International archives of occupational and environmental health
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Apr 2011
Burnout risk in medical students in Spain using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey.
It is questionable whether the Maslach Burnout is suitable for studying burnout prevalence in preclinical medical students because many questions are patient-centered and the students have little or no contact with patients. Among factors associated with burnout in medical students, the gender shows conflicting results. The first aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the risk of burnout in medical students in preclinical and clinical years of training, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, specifically designed and validated to assess the burnout in university students, and secondly, to investigate the association between gender and burnout subscales. ⋯ The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey overcame difficulties encountered when students have little or no contact with patients. Our findings show that the risk of burnout prevalence doubled from the third year to sixth year of training and that gender was not significantly associated with any of the subscales of burnout.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Apr 2011
Serial testing with the interferon-γ release assay in Portuguese healthcare workers.
Evidence for the utility of the new Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) specific IFN-γ release assays in diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is growing. However, data concerning conversion and reversion rates in serial testing of healthcare workers (HCWs) with an interferon-γ release assay are sparse. ⋯ Our data suggests the use of an uncertainty zone between 0.2 and 0.7 IU/mL in serial testing with QFT. As long as the knowledge regarding disease progression in QFT-positive persons is limited, persons pertaining to this zone should be retested before being offered preventive chemotherapy.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Dec 2010
ReviewUV-induced skin cancer at workplace and evidence-based prevention.
The present review is aimed at providing an overview of skin cancer with particular focus on occupational concern and giving evidence-based recommendation for effective prevention at workplace. ⋯ Evidence-based data confirming the benefit of sun protective strategies are scarce, general recommendations are mainly based on the avoidance of UV radiation being identified as potential risk factor for non-melanoma skin cancer in epidemiological studies. Occupational screenings should include regular interventions aimed at enhancing a clear understanding of risk factors for individuals and finally improving the acceptance and maintenance for UV-protective means at workplace.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jul 2009
Metrics of whole-body vibration and exposure-response relationship for low back pain in professional drivers: a prospective cohort study.
The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between alternative measures of exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) and low back pain (LBP) in professional drivers. ⋯ Measures of vibration exposure derived from exposure duration (daily or lifetime) and r.m.q. acceleration magnitude (VDV, Sigma[a(wqi)(m)t(i)]) were better predictors of LBP outcomes over time than measures of vibration exposure including r.m.s. acceleration (A(8), summation operator[a(wsi)(m)t(i)]). Patterns of exposure-response relationship were more evident for the outcomes high pain intensity or disability in the lower back than for the binary response 12-month LBP.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Apr 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEffectiveness of skin protection creams in the prevention of occupational dermatitis: results of a randomized, controlled trial.
The aim of the trial was to investigate whether the publicized effects of skin protection creams can be replicated in a real occupational setting during activities that expose the skin. ⋯ Taking all these secondary-outcome measurements together, the main result of this study was that skin protection creams alone have a small effect on the skin barrier in workers in the building and timber industries compared with skin care alone or in combination with skin protection.