Occupational Exposure to Artificial Ultraviolet Radiation from Welding in Australia.

Background: Artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is produced during welding and can cause damage to both the eyes (ocular) and the skin (dermal). We aimed to investigate the protection used by welders to reduce their exposure to ocular and dermal UVR.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in Australia that asked welders about their welding tasks and the control measures they used to protect against UVR exposure.

Psychosocial Needs of People Living With Pleural Mesothelioma and Family Carers: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Mesothelioma is a cancer of growing global incidence, especially in developing countries, with unique complex psychosocial impacts on patients and their carers.

Aims: To provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychosocial needs of people living with pleural mesothelioma and family carers.

Methods: A mixed methods design with 61 semi-structured interviews and psychometrically validated questionnaires to assess pleural mesothelioma patients' (n = 36) quality of life and frailty and carers' (n = 25) caregiving experiences, quality of life, and pre-loss prolonged grief symptoms.

Occupational exposure to welding fume in Australia: An online survey.

Objective: This survey aimed to investigate exposure to welding fume in Australian workplaces and the use of protective and control measures among workers.

Methods: Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey of workers and employers involved in welding in Australia. Survey questions focused on the determinants of exposure to welding fume, welding experience and qualifications, and use of control measures.

Young people's alcohol use in and around water: A scoping review of the literature.

Issues: The surrounding social and commercial context, including alcohol advertising, heavily influences alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is a major risk factor for both fatal and non-fatal drowning, particularly for young people.

Approach: We conducted a scoping review to explore the peer-reviewed literature on the use of alcohol by young people (aged 15-34 years) in the context of aquatic environments.

E-cigarettes on Instagram: Exploring vape content via an Australian vaping influencer.

Introduction: Mounting evidence suggests that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are extensively promoted and marketed using social media, including through user-generated content and social media influencers. This study explores how e-cigarettes are being promoted on Instagram, using a case-study approach, and the extent to which Meta's Restricted Goods and Services Policy (Meta's policy) is being applied and enforced.

Methods: We identified the accounts followed by an Australian Instagram influencer who primarily posts e-cigarette-related content.

Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Exposure to welding fume is associated with adverse effects on worker health. The use of various control measures can reduce levels of exposure and the resulting health effects. However, little is known about the factors that may influence workers' use of control measures in the workplace and their perceived intervention needs.

Promotion of E-Cigarettes on TikTok and Regulatory Considerations.

E-cigarettes are promoted extensively on TikTok and other social media platforms. Platform policies to restrict e-cigarette promotion seem insufficient and are poorly enforced. This paper aims to understand how e-cigarettes are being promoted on TikTok and provide insights into the effectiveness of current TikTok policies.

Longitudinal measurements of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in archived human serum samples between 1975 and 1995 in Australia.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manmade compounds produced since the 1950 s and used in a range of industrial processes and consumer products. In Australia, PFAS serum concentrations have been measured in the general population since 2002. However, few studies have retrospectively measured PFAS concentrations in serum samples representative of a general population prior to 2000, none of which have been conducted in Australia.

The future excess fraction of cancer due to lifestyle factors in Australia.

Background: Many cancers are caused by exposure to lifestyle, environmental, and occupational factors. Earlier studies have estimated the number of cancers occurring in a single year which are attributable to past exposures to these factors. However, there is now increasing appreciation that estimates of the future burden of cancer may be more useful for policy and prevention.

Are There Ethnic Disparities in Exposure to Workplace Hazards Among New Zealand Migrants to Australia?

Disparities in exposure to workplace hazards exist between Māori and non-Māori workers in New Zealand, with Māori workers generally incurring poorer conditions. This study aimed to determine if these ethnic disparities are similar after migration to Australia. A national cross-sectional telephone survey asked participants what tasks they undertook in their job to assess exposure to carcinogens as well as whether they experienced ethnic discrimination, bullying, job precariousness, or job strain.

Autoantibodies and cancer among asbestos-exposed cohorts in Western Australia.

Asbestos exposure is associated with many adverse health conditions including malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer as well as production of autoantibodies. Autoantibodies may serve as biomarkers for asbestos exposure in patients with cancer, and autoimmune dysfunction has been linked to increased rates of various cancers. The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that autoantibodies are more frequent in asbestos-exposed individuals with either lung cancer or mesothelioma than those without these conditions.

Prevalence of exposure to multiple occupational carcinogens among exposed workers in Australia.

Objectives: Workers can be exposed to a range of different carcinogenic agents in the workplace. However, previous studies have often focused on prevalence of exposure to a single carcinogen, resulting in substantial knowledge gaps regarding the extent of multiple exposures in the workplace. This study aims to investigate the current prevalence of occupational exposure to multiple carcinogens among exposed workers in Australia.

The estimated prevalence of exposure to carcinogens, asthmagens, and ototoxic agents among healthcare workers in Australia.

Background: Healthcare workers are occupationally exposed to various hazardous chemicals and agents that can potentially result in long-term adverse health effects. These exposures have not been comprehensively examined at a population level. The aim of this study was to examine occupational exposures to a wide range of asthmagens, carcinogens, and ototoxic agents among healthcare workers in Australia.

Lifestyle and occupational factors associated with participation in breast mammography screening among Western Australian women.

Objectives: Various lifestyle and occupational factors have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, but there is limited research investigating the relationship between these factors and participation in breast cancer screening. This study explores the associations between lifestyle and occupational factors and participation in breast mammography screening among women living in Western Australia.

Methods: This study involved 1705 women aged 40 and older who participated as controls in the Breast Cancer Environment and Employment Study conducted in Western Australia.

Lifestyle and occupational factors associated with participation in colorectal cancer screening among men and women in Australia.

This study explores the associations between lifestyle and occupational factors and participation in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among men and women aged 50 and over and living in Australia. We used weighted data from the Australian National Health Survey 2014-15 to produce population estimates. Lifestyle variables investigated were smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index, while the occupational variables were labour force status, occupation, and participation in shift work.

Using Three Cross-Sectional Surveys to Compare Workplace Psychosocial Stressors and Associated Mental Health Status in Six Migrant Groups Working in Australia Compared with Australian-Born Workers.

Migrant workers may be more likely to be exposed to workplace psychosocial stressors (WPS) which have an affect on physical and mental health. Given the relative lack of research on this topic, the study objectives were to estimate and compare the prevalence of WPS in migrant and Australian workers and investigate associated mental health problems. Three cross-sectional surveys, two with migrant workers and one with Australian workers, were pooled to provide estimates of prevalence.

Variations in exposure to carcinogens among shift workers and non-shift workers.

Background: There is limited information on whether the prevalence of exposure to workplace carcinogens varies among shift workers and non-shift workers.

Methods: This analysis used data from the Australian Work Exposures Study-Cancer, a telephone survey which examined exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. Workers were classified as shift workers if they indicated that their usual roster ever included work between the hours of midnight and 5 am.

Interventions to Reduce Future Cancer Incidence from Diesel Engine Exhaust: What Might Work?

Exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DEE) contributes appreciably to the burden of occupational cancer. This study aims to estimate the potential impact of a range of interventions on the future burden of cancer from occupational exposure to DEE in Australia. The future excess fraction method, a novel method based on the lifetime risk approach, was used to model changes in the future burden of cancer among the Australian working age population exposed to DEE at work in 2012 under various intervention strategies.

Workplace psychosocial stressors experienced by migrant workers in Australia: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To explore work-related psychosocial stressors among people of Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic-speaking backgrounds currently working in Australia.

Methods: In 2015, a telephone survey of 585 Vietnamese, Chinese and Arabic-speaking workers asked about workplace bullying, ethnic discrimination, job complexity, degree of control, security and fairness of payment along with demographic and employment information. Estimates of job-related psychosocial stressors were derived and regression analyses used to identify significant associations.

The prevalence of exposure to high molecular weight asthmagens derived from plants among workers in Australia.

Background: Limited information is available on exposure to high molecular weight (HMW) asthmagens derived from plants and on the main occupations and tasks that result in such exposure among workers.

Methods: Data were collected as part of the Australian Work Exposures Study-Asthma. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) using modified Poisson regression models to determine which factors were associated with exposure.

Prevalence of exposure to occupational carcinogens among farmers.

Introduction: Farmers experience a range of carcinogenic exposures, including some pesticides, fuels, engine exhausts, metals, some organic solvents, silica, wood dusts and solar radiation. However many studies investigating the risk of cancer in farmers focus on pesticide exposure alone. The aim of this study was to determine which carcinogens Australian farmers are exposed to, the prevalence and circumstances of those exposures, and the use of protective equipment.

Does the Size of a Company Make a Difference in the Prevalence of Exposure to Asthmagens and in the Use of Respiratory Protective Equipment?

Introduction: About half of all workers in high-income countries work in small companies. However, regulatory bodies and researchers predominantly work with large companies because they are more convenient to study and easier to reach. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of exposure to asthmagens and the use of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) by company size.

Latex glove use among healthcare workers in Australia.

Background: Exposure to natural rubber latex, primarily through the use of gloves, is a well-recognized cause of occupational asthma. We investigated latex glove use among Australian workers and estimated the resultant burden of occupational asthma among healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: Data were collected in 2014 as part of the Australian Work Exposures Study-Asthma, a telephone survey investigating the prevalence of current occupational exposure to asthmagens, including latex.

Association between shiftwork and the risk of colorectal cancer in females: a population-based case-control study.

Objective: Research indicates that shiftwork may be associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes, including some cancers. However, the evidence of an association between shiftwork and colorectal cancer risk is limited and inconclusive. Further, while several possible pathways through which shiftwork might result in cancer have been proposed, few studies have taken these factors into account.

Prevalence of occupational exposure to asthmagens derived from animals, fish and/or shellfish among Australian workers.

Objective: Several animal, fish and/or shellfish derived substances encountered in the workplace can initiate or exacerbate asthma. The aims of this study were: to produce a population-based estimate of the current prevalence of occupational exposure to animal, fish and/or shellfish derived asthmagens, to identify the main circumstances of exposures and to identify occupations with the highest proportions of exposed respondents.

Methods: We used data from the Australian Work Exposure Study-Asthma, a national telephone survey that investigated the current prevalence of occupational exposure to asthmagens among Australian workers.