Assessment of fitness for work in health care workers: biomechanical risk factors.

In current practice the assessment of fitness for work in health care workers exposed to biomechanical risk factors is often based on conventional approaches rather than on evidence-based guidelines. However, an accurate evaluation of worker's psychophysical resources compared to job demand and potential occupational risk factors is essential in order to properly assess fitness for work. The latest published guidelines on the management of patients suffering from back pain reported that the evidence-based approach can minimize the period of inactivity by encouraging return to work (and to other non-dangerous physical activities) in a relatively short period of time.

A web-based versus paper questionnaire on alcohol and tobacco in adolescents.

Objective: Our study was aimed at comparing health behavior data collected from a Web-based self-administered questionnaire (Web SAQ) versus a paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire and assessing the feasibility of the application.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and ninety (n = 190) pupils (ages 14-16 years) of senior high schools anonymously completed a questionnaire, with demographics and queries about lifestyle, alcohol, and tobacco use. For each class, the adolescents were randomly assigned to complete either the paper version of the questionnaire or the equivalent Web-based one, which used a customized platform developed for the purposes of this survey.