Med Lav
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Occupational health professionals must rely on the best available evidence in support of the appropriateness of diagnostic tests and preventive or clinical interventions. This study aims at comparing the decisions made in respect of health care personnel with the decisions made on the basis of the evidence and evaluating the effectiveness of these decisions. ⋯ Given that no gold standard exists and that guidelines for the management of back pain need to be assessed for their effectiveness, this study shows that the occupational health professional should be aware of the availability of up-to-date scientific evidence which can provide appropriate solutions to the commonly encountered problems. This perspective will be a challenge for professionals aware of the need to adopt practices related to the concept of quality in occupational health care.
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Comparative Study
[Latex allergy. Preventive measures in health care workers: a comparison of Italian experiences].
We have performed a transversal study in different Italian Regions to underline the problem related to natural latex allergy. ⋯ From this study it has emerged clear the need of Italian HA to focus on the prevention of latex allergy, goal already obtained in a few, almost isolated, realities.
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There are few studies in the Italian literature on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among health care workers (HCW) keeping and holding awkward postures during their job. ⋯ The index of prevalence of MSD associated to work-related awkward postures (71%) is very high, greater than that observed among HCW exposed to manual lifting of weights (21%) in the hospital. Thereafter, assessment of exposure and containment of such occupational risk must be considered useful.
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Italian Law 81/08 (so-called "Unified Text of Laws on Health and Safety at Work"), came into force on 15 May 2008 and incorporates provisions related to medical surveillance of drug and alcohol dependency at the workplace. ⋯ The recently introduced Italian legislation on occupational safety and health closely resembles Finnish law since it consists of a "double channel" for workplace drug testing. At recruitment, the employer is entitled to ask a job applicant for a certificate of "Job fitness", including drug tests, that can be issued only by a public health institution, where the job applicant works on a well-defined set of tasks which require accuracy, trustworthiness, independent judgement or a very good reaction capacity. The employer may also refer the employee to the public health institution to obtain a certificate in the course of an employment contract when there is a legitimate suspicion that the employee is working while under the effects of drugs or alcohol or that the employee is a drug addict. After recruitment, the physician responsible for medical surveillance of workers (the so-called "Competent Physician") is entitled to perform drug tests on employees. The need for a test is decided by the health care professional, not by the employer, and only a general report on the health of the employee ("fit", fit with restrictions" or "unfit") may be given to the employer. Workers positive for drug tests will be referred to a public health institution for re-testing and treatment.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
[Working and health conditions and preventive measures in a random sample of 5000 workers in the Veneto Region examined by telephone interview].
A survey was carried out in 2000 by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in a random sample of workers from 15 countries of the European Union in order to obtain information on occupational exposure, health problems and preventive measures taken at the workplaces. ⋯ Data from the present survey provide useful insights on working and health conditions of workers in the Veneto Region, revealing problems that were subsequently investigated using other sources of information, as reported in the studies published elsewhere in this volume.