impact on workers.

Assessment and Modeling of Workplace Exposure to Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in Makurdi, Nigeria

Solar radiation though beneficial to life but the harmful effects of over exposure especially in Nigeria has been neglected and its measurement/prediction has received negligible attention in the literature. This study measured and modeled workplace exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (SUVR) in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Digital broadband meter was used to measure solar power density in three site while polymer Polysolphone dosimeters were fitted on a human manikin and placed in the sun between 10:00 am- 4:00pm (6 hours) to quantify the amount of Solar UVR absorbed by three occupational workers (Traders, Fishermen and Staff/Students). Five dosimeters were deployed in each of the three sites for calibration to measure UV absorbance in J/m2 while seven in each site were used for body parts. UV/VIS-spectrophotometer was handily used to measure both post and pre-absorbance and the UV exposures were calculated. The UV index was also calculated. Result shows that, head top had the highest exposure values 7.19kJ/m2, 6.51kJ/m2 and 7.00kJ/m2, while the least values was under cloth cover 2.47kJ/m2, 2.08kJ/m2 and 2.20kJ/m2 for traders, fishermen and staff/students respectively. Similarly, the calculated cumulative exposures were 3289.36kJ/m2, 497.82kJ/m2 and 1515.60kJ/m2 at the market square, river bank and the campus respectively. These values were higher than international ICNIRP average value 30J/m2. UV index at market square was 9 (media graphic colour purple), while at river bank and BSU campus was 8 (media graphic colour reddish). High mean irradiant values with high UV index indicates high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Therefore, use of sun protective clothing is recommended and reduce time in the sun especially between 1:00pm and 2:00pm to prevent over exposure that will lead to serious harmful effects especially at the market place.

Emergency department visits for heat-related illness among workers: Occupational health surveillance using Washington syndromic surveillance data.

Information on worker occupation and industry is critical to understanding the occupational risks of heat-related illness (HRI), yet few syndromic surveillance systems capture these key data elements. This study evaluates the work data reported through Washington syndromic surveillance for its utility in characterizing HRI ED visits by industry and occupation. Standard industry and occupation codes were assigned to employer name and occupation descriptions reported in Washington ED visit records maintained within the state's syndromic surveillance system, for visits involving HRI in 2020-2022. HRI ED visits involving workplace heat exposure were identified based on discharge diagnoses or on keywords in the triage note or chief complaint fields. HRI ED visits were summarized by patient characteristics, and visit rates were calculated by industry and occupation. Employer name or occupation descriptions were reported in 21.5% of HRI ED records among patients age 16 and older, and in 41.2% of records with mention of heat exposure at work. Twice as many records were classified for industry as for occupation. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting and transportation and warehousing had the highest rates of HRI ED visits. Specific industries with the highest rates included support activities for agriculture and forestry, the postal service, and fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing. Syndromic surveillance data are a valuable source of occupational health surveillance information when work characteristics are reported, enhancing our understanding of the occupational risks of injuries and illnesses.

The Face of Autism in Israel.

This article seeks to offer a comprehensive perspective on autism in Israel, aligning with global reports. It aims to serve as a foundational resource for policymakers in developing relevant support and point to unmet needs. The data was drawn from publications by Israeli government authorities and academic publications. In 2022, the prevalence of child and adolescent autism in Israel was approximately 1.13%, with a male-to-female ratio of 4:1, and an annual increase of 23%, particularly among young children. In Israel, the diagnosis of autism follows the DSM-5 guidelines and is conducted by a physician and a psychologist specializing in autism. Typically, diagnosis is at age 2. The autism intervention approaches prevalent in Israel are consistent with those that are globally accepted. Children with autism are entitled to special education services adapted to their needs and developmental levels. The legally established package of services for children with autism includes sessions with occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), physical therapists, psychologists, and social workers. Children and adults with autism are eligible for disability allowance along with support regarding residence, educational programs, and employment opportunities. Nonetheless, underdiagnosis and low accessibility to services are common in minority populations and rural areas. Furthermore, in recent years, services for autistic individuals have declined. This decline, particularly considering the ongoing rise in the prevalence of autism, pose significant challenges for Israeli government authorities in ensuring that autistic persons receive appropriate support.

O38 - Occupational stressors, and personal and work characteristics, and their association with burnout in midwives: findings from a cross-sectional study in Victoria, Australia

O38 - Occupational stressors, and personal and work characteristics, and their association with burnout in midwives: findings from a cross-sectional study in Victoria, Australia

Current Status of Occupational Health and Safety Education in Engineering Departments of Earth Sciences at Universities

In this study, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) education in Geological Engineering, Geophysical Engineering, Mineral Processing Engineering and Mining Engineering departments, which are categorised as “earth sciences” departments, is examined. Earth sciences, which is one of the significant industries of our country, is one of the leading business lines that require expertise, experience, knowledge and constant surveillance due to the risks it contains by its nature. The reason why occupational diseases and work accidents are encountered more frequently than in other sectors is that it is a labour-intensive line of work. In adjunct to this, the truth that there is still not sufficient and necessary realisation on OHS and that the significance is not at the level it should be is is also of fundamental relevance in occurence of occupational diseases and accidents. OHS, which is a methodical and scientifically orientated set of studies carried out to protect workers and third parties from conditions that may be harmful to safety and health such as physical, chemical and psychosocial reasons during work in workplaces, has been improving since the beginning of the programme. Although OHS has increasingly become more important in our country in the last few years, there are still deficiencies in OHS education. The demand for qualified human resources in the field of OHS has a tendency to rise further with the entry into force of Law No. 6331. In Earth Sciences Engineering departments, which are in the category of high-risk occupations, a good education is required in order to shape OHS awareness in students in the right way. In this work, the present situation of OHS courses was investigated by analysing the curricula of Mining Engineering in 23 universities, Mineral Processing Engineering in 1 university, Geological Engineering in 33 universities and Geophysical Engineering in 12 universities in Turkey. On the basis of the data acquired, solution suggestions for the improvement of OHS education are presented.

Enhancing Public Health: Research on Occupational Health Measures and Employee Productivity in Manufacturing

Occupational health measures are rules and regulations designed to protect workers' physical and mental health while they are at work. These precautions consist of health exams, safety procedures, environmental modification, and stress reduction plans. This research’s goal is to investigate the impact of occupational health measure (OHM), work environment, and employee productivity, to investigate the significant variable in manufacturing. A total of 54 respondents were provided. Questions were used to get the data. SPSS software is used. ANOVA, chi-square test, regression analysis test, Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) test, and Cronbach’s alpha (α) test are employed in the analysis of the outcomes. The findings indicate that OHM, employee productivity, and work environment in enhancing public health are simultaneously significant to manufacturing. OHM and employee productivity are the significant factor that affects manufacturing. By mitigating health hazards and advancing employee welfare, businesses establish more secure work environments that promote increased productivity and effectiveness. In the end, successful public health programs support both overall corporate performance and employee happiness.

The role of female managers in enhancing employee well-being: a path through workplace resources

Purpose Following the job demands-resources theory, this study aims to investigate the role of female managers in enhancing employee well-being in terms of psychological health via workplace resources. Design/methodology/approach Based on a large-scale job stress survey of approximately 96,000 employee-year observations ranging from 2017 to 2019, this study applies structural equation modeling to construct latent workplace resources at the task, group and worksite levels and then examines the impact of female managers on employee well-being, including occupational stress, job satisfaction, work engagement and workplace cohesiveness. Findings The findings provide supporting evidence for the transformational leadership behaviors of female managers. The presence of women in management is associated with improved workplace resources and employee well-being, particularly workplace cohesiveness, work engagement and reduced occupational stress. These relationships are significantly mediated by workplace resources, which elucidates the underlying mechanisms involved. Notably, the positive indirect effects via workplace resources could counteract the negative direct effects of female managers. Compared with top managers, female middle managers have more substantial impacts. Practical implications In practice, it is recommended to promote female representation at the management level and strengthen policies that support female middle managers to ensure favorable effects on workplace resources. In a gender-diverse management team, it is important to share female managers’ experiences in improving employee psychological well-being. Originality/value This study provides new empirical evidence to support the transformational leadership behaviors of female managers and elucidates the mechanism of female managers’ influence on employee well-being by introducing workplace resources as mediators.

Diversion of hospital admissions from the emergency department using an interprofessional team: a propensity score analysis.

To examine if an ED interprofessional team ("ED1Team") could safely decrease hospital admissions among older persons. This single-center, retrospective, propensity score matched study was performed at a single ED during a control (December 2/2018-March 31/2019) and intervention (December 2/2019-March 31/2020) period. The intervention was assessed by the ED1Team, which could include an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and social worker. We compared admission rates between period in persons age ≥ 70years. Next, we compared visits attended by the ED1Team to (a) control period visits, and (b) intervention period visits without ED1Team attendance. ED length-of-stay, 7-day subsequent hospital admission and mortality in discharged patients. There were 5496 and 4876 eligible ED visits during the control and intervention periods, respectively. In the latter group, 556 (11.4%) received ED1Team assessment. After matching, there was an absolute 2.3% (p = 0.07) reduction in the admission rate between control and intervention periods. After matching the 556 ED1Team attended visits to control period visits, and to intervention period visits without the intervention, admission rates decreased by 10.0% (p = 0.006) and 13.5% (p < 0.001), respectively. For discharged patients, median ED length-of-stay decreased by 1.0h (p < 0.001) between control and intervention periods and increased by 2.3h (p < 0.001) compared to intervention period without the intervention. For patients discharged by the ED1Team, subsequent readmissions after 7days were slightly higher, but mortality was not significantly different. ED1Team consultation was associated with a decreased hospital admission rate in older ED patients. It was associated with a slightly longer ED length-of-stay and subsequent early hospitalizations. Given that even a small increase in freed hospital beds would release some of the pressure on an overextended healthcare system, these results suggest that upscaling of the intervention might procure systems-wide benefits.

Demographic and socioeconomic disparity in knowledge, attitude, and practice towards tuberculosis in Northwest, China: evidence from multilevel model study

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains a serious global public health problem in China. The right knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards TB are indispensable to appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviors and treatment services timely. However, there are few studies that addressed the KAP towards TB in high-risk and under-developing regions in China. This study aims to evaluate the KAP towards TB in Ningxia Northwest, China, and identify factors that influence it. The findings can guide future health education and promotion interventions.MethodsA stratified multistage random sampling method was used to conduct a face-to-face questionnaire survey with 33 items for selected residents. The composite score of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) was divided into two groups, which are poor (scores below the average) and good (scores above the average). A two-level logistic model with a random intercept equation accounted for the similarity of residents within communities to examine the association between individual-level KAP and demographic and socioeconomic factors.ResultsA total of 2,341 residents were recruited, the mean age was 50, and 41.2% were female. The percentages of residents who were total awareness of TB knowledge and had positive attitudes and behavior toward TB were 51.9%, 75.3%, and 76.2%, respectively. The two-level logistic model demonstrated that residents with a high annual family income, urban living, primary school education or higher, occupation of teacher or doctor, a very good self-perceived status, medical insurance, knowing DOTS, and family members or friends with TB history had better knowledge of TB (P < 0.05). Residents living in urban areas, with junior and senior high school education, a very good self-perceived status, health insurance, knowing DOTS, and family members or friends with TB history had positive attitude of TB (P < 0.05). Residents living in urban areas, a primary school education or higher, occupation of teacher, doctor and workers, a very good self-perceived status, medical insurance, knowing DOTS, and family members or friends with TB history had positive practice of TB (P < 0.05).ConclusionsFavorable demographic (higher education levels, teachers or doctors) and socioeconomic (high income, living in urban area) factors are associated to better knowledge, attitudes and practices toward TB in Northwest China. Interventions to improve KAP at the community level are required to speed up the TB reduction rate, which may benefit to ensure the End TB Strategy will be achieved.

Application of The Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) Method to Improve Work Safety in The Automotive Spare Parts Industry

This industry consists of companies engaged in metal processing and workmanship. Companies often receive complaints from employees concerning pain or discomfort in their bodies, causing diseases such as low back pain and myalgia. The risk of accidents occurring at work is inseparable from the work done. Work-related accidents can occur due to several factors, including unsafe action. One cause of unsafe actions can be found in various unsafe work postures that workers assume. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the posture of these workers so that it can improve their safety and health. This research was conducted by identifying occupational risks workers face and examining work performed in stamping products. The production section consists of six stations: material handling, stamping, welding, hemming, painting, and packing. The work risks run by workers have been identified using the Nordic Body Map (NBM) questionnaire and interview methods. As for the identification of the type of work carried out by evaluating work postures, the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method has been employed. The risk level of accidents is also used for the selection of activities to be improved to minimize the level of injury risk caused by work postures that have been assumed, and in order to improve the safety and health of the workers. Improvements made are in engineering, such as manufacturing of assistive devices, and management engineering, such as providing directions that can improve the specific work posture used. Calculations are based on simulations performed with tools conducted with suggested postures by evaluation using the REBA method. Based on the results of REBA calculations, the resulting risk is lower than the one caused by the previously assumed posture, namely medium and low.

“Willing to go the extra mile”: an exploration of antecedents of assigned expatriates' work engagement

PurposeThe expatriation literature (a substantial domain of the International HRM literature) has not paid sufficient attention to the phenomenon of work engagement, which is essential for expatriate success. Equally, research on work engagement in Organizational Behavior, although extensive and mature, has neglected the context of expatriation. Our study bridges the two literature streams to examine the antecedents of expatriates’ work engagement within the distinct context of international assignments.Design/methodology/approachThrough e-interviews with 27 Nordic assigned expatriates in 16 host countries, we delineate and organize antecedents of assigned expatriates’ work engagement in a framework.FindingsWe identify two clusters of antecedents – general and specific – characteristic of expatriate settings (e.g. distance to headquarters, pride in being chosen, culture, fewer distractions, success in a foreign context, adjustment, location, and language). We decompose each cluster into contextual and job-related antecedents leading to absorption, dedication, and vigor as three components of work engagement. We depict and organize the relationships in a framework.Originality/valueOur qualitative study connects two bodies of literature that have remained largely independent of each other. In doing this, we contribute to the expatriate literature by presenting a comprehensive picture of antecedents to work engagement and the engagement literature by exploring engagement in a new occupational work setting, namely international assignments.

Benchmark Dose of Melamine Exposure for a Renal Injury Marker Mediated by Oxidative Stress: Examples in Patients with Urolithiasis and Occupational Workers.

Establishing a safe exposure level from epidemiological studies while providing direct hazard characterization in humans often faces uncertainty in causality, especially cross-sectional data. With advances in molecular epidemiology, it is reasonable to integrate identified intermediate biomarkers into health risk assessment. In this study, by considering the mediation of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), we explored the exposure threshold of melamine on the early renal injury marker N-acetyl-β-D glucosaminidase (NAG). The benchmark dose (BMD) was derived from model averaging of the composite direct effect of melamine exposure and the indirect effect through the mediation of MDA on NAG levels. As illustrative examples, we analyzed 309 adult patients with calcium urolithiasis and 80 occupational workers for the corresponding exposure thresholds. The derived threshold was subpopulation-dependent, with the one-sided lower bound BMDL10 for the patients with urolithiasis with (without) the mediator MDA for the patients with kidney stones and the occupational workers being 0.88 (0.96) μg/kg_bw/day and 22.82 (18.09) μg/kg_bw/day, respectively. The derived threshold levels, considering the oxidative stress marker MDA, were consistent with those without adjusting for the mediation effect. However, the study outcomes were further supported by the suggested mechanism pathway. The threshold for the patients with urolithiasis was up to two orders lower than the current tolerable daily intake level of 200 μg/kg_bw/day recommended by the WHO (EFSA).

SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence by industry, workplace characteristics, and workplace infection prevention and control measures, North Carolina, USA, 2021 to 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected workers in certain industries and occupations, and the workplace can be a high-risk setting for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this study, we measured SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence and identified work-related risk factors in a population primarily working at industrial livestock operations. We used a multiplex salivary SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay to determine infection-induced antibody prevalence among 236 adult (≥18 yr) North Carolina residents between February 2021 and August 2022. We used the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS) to classify employed participants' industry. Most participants (55%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 49% to 62%) were infection-induced IgG positive, including 71% (95% CI 60% to 83%) of animal slaughtering and processing industry workers, 1.5 to 4.3 times North Carolina general population infection-induced seroprevalence estimates during overlapping time periods. Considering self-reported diagnostic test positivity and vaccination history in addition to antibodies, the proportion of participants with evidence of prior infection increased slightly to 61% (95% CI 55% to 67%), including 75% (95% CI 64% to 87%) of animal slaughtering and processing workers. Participants with more than 1000 compared to 10 or fewer coworkers at their jobsite had higher odds of prior infection (adjusted odds ratio 4.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 21.0). This study contributes evidence of the severe and disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on animal slaughtering and processing workers and workers in large congregate settings.