On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) received reports of pneumonia cases of unknown etiology in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, China. The agent responsible was subsequently identified as a coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2. The WHO declared this disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at the end of January 2020.

This event evoked a sense of déjà vu, as it has many similarities to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) of 2002-2003. Both illnesses were caused by a zoonotic novel coronavirus, both originated during winter in China and both spread rapidly all over the world. However, the case-fatality rate of SARS (9.6%) is higher than that of COVID-19 (<4%). Another zoonotic novel coronavirus, MERS-CoV, was responsible for the Middle East respiratory syndrome, which had a case-fatality rate of 34%.

Our experiences in coping with the previous coronavirus outbreaks have better equipped us to face the challenges posed by COVID-19, especially in the health care setting. Among the insights gained from the past outbreaks were: outbreaks caused by viruses are hazardous to healthcare workers; the impact of the disease extends beyond the infection; general principles of prevention and control are effective in containing the disease; the disease poses both a public health as well as an occupational health threat; and emerging infectious diseases pose a continuing threat to the world. Given the perspectives gained and lessons learnt from these past events, we should be better prepared to face the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Objectives: This study explored the relationship between organizational climate, job stress, workplace burnout, and retention of pharmacists. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and conducted a questionnaire survey of pharmacists working at three teaching hospitals (a district teaching hospital, a regional teaching hospital, and a medical center).

Methods: The sampling criteria were a license to practice pharmacy and a willingness to sign a written consent form to participate in this study.

Results: One hundred ten questionnaires were distributed, of which 101 contained valid responses, yielding a valid return rate of 91.82%. A significant correlation was evident between organizational climate, job stress, workplace burnout, and retention. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that demographic variables, organizational climate, job stress, and workplace burnout had a predictive power of 55.6% for retention (F = 9.712***, P < .001). Organizational climate had a significant positive correlated with retention (β =  0.401*, P < .001).

Conclusions: The results of this study can help hospitals to create a friendly and healthy workplace, instruct hospital managers how to improve their organizational climates, and reduce pharmacists’ job stress and workplace burnout, thereby enhancing the quality of pharmacy service and medication safety and eventually improving pharmacists’ intention to stay.

Objectives: Musculoskeletal disorders, mainly carpal tunnel syndrome, represent a leading cause of compensation claims of workers worldwide. Despite this, and the fact that occupational exposures to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals have been individually associated with peripheral nerve damage, the prevalence of occupational co-exposure to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals has rarely been explored. Therefore, our aim was to assess the prevalence of occupational co-exposure to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals in a national representative sample of the French working population.

Methods: The study was based on the French representative cross-sectional survey SUMER 2010. A total of 47 983 employees who had worked in their current job for at least one year were included. Occupational exposure to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals within the previous week of work were assessed using a questionnaire during face-to-face interviews with occupational physicians.

Results: Approximately 5% of male employees and 1% of female employees were co-exposed to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals. This prevalence was up to 10% among male blue-collar workers and 13%, 8%, and 6%, respectively, among male employees in the construction, agriculture, and industry sectors. Male employees under 30 years old, in apprenticeships, and working in small companies were more co-exposed to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals than their counterparts.

Conclusions: Occupational co-exposure to biomechanical factors and neurotoxic chemicals was observed in a significant proportion of French male employees, suggesting that further studies are required to investigate its potential adverse effects on peripheral neuropathies.

Objectives: Very few longitudinal studies have investigated the question of whether differences in company size may give rise to health inequalities. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between company size of the longest-held job and mortality in older Japanese adults.

Methods: This study used longitudinal data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Surveys were sent to functionally independent individuals aged 65 or older who were randomly sampled from 13 municipalities in Japan. Respondents were followed for a maximum of 6.6 years. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate mortality hazard ratios (HRs) for men and for women. Analysis was carried out on 35 418 participants (197 514 person-years).

Results: A total of 3935 deaths occurred during the 6-year follow-up period. Among men, in Model 1 that adjusted for age, educational attainment, type of longest-held job, and municipalities, mortality HRs decreased significantly with increasing size of company (P for trend = .002). Compared to companies with 1-9 employees, the mortality HR (0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.90) was significantly lower for companies with 10 000 or more employees. However, there were no significant differences among women (P for trend = .41).

Conclusions: In men, mortality in old age may decrease with increasing size of company of the longest-held job. To reduce health inequalities in old age due to differences in size of company, studies should be conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors and those findings should be reflected in labor policies and occupational health systems.

Objectives: Using annual health check-up data, the aim of this study was to identify target populations for lifestyle interventions to effectively prevent diabetes in a real-world setting.

Methods: The Japan Diabetes Outcome Intervention Trial-1, a prospective, cluster-randomized controlled trial, was launched to test if year-long telephone-delivered lifestyle support by health professionals can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in people with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) identified at health check-ups. A total of 2607 participants aged 20-65 years with IFG were randomized to an intervention arm (n = 1240) or a control arm (n = 1367). We performed subgroup analysis to examine the effects of the intervention on the incidence of T2D in participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥25, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non-alcoholic or alcoholic elevated liver enzymes at the baseline. Cox regression analysis adjusted for sex was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs).

Results: In addition to IFG, the presence of BMI ≥25, MetS, and elevated liver enzymes increased the incidence of diabetes by two- or three-fold. During a median follow-up period of 4.9 years, only the non-alcoholic elevated liver enzyme group showed a low incidence rate owing to lifestyle interventions (adjusted HR: 0.42, 95% confidence interval: 0.18-0.98).

Conclusion: The results suggest that people who have IFG and non-alcoholic elevated liver enzymes are a good target population for lifestyle interventions to effectively reduce the incidence of diabetes in a real-world setting.