Industry-specific prevalence of elevated blood lead levels among Pennsylvania workers, 2007-2018.

Objectives: To use industry-specific denominators to more accurately examine trends in prevalence rates for occupational cases of elevated blood lead levels (eBLLs) in Pennsylvania.

Methods: We used adult (aged ≥16 years) blood lead level data from Pennsylvania (2007-2018) and industry-specific denominator data from the US Census Bureau's County Business Patterns to calculate prevalence rates for eBLLs, defined as ≥25 µg/dL.

Results: Of the 19 904 cases with eBLLs, 92% were due to occupational lead exposure, with 83% from workers in the battery manufacturing industry.

Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes Among Employed US Adults by Demographic Characteristics and Occupation, 36 States, 2014 to 2018.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes among employed US adults from 36 states by occupation group using data from 2014 to 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Methods: Prevalence of diabetes was calculated by 22 broad and 93 detailed occupation groups among a sample of 366,633 employed respondents. Wald chi-square values were used to determine the significance of associations between diabetes and occupation groups after adjusting for sex, age, and race/ethnicity.

Development of Job Exposure Matrices to Estimate Occupational Exposure to Solar and Artificial Ultraviolet Radiation.

Objectives: Job exposure matrices (JEMs) are important tools for estimating occupational exposures in study populations where only information on industry and occupation (I&O) are available. JEMs The objective of this work was to create JEMs for solar and artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR) using a US standardized coding scheme.

Methods: Using U.

Lymphedema following breast cancer: The importance of surgical methods and obesity.

Background: Breast cancer-related arm lymphedema is a serious complication that can adversely affect quality of life. Identifying risk factors that contribute to the development of lymphedema is vital for identifying avenues for prevention. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the development of arm lymphedema and both treatment and personal (e.

Integrating Childhood and Adult Blood Lead Surveillance to Improve Identification and Intervention Efforts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects information on blood lead levels (BLLs) in the United States through the Childhood Blood Lead Surveillance (CBLS) system (<16 years of age) and the Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program (≥16 years of age). While both of these state-based national programs share the mutual goal of monitoring and reducing lead exposure in the US population, blood lead data for children and adults are maintained in separate data collection systems. This limits the ability to fully describe lead exposure in the US population across these 2 distinct population groups from sources such as take-home and maternal-child lead exposure.

Codability of industry and occupation information from cancer registry records: Differences by patient demographics, casefinding source, payor, and cancer type.

Introduction: Industry and occupation (I&O) information collected by cancer registries is useful for assessing associations among jobs and malignancies. However, systematic differences in I&O availability can bias findings.

Methods: Codability by patient demographics, payor, identifying (casefinding) source, and cancer site was assessed using I&O text from first primaries diagnosed 2011-2012 and reported to California Cancer Registry.

Precautionary Practices of Respiratory Therapists and Other Health-Care Practitioners Who Administer Aerosolized Medications.

Background: Respiratory therapists (RTs) and other health-care workers are potentially exposed to a variety of aerosolized medications. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers describes current exposure control practices and barriers to using personal protective equipment during administration of selected aerosolized medications.

Methods: An anonymous, multi-module, web-based survey was conducted among members of health-care professional practice organizations representing RTs, nurses, and other health-care practitioners.

Risk of cancer among firefighters in California, 1988-2007.

Background: Most studies of firefighter cancer risks were conducted prior to 1990 and do not reflect risk from advances in building materials.

Methods: A case-control study using California Cancer Registry data (1988-2007) was conducted to evaluate the risk of cancer among firefighters, stratified by race.

Results: This study identified 3,996 male firefighters with cancer.

Acute myeloid leukemia risk by industry and occupation.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of leukemia found in adults. Identifying jobs that pose a risk for AML may be useful for identifying new risk factors. A matched case-control analysis was conducted using California Cancer Registry data from 1988 to 2007.

Shift work and cancer screening: do females who work alternative shifts undergo recommended cancer screening?

Background: Alternative shift work is classified as a probable human carcinogen. Certain cancer screening tests reduce cancer mortality.

Methods: The 2010 National Health Interview Survey was used to examine associations between adherence to breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening recommendations and alternative shift work among female workers.

Acute illness associated with use of pest strips - seven U.S. States and Canada, 2000-2013.

Dichlorvos-impregnated resin strips (DDVP pest strips) are among the few organophosphate products still available for indoor residential use. The residential uses for most other organophosphate products, including most DDVP products, were canceled because they posed unreasonable risks to children. DDVP pest strips act by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain and nerves of insect pests and are designed to gradually release DDVP vapor for up to 4 months.

The risk of developing arm lymphedema among breast cancer survivors: a meta-analysis of treatment factors.

Background: As more women survive breast cancer, long-term complications that affect quality of life, such as lymphedema of the arm, gain greater importance. Numerous studies have attempted to identify treatment and prognostic factors for arm lymphedema, yet the magnitude of these associations remains inconsistent.

Methods: A PubMed search was conducted through January 2008 to locate articles on lymphedema and treatment factors after breast cancer diagnosis.