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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Ergonomic evaluation of working conditions and the possibilities of their optimal improvement in small slaughterhouses].

Assessment of working conditions in small slaughter-butcher workshops was based on the measurements of microclimate, illumination intensity, noise level, physical work, load, health risk factors and of other parameters which increased the work strenuousness. The analysis showed that the working conditions were harmful, mainly due to unfavourable microclimate, too poor illumination and the magnitude of physical load which reached mid-heavy and heavy levels. Based on performed analysis of occupational hazards a list of simple technical procedures which could improve working conditions was established by the authors.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1991

Shiftwork. Consequences and considerations.

1. The shiftworker's inability to adapt to shiftwork schedules can lead to a loss of physical and psychological well being, and can produce negative safety and performance consequences. 2. The factors that contribute to the intolerance of working shiftwork schedules are complex and interrelated and include host variables (i.e., circadian rhythms) and environmental variables (i.e., type of shifts worked). 3. The most direct and consistent effect of working shiftwork is the impairment of the quality and quantity of sleep. 4. Interventions should include a program that monitors workers' tolerance to shiftwork and provides information and recommendations for employees to effectively manage a lifestyle that incorporates nighttime work schedules.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1991

[Circadian variation in alertness, readiness for work and work efficiency].

Among various rhythmic processes with different frequencies (periods), which are present in the human organism, for normal functioning the most important are the rhythms with a cycle length of about 24 hours (termed circadian rhythms). Circadian rhythms have been confirmed at all levels of physiological functions: from subcellular and cellular mechanisms, to the organic systems and organism on the whole. In normal everyday circumstances the rhythmic processes in the human organism are synchronised with the rhythmic processes in the environment. The external rhythmic variations support internal synchronisation between various rhythms, and in that way make it possible for the organism to better adapt to the environment. The sleep--wake rhythm is inverted during night work: the worker has to work in the period of low activity level, and sleep during the day, when he is usually active and alert. In order to work in shifts the worker has to adapt to such disruptions of the sleep--wake pattern. Tolerance to shift work was found to be associated with some features of the worker. The measurement of such features could serve as determinate of interindividual differences in shift work tolerance level.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1992

The relation of shift work tolerance to the circadian adjustment.

The amplitude and phasing of circadian rhythms are under discussion as possible predictors of tolerance to night work. In a field study, subjective sleepiness and oral temperature of 147 female nurses were measured at 2-hour intervals during a period with one morning shift and two consecutive night shifts. The nurses also filled out a questionnaire. Two types of tolerance indices were constructed: The "health index" was based on questions referring to general fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, and sleep disturbances, and the "sleepiness index" on the actual subjective ratings of sleepiness. According to the health index, the group with good tolerance had a larger circadian amplitude of the oral temperature rhythm on the day of the morning shift than the group with poor tolerance. However, with regard to the sleepiness index, the corresponding difference between the groups with good or poor tolerance was not significant. The data did not confirm the hypothesis that predicts a quick adjustment of the circadian rhythm when the circadian amplitude is small before the change to night work. The contradictory results found in this and in other studies do not yet permit prediction of tolerance to night work.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Interindividual differences in tolerance to shift work and characteristics of shift workers: relation between the quality and duration of sleep and certain worker characteristics].

The investigation aimed at examining the relationship between the quality and duration of sleep on the one hand and various shift workers' characteristics on the other, as well as establishing whether sleep characteristics were congruent with some other indices of night shift tolerance. A total of 604 rotating shift workers working in a fast rotating shift system were administered a battery of questionnaires. The results showed that sleep quality was related to their many characteristics, especially to neuroticism, rigidity of sleeping habits, flexibility of habits, and relaxedness. Actually, the shift workers' characteristics accounted for a notable percentage (48%) of interindividual differences in sleep quality. However, there were fewer traits related to sleep duration than to sleep quality so that only a small percentage of interindividual differences in sleep duration could be explained (12-30%). Sleep quality proved to be a good indicator of night shift tolerance. The results concerning sleep duration indicated only sleep duration on the afternoon shift and days off, as well as average sleep duration in the complete shift cycle, to be relatively good indices of night shift tolerance.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Desynchronization of oral temperature, pulse and performance circadian rhythms in shift working Indian nurses.

Circadian time structure in shift working Indian nurses was studied. In shift workers desynchronization between circadian rhythms in different physiological variables was observed. Circadian amplitudes of oral temperature, pulse and random add speed rhythms decreased significantly in shift workers as compared to control subjects. Circadian mesors of performance rhythms increased significantly in shift workers indicating that the time taken by them was more for performing the tasks. It can be concluded that the subjects studied herein are intolerant to shift work and amplitude decrement may be considered as a chronobiologic index to determine the tolerance of individual workers to shift work.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Shiftwork: its effect on workers.

Shiftworkers have more complaints in three specific areas: sleep-wake disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular disorders. After 1 to 4 months of effective shiftworking, more than 50% of shiftworkers leave shiftwork after suffering from fatigue, sleep disturbance, and other problems. In addition, older workers seem less able to adjust to shiftwork and are more likely to leave sooner. Three main factors influence the ability to predict adjustment to shiftwork: rigidity/flexibility of sleeping habits; ability/inability to overcome drowsiness; and morningness/eveningness. Occupational health nurses can influence shiftwork policy and workers' health through health promotion policies aimed at predicting which workers might be less tolerant of shiftwork, scheduling shiftwork so it follows the sun, and providing early diagnosis and rapid treatment to workers with symptoms that need management.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1990

Pregnancy during pediatric residency. Attitudes and complications.

Questionnaires were mailed to 116 female physicians who completed their pediatric training within the last 5 years. The questionnaire contained items focusing on (1) maternal complications, (2) health of the infant, and (3) attitudes toward the pregnancy experience. Thirty-five (38%) of the 93 respondents were pregnant during their residency. Seventeen complications occurred in 14 (36%) of the 39 pregnancies. Of the 17 complications, 6 (35%) were serious enough to require hospitalization. Complications resulted in time lost from work in 40% (15/39) of the pregnancies. When asked to describe the experience of being pregnant during residency, only 24% felt that it was "pleasant," while 52% said the experience was "tolerable" and 24% found it "miserable"! Thirty-seven percent (13/35) stated that they would not get pregnant during residency if they had it to do over again.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1989

Circadian characteristics influencing interindividual differences in tolerance and adjustment to shiftwork.

The study was carried out to evaluate whether shiftworkers showing different long-term tolerance to shiftwork differ in their circadian adjustments and/or in some behavioural characteristics. Three groups of eight workers, engaged on three shifts in a graphic plant and matched for age and work experience, were selected according to the presence or not of complaints related to shiftwork: (1) no complaints; (2) nervous complaints (anxiety/depression, severe sleep disturbances); (3) digestive disorders (gastroduodenitis, peptic ulcer). They answered questionnaires on family conditions, health status, rigidity of sleeping habits, ability to overcome drowsiness, morningness, manifest anxiety. They also recorded several physiological parameters (oral temperature, grip strength, peak expiratory flow rate, pulse rate, sleep hours) during day and night-shifts. The data obtained indicate that the characteristics of flexibility of sleeping habits, ability to overcome drowsiness, and lower manifest anxiety, are associated with better tolerance to shiftwork. These characteristics do not seem to influence the adjustment of the circadian rhythm of oral temperature passing from day to night-shifts and vice versa. Conversely, morningness appeared to be unrelated to long-term tolerance, but did influence circadian adjustments and sleep behaviour. Among the groups, the subjects with digestive disorders showed a greater phase shift and a reduction of the amplitude on night-work, suggesting a possible relationship also between the short-term circadian adjustment and the long-term tolerance to shiftwork, as pointed out by other authors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

[Subjective wellbeing of shift workers in relation to individual characteristics of circadian rhythm].

With a goal to test the influence of individual traits of circadian rhythms on the tolerance of shiftwork a circadian questionnaire has been developed with the method of factors analysis. There are two scales in the final form of the questionnaire representing two chronobiological characteristics: morningness - eveningsness (circadian phase-position) and flexibility of the sleep-wake-rhythm. Sex- and age-norms exist for the two scales. Reliability and validity have been demonstrated. The results of an epidemiological study shows that the hypothesis of better adjustment to shiftwork of evening-types can not be verified. A better predictor of tolerance to shift work in terms of wellbeing seems to be the individual circadian trait flexibility of sleep-wake-rhythm.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1990

Effect of shift work on the night-time secretory patterns of melatonin, prolactin, cortisol and testosterone.

In a study of the internal desynchronization of circadian rhythms in 12 shift workers, 4 of them, aged 25-34 years, agreed to be sampled every 2 h during their night shift (0000 hours to 0800 hours). They were oil refinery operators with a fast rotating shift system (every 3-4 days). We found marked changes in the secretory profiles of melatonin, prolactin and testosterone. Melatonin had higher peak-values resulting in a four-times higher amplitude than in controls. With respect to prolactin and testosterone, peak and trough times were erratic and the serum concentrations were significantly decreased in shift workers. Serum cortisol presented a decreased rhythm amplitude together with higher concentrations at 0000 hours in shift workers. This study clearly shows that fast rotating shift-work modifies peak or trough values and rhythm amplitudes of melatonin, prolactin, testosterone and cortisol without any apparent phase shift of these hormones. Whether the large rhythm amplitude of melatonin may be considered as a marker of tolerance to shift work, as reported for body temperature and hand grip strength, since it would help the subjects to maintain their internal synchronization, needs further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Internal desynchronization of circadian rhythms and tolerance of shift work.

Fifteen male subjects including 12 shift workers (oil refinery operators) volunteered to document circadian rhythms in sleep-wake, grip strength of both hands, peak expiratory flow, heart rate, self-rated drowsiness, fatigue and attention. Each of these variables was measured 4 to 6 times/day for 2 to 3 weeks. In addition, both axillary temperature (with a shielded probe) and wrist activity were almost continuously recorded at 15 min intervals during the same time span. Individual time series were analyzed according to several statistical methods (power spectrum, cosinor, chi 2, etc.), in order to estimate the prominent circadian period tau and to evaluate both individual and subgroup differences with regard to tolerance of shift work, age, duration of shift work. The present study confirms for continuously recorded temperature and wrist activity, grip strength of both hands, heart rate and peak expiratory flow that intolerance of shift work is frequently associated with an internal desynchronization. However, this conclusion cannot be extended to circadian rhythms in self-rated drowsiness, fatigue and attention. The internal desynchronization among several circadian rhythms supports the hypothesis that these latter are driven by several oscillators, with presumable differences between right and left hemispheres as suggested by unequal values of tau in rhythms of both hand grip strength. Since an internal desynchronization can be observed in tolerant shift workers having no complaint, it is likely that symptoms of intolerance are related to the subject's sensitivity to internal desynchronization rather than to the desynchronization itself.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Spinal rehabilitation by work tolerance based on objective physical capacity assessment of dysfunction. A prospective study with control subjects and twelve-month review.

A work tolerance program was used for rehabilitation treatment of 45 patients with spinal dysfunction. Patients entering the treatment group were prospectively evaluated by objective physical capacity assessment (PCA). Treatment patients averaged 4 weeks of three, one half day sessions per week. These patients were compared with a control group of 33 patients who did not participate in the rehabilitation program but were evaluated by PCA. A telephone review of all patients in each group was carried out at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Results demonstrated that 78% of the rehabilitation treatment group were discharged with an improved functional work capacity. Most importantly, at 6-month follow-up, 73.0% of patients in the treatment group were productively working while only 38% of control group patients were actively employed. In addition, 84.4% showed an improvement in spinal range of motion. The subjective pain scale ratings of these treatment patients demonstrated only 44.4% decreased pain, while 51.1% stayed the same, and two patients increased discomfort. Further medical diagnostics or intervention was required in 24.4% of treatment patients. These findings definitely show that a spinal rehabilitation work-tolerance program based on objective measurement will enhance an increased rate of return to productive employment activity. There is poor correlation of subjective pain assessment when compared to objective PCAs. Therefore, recommendations of patients for return-to-productive work should be based pain ratings. When adjusted for nonselection patients, the authors community-based hospital program showed similar results to other programs. The work tolerance and rehabilitation program in Concord, New Hampshire, demonstrated a significant cost-effective approach; being less expensive, less time-consuming, and less psychologically oriented.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Recommendations in relation to shift work].

The purpose of the recommendations is to decrease as much as possible physiological, psychological and social problems connected with shift work. To achieve this goal working hours should be organized to take account of shift workers' tolerance to shift work. When recruiting new shift workers certain personal characteristics that make work in any shift work system inadvisable should be checked. As shift work can be considered to be an additional load, shift workers' health requires regular checking-up. If there are signs of health impairment, the workers should be removed from night shift work permanently or at least temporarily. The shift workers' free time should be arranged so as to facilitate recovery from shift work, especially after night shift. To decrease the workload during the night shift, if possible, workers should be given opportunity to take naps during work.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perspectives on the improvement of quality of life with epoetin alfa therapy.

Epoetin alfa (recombinant human erythropoietin) effectively diminishes the anemia associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although many clinical manifestations of ESRD have been attributed to uremic toxins, the ability of epoetin alfa therapy to improve several of these conditions, such as diminished energy levels, appetite, cold tolerance, sexual function, and cognitive abilities, suggests that anemia may be an important factor in uremia-associated symptoms. Correction of this anemia results in improvements in the patient's quality of life. These improvements can be measured by objective criteria such as exercise tolerance tests, or by subjective standards such as patient response to questionnaires. In studies to date, both subjective and objective data show that epoetin alfa therapy significantly improves the quality of life of patients with ESRD.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

Alteration of circadian rhythm in shift-working ambulance personnel. Monitoring of salivary cortisol rhythm.

In order to investigate the relationship between internal desynchronization and clinical intolerance to shift work, a set of circadian rhythms including salivary cortisol rhythm were monitored in seven shift-working ambulance personnel. Oral temperature, grip strength of both hands, subjective assessment of drowsiness, fatigue and attention were recorded approximately every four hours except during sleep, for seven days. Self-sampling of salivary cortisol, which was suitable evaluation of endocrine rhythm in field studies, was also tried in this study. cosinor (cosine curve fitting) method and power spectral analysis were used for time series data analysis. The internal desynchronizations between rhythms of physiological variables and sleep-wake cycle were observed in shift-working ambulance personnel. The incidence of internal desynchronization seemed to be higher in intolerant subjects, although the difference between tolerant and intolerant subjects did not reach a statistically significant level. The peak time of salivary cortisol rhythm during a twenty-four hour shift was phase-advanced as intolerant to shift work showed apparently an atypical circadian pattern of salivary cortisol with an abnormal peak at 21.00 h. In this subject, the clinical intolerance to shift work seemed to be associated with internal desynchronization of circadian rhythms. The present study confirmed the internal desynchronization of the circadian rhythm in physiological rhythms like oral temperature and grip strengths, and was in favour of the hypothesis of an internal desynchronization and clinical intolerance to shift work. The clinical implication of impairment of salivary cortisol rhythm remains to be further investigated.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pediatricians' attitudes concerning motherhood during residency.

Because half of pediatric residents are women, pregnancy is increasingly common among pediatric house staff. We hypothesized that the heavy work load of pregnant pediatric residents is tolerated because those who have experienced a residency themselves underestimate the strain of residency compared with other work. A questionnaire, designed to survey pediatricians' attitudes concerning the effects of employment on the fetus, mother, and newborn infant, was produced in two formats, which were identical except that one concerned residents, while the other concerned women employed full-time in other jobs. Each type of questionnaire was sent to 1000 randomly selected members of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Respondents in both groups shared many attitudes concerning the effects of maternal employment. Certain subgroups (eg, males, those married to spouses not employed, and those women not pregnant in residency) judged employment as more harmful in general. Contrary to the original hypothesis, however, all subgroups consistently judged residency as more deleterious than other work. Training programs need to adopt humane strategies to integrate motherhood with residency.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗