Critical reviews of exposure assessment in carcinogenic hazard identification: the IARC experience.

Objectives: To summarise the rationale, workflow and recommendations for the conduct of exposure assessment critiques in key human studies evaluated for International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards.

Methods: Approaches to evaluating exposure assessment quality in human cancer and mechanistic studies were reviewed according to the precepts outlined in the IARC Preamble, using two agents as case studies. Exposure assessment 'domains', that is, salient aspects of exposure assessment for the agent under evaluation, were selected for review across the key human studies.

COVID-19 vaccine intentions and attitudes in Black American emerging adults with asthma.

Background: Emerging adults (aged 18-29) are less likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine than any other adult age group. Black Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic white Americans to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This study explored factors which affect vaccine intention and attitudes in Black American emerging adults with asthma.

International perspective on military exposure data sources, applications, and opportunities for collaboration.

Military personnel may be exposed to a range of hazards. The assessment, documentation and reporting of military exposure information are important steps to guide health protection, services, and research to support actively serving members and veterans. In 2021, a Working Group of researchers from veteran and defense administrations across the Five Eyes countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) was established to examine large military exposure data sources available in each country, their applications, and opportunities to leverage information across administrations and internationally.

Bladder cancer risk in relation to occupations held in a nationwide case-control study in Iran.

Globally, bladder cancer has been identified as one of the most frequent occupational cancers, but our understanding of occupational bladder cancer risk in Iran is less advanced. This study aimed to assess the risk of bladder cancer in relation to occupation in Iran. We used the IROPICAN case-control study data including 717 incident cases and 3477 controls.

Prevalence and Correlates of Military Sexual Trauma in Service Members and Veterans: Results From the 2018 Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-up Survey.

Introduction: Military sexual trauma (MST) is an ongoing problem. We used a 2002 population-based sample, followed up in 2018, to examine: (1) the prevalence of MST and non-MST in male and female currently serving members and veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, and (2) demographic and military correlates of MST and non-MST.

Methods: Data came from the 2018 Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-up Survey (n = 2,941, ages 33 years + ).

Lessons Learned From Presumptive Condition Lists in Veteran Compensation Systems.

Presumptive condition lists formally accept connections between military factors and veteran health conditions. An environmental scan of such lists and their evidentiary basis was conducted across four veterans' administrations to inform other administrations considering the development of such lists. Information on included conditions, qualifying military factors, and scientific processes was obtained through targeted internet searches and correspondence with veterans' administrations.

Barriers and facilitators for the safe handling of antineoplastic drugs.

Introduction: Antineoplastic drugs are widely used in the treatment of cancer. However, some are known carcinogens and reproductive toxins, and incidental low-level exposure to workers is a health concern. CAREX Canada estimated that approximately 75,000 Canadians are exposed to antineoplastic drugs in workplace settings.

Occupational Exposure to Carcinogens and Occupational Epidemiological Cancer Studies in Iran: A Review.

Introduction: The extent of exposure to occupational carcinogens is not well characterized in Iran, and little is known about the burden of occupational cancer.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe exposure to occupational carcinogens and occupational epidemiology studies in Iran.

Methods: Relevant studies up to January 2021 in Iran were identified through three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar).

Health care access and use among male and female Canadian Armed Forces veterans.

Background: Veterans are more likely than other Canadians to have chronic health conditions, making access to health care an important issue. However, little research has addressed health care access and use among veterans. This paper examines access and use among veterans compared with other Canadians.

Considering Exposure Assessment in Epidemiological Studies of Chronic Health in Military Populations.

Exposure assessment is an important factor in all epidemiological research seeking to identify, evaluate, and control health risks. In the military and veteran context, population health research to explore exposure-response links is complicated by the wide variety of environments and hazards encountered during active service, long latency periods, and a lack of information on exposures in potentially vulnerable subgroups. This paper summarizes some key considerations for exposure assessment in long-term health studies of military populations, including the identification of hazards related to military service, characterization of potentially exposed groups, exposure data collection, and assignment of exposures to estimate health risks.

Comparing negative health indicators in male and female veterans with the Canadian general population.

Introduction: Sex-based information on differences between Canadian veterans and the general population is important to understand veterans' unique health needs and identify areas requiring further research. This study compared various health indicators in male and female veterans with their Canadian counterparts.

Methods: Health indicators for recent-era Regular Force veterans (released between 1998 and 2015) were obtained from the 2016 Life After Service Survey and compared with the general population in the 2015-16 Canadian Community Health Survey using a cross-sectional approach.

Prevalence and Recent Trends in Exposure to Night Shiftwork in Canada.

Objectives: Night shiftwork has been linked to various health outcomes. Knowing where and to what extent workers are exposed to this type of shiftwork can help prioritize areas for intervention and further study. This study describes recent estimates of exposure to night shiftwork in Canada for 2011, and temporal trends from 1997 to 2010.

The IARC Monographs: Updated Procedures for Modern and Transparent Evidence Synthesis in Cancer Hazard Identification.

The Monographs produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) apply rigorous procedures for the scientific review and evaluation of carcinogenic hazards by independent experts. The Preamble to the IARC Monographs, which outlines these procedures, was updated in 2019, following recommendations of a 2018 expert advisory group. This article presents the key features of the updated Preamble, a major milestone that will enable IARC to take advantage of recent scientific and procedural advances made during the 12 years since the last Preamble amendments.

Effect of work schedule on prospective antidepressant prescriptions in Sweden: a 2-year sex-stratified analysis using national drug registry data.

Introduction: Depression-related mood disorders affect millions of people worldwide and contribute to substantial morbidity and disability, yet little is known about the effects of work scheduling on depression. This study used a large Swedish survey to prospectively examine the effects of work schedule on registry-based antidepressant prescriptions in females and males over a 2-year period.

Methods: The study was based on an approximately representative sample (n=3980 males, 4663 females) of gainfully employed participants in the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health.

Soil multifunctionality and drought resistance are determined by plant structural traits in restoring grassland.

It is increasingly recognized that belowground responses to vegetation change are closely linked to plant functional traits. However, our understanding is limited concerning the relative importance of different plant traits for soil functions and of the mechanisms by which traits influence soil properties in the real world. Here we test the hypothesis that taller species, or those with complex rooting structures, are associated with high rates of nutrient and carbon (C) cycling in grassland.

Priority Setting for Occupational Cancer Prevention.

Background: Selecting priority occupational carcinogens is important for cancer prevention efforts; however, standardized selection methods are not available. The objective of this paper was to describe the methods used by CAREX Canada in 2015 to establish priorities for preventing occupational cancer, with a focus on exposure estimation and descriptive profiles.

Methods: Four criteria were used in an expert assessment process to guide carcinogen prioritization: (1) the likelihood of presence and/or use in Canadian workplaces; (2) toxicity of the substance (strength of evidence for carcinogenicity and other health effects); (3) feasibility of producing a carcinogen profile and/or an occupational estimate; and (4) special interest from the public/scientific community.

Identifying occupational carcinogens: an update from the IARC Monographs.

The recognition of occupational carcinogens is important for primary prevention, compensation and surveillance of exposed workers, as well as identifying causes of cancer in the general population. This study updates previously published lists of known occupational carcinogens while providing additional information on cancer type, exposure scenarios and routes, and discussing trends in the identification of carcinogens over time. Data were extracted from International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs covering the years 1971-2017, using specific criteria to ensure occupational relevance and provide high confidence in the causality of observed exposure-disease associations.

Drought neutralises plant-soil feedback of two mesic grassland forbs.

Plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) describe the effect of a plant species on soil properties, which affect the performance of future generations. Here we test the hypothesis that drought alters PSFs by reducing plant-microbe associations and nutrient uptake. We chose two grassland forb species, previously shown to respond differently to soil conditioning and drought, to test our hypothesis.

Examining Exposure Assessment in Shift Work Research: A Study on Depression Among Nurses.

Introduction: Coarse exposure assessment and assignment is a common issue facing epidemiological studies of shift work. Such measures ignore a number of exposure characteristics that may impact on health, increasing the likelihood of biased effect estimates and masked exposure-response relationships. To demonstrate the impacts of exposure assessment precision in shift work research, this study investigated relationships between work schedule and depression in a large survey of Canadian nurses.

Personal light-at-night exposures and components of variability in two common shift work industries: uses and implications for future research.

Objectives Shift workers' increased risk of various adverse health outcomes has been linked to light-at-night (LAN) exposure, but few studies have measured LAN exposure in workplaces. To inform future research methods, this study aimed to (i) measure shift workers' exposures to LAN across industries, occupations, and work environments and (ii) assess components of variance across different exposure groupings and metrics. Methods Between October 2015 and March 2016, 152 personal full-shift measurements were collected from 102 night shift workers in emergency health services (paramedics, dispatchers) and healthcare industries (nurses, care aides, security guards, unit clerks, and laboratory, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy staff) in the province of British Columbia, Canada.