Associations of perceived privacy at the workplace with short sickness absences in a cohort of Finnish office workers.

Objective: To investigate perceived task privacy in 2022 associated with short (1-3 days) self-certified sickness absence (SA) in 2023.

Methods: A prospective cohort of 1400 Finnish office workers with survey data in 2022 about e.g.

Associations of Shared Workspaces with Healthcare Professionals' Work Engagement and Perceived Stress.

Introduction: The reform of the health and social services in Finland includes the modernization of both work processes and facilities. This means a transition to patient reception rooms and office facilities that are in shared use. However, research on the associations of shared workspaces with well-being is rare.

Rehabilitation of sick-listed LBP patients in occupational health with collaboration of the workplace.

The aim was to evaluate if rehabilitation procedures including occupational health (OH) and workplace participation increase return to work (RTW) rates among patients with subacute and chronic low back pain (LBP). A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted using the PubMed and Cochrane databases. Main outcomes were RTW and days of sick leave.

Collaboration between occupational health professionals in smoking cessation treatment and support.

Background: Promoting health is an important part of occupational health (OH) professionals' daily practice. Occupational health services (OHS) support work ability and prevent both work-related diseases and lifestyle-related illnesses.

Objective: We focused on how interprofessional collaboration (IPC), regardless of whether the OHS provider is public, private or in-house, influences the implementation of smoking cessation treatment and support (SCTS).

Occupational health professionals' attitudes, knowledge, and motivation concerning smoking cessation-Cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: Occupational health (OH) professionals could play a prominent role in smoking cessation treatment and support (SCTS) and help individuals and workplaces become smoke free. However, their role has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess differences between OH professionals' perceptions of their role in SCTS by measuring three groups of OH professionals' attitudes, knowledge, and motivation concerning SCTS.

Perceived indoor air quality and psychosocial work environment in office, school and health care environments in Finland.

Objectives: The study examined the extent and prevalence of perceived indoor environment-related (IE-related) symptoms environmental complaints and psychosocial work environmental factors in Finnish office, school and health care environments.

Material And Methods: The data were collected from non-industrial workplaces (N = 455) in 2011-2012 and 2015-2017 using the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health's (). Suspicion of IE-related problems was reported in 59% of workplaces.

Healthy people in healthy premises: the Finnish Indoor Air and Health Programme 2018-2028.

Clean and fresh indoor air supports health and well-being. However, indoor air can contain pollutants that can cause a variety of symptoms and reduce well-being. Individual exposure agents can also increase the risk of certain diseases.

" Nature step" to prevent noncommunicable inflammatory disease.

The prevention of many diseases has significantly improved by intervening in known risk factors. However, the causes of the increase in allergy and type 1 diabetes are unknown. These diseases are often associated with a low-grade inflammation and immunological imbalance.

Participative Facility Planning for Obstetrical and Neonatal Care Processes: Beginning of Life Process.

Old hospitals may promote inefficient patient care processes and safety. A new, functionally planned hospital presents a chance to create an environment that supports streamlined, patient-centered healthcare processes and adapts to users' needs. This study depicts the phases of a facility planning project for pregnant women and newborn care processes (beginning of life process) at Turku University Hospital.

Thermal environment in eight low-energy and twelve conventional Finnish houses.

We assessed the thermal environment of eight recently built low-energy houses and twelve conventional Finnish houses. We monitored living room, bedroom and outdoor air temperatures and room air relative humidity from June 2012 to September 2013. Perceived thermal environment was evaluated using a questionnaire survey during the heating, cooling and interim seasons.

Cancer incidence among waiters: 45 years of follow-up in five Nordic countries.

Aims: To study cancer risk patterns among waiters in the Nordic countries.

Methods: We identified a cohort of 16,134 male and 81,838 female waiters from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. During the follow-up period from 1961 to 2005, we found that 19,388 incident cancer cases were diagnosed.

Application of good practices as described by the NEPSI agreement coincides with a strong decline in the exposure to respiratory crystalline silica in Finnish workplaces.

To protect the health of those occupationally exposed to respirable crystalline silica, the main industries in European Union associated with exposure to respirable silica, agreed on appropriate measures for the improvement of working conditions through the application of good practices, as part of 'The Agreement on Workers Health Protection through the Good Handling and Use of Crystalline Silica and Products Containing it' (NEPSI agreement), signed in April 2006. The present paper examines trends in exposure to respirable crystalline silica in Finland prior to and following the implementation of the NEPSI agreement and includes a working example of the NEPSI approach in the concrete industry. Data derived from workplace exposure assessments during the years 1994-2013 are presented, including 2556 air samples collected mostly indoors, from either the breathing zone of workers or from stationary points usually at a height of 1.

Rehabilitation centers in change: participatory methods for managing redesign and renovation.

Objective: The aim of this article is to describe a set of participatory methods that we have either developed or modified for developing future work and service environments to better suit renewable rehabilitation processes. We discuss the methods in a larger framework of change process model and participatory design.

Background: Rehabilitation organizations are currently in transition; customer groups, financing, services, and the processes of rehabilitation centers are changing.

Total prohibition of smoking but not partial restriction effectively reduced exposure to tobacco smoke among restaurant workers in Finland.

Objectives: To assess work-related exposure to tobacco smoke in Finnish restaurants, a series of nationwide questionnaire surveys were conducted among restaurant workers and the levels of indoor air nicotine concentrations were measured in restaurants. The survey aimed to evaluate the impact of the smoke-free legislation in general and in particular after the total smoking ban launched in 2007.

Materials And Methods: In 2003-2010, four national questionnaire surveys were conducted among restaurant workers and the concentration of nicotine in indoor air was measured in different types of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Different types of door-opening motions as contributing factors to containment failures in hospital isolation rooms.

Hospital isolation rooms are vital for the containment (when under negative pressure) of patients with, or the protection (when under positive pressure) of patients, from airborne infectious agents. Such facilities were essential for the management of highly contagious patients during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks and the more recent 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic. Many different types of door designs are used in the construction of such isolation rooms, which may be related to the space available and affordability.

Indoor air particles in office buildings with suspected indoor air problems in the Helsinki area.

Objectives: Airborne particle concentrations can be used as quality indicators of indoor environments. The previous lack of reference data has limited the use of particle measurements in office environments. The aim of this study was to describe the concentrations of airborne particles (≥ 0.

Exposure to tobacco smoke and prevalence of symptoms decreased among Finnish restaurant workers after the smoke-free law.

Introduction: The impact of tobacco legislation and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in bars and restaurants were assessed in a national survey.

Methods: Questionnaire surveys among restaurant workers were conducted in 2007 before the smoking ban, and in 2009.

Results: The exposure to ETS decreased significantly after the launch of the 2007 smoke-free law.

Perceived indoor air quality, air-related symptoms and ventilation in Finnish hospitals.

Objectives: Good ventilation is more important in hospitals than in many other buildings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the condition, performance and modernity of ventilation systems on the perceived indoor air quality (IAQ) and the indoor air-related symptoms of hospital personnel.

Materials And Methods: An inspection and evaluation graded on a 1 to 3 scale of the condition, performance, and modernity of the ventilation systems was carried out in ten central hospitals in Finland.

Indoor air problems in hospitals: a challenge for occupational health.

Indoor air problems, caused by moisture damage and limited ventilation, have been detected in Finnish hospital buildings. A recent survey found that hospital personnel experience indoor air-related symptoms more often than office workers. The aim of this study was to assess the role, capabilities, and methods of hospital occupational health professionals in handling indoor air problems.

The impact of Finnish tobacco legislation on restaurant workers' exposure to tobacco smoke at work.

Aims: To evaluate the impact of Finnish tobacco legislation concerning restaurants, questionnaire surveys were carried out four times between 1999 and 2007. Their purpose was to assess the effects of the legislation on employees' exposure to tobacco smoke in bars and restaurants in Finland before the total prohibition of smoking.

Methods: National questionnaire surveys on reported exposure to tobacco smoke among restaurant workers were conducted in 1999, 2001, 2003, and in the spring of 2007 just before the total smoking ban.

A new method to assess perceived well-being among elderly people--a feasibility study.

Background: A simple but countable electronic device has been developed to gain reliable information on elderly patients' perceived well-being. The device has been tested and proven to be technically functional and countable. It was now tested in two care homes for the elderly and two private homes to evaluate if it provided solid information about the well-being of elderly persons.

Man-made vitreous fibers in office buildings in the Helsinki area.

Several sources of man-made vitreous fibers (MMVFs) may exist in an office environment causing irritation symptoms among occupants. In 258 office buildings, the occurrence and density of settled MMVFs on surfaces were measured by two sampling methods. Altogether, 1113 samples of settled dust were collected from surfaces with plastic bags and gelatine tape and were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope and a stereomicroscope, respectively.

Low tumor necrosis factor alpha levels and neutrophil counts in nasal lavage after mold exposure.

Background: The results of allergy tests against molds usually remain negative in patients with upper respiratory tract and conjunctival symptoms after microbial exposure in a water-damaged building. Most mold-exposed persons report nasal irritation. Immune mechanisms of the nasal symptoms have not been fully elucidated.

Renovation of a "sick building": the challenge of attaining the confidence of occupants.

Background: This case study focused on the renovation of a building with severe mold and HVAC problems. The users did not trust the success of the planned remedies, and the situation became conflict-prone. The aims of the study were to improve communication and cooperation between experts participating in the renovation process and the future users of the building and monitor the success of the remedies.

Airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and ammonia in Finnish office buildings with suspected indoor air problems.

A database of indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (n = 528), formaldehyde (n = 76), and ammonia (n = 47) in office environments was analyzed to suggest interpretation guidelines for chemical measurements in office buildings with suspected indoor air problems. Indoor air samples were collected for VOCs from 176 office buildings, 23 offices for formaldehyde, and 14 office buildings for ammonia in 2001-2006. Although the buildings had reported indoor air complaints, a walk-through inspection by indoor air specialists showed no exceptional sources of indoor air pollutants.