Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Subway systems are key components in mass transportation networks worldwide, providing rapid and affordable transportation to urban communities in 58 different countries. The benefits afforded by subway transit are numerous and mainly derived from the reduction in automobile use, thereby limiting environmental and health hazards associated with exhaust-air emissions. Additionally, by limiting congestion and providing vital transportation links within a city, subways also improve the overall quality of life of urban communities. ⋯ To examine this issue more carefully, we conducted a structured review of the literature to identify and characterize potential health and safety hazards associated with subways. A secondary goal was to identify various risk management strategies designed to minimize the risk of these hazards. This information may be helpful to urban communities, urban planners, public health specialists, and others interested in subway safety.
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Comparative Study
Alcohol, stress-related factors, and short-term absenteeism among urban transit operators.
Transit operators, relative to workers in many other occupations, experience high levels of work-related stress, as documented through neuroendocrine elevations on the job vis-a-vis resting states (J Occup Health Psychol. 1998;3:122-129). Previous research suggests that self-reported job stress is associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption among transit operators (Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2000;24:1011-1019) and with absenteeism (Working Environment for Local Public Transport Personnel, Stockholm: Swedish Work Environmental Fund, 1982; Work Stress. 1990;4:83-89). The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationships between alcohol use, stress-related factors (stressful life events, job stressors, and burnout), and short-term absenteeism among a multiethnic cohort of urban transit operators. ⋯ Final multivariate models among drinkers indicated that among males, problem drinking (OR=1.82), stressful life events (OR=1.62), and job burnout (OR=1.22) were independently associated with elevated odds of absenteeism. Among female drinkers, only stressful life events (OR=5.17) was significantly associated with elevated odds of absenteeism. Findings suggest that workplace interventions that address both individual and environmental stressors are most likely to have a positive impact on health-related outcomes, including problem drinking, thereby reducing absenteeism.
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The majority of studies examining the relation between neighborhood environments and health have used census-based indicators to characterize neighborhoods. These studies have shown that neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics are associated with a range of health outcomes. Establishing if these associations reflect causal relations requires testing hypotheses regarding how specific features of neighborhoods are related to specific health outcomes. ⋯ In addition, neighborhood indices for presence of recreational facilities, quality of recreational facilities, neighborhood participation, and neighborhood problems were examined. Test-retest reliability measures for these indices ranged from 0.73 to 0.91. The results from this study suggested that self-reported neighborhood characteristics can be reliably measured.