Urinary glyphosate biomonitoring of sprayers in vegetable farm in Thailand.

In Thailand, glyphosate is popular herbicide to control pests in the agricultural sector. This study aimed to measure glyphosate exposure concentrations through inhalation, dermal contact, and urinary glyphosate concentrations among 43 vegetable farmers spraying glyphosate in Bungphra Subdistrict, Phitsanulok Province. Four types of spraying equipment were used, manual pump backpack ( = 3), motorized spray backpack ( = 22), battery pump backpack ( = 16), and high pressure pump ( = 2).

Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Female Readymade Garment Workers in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study Between OSH Compliant and Non-Compliant Factories.

Purpose: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common occupational diseases responsible for work restriction and absenteeism. The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of MSDs between ready-made garment (RMG) factories that are compliant versus non-compliant with International Labor Organization (ILO) based Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, and to identify other factors associated with a higher prevalence of MSDs.

Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 randomly selected female workers (age: >18 years; ≥1 year of work experience) from 12 randomly selected RMG factories in the Dhaka district of Bangladesh from February to December 2019.

ORGANOPHOSPHATES IN MECONIUM OF NEWBORN BABIES WHOSE MOTHERS RESIDED IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS OF THAILAND.

Organophosphates (OPs) are widely used for pest and weed control in many countries including Thailand. In addition to causing environmental pollution, OPs affect human health by overstimulating neurotoxicants, and OP exposure during pregnancy can lead to adverse health effects of mothers and their fetuses. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a dedicated extraction protocol to identify OPs in meconium of newborn babies ( = 68) from hospitals in Amnat Charoen, Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Sawan provinces, agricultural regions of Thailand, among ten OP types analyzed, eight were detected in 98% of meconium samples (chlorpyrifos (median ± interquartile range (IQR) 0.

Parental decision-making on vaccination for daughters in Japan.

Background: In June 2013, the fear of adverse events compelled the government to withdraw its recommendation of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Since then, the rate of vaccination among Japanese girls has dropped dramatically.

Objective: This study aims to assess how the Japanese government's policy change against HPV vaccination influenced the degree to which parents in remote areas in Japan accepted the vaccine for their daughters, and to analyze related factors.

Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers Exposed to Pesticides and Noise.

Agricultural workers who have concurrent exposure to pesticides and noise are at increased risk of hearing loss. We recruited 163 Thai conventional and 172 organic farmers to answer our questionnaires about personal demographics, agricultural activities, and pesticide and agricultural machinery use. This information was used to calculate the years of conventional (pesticide use) farming and the years of agricultural noise exposure, and to estimate semiquantitative metrics for pesticide exposure (cumulative intensity score-years) and cumulative noise exposure (dB(A)-years) for each conventional farmer.

Hazard Exposure with Health and Safety Outcomes Hinder the Work Ability of Salt Farm Workers in Thailand.

Objective: Unsafe environments and occupational hazards have been documented and are contributing to health risks for salt farm workers in Thailand. Whether exposures with various health hazards and outcomes affect work ability among these workers is uncertain. This study aimed to examine the effects of hazard exposures with health risks and outcomes, including accidents, for work ability among salt farm workers.

Factors associated with pneumococcal vaccination in elderly people: a cross-sectional study among elderly club members in Miyakonojo City, Japan.

Background: Pneumonia is the third leading cause of death in Japan. All elderly people aged 65 years or older are recommended to receive a pneumococcal vaccine. A subsidy for part of the cost of routine pneumococcal vaccination in this age group was introduced in 2014.

Case study of occupational mercury exposure during decontamination of turnaround in refinery plant.

Decontamination during turnaround (TA) can lead to high exposure to toxic chemicals among workers. The decontamination process in refinery plants usually comprises two types, i.e.

Glyphosate and Paraquat in Maternal and Fetal Serums in Thai Women.

Objectives: This longitudinal study measured the glyphosate and paraquat concentrations found in maternal and umbilical cord serum in 82 pregnant women who gave birth in three provinces of Thailand.

Methods: Through questionnaires and biological samples collected at childbirth, factors such as personal characteristics, family members occupation, agricultural activities, and herbicide use in agricultural work were evaluated as predictors of glyphosate and paraquat levels in the pregnant women. Statistical analysis used univariate and binary multiple logistic regression, where the outcome was the probability of exposure to paraquat or glyphosate above the limit of detection associated with occupation and household factors.

POOR PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH BIRDSHOT RETINOCHOROIDOPATHY.

Purpose: To identify prognostic factors for poor visual outcome in patients with birdshot retinochoroidopathy.

Methods: A case-control study of 98 patients with birdshot retinochoroidopathy (196 eyes) was evaluated with a follow-up period of at least 12 months. After exclusion of glaucoma, optic atrophy, and macular scar, the remaining eligible patients were categorized into two groups: poor visual outcomes and good visual outcomes.

HEALTH LITERACY, MEDICATION ADHERENCE, AND BLOOD PRESSURE LEVEL AMONG HYPERTENSIVE OLDER ADULTS TREATED AT PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTERS.

We conducted this study to explore the causal relationships between health literacy, individual characteristics, literacy, culture and society, cognitive ability, medication adherence, and the blood pressure levels of hypertensive older adults receiving health care services at Primary Health Care Centers in Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand. Six hundred hypertensive older adults had their blood pressure level recorded and were interviewed using questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to determine the effect size, both direct and indirect, among factors.

The Impact of Cigarette Plain Packaging on Health Warning Salience and Perceptions: Implications for Public Health Policy.

The study employed a mixed methods design using focus group interviews with 6 student groups and self-administered questionnaires with 1239 students. The participants were nonsmoking, current smokers, and quit-smoking teenagers from secondary schools and colleges. Focus group revealed that although nonsmoking teenagers perceived fear appeals to warning messages, current smokers did not perceive fear appeals to health.

Factors influencing preventive behaviors for dengue infection among housewives in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Dengue is an infectious disease prevalent in Sri Lanka. Some factors may influence preventive behaviors. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors associated with dengue and analyzed the factors influencing preventive behaviors among housewives in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Assessment of occupational exposure to malathion and bifenthrin in mosquito control sprayers through dermal contact.

Objective: To assess occupational exposure of malathion and bifenthrin concentrations by dermal contact and urinary 3-(2-chloro-3, 3, 3-trifluoro-1-propenyl)-2, 2-dimethyl-cyclopropanecarboxylic (TFP) acid, health symptoms developed and the relationship between bifenthrin concentrations and TFP acid in urine of the mosquito control sprayers.

Material And Method: The aerosols of these two pesticides were collected using 100 cm2 cotton patches attached on the skin of upper legs of 54 volunteer of mosquito control sprayers. Their urine samples were also collected before and after application.

Combined effects of hypertension and diabetes mellitus with stroke among Thais in the central region of Thailand: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To determine associations of individual and combined effects of hypertension and diabetes with stroke among Thais aged 55 years and older

Material And Method: Cross-sectional data from national screening program for metabolic syndrome in Thailand for the year 2010 among participants who lived in central region of Thailand were used. The number of participants was 13,268 in the analysis.

Results: The prevalence of stroke was 0.

Determining the burden of secondhand smoke exposure on the respiratory health of Thai children.

Background: The impact of secondhand smoke (SHS) on Southeast Asian children's health has been assessed by a limited number of studies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether in Thailand, pre- and postnatal exposure to SHS is associated with acute lower respiratory conditions in young children.

Methods: We conducted a case control study of 462 children under age five admitted with acute lower respiratory illnesses, including asthma and pneumonia, at a major hospital in Bangkok.

Respiratory effects among rubberwood furniture factory workers in Thailand.

Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function were examined among 89 rubberwood furniture factory workers. Acute and chronic irritant symptoms were assessed, lung function was measured both pre- and post-shift and personal inhalable dust exposure determined. The only symptoms with a significant increase among high dust level-exposed workers (>1 mg/m(3)) were those related to nasal irritation.

The urinary cotinine and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels in male smokers.

Objective: To assess urinary cotinine and the effects of smoking on 25(OH)D levels in 67 male smokers.

Material And Method: Urine and blood specimens were analyzed for cotinine and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and chemiluminescent immunoassay, respectively. The accuracy, precision and detection limit of the HPLC method were also tested.

Asbestos Exposure among Mitering Workers.

The objectives are to compare the airborne asbestos concentrations resulted from mitering of abestos cement roof sheets by a high-speed motor and a hand saw, and to monitor whether other workers near the test sites are vulnerable to the fibers exceeding the occupational exposure limit. Four test cases were carried out and altogether 7 personal and 4 area air samples were collected. The NIOSH method 7400 was employed for the air samplings and analysis.

Factors affecting failure to quit smoking after exposure to pictorial cigarette pack warnings among employees in Thailand.

This study was carried out to determine whether health warning pictures(HWP) affect smoking cessation using a structured equation model for intending-to-quit smokers in work places. Data from a 1-year longitudinal followup of attempt-to-quit employees was obtained to determine if pack warnings affect tobacco cessation rates. Stratified simple random sampling, and Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed.

Factors related to tobacco use among middle school students in China.

The objectives of this study were to determine the status of tobacco use among middle school students in China, and to identify factors related to tobacco use. The study was conducted in December 2009. An ecological model was used to formulate the conceptual framework of the study.

Ethion exposure and biological monitoring in vegetable farmers.

Objective: To modify the method of analysis of urinary diethyl phosphate (DEP) in order to determine the relationship between atmospheric ethion concentration and urinary DEP concentration.

Materials And Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting atmospheric ethion in the breathing zone of 28 farmers following the NIOSH 5600 method. Urine samples were also collected to analyze urinary DEP concentrations by a modified method using a Gas Chromatography-Flame Photometric Detector (FPD).

Novel ellipsoid spatial analysis for determining malaria risk at the village level.

The distribution patterns of malaria incidence at a village level in Thailand were demonstrated with the use of a geographical information system (GIS), and provided the study of the malaria situation at a household level. Mosaic imageries from aerial photographs were used to create maps that contained X and Y coordinates. These digitized base maps were kept as computerized files.

Norovirus GII-4 2006b variant circulating in patients with acute gastroenteritis in Thailand during a 2006-2007 study.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are recognized as a significant cause of acute gastroenteritis in children and adults. A 14-month study, from January 2006 to February 2007, was undertaken in a hospital in Thailand to determine the prevalence and genetic characterization of NoVs in patients of all ages with acute gastroenteritis. Based on reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR), NoVs were detected in 122 of 273 (44.

Health risk among asbestos cement sheet manufacturing workers in Thailand.

Objective: To assess asbestos exposure and calculate the relative risks of lung cancer among asbestos cement roof sheet workers and to predict the incidence rate of lung cancer caused by asbestos in Thailand.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four asbestos cement roof factories. Both area and personal air samples were collected and analyzed employing NIOSH method # 7400 and counting rule A for all procesess and activities.