Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology
Volume:12 Issue: 1, Winter 2023

Cancer and underlying diseases in the covid-19 pandemic created more problems for those affected by the coronavirus. This study aimed to evaluat patients' mortality and related factors based on underlying diseases in people with COVID-19.

This descriptive study was performed on patients with COVID-19 admitted to Kermanshah hospital from February 22, 2020, to September 22, 2021. Clinical information was obtained from medical records and patient's history was extracted from the case documentation. The mortality and case fatality rates in hospitalized COVID-19 cases were calculated. Analysis of logistic regression models was used to identify prognostic factors of death.

Out of 55813 patients admitted to the hospital due to covid-19 on the mentioned date, 4260 died. Furthermore, the most common underlying disease in hospitalized patients due to covid 19 was hypertension (11.4%). The prevalence of cancers was 1.4%. The highest in-hospital case fatality rate was chronic kidney disease (CKD) (21.3%) and cancer (16.6%). In addition, among the underlying diseases, the odds ratio of CKD was 2.12 (CI90%= 1.38- 3.26), and cancers were 2.06 (CI95%= 1.25- 3.37), the most important underlying diseases for odds of death.

The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was higher in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 than patients with other underlying diseases. However, patients with CKD and cancer had a higher odds ratio for death. Therefore, attention to managing patients with CKD and cancers should be seriously considered and followed.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the respiratory disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To identify those who have been exposed to the virus and maybe to forecast disease immunity, antibody tests are crucial. We aimed to examine the association between prior COVID-19 infection and antibody levels, including immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) while considering the underlying illnesses in COVID-19 patients in Guilan province.

In this descriptive study, 212 individuals with a COVID-19 history participated. Blood samples were taken from people twice. The first time of blood sample collection was in April 2020. The second blood sample collection was around three months after the first time in August 2020. The total immunoglobulins levels specific to SARS-CoV-2 were measured using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The study included 212 participants, 101 (47.6%) were males, and 111 (52.4%) were women. The age of those who recovered most commonly ranged from 31 to 45 years (31.1%). The most common underlying diseases were Hypertension (31/212), obesity (23/212), cardiovascular disease (17/212), diabetes (17/212), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively. The findings showed that, three months after recovery, the level of IgG remained persistent while the level of IgM had decreased. This revealed that 26/212, or 12.26%, had IgG levels above 1.1.

In individuals who had previously contracted COVID-19, the level of IgG increased over time, whereas the level of IgM decreased.

COVID-19 continues to pose a significant healthcare challenge throughout the world. This study aimed to investigate epidemiological characteristics and associated mortality factors among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the Mazandaran province.

In this descriptive study, the medical information of patients admitted to 39 hospitals in 17 cities in Mazandaran province between February 20, 2020, and February 20, 2021, were initially assessed and then entered the survey based on the study criteria. For data analysis, statistical approaches such as Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were performed at a significance level of 5%.

Out of the initial 34036 patients total patients, 21007 were included in the study with a mean age of 53.75±18.23 years, and 10219(48.6%) were males. The majority of cases and the highest mortality percent belonged to the age groups of 60 to 70 and 70 to 80. The Mortality proportion was 11.6% (n=2431), with a higher value in males than females. Moreover, the highest mortality rate was seen in ICU  (n=2803, 85.7%). Underlying diseases with the highest mortality rate were diabetes  (n=2058, 43%) and chronic heart disease  (n=166, 6.83%). The most common symptoms of illness were fever  (n=9025, 43%), hemoptysis  (n=5911, 28.10%), sore throat  (n=3771, 18%), and low blood pressure  (n=3626, 17.30%).

This study showed a high mortality rate among COVID-19 cases and dissected the related risk factors, including age, gender, underlying diseases, and ICU admission.

Occupational accidents are one of the main factors destroying the present potentials among employees. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology of occupational accidents in the patients admitted to Khorramabad hospitals.

This is a descriptive study. A researcher-made checklist was used for data collection, and related information, including demographic indicators, type of job, work experience, cause of accident, time of accident based on morning, evening and night work shifts and seasons, type Injury, area and injured limb were collected from the records of hospitalized patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software, and chi-square test.

A total of 2833 people were studied. The mean age of the subjects was 33.64±31 with a minimum age of 12 years and a maximum of 83 years. 2276 people (80.3%) were men. Upper extremity ulcer was the most common kind of occupational damage, affecting 766 patients (or 27%), while upper and lower extremity ulcer was the least common, affecting 9 patients (or 0.3%). There was a statistically significant difference between the respondents' sex, age, season of injury, and time of injury (P < 0.05) and the cause of their occupational injury.

Considering the increasing trend of occupational accidents, and its high prevalence in construction jobs, the need to take serious and preventive measures to reduce the incidence of such accidents, and its adverse consequences should be considered.

Productivity and safety of night shift workers are affected by sleepiness during work. Therefore, interventions to reduce sleepiness are very important. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of light on sleepiness and mouth temperature of hospital night shift workers.

This clinical trial study was conducted using light intensity intervention in 140 hospital night shift workers in 2018 with targeted sampling. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) was used to determine the sleepiness score. This scale was completed one hour after light interventions at 23 and 1, 3 and 5 in the morning. Also, mouth temperature was measured one hour after starting work at 23, 1, 3, 2, and 4. Finally, the data before and after the intervention were compared and the results were analyzed.

The average sleepiness and mouth temperature were 1.04±2.67 and 36.56±0.13, respectively. The effect of the intervention on sleepiness was significant (P-value <0.001). The correlation between mouth temperature and sleep was significant (0.033, r = 0.22, P-value). The trend of changes in employees' oral temperature was also significant (P-value < 0.001).

The results showed that the light intensity had a significant effect on sleepiness. But there was no significant effect of light intensity on the mouth temperature of employees and there was a significant inverse relationship between sleepiness and mouth temperature.

Fatigue, depression, and job satisfaction are very important variables in job scopes that, if not managed properly, significantly impact job performance. This study aimed to investigate the association between occupational fatigue and burnout levels with job satisfaction among taxi drivers in Isfahan.

This descriptive study in which 399 randomly selected taxi drivers were recruited, was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, 2022. Data were collected using a demographic and job information questionnaire and Questionnaires of Minnesota Job Satisfaction(MSQ), Maslach Burnout Inventory(MBI), and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory(MFI). Descriptive and analytical statistical tests such as Spearman and Pearson correlations were used to analyze the data. It was done with SPSS 20 with a significance level of 0.05.

Job satisfaction score had a positive and significant association with rest hours, exercise hours, and income of taxi drivers and a negative and significant association with driving hours and education level (p <0.05). According to the results, the fatigue score had no significant association with any demographic variables (p>0.05).

Results showed that the fatigue and burnout scores in the studied drivers were generally high. According to the results of the present study and similar studies, it can be recommended that reducing driving hours, increasing drivers' rest hours, and encouraging drivers to do sports activities can be effective in reducing their fatigue while working.

 Infertility is a major problem around the world. The male partner is responsible for half of the infertility. Several factors can affect the male reproductive system and create infertility. Occupational exposure is one of the main factors in male infertility. Present study aimed to review the literature on chemical occupational exposure effects on male fertility.

 For this narrative review online search was conducted on scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences by the following keywords: male fertility/infertility, sperm, occupational, chemical agents, work environment, pesticides painters, farmers, and farmworkers. In this study, we categorized sperm characteristics (quality, count, mobility, morphology, and viability) and reviewed studies (between 1985 – 2022) that assessed chemical occupational effects separately (chemical industries, farmers, and painters) on sperm characteristics. We tried to review the most recently reported studies in this issue and categorized them into subgroups for easy understanding.

  Most studies reported a positive association between chemical exposure and defects in sperm parameters. Existing research suggests that the association between industrial life and infertility development is probably reciprocal.

  Results of the studies are controversial, and it seems epidemiological investigations cannot approve the harmful effects of some occupational chemical exposure on fertility potential and sperm parameters. During interpreting the results of the studies, it is important to emphasize that the type of chemical mixtures, duration of exposure (chronic exposure to different levels), and number of compounds, physiological and psychological conditions can play a key role.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cause muscle pain or injuries from sudden or sustained contact with repetitive motion, force, vibration, or wrong postural movement. A high prevalence of MSDs has been reported amongst police staff. Still, the prevalence of MSDs in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) metro Personnel has not been documented in literature to date. Aim/Goal of the study: To report the prevalence of MSDs in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) metro Personnel.

A total of 401 participants were recruited for this cross-sectional study from CISF Delhi headquarters and hostels by convenience sampling. The standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for investigating work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in working populations was used in this study for data collection. Data were tabulated in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 to obtain the frequency, mean, standard deviation, and percentage.

The point prevalence of low back pain was reported highest, with 19.09 % in males, and amongst females, 17.39% reported pain in one/ both shoulders. Period prevalence for the last 7 days indicated that 17.79% of males and 13.04% of females reported low back pain. The 12-month prevalence of MSDs was highest for the low back region in both genders.

It was concluded from the study that a wide array of work-related MSDs is prevalent amongst the CISF staff of Delhi Metro, with the highest prevalent area of pain being the lower back region.