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Biomedical subjects

J LaDou

Publications and source records attributed to J LaDou.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Regulation of priority carcinogens and reproductive or developmental toxicants.

In California, 370 carcinogens and 112 reproductive/developmental toxicants have been identified as a result of the State's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. They include pesticides, solvents, metals, industrial intermediates, environmental mixtures, and reactive agents. Occupational, environmental, and consumer product exposures that involve these agents are regulated under the Act. At levels of concern, businesses must provide warnings for and limit discharges of those chemicals. The lists of chemicals were compiled following systematic review of published data, including technical reports from the U.S. Public Health Service--National Toxicology Program (NTP), and evaluation of recommendations from authoritative bodies such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Given the large number of chemicals that are carcinogens or reproductive/developmental toxicants, regulatory concerns should focus on those that have high potential for human exposure, e.g., widely distributed or easily absorbed solvents, metals, environmental mixtures, or reactive agents. In this paper, we present a list of 33 potential priority carcinogens and reproductive/developmental toxicants, including alcoholic beverages, asbestos, benzene, chlorinated solvents, formaldehyde, glycol ethers, lead, tobacco smoke, and toluene.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The export of hazardous industries to newly industrialized countries.

The majority of investment in manufacturing industries in the newly industrialized countries come from foreign companies or investors. This vital source of new jobs and capital for the development of infrastructure brings with it some very significant longterm costs in environmental remediation and workers' compensation insurance that are seldom discussed with candor. These costs may be considered a necessary step on the road to industrialization by many developing countries. But the longterm costs may be high enough to sustain the relative poverty of the country. Moreover, the absence of value added in the process of manufacturing may insure the continued economic dependence on foreign interests. The inadequacy of international environmental law is of concern to a few important organizations. But the extent of environmental degradation in many newly industrialized countries warrants far more effort at regulation and enforcement. Likewise, the high levels of worker fatalities and injuries in developing countries remind us of the need for international cooperation and health and safety program development.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1991

The occupational medicine consultant.

The occupational medicine consultant emerged in a few areas of the country during the 1940s. The concept is growing in popularity, with some recent evidence indicating that it may be the dominant career path for residency trained specialists in occupational medicine. The services provided to industry, labor, and government do not appear to compete with traditional occupational medicine positions. The manpower shortage in occupational physicians promises to fuel the growth opportunity for occupational medicine consultants. The major concerns at this time are the adequacy of liability insurance carried by the consultants and the possibility that their activities will too often be related to crisis situations rather than to the development of preventive medical programs with their clients.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Health hazard appraisal counseling--continuing evaluation.

A program of annual health examinations was expanded to include counseling based on a computerized appraisal of individual patients' specific health risk factors. Data obtained from a specially designed questionnaire, laboratory tests and a physical examination yielded a health hazard appraisal showing a number of weighted risk factors and their relation to ten leading causes of death as determined for that patient. From all of this information, a "risk age" was developed which could then be compared with the patient's "true age." The results were reviewed with each patient, and methods of correcting health hazards were stressed. The first annual retesting of a group of 107 examinees showed a net risk age reduction of 1.4 years (formerly reported in this journal). The longer term follow-up reported in this paper showed a net risk reduction of 2.38 years in a group of 26 examinees. The net risk age reduction in the two groups represented 32 and 40 percent, respectively, of the achievable risk age reduction when patients comply with suggestions made during risk reduction counseling. These findings indicate that health hazard appraisal counseling is an effective method of altering priorities of health practices.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Physiological effects of rotational work shifting: a review.

The high cost of capital equipment, demands of the world markets, and continuity requirements of many technological processes have forced industry to operate three-shift, 24-hour days. Workers on fixed schedules experience no particular problems from shift work, but those who are shifted periodically can undergo physiological and emotional disturbances. These disturbances occur because most human systems function according to circadian rhythms that can be easily disoriented. The primary cause is the periodic shifting of the light-dark, wake-sleep cycles. Extensive literature exists on the cause and symptoms of disturbances in the human physiological rhythms. The information contained in this literature can be applied to protecting the health and well-being of the worker.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1978

Cumulative injury.

A few states, notably California, are experiencing large increases in the number and cost of disability settlements under workers' compensation. Claims of cumulative injury for coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, cancer and neuropsychiatric problems have all been interpreted as compensable under workers' compensation, even when these conditions are clearly related to the aging process. Legal precedents for such claims are building rapidly throughout the country. The resultant costs may lead to the demise of the workers' compensation system. The situation in California is discussed in detail including the legal aspects, cumulative injury claims by type of disease and age of claimants, legal costs to the individual and the employer, and the economic outlook for the workers' compensation insurance system.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Health hazard appraisal in patient counseling.

A program of annual health examinations was expanded to include counseling based on a computerized appraisal of individual patients' specific health hazard factors. Data obtained from a specially designed questionnaire, laboratory tests and a physical examination yielded a printout showing a number of weighted risk factors and their relation to ten leading causes of death as determined for that patient. From all of this information, a risk ("apparent") age was developed for the patient. The results were reviewed with each patient, and methods of correcting health hazards were stressed. A total of 488 persons were appraised, and 107 were randomly reappraised in less than a year, with the finding that the net risk age was reduced by 1.4 years. Such a reduction in risk age is significant; it indicates that appraisal-based counseling is an effective method of altering priorities of health practices.

Accidents↗
PubMed1975

Multiphasic health testing. Benefit-cost analysis of high-volume and low-volume testing programs.

Cost analysis of a low-volume multiphasic health testing program (30 patients/week) has demonstrated that unit costs are similar to those reported by high-volume automated programs (500 patients/week). This comparability in unit costs appears to result from the savings in personnel and space requirements of the smaller program as compared with the larger ones. Cost effectiveness studies (costs per positive findings) of comparable test groups have yielded similar results. This fact leads the authors to suggest that physicians should consider establishing multiphasic health testing programs in occupational and small group medical settings.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Shiftwork: effects on sleep and health with recommendations for medical surveillance and screening.

This article reviews diseases that are aggravated by shiftwork (gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders), the potential of shiftwork to adversely affect pregnancy, shift maladaptation syndrome, and the ability of shiftwork to exacerbate existing disorders and interfere with pharmacological treatments. It offers guidelines for pre-employment screening and medical surveillance of shiftworkers.

Biological Clocks↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rhythmic variations in medical monitoring tests.

Medical surveillance must be done with an awareness that virtually all physiological functions exhibit regularly recurring rhythmic variations. These rhythms, often termed "biological rhythms," and their biological effects are reviewed in this paper.

Circadian Rhythm↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cumulative injury in workers' compensation.

Over the past few decades a new type of claim against workers' compensation has been steadily evolving, namely cumulative injury claims. The author examines the cost of cumulative injury claims, discusses the issue of causation, and reviews cumulative injury claims with respect to current law.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health issues in the microelectronics industry.

Since 1948, when microelectronics entered the American industrial scene, the rapid growth and advancing technology of the industry has caused production facilities to be spread throughout most industrialized areas in the United States. It is now speculated that microelectronics production will be the fourth largest industry in the United States by the end of the century. This article addresses the questions raised about the safety of this industry both for its workers and for the communities in which production facilities are located.

Humans↗