La salute dell’individuo al lavoro: dalla prevenzione alla promozione della salute [The individual health at work: From prevention to health promotion]

The workplace represents the ideal setting for Health Promotion (HP) interventions. The Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) should be a preventive measure that takes into account the effects on health of both lifestyle and occupational risks. The effects of occupational risks are often additive or synergistic with respect to those of non-occupational risks. In the modern and sustainable model of workplaces, health, safety and productivity play an essential role. The objective can be achieved by ensuring the wellbeing of workers through the improvement of the workplace conditions combined with the implementation of WHP initiatives. The Total Worker Health (TWH) of NIOSH integrates occupational risk prevention with WHP and wellness. If the traditional preventive approach is aimed at ensuring safety and health at work, the TWH integrates these aspects with the activities aimed at improving the overall health of employees. Particular attention is given to the assessment of the Return on Investment (ROI) of the WHP interventions. The ROI seems to be influenced by the methodology adopted, as higher methodological quality studies provide evidence of smaller financial returns. The application of socio-ecological concepts to HP initiatives supports individual changes. The PROCEDE-PROCEED model provides a procedure f or planning HP projects and tools to assess the effectiveness of the proposed programs. In this framework it is possible to evaluate the health needs and the quality of life of the community to which it is addressed

A case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a worker exposed to terephthalic acid in the production of polyethylene terephthalate

Occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis (OHP) is an interstitial lung disease caused by sensitization to an inhaled antigen. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is mainly used for disposable beverage bottles. A clinical case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in a 66-year-old patient in the follow-up as a worker formerly exposed to asbestos is presented. At the first visit in 2012 a diagnosis of asbestosis and pleural plaques was formulated. In 2017 the high resolution computed tomography was performed demonstrating a slight progression of the pulmonary fibrosis, while physical examinations revealed inspiratory crackles on auscultation, and lung function tests showed a decreased diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. The radiological and histological pictures were compatible with HP. From 1992 to 2013 the patient worked in a chemical company that produced PET for disposable beverage bottles. A diagnosis of OHP was made, and the most likely causative agents were terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalate. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an OHP case in PET production. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(1):119-23. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license