Occupational and environmental medicine
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To investigate whether psychosocial working conditions predict the development of low back pain (LBP) in female eldercare workers while adjusting for physical workload and depressive symptoms. ⋯ Most psychosocial working conditions in this study were no longer associated with risk of LBP after adjustment for depressive symptoms. However, low and medium influence at work predicted risk for LBP for more than 30 days after adjustment for both physical workload and depressive symptoms.
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Comparative Study
International variation in absence from work attributed to musculoskeletal illness: findings from the CUPID study.
To quantify the variation in rates of absence due to musculoskeletal pain across 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers) from 18 countries, and to explore personal and group-level risk factors that might explain observed differences. ⋯ Musculoskeletal sickness absence might be reduced by eliminating excessive time pressures in work, maximising employees' responsibility and control and providing flexibility of duties for those with disabling symptoms. Care should be taken not to overstate work as a cause of musculoskeletal injury.
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This study was undertaken to explore the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with exposure to aristolochic acids (ALAs) and nephrotoxic metals in herbalists after the ban of herbs containing ALAs in Taiwan. ⋯ We found that lower estimated GFR was associated with blood lead and mercury in herbalists after the ban of herbs containing ALAs in Taiwan. The ALA-I exposure did not show a significant negative association of estimated GFR, which might due to herbalists having known how to distinguish ALA herbs after the banning policy. Rigorous monitoring is still needed to protect herbalists and the general population who take herbs.