Day 2 :
- Women and Occupational Health, Women Healthcare, Health promotion of workers, Construction and Ergonomics, Agricultural & Environmental Safety
Session Introduction
Sucheta
GBPUAT, India
Title: Poor health of women in homestead occupations and its remedial measures
Biography:
Sucheta Singh has completed her PhD at the age of 25 years from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and technology Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India She is the associate professor. She has published papers in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Women carry about 15-35 kg. or more weight on head, on shoulders, on back or in hands hanging in sides either in erect standing, standing-cum-bending or bending posture. They travel 8-10 kms. and generally work more than 15 hours a day attending to the agriculture system, cattle, collection of fuel, fodder and water as well as normal duties at home. In performance of most of the activities, the long hours of standing and standing-cum-bending posture and long walking distances in kaccha roads; uphill and downhill leads to the various musculoskeletal disorders and related health problems. The present research study was carried out for Identification of physiological and postural stress in different methods of carrying loads on the basis of physiological responses of rural women and to find out the remedial measures for delineating poor effects of carrying load on the health of rural women. The activities fetching of fuel, fodder and water; milling, storing and threshing of grains, applying manure, disposing off crop residue, delivering milk and vegetables, washing of clothes, involves the factor of transport and are load carrying. The experiences of the sample women shows that approx. 58.46% women felt fatigue often while performance of Household, farm and livestock related activities. While doing the daily activities 57.08% women felt limb pain, during the seasonal activities 88.33% women suffered from backache and in performance occasional activities 79.15% women were affected by backache. Besides, musculoskeletal disorders lifting heavy weights and carrying heavy loads on head by women leads to various gynecological consequences such as menstrual disorders, uterine prolapse, miscarriages and backaches causing serious long-term repercussions. To help rural hill women small booklet titled “workload on rural women and remedial measures†was compiled with enough information and distributed among Anganwadi workers, Village level workers and literate villagers so that they can made use of this information to improve quality of work, reduce drudgery and to improve health status.
Shalini Agarwal
GBPUAT, India
Title: Occupational Discomort Faced By Women Working In Unorganized Sector
Biography:
Shalini Agarwal has completed her PhD at the age of 25 years from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and technology Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India She is working as assisstant professor. She has published papers in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Work is an important task of human life. It is the expression of the basic need to accomplish, to create and to feel meaningful. Work area is the place where we spend most of our working hours and energy, we judge ourselves and measure our self-worth by the work we do. Rewarding work is an important and positive part of our lives but when work denies people an opportunity to utilize their creativity, intelligence and decision making ability it cause stress discomfort. The present study was conducted to study the occupational postural discomfort among workers. Research design for the present study was cross sectional cum experimental in nature. Women respondent working in different unorganized sectors were selected for the study. The sample size was 120. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select the sample using self constructed and pre-tested interview schedule along with Body Mapping Scale. Results showed that irrespective of their occupation main reasons of postural discomfort were sitting without back support, excessive pressure on the shoulders, bending of knees for long time, keeping back straight for long hours, pain in legs due to standing posture for longs. Results collected from body map showed that most of the females complained of pain in most of the body parts. Regarding type of postural discomfort, most of the respondents reported pain in neck, shoulder, muscles, joints, knee, arms, fatigue and even burning sensation in feet.The results of the findings imply that the informal sector is understood to imply the use of labour-intensive working methods as all were self-employed. The results could help in understanding postural discomfort among workers who work in unorganized sector and will also help researchers in designing comfortable work station for the workers working in these sectors which include sectors like beauty parlour, convenience stores, pottery making and many more.
Shu Yu
National Yang-Ming University , Tiwan
Title: Nurses Perceived Emotional Labour , Safety Climate
Biography:
Shu Yu has completed her PhD in 1996 from National Taiwan University School of Public Health. She is a professor and the dean of School of nursing, National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan. Hui-yu Linag is the director of Nursing Department, National Yang-Ming University Hospital. Besides, she is a PhD candidate of National Yang-Ming University School of Nursing now. Both of them have published many parpers in sciencifticjournals and international conferences.
Abstract:
Job pressure has been explored in previous studies. However there is a room to understand nurses’ emotional labour and safety climate. The aim of this study was to examine nurse’s perceived emotional labour and safety climate in hospital, and then their relationships with health status. We adopted a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire to collect data. A purposive randomly selected sample, 425 full-time nurses participated in this study. We found that nurses had a moderate level of emotional labour (92.17  27.33; total scores ranging 26-156) and safety climate (106.99  12.52; total scares ranging from 60 to 146). Overall, emotional labour had no significant correlation with health status, whereas safety climate revealed a significantly negative correlation with health status. Among three dimensions of emotional labour, only controlling negative emotion revealed a significantly negative correlation with health status. Among six dimensions of safety climate, except working conditions, the other five dimensions (including team work climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, stress recognition, and perceptions of management) indicated significantly negative correlation with health status. Our study supported that safety climate is a key factor for nurses’ health status whereas the influence from emotional labour is not so significant except controlling negative emotion. Health care organizations and administrators should pay more attention in building a better climate, increasing job satisfaction, improving stress management skill, and adopting a humanistic management to increase safety climate. Encouraging nurses adopt more effective strategies to handle their negative emotion and expressing positive emotions are also recommended.
Aouatef
Orebro University, Sweden
Title: Predictive factors to surgical treatment of occupational carpal tunnel syndrome
Biography:
Laboratory of Occupational Medicine and Ergonomics. University of Medicine of Monastir- Tunisia.
Abstract:
Objective: to study the predictive factors to a surgical treatment of a professional carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Patients and methods: A cross sectional study of subjects with occupational CTS identified in Occupational Diseases at the University Hospital of Mahdia over a period of 8 years (2005-2013). Data collection was based on the description of socio-professional characteristics, medical and professional future of the participants. A statistical significance level (p < 0.005) was considered. Results: We identified 106 cases of occupational CTS, that have had the profile of a female labor worker on sewing-machine, 42 years old, married and with a mean length service of 20.6 ±6.8 years. Most of our patients had benefited from a surgical treatment (61.3%). The study of predictors for surgical treatment of occupational SCC was significantly correlated with preexisting diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, functional signs of the disease (muscle weakness, pain irradiation and painful discomfort hand of the forearm or arm) and atrophy of the thenar muscles. As for the professional future of employees operated, 50.7% remained in the same position, 15.3% received a post layout and 33.8% received a job change in the same company. The professional future of these employees was related to their qualifications and type of sensory impairment and / or motor median nerve EMG. Conclusion: A better understanding of factors which influence the gravity of CTS can help to identify susceptible patients to benefit from a surgical treatment in an appropriate way.
Biography:
Professor Isabel
Abstract:
Studies on the association between sitting time and musculoskeletal pain have found contrasting results. The aim of this study is investigate the association between sitting time (daily total, and occupational and leisure-time periods) and musculoskeletal pain in different body regions among workers by blue-collar and white. Methods: The sample comprised 205 workers. Musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms was assessed with the Nordic Questionnaire of Osteoarticular Symptoms, and the sitting time was assessed with IPAQ – Short Version. The association of sitting time and musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms was analyzed with logistic regression, adjusted for BMI, age, gender and Moderate to Vigorous Physical activity. Results: The white collars participants had lower level of moderate to vigorous Physical Activity than Blue collars. The participants were more likely to have less musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms in the ankles/feets with higher sitting time (odds ratio [OR] = 0.995, p = .032). Conclusion: Sitting time is negatively associated with musculoskeletal pain in the ankles/feets intensity only among white collars workers. Future studies using a prospective design with objective measures of sitting time are recommended. Our results emphasize the need of worksite interventions to prevent musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms. Keywords: physical activity; musculoskeletal pain; workers; Blue and white collars; Sitting time
Dusadee
Eastern Asia University, Thailand
Title: Small Business and Universal Health Care Coverage (UHC) in Thailand
Biography:
Dusadee Charoensuk has completed her Ph.D from Mahidol University in Thailand. She is the editor in chief of EAU Heritage Journal, serving as editor board member of AJPOR Journal, member of Rajprachasamasai Foundation under The Royal Patronage committees, member of research committee of EAU.
Abstract:
This qualitative research is aimed to study the impact of work and work place of small business towards their quality of life with the UHC in Thailand. The research method used in-depth interview, participatory observation with more than 50 street food sellers in Bangkok. The results revealed : Most of them (more than70 %) were female, less than high school education, middle age (30-60 years old) with children in the family and were in crucial debt that they had to pay daily/monthly average of 20 % of interest with principle. They invested with small amount of money and borrowed some from illegal loan. Because they had no credit or any bank accounts. Their work places were along the street in downtown or crowded communities. The impact of work places were air pollution from near by motorcycle queues, dusty streets, sometime road accidents, noisy places, and heat. Sometimes, they moved to the other places and carrying heavy food containers with the thought that may be, it could make more money. They got up very early in the morning to buy raw materials from the markets, prepared food and spending time to sell their food products almost the whole day with little time to rest. The impact to their quality of life; 1) physical health, back and knee pain, skin irritation from cooking food and heat etc, 2) emotional health, stress, worried about financial support and daily payment in the family, future strain, 3) social health, no social security, family disparities, because of no time to take care children., some of their partners were heavy drinkers, their children have to leave the schools and some were drug abused, etc. Universal health coverage in Thailand had been set up since 2001 from the concept of “Health for Allâ€. As of now, 99 % of the Thai population is covered through a comprehensive healthcare package that ranges from health prevention and primary care, to hospitalization due to traffic accidents to renal replacement therapy and access to ART treatment for HIV. This UHC has help people who have no security insurance to become more secure in their life. The suggestion of the research are to sustain the UHC policy along with good strategies of health prevention and health promotion to these group of people and create the finance support systems for them to stop the “shark loan†and vicious cycle of their life. Keywords: Small business, UHC,
Muhammad Masood
Aga Khan University, Pakistan
Title: Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding pesticide use and their health effects among the farmers of a rural district of Pakistan
Biography:
Dr. Muhammad Masood Kadir is a Professor of Public Health, He has a MPH from University of Hawaii USA and Masters in Occupational Health and Safety from University of Adelaide Australia/ He has research interest in occupational and environmental health.
Abstract:
Pesticides are widely used in developing countries. There is paucity of literature about the unsafe use of pesticide in countries like Pakistan. We studied the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding pesticides use and their health effects in an agricultural community of a rural district of Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a pre-tested questionnaire. A sample of 778 farm workers aged ≥15 years old we interviewed. The average age of the studied population was 33.3 years with a low level of education (illiterate or <5 years of school, 65.7%). Majority of the farmers were cultivating their own land (99.6%) with average land size of 6.0 acres. About 96.5% of the interviewed farmers had personally worked with pesticides Over 85% of the farmers reported using the organophosphorous and methamidophos insecticide. A great majority 83.5% believed that pesticides are harmful for human health, but less than 13% used any form of personal protective equipment (PPE). The reasons for not using PPE were equipments were not easily available (23.4%), lack of knowledge about protective equipments (21%), cost of protective equipments (18%) and perception that exposure from pesticides can not cause any adverse health effect (8%). Almost all (99%) reported one or more toxic symptoms and 47.4% of them had sought some kind of medical treatment after pesticides exposure. Differences in toxicity symptoms between those with and without PPE use were unremarkable. About 97% of the farmers asked for training for proper and safe use of pesticides. These results indicate that unsafe use of pesticide in common. Special educational programs and legislation promoting the safe use of pesticides, and availability of personal protective equipments are necessary to decrease the pesticide exposure of farmers in Pakistan.
Arnaud
Montreal University, Canada
Title: Effective interventions to maintain and improve mental health of primary
Biography:
Arnaud Duhoux has completed his PhD in public health from Montreal University and postdoctoral studies from University of Ottawa. He is a profesor in Nursing program at Montreal University. The work of Arnaud Duhoux focus on measuring and improving the performance of primary care health services using epidemiological methods. He is interested in determinants of mental health at the individual, organizational and environmental levels.
Abstract:
Nurses are at elevated risk for workplace stress, psychological distress, burnout, depression and anxiety. Studies examining interventions to improve nurses’ mental health have been conducted largely in hospital, but it is currently unclear what interventions are most effective in primary care (PC). We aimed to systematically review the literature to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to maintain or improve nurse’s mental health in PC. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Cinahl to find intervention studies published in English or French between 2000 and October 2015. The final research strategy combined four keywords: nurse, mental health, occupational health and intervention. Additional articles were also identified through a manual search. Interventions at the organisational level, the individual level or both levels are included. The outcomes considered include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, burnout, psychological distress, and absenteeism. Results: This review is in progress, 13 804 relevant articles were identified through the search strategy. After initial screening, 13 265 articles were excluded due to duplications or exclusion criteria. The final number of articles to be included will be known by the end of february 2016. No previous systematic literature review focused on effective interventions to improve or to maintain mental health for nurses working in a PC was found. Conclusion: The results of the review will be presented. The following points will be discussed 1) the implications for nursing practice in PC and 2) the implications for workplace improvement and 3) suggestions for future intervention studies.
Mozhdeh Tahghighi
Registered Nurse , Australia
Title: Health care nurses: A systematic literature review
Biography:
Mozhdeh Tahghighi has a Bachelor of Nursing, and has completed her Master of Nursing from the University of Western Australia. She is a PhD candidate in Psychology (third year) at Curtin University. She is working on resilience of nurses working shift work in Australia, which is a first Australian study. Also, she is Registered Nurse in this country.
Abstract:
The adverse effects of occupational stressors on nurses in regard to their turnover, productivity, costs, and effects on quality of care are well known. Shift work that involves disruption of circadian rhythm is considered a probable carcinogen. The aim was to investigate the impact of shift work on resilience in nurses and to determine whether nurses who work shifts have different mental health/professional quality of life outcomes compared to those who work regular hours. This study examined data collected from Registered and Enrolled Nurses (n=1495) as part of a 2013 online self-report study among employed nurses who were members of the Queensland Nurses’ Union. Generalised Linear Mixed Model analysis revealed shift workers had significantly lower scores on the compassion satisfaction measure; however, this was a very small effect. There were no significant differences between shift and non-shift workers on depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, Secondary Traumatic Stress and burnout. Nurses working shifts showed significantly lower levels of compassion satisfaction compared to non-shift worker nurses; however, they did not indicate they will leave the profession compared to non-shift worker counterparts.
Ahmed
Cairo university, Egypt
Title: Awareness Among Cardiac Catheterization Health Care Team Members Regarding Occupational
Biography:
Ahmed Abd Alrahman Hassan has completed his Master at the age of 28 years from cairo University and. He is assistant lectural at faculty of nursing cairo university, He has published one book and one paper papers in reputed journals
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to assess cardiac catheterization health care team member's awareness regarding occupational health hazards and safety practices in Cairo University Hospitals. A descriptive, comparative design was utilized. The study was conducted at all cardiac catheterization units in Cairo University Hospitals. Convenient sample of all health care team members (80) who divided into physicians (12), bachelor nurses (11), technical nurses (27), radiologists (16), and nurses aid (14). Two tools were developed by the investigator utilized for data collection. Finding of this study indicated the physicians had the highest total mean awareness score towards occupational hazards while, the lowest total mean score of awareness for nurses aids. The New Kaser Elaine catheterization unit had got the highest mean score of safety measures while; Emmanuel University catheterization unit had gotten the lowest total mean score. All health care team members had got a moderate level of awareness toward occupational health hazards. The physicians were the most aware group of health team members with occupation health hazards while, the nurses' aids group was the lowest aware group with occupational health hazards and all cardiac catheterization units had a low level of safety practices. The study recommended that a training program can be conducted to improve knowledge on occupational health hazardsand periodic medical checkup and checkup for radiation level.
Biography:
Renato Lagana is associated professor at Department of Architecture and Environment of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria in technology and production building. He has lectured at universities and has taught at national and international masters. Since 2002 co-ordinates the activities of the Team-D which conduct research on safety aspects in construction sites. He has been an invited speaker at international congress in the field of Health and Safety. He is author of numerous scientific publications, published in Italy and in other country.
Abstract:
Workplaces, offices and construction sites, located in seismic areas, should considered in the Emergency Plan also the possibility of preservation behaviors related to occupational health and safety. In this framework, the Consolidated Safety Legislation, adopted in Italy in 2008 transposing the European Directives, frames the emergencies in the work place. It not considers the site as a possible place for the practical implementation of preventive measures. More recent experience in countries around the world has clearly expressed the need to open new scenarios on the terms of the prevention and reduction of risk at construction sites in operation in case of earthquake. Such measures must then be adapted to the activities of ruin removal of and to the reconstruction sites. In Italy, after the recent destructive earthquakes in L’Aquila town and in the Emilia region, finally these issues have become topical. Specific procedures have been started to be taken in the workplace in general and also specifically for temporary workplaces. The research activites carried out at the Department DARTE, which is located in a city with high seismic area in the Straits of Messina in Southern Italy, had significant approaches in recent international conference (C.I.B. – Lunf 2014). They are performed with I.N.A.I.L. (National Institute for Insurance against Accident at Work) and have as objective the reduction of risk in different situation. They take account of the experience acquired in the most sensitive countries to seismic risk (USA, Japan, Greece, etc.)
Molly Finster
Argonne National Laboratory, USA
Title: Recycling Mercury-Impacted Scrap Metal: Key Issues and Research Needs
Biography:
Molly E Finster is an Environmental Health Systems Scientist in the Risk and Infrastructure Science Center within the Global Security Sciences Division at Argonne National Laboratory. She has worked on a variety of national programs and technical projects to solve complex environmental challenges, assure regulatory compliance, and achieve project success. With a background in Environmental and Chemical Engineering, she has conducted laboratory research, field studies, plant floor investigations, and computer-based modeling to advance both research and practice. Current research includes: chemical risk/exposure assessment; environmental impact analyses; resource management; multimedia contaminant fate and transport; site investigation; environmental compliance; and asset management.
Abstract:
The recycling of mercury-impacted scrap metal can emit measurable amounts of mercury; however, existing characterization data are insufficient to fully understand the origin, key sources, and concentrations of mercury within scrap metal and the recycling process. Currently, industry-specific mercury emissions guidance values exist for many known anthropogenic mercury sources (e.g., coal-fired utility plants and waste incinerators), but are largely nonexistent for scrap metal processing and recycling facilities. Given the lack of significant guidance for recycling mercury-impacted scrap metal, these other values can provide a useful framework to potentially guide the development of mercury acceptance and release criteria/limits for recycling facilities. Of particular importance to occupational health and safety professionals, additional information on the origin, source, nature, and extent of mercury-impacted metal in scrap is important for assessing measures to protect scrap metal recycling workers from potential health and safety hazards that might be posed by the processing and melting of mercury-impacted metal.
Andrew Neo
Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore
Title: Unique Challenges of Border Security Officers in Singapore
Biography:
A Senior Psychologist with the Immigration & Checkpoint Authority of Singapore, which recently housed a new psychological branch to provide psychological services to border security officers. Andrew focus primarily on pioneering work that includes setting up psychological services such as counselling services and mental resilience support. Andrew has also worked within other Home Team departments in related field. He was a Correctional Psychologist for 6 years with the Singapore Prison Service (SPS). He was also a National Service Police Inspector (NSI) with the Police Psychological Services Division (PPSD), serving as a Psychological Support Officer (PSO) since 2010. His field of work with Prison also include rehabilitation work for the violent offender population, violent risk assessments, training delivery and crisis management.
Abstract:
This paper explores the unique challenges faced by the border security officers of Singapore with limited prior research of similar nature in this geographical region. One thousand and six participants working in the border security agency provided data using a questionnaire completed anonymously. The scales used in the questionnaires includes measures of mental wellness and of challenges faced at work (Occupational and Organizational Stress). Findings from the study found similar challenges faced by these border security officers as to police officers as well as challenges unique to border security. These include shift-work, long working hours and inadequate rest, exposure to danger and hazards, threat-avoidant vigilant activity, job demands, contact with public and critical incidents. This study also provides recommendations to support the mental resiliency of these Guardians of the Borders.
Jerome Ofato
Jimma University, Ethiopia
Title: Traditional Youth Hangout Places Contribution to Risky Sexual Behaviour
Biography:
Jerome Ofato has done masters in Public Health in Jimma University
Abstract:
Background:A substantial proportion of the adult and youth population are engaged in risky sexual behavior. The potential negative outcomes of young people practicing unsafe sexual practices are contracting STIs including HIV. Studies conducted in Ethiopia on risky sexual behavior show a gap and the need for urgent comprehensive health education as an intervention method .In Gambella region Ethiopia, HIV prevalence is four times higher than the national rate andthe region is characterized by a relatively higher magnitude of risky sexual behavior than any other region. Method: The study was conducted in Gambella town Ethiopia. A grounded theory research design was used to attain the objective.Data was collected by an in-depth interview for 10 individuals from those youth that participate in thesehangout places and participant observation was also held for 23 days. The sample consisted of youth that attend this event until data was saturated with relevant information.Ethical considerations were addressed by ethical clearance paper, anonymity, confidentiality and voluntary participation. Results: Findings from the study show that risky sexual activities are being held in these youth hangout places. The risky sexual activities held included multiple sexual partnerships, trans-generational sex, intercourse with a stranger, transactional sex and no/inconsistent condom use. Conclusion: Participants in the study confirmed that risky sexual activities are being held in this youth hangout places .Activities associated with risky sexual behavior have been uncovered in this research project and these activities may contribute to the spread of HIV infection in the region. Recommendation:The researcher recommends the city administration and the regional health bureau to intervene on these traditional youth hangout places by offering education on safe sex and offering condoms at these places.