Search results

1

Contribution of occupational health for prevention of work-related cardiovascular disorders (WR-CVDS)

100%

Rantanen J. H.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2015

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vol. 28

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issue 1

1-3

2

Job satisfaction of occupational physicians in commercial and other delivery settings: A comparative and explorative study

70%

Plomp H., Beek A.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2014

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vol. 27

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issue 4

672-682

EN

Objectives: Commercialization of occupational health services (OHS) and transition to a supplier market which started in 1995, has affected work and working conditions of occupational physicians (OPs) profoundly. OPs have lost influence on the organization of their work and managers took over control. This study explores the impact of commercialization on job satisfaction of occupational physicians. Material and Methods: Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by 797 OPs, members of the Netherlands Association of Occupational Medicine (response: 45%). A range of work satisfiers and dissatisfiers measures was included that, according to the Social Action Approach, could explain the variation in job satisfaction. Stepwise multivariate regression analyses were performed to explore to what extent the differences in job satisfaction can be attributed to the characteristics of the setting, biographical variables, satisfiers and dissatisfiers. Results: Occupational physicians in commercial settings had the lowest average score as regards job satisfaction (6.7) contrasting sharply with their colleagues in private practices (8.7) and in non-commercial settings (7.9). The variation in job satisfaction between delivery settings could largely be attributed to satisfiers and dissatisfiers. Biographical characteristics (age, gender) had no effect. The data suggested that not commercialization as such, but the ability of commercial OHS providers to integrate professional values was the crucial factor to bring about job satisfaction. Conclusions: The challenge for commercial OHS providers is to preserve the professional zeal in OPs by integrating professional values in their organization in order to improve the quality of the services and the attractiveness of the profession.

3

Świadczenia medycyny pracy jako produkt ubezpieczeniowy i ubezpieczeniowe instrumenty ekonomiczne

61%

Rydlewska-Liszkowska I.

Medycyna Pracy

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2014

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vol. 65

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issue 2

279-287

EN

Background: One of the most controversial issues in restructuring the Polish health insurance system is the implementation of private voluntary insurance and creation within it a new insurance product known as occupational health services (OHS). In this article some opportunities and dilemmas likely to be faced by providers and employers/employees, when contracting with insurance institutions, are considered as a contribution to the discussion on private insurance in Poland. The basic question is how private insurance institutions could influence the promotion of different preventive activities at the company level by motivating both OHS providers and employers. Material and Methods: The descriptive qualitative method has been applied in the analysis of legal acts, scientific publications selected according to keywords (Pubmed), documents and expert evaluations and research project results. Results: Taking into account the experiences of European countries, described in publications, international experts' opinions and results of research projects the solution proposed in Poland could be possible under the following several prerequisites: inclusion of a full scope of occupational health services into the insurance product, constant supervision of occupational medicine professionals, monitoring of the health care quality and the relations between private insurers and OHS provider and implementation of the economic incentives scheme to ensure an adequate position of OHS providers on the market. Conclusions: The proposed reconstruction of the health insurance system, comprising undoubtedly positive elements, may entail some threats in the area of health, organization and economy. Private voluntary health insurance implementation requires precisely defined solutions concerning the scope of insurance product, motivation scheme and information system. Med Pr 2014;65(2):279–287

PL

Wstęp: Jednym z najbardziej kontrowersyjnych problemów restrukturyzacji polskiego systemu ubezpieczeń zdrowotnych jest wprowadzenie prywatnych dobrowolnych ubezpieczeń i włączenie do nich świadczeń z zakresu medycyny pracy jako produktu prywatnego ubezpieczenia. W artykule, który jest głosem w dyskusji na ten temat, podjęto zagadnienia potencjalnych możliwości i zagrożeń, jakie mogłyby pojawić się po stronie jednostek medycyny pracy i pracodawców zawierających umowy z prywatnymi ubezpieczycielami. Podstawowe pytanie, jakie może zostać zadane, dotyczy wpływu funkcjonowania prywatnych ubezpieczeń na wzmocnienie działań profilaktycznych poprzez zastosowanie mechanizmów motywacyjnych. Materiał i metody: W analizie zgromadzonego materiału - aktów prawnych, wybranych według słów kluczowych publikacji naukowych (Pubmed), dokumentów i materiałów eksperckich oraz wyników projektów badawczych - zastosowano opisową metodę jakościową. Wyniki: Z doświadczeń krajów europejskich wynika, że proponowane w Polsce rozwiązanie jest możliwe po spełnieniu wielu warunków - włączenia wszystkich świadczeń medycyny pracy do produktu ubezpieczeniowego, utrzymania nadzoru i monitorowania jakości świadczeń oraz relacji między prywatnymi ubezpieczycielami a jednostkami medycyny pracy przez uprawnionych specjalistów w dziedzinie medycyny pracy oraz wprowadzenia ekonomicznych mechanizmów motywacyjnych w celu zapewnienia odpowiedniej (merytorycznej i ekonomicznej) pozycji dostawców świadczeń medycyny pracy na rynku. Wnioski: Proponowana rekonstrukcja systemu ubezpieczeń zdrowotnych, niewątpliwie zawierająca plusy, w praktyce może powodować zagrożenia w obszarze efektów zdrowotnych, organizacyjnych lub ekonomicznych. Implementacja dobrowolnych ubezpieczeń zdrowotnych wymaga precyzyjnych rozwiązań w odniesieniu do zakresu produktu ubezpieczeniowego, konstrukcji systemu motywacyjnego oraz budowy platformy informacyjnej. Med. Pr. 2014;65(2):279–287

4

Simplified risk assessment of noise induced hearing loss by means of 2 spreadsheet models

61%

Lie A., Engdahl B., Tambs K.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2016

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vol. 29

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issue 6

991-999

EN

Objectives The objective of this study has been to test 2 spreadsheet models to compare the observed with the expected hearing loss for a Norwegian reference population. Material and Methods The prevalence rates of the Norwegian and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) definitions of hearing outcomes were calculated in terms of sex and age, 20–64 years old, for a screened (with no occupational noise exposure) (N = 18 858) and unscreened (N = 38 333) Norwegian reference population from the Nord-Trøndelag Hearing Loss Study (NTHLS). Based on the prevalence rates, 2 different spreadsheet models were constructed in order to compare the prevalence rates of various groups of workers with the expected rates. The spreadsheets were then tested on 10 different occupational groups with varying degrees of hearing loss as compared to a reference population. Results Hearing of office workers, train drivers, conductors and teachers differed little from the screened reference values based on the Norwegian and the NIOSH criterion. The construction workers, miners, farmers and military had an impaired hearing and railway maintenance workers and bus drivers had a mildly impaired hearing. The spreadsheet models give a valid assessment of the hearing loss. Conclusions The use of spreadsheet models to compare hearing in occupational groups with that of a reference population is a simple and quick method. The results are in line with comparable hearing thresholds, and allow for significance testing. The method is believed to be useful for occupational health services in the assessment of risk of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) and the preventive potential in groups of noise-exposed workers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(6):991–999

5

Do workers’ health surveillance examinations fulfill their occupational preventive objective? Analysis of the medical practice of occupational physicians in Catalonia, Spain

61%

Rodríguez-Jareño M. C., Molinero E., de Montserrat J., Vallès A., Aymerich M.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2017

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vol. 30

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issue 6

823-848

EN

Objectives Although routine workers’ health examinations are extensively performed worldwide with important resource allocation, few studies have analyzed their quality. The objective of this study has been to analyze the medical practice of workers’ health examinations in Catalonia (Spain) in terms of its occupational preventive aim. Material and Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online survey addressed to occupational physicians who were members of the Catalan Society of Safety and Occupational Medicine. The questionnaire included factual questions on how they performed health examinations in their usual practice. The bivariate analysis of the answers was performed by type of occupational health service (external/internal). Results The response rate was 57.9% (N = 168), representing 40.3% of the reference population. A high percentage of occupational physicians had important limitations in their current medical practice, including availability of clinical and exposure information, job-specificity of tests, and early detection and appropriate management of suspected occupational diseases. The situation in external occupational health services – that covered the great majority of Catalan employees – was worse remarkably in regard to knowledge of occupational and nonoccupational sickness absence data, participation in the investigation of occupational injuries and diseases, and accessibility for workers to the occupational health service. Conclusions This study raises serious concerns about the occupational preventive usefulness of these health examinations, and subsequently about our health surveillance system, based primarily on them. Professionals alongside health and safety institutions and stakeholders should promote the rationalization of this system, following the technical criteria of need, relevance, scientific validity and effectiveness, whilst ensuring that its ultimate goal of improving the health and safety of workers in relation to work is fulfilled. Other countries with similar surveillance systems might be encouraged by our results to assess how their practices fit the intended purpose. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):823–848

6

Occupational diseases in the automotive industry in Czechia – Geographic and medical context

61%

Jarolímek J., Urban P., Pavlínek P., Dzurova D.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2017

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vol. 30

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issue 3

455-468

EN

Objectives The automotive industry represents the most important industrial sector in Czechia. The objective of this study has been to analyze the occurrence of occupational diseases (OD) in the automotive industry during the period from 2001 till 2014. Material and Methods Data on OD cases was retrieved from the National Registry of OD. Further, we conducted a survey in automotive companies with focus on occupational health services and positions of the companies in global production networks (GPNs). An analysis of OD distribution in the automotive industry was performed (age, gender, company size and its role in GPNs, regional distribution of studied companies, and regional unemployment rate), and was accompanied by assessment of the quality and range of occupational health services. Results Employees older than 40 years old have nearly 2.5 times higher probability of OD occurrence as compared with employees younger than 40 years old (odds ratio (OR) = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.05–2.85). Occupational diseases occurrence probability was 3 times higher for women than for men (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 2.55–3.55). Occupational diseases incidence rates increased with the size of the company (0 OD/10 000 employees in micro enterprises to 57 OD/10 000 employees in large enterprises). A particularly steep rise in OD incidents in the automotive industry was observed in the Plzeň Region between 2001 and 2011. An association between OD incidents and the unemployment rate was not statistically confirmed. Conclusions A statistically significant increase in OD incidents dependent on company size may be arguably attributed to a higher quality of occupational medical services in bigger companies, which ensures better detection and diagnosis of OD. In the Plzeň Region, the rapid increase in OD incidents was mainly caused by a change in the production process of automobile textiles in one factory due to the introduction of a glue containing isocyanates, which are potent allergising agents. This led to an increase in occupational allergic diseases – bronchial asthma in particular. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(3):455–468

7

The role of occupational health services in cancer prevention – which factors determine the implementation of preventive measures?

61%

Wiszniewska M., Marcinkiewicz A., Lipińska-Ojrzanowska A., Kalska-Sochacka K., Walusiak Skorupa J.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2021

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vol. 34

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issue 6

723-736

EN

ObjectivesEpidemiological data on cancer diseases are alarming. The workplace has become an increasingly important site for disseminating health information and implementing health promotion activities. Occupational medicine physicians (OMPs) have the opportunity to carry out primary and secondary preventive activities focused on civilization diseases, especially cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of OMPs in cancer prevention, including the analysis of factors determining the implementation of preventive measures, as part of standard healthcare for employees.Material and MethodsThe study was conducted among 362 OMPs. The interviews were carried out by the computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) method.ResultsOver 60% of the surveyed OMPs are ready to implement cancer preventive activities among employees. The doctors with the longest seniority in occupational health services are more likely to declare unwillingness to implement cancer preventive activities. Patient’s consent, informing women about the program and adjusting the time of the medical visit are the most important conditions for introducing cancer prevention programs by OMPs. Neither seniority nor the number of examinations performed by a physician influenced the currently implemented cancer preventive activities as part of occupational health services (including the evaluation of cancer risk factors occurrence among employees).ConclusionsIn Poland, OMPs are willing to implement cancer preventive activities among employees, but their current activity in this area is limited and needs development. The most specific actions should be addressed to doctors with the longest seniority in occupational health services, who are frequently unwilling to implement cancer preventive activities. Strengthening the preventive potential of Polish occupational health services requires a systemic approach to the scope and way of action of healthcare professionals.

8

Health promotion and prevention in occupational health systems in Europe

61%

Sakowski P., Marcinkiewicz A.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2018

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vol. 32

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issue 3

353-361

EN

Objectives In the contemporary Western culture, working population health issues, stressed in various publications, have been perceived as a crucial part of public health. To deal with occupational health issues properly, occupational health services (OHS), aiming at the protection of the workers’ health, are organized in many countries. The survey was to find the differences in occupational health systems that the European Economic Area countries use in order to execute prophylactic activities focused on diseases of affluence and how the OHS are used for health promotion actions. Material and Methods The survey was conducted with the use of an on-line expert questionnaire. No deep statistical analysis was performed as for the designed aims of the study simple statistics were sufficient. Results All the reviewed countries have organized OHS. The funding mechanisms are based mainly on the financial involvement of employers. In the majority of countries, the main goal of the OHS is certification of the ability to work. Workplace surveillance aiming at the occupational risk assessment and health promotion activities that focus on work-related and/or occupational diseases are the most popular services provided within national systems. Conclusions Occupational health professionals are well placed to perform actions directed at health promotion and prophylactics of a wide range of diseases – not only occupational/work-related, but also non-communicable, particularly life-style-related diseases of affluence. The engagement of the occupational medical services (OMS) in prevention of the non-work-related health issues would be valuable. However, it would be inevitable for employers to finance a wider range of services to a greater extent. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(3):353–61

9

COVID-19 and respiratory protection for healthcare providers

61%

Sozkes S., Sozkes S.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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2020

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vol. 34

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issue 2

307-318

EN

This article has investigated the considerations of healthcare facilities to utilize reusable respirators as an alternative to disposable respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to choose specific equipment should be based on the protection factors and also on the overall analysis of given conditions. International scientific databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed and MedLine, were searched on May 5, 2020, with the following key words: COVID-19, respiratory protection, surgical masks, filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) and disposable respirators. The differences between various respiratory protective equipment, i.e., surgical masks, respirators such as FFRs, elastomeric half-facepiece respirators, elastomeric full-facepiece respirators and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), were compared. Reusable elastomeric respirators (RERs) may provide a better adaptation to the face and may be more stable when used by healthcare providers (HCPs). Protection factors were found to be higher in FFRs compared to surgical masks. While FFRs provide a one-tenth decrease in the inhaled aerosol concentration, PAPRs diminish the inhaled aerosol up to one-twenty-fifth. Even with some full-face PAPRs and helmets, the protection factor assigned by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration can reach a value up to 1000. For HCPs, the evidence shown in this article provides an additional support for the utilization of RERs. Such equipment might be less prone to leakages, can provide a better fit, and indicates a better stability compared to disposable FFRs (N95 and similar). By providing higher protection factors, reusable elastomeric respirators are recommended to be used by HCPs under controlled cleaning and disinfection protocols.

10

Kierunki organizacyjno-ekonomicznych zmian ochrony zdrowia nad osobami pracującymi jako odpowiedź na pandemię COVID-19 – wyzwania wobec kryzysów zdrowotnych

41%

Rydlewska-Liszkowska I.

Medycyna Pracy

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2022

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vol. 73

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issue 6

471-483

EN

The COVID-19 pandemic caused not only short-term organizational and economic changes in the functioning of occupational health services, but also enforced to include them in the formulation of a strategic systemic approach to this link of the health care system. The aim of the article is to identify and describe the organizational and economic changes in occupational health services during the pandemic. On this basis, the directions of further research on the improvement of the activities of health care entities of working people in response to future health crises have been formulated. The review covered legal acts relating to organizational and economic changes, Polish and foreign expert publications, full-text Polish and English-language scientific articles included in the PubMed database, publications beyond the specified period, consistent and useful in explaining the concepts of organization, management and economics. The changes in occupational health services presented in the literature during the pandemic consisted of: introducing additional organizational forms of providing health care to employees including occupational medicine leaders, strengthening supervision over working conditions, interdisciplinary cooperation for managing the health of working people, participation in pro-vaccination campaigns, activities in the field of rehabilitation after COVID-19 and new-quality cooperation with public and private health stakeholders. As the result of the review, problems were formulated for future research, which included ensuring the security of occupational medicine entities in terms of resource availability, adjusting the allocation of resources to new financial needs during and after a pandemic, evaluation of organizational and economic changes introduced during the pandemic and the legitimacy of their maintenance in subsequent periods, the development of economic and organizational instruments for the time of crisis, the scope and principles of cooperation with health care stakeholders and the introduction of medical technologies based on a medical and economic assessment according to Health Technology Assessment. Med Pr. 2022;73(6):471–83

PL

Pandemia COVID-19 wywołała nie tylko doraźne organizacyjno-ekonomiczne zmiany w funkcjonowaniu ochrony zdrowia w środowisku pracy, ale również skłoniła do uwzględnienia ich w formułowaniu strategicznego podejścia systemowego do tego elementu systemu ochrony zdrowia. Celem artykułu jest identyfikacja i opis zmian organizacyjno-ekonomicznych ochrony zdrowia w środowisku pracy w czasie pandemii. Określono kierunki badań nad doskonaleniem działalności podmiotów ochrony zdrowia osób pracujących w odpowiedzi na przyszłe kryzysy zdrowotne. Przeglądowi poddano akty prawne odnoszące się do zmian organizacyjno-ekonomicznych, polskie i zagraniczne publikacje eksperckie, pełnotekstowe artykuły naukowe polsko- i angielskojęzyczne ujęte w bazie PubMed oraz publikacje wykraczające poza wyznaczony okres, spójne i użyteczne w wyjaśnianiu pojęć z zakresu organizacji, zarządzania i ekonomiki zdrowia. Przedstawione zmiany ochrony zdrowia w okresie pandemii polegały na: wprowadzeniu dodatkowych form organizacyjnych zapewniania opieki zdrowotnej pracownikom, w tym wprowadzenie liderów medycyny pracy, wzmocnieniu nadzoru nad warunkami pracy, interdyscyplinarnej współpracy na rzecz zarządzania zdrowiem osób pracujących, udziale w kampaniach proszczepionkowych i działaniach w zakresie rehabilitacji pocovidowej oraz nowej jakościowo współpracy z interesariuszami publicznej i prywatnej ochrony zdrowia. W wyniku przeprowadzonego przeglądu wskazano problemy przyszłych prac badawczych, do których zaliczono zapewnienie bezpieczeństwa podmiotów medycyny pracy w zakresie dostępności zasobów, dostosowanie alokacji zasobów do nowych potrzeb finansowych w czasie pandemii i podczas wychodzenia z niej, ewaluację zmian organizacyjnych oraz ekonomicznych wprowadzonych w okresie pandemii i zasadności ich utrzymania w kolejnych okresach, opracowanie ekonomiczno-organizacyjnego instrumentarium na czas kryzysu, zakres i zasady współpracy z interesariuszami ochrony zdrowia oraz wprowadzenie technologii medycznych bazujących na medyczno-ekonomicznej ocenie zgodnej z wytycznymi Oceny Technologii Medycznych. Med. Pr. 2022;73(6):471–483

11

Sztuczna inteligencja a zdrowie pracownika – nowe wyzwania

41%

Walusiak-Skorupa J., Kaczmarek P., Wiszniewska M.

Medycyna Pracy

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2023

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vol. 74

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issue 1

227-233

EN

Background The presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in many areas of social life is becoming widespread. The advantages of AI are being observed in medicine, commerce, automobiles, customer service, agriculture and production in factory settings, among others. Workers first encountered robots in the work environment in the 1960s. Since then, intelligent systems have become much more advanced. The expansion of AI functionality in the work environment exacerbates human health risks. These can be physical (lack of adequate machine control, accidents) or psychological (technostress, fear, automation leading to job exclusion, changes in the labour market, widening social differences). Material and Methods The purpose of this article is to identify, based on selected literature, possible applications of AI and the potential benefits and risks for humans. Results The main area of interest was the contemporary work environment and the health consequences associated with access to smart technologies. A key research area for us was the relationship between AI and increased worker control. Conclusions In the article, the authors emphasize the importance of relevant EU legislation that guarantees respect for the rights of the employed. The authors put forward the thesis that the new reality with the widespread use of AI, requires an analysis of its impact on the human psycho-social and health situation. Thus, a legal framework defining the scope of monitoring and collection of sensitive data is necessary.

PL

Wstęp Obecność sztucznej inteligencji (artificial intelligence – AI) w wielu dziedzinach życia społecznego staje się powszechna. Wykorzystuje się ją m.in. w medycynie, handlu, motoryzacji, obsłudze klienta, rolnictwie i produkcji w warunkach fabrycznych. Roboty pojawiły się w środowisku pracy po raz pierwszy w latach 60. XX w. – od tego czasu inteligentne systemy stały się dużo bardziej zaawansowane. Rozszerzanie funkcjonalności AI w środowisku pracy pogłębia ryzyko zagrożeń dla zdrowia człowieka. Mogą mieć one charakter fizyczny (brak odpowiedniej kontroli nad maszyną, wypadki) lub psychiczny (technostres, automatyzacja prowadząca do wykluczenia zawodowego, zmiany na rynku pracy, pogłębiające się różnice społeczne). Materiał i metody Celem artykułu jest wskazanie, na podstawie wybranej literatury, możliwych zastosowań AI oraz potencjalnych korzyści i zagrożeń dla człowieka w kontekście współczesnego środowiska pracy. W artykule podkreślono wagę odpowiednich przepisów unijnych gwarantujących poszanowanie praw zatrudnionych. Wyniki Głównym obszarem zainteresowań autorek było współczesne środowisko pracy oraz konsekwencje zdrowotne związane z dostępem do inteligentnych technologii wynikające np. ze zwiększonej kontroli pracownika. Wnioski Autorki uważają, że nowa rzeczywistość z powszechnym wykorzystaniem AI wymaga analizy jej wpływu na sytuację psychospołeczną i zdrowotną człowieka. Tym samym konieczne są ramy prawne określające zakres monitoringu i zbierania wrażliwych danych.

Refine search results

Contribution of occupational health for prevention of work-related cardiovascular disorders (WR-CVDS)

Job satisfaction of occupational physicians in commercial and other delivery settings: A comparative and explorative study

Świadczenia medycyny pracy jako produkt ubezpieczeniowy i ubezpieczeniowe instrumenty ekonomiczne

Simplified risk assessment of noise induced hearing loss by means of 2 spreadsheet models

Do workers’ health surveillance examinations fulfill their occupational preventive objective? Analysis of the medical practice of occupational physicians in Catalonia, Spain

Occupational diseases in the automotive industry in Czechia – Geographic and medical context

The role of occupational health services in cancer prevention – which factors determine the implementation of preventive measures?

Health promotion and prevention in occupational health systems in Europe

COVID-19 and respiratory protection for healthcare providers

Kierunki organizacyjno-ekonomicznych zmian ochrony zdrowia nad osobami pracującymi jako odpowiedź na pandemię COVID-19 – wyzwania wobec kryzysów zdrowotnych

Sztuczna inteligencja a zdrowie pracownika – nowe wyzwania