GLORIA

GEOMAR Library Ocean Research Information Access

X
feed icon rss

Your email was sent successfully. Check your inbox.

An error occurred while sending the email. Please try again.

Proceed reservation?

Export
Filter
  • Articles  (22)
  • Asbestos, Other exposures  (11)
  • Back pain  (8)
  • Allergy, asthma, Respiratory, Other exposures  (3)
  • 11
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Occupational exposures and lung cancer risk among Minnesota taconite mining workers (2015)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2015-08-15
    Description: Objective To examine the association between employment duration, elongate mineral particle (EMP) exposure, silica exposure and the risk of lung cancer in the taconite mining industry. Methods We conducted a nested case–control study of lung cancer within a cohort of Minnesota taconite iron mining workers employed by any of the mining companies in operation in 1983. Lung cancer cases were identified by vital records and cancer registry data through 2010. Two age-matched controls were selected from risk sets of cohort members alive and lung cancer free at the time of case diagnosis. Calendar time-specific exposure estimates were made for every job and were used to estimate workers’ cumulative exposures. ORs and 95% CIs were estimated using conditional logistic regression. We evaluated total lung cancer risk and risk of histological subtype by total work duration and by cumulative EMP, and silica exposure by quartile of the exposure distribution. Results A total of 1706 cases and 3381 controls were included in the analysis. After adjusting for work in haematite mining, asbestos exposure and sex, the OR for total duration of employment was 0.99 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.01). The ORs for quartile 4 versus 1 of EMP and silica exposure were 0.82 (95% CI 0.57 to 1.19) and 0.97 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.35), respectively. The risk of each histological subtype of lung cancer did not change with increasing exposure. Conclusions This study suggests that the estimated taconite mining exposures do not increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
    Keywords: Asbestos, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 12
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Extended follow-up of lung cancer and non-malignant respiratory disease mortality among California diatomaceous earth workers (2015)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2015-04-15
    Description: Objectives Millions of workers worldwide are employed in occupations involving potentiality hazardous exposure to crystalline silica. The diatomaceous earth industry can have particularly high exposures, but there is a lower likelihood of simultaneously occurring confounding exposures. We extended follow-up for diatomaceous earth industry workers previously studied for mortality. Methods The cohort included 2342 white men who were employed for at least 1 year at a diatomaceous earth plant in Lompoc, California beginning in 1942. Workers’ vital status was updated using the National Death Index through 2011, an extension of 19 years from earlier studies. Detailed work history and quantitative air monitoring measurements estimated exposure intensity. Cox proportional hazards modelling estimated HRs and 95% CIs. SMRs were calculated. Results Elevated mortality was observed by quartile of cumulative crystalline silica exposure for lung cancer (HR=2.03, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.85, highest quartile, unlagged) and non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) (HR=3.59, 95% CI 1.94 to 6.67, highest quartile, unlagged), although trends were not statistically significant. Associations were attenuated when adjusted for smoking and asbestos exposure. Mortality from NMRD was significantly increased over the entire follow-up compared to the general population (SMR=1.37, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.60). An increase for lung cancer was confined to the earlier follow-up (SMR=1.29, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.61). Conclusions The risk of lung cancer and NMRD mortality remained elevated, although generally non-significant, and exposure-response trends with cumulative crystalline silica persisted on extended follow-up of this cohort. The findings support a generally consistently observed aetiological relation between crystalline silica and lung cancer.
    Keywords: Asbestos, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 13
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Examining the association of lung cancer and highly correlated fibre size-specific asbestos exposures with a hierarchical Bayesian model (2014)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-04-10
    Description: Background Asbestos is a known carcinogen. However, little is known about the differential effects of size-specific asbestos fibres. Previous research has examined the relationship with lung cancer of each fibre group in the absence of others. Attempts to model all fibre groups within a single regression model have failed due to high correlations across fibre size groups. Methods We compare results from frequentist models for individual fibre size groups, and a hierarchical Bayesian model that included all fibre groups to estimate the relationship of size-specific asbestos fibre groups to lung cancer mortality. The hierarchical model assumes partial exchangeability of the effects of size-specific asbestos fibre groups to lung cancer, and is capable of handling the strong correlation of the exposure data. Results When fibre groups are modelled independently with a frequentist model, there appears to be an increase in the dose-response with increasing fibre size. However, when subject to a hierarchical structure, this trend vanishes, and the effects of distinct fibre groups appear largely similar. Conclusions This is the first occasion where distinct asbestos fibre groups have been assessed in a single regression model; however, even the use of a hierarchical modelling structure does not appear to overcome all the statistical fluctuations arising from the high correlations across fibre groups. We believe these results should be compared with other occupational cohorts with similar fibre group information. Finally, results for the smallest fibre group may be suggestive of a carcinogenic potential for nanofibres.
    Keywords: Asbestos, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 14
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    A comparison of exposure assessment approaches: lung cancer and occupational asbestos exposure in a population-based case-control study (2014)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-03-06
    Description: Objectives In attempts to overcome the limitations of self-reported data in occupational health research, job-exposure matrices, which assign exposure by occupation, have emerged as an objective approach for assessing occupational exposures. On the basis of a lung cancer case–control study conducted in the Greater Toronto Area, 1997–2002, assessment of occupational exposure to asbestos was compared using self-reports and a general population job-exposure matrix (DOM-JEM). Methods Cases and frequency matched controls provided life-time job histories and self-reported exposures to potential lung carcinogens including asbestos through a detailed questionnaire. Exposure to asbestos was also assigned to each job by linking occupational histories with DOM-JEM. Agreement in classification of exposed and unexposed jobs according to self-reports and DOM-JEM was evaluated using Cohen's . Risks for lung cancer were estimated using unconditional logistic regression for each exposure assessment approach. Results The prevalence of occupational asbestos exposure was greater when based on DOM-JEM than when based on self-reports. Agreement in classifying exposure to jobs between the two assessment approaches was poor. The risk of lung cancer was not elevated among workers who self-reported asbestos exposure, whereas workers considered exposed on the basis of DOM-JEM were almost twice as likely as unexposed workers to be diagnosed with lung cancer (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.7). Conclusions It is generally assumed by epidemiologists that self-reported exposure assessments result in inflated risk estimates. In this study, self-reports found no association with a well-established risk factor, whereas a high-quality job-exposure matrix revealed relative risk estimates that are more consistent with previous findings.
    Keywords: Asbestos, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 15
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Patterns of work injuries: cases admitted to emergency room treatment compared to cases reported to the Danish Working Environment Authority during 2003-2010 (2014)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-01-16
    Description: Objective To compare work injuries treated in an emergency department (ED) and injuries reported to the Danish Working Environment Authority (DWEA). Methods Work injuries of the ED, Odense University Hospital, and injuries from the geographical catchment area reported to the DWEA between 2003 and 2010 were included. The injuries included in both datasets were identified by merging the ED file and the DWEA file using the civil registry number and injury date information as key. Results Approximately 50 000 work injuries occurred in the catchment area of the ED. The intersection between the two injury registration systems was 16%. A major discordance concerned the type of injuries, as some injuries were seen frequently in the ED but not reported to the DWEA to any significant extent, for example ‘eye injuries’ and ‘superficial lacerations or wounds’. On the other hand, some injuries are rarely seen in the ED, but often reported to the DWEA, for example ‘low back pain’. Additionally, younger workers visit the ED more often than older workers, and injuries in the high risk sectors have the lowest reporting proportion. Conclusions Neither the ED nor DWEA injury files alone give a complete picture of work injuries. But merged, they represent a significant number of injuries, taking into account differences in data sources, for example concerning uneven distribution of age, sex, type of injury and type of industry. Obviously, not all serious work related ED injuries resulting in lost work time are reported to the DWEA.
    Keywords: Back pain
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 16
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Occupational asbestos exposure is associated with pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in men from the greater Boston area (2013)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-11-09
    Description: Objectives Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring silicate mineral fibres that were widely used in industry during the 20th century due to their desirable physical properties. Although use in the USA has fallen over the last three decades, significant exposure in the developing world continues and the burden of disease is considerable. Asbestos is a known risk factor for several malignant diseases, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, and has more recently been implicated in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer. However, studies of asbestos and cancers of the larynx or pharynx with adequate sample size that control for major head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) risk factors remain relatively sparse. Methods We report findings from a case–control study of 674 incident male HNSCC cases from the greater Boston region and 857 population-based male controls, matched on age (±3 years), sex, and town or neighbourhood of residence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between occupational asbestos exposure and HNSCC by primary tumour site. Results 190 cases (28.2%) and 203 controls (23.7%) reported occupational exposure to asbestos. Occupational asbestos exposure was associated with elevated risk of pharyngeal carcinoma in men (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.97), adjusted for age, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, income and HPV16 serology, with borderline increasing risk for each decade in the exposed occupation (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.23). Conclusions These observations are consistent with mounting evidence that asbestos is a risk factor for pharyngeal cancer.
    Keywords: Asbestos, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 17
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Work related asthma. A causal analysis controlling the healthy worker effect (2013)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-08-09
    Description: Objectives The healthy worker effect usually leads to underestimation of the association between occupational exposure and asthma. The role of irritants in work-related asthma is disputed. We estimated the effect of occupational exposure on asthma expression in a longitudinal study, using marginal structural modelling to control for the healthy worker effect. Methods Analyses included 1284 participants (17–79 years, 48% men) from the follow-up (2003–2007) of the French Epidemiological study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (case-control study). Age at asthma onset, periods with/without attacks over lifetime and occupational history were recorded retrospectively. Exposures to known asthmagens, irritants or low level of chemicals/allergens were evaluated through a job-exposure matrix. The job history was reconstructed into 5-year intervals. Results Thirty-one per cent of subjects had ever been exposed to occupational asthmagens. Among the 38% of subjects who had asthma (ever), presence of attacks was reported in 52% of all time periods. Using standard analyses, no association was observed between exposure to known asthmagens (OR (95% CI): 0.99 (0.72 to 1.36)) or to irritants/low level of chemicals/allergens (0.82 (0.56 to 1.20)) and asthma attacks. Using a marginal structural model, all associations increased with suggestive evidence for known asthmagens (1.26 (0.90 to 1.76)), and reaching statistical significance for irritants/low level of chemicals/allergens (1.56 (1.02 to 2.40)). Conclusions The healthy worker effect has an important impact in risk assessment in work-related asthma studies. Marginal structural models are useful to eliminate imbalances in exposure due to disease-driven selection. Results support the role of irritants in work-related asthma.
    Keywords: Allergy, asthma, Respiratory, Other exposures
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 18
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Do self-reported psychosocial working conditions predict low back pain after adjustment for both physical work load and depressive symptoms? A prospective study among female eldercare workers (2013)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-07-11
    Description: Objectives To investigate whether psychosocial working conditions predict the development of low back pain (LBP) in female eldercare workers while adjusting for physical workload and depressive symptoms. Methods We investigated risk for developing LBP for between 1 and 30 days in the past year and developing LBP for more than 30 days in the past year at follow-up in 1537 female eldercare workers with no LBP in the year before baseline. Data were analysed using logistic regression analysis adjusted for sociodemographic variables, health behaviours, physical workload and depressive symptoms at baseline. Follow-up ranged from 18 to 22 months. Results High emotional demands, high and medium role conflicts and low influence predicted risk for reporting LBP for between 1 and 30 days in the past year at follow-up after adjustment for sociodemographics, health behaviours and physical workload. All associations became statistically non-significant when adjusted for depressive symptoms. Low and medium influence at work and high emotional demands predicted risk of reporting LBP for more than 30 days in the past year at follow-up, after adjustment for sociodemographics, health behaviours and physical workload. For employees with low (OR 4.16; 95% CI 1.36 to 12.75) and medium (OR 3.93; 95% CI 1.37 to 11.22) influence, this risk remained statistically significant after adjustment for depressive symptoms. Conclusions Most psychosocial working conditions in this study were no longer associated with risk of LBP after adjustment for depressive symptoms. However, low and medium influence at work predicted risk for LBP for more than 30 days after adjustment for both physical workload and depressive symptoms.
    Keywords: Back pain
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 19
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Time trends in the incidence of work-related mental ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders in the UK (2013)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-04-10
    Description: Objectives To determine UK trends (from 1996 to 2009) in incidence of work-related mental ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders, for all industry as well as for health and social care employees. Second, to investigate whether there may have been a recent shift from a physical to psychological perspective in how patients present their illness by comparing reporting trends for back pain and ‘other work stress’. Methods Multilevel models were used to investigate changes in incidence of work-related illness, as diagnosed by specialist physicians. The dependent variable comprised case reports to The Health and Occupation Research network. Comparisons were made between medical specialties, industry (health and social care vs all other employees), gender and diagnosis. Results Trends for Occupational Physicians’ (OP) reporting mental ill-health (average annual increase +3.7% (95% CI +2.2% to +5.2%)) differed significantly (p〈0.001) from psychiatrists’ reporting over the same time period (–5.9% (95% CI –7.6% to –4.2%)). For OPs’ reporting, the rate of increase was greater for females and for health and social care employees. A fall in incidence of musculoskeletal disorders for OPs of –5.8% (95% CI –7.3% to –4.3%) and rheumatologists’ reporting –6.6% (95% CI –8.3% to –4.8%) was found, with little variation by gender or industry. Within health and social care, an increase in incidence of ‘other work stress’ was accompanied by a similar decrease in ‘spine/back pain’. Conclusions The evidence presented is consistent with a shift in the presentation of ill-health from a physical to psychological perspective, although changes in hazards, prevention measures and physician awareness should also be considered as explanations.
    Keywords: Back pain
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
  • 20
    facet.materialart.
    Unknown
    Work-related psychosocial and mechanical risk factors for low back pain: a 3-year follow-up study of the general working population in Norway (2013)
    BMJ Publishing Group
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-04-10
    Description: Aims This study examines the impact of work-related psychosocial and mechanical exposure on the development of low back pain (LBP) in the general working population. Methods A randomly drawn cohort from the general population in Norway aged 18–66 years was followed up for 3 years (n=12 550, response rate at baseline=67%). Eligible respondents were in paid work during a reference week in 2006 and 2009, or temporarily absent from such work (n=6745). Five work-related psychosocial factors and seven mechanical exposures were measured. Outcomes of interest were moderate or severe LBP at follow-up adjusted for baseline LBP. Results In total, 12.8% (861 individuals) reported LBP during the last month at follow-up. Work-related psychosocial predictors of LBP were high job demands (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.72) and low job control (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.57). Mechanical factors were prolonged standing (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.83), awkward lifting (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.88) and squatting/kneeling (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.61). The estimated population risk attributable to these factors was approximately 42%. The risk for LBP associated with psychosocial exposure was not influenced by adjustment for mechanical risk factors, and vice versa. There was no substantial confounding related to age, gender, education, occupation or psychological distress. Conclusions Highly demanding jobs, prolonged standing and awkward lifting appear as the most consistent and important predictors of LBP.
    Keywords: Back pain
    Print ISSN: 1351-0711
    Electronic ISSN: 1470-7926
    Topics: Medicine
    Published by BMJ Publishing Group
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    PAPER CURRENT
Close ⊗
This website uses cookies and the analysis tool Matomo. More information can be found here...