Epidemiological Patterns of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Healthcare Workers in Five Reference Hospitals in the City of Douala, Cameroon

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a public health problem and have forced many workers to quit their jobs prematurely. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of WRMSDs among Healthcare workers in five reference hospitals in the City of Douala-Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 among 561 healthcare workers working in five reference hospitals in the city of Douala, Cameroon. Participants were selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data were collected with structured questionnaires;data on the demographics and risk factors were collected using a well-designed questionnaire, while estimation of the prevalence of WRMSDs was done using the Modified Nordic questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence rate of WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals was 83.4% (468/561). The prevalence per professional groups was as follows: 88.8% (71) for Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS), 81.9% (289) for nurses, 21 (80.8%) for Physiotherapists (PTs) and 78.8% (41) for Medical Doctors (MDs). There was a significant difference (p = 0.001) in the prevalence of WRMSDs with respect to place of work where healthcare workers from HLD recorded the highest prevalence 89.9%, while Healthcare workers from NBDH were 2.91 times at risk (AOR = 2.91;95% CI: 1.32 - 6.41;p = 0.001) to develop WRMSDs than healthcare workers in the other hospitals. With respect to body region, the highest prevalence of WRMSDs was recorded on the lower back, 58.8% with the lowest at the elbows 11.2%. The age group 30 to 39 years was significantly associated with WRMSDs at level of the shoulder (p = 0.002), upper back (p = 0.019), elbows (p Conclusion: The overall prevalence rate of WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals was high. The prevalence of WRMSDs is highest among MLS and nurses and the most affected body parts are;lower back, neck and upper back. Working on the same posture, stressful job, and repetitive tasks were the major risk factors associated to WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals.

Exploring Work-Related Stress and Coping Strategies among Omani Nurses Working in Tertiary Governmental Hospitals at Muscat: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Work-related stress has become a global issue in the nursing workplace, with about 9.20% - 68.0% of nurses globally experiencing stress. Conversely, work-related stress ranges between 20% and 40% in nursing. Other researchers noted that 35.1% of nurses globally experienced elevated stress levels. Stress can damage well-being and lead to coping, which can, directly and indirectly, improve well-being through a perceived state. Nurses need coping mechanisms to manage their stress levels and maintain stability. Coping mechanisms can vary greatly depending on a nurse’s culture and background. Numerous findings indicate that managing stress is more critical than the cause of stress and that the more successful a stress-management approach, the less damage stress brings. Objective: In response to this, it is necessary to explore Omani nurses’ stress level and their coping strategies working in tertiary governmental hospitals in Muscat. Methods: The sample size for this study was 383 Omani nurses, with a 100% response rate. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design from 15 October 2020 to 30 November 2020. Samples were selected through proportionate population sampling (PPS) from the five selected tertiary hospitals. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires using a perceived stress scale and Ways of Coping. A simple random sample within a stratum (each hospital admitting ward) was done to identify the study participants. The sample size for this study was 383 Omani nurses, with a 100% response rate. Results: About 83.3% of participants had a moderate perceived level of stress with an overall mean perceived stress level of 18.46 ± 4.52. The most common sources of perceived stress are feeling nervous and “stressed” in the last month (2.30 ± 0.95). According to the ways of coping strategies, nurses seemed to be resorting to more “planful problem” (mean = 11.04) and least was seeking social support (mean = 9.67). Conclusion: This study highlighted the work-related stress level of staff nurses, explored their ways of coping and determined the relationship between work-related stress levels and methods of coping. The key finding of this study was that the frequency of stress reported by nurses was high enough to suggest that their stress levels were significant, given the demanding nature of their profession that requires maximum attention. Additionally, nurses seemed to resort to more planful problem-solving mechanisms to deal with their stressful situations than other coping strategies.

Abnormal liver function and central obesity associate with work-related fatigue among the Taiwan Residents workers

AIM: To examine the associations between objective health indicators and high need for recovery (NFR) after work, one of the subjective presentations of work related-fatigue, among apparently healthy workers in modern workplaces. METHODS: From October to December, 2007, an annual health examination was performed for the workers from an electronics manufacturing factory in Taiwan. Health records of 1216 workers with a relatively homogeneous socioeconomic status were used for analysis. The health checkups included personal and NFR scale questionnaires, physical examinations, blood tests for biochemistry and hematology. The workers within the top tertile NFR score were defi ned as high-NFR workers. RESULTS: After adjusted for potential confounders, the workers with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and central obesity had a significantly higher NFR after work, with increased risks of 1.4-fold [95% confi dence interval (CI) = 1.01-2.0] and 1.8-fold (95% CI = 1.2-2.7), respectively. Shiftworkers had a 2.0-fold (95% CI = 1.5-2.6) increased risk for high-NFR. The associations between high-NFR and lipid profi les, blood sugar, hematology indexes or blood pressure were insignifi cant after controlling for confounders.CONCLUSION: For apparently healthy workers, high NFR after work is not simply a subjective experience. Objective health measures, such as elevated ALT and increased waist circumference, should be carefully evaluated for the apparently healthy workers having a higher NFR after work.

Role of Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychology in Working with Individuals with Work-related Chronic Pain Injuries: An Interdisciplinary Approach-Chronic Pain and Work Injuries in the United States

This paper addresses the topic of an interdisciplinary approach of chronic pain management from a biopsychosocial perspective. The first section provides an introduction to the definitions and theories of chronic pain and the various contributing factors (psychological, interpersonal/environmental and social support, and vocational). The second section presents the role of various health care professions (medical doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and rehabilitation counselors) and the evidence of their treatment effectiveness. The third section discusses the concept of an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program (IPRP) and its evidence to support its effectiveness. Finally, the clinical implications of rehabilitation counseling and psychology as part of the inter-disciplinary program in treating individuals with chronic pain will be highlighted.

What Is the Role of Work-Related Factors in Self-Reported Health Inequalities among Employed Individuals? A Longitudinal Study in Luxembourg

Objectives: We measured health inequalities among employed Luxembourg residents over time and the socio-economic and work-related determinants. Design and Setting: Longitudinal data were obtained from the Socio-economic Liewen zu Lëtzebuerg/European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions, which has been conducted each year since 2003 in Luxembourg. Participants: Participants comprised 727 Luxembourg residents (58% men), aged between 21 and 55 years in 2003, who were employed between 2003 and 2012. Primary and Secondary Outcomes Measured: The variable of interest was self-reported health. We used transition indicators on work-related factors to consider changes that individuals may have experienced in their job over this period. Results: People who moved from a part-time to a full-time contract (odds ratio (OR): 5.52, confidence interval (CI): 1.55 - 19.73), and those who moved from the 3rd or 4th quartile of earnings to the 1st or 2nd quartile (OR: 2.48, CI: 1.02 - 6.05) between 2003 and 2012, had a higher risk of being in poor health in 2012. The risk of deterioration in self-reported health in 2012 among people who were healthy in 2003 was associated with the type of contract, economic activity, and occupation. Conclusion: Health inequalities occur among employed people in Luxembourg. Their importance varies according to work-related characteristics and economic activity. Our findings showed that declined health status was associated with contract type, profession, and economic activity. This suggests that measures should be taken to maintain good health for people working in these specific occupations or economic sectors (e.g. preventive action, reduction of risk exposure, change of occupation in the same company, and so on).

Work-related Stress for Female English Teachers： School of Foreign Languages （SFL）, Xi＇an Jiaotong University （XJTU）

This paper focuses on the female English teachers＇ work-related stress in the School of Foreign Languages, Xi＇an Jiaotong University. A survey produced some results that are worth studying. The teachers in this special group are keeping their heavy-burdened teaching job by finding ways to escape their work-related stress and at the same time trying to save face. Answers to the questionnaire have proved that Chinese cultural characteristics have been deeply rooted in the SFL teaching staff even though they have accepted and learned western culture over a period of many years.

Implementation of a Return to Work Strategy in Germany—Are There Changes in Work-Related Rehabilitation Measures and Employment Status in Chronic Conditions?

Objectives: Aging workforces with increasing numbers of chronic conditions require health initiatives with greater workplace focus. A regional pension insurance introduced a Return To Work (RTW) strategy for insurants with chronic conditions. The objective was to identify the degree of implementation of work related measures in medical rehabilitation and the extent of RTW outcomes. Methods: 5883 insurants were considered. Severe Restriction of Work Ability (SRWA), Work-related Medical Rehabilitation (WMR), and Case Management (CM) were examined for 2008 and 2012. An Index of Employment status (IoE) was used in a logistic regression. Results: Utilization of WMR raised from 12.3% in 2008 to 66.1% in 2012. The proportion of insurants with SRWA and WMR grew from 8% up to 40.1%. In 2008, 14.7% of insurants with SRWA received WMR;in 2012, it grew to 76.6%. On the other hand, in 2012 26% got WMR without SRWA and 12.2% had SRWA and got no WMR. CM was not conducted in 2008 but reached 20.2% in 2012. Across all indications, WMR resulted in positive RTW as measured by IoE: OR = 0.75 (KI-95%: 0.67 - 0.86). Conclusion: WMR was successfully implemented according to the German guideline. There is a need to optimize the linkage between SRWA and WMR and CM to provide need-based care.

Prevalence of Work-Aggravated Asthma among Bakery Workers in Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)

Introduction: Work-aggravated asthma is pre-existing or concomitant asthma whose symptoms are aggravated by the work environment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of this pathology and its associated factors among bakery workers in Abidjan. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of four (4) months from 18 December 2019 to 18 April 2020. Two questionnaires were used, one on employees and the other on the indoor environment of bakeries. In addition, a spirometry test was performed on all bakery workers. Statistical analysis was performed using stata 15.1 software. Results: A total of 599 bakery employees, including bakers (59.73%), sales assistants/ cashiers (23.52%), cleaners (6.34%) and administrative staff (10.18%), were investigated. The mean age was 30.8 ± 8 years, with a sex ratio (M/F) = 2.2. Asthma symptoms were found in 95 (15.86%) employees, of whom 74 (77.9%) had work-related asthma and 11 (14.9%) had asthma aggravated by work. The factors associated with work-aggravated asthma were personal or family history of allergy or atopy [ORa = 3.75;CI95%: 1.56 - 8.93;p = 0.003], exposure to dust [ORa = 5.01;CI95%: 1.43 - 7.50;p = 0.011] and humidity level (60% - 70%) [ORa = 1.80;CI 95%: 0.99 - 3.28;p = 0.05]. Conclusion: Work-aggravated asthma is a reality in bakeries in Abidjan, with an estimated prevalence of 14.9%. Two of the three factors associated with this condition suggest a link with indoor air pollution. Combating air pollution in these establishments must therefore be a priority for the relevant authorities, in order to provide employees with a working environment that protects their health.

Risk of Upper Extremity Biomechanical Overload in Automotive Facility

Objective To assess the risk factors for upper extremity-work-related musculoskeletal disorders（UE-WMSD） on 13 prod ucti on lines in an airbag factory using the threshold limit values-American conference of industrial hygienists-hand activity level（TLV-ACGIH-HAL） method and introduce the ergonomic improvement to reduce the repe titi veness and the peak force（Pf）.Methods Professional exposure level on 13 production lines in a automobile factory was measured using the TLV-ACGIH-HAL method and a further risk was assessed according to the ergonomic improvement.Results The first assessment of 9 produc tion lines showed that the professional exposure level was above the TLV or HAL limit.The second assessment showed that the professional exposure level was below the AL limit on all production lines except 1,in which the professional exposure level was between TLV and HAL.Conclusion The assessment of UE-WMSD-related risk can ide ntif y the riskiest emplacements and evaluate the reduc tion of risk in professional exposure through interventi ons of structuralorganizati onal type.

Co-effect of Demand-control-support Model and Effort-reward Imbalance Model on Depression Risk Estimation in Humans: Findings from Henan Province of China

Objective To investigate the co-effect of Demand-control-support （DCS） model and Effort-reward Imbalance （ERI） model on the risk estimation of depression in humans in comparison with the effects when they are used respectively. Methods A total of 3 632 males and 1 706 females from 13 factories and companies in Henan province were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Perceived job stress was evaluated with the Job Content Questionnaire and Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire （Chinese version）. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale （CES-D）. Results DC （demands/job control ratio） and ERI were shown to be independently associated with depressive symptoms. The outcome of low social support and overcommitment were similar. High DC and low social support （SS）, high ERI and high overcommitment, and high DC and high ERI posed greater risks of depressive symptoms than each of them did alone. ERI model and SS model seem to be effective in estimating the risk of depressive symptoms if they are used respectively. Conclusion The DC had better performance when it was used in combination with low SS. The effect on physical demands was better than on psychological demands. The combination of DCS and ERI models could improve the risk estimate of depressive symptoms in humans.

Is burnout a mediating factor between sharps injury and workrelated factors or musculoskeletal pain?

BACKGROUND Burnout,musculoskeletal pain,and sharps injuries(SIs)affect medical workers.AIM To establish a model between SIs,burnout,and the risk factors to assess the extent to which burnout affects SIs.METHODS This questionnaire was used for an observational and cross-sectional study,which was based on members at a hospital affiliated with a medical university in Taichung,Taiwan,in 2020.The valid responses constituted 68.5%(1734 of 2531).The items were drawn from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Copenhagen burnout inventory and concerned work experience,occupational category,presence of chronic diseases,sleep duration,overtime work,and work schedule.Factor analysis,chi-square test,Fisher exact test,Multiple linear,logistic regression and Sobel test were conducted.The present analyses were performed using SAS Enterprise Guide 6.1 software(SAS Institute Inc.,Cary,NC,United States),and significance was set at P<0.05.RESULTS Personal and work-related burnout ranks, sex, work experience ranks, occupationalgroups, drinking in the past month, sleep duration per day, presence ofchronic diseases, overtime work ranks, and work schedule were associated withSIs. Frequent upper limb and lower limb pain (pain occurring every day or once aweek) determined to be related to SIs. High personal burnout (> Q3) and highwork-related burnout (> Q3) mediated the relationship between SIs and frequentlower limb pain. Similarly, frequent lower limb pain mediated the relationship ofSIs with high personal and high work-related burnout. High personal and highwork-related burnout mediated the relationships of SIs with overtime work andirregular shift work. The mediating model provides strong evidence of anassociation between mental health and SIs.CONCLUSIONBurnout was determined to contribute to SIs occurrence;specifically, it mediatedthe relationships of SIs with frequent musculoskeletal pain, overtime work, andirregular shift work.

Patient satisfaction and occupational health of workers in hospital care setting: Associations and reciprocity

Research studies conducted in the healthcare sector usually examine patients’ and workers’ wellbeing as separate entities;however, recent studies have revealed significant correlations between, for example, patient satisfaction, workers stress and burnout. The present study examines the relationships between patient perceived quality of care (in terms of satisfaction with regard to accessibility, organizational efficiency and humaneness of care), and workers’ perceived quality of organizational life (in term of organizational support and availability of resource and reward), quality of relationship in the work-unit (superior and coworkers), quality of relationship with patients (disproportionate client expectations and customer verbal aggression) and individual health (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, job satisfaction). 147 workers and 132 patients from seven hospital wards in northern Italy constitute the data base for the study. Analyses showed that accessibility and humaneness of care were negatively associated with disproportionate patient expectations, patient verbal aggression, emotional exhaustion and positively associated with availability of material recourses. Moreover, accessibility was also positively associated with the organizational support while organizational efficiency with support from colleagues. Globally, the results of the present study confirm that staff wellbeing is an essential aspect in relation to the patient perception of the quality of care and supporting the assumption that healthy organizations improve the wellbeing of their workers, their organizational performance and the quality of their service at the same time.

Which stressors are responsible for the worsening in the clinical symptomatology of lupus?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test which stressors worsen the symptoms perceived by patients with lupus, thus broadening and corroborating results obtained in a previous study published in Psychosomatic Medicine. Methods: In order to examine this question, we selected 43 patients with lupus whose symp-toms worsened due to the effects of daily stress. These patients were divided into two groups: patients whose increase in clinical lupus symp-tomatology was predicted by an increase in daily stressors on the same day (G1) and pa-tients whose increase in clinical lupus symp-tomatology was predicted by an increase in daily stressors the day before and the same day (G2). Later, three factorial analyses were con-ducted with the items related to stressors and the items related to lupic symptoms. Results: The results showed that in G1 there were three factors that made up a total of 35.08% of the explained variance. The stressors associated with certain symptoms of the illness in this group are feeling ill or being worried about their physical appearance, with the main stressor being the illness itself. However, in G2, two factors were found that made up a total of 40.37% of the explained variance for lag=0 and 38.67% for lag=1. The stressors associated with the majority of the lupus symptoms are of an interpersonal and work-related nature. This as-sociation was maintained when we carried out the factorial analyses with the items of the symptoms from the following day. Conclusions: The interpersonal and work-related stressors are related to a worsening in the majority of the lupic symptoms in the patients whose sympto-matology worsens as a result of daily stress experienced the day before.

Defining Stress among Corrections Professionals

Corrections professionals experience high levels of acute and chronic work-related stress. This stress leads to increased mental and physical illness, early disability and mortality, and increased healthcare costs. Reducing stress requires identifying and prioritizing factors that contribute to it. Corrections professionals (n = 296) working at six different Oregon Department of Corrections facilities completed a cross-sectional survey, including demographics, work history and validated stress and occupational constructs. The outcome of perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4 Short Form). Using a linear mixed effects regression model, we found that perceived stress increases with increased work-related stress (p = 0.02), work hours (p = 0.03), operational stressors (p = 0.002), and lack of procedural injustice (p = 0.03) and decreases with more time employed at current facility (p = 0.06), improved job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and among married or partnered individuals (p = 0.05). Identifying these predictors of stress can inform the development of policy changes to mitigate the stress of this challenged work force.

The Naples-Questionnaire of Work Distress (nQ-WD): Bullying at workplace, organizational dysfunctions and bio-psycho-social effects

The aim of this study is to elaborate a tool, the “Naples-Questionnaire of Work Distress” (nQ-WD), in order to evaluate the conditions of discomfort perceived in the working field. It tries to differentiate the dysfunctional phenomena more tied to the anomalies of the interpersonal relationships (bullying at work-place) from the phenomena more clearly related to organizational dysfunctions. The inventory measures the overall effects of these two areas on the subject and the spin-off in term of bio-psycho-social functioning. The questionnaire has been administered to a group of 178 workers who showed a work-related psychopathological disturbance and to a control group of 178 subjects without exposure to bullying at workplace or to organizational distress. The statistical analysis demonstrated degree of significant validity and reliability. The degree of internal coherence of the answers proposed is satisfactory. The ROC curves allow the determination of a threshold value which allows separating the workers subjected to mobbing and/or organizational stress from control-workers with an optimal reliability degree. The values of the area under the ROC curves show that the inventory has a high discriminating capacity.

The Association of Stress with the Socio-Economic Factors of Individuals That Attended the Taxpayers’ Appreciation Week 2018, Kampala Uganda

Introduction: Work-related stress has increased in nine European Union (EU) countries in the last ten years. Eighty (80%) percent of the general population in European countries believes that work-related stress will rise in the coming five years. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the various levels of stress with the socio-economic elements among individuals that participated in Uganda’s tax payer’s appreciation week in the year 2018 held in Kampala. Methodology: This study applied a cross-sectional study design that unified quantitative research methods and a convenience sampling method were used in this study to gather the information from the 390 respondents. Data were examined using SPSS version 20;univariate and bivariate analysis were done to measure the association between stress and the participant’s socio-economic factors. Results: Respondents who were employed recorded the majority with a percentage of 60%, while the unemployed recorded the minority with a percentage of 40%. Respondents who were employed were more likely to experience low stress as compared to those who were unemployed, under the category of moderate stress, respondents who were employed were more likely to be moderately stressed as compared to their unemployed counterparts, as for the category of high stress, unemployed respondents were more likely to be highly stressed than those that were employed and this was not statistically significant (X2 =2.374;p-value = 0.305). Conclusion: The results from this research indicated that there was no significant association between the socioeconomic factors of the respondents with stress levels. Recommendations: More community sensitization and awareness should be carried out to educate individuals about stress and its impacts on health.

Clinical neurological examination vs electrophysiological studies:Reflections from experiences in occupational medicine

Seventy-five percent of upper limb disorders that are related to work are regarded as diagnostically unclassifiable and therefore challenging to the clinician.Therefore it has been generally less successfully toprevent and treat these common and frequently disabling disorders.To reach a diagnosis requires the identification of the responsible pathology and the involved tissues and structures.Consequently,improved diagnostic approaches are needed.This editorial discusses the potentials of using the clinical neurologic examination in patients with upper limb complaints related to work.It is argued that a simple but systematic physical approach permits the examiner to frequently identify patterns of neurological findings that suggest nerve afflictions and their locations,and that electrophysiological studies are less likely to identify pathology.A diagnostic algorithm for the physical assessment is provided to assist the clinician.Failure to include representative neurological items in the physical examination may result in patients being misinterpreted,misdiagnosed and mistreated.

Cancer in Women and Its Relation to Work Systematic Review

Nowadays, cancer is one of the main worldwide causes of death and an increasing issue in public health. In the European Union, it is the first work-related cause of death. Studies about occupational risk exposure are a useful field of investigation to determine cancerous elements;special attention is paid to the relationship between cancer and work in women, who must constantly adapt to the working market and the new working fields, with their diverse degrees of exposure to risks. This revision has reviewed the bibliography gathered in Medline related to breast cancer, cervix cancer, uterus cancer, and ovarian cancer, along with their relationship with different work-related risks and types of working roles. The results have shown enough scientific evidence to suspect that work related exposition could be a plausible cause of these gynaecological cancers. Therefore, we want to stress the need of enhancing the coordinated investigation between all the medical specialties involved, and to encourage the spread of the necessary knowledge to manage and prevent them.

Non-specific Arm Pain

Non-specific arm pain is a special clinical condition that can occur in work-related activities that involve maintaining a static position for prolonged periods or repetitive and frequent movements of the hand or entire arm. Such activities include typing on a keyboard, maneuvering a computer mouse, playing musical instruments （such as piano and guitar） and many forms of manual labor. The pain is dull and diffuse; It is localized in the forearm or in the hand but quickly can expand to the entire extremity. Non-specific arm pain is the most frequent type of work-related pain after lower-back pain. It thus has important socio-economic significance as a major cause of absence from work. The designation of ＂non-specific＂ originates from the fact that it has no obvious signs of tissue damage, unlike the ＂specific＂ pain accompanying carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosinovitis de Quervain, or lateral epicondylitis. Suggested causes of the pain include microtrauma of soft tissue followed by an inflammatory reaction, ischemia, fatigue, hyper-sensitization of nociceptors, focal dystonia of the hand and/or psychological stress. Treatment consists of application of NSAIDs, physical modalities, stretching and aerobic exercises. Prevention focuses on ergonomic modification during manual labor or work on a computer.

高绩效工作系统能否抑制员工沉默?

在自我决定理论的基础上探讨高绩效工作系统对不同动机员工沉默行为的影响机制及差异性。研究结果表明:(1)高绩效工作系统对员工默许沉默、防御沉默和漠视沉默行为具有显著的抑制作用;(2)高绩效工作系统能通过自主需求满意度、能力需求满意度和关系需求满意度的提升降低员工的默许沉默行为;(3)高绩效工作系统能通过关系需求满意度的提升降低员工的防御沉默行为;(4)高绩效工作系统通过自主需求满意度、能力需求满意度和关系需求满意度的提升降低员工的漠视沉默行为。