The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases and declined lung function among foundry workers.

Background: Foundry workers are occupationally exposed to a variety of inhalable chemical substances. Occupational exposure to vapors, gases, dusts, and fumes can lead to adverse health effects on the respiratory system and cause chronic respiratory diseases, such as interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Research on respiratory symptoms, diseases, and lung function in foundry workers over the past few decades has been limited.

Laboratory Test Results in Patients with Workplace Moisture Damage Associated Symptoms-The SAMDAW Study.

The mechanisms of health effects of moisture damage (MD) are unclear, but inflammatory responses have been suspected. The usefulness of laboratory and allergy tests among patients in secondary healthcare with symptoms associated with workplace MD were examined. Full blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and skin prick testing were assessed and analyzed in relation to multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and perceived stress in 99 patients and 48 controls.

An Increase in Plasma Adipsin Levels Is Associated With Higher Cumulative Dust Exposure and Airway Obstruction in Foundry Workers.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess whether plasma adipokine levels (adipsin, adiponectin, leptin, and resistin) are associated with pulmonary function in foundry workers.

Methods: We examined 65 dust-exposed foundry workers and 40 nonexposed controls and analyzed their lung function and plasma adipokine levels at baseline and after approximately 7 years of follow-up.

Results: A higher increase in plasma adipsin was associated with the development of airway obstruction in exposed subjects during follow-up after adjusting for body mass index changes during the follow-up period.

Occupational health patients' parallel use of primary- and secondary-care services and linkage to work disability: A follow-up study in Finland.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate occupational health (OH) primary-care patients' use of other health-care services and whether parallel use affects their likelihood to have sickness absences (SA) or disability pensions (DP).

Methods: Primary-care services in Finland are provided through three parallel health-care sectors, all available to the working population: public, private and OH sectors. Patients may also be referred to secondary care.

The interaction between voice disorders and stress for work ability of teachers.

Objective: Less attention has been paid to the interaction between voice disorders, stress, and indoor environmental quality for work ability in teachers. Therefore, our aim was to study whether lower work ability associated more strongly when the variables of voice disorders and stress at work were combined as opposed to evaluating these two factors separately.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire study including validated self-assessment of work ability and a technical assessment of school buildings utilizing a sample of 1198 and a subsample ( = 538) of Finnish teachers.

Parallel use of primary and secondary healthcare by frequent attenders in occupational health and their work disability: a longitudinal study in Finland.

Objectives: To investigate occupational health frequent attenders' (FAs) use of other healthcare sector services and whether parallel use affects their likelihood to receive a disability pension.

Design: Longitudinal study combining routine medical record data with register data.

Setting: Primary care in Finland is provided through three parallel healthcare sectors, all available to the working population.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Patients Exposed to Moisture Damage at Work and in General Working-Age Population-The SAMDAW Study.

A considerable proportion of patients having respiratory tract or voice symptoms associated with workplace moisture damage (MD) could have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). MCS is characterized by symptoms of different organ systems in association with low-level chemical exposure. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of MCS among patients referred to secondary health care because of respiratory or voice symptoms associated with workplace MD compared to the general working-age population.

Sociodemographic characteristics and disability pensions of frequent attenders in occupational health primary care - a follow-up study in Finland.

Background: Work disability is a complex issue that requires preventive efforts from healthcare systems and individuals, and that too often results in disability pensions (DP). While many studies have attempted to characterize risk factors of work disability, many showing for example a link between socioeconomic positions, working conditions and frequent attendance to OH primary care it is not known if frequent attendance is associated with DP despite the sociodemographic factors. This study aims to address this gap and examine the association between frequent attendance to OH primary care and DP, when adjusted by sociodemographic factors.

Clinical Findings among Patients with Respiratory Symptoms Related to Moisture Damage Exposure at the Workplace-The SAMDAW Study.

Background: Respiratory tract symptoms are associated with workplace moisture damage (MD). The focus of this observational clinical study was patients with workplace MD-associated symptoms, to evaluate the usefulness of different clinical tests in diagnostics in secondary healthcare with a special interest in improving the differential diagnostics between asthma and laryngeal dysfunction.

Methods: In patients referred because of workplace MD-associated respiratory tract symptoms, we sought to systematically assess a wide variety of clinical findings.

Self-reported voice disorders of teachers and indoor air quality in schools: a cross-sectional study in Finland.

Objective: We aimed to study the association between self-reported voice disorders among teachers and indoor air quality in school buildings.

Methods: We performed a questionnaire study of 538 Finnish teachers working in 67 school buildings utilizing both perceived and technical evaluations; the agreement between these two assessments was also studied. The technical assessment was provided by technical experts.

High alveolar nitric oxide is associated with steeper lung function decline in foundry workers.

Occupational dust exposure induces inflammatory responses that often precede the onset of clinical disease. Inflammation in the peripheral part of the lung can be demonstrated by measuring the alveolar NO concentration (CNO) in exhaled breath. The aim of the study was to assess whether cumulative dust exposure affects the change in CNO during follow-up and whether baseline CNO can predict an impairment in lung function during follow-up in foundry workers.

Subjective cognitive complaints and permanent work disability: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: Work disability (WD) is a medico-legal concept that refers to disability benefits (DB) granted due to diseases. We assessed whether subjective cognitive complaints (SCC)-presenting as self-rated difficulties of concentration, memory, clear thinking, and decision making-predict permanent WD in knowledge-intensive occupations.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study with up to 7-year follow-up, we combined the SCC questionnaire results with reliable registry data on the DBs of 7161 professional/managerial employees (46% females).

Work ability of teachers associated with voice disorders, stress, and the indoor environment: A questionnaire study in Finland.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported work ability is associated with voice disorders, stress at work, and the quality of the perceived indoor environment.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire study of 1 198 Finnish teachers utilizing the Work Ability Score.

Healthcare attendance styles among long-term unemployed people with substance-related and mood disorders.

Background: Both increased and decreased health service usage and unmet care needs are more prevalent among unemployed people than in the general population.

Study Design: This study investigates the associations of substance-related and mood disorders among long-term unemployed people with styles of healthcare attendance in Finland.

Methods: The study material consisted of the health register information on 498 long-term unemployed people in a project screening for work disabilities.

High cost or frequent attender - both spend resources, but are they linked to work disability? A cohort study from occupational health primary care in Finland.

Background: High use of services is associated with ill health and a number of health problems, but more information is needed on whether high use of services presents a risk for future pensions or disability. We aimed to investigate if defining patients as high cost (HC) or frequent attenders (FA) was more useful in occupational health services (OHS) as a predictor of future disability pension (DP).

Methods: This cohort study used medical record data from a large OHS provider and combined it with register data from the Finnish Centre for Pensions including disability pension decisions.

Subjective cognitive complaints and sickness absence: A prospective cohort study of 7059 employees in primarily knowledge-intensive occupations.

Knowledge-intensive work requires capabilities like monitoring multiple sources of information, prioritizing between competing tasks, switching between tasks, and resisting distraction from the primary task(s). We assessed whether subjective cognitive complaints (SCC), presenting as self-rated problems with difficulties of concentration, memory, clear thinking and decision making predict sickness absence (SA) in knowledge-intensive occupations. We combined SCC questionnaire results with reliable registry data on SA of 7743 professional/managerial employees (47% female).

Improved recording of work relatedness during patient consultations in occupational primary health care: a cluster randomized controlled trial using routine data.

Background: Prolonging working careers is a key policy goal in ageing populations in Europe, but reaching this goal is complex. Occupational health services are in the best position to contribute towards prolonging working careers through preventing illnesses that cause work disability and early retirement. However, impacting on the trajectory between illness and work disability requires continuity of care and follow up, enabled through identifying patients at risk.

Employee Satisfaction With Working Space and Its Association With Well-Being-A Cross-Sectional Study in a Multi-Space Office.

Different kinds of shared and activity-based offices are common today and employees' experiences, perceived health, well-being, satisfaction, and productivity have been studied in different types and sizes of environments. In this study we aimed to determine employee satisfaction with a multi-space office. We also aimed to find associations between satisfaction with working space and both individual and social well-being.

Self-reported health problems in a health risk appraisal predict permanent work disability: a prospective cohort study of 22,023 employees from different sectors in Finland with up to 6-year follow-up.

Purpose: Work disability (WD) as a medico-legal concept refers to disability benefits (DB) that are granted due to diseases that permanently reduce work ability. We studied whether an occupational healthcare instrument for the prediction of sickness absence (SA) risk-a health risk appraisal (HRA)-also predicts permanent WD.

Methods: HRA results were combined with registry data on DB of 22,023 employees from different industry sectors.

Effects of occupational cobalt exposure on the heart in the production of cobalt and cobalt compounds: a 6-year follow-up.

Objective: It has been suspected that cobalt is toxic to the heart. It can cause cardiotoxicity in heavily exposed humans and in experimental systems. The issue of interest for this study is whether cobalt also affects the myocardium at occupational exposure levels.

Self-reported health problems and obesity predict sickness absence during a 12-month follow-up: a prospective cohort study in 21 608 employees from different industries.

Objectives: To study whether self-reported health problems predict sickness absence (SA) from work in employees from different industries.

Methods: The results of a health risk appraisal (HRA) were combined with archival data of SA of 21 608 employees (59% female, 56% clerical). Exposure variables were self-reported health problems, labelled as 'work disability (WD) risk factors' in the HRA, presence of problems with occupational well-being and obesity.

Observational cross-sectional study on Symptoms Associated to Moisture DAmage at Workplace: the SAMDAW study protocol.

Introduction: Moisture damage (MD) exposure at work has been shown to increase the risk of new onset asthma and exacerbation of asthma. However, most of the studies in this field have been questionnaire studies. A small proportion of MD-exposed workers are diagnosed with asthma.

Trends in occupational diseases in Finland, 1975-2013: a register study.

Objectives: The objective was to investigate trends in the incidence of recognized and suspected cases of occupational diseases in Finland from 1975 to 2013, including variations by industry - and describe and recognize factors affecting variations in incidence.

Design: A register study.

Setting: The data consisted of recognized and suspected cases of occupational diseases recorded in the Finnish Registry of Occupational Diseases (FROD) in 1975-2013.

Frequent attenders at risk of disability pension: a longitudinal study combining routine and register data.

Frequent attendance in healthcare services is associated with ill-health and chronic illnesses. More information is needed about the phenomenon's connection with disability pensions (DPs). : The study group comprised 59,676 patients divided into occasional- (1yFAs) and persistent frequent attenders (pFAs) and non-frequent attenders (non-FAs).

Correction of leg-length discrepancy among meat cutters with low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The etiology of non-specific low back pain (LBP) is complex and not well understood. LBP is common and causes a remarkable health burden worldwide. Leg-length discrepancy (LLD) is potentially a risk factor for development of LBP, although this relationship has been questioned.