نشریه طب کار
سال چهاردهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 47، تابستان 1401)

Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that may cause respiratory infections. Recently, a new coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) has caused great anxiety worldwide. Given that pre-hospital and hospital emergency staffs are the first group of frontliners to be exposed to and fight COVID-19 infection, this study aimed to investigate the anxiety of pre-hospital and hospital emergency staff in Birjand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 270 pre-hospital and hospital emergency personnel were included in the census method in 2021. Data collection tools included a demographics form and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Data analysis was performed in SPSS software version 21 using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

The mean score of psychological symptoms of pre-hospital emergency personnel (20.65%) was higher than hospital emergency personnel (17.78%). Also, the mean score of physical symptoms of pre-hospital emergency personnel (16.09%) was greater than that of hospital emergency personnel (17.73). There was a significant difference between pre-hospital and hospital emergency personnel regarding the mean anxiety score (P <0.001).

Considering these results and the associated morbidity rate in healthcare providers caused by their presence in the first line of treatment against the COVID-19 infection, health policymakers are suggested to take the necessary steps to reduce the anxiety of the medical staff.

Various factors affect the employees' health and well-being in the workplace. The present study aimed to examine the outbreak of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and the role of factors and parameters affected by the architecture design of Urmia Roads and Urban Development building (e.g., thermal comfort, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), noise, lighting, layout design-ergonomics, and design style (decoration)) by examining symptoms seen in employees, to achieve reduction strategies in future actions.

This descriptive-analytical research was done with a Cross-sequential study among 123 employees in the summer of 2021. Specified symptoms, factors, and parameters were examined through the questionnaire, and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha. In the next step, the data were analyzed using different statistical methods through SPSS-25 software. 

Results indicated that some symptoms, including fatigue, headache, distraction, lack of concentration, muscle pain, hearing problems, high blood pressure, and stress, made up more complaints, and individuals complained about overcrowding, lack of workspace for each person, and noise. Moreover, the parameters caused by Layout-ergonomics and noise were identified as the most important reasons that reduced Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ (and the subsequent advent of SBS. 

The obtained findings confirmed the presence of syndrome in Roads and Urban Development Building, so that improper layout of overcrowding uses and toilets, lack of speech privacy, and inadequate space and dimensions for employees, were the most important, were the most important reasons for employees' complaints.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are the most common and costly preventable occupational problem that office workers suffer from the discomfort associated with these disorders. The aims of this study were to a) investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and b) continuously assess the trunk postures of office workers.

Thirty-six office workers of a medical university participated in this cross-sectional study. Thirty-six office workers of a medical university participated in this cross-sectional study. The prevalence of LBP was determined using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Work trunk postures were measured using an inclinometer.

More than half of the subjects reported LBP. There was a significant relationship between LBP with age, work experience, working hours, and gender (p <0.05). The mean maximum trunk flexion angle was 35.41±13.72, and the mean maximum angle of lateral bend in the frontal plane was 9.86±3.2. The mean trunk angles for all percentiles and plates studied were significantly different between men and women; It was more in women than men (p <0.05).

  The results of this study showed that there are awkward and static postures lumbar among office workers that can be considered risk factors for developing LBP. The findings can help to establish guidelines regarding prioritizing ergonomic interventions to reduce the prevalence of LBP among office workers.

Manual Material handling includes activities in which pushing, pulling, lifting, lowering, carrying, and holding the load, the most common of which is lifting. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the KIM-LHC method to identify high-risk manual load lifting tasks.

This cross-sectional study was performed on healthy male workers with a history of manual material handling in a laboratory setting. The sample size was determined according to previous studies of 15 people. The participants were required to perform 25 tasks with four iterations randomly. An inclinometer device was used to determine the forward bending angle at the waist. Compression loads exerted on L5/S1 were estimated using 3DSSPP software using participants' postural and anthropometric information. Also, the tasks were evaluated using the KIM-LHC method, and their final scores and levels of MSD risks were determined. Data were analyzed using SPSS.20 software and the Chi-square test.

The results of compression load estimation for lifting tasks showed that 92% of the tasks had a low-risk level (less than 3400 N), and 8% of the tasks had a medium-risk level (3400 to 6800 N). While the results of the KIM-LHC method showed that 28% of tasks had a low-risk level, 64% had a medium level, and 8% had a high-risk level. 

The results of this study showed no correlation between the risk levels of the KIM-LHC method and the estimated compression load for some designed lifting tasks. Therefore, there is a possibility of error in estimating the risk level of some lifting tasks by the KIM-LHC method, and more biomechanical studies should be performed on kinetics and kinematics.

Retirement is a stage in life in which retirees are less satisfied with their retirement. It is essential to study the issues of the post-retirement period and the role of their re-employment on mental and physical health. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of coping with job stress training with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on the perception of work-family conflict and the life satisfaction of employed retirees.

The study is quasi-experimental with three groups and three stages. The statistical population was all retirees aged 45 to 65 who were members of Isfahan Retirement Centers in the winter of 1400. Using convenience sampling, 45 persons were selected and randomly assigned to three groups. The work-family conflict (Carlson et al., 2000) and the life satisfaction questionnaires (Diener et al., 1985) were used to collect data. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance and SPSS 24 software.  

The results showed a significant difference in the work-family conflict in the post-test stage between the experimental and control groups (p <0.05). In the follow-up stage, there is a significant difference only between the coping with job stress group and the control group. Moreover, there is a significant difference in life satisfaction between the experimental and control groups in the post-test and follow-up stages (p <0.05). The results of Bonferroni’s post hoc test showed that the effect of coping with job stress training is more significant than mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

The study provides empirical support for both training to reduce work-family conflict and increase life satisfaction in employed retirees. According to Bonferroni’s post hoc test results, coping with job stress training is recommended.

Work environments have harmful physical, social, and workplace psychological factors that can affect people's health and disrupt other areas of people's lives. Workplace human resources spend at least a third of their lives at work, and the pressures and stresses of work can jeopardize their health and, consequently, threaten organizational interests and goals. Decreasing the performance of the individual, the amount of productivity of the organization also decreases. In recent years, one of the most critical issues and problems in administrative systems, including occupational hazards that have attracted the attention of researchers, is the issue of public health and burnout of individuals in an organization. Due to the recorded adverse effects of burnout, this syndrome can affect job performance, such as quality of work, general health, and job satisfaction. One of the main inevitable consequences of job stress is burnout, affecting the quality of care provided by health workers. This study aimed to determine the relationship between burnout and general health in health workers in Arak health centers.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 110 health workers working in the Arak health center were studied. The number of samples was done using census, and all health workers working in Arak Health Center were selected. Data collection tools in this study were a 22-item Maslach burnout questionnaire and a 28-item general health questionnaire. The data of this study were analyzed using descriptive data and one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient by SPSS22 software.

According to the findings of this study, there was a significant relationship between general health and burnout, meaning that people with higher general health experienced lower rates of burnout. The status of burnout was moderate among the health workers studied. The burnout scores of male and female health workers were almost the same, and there was no significant difference between them. There was a statistically significant direct relationship between general health and emotional fatigue and depersonalization using Kendall, Pearson, and Spearman test. A statistically significant inverse relationship was observed between general health and personal inadequacy.

Considering the relationship between burnout and public health, the Arak city health center managers must implement programs to promote and improve job motivation, human relations, and a sense of self-efficacy. Promoting general health and reducing the burnout rate of health workers should be a priority for the University of Medical Sciences managers.

This study compared the extubation of patients in prone versus supine positions in patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery.

In this single-blind clinical trial, 60 patients who were candidates for elective lumbar disc surgery were selected and randomly assigned into two groups of 30 patients. All patients primarily underwent surgery in the prone position. After surgery and discontinuation of anesthesia gases (T0), patients were assigned into two groups, prone and supine. From T0 to extubation time, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, Spo2, cough severity, and secondary complications after extubation such as laryngospasm and shortness of breath were measured and recorded in both groups. 

The results showed that in all the variables under study, the supine group had higher values than the prone group. There was a significant difference in oxygen pressure between the two groups, and the prone group had a more suitable status than the supine group (P=0.02). The incidence of cough was higher in the supine group compared to the prone group, and the observed difference was significant (P=0.001).

Based on the findings of this study, maintaining the prone position after lumbar disc surgery for extubation causes the patient to be less affected by the change of position and is in a superior status in terms of coughing and oxygen pressure.

Hepatitis B and C are major health problems in many countries, especially developing areas. The frequency of hepatitis B is less than 0.8%, and chronic hepatitis C is less than 0.5% in the general population of Yazd in the center of Iran. Large vehicle drivers have some risk factors for acquiring hepatitis B and C infection. This is important because viral hepatitis complications, including cirrhosis and encephalopathy, may lead to road accidents. This study aims to determine the frequency of hepatitis B and C in large vehicle drivers.

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 516 inter-province large vehicle drivers were tested for HBS Ag and HCV Ab in 2018. Liver function tests, physical examination, and abdominal sonography were done for all subjects with positive HBS Ag and/or anti- HCV.

Eight drivers (1.6%) had HBS Ag, and 7 cases (1.4%) had HCV Ab. There was a significant relation between hepatitis B and journey numbers in the month (P-value=0.048); when the drivers have more journeys, they are at higher risk for hepatitis B. None of the patients had cirrhosis.

The hepatitis B and C frequency among large vehicle drivers was 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively. Our findings indicate that hepatitis B and C frequency is significantly higher than in the general Iranian population (P-value=0.014 (.  Hepatitis complication such as Cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy cause traffic accidents. So prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of viral hepatitis are important in this group.