Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology

178-183

Authors: A Ghanbary Sartang * , M Ashnagar , M Abedi , E Habibi

Background: Nowadays, shift work is a common work schedule. Shift work has been hypothesized as a risk factor for obesity. So, identifying the effective factors on obesity is of great importance. In the present research, we are going to study the effects of shift work on obesity among military personnel in 2016. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 80 man military at southern Iran in June and July 2016. Respondents were divided into two groups based on their working schedule (40 shift work and 40 day work personnel). These two groups were matched in terms of type work. In this study, the participants were selected through simple random sampling. In this research, we controlled the effect of age and work experience on obesity. Finally, data analysis was performed with SPSS software. Results: Total people who participated in this study were 80. The findings revealed that mean body weight and body mass index (BMI) in shift workers were more than day workers. The results also showed that 79.6% of subjects had BMI > 25 in shift work individuals. Furthermore, 83.9% of subjects had BMI < 25 in day work individuals. Finally, Pearson correlation test showed a significant correlation between BMI (r = 0.69) and weight (r = 0.67) with years on shift work, in a way that with increasing duration of shift work, BMI and weight increased. Conclusions: The duration of shift work was positively associated with the prevalence of obesity in military personnel and shall be taken to intervention actions in shift works.

190-198

Authors: H Shojaee-Farah Abady , B Fouladi Dehaghi , H Irvani , A Vahidi , M Nakhaei Pour *

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are considered as major environmental contaminants that have a harmful effect on human and ecosystem health, so much effort has been focused on their removal. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal efficiency of styrene by Zeolite Socony Mobil-5 (ZSM-5) after immobilization of nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO) on it. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study and in order to produce styrene, clean dry air with a constant flow rate of 1 l/minute was pumped into an impinger containing styrene solution which resulted in the evaporation of styrene. Produced vapors entered into the mixing chamber to be mixed with clean air. Produced styrene with certain concentrations of 20, 100 and 300 ppm was sent to a reactor containing ZSM-5/ZnO bed to investigate the effectiveness of the bed in the elimination of styrene. Results: This study focused on removal of styrene using ZnO nanoparticles stabilized on ZSM-5 Zeolite. The highest removal efficiency of styrene was 47.5% in concentrations of 20 ppm. For concentrations of 100 and 300 ppm, the efficiency was 22% and 12.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Both adsorption and catalytic mechanisms can be effective in removal of pollutants in different conditions. Findings related to adsorption and removal of styrene also showed that coating ZnO nanoparticles on zeolite absorbent in presence of ultraviolet (UV) has increased the removal efficiency.

207-214

Authors: S Rahimi-Moghadam , N Khanjani , V Feyzi * , M Naderi , H Sadeghi

Background: Shift work can cause problems for workers’ health, especially nurses. This study was done to assess the problems caused by shift work and the nature of the job in nurses of the educational hospitals of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study carried out in 2013. The research participants were 159 nurses with and without shift work and 167 employees from one of the hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Data were gathered via the survey of shift workers (SOS) questionnaire and were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: There were 41.1% (n = 134) shift working nurses, 7.7% (n = 25) fixed daytime nurses and 51.2% (n = 167) fixed daytime employees. Their average age was 35.7 ± 6.4, 34.0 ± 6.9 and 40.0 ± 6.8, respectively. This study showed that headache and dizziness (P = 0.001), lack of concentration (P = 0.011), boredom (P = 0.001), depression (P = 0.001), irritability (P = 0.001) and fatigue during the day (P = 0.026) were significantly higher among shift workers. Shift work significantly affected the personal (P = 0.029), family (P = 0.039) and social life (P = 0.001) of the shift working nurses, and also caused more musculoskeletal and psychosocial disorders. Conclusions: Shift work may cause musculoskeletal and psychological problems and have a negative impact on nurses’ personal, family and social life. Allowing nurses to choose shift work based on their own will, and the regular rotation of shifts can decrease the problems arising from shift work.

225-233

Authors: Y Soltanmoradi , A Ansari , Sh Heidari *

Background: Nurses’ working environments, especially operating rooms are stressful environments due to their undesirable factors and conditions. The present study was conducted to determine sources of occupational stress among operating room nurses of hospitals affiliated to universities of medical sciences in Kerman, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the operating rooms of hospitals affiliated to universities of medical sciences, in Kerman. The sample population consisted of 250 operating room nurses with at least 1 year of work experience. The subjects were selected using randomized cluster sampling. Data were collected using a socio-demographic data form and the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS). The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation, and ANOVA in SPSS software. Results: Operating room nurses rated situations of the “death and dying” subscale as the most stressful, whereas situations of “discrimination” were described as less stressful. Uncertainty concerning treatment was significantly affected by gender; women had higher scores in this subscale (P = 0.019). Moreover, general operating room nurses (vs. specialized) had significantly higher mean scores regarding the perception of the stressfulness of “inadequate preparation”, “conflict with physicians”, and “discrimination” subscales (P < 0.50). Conclusions: The situations of the death and dying subscale were the most important stressors from the viewpoint of operating room nurses. Due to nurses’ constant observation of patients’ pain and suffering, preparing them for coping with such stressors is necessary through education and organizational/familial supports.

240-242

Authors: M Rezaeian *

No Abstract

122-127

Authors: C Okafoagu Nneka * , O Oche Mansur , J Gana Godwin , T Ango Jessica , U Yunusa Edzu

Background: Petrol station attendants are a high risk group and are exposed to occupational hazards with no control over the length and frequency of safety regulation. The study aimed to assess the knowledge of petrol station attendants about the occupational hazards they are exposed to and the safety practices used to prevent them. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria and it was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Using a multi-staged sampling technique, 108 petrol station attendants were recruited for the study. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from published articles which was administered to the respondents by an interviewer. The data was imputed and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Sixty-two (59.0%) respondents had poor knowledge while only 16 (15.1%) had negative attitude. Seventy-two (72.4%) of respondents knew that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were harmful to health and a good proportion knew about work safety practices such as they ought not to smoke cigarettes at the workplace (92.4%). Only 2.8% of respondents used hand gloves while 19.4% used apron always. Conclusions: The finding of poor knowledge of VOCs with very few of them adopting workplace safety practices underscores the need for employers in this sector to identify workplace hazards, adopt safety measures to curb them, train new employees and retrain staff on safety measures, and provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for daily use.

136-143

Authors: N Nasiri , R Vazirinejad * , M Rezaeian , H Sharifi , M Sanji Rafsanjani

Background: Road accidents and their resulting deaths are important issues in the Iranian society. Identifying the distribution of mortality as a result of road accidents has a significant role in preventing this problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of road deaths in Southern Kerman Province, Iran, from 2012 to 2015. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the injured individuals who died due to road accidents were entered into the study by census sampling method. After entering the data into the statistical software, the frequency of the studied variables was presented in the form of text and table. Results: In this study, the frequency of deaths was higher among motor vehicle drivers (44.73%), and in cases with head injury (40.68%) and automobiles (68.85%), and in accidents in the spring and autumn (respectively, 28.28% and 25.66%) compared to other groups. Conclusions: Since victims with head injuries and drivers of vehicles had the highest frequency of death in this study, it seems that increasing the use of protective equipment (belts and helmet) has a significant role in reducing the rate of mortality due to driving accidents in this area.

150-156

Authors: ST Tabatabaei , A Golshiri * , AR Sayadi , A Barazin , Z Sadeghi , S Tabatabaei

Background: Congenital hearing loss delays many aspects of a child's development, including speech and socio-cognitive development. The aim of this study was determine the results of infant hearing screening with transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) in Moradi Hospital, Rafsanjan, Iran: 2014. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study from 6017 infants born in Niknafs Hospital in 2014, the hearing of 2743 infants was tested by TEOAE during the first 24 hours after birth. If the result TEOAE test was negative, 3 weeks later, the hearing examination was repeated. If the result of the second examination was negative, a precise hearing examination was performed with auditory brainstem response (ABR) before 3 months of age, and hearing loss cases were identified and referred to competent centers. The obtained information was presented in the form of descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 2743 infants, 2515 (91.69%) succeeded in the first stage test, 127 (4.63%) in the second stage test, and 16 (0.58%) in the third stage test (ABR test), showing a healthy hearing system. The results of examination with ABR indicated that 4 infants (0.14%) had mild to severe hearing loss who were introduced to specialized centers for cochlear implantation or using hearing aids. Conclusions: Due to the high accuracy of screening tests, neonatal hearing impairment can be diagnosed and treated in the early days of life. Due to the availability of accurate tests for the examination of the hearing system and their low cost, hearing screening is recommended for infants at birth.

165-170

Authors: A Ghanbary Sartang , F Palyzban * , M Abedi , H Abedi , S Sadeghi

Background: Heat stress in the steel industry is considered as a serious threat to the health and safety of workers. A wide spectrum of complications and diseases from mild disorders such as burning sensation to fatal conditions such as thermal shock may occur due to uncontrolled thermal stress. In this study, heat stress assessment was performed according to the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index among workers of a steel mill in 2014. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 11 stations of a steel mill were selected in which occupational exposure to heat stress was possible. The WBGT index was used to measure heat stress. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS software. Results: The results showed that the highest exposure to heat stress was in the rolled operator unit (31.5 °C) and the least exposure to heat stress was in the main operator room (18.52 °C). Personnel working in the poker furnace operator, lift operator, ruffing operator, wrench operator, rolling work operator, scissors operator, and lathe operator units were exposed to higher heat stress than the threshold limit value for heat exposure recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that steel mill workers are exposed to heat stress and the heat conservation planning intervention action should be conducted to reduce exposure.

61-69

Authors: C Panebianco *

Background: Performance related musculoskeletal and associated health issues are prominent amongst musicians. The aim of this study was to explore self-reported musculoskeletal and related health issues in undergraduate music students. A further goal was to ascertain how these problems impact students’ learning and playing their instruments. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal mixed method study was done over a period of three years with 145 undergraduate music students at the Department of Music, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa who completed a health survey, which included verbal statements to open-ended questions. The frequency and percentages of each quantitative variable were calculated using Excel software. Results: The results showed an overall 83% prevalence of musculoskeletal and related health problems among music students. The four most prominent problems cited were related to inappropriate tiredness, concentration problems, sleep disturbances and headaches. Prominent musculoskeletal problems included orofacial issues such as sinus problems, and pain experienced in the lower spine, upper spine, left and right forearm. Students were generally reticent to report problems to healthcare professionals, particularly if they were not musculoskeletal in nature. Conclusions: The current study shows that undergraduate music students at the University of Pretoria experience similar types of playing-related problems to students elsewhere in the world. However, there is a need to further probe and report playing-related musculoskeletal and its associated health problems at this institution as well as other tertiary institutions in South Africa. Furthermore, issues of diagnosis, treatment and impediments dedicated to specific instrument groups should be addressed.

77-83

Authors: Y Taghavi , MR Soleimani * , MR Mokhtaree , A Taheri

Background: The determination of common diseases in a region is a medical and health priority of that region. Ocular emergencies can cause permanent vision loss if they are not recognized and treated promptly. Preserve vision of patients, We arranged this study in Moradi hospital (Kerman, Iran), to estimate our regional situation. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2035 medical records of individuals referring to the ocular emergency unit of Moradi Hospital in 2015-2016 were assessed. Demographic information and type of injury, , were recorded in a checklist. The data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The mean age of the patients was 35.49 ± 13.69 years and the mean duration of time between occurrence of injury and referral was 2.59 ± 2.11 hours. In addition, 1902 (93.5%) participants were men The most common object causing injury was wood (0.8%) and chemical agent was acidic substances (0.8%). The causes of referral in order of frequency were ocular foreign body (OFB) (91.4%), lacerations (3.1%), chemical burns (1%), corneal abrasion (0.9%), glaucoma (0.8%), orbital cellulitis (0.6%), thermal burns (0.6%), infection (0.5%), artery occlusion (0.5%), corneal laceration (0.4%), hyphema (0.2%), and injuries caused by welding (0.2%). corneal laceration, OFB, corneal abrasion, glaucoma, and infection, lacerations, artery occlusion, and penetrating trauma more in men and 16-39 years (P < 0.05). Conclusions: the majority of injuries were observed in men due to ocular foregin body related to occupational practice. Therefore, occupational ocular injuries should be reduced through a closer relationship between medicine and industries, and education on occupational accidents.

92-97

Authors: A Esmaeili , M Rezaeian , HR Naghizadeh , Sh Khajehosseini , M Mobini *

Background: Lighting is a basic need for human beings and affects their physical, physiological, and psychological behavior. The required level of lighting for visual performance must be provided in order to ensure health and wellbeing. Students spend much of their time studying in libraries, and thus, sufficient lighting is necessary in libraries. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine lighting intensity in university libraries in Rafsanjan, Iran. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 13 university libraries of Rafsanjan in April 2014. To assess natural and total lighting intensity, the network method was used. Lighting intensity was measured in a total of 314 stations in the university libraries of Rafsanjan. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The men’s section of the library of Vali-E-Asr University of Rafsanjan had the highest total lighting intensity (1265.40 ± 530.95 lx) and the men's section of the library of the School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, had the lowest total lighting intensity (91.06 ± 29.40 lx). Among the 13 study halls of the studied libraries, 4 (30.7%) halls had no windows. The lack of windows has an undesirable effect on the intensity of natural lighting. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the average lighting intensity in 50% of the studied libraries was less than the Iranian standard. Therefore, the redesigning and modification of the lighting systems of these libraries are necessary.

106-113

Authors: Z Salem * , F Ebrahimi , F Aminzadeh , Z Asadolahi

Background: Malnutrition in both its forms of obesity and underweight, particularly in pregnant women, cause maternal mortality and ‎prenatal complications.‎ The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among pregnant women and its effect on‏ ‏pregnancy outcome, in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2016.‎ Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 839 pregnant women referred to Niknafs and Ali-Ebn Abitaleb ‎ Hospitals in 2016. The subjects were selected by ‎census method. Data [age, pregnancy age, ‎pre-gestational height and weight, and body mass index (BMI)] were collected in the emergency ward and recorded in a checklist. Information on the type of delivery (normal or ‎cesarean section), and the neonate’s gender, weight, height, and head circumference at birth were collected in the ‎maternity ward. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s exact test, and chi-square test. ‎ Results: This study showed that the prevalence of pregestational overweight & obesity, and underweight was ‎‎37.5% and 7.4%, respectively. The prevalence of neonatal LBW and HBW was 5.1% and 3.8%, respectively. In addition, 9.7% of underweight women had LBW neonatals, and 11.8% ‎‎of women with pregestational obesity had HBW infants (P = 0.039).‎ Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity in pregnant women was higher than that reported in other studies ‎in different regions of Iran. Therefore, obesity is a warning for health politicians and administrators. ‎Although prenatal care has been able to control neonatal LBW and HBW, although there is a long way until the achievement of the nutritional ‎goals for 2025.

1-8

Authors: M Haghighat , A Khavanin * , A Allameh

Background: Simultaneous exposure to noise and organic solvents such as styrene is an indispensable part of today’s industries. Numerous studies were done related to ototoxic effects of co-exposure to noise and styrene while some evidences showed the adverse effects of such exposure on other organs. In this study, we aimed to assess the subacute effects of combined exposure to noise and styrene on rats’ lung tissue. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four Wistar male rats were divided in four groups including: A) control, B) rats exposed to 100 dB octave band of noise, C) rats exposed to 750 ppm styrene alone, and D) rats exposed to combination of 100 dB noise and 750 ppm styrene. Following the last day of exposure, the rats were euthanized and their lung tissues were excised, homogenized and assayed for biological analysis of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The results were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: MDA increased significantly (P < 0.001) at the end of experiment in the group exposed to styrene and noise-styrene. GSH concentrations decreased significantly in styrene and noise-styrene group (P < 0.001). SOD (P < 0.001) and CAT (P < 0.05) activities were determined to be significantly lower for the styrene and noise-styrene groups compared to the control group. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results indicated that exposure to combination of noise and styrene caused oxidative stress, increased lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant depletion. These results appear to support the fact that co-exposure to noise and styrene might cause oxidative stress-induced damage to the lung tissue. Since simultaneous exposure to noise and styrene has an additive effect in this regard, further studies are necessary to be carried out on the effects of noise and organic solvents co-exposure.

17-24

Authors: A Manshoori , R Bidaki * , H Esmaily

Background: Pregnancy and labor is a natural process in human life which may be accompanied with challenges. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common type of depression. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine the frequency of PPD and its possible risk factors in mothers referred to health centers in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2015. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was performed on 250 women who had given birth in the previous 2-6 months and had referred to health centers in Rafsanjan for various care services in 2015. The subjects were randomly selected and entered into the study. The data collection tools consisted of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a demographic characteristics checklist. The collected data were analyzed using chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression. Results: Among the participants, 129 (68.5%) mothers had PPD. Of the studied factors, unplanned pregnancy could predicted the incidence of PPD (P = 0.004). No difference was observed between mothers with and without PPD in terms of pregnancy order, delivery method, education level, occupation, history of substance abuse, and previous history of depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of PPD in Rafsanjan is high. Unplanned pregnancy had a significant relationship with PPD; thus, the related specialists and authorities must plan and take measures in this regard.

32-39

Authors: Z Gorgi , A Abbasi , A Mohsenzadeh , A Damankeshan , M Sheikh Fathollahi *

Background: One of the most important epidemiologic indices for the assessment and measurement of dental caries is the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index which is used as an important criterion for the evaluation of the oral and dental health status of individuals. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine DMFT6 (DMFT of the first permanent molar) index and the related factors with the caries free status in students of 12 years of age in Larestan, Iran, in 2014. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional survey was conducted on 2436 students. Data were collected using the National Oral Health Promotion Plan Checklist. If the features of decayed, missing, and filled were observed in any of the first permanent molars, they received a score of 1. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, chi-squared test for trend, independent two-sample t-test, and multiple logistic regression model. Results: The mean and standard deviation of DMFT6 in all students was 1.00 ± 1.36. It was 1.07 ± 1.39 and 0.93 ± 1.33 in girls and boys, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0080). In addition, more than half of the students (51.5%) were caries free. The variables of gender (P = 0.0007), mothers’ education (P < 0.0001), and fathers’ occupation (P = 0.0045) were determined as the related factors of the caries free variable in the logistic regression model. Conclusions: It seems that the amount of the DMFT6 index in students of 12 years of age in Larestan was high compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards in 2010. Therefore, it is recommended that efficient plans be made to promote the oral and ‎dental health of students.

47-55

Authors: T Negahban , A Ansari Jaberi , H Manssouri *

Background: Nurses’ job satisfaction is a determining factor in providing high quality and safe care services and obtaining patient satisfaction. It seems that with the implementation of the Transformation Plan for the Iranian Health System and due to changes in various factors such as professional, individual, and organizational circumstances, nurses’ perceived organizational justice, and as a result, their job satisfaction has changed. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim to determine nurses’ perception of organizational justice and job satisfaction in the context of the Transformation Plan for the Iranian Health System. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the job satisfaction and perception of organizational justice of 345 nurses in hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were assessed in the first half of 2016. The subjects were selected through stratified random sampling. The data collection tools consisted of the Perceived Organizational Justice Scale (Niehoff and Moorman) and Mueller/McCloskey Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale (MMSS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS software and with the consideration of the significance level of 0.05. Results: Mean score of nurses’ perceived organization justice and job satisfaction were 50.580 ± 12.93 and 76.000 ± 20.34, respectively. A positive and significant correlation was observed between perceived organizational justice and job satisfaction of nurses (r = 0.635; P = 0.001). Based on the results of this study, nurses’ perceived organizational justice can significantly predict their job satisfaction up to 39.3%. Conclusion: The rate of perception of organizational justice is a predictive factor of nurses’ job satisfaction. Therefore, in the context of the Transformation Plan for the Iranian Health System, the policymakers’ consideration of factors effective on the establishment of organizational justice, and as result, improvement of nurses’ job satisfaction seems necessary.