Occupational and environmental medicine
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To estimate the prevalence of neurotic symptoms in a sample of British farmers, to investigate whether farming characteristics are associated with psychiatric morbidity, and to test the hypothesis that British farmers have a higher prevalence of depression and thoughts of life not worth living than the British household population. ⋯ The relation between depression and suicidal ideation seems to be quite different among farmers and the general population and warrants further investigation. We have shown it is possible to measure mental health systematically in a sample of British farmers. This study should be repeated in the aftermath of the foot and mouth crisis.
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To examine the association between self reported physical workload and low back pain (LBP) in younger twins. To investigate whether genetic factors interact with physical workload in relation to LBP. ⋯ There is evidence for a dose-response relation between physical workload and LBP of longer duration. Attention to clinically relevant subgroups based on duration, for example, is necessary in epidemiological studies dealing with LBP. Physical workload might be more important than genetic factors in LBP.
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To investigate alternative relations between cumulative exposures to hand-transmitted vibration (taking account of vibration magnitude, lifetime exposure duration, and frequency of vibration) and the development of white finger (Raynaud's phenomenon). ⋯ Since the total duration of exposure does not discriminate between exposures accumulated over the day and those accumulated over years, a linear relation between vibration magnitude and exposure duration seems appropriate for predicting the occurrence of vibration-induced white finger. Poorer predictions were obtained when the currently recommended frequency weighting was employed than when accelerations at all frequencies were given equal weight. Findings suggest that improvements are possible to both the frequency weighting and the time dependency used to predict the development of vibration-induced white finger in current standards.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis of a disability prevention model for back pain management: a six year follow up study.
To test the long term cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of the Sherbrooke model of management of subacute occupational back pain, combining an occupational and a clinical rehabilitation intervention. ⋯ A fully integrated disability prevention model for occupational back pain appeared to be cost beneficial for the workers' compensation board and to save more days on benefits than usual care or partial interventions. A limited number of cases were responsible for most of the long term disability costs, in accordance with occupational back pain epidemiology. However, further studies with larger samples will be necessary to confirm these results.
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Occupational exposure to noise and the attributable burden of hearing difficulties in Great Britain.
To determine the prevalence of self reported hearing difficulties and tinnitus in working aged people from the general population, and to estimate the risks from occupational exposure to noise and the number of attributable cases nationally. ⋯ Significant hearing difficulties and tinnitus are quite common in men from the older working age range. Both are strongly associated with years spent in a noisy occupation--a predominantly male exposure. The national burden of hearing difficulties attributable to noise at work is substantial.