Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D K Parkinson

Publications and source records attributed to D K Parkinson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effects of occupational stress on the physical and psychological health of women in a microelectronics plant.

Physical and psychological effects of occupational stress were examined in a sample of 552 female blue collar employees of a microelectronics facility. After controlling for demographic and biological risk factors, non-work life events, and solvent exposure, job-related conflict was associated with depressive symptomatology, severe headaches, lightheadedness weakness/fatigue, rashes, and presence of multiple symptoms. Job demands were only associated with multiple symptoms. Solvent exposure did not interact with either of the job stress measures synergistically to increase symptom reports. Although the main effects of social support, when present, were in the direction of reducing symptomatology, the interactive effects of social support and stress on health were inconsistent and dependent on the source of support.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Factors affecting service utilization for depression in a white collar population.

The present study examines rates of mental health service utilization among depressed individuals in a large white collar cohort. Clinical and psychosocial features of a recent depressive episode, as well as preexisting psychiatric and psychosocial characteristics, are examined for their ability to distinguish between individuals who (a) did and did not seek help during their episode and (b) chose to consult one professional source rather than another. Results showed that approximately one-third of the sample sought professional help. Respondents consulting mental health specialists were more clinically impaired and had poorer work performance and fewer psychosocial assets than both those consulting nonpsychiatric physicians and those seeking no help. Respondents in the latter two groups were indistinguishable from one another on many of the assessed variables.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Mental health, stress, and poor health behaviors in two community samples.

BACKGROUND: The relationships of obesity, smoking, drinking, and lack of exercise to mental health and stress were evaluated in separate community samples of men and women. RESULTS: Among men, the only significant positive relationship was between history of depression and smoking. Among women, four psychosocial factors were associated with smoking: history of depression, increased marital conflict, greater number of undesirable life events, and full-time employment. Depression and marital conflict were also associated with higher drinking levels, and full-time employment was associated with lack of exercise. History of emotional disorders was not found to exacerbate the effects of stress on poor health behaviors. However, some combinations of stress were detrimental. Among men, the joint effect of high job demands and low decision latitude was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of smoking. Among women, the interaction of full-time employment and greater marital conflict was associated with increased alcohol use. CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the importance of considering gender-specific risk factors in the design of intervention programs.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1991

Work stress, family stress and depression in professional and managerial employees.

Detailed interviews were conducted with 1523 married professional and managerial employees of a major US corporation to test associations of acute and chronic occupational and domestic stress with DSM-III-R major depression and current depressive symptoms. After controlling for demographic and clinical risk factors, both sources of stress were significantly associated with the two measures of depression. On the other hand, neither the demographic and clinical risk factors, nor several psychosocial characteristics (social support, sense of mastery and organizational commitment) moderated the relationship between stress and depression.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Learning and memory function in men with untreated blood pressure elevation.

Learning and memory processes were compared in 20 men with untreated blood pressure elevation and 20 normotensive control subjects matched for age, education, and average alcohol consumption. Subjects were identified from a larger sample of 469 factory workers who had participated in an epidemiologic investigation. Three measures (e.g., Symbol-Digit Learning Test [Ryan & Butters, 1980] and Visual Reproductions-Immediate and Delayed Recall [Wechsler, 1945] ) from a previously administered test battery were chosen for comparison on the basis of statistical power calculations. Results indicate that relative to normotensive control subjects, men with elevated blood pressure performed more poorly on all three tests. These results are independent of other known influences on neuropsychological performance and are likely a consequence of elevated blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Health effects of long-term solvent exposure among women in blue-collar occupations.

The relationship of solvent exposure to self-reported neurologic and somatic symptoms as well as neuropsychological performance was examined in a sample of 567 female blue collar workers who were members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Structured interviews were conducted at IBEW offices. Five solvent exposure categories were derived--never exposed, exposed prior to but not during the past year, exposed during the past year but not currently, currently exposed less than 50% of the time, and currently exposed more than 50% of the time. No differences among the groups on neuropsychological performance were found. On the other hand, heightened exposure was significantly related to depression, severe headaches, light-headedness, room spinning, appetite difficulties, funny taste in mouth, weakness/fatigue, rashes, and abdominal pain after controlling for the effects of seven risk factors (age, smoking, moderate-heavy alcohol consumption, severe obesity, history of physician-diagnosed chronic illness, working in a clean room, and exposure to other chemicals). These findings are consistent with Scandinavian studies of solvent-exposed male workers and point to the need for careful prospective research.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Epidemiology of depression and alcohol abuse/dependence in a managerial and professional work force.

Detailed clinical interviews focusing on depression and alcohol abuse/dependence were conducted with 1870 managers and professionals drawn from a major US corporation. Among men, the lifetime and 1-year prevalence rates of DSM-III-R major depression were 23% and 9%, respectively. Among women, the rates were 36% and 17%, respectively. Lifetime and 1-year prevalence rates of DSM-III-R alcohol abuse/dependence were 16% and 4% for men, and 9% and 4% for women. Imposing a requirement that alcohol-related symptoms cluster together in time reduced the lifetime and 1-year prevalence rates to 11% and 3% for men and 5% and 2% for women. The odds ratio for the lifetime occurrence of depression and alcohol abuse/dependence with such clustering was 2.28. The three most important risk factors for depression were being female, separated or divorced, and having a family history of depression. For alcohol abuse/dependence, the most important risk factors were being male, unmarried, and having a family history of alcoholism. Manager/professional status, length of employment, hours worked per day, and supervisory responsibility were not statistically associated with either DSM-III-R major depression or alcohol abuse/dependence.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed1989

Chest X-rays in hypersensitivity pneumonitis: a metaanalysis of secular trend.

A metaanalysis of published reports of outbreaks of hypersensitivity pneumonitis was undertaken. A statistically significant substantial decline was seen in the sensitivity of chest X-rays (percent of positive in cases of disease) for the diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis over the years 1950-1980. Chest X-rays were also less likely to be abnormal where a population-based approach to the diagnosis of disease had been undertaken. Such declines in the diagnostic "sensitivity" of a test may be related to secular trends in knowledge and recognition of disease or to changes in the disease itself. Standardization of chest X-ray interpretation alone, even if successful, may not resolve the issue of accurate diagnosis of interstitial lung disease.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed1989

Notification of workers at high risk. Design and implementation of a program to address their needs.

I believe the high-risk bill is an opportunity to protect the health and well-being of the millions of workers who have been exposed to a myriad of chemicals that we know have the potential for disease. The practical details of implementing such a bill call for a high degree of sensitivity during the implementation of the program to the issues I have outlined; otherwise, its potential for good will possibly be swamped by frustration, miscommunication, and misunderstanding, and this will result in the provision of less than high-quality care for a group of people who deserve the best care and consultation available.

Communication↗
PubMed1989

Effectiveness of the United Steel Workers of America Coke Oven Intervention Program.

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of the Coke Oven Intervention Program developed jointly by the United Steel Workers of America and the University of Pittsburgh. The program was offered on four occasions at each of seven coke oven plants over a 2-year period. Participants were compared with nonparticipating co-workers and controls from matched plants on knowledge of the Coke Oven Standard and workplace behaviors. Few baseline differences were found among participants, nonparticipants, and controls. Participants improved significantly as a result of the program, with those attending multiple programs accruing the greatest benefits. Panel controls interviewed on six occasions throughout the 2-year period showed little improvement. Reasons for and implications of the effectiveness of the program are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Asbestosis among electricians.

In a cross-sectional study of a small group of non-shipyard electricians, the prevalence of asbestosis, defined as irregular opacities of at least 1/0 profusion, was found to be 15% overall and 25% after 20 years of service. Irregular opacities occurred more frequently among smokers. Cost estimates for asbestos-related disease should include construction electricians in the populations at risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Assessment of neuropsychological dysfunction in the workplace: normative data from the Pittsburgh Occupational Exposures Test Battery.

Neuropsychologists are being increasingly called upon to assess the neurobehavioral status of adults who have been exposed to toxic chemicals or heavy metals in the workplace. Unfortunately, the evaluation of blue-collar workers has been hampered by the absence of a brief yet comprehensive battery of sensitive neuropsychological tests that have been administered to a large cohort of demographically similar adults with no prior history of occupational exposure. In this paper we describe the development of the Pittsburgh Occupational Exposures Test Battery. We detail the procedures used to collect appropriate age-scaled norms from 182 blue-collar males, and delineate the factor structure of the test battery. We also examine the interrelationships among test scores and certain demographic variables, and discuss the epidemiologic and clinical relevance of these data.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Occupational lead exposure and blood pressure.

Recent community studies have suggested that low level lead exposure is significantly associated with blood pressure in the general population. This finding is inconsistent with the results of recent occupational studies of lead exposed workers, although the occupational studies contained serious methodological weaknesses. The present study examined the relation between occupational lead exposure and diastolic and systolic blood pressure in randomly selected samples of 270 exposed and 158 non-exposed workers. Four exposure indicators were examined: employment at a lead battery plant nu a control plant, current blood lead value, current zinc protoporphyrin value, and time weighted average blood lead value. After controlling for other known risk factors such as age, education, income, cigarette usage, alcohol consumption, and exercise, the associations between exposure and blood pressure were small and non-significant. In the absence of a biologically feasible hypothesis regarding the mechanism by which low level lead exposure would influence blood pressure the present findings challenge the validity of the general population association.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Mental health effects of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor restart.

Controversy over potential mental health effects of the Three Mile Island Unit-1 restart led the authors to examine prospectively the pattern of psychiatric symptoms in a sample of Three Mile Island area mothers of young children. Symptom levels after restart were elevated over previous levels; a sizable subcohort of the sample reported relatively serious degrees of postrestart distress. History of diagnosable major depression and generalized anxiety following the Three Mile Island accident, plus symptoms and beliefs about personal risk prior to the restart, best predicted postrestart symptoms.

Accidents↗
PubMed1986

In vivo bone lead measurements: a rapid monitoring method for cumulative lead exposure.

Lead concentrations (microgram/g wet weight) in human bone (tibia) were measured noninvasively in vivo employing an X-ray fluorescence technique. Forty-five workers who had been subjected to chronic industrial exposure were found to have a mean bone lead content of 52.9 micrograms/g wet weight (0 to 198 micrograms/g). In addition to bone lead content, blood lead, body burden of lead as assessed by urinary lead excretion after EDTA chelation, zinc protoporphyrin, and unstimulated urinary lead excretion were evaluated. The results suggest that the in vivo measurement of tibia lead content may serve as an acceptable indicator of body lead burden and provide a practical technique for lead screening purposes. The correlation coefficient between X-ray fluorescence findings and lead excretion following Ca-EDTA administration is 0.69; p less than 0.001.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1986

Acute-onset sarcoidosis presenting as workplace-related hyperreactive airway disease.

Bechtel et al [Am Rev Respir Dis 124:759-761, 1981] have reported a high prevalence of positive methacholine challenge tests in patients with sarcoidosis. We report a patient with sarcoidosis who was identified because of symptoms resulting from exposure to workplace irritants. The presence of hyperreactive airways was confirmed by a positive methacholine challenge.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Respiratory disease in a photographer.

Reversible airways obstruction occurred in a photographer after long-term exposure (over many years) to sulfuric and acetic acid fixers. Air-exchange recommendations for darkrooms by the Building Officials Code Administration [1981] differ markedly from those recommended by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Airconditioning Engineers [1977] and the fixer manufacturer (Eastman Kodak). Use of fume hoods or rates of air-exchange higher than are required by law may be necessary to prevent symptoms and disease in certain workers.

Adult↗