Symptom screening in detection of occupational solvent-related encephalopathy.

Objectives: Sensitive and easily applicable methods are needed for early detection of central nervous system adverse effects related to occupational solvent exposure. The present study evaluates how symptom screening works in practice.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 2,000 construction workers, including painters and carpenters, in Finland.

Asthma incidence in wood-processing industries in Finland in a register-based population study.

Objectives: This register-based population study determined incidence rates of clinically verified asthma among woodworkers, other blue-collar workers, and administrative personnel employed in wood-processing industries in Finland. Exposure to wood dust was under special scrutiny.

Methods: All Finns employed in wood-processing industries were followed for asthma incidence via record linkage in the years 1986-1998.

Work tasks, chemical exposure and respiratory health in construction painting.

Background: There is insufficient knowledge about the role of house painting tasks and chemical exposure in the respiratory health of construction workers.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted of 1,000 Finnish male construction painters and 1,000 carpenters (response rates 60.6% and 60.

Comparative study of work ability between cancer survivors and their referents.

Even though cancer survivors are often able to continue working after they have been diagnosed, they may have health impairments resulting in reduced work ability. We studied the current work ability of 591 employed people with an early-stage of breast cancer, lymphoma, testicular or prostate cancer, and 757 referents. We also investigated whether the survivors perceived that cancer had impaired their work ability, and which disease-related, socio-demographic and social factors at work had an impact on their work ability.

Activity, functional capacity and well-being in ageing Finnish workers.

Background: The ageing of the labour force and falling employment rates have forced policy makers in industrialized countries to find means of increasing the well-being of older workers and of lengthening their work careers.

Aims: To longitudinally study the relationship between activity and functional capacity and the well-being of ageing workers.

Methods: Follow-up study to that carried out by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in 1981-97 (n = 3817).

Cancer survivors' received and needed social support from their work place and the occupational health services.

Goals Of Work: Even though a lot of studies have been conducted concerning cancer patients' social support, the importance of social support from the work life is unclear. We examined the amount of emotional and practical support that cancer survivors needed and had actually received from their coworkers, supervisors, and the occupational health personnel. We also examined whether disease-related or sociodemographic background variables were associated with needed or received support.

Chemical exposure and symptoms of hand dermatitis in construction painters.

Studies on the prevalence of hand dermatitis in construction painting are rare. Our aim was to study the painters' chemical exposure and the prevalence of self-reported skin symptoms on hands and forearms. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 1000 Finnish male construction painters and 1000 carpenters (response rates 60.

Respiratory symptoms and diseases among construction painters.

Objective: To study the self-reported prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases among construction painters and estimate the potential risk for this group compared with a representative group of carpenters sharing the construction work environment but without significant exposure to paint.

Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted on 1,000 male Finnish construction painters and 1,000 carpenters (mean response rate 60.5%).

Solvent-related health effects among construction painters with decreasing exposure.

Background: The prevalence of solvent-related symptoms among construction painters is unclear due to their declining exposure.

Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted on 1000 male Finnish construction painters and 1000 carpenters. Symptom questions were combined with exposure parameters, medical history, and health behavior.

The impact of education and occupation on the employment status of cancer survivors.

We explored the effect of a diagnosis of cancer on employment according to cancer type, education, occupation, age, gender, mother tongue (Swedish or Finnish), calendar time and hospital district. All 12,542 new cancer cases diagnosed in 1987-1988 and 1992-1993, aged 15-60 years at the time of the diagnosis were identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry. The employment rate of the cancer survivors 2-3 years after the diagnosis was only 9% lower than their gender- and age-matched referents.

Employment status of Finnish cancer patients in 1997.

We explored the impact of cancer diagnosis on the employment status of 46 312 working-aged people with cancer, alive on 31 December 1997 in Finland, and an equal number of age- and gender-matched referents. In general, 50% of the cancer patients were employed, in comparison to 55% of their referents. People with cancer were slightly less often employed, mainly because of their higher retirement rate: 34% of the cancer patients and 27% of the referents had retired.

Results of common laboratory tests in solvent-exposed workers.

Objectives: The screening and identification of occupational liver or other organ-system injury related to long-term, low-level solvent exposure are difficult in clinical practice. We studied the feasibility of the use of common laboratory tests combined with a detailed exposure history.

Methods: The relationships between laboratory tests and exposure to organic solvents were studied in regression modelling adjusted to age, alcohol consumption, gender and body mass index (BMI).

Risk of asthma among Finnish patients with occupational rhinitis.

Study Objectives: To determine the risk of asthma among patients with occupationally induced rhinitis.

Design: Patients with confirmed occupational rhinitis were followed for asthma incidence through register linkage. Patients with other occupational diseases were used as a reference population.

Different measures of asbestos exposure in estimating risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma among construction workers.

To analyze occupation, expert-evaluated cumulative exposure, and radiographic abnormalities as indicators of asbestos-related cancer risk we followed 16,696 male construction workers for cancer in 1990-2000. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) in comparison to the Finnish population and relative risks (RR) in a multivariate analysis in comparison to the internal low-exposure category of each indicator. Overall, the risk was increased for mesothelioma (SIR 2.

The risk of asthma among Finnish patients with farmer's lung.

Objectives: To assess the incidence and risk of asthma in patients with farmer's lung in comparison with farm workers without farmer's lung.

Methods: The details of farmers and animal-husbandry workers notified in 1988-1999 for farmer's lung ( n=1,272) or other occupational disease ( n=5,045) to the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases were followed until 31 December 2000 through two national registries of individuals eligible for reimbursement of the cost of asthma medication and the Population Register Center. Incidence rates of asthma were calculated, and a log-linear model adjusted for age, gender and occupation was used to estimate relative risks of asthma among those with farmer's lung compared to those with other occupational disease.

Incidence of asthma among Finnish construction workers.

We wanted to explore the risk of asthma among male workers of the construction industry. All Finnish male construction industry workers and all those employed in administrative work were followed for asthma incidence through a register linkage in 1986 through 1998. Age-adjusted relative risks (RR) were estimated for 24 construction occupations.

Individual factors, occupational loading, and physical exercise as predictors of sciatic pain.

Study Design: In this prospective study, a cohort of 2077 workers free of sciatic pain and another cohort of 327 workers with severe sciatic pain were followed up for 1 year.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of different risk factors on the incidence and persistence of sciatic pain.

Summary Of Background Data: Sciatic pain seems to differ from other types of low back pain in terms of etiology, occurrence, and prognosis.

Exploration of asthma risk by occupation--extended analysis of an incidence study of the Finnish population.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine asthma risks at the most-detailed level of occupational classification in a previously described nationwide follow-up study that included the entire employed workforce of Finland.

Methods: In Finland, persons with clinically verified persistent asthma are registered for medication reimbursement within the national health insurance scheme. Data were combined from three national registers, and all 25- to 59-year-old employed Finns were followed for asthma incidence in 1986-1998.