Annals of occupational and environmental medicine 

About: Annals of occupational and environmental medicine is an academic journal published by BioMed Central. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Odds ratio. It has an ISSN identifier of 2052-4374. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 1170 publications have been published receiving 9944 citations. The journal is also known as: AOEM.

한국인 직무 스트레스 측정도구의 개발 및 표준화

Abstract: 목적: 이 연구의 목적은 우리나라 직장인들의 직무스트레스를 측정하기 위한 신뢰성과 타당성 있는 도구를 개발하고 평가기준 및 참고치를 제시하기 위해 수행되었다. 대상 및 방법: 연구 대상은 2차의 걸친 표본추출과정에 의해 선정되었다. 1차 표본은 NSDSOS 프로젝트의 수행을 위해 고안된 3개의 광역권에서 조사된 직장인 30, 146명이고, 2차 표본은 우리나라 표준산업분류(대분류 및 중분류)에 따른 근로자 인구 분포를 고려하여 확률 추출되어 선정된 12, 631명으로 이들을 대상으로 하여 표준화 작업과 규준을 마련하였다. 전문가 회의와 사전조사를 통해 작성된 구조화된 설문지를 이용하여 일반적 특성, 직업적 특성, 건강상태(가족력, 질병 과거력 및 의료이용현황), 직무스트레스 측정도구, 단축형 사회심리적 스트레스(PWI-SF), 피로(MFS) 등을 측정하였다. 그리고 한국인 직무스트레스 수준을 측정 평가할 수 있는 표준화된 측정도구와 평가를 위한 성별 평가기준 및 참고치를 도출하였다. 결과: 한국인의 직무스트레스 요인으로 간주될 수 있는 요인을 기존 연구와 외국의 연구결과를 검토 분석하여 총8개의 하위 영역을 도출하였다. 이들 하위 영역에 포함된 항목들은 물리환경, 직무 요구, 직무 자율성 결여, 관계 갈등, 직무 불안정, 조직체계, 보상 부적절, 직장문화 등이었다. 이들 하위 영역을 대표할 수 있는 측정 문항을 개발하여 현장조사를 하였으며, 조사결과를 바탕으로 한국인 직무스트레스 수준을 측정할 수 있는 총 43개 문항의 표준화된 측정도구를 개발하였다. 아울러 산업 현장에서 간편하게 사용할 수 있는 24개 문항으로 구성된 단축형 설문지도 개발하였다. 직무 스트레스수준에 대한 측정결과를 평가하기 위해 남자와 여자를 구분하고 기본형 설문지와 단축형 설문지를 바탕으로 평가의 참고치를 도출하였다. 결론: 한국인 직장인들의 직무 스트레스를 측정을 위해 개발된 KOSS는 한국 특이적인 일반적인 직무 스트레스요인을 질적 방법과 기존의 표준화된 측정도구들의 검토, 그리고 연구에 참여한 공동 연구원들이 제시한 직무 스트레스 항목들이 총체적으로 반영된 도구로서 타당성 평가에서도 만족할만한 수준을 보여 객관적이고 타당성있는 직무 스트레스 측정도구로서 직장인 직무스트레스 관리를 위한 기초 정보산출 및 평가에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 본다.

Evaluation of mercury exposure level, clinical diagnosis and treatment for mercury intoxication

Abstract: Mercury occurs in various chemical forms, and it is different to health effects according to chemical forms. In consideration of the point, the evaluation of the mercury exposure to human distinguished from occupational and environmental exposure. With strict to manage occupational exposure in factory, it is declined mercury intoxication cases by metallic and inorganic mercury inhalation to occupational exposure. It is increasing to importance in environmental exposure and public health. The focus on the health impact of exposure to mercury is more on chronic, low or moderate grade exposure-albeit a topic of great controversy-, not high concentration exposure by methylmercury, which caused Minamata disease. Recently, the issue of mercury toxicity according to the mercury exposure level, health effects as well as the determination of what mercury levels affect health are in the spotlight and under active discussion. Evaluating the health effects and Biomarker of mercury exposure and establishing diagnosis and treatment standards are very difficult. It can implement that evaluating mercury exposure level for diagnosis by a provocation test uses chelating agent and conducting to appropriate therapy according to the result. but, indications for the therapy of chelating agents with mercury exposure have not yet been fully established. The therapy to symptomatic patients with mercury poisoning is chelating agents, combination therapy with chelating agents, plasma exchange, hemodialysis, plasmapheresis. But the further evaluations are necessary for the effects and side effects with each therapy.

Evaluation and management of lead exposure.

Abstract: Lead, which is widely used in industry, is a common element found in low concentrations in the Earth’s crust. Implementations to reduce environmental lead concentrations have resulted in a considerable reduction of lead levels in the environment (air) and a sustained reduction in the blood lead levels of the average citizen. However, people are still being exposed to lead through a variety of routes in everyday commodities. Lead causes health problems such as toxicity of the liver, kidneys, hematopoietic system, and nervous system. Having a carcinogenic risk as well, the IARC classifies inorganic lead compounds as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A). Occupational lead poisonings have decreased due to the efforts to reduce the lead concentrations in the working environment. In contrast, health hazards associated with long-term environmental exposure to low concentrations of lead have been reported steadily. In particular, chronic exposure to low concentrations of lead has been reported to induce cognitive behavioral disturbances in children. It is almost impossible to remove lead completely from the human body, and it is not easy to treat health hazards due to lead exposure. Therefore, reduction and prevention of lead exposure are very important. We reviewed the toxicity and health hazards, monitoring and evaluation, and management of lead exposure.

A physical fitness profile of state highway patrol officers by gender and age

Abstract: Law enforcement officers perform physically demanding tasks that generally remain constant as they age. However, there is limited population-specific research on age, gender and normative fitness values for law enforcement officers as opposed to those of the general population. The purpose of this study was to profile the current level of fitness for highway patrol officers based on age and gender and provide percentile ranking charts unique to this population. Retrospective data for six-hundred and thirty-one state troopers (♂ = 597; mean age = 39.52 ± 8.09 yrs; mean height = 180.72 ± 7.06 cm; mean weight = 93.66 ± 15.72 kg: ♀ = 34; mean age = 36.20 ± 8.45 years; mean height = 169.62 ± 6.65 cm; mean weight = 74.02 ± 14.91 kg) collected in 2014–2015 were provided for analysis. Data included demographic (age), anthropometric (height and weight), and select fitness (VJ, push-ups, sit ups, isometric leg/back strength, isometric grip strength and 20 m shuttle run test) information. There were generally significant differences between genders for all anthropometric and fitness measures, most consistently in the 30–39 age groups. While there was a general decline in push-up and shuttle run performance in female officers, these results did not reach significance. For male officers, there were significant differences between the 20–29 year-old age group and the 30–39, 40–49 and 50–59 year-old groups with the younger group performing better in VJ, push-ups, sit ups and number of shuttle runs than the older groups. There were no differences in isometric grip strength and leg back dynamometer measures between age groups. Male officers tended to be heavier, taller and perform significantly better than female officers in all measures bar sit-ups. While there appeared to be a general decline in certain physical characteristics across genders with increasing age the notable differences were between the youngest male age group (20–29 years) and all other male age groups with a potential reason being the lack of fitness requirements once typically younger cadets leave the academy. Percentile rankings for the assessed measures were found to have elements very specific to this population when compared to the general population and those provided in this paper can be used to inform future profiling and research in this population.

Associations between anthropometric characteristics and physical performance in male law enforcement officers: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract: Police officers are often required to undertake physically demanding tasks, like lifting, dragging and pursuing a suspect. Therefore, physical performance is a key requirement. Retrospective data for 76 male police officers (mean age = 39.42 ± 8.41 years; mean weight = 84.21 ± 12.91 kg) was obtained. Data included anthropometric (skinfolds, estimated percentage body fat, lean body mass and fat mass) and physical performance (1 Repetition Maximum Bench Press, 1–min sit-ups, 1-min push-ups, vertical jump, 300 m run, 1.5 mile run) measures and correlations between anthropometric measurement and fitness score were obtained. Estimated percentage body fat was significantly (p ≤ .001) and negatively correlated with all performance measures, except sit-ups and 300 m and 1.5 mile run performance. Estimated lean body mass was significantly and positively (p ≤ .001) correlated with push-ups, bench press and vertical jump measures, while increasing estimated fat mass was significantly (p ≤ .001) associated with reduced performance on sit-up, vertical jump, 1.5 mile run and estimated maximal voluntary oxygen uptake. A targeted approach, going beyond just decreasing percentage body fat to also selectively increasing lean mass, should be applied for optimal improvement in physical fitness performance.