Impacts of Agricultural Pesticide Contamination: An Integrated Risk Assessment of Rural Communities of Eswatini.

Marked reductions in mean annual rainfall associated with climate change in Eswatini in Southern Africa have encouraged the recycling of irrigation water and the increased use of pesticides in agricultural production, raising concerns about potential ecological and health risks due to long-term exposure to pesticide residues in soil and irrigation water. This probabilistic integrated risk assessment used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the concentrations of four commonly used agricultural pesticides (ametryn, atrazine, pendimethalin, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) in irrigation water and topsoil samples from farmlands in Eswatini to assess potential ecological and health risks due to exposure. The concentrations of these pesticides ranged from undetectable to 0.

Exploring the public-private and company size differences in employees' work characteristics and burnout: data analysis of a nationwide survey in Taiwan.

Distinct differences exist between public-private sector organizations with respect to the market environment and operational objectives; furthermore, among private sector businesses, organizational structures and work conditions often vary between large- and small-sized companies. Despite these obvious structural distinctions, however, sectoral differences in employees' psychosocial risks and burnout status in national level have rarely been systematically investigated. Based on 2013 national employee survey data, 15,000 full-time employees were studied.

Associations of neighborhood-level workplace violence with workers' mental distress problems: a multilevel analysis of Taiwanese employees.

Objective: Workplace violence is known to pose mental health risks. However, whether or not workplace violence in a surrounding area might further increase the risk of mental distress in workers has rarely been examined.

Methods: The study subjects were 9,393 male and 7,716 female employees who participated in a nationwide survey in 2010.

Association Between Organization Culture, Health Status, and Presenteeism.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine relationships of organizational culture and health behaviors with presenteeism.

Method: Data of a self-reported questionnaire were collected from 816 employees, who joined the study on a voluntary basis, in seven enterprises in northern Taiwan.

Results: Organizational culture and health behaviors were found to be significantly associated with presenteeism.

Acute effects of noise exposure on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive adults.

Objective: Noise exposure is associated with elevated blood pressure, but the effects on susceptible workers have not been reported. This repeated-measure study investigated the effects of noise exposure on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure among hypertensive, pre-hypertensive, and normotensive adults.

Methods: We enrolled 113 volunteers in an occupational cohort in 2009.

Six-month follow-up study of health markers of nanomaterials among workers handling engineered nanomaterials.

The aim of this study was to identify the health hazards and possible exposure surveillance markers of workers exposed to nanoparticles during manufacturing and application in comparison to a group of unexposed workers. For this longitudinal study, we recruited 158 nanomaterial-handling workers and 104 non-exposed workers from 14 manufacturing plants in Taiwan (baseline). Among them, 124 nanomaterial-handling workers and 77 unexposed workers were monitored 6 months later.

Combined effects of noise, vibration, and low temperature on the physiological parameters of labor employees.

Noise, vibration, and low temperature render specific occupational hazards to labor employees. The purpose of this research was to investigate the combined effects of these three physical hazards on employees' physiological parameters. The Taguchi experimental method was used to simulate different exposure conditions caused by noise, vibration, and low temperature, and their effects on the physiological parameters of the test takers were measured.

Changes in psychosocial work conditions in Taiwanese employees by gender and age from 2001 to 2010.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine changes in working hours, shift work, psychological and physical job demands, job control and job insecurity in Taiwanese employees by gender and age during the period of 2001 to 2010.

Methods: The study subjects were 36,750 men and 27,549 women, aged 25-64, from 4 rounds of cross-sectional surveys of representative employees. Psychosocial work conditions were assessed by a validated questionnaire.

Work-related fatigue among medical personnel in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Work-related fatigue among medical personnel is a major concern for patient safety, however heavy on-call duty is common in many hospitals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported work-related fatigue and its associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1833 participants was conducted in two hospitals in Taipei City, Taiwan, using a self-administered questionnaire.

The effects of exercise program on burnout and metabolic syndrome components in banking and insurance workers.

To explore the effectiveness of exercise program for banking and insurance workers and clarify the association between exercise, burnout, and metabolic syndrome components. In the process of the study, a practicable worksite exercise program was developed for bank and insurance enterprises. A three-month (12-wk) exercise course was conducted, and its benefits evaluated.

The influence of age on the distribution of self-rated health, burnout and their associations with psychosocial work conditions.

Objective: Self-rated health (SRH) and burnout are commonly used health indicators. This study was designed to examine the age-specific patterns of SRH and burnout and their correlations with self-reported disease symptoms, and to investigate the moderating effects of age on the associations of psychosocial work conditions with these two health measures.

Methods: Study subjects were 20,454 male and 16,875 female employees from 2 representative surveys conducted in 2007 and 2010 in Taiwan.

Modifying effects of gender, age and enterprise size on the associations between workplace justice and health.

Objective: This study examined the distribution of perceived workplace justice and examined the modifying effects of gender, age and enterprise size on the associations between workplace justice and poor health.

Methods: A total of 9,636 male and 7,406 female employees from a national survey conducted in 2007 in Taiwan were studied. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess workplace justice (9 items), psychosocial work conditions, self-rated health and burnout status.

Effect of low frequency noise on the echocardiographic parameter E/A ratio.

The hearing condition of the Taiwanese aerospace maintenance workers affected by the low frequency noise had not been reported. The purpose of this research is to clarify the maintenance workers' health effect when exposed to low frequency and/or general noises and to understand the relationship between the variations of the worker's echocardiographic E/A ratio and the low frequency noise. The low frequency noise monitoring and echocardiographic E/A ratio results obtained for 213 aerospace maintenance workers indicated that the workers' hearing loss was more serious at high frequency 4k and 6k when exposed to the low frequency noise and could be more than 40 dB.

Alcohol dependence, consumption of alcoholic energy drinks and associated work characteristics in the Taiwan working population.

Aims: To examine the association between work characteristics and the risk of alcohol dependence across different employment types and occupations, including the pattern of alcohol consumption in the form of energy drinks and its association with alcohol dependence.

Methods: A total of 13,501 men and 8584 women participated in a national survey in Taiwan. Alcohol dependence was defined as ≥2 points in the CAGE questionnaire.

Atypical work schedules are associated with poor sleep quality and mental health in Taiwan female nurses.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of shift work schedules on sleep quality and mental health in female nurses in south Taiwan.

Methods: This study recruited 1,360 female registered nurses in the Kaohsiung area for the first survey, and among them, 769 nurses had a rotation shift schedule. Among the 769 rotation shift work nurses, 407 completed another second survey 6-10 months later.

Characteristics of microbial aerosols released from chicken and swine feces.

Bioaerosols generated during livestock and poultry production are significant occupational hazards. This study investigates the characteristics of bioaerosols released from animal feces. Fresh feces from pigs and chickens were obtained and tested in a controlled-environment facility.

Glycine N-methyltransferase affects urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels after PAH exposure.

Objectives: The object of this study was to assess the modulating effects of genetic polymorphisms of glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) genotypes on 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urine from coke-oven workers, consistently exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Methods: The study participants included 289 coke-oven workers from a steel company in Taiwan. Personal air samples, spot urine samples, peripheral blood samples, and questionnaires were used to quantify PAH exposure, oxidative DNA damage, GNMT gene polymorphisms, demographic data, and environmental pollutants.

Influences of shift work on fatigue among nurses.

Aim: To compare the symptoms of fatigue and physiological indices in nurses who work during the day with nurses who work in shifts.

Method: One-hundred and seven nurses were recruited and asked to assess their symptoms of fatigue before their work commenced and after it finished.

Results: Using logistic regression analysis adjusted for covariates, it was found that nurses who work in shifts were more fatigued than nurses who work during the day (odds ratio = 2.

An effective physical fitness program for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The aim of this study is to develop a practicable worksite physical fitness program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Community-based intervention consisting of a three-month exercise course was conducted, and its benefits evaluated. A self-administrated structured questionnaire and physical fitness examination were designed to compare the difference between pre and post intervention.

Reduction of cooking oil fume exposure following an engineering intervention in Chinese restaurants.

Background: A new engineering intervention measure, an embracing air curtain device (EACD), was used to increase the capture efficiency of cooker hoods and reduce cooking oil fume (COF) exposure in Chinese restaurants.

Methods: An EACD was installed in six Chinese restaurants where the cooks complained of COF exposure. Before- and after-installation measurements were taken to compare changes in particulate matter (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in kitchen air, and changes in levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Chinese EPINet and recall rates for percutaneous injuries: an epidemic proportion of underreporting in the Taiwan healthcare system.

Objectives: As an occupational injury, percutaneous injury (PI) can result in chronic morbidity and death for healthcare workers (HCWs). A pilot surveillance system for PIs using the Chinese version of Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) was introduced in Taiwan in 2003. We compared data from EPINet and recall of PIs using a cross-sectional survey for rates to establish the reliability of the new system.

Effect of hand dermatitis on the total body burden of chromium after ferrous sulfate application in cement among cement workers.

Background: Ferrous sulfate (FeSO(4)) added to cement has been used to reduce the prevalence of dermatitis in workers. However, the effect of dermatitis on the total uptake of chromium in cement with or without FeSO(4) has not been previously explored.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the urinary chromium levels before and after FeSO(4) addition among cement workers with or without hand dermatitis.