Journal of Occupational Health
Online ISSN : 1348-9585
Print ISSN : 1341-9145
ISSN-L : 1341-9145
Volume 41, Issue 4
Displaying 1-13 of 13 articles from this issue
  • Abul Hasnat MILTON, Mahfuzar RAHMAN
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 207-208
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • FX. Suharyanto Halim, Umar Fahmi Achmadi
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 209-214
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A Modified Photostress Test among Video Display Terminal Workers in a Certain Governmental Company in Jakarta: FX. Suharyanto Halim, et al. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, National Institute of Health R & D, Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia—In an effort to determine the objective parameters of “asthenopia” or “eye strain” in video display terminal (VDT) workers, a modified photostress-test which was a combination of the regular photostress test and the test of contrast sensivity with the Pelli-Robson chart was performed. This measurement was based on two conditions at the same time while working with computers. The first condition was a short working distance which relates to “transient myopia” and induced contrast sensitivity disturbance, and the second was light exposure from a VDT which was analogous to a photostress test. The parameter used was “recovery time”. The population for this study were VDT workers which had asthenopic complaints and were divided into two groups, the study group (high exposed VDT) and the control group (low exposed VDT), with 42 subjects in each group. The study findings showed a decrease in recovery time during one hour of work in both groups-operators and nonoperators. This value might be increased again after two hours of work, but when work time was within 1-2 h if did not result in asthenopia. The deviated recovery time of 19.78% indication a greater risk of asthenopia (p<0.05). Sex, job functions as operators, age, the Hb level and environmental factors as a whole tended to affect the incidence of asthenopia.
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  • Kazuyo HIGASHIGUCHI, Yuko MORIKAWA, Katsuyuki MIURA, Muneko NISHIJO, M ...
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 215-224
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Burnout and Related Factors among Hospital Nurses: Kazuyo HIGASHIGUCHI, et al. Department of Nursing, Kanazawa Medical University—The overall goal of this study is to examine the relationship between burnout in hospital nurses and three parameters: occupational factors, individual attributes, and workplace stressors. Two hundred and sixty-eight female nurses from two public general hospitals were surveyed. Three forms were used: first, a demographic data form to ascertain personal attributes; second, the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess burnout; and third, the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) to assess workplace stressors. The Japanese version of MBI consists of three subscales: Physical Exhaustion (PE), Emotional Exhaustion/ Depersonalization (EE+DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA). The results were as follows: 1. There was a significant correlation between both PE and EE+DP and years of nursing experience, as well as the age of children. 2. There was a significant correlation between PE and the work schedule or workplace. 3. There was no significant correlation between the Japanese MBI subscales and job rank, marital status, or the number of children. 4. There was a significant correlation between the three subscales of Japanese MBI and the Japanese JCQ scales. These findings are discussed.
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  • B.P. CHATTOPADHYAY, H.N. SAIYED, Sk. Jane ALAM, S.K. ROY, S. THAKUR, T ...
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 225-231
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Inquiry into Occurrence of Byssinosis in Jute Mill Workers: B.P. CHATTOPADHYAY, et al. Regional Occupational Health Center E—An epidemiological study was carried out on 196 jute mill workers to inquire into the occurrence of byssinosis and to study the pattern of pre-shift and post-shift changes in ventilatory functions during the working week. The respiratory symptoms were recorded in a questionnaire based on the definition of byssinosis. The pulmonary function tests (PFT) were done by means of a dry wedge bellows spirometer, Vitalograph. On each day, the PFT of the workers were done twice, i.e., half an hour before the beginning of work (pre-shift record), and after five hours of work (post-shift record) on six consecutive working days. In the present communication mainly the PFT results for the first working day are reported. The acute and chronic changes in ventilatory function were defined as recommended by the World Health Organization. Typical symptoms of byssinosis such as chest tightness and difficulty in breathing on the first day of the week (Monday) after a weekend rest were found in 18 (9.18%) workers. Another group of 28 (14.28%) workers complained of chest tightness and breathlessness after work on days other than Monday. This group of workers was referred to as having “atypical byssinosis”. A significant fall (post shift fall in FEV1, 5% and more than the pre shift FEV1.0 value) was observed in 70 (35.71 %) workers and chronic changes in FEV1.0 in 62 (31.63%) workers, respectively. It is concluded that the jute mill workers suffer from a specific respiratory morbidity which resemble the byssinosis observed in cotton, flax and hemp workers.
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  • Csaba SZANTO, Stoica LIGIA
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 232-237
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Correlation between Vibration Induced White Finger and Hearing Loss in Miners: Szanto Cs., et al. Institute of Public Health Cluj-Napoca, Romania—In the present investigation age and duration of exposure to vibration and noise were matched with the intention to confirm the earlier reported difference in hearing threshold loss in miners with vibration-induced white finger (VWF) and those without VWF. The case-referent study comprised 264 miners without VWF and 84 miners with VWF. Out of the two groups were selected 65 pairs, having the same duration of exposure to vibration and noise (in years) and a maximal difference in age of 2 yr. The diagnosis of VWF was made after cold provocation at 10°C for 10 min, when the clinical sign appeared: whitening of the fingers. The values for acceleration of vibration and noise intensity exceeded the permissible level, when taking measurements for P-90 type pneumatic hammers used in miners. The mean hearing threshold level (HTL) was typical for hearing loss induced by noise, reaching the highest value at 6 kHz both in the case and in the reference group. The HTL were lower in those suffering from VWF than without VWF, for all the frequencies, but significant differences exist only for 4, 6 and 8 kHz. The mean recovery rate (RR) for the skin temperature tested at the fingertips after 5, 10 and 15 min indicated significantly high values in the reference versus cases. The subjects were divided into three groups by RR of skin temperature 5 min after cold provocation. The miners having a smaller RR (<0.25) had the lowest HTL; but the subjects with a prompt RR (>0.90) had hearing thresholds significantly better at 4, 6 and 8 kHz. For the group with VWF a medium range correlation between HTL loss and duration of exposure to vibration at all frequencies was found. The same calculations for the reference group did not indicate a significant correlation. The effects of vibration in miners can appear in the hearing organ, far from the part of the body through which this risk factor enters (the hand/arm). The correlation between VWF and hearing loss is directly related to the duration of exposure.
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  • Jungsun PARK, Young-Sook CHO, Kwan-Hyung YI, Kyung-Yong RHEE, Yangho K ...
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 238-243
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Unexpected Natural Death among Korean Workers: Jungsun PARK, et al. Industrial Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Industrial Safety Corporation—Even though workers' deaths can be compensated for in Korea if work stress is substantiated as a cause, neither a definition nor a measure has been officially provided to verify occupational stress or overwork. This study was carried out to identify epidemiological characteristics and components of work stress associated with workers' death. All the records of claims for compensation during 1994-1995 were reviewed to select only the cases of natural death. A descriptive study on the characteristics of workers' natural death and a matched case-control study on stress components were carried out. Cerebrovascular accidents was the commonest cause of death (47.3%) in claims for compensation due to work stress, and coronary artery diseases took second place (29.9%). Sudden death occurring within 24 h after the attack comprised about 1/2 of the total cases. The attack took place most frequently at the workplace and most often during work. When work stress was classified and observed in four categories: sudden physical exertion, sudden psychologic excitement, prolongation of work time, and change in responsibility, only physical exertion within 24 h before the onset of symptoms proved to be significantly associated with workers' unexpected natural death.
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  • Tsutomu HOSHUYAMA, Ken TAKAHASHI, Toshiteru OKUBO
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 244-252
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Seasonal Variation in Sudden Death among Japanese Workers: Why are There Peaks in Spring and Winter?: Tsutomu HOSHUYAMA, et al. Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health—These days particular attention is being paid to sudden death among Japanese workers, an issue requiring an urgent solution. This study describes the seasonal variation in sudden death, and examines the synchronization of death with workers' busy period. Questionnaires were sent to occupational health physicians belonging to a representative sample of large-scale working establishments in Japan. Inquired were cause, date, and other demographic information on sudden death cases that had occurred in each establishment from 1988 to 1992. The seasonal variation in sudden death was analyzed by age, cause of death, and industry, and synchronization of death with the period of settlement of accounts (SA) of the establishment was examined. Of 488 male sudden deaths reported, 362 were categorized as being of cardiovascular origin. Both the 488 cases and the 362 cardiac cases had two peaks of occurrence in March-April and in November-December with statistical significance (p<0.01). Of the 201 cases aged 45-54, 70 (35%) died within two months of the SA. The peak in March-April may be accounted for by an increased number of sudden deaths among workers aged 45-54, whereas the peak in November-December may be accounted for by an increased number of sudden deaths among the entire worker population studied. Because both peaks were associated with busier periods for workers in Japan, work environmental factors may affect the seasonal variation resulting in such a distinctive shape of the curve for sudden death among workers.
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  • Marilena PETRAN, Aristotel COCÂRLA, Dorin C. OLINICI
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 253-258
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Silicon Carbide Induced Pneumoconiosis: A Microscopic and Biochemical Experimental Study: Marilena PETRAN, et al. Hospital of Occupational Medicine Cluj-Napoca—The pneumoconiogenic effects of silicon carbide were studied in an experimental model by intratracheal instillation of a dose of 50 mg silicon carbide, standardized and commercialized by Duke Scientific Corporation, in a group of 30 guinea pigs killed at 40, 70 and 100 days, respectively. Lung samples were obtained and they were fixed, included, sectioned, stained with hematoxylineosin, van Gieson and Masson's trichromic and studied under the optical microscope. The microscopic aspects were compared with those of the controls (10 guinea pigs), intratracheally instilled with 1 m/physiological solution (NaCl 0.9%) at the beginning of the experiment and killed with the last group of guinea pigs at 100 days. The optical microscopic study showed important changes in the pulmonary structure: alveolar wall ruptures, infiltration of alveolar septa with round cells and histiocytes, as well as diffuse interstitial fibrosis which was more obvious 100 days after the instillation. Lung tissue hydroxyproline, as a marker of collagen synthesis, showed a significant increase correlated with the occurrence of fibrosis. The results of the experimental research support the pneumoconiogenic effect of silicon carbide.
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  • Wang LIN, Lin LI, Zhang QIANG, Nie JICHI
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 259-260
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Tsunehiko IMAI, Miyako OMOTO
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 261-262
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Eiichi UCHIDA, Mitsuko WATANABE, Hirono ISHIKAWA, Chihiro SASAKI, Fumi ...
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 263-266
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Eiichi UCHIDA, Fumika OKAJIMA, Hirono ISHIKAWA, Chihiro SASAKI, Taisak ...
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 267-270
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Hironobu KATSUYAMA, Goro TSUCHIYA, Shigeo SUNAMI, Kiyofumi SAIJOH
    1999 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 271-278
    Published: 1999
    Released on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Trends in Absenteeism due to Sickness and Injury between 1986 and 1995 at a Shipbuilding Company: Hironobu KATSUYAMA, et at. Department of Public Health, Kawasaki Medical School—Absentee records between 1986 and 1995 were examined at a shipbuilding company in Kobe. Although the absentees took longer absences at the company than in other companies which belonged to the Shipbuilders' Association of Japan, the annual incidence rate and the annual rate of days absent due to all sicknesses and injuries were decreased. In the circulatory and digestive diseases, the reduction was dramatic and, moreover, the length of absence per case was also reduced. The incidence rates for infectious and mental disorders were only slightly decreased, while the length of absence was significantly reduced. Neither the incidence rate nor the rate of days absent was significantly altered in either neoplasms, respiratory or musculoskeletal diseases but the annual incidence rate for musculoskeletal diseases alone was increasing slightly. Regarding ‘lifestyle-related diseases’ with long latent periods, it seems to be very difficult even to establish an accurate estimation of their prevalence. However, neoplasms and diseases of the circulatory system were at least included in commonly observed causes-of-death. Although the absentee records mainly reflected the severe cases which required long absences, a reduction in the length of absence for the circulatory and digestive diseases as well as their incidence and prevalence suggested a decrease in seriousness in such diseases. To supply better occupational health care to the workers, further investigation of the cost-benefit relationship is required.
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