Health status of a sample of Beninese seafarers examined on the occasion of medical fitness for work at sea

Background: In view of the considerable risks involved in maritime work, the medical fitness of seafarers is of paramount importance. A study carried out in May 2018 in Benin made it possible to describe the health profile of seafarers who received a medical examination before boarding and to identify the diseases likely to hinder their medical aptitude for this profession. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study that was based on 125 medical files registered from 2013 to 2017 and selected on the basis of the criteria of completeness, readability and non-overload of the entries. Results: The results showed that more than half (63.2%) of the seafarers in our series are over 40 years old. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 28.4% in the seafarer population. Obesity was detected in 21.5% of subjects. Of the moderate cases of hearing loss found, 4 out of 5 worked at the machine station. The unrestricted fitness level was 86.4%. One (0.8%) case of physical restriction and 12.8% of cases of mandatory wearing of medical glasses at work were reported. The “healthy worker effect” may underestimate the risk of marine activity to the health of seafarers when referring to the general population. Conclusions: The study provides opportunities to improve the seafarers’ health situation in accordance with international provisions such as the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006) ratified by Benin in June 2011

Stress Prevalence and associated Factors among Bank Employees in Niamey, Niger

Introduction: The difficulties associated with the financial crisis have led to deep restructuring in the banking sector. The consequences are the emergence of stress among employees. The objective of this study was to assess job stress and related factors among bank workers in Niamey. Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted from 24 February to 23 August 2020 among bank workers in Niamey, Niger. A random draw of one agency per bank from four banks of the city, followed by a thorough recruitment of employees from the four selected agencies, was carried out.  Stress was measured using the Karasek and Siegrist model. The data had been analyzed with the Epi info7.2 software. Results: A total of 275 employees had been included. The average age was 38.09 ± 7.1 years. They were 152 men (55.27%), a sex ratio of 1.23. Half (50.55%) were executing agents; 30.91% worked more than 5 days a week. The prevalence of stress was 21.90% and 28%, respectively, according to the Siegrist and Karasek models. Work more than 5 days per week (p=0.0254; OR=2.75), feeling job insecurity (p=0.0047; OR=6.99) with the desire to change jobs (p<0.0041; OR=2.90) were associated with stress. On the other hand, male (p=0.0084; OR=0.42 and feeling satisfied with work (p=0.000; OR=0.10) were protective. Conclusion: The prevalence of stress in the banking sector in Niger is high. Measures to reduce the number of working days; ensuring job stability; to reward employees and support women's work are necessary to reduce stress

Facteurs comportementaux et environnementaux associés au paludisme à Tourou (Bénin) en période de faible endémicité

Le paludisme demeure un problème de santé publique au Bénin malgré l’utilisation des moustiquaires. La présente étude avait pour objectif de déterminer la prévalence du paludisme à Tourou et d’identifier les facteurs comportementaux et environnementaux associés en période de faible endémicité. Il s’agissait d’une étude transversale, descriptive à visée analytique menée dans la population de Tourou. Le diagnostic du paludisme était fait par un test de diagnostic rapide. L’analyse des données a été faite par le logiciel SPSS version 21. Les facteurs de risque du paludisme ont été déterminés par régression logistique. Une p inférieure à 0,05 a été considérée comme significative. Au total 390 sujets ont été inclus dans l’étude. Une prédominance féminine (50,6%) est observée avec un sex-ratio de 0,97. Sur les 390 sujets, 145 étaient infectés par le paludisme soit prévalence du 37,4%. Le fait de dormir dehors (OR : 1,31) et après 23 heures (OR : 5,12) étaient des facteurs comportementaux à risque du paludisme tandis que l’absence d’eaux stagnantes (OR : 0,67) et celle des mauvaises herbes (OR : 0,67) étaient les facteurs environnementaux protecteurs contre le paludisme. La présente étude a montré que les facteurs environnementaux et comportementaux sont associés au paludisme dans la localité de Tourou. La lutte contre le paludisme devra considérer en plus de l’éradication du vecteur l’assainissement de l’environnement et le changement du mode de vie.Mots clés : Paludisme, Prévalence, Facteurs associés, Bénin.   English Title: Behavioral and environmental factors associated with malaria in Tourou (Benin) during periods of low endemicityMalaria remains a public health problem in Benin despite the use of mosquito nets. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of malaria in Tourou and to identify behavioral and environmental factors associated to malaria in times of low endemicity. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study carried out in the population of Tourou. The diagnosis of malaria was made by a rapid diagnostic test. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 21 software. Factors risk factor with malaria was determined by logistic regression. A p less than 0.05 was considered significant. A total of 390 subjects were included in the study. A female predominance (50.6%) was observed with a sex ratio of 0.97. Of the 390 subjects, 145 were infected with malaria and the prevalence was 37.4%. Sleeping outside (OR: 1.31) and after 11 p.m. (OR: 5.12) were behavioral risk factors for malaria, while the absence of standing water (OR: 0.67) and that of weeds (OR: 0.67) were the protective environmental factors against malaria. The present study has shown that environmental and behavioral factors were associated with malaria in the locality of Tourou. The fight against malaria will have to consider in addition to the eradication of the vector the sanitation of the environment and the change of lifestyle.Keys words: Malaria, prevalence, associated factors, Benin

Insect chemical ecology: chemically mediated interactions and novel applications in agriculture

Forum PaperInsect chemical ecology (ICE) evolved as a discipline concerned with plant–insect interactions, and also with a strong focus on intraspecific pheromone-mediated communication. Progress in this field has rendered a more complete picture of how insects exploit chemical information in their surroundings in order to survive and navigate their world successfully. Simultaneously, this progress has prompted new research questions about the evolution of insect chemosensation and related ecological adaptations, molecular mechanisms that mediate commonly observed behaviors, and the consequences of chemically mediated interactions in different ecosystems. Themed meetings, workshops, and summer schools are ideal platforms for discussing scientific advancements as well as identifying gaps and challenges within the discipline. From the 11th to the 22nd of June 2018, the 11th annual PhD course in ICE was held at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Alnarp, Sweden. The course was made up of 35 student participants from 22 nationalities (Fig. 1a) as well as 32 lecturers. Lectures and laboratory demonstrations were supported by literature seminars, and four broad research areas were covered: (1) multitrophic interactions and plant defenses, (2) chemical communication focusing on odor sensing, processing, and behavior, (3) disease vectors, and (4) applied aspects of basic ICE research in agriculture. This particular article contains a summary and brief synthesis of these main emergent themes and discussions from the ICE 2018 course. In addition, we also provide suggestions on teaching the next generation of ICE scientists, especially during unprecedented global situationsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

Aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques des accidents du travail avec incapacité permanente partielle : à propos de 221 cas colligés

Les accidents du travail (AT) sont fréquents et s’accompagnent souvent de lourdes conséquences pour l’individu, la communauté et l’employeur, occasionnant dans certains cas des séquelles dont il faut déterminer le taux d’incapacité permanente partielle (IPP). L’étude était transversale et analytique. Elle s’est déroulée sur une période de cinq années allant de 2012 à 2016, et a concerné tous les dossiers complets d’accidents du travail avec Incapacité Permanente Partielle AT/IPP enregistrés à la Direction régionale de Ouagadougou de la Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale. Les résultats descriptifs ont été présentés sous forme univariée et bivariée. L’échantillon était constitué de 221 cas d’AT/IPP extraits parmi les dossiers d’AT déclarés à Ouagadougou, soit un taux de 4,49 % (221/4922). L’échantillon était constitué de 54 femmes (24,4 3%) et 167 hommes (75,57 %). L’âge moyen était de 40,09 ± 8,8 ans (16 - 62 ans), avec une sinistralité plus fréquente dans le secteur des « services fournis à la collectivité, services sociaux et services personnels » (38,46 %). Plus de 2/3 des cas étaient des « employés » (67,42 %). Les accidents de trajet constituaient la majorité des sinistres (62 %). Ils survenaient en matinée entre 6 heures et 8 heures (45,25 %) et le véhicule de transport était le principal élément agent matériel causal (64,71 %). Les AT/IPP ont causé des fractures des membres (48,88 %) et entrainé 110 cas d’impotence fonctionnelle (49 %) et en moyenne 103 journées de travail perdues (3 - 848 jours). La prévention des AT/IPP devra intégrer des modules sur la sécurité routière.Mots-clés: Epidémiologie, Clinique ; Accident du travail, Incapacité Permanente Partielle, OuagadougouEnglish Title: Epidemiological and clinical features of work-related accidents with partial permanent disability: About 221 casesEnglish AbstractWork-related Accidents at work (WA) are common in Burkina Faso and around the world. Their occurrence is often followed by serious consequences for the individual, the community and the employer, and in some cases causing sequelae that must determine the rate of permanent partial disability (PPD). The aftereffect of WA are poorly documented in our context, hence the importance of this study which aims to  The descriptive findings were presented under univariate and bivariate form. The sample consists of 221 cases of WA / PPD extracted from reported WA files in Ouagadougou, which rate is 4.49% (221/4922). The sample consisted of 54 women (24.43%) and 167 men (75.57%). The average age is 40.09 ± 8.8 years (16 - 62 years). Cases of accidents are more predominant in the sector of "community services, social services and personal services" (38.46%). Employees are the main victims of WA / PPD (67.42%). Track accidents represent the main claims (62%). They occur in the morning between 6 am and 8 am (45.25%) and transport vehicle is the main causal material (64.71%). The WA / PPD caused limb fractures (48.88%) and resulted in 110 cases of functional impotence (49%), and an average loss of 103 work days (3 - 848 days). WA / PPD prevention should include modules on road safety.Keywords: Epidemiology, Clinic; Work Accident, Partial Permanent Disability, Ouagadougo