著者
Maekawa Yumiko Ramos-Cejudo Juan Kanai Atsuko
出版者
公益社団法人 日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.6, pp.632-639, 2016
被引用文献数
6

<p><b>Objectives: </b>Although using mental health services is an effective way to cope with work-related stressors and diseases, many employees do not utilize these services despite service improvements in recent years. The present study aimed to investigate the interaction effects of workplace climate and distress on help-seeking attitudes, and elucidate the reasons for mental health service underutilization in Japan. <b>Methods: </b>A questionnaire was distributed to 650 full-time male Japanese employees. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to investigate interaction effects of workplace climate and distress on help-seeking. <b>Results: </b>Results showed that the association between workplace climate and help-seeking attitudes differed depending on employee distress level. For employees experiencing low levels of distress, openness to seeking treatment increased with a higher evaluation of the mental health services available at the workplace. However, the same did not hold true for employees experiencing high levels of distress. Instead, openness to seeking treatment decreased with perceived risk for career disadvantage for high distress employees. Additionally, negative values for seeking treatment in highly distressed employees decreased only when services were perceived as valuable, and the risk to their career was perceived as low. <b>Conclusions: </b>Overall, these findings indicate that distress distorts the perception of social support, which may lead to underutilization of available services. Assessing employees' distress levels and tailoring adequate interventions could facilitate help-seeking in male employees.</p>
著者
Maekawa Yumiko Ramos-Cejudo Juan Kanai Atsuko
出版者
公益社団法人 日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.6, pp.632-639, 2016
被引用文献数
6

<p><b>Objectives: </b>Although using mental health services is an effective way to cope with work-related stressors and diseases, many employees do not utilize these services despite service improvements in recent years. The present study aimed to investigate the interaction effects of workplace climate and distress on help-seeking attitudes, and elucidate the reasons for mental health service underutilization in Japan. <b>Methods: </b>A questionnaire was distributed to 650 full-time male Japanese employees. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to investigate interaction effects of workplace climate and distress on help-seeking. <b>Results: </b>Results showed that the association between workplace climate and help-seeking attitudes differed depending on employee distress level. For employees experiencing low levels of distress, openness to seeking treatment increased with a higher evaluation of the mental health services available at the workplace. However, the same did not hold true for employees experiencing high levels of distress. Instead, openness to seeking treatment decreased with perceived risk for career disadvantage for high distress employees. Additionally, negative values for seeking treatment in highly distressed employees decreased only when services were perceived as valuable, and the risk to their career was perceived as low. <b>Conclusions: </b>Overall, these findings indicate that distress distorts the perception of social support, which may lead to underutilization of available services. Assessing employees' distress levels and tailoring adequate interventions could facilitate help-seeking in male employees.</p>
著者
Rattaporn Sihawong Ekalak Sitthipornvorakul Arpalak Paksaichol Prawit Janwantanakul
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.1, pp.16-24, 2016 (Released:2016-02-29)
参考文献数
46
被引用文献数
2 52

Objective: All occupations expose workers to varied and unique conditions. The nature of work has been recognized as influencing the health of workers. Whether predictors for chronic neck and low back pain would be occupation-specific is unknown. This study aimed to identify predictors for chronic neck and low back pain in a cohort of office workers. Methods: A prospective study was carried out among 669 healthy office workers. At baseline, risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire and standardized physical examination. A symptomatic case was defined as an individual who reported pain greater than 30 mm on a 100-mm VAS, and chronic pain was defined as experiencing ongoing neck or low back pain for greater than 3 months over the past 6 months. Two regression models were built to analyze the risk factors for developing chronic neck and low back pain. Results: Of the sample, 17 and 27% of office workers who reported a new onset of neck or low back pain developed chronicity, respectively. Predictors for chronic neck pain were high body mass index, frequent neck extension during the work day, high initial pain intensity, and high psychological job demands. The development of chronic low back pain was associated with history of low back pain and high initial pain intensity. Conclusions: The findings suggest that predictors for chronic musculoskeletal pain in a subpopulation may be a subset of predictors identified in a general population or occupation specific. Successful management to prevent chronic musculoskeletal pain may also need to consider the patient's occupation.(J Occup Health 2016; 58: 16–24)
著者
Mirjam Radstaak Sabine A. E. Geurts Debby G. J. Beckers Jos F. Brosschot Michiel A. J. Kompier
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.14-0118-OA, (Released:2014-10-28)
被引用文献数
5 31

Objectives: This longitudinal study examined the associations between work stressors, perseverative cognition and subjective and objective sleep quality. We hypothesized work stressors to be associated with (i) poor nocturnal sleep quality and (ii) higher levels of perseverative cognition during a free evening. We further hypothesized (iii) perseverative cognition to be associated with poor nocturnal sleep quality and (iv) the association between work stressors and sleep quality to be mediated by perseverative cognition. Methods: The participants were 24 pilots working for the Dutch Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). They completed six questionnaires: at the end of three consecutive day shifts and each morning following the shifts. The questionnaires addressed work stressors (workload, distressing shifts and work-related conflicts), subjective sleep quality and perseverative cognition. Participants wore actigraphs to assess sleep onset latency, total sleep time and number of awakenings. Results: Correlation analysis revealed that (i) distressing shifts were related to delayed sleep onset (r = 0.50, p = 0.026) and that workload was related to impaired sleep quality (e.g., subjective sleep quality: r = -0.42, p = 0.044). Moreover, (ii) distressing shifts were positively related to perseverative cognition (r = 0.62, p = 0.002), (iii) perseverative cognition delayed sleep onset (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and (iv) mediated the association between distressing shifts and sleep onset latency. Conclusions: Perseverative cognition may be an explanatory mechanism in the association between work stressors and poor sleep.
著者
Chika Nagaoka Yukiko Uchida
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.13-0065-FS, (Released:2014-04-17)
被引用文献数
3

Objective: In order to safely manage nuclear power plants, their workforce should be mentally healthy. This study clarifies the coping strategies of radiation control personnel and nondestructive inspectors engaged in the periodic inspection of nuclear power plants, the effect of the coping strategies on their mental health, as well as any effect based on whether or not they had worked after the nuclear disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 133 technicians attending a certification course, and among them, our subjects of analysis were 104 people with work experience in radiation control and/or nondestructive inspection. Results: The results indicated that even among workers of the same company who were assigned to similar duties in the periodic inspections of nuclear power plants, the group that had worked at a nuclear plant after the disaster had a tendency to use coping strategies, such as giving up and avoidance-like thinking, which was dissimilar to the group that had not worked at a nuclear plant after the disaster. Further, the former group had higher levels of distress than those who tended to use other coping strategies. In addition, the results suggested that the plan-drafting strategy adopted by the group that had not worked after the disaster did not result in stress reduction. Discussion: Based on these results, we propose a stress management program specifically for radiation workers.
著者
Batmanabane Gitanjali Ramachandran Ananth
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.45, no.3, pp.146-152, 2003 (Released:2003-07-04)
参考文献数
30
被引用文献数
10 34

Objectives-Noise is one of the commonest physical stressors to which industrial workers are exposed. Many workers complain of symptoms associated with a non-specific generalized stress response, including disturbed sleep. However, industrial workers may be exposed to more than one source of stress and it is not possible to completely attribute the disturbed nocturnal sleep and changes in heart rate to the effects of loud noise alone. This study was done to find out whether acute exposure of healthy individuals to loud occupational noise during the daytime would cause changes in their nocturnal sleep architecture, heart rate during sleep and serum cortisol levels. Methods-Baseline polysomnography was done on ten subjects who were exposed for eight hours either to continuous occupational background noise levels of >75dB(A), or a quiet environment. Sleep polysomnography was done on the night prior to and after exposure. Blood was collected for serum cortisol estimation at night prior to sleep and in the morning after waking up. Statistical analysis was done by repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey's post test. Results-The sleep efficiency was less than 80% and the total time spent in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) and the REM onset latency were significantly decreased on the night after exposure to noise. There was a significant increase in stage shifts. The percentage fall in heart rate during sleep was decreased compared to the baseline values. The serum cortisol levels in the morning after exposure to noise was significantly increased. Conclusion-Workers exposed to loud background occupational noise react to the stress and show changes in nocturnal sleep architecture and heart rate which may be contributed to the exposure to noise.
著者
Heidi Janssens Els Clays Bart De Clercq Dirk De Bacquer Lutgart Braeckman
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.55, no.3, pp.132-141, 2013 (Released:2013-10-04)
参考文献数
35
被引用文献数
9 49

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between sickness presenteeism and different types of future sickness absence in 2,983 Belgian middle-aged workers. Methods: Data were collected from 1,372 male and 1,611 female workers. Presenteeism was assessed by a single question, evaluating the frequency of occasions of going at work, despite illness, during the preceding year. Prospective, registered sickness absence data were collected during 12 months of follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between presenteeism and short/long spells of absenteeism and high sickness absence frequency. Results: High rates (>5 times) of presenteeism at baseline were significantly and independently associated with both long spells of sickness absence (at least 15 consecutive sick leave days) (men, OR=2.73, 95% CI=1.24−6.03; women, OR=2.40, 95%CI=1.31−4.40) and short spells of sickness absence (sick leave between 1 and 3 days) (men, OR=2.38, 95%CI=1.25−4.51; women, OR=1.90, 95%CI=1.17−3.11) in both genders during one year follow-up. Moderate rates (2−5 times) of presenteeism were significantly associated with long spells of sickness absence only in the male group (OR=1.90, 95%CI= 1.21−2.97). With regard to high sickness frequency (at least 3 sick leave episodes), a significant and positive association with high rates of presenteeism was demonstrated only in the female workers (OR=2.38, 95%CI=1.40−4.04). Conclusions: These results suggest that presenteeism was related to different types of future sickness absence.(J Occup Health 2013; 55: 132−141)
著者
Shih-Yi Lin Cheng-Li Lin Wu-Huei Hsu I-Kuan Wang Chiz-Chung Chang Chiu-Ching Huang Chia-Hung Kao Shu-Hui Liu Fung-Chang Sung
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.55, no.3, pp.158-166, 2013 (Released:2013-10-04)
参考文献数
36
被引用文献数
1 8

Background: Physicians are frequently studied as a population that experiences extremely high stress, burnout, and prolonged working hours that might harm one's health. However, they have sound medical knowledge and have easy access to medical resources. We studied the incidence of cancer among Taiwanese physicians using a nationwide cohort study design. Methods: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in Taiwan. The physician cohort contained 22,309 physicians, and each physician was randomly frequency-matched according to age and sex with 4 people from the general population. Results: The overall incidence ratio of cancer was 27% lower in the physician cohort than in the nonphysician comparison cohort (33.9 vs. 46.5 people per 10,000 person-years, crude hazard ratio (HR)=0.73, 95% CI=0.70, 0.76). The adjusted HR was 0.78 (95% CI=0.72, 0.84). Female physicians experienced a higher incidence rate ratio of overall cancer, compared to male physicians (crude HR=1.17, 95% CI=1.03, 1.33 vs. crude HR=0.70, 95% CI=0.67, 0.74, respectively). Physicians were at a significantly higher risk of thyroid cancer (HR 1.75, 95% CI=1.14, 2.68), prostate cancer (HR=1.54, 95% CI=1.21, 1.97), breast cancer (HR=1.45, 95% CI=1.00, 2.09), and non-cervical gynecological cancer (HR=4.03, 95% CI=1.77, 9.17), compared with the general population. Conclusions: Physicians are at lower overall risk of cancer than the general population, apart from cancer of the thyroid, prostate, breast, and non-cervical gynecological cancer.(J Occup Health 2013; 55: 158–166)
著者
Etsuji Okamoto Kiyotaka Kikuchi Ginji Endo
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.13-0067-BR, (Released:2013-09-10)
被引用文献数
2 7

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the risk of developing bile duct cancer among workers in the printing industry in comparison with workers in all industries in general. Methods: Prevalence of bile duct cancer was compared between workers in the printing industry and age-standardized controls in all other industries using the claims database of the Japan Health Insurance Association, which insures workers of small-medium sized employers of all industries. Results: Young (aged 30-49) male workers in the printing industry showed an elevated but insignificant standardized prevalence rate ratio (SPRR) for bile duct cancer in comparison with workers in all other industries (SPRR, 1.78; 95%CI,0.63-5.00). The risk was higher for intrahepatic bile duct cancer but remained insignificant (SPRR,3.03; 95%CI,0.52-17.56). Conclusions: The sharply elevated risk of bile duct cancer observed among proof-printing workers of a printing factory in Osaka may not be generalizable to workers in the printing industry nationwide.
著者
Chun-Kai Huang Ka-Chun Siu Hen-Yu Lien Yun-Ju Lee Yang-Hua Lin
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.12-0105-OA, (Released:2013-06-24)
被引用文献数
1 3

Objectives: Pushing tasks are functional activities of daily living. However, shoulder complaints exist among workers exposed to regular pushing conditions. It is crucial to investigate the control of shoulder girdles during pushing tasks. The objective of the study was to demonstrate scapular muscle activities and motions on the dominant side during pushing tasks and the relationship between scapular kinematics and muscle activities in different pushing conditions. Methods: Thirty healthy adults were recruited to push a four-wheel cart in six pushing conditions. The electromyographic signals of the upper trapezius (UT) and serratus anterior (SA) muscles were recorded. A video-based system was used for measuring the movement of the shoulder girdle and scapular kinematics. Differences in scapular kinematics and muscle activities due to the effects of handle heights and weights of the cart were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. The relationships between scapular kinematics and muscle activities were examined by Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results: The changes in upper trapezius and serratus anterior muscle activities increased significantly with increased pushing weights in the one-step pushing phase. The UT/SA ratio on the dominant side decreases significantly with increased handle heights in the one-step pushing phase. The changes in upward rotation, lateral slide and elevation of the scapula decreased with increased pushing loads in the trunk-forward pushing phase. Conclusions: This study indicated that increased pushing loads result in decreased motions of upward rotation, lateral slide and elevation of the scapula; decreased handle heights result in relatively increased activities of the serratus anterior muscles during pushing tasks.
著者
Tjard R Schermer Winifred Malbon Robert Adams Michael Morgan Michael Smith Alan J Crockett
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.12-0189-OA, (Released:2013-06-24)
被引用文献数
1 15

Objectives: Previous studies in firefighters have been contradictory regarding their course of lung function over time. The aim of this ongoing study is to investigate how changes in lung function over time in male metropolitan firefighters compare with those in population controls, and to explore associations between firefighters’ use of personal respiratory protection devices during occupational exposures and their risk of accelerated lung function decline. Methods: A prospective comparison of FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) and FVC (forced vital capacity) was performed between 281 firefighters and 933 population controls. Logistic regression models were used to compare changes from baseline of FEV1 and FVC after 3 years and risk of accelerated decline between the cohorts. Within the firefighter cohort, risk of accelerated decline was compared between subgroups based on use of respiratory protection devices. Results: Controls showed similar mean annual declines for FEV1 and FVC across age categories, whereas firefighters aged <45 years showed increasing values over time (p = 0.040). Firefighters had a lower odds of accelerated FEV1 decline compared with controls (OR = 0.60, 95%CI 0.44; 0.83), but firefighters who never or rarely used respiratory protection during fire knockdown had a higher odds of accelerated FEV1 decline compared with those who used it often or frequently (OR = 2.20, 95%CI 1.02; 4.74). Conclusions: Younger generations of firefighters showed an increase in lung function relative to older colleagues, while population controls consistently showed decline of lung function across all ages. Firefighters who reported to be incompliant in using respiratory protection showed an increased risk of accelerated FEV1 decline.
著者
Shih-Yi Lin Cheng-Li Lin Wu-Huei Hsu I-Kuan Wang Chiz-Chung Chang Chiu-Chin Huang Chia-Hung Kao Shu-Hui Liu
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.12-0263-OA, (Released:2013-04-09)
被引用文献数
1 8

Background: Physicians are frequently studied as a population that experiences extremely high stress, burnout, and prolonged working hours that might harm one’s health. However, they have sound medical knowledge and have easy access to medical resources. We studied the incidence of cancer among Taiwanese physicians using a nationwide cohort study design. Methods: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in Taiwan. The physician cohort contained 22,309 physicians, and each physician was randomly frequency-matched according to age and sex with 4 people from the general population. Results: The overall incidence ratio of cancer was 27% lower in the physician cohort than in the nonphysician comparison cohort (33.9 vs. 46.5 people per 10,000 person-years, crude hazard ratio (HR) = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.70, 0.76). The adjusted HR was 0.78 (95% CI = 0.72, 0.84). Female physicians experienced a higher incidence rate ratio of overall cancer, compared to male physicians (crude HR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.33 vs crude HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.67, 0.74, respectively). Physicians were at a significantly higher risk of thyroid cancer (HR 1.75, 95% CI = 1.14, 2.68), prostate cancer (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.97), breast cancer (HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.00, 2.09), and non-cervical gynecological cancer (HR = 4.03, 95% CI = 1.77, 9.17), compared with the general population. Conclusion: Physicians are at lower overall risk of cancer than the general population, apart from cancer of the thyroid, prostate, breast, and non-cervical gynecological cancer.
著者
Miwa Yamaguchi Kokichi Arisawa Hirokazu Uemura Sakurako Katsuura-Kamano Hidenobu Takami Fusakazu Sawachika Mariko Nakamoto Tomoya Juta Eisaku Toda Kei Mori Manabu Hasegawa Masaharu Tanto Masayuki Shima Yoshio Sumiyoshi Kenji Morinaga Kazunori Kodama Takaichiro Suzuki Masaki Nagai Hiroshi Satoh
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.12-0264-OA, (Released:2013-04-09)
被引用文献数
11 54

Objective: Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have been shown to accumulate in the human body. The purpose of the present study was to examine the factors associated with the blood levels of PFOS and PFOA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 307 men and 301 women (aged 16-76 years) living in 15 prefectures in Japan. Blood levels of PFOS and PFOA were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Hepatic enzymes (γ-GTP, GOT, and GPT) and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and EPA) levels in serum were also measured. Associations between the levels of PFOS and PFOA in blood and the intake frequency of 41 kinds of dishes, foods and beverages and the serum levels of liver enzymes and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were examined using rank correlations. Results: Frequency of intake of boiled fish in broth, sliced raw fish and coastal fish showed significant positive correlations with PFOS concentrations in blood after adjustments for potential confounders. Serum levels of GOT, GPT, DHA and EPA showed significant positive correlations with PFOS and PFOA in blood. There was also a significant regional difference in the blood levels of PFOS and PFOA, with medians being highest in the Tokai/Hokuriku/Kinki region. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the concentrations of PFOS in blood were mainly associated with fish consumption and that the levels of PFOS and PFOA were mainly associated with the serum levels of liver enzymes in Japanese populations. Further investigations are required to clarify the reason for the regional differences in blood levels of PFOS and PFOA in Japan.
著者
Angelo d'Errico Patrizia Caputo Umberto Falcone Lidia Fubini Luisella Gilardi Carlo Mamo Alessandro Migliardi Denis Quarta Elena Coffano
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.52, no.2, pp.115-124, 2010 (Released:2010-04-20)
参考文献数
43
被引用文献数
10 30

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the upper extremity (UE) in a sample of Italian call center (CC) operators, and the relationship between the symptoms and potential workplace risk factors. Methods: During 2005-2006, 775 workers from seven CCs in the Turin area participated in a questionnaire survey of exposure to ergonomic, organizational and psychosocial factors at work, socio-demographics, lifestyle, symptoms and diseases. Musculoskeletal symptoms were defined as self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms in the UE during the previous 28 days, for which a physician was consulted and/or drugs were taken. Relative risks were estimated through Poisson regression models with the Huber-White sandwich estimator of variance. Result: Overall, 45% of workers reported UE symptoms in the last four weeks. Symptoms in the neck were the most prevalent (39%), followed by the shoulder (22%), hand-wrist (10%) and elbow (4%). Among workplace risk factors, neck-shoulder symptoms were associated with low job control, elevated noise, poor desk lighting and impossibility to lean back while sitting; whereas elbow-hand/wrist symptoms were associated with short intervals between calls, insufficient working space, lack of forearm support, job insecurity and long seniority in the CC industry. Conclusions: The high prevalence of UE symptoms in this sample was similar to that reported by other studies conducted in this industry. Our results confirm previously reported associations, such as poor characteristics of the workstation and psychological stressors. The striking difference between the set of risk factors for neck-shoulder and elbow/wrist-hand symptoms indicates that the two regions should be investigated separately.
著者
Shinichi Sugiyama Masayuki Okuda Takeshi Kinoshita Kyoko Inada Hajime Tateishi Mayumi Uehara Tatsuya Hobara
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.53, no.6, pp.465-472, 2011 (Released:2011-12-09)
参考文献数
24
被引用文献数
5

Objectives: This study evaluated a simple workplace intervention that used visual messages to create awareness of two highly specific recommendations for good health. Methods: Four worksites were recruited in Iwakuni, Japan. The 4-month intervention used three promotional media—A2-size posters, A4-size flyers and displays on the company intranet. The visual messages were designed with silhouettes, pictograms and slogans. Knowledge acquisition concerning the two recommendations (daily vegetable intake of 350 g and 23 exercises weekly) was evaluated using questionnaires. In addition, recall of media and attitudes toward health behavior were assessed. Results: Of the 2,322 workers, 827 responded to both the pre- and postintervention surveys. Correct responses at the four worksites increased from initial levels of 36-48% to 38-73% for the vegetable intake questions and from 7-14% to 7-59% for the physical activity questions. Media recall results were 35-73% for posters, 20-43% for flyers and 19% for intranet. The workers who recalled the posters and flyers had more correct answers on knowledge questions than those who did not recall the posters or flyers (p<0.01). In multivariate analyses, seeing the visual messages was associated with a positive change in response to physical activity questions (odds ratio=1.49-2.03), and the number of media recalled was also significant (odds ratio=1.16-1.17). Conclusions: Interventions with a combination of media and simple visual messages should be considered for health promotion among general populations at worksites.
著者
Mikiya Sato Shingo Fukayo Eiji Yano
出版者
(公社)日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.45, no.2, pp.133-136, 2003 (Released:2003-05-30)
参考文献数
9
被引用文献数
31 65

In Japan, relative humidity (RH) shows the lowest achievement rate among the various general air quality standards for work environment. It has been mainly contributed by airtight design of modern buildings and occurrence of dry outdoor air in winter. Furthermore, an ultra-dry air environment of nearly 0% RH is often required in sophisticated industries. In order to assess the adverse health effects of the ultra-dry air environment, using a self-reported questionnaire, we have undertaken a study of over 200 employees of a high-tech device developing laboratory having a room at 2.5% RH (ultra-dry room). Those who worked in the ultra-dry room were identified and the prevalence of symptoms was compared with the other workers. Analysis was performed by Wilcoxon's test and Fisher's exact test. In the ultra-dry room, all the twelve workers covered their skin with long-sleeve clothes, paper caps, paper masks and latex gloves. They reported skin symptoms more often (p<0.05) than the other workers (N=143). The prevalence of atopic dermatitis was also higher in the exposed workers (p<0.05). The complaints of workers in the ultra-dry environment were similar to preceding reports concerning moderately dry environmental exposures. The current precautions to protect the workers from the adverse effects of ultra-low RH appear to be insufficient, indicating that additional measures such as selection of appropriate clothing to mere skin coverage should be considered.
著者
Toshiharu Mitsuhashi Etsuji Suzuki Soshi Takao Hiroyuki Doi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.1, pp.25-33, 2012 (Released:2012-03-05)
参考文献数
43
被引用文献数
13

Objectives: There has been a growing concern that maternal employment could have adverse or beneficial effects on children’s health. Although recent studies demonstrated that maternal employment was associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight, the evidence remains sparse in Asian countries. We sought to examine the relationship between maternal working hours and early childhood overweight in a rural town in Okayama Prefecture. Methods: In February 2008, questionnaires were sent to parents of all preschool children aged ≥3 yr in the town to assess maternal working status (working hours and form of employment), children’s body mass index, and potential confounders. Childhood overweight was defined following the age and sex-specific criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for childhood overweight were estimated in a logistic regression. We used generalized estimating equations with an exchangeable correlation matrix, considering the correlation between siblings. Results: We analyzed 364 preschool children. Adjusting for each child’s characteristics (age, sex), mother’s characteristics (age, obesity, educational attainment, smoking status, and social participation), and family’s characteristics (number of siblings), children whose mothers work Conclusion: Short maternal working hours are associated with a lower odds of early childhood overweight.
著者
Fujiwara Kyoko Tsukishima Eri Tsutsumi Akizumi KAWAKAMI Norito KISHI Reiko
出版者
公益社団法人日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
Journal of occupational health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.45, no.5, pp.313-320, 2003-09

To examine associations between interpersonal relationships in work settings and burnout, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on home care workers in Sapporo, Japan, by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and scales of interpersonal conflict and social support developed by the authors. Questionnaires were distributed among 303 subjects and returned by 243 subjects (80%). Complete answers were obtained from 106 subjects and were used for analysis. In multiple regression analyses, conflict with clients and their families significantly related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of the MBI (p<.05). Supervisory conflict significantly related to emotional exhaustion (p<.05), whereas coworker conflict significantly associated with depersonalization (p<.01). It is suggested that conflicts with clients' families, as well as clients, are important indicators for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of home care workers.