Neck and Back Pain Prevalence in Workers of Iranian Steel industries at 2015

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are considered as the main cause of occupational complications and disability in developing countries. In Iranian steel companies, workers commonly are directly involved in the production process and physical activities such as manual material handling and awkward postures. Present study was performed for assessment of neck and back pain prevalence among workers of four Iranian steel industries. Study participants in our cross sectional study, were randomly selected from workers of four Iranian steel industries. Data of neck and back pain were gathered by Nordic questionnaire. Logistic regression was used for controlling confounding variables and determining independent predictors of neck and back pain among study workers. Among study workers, prevalence of neck and back pain in a recent year were 18.40% and 13.90% respectively. Age (p≤0.02) and job experience (p≤0.00) had significant association with neck pain. Age, sex, BMI, and job duration were not known as an independent predictor of neck or back pain. Neck and back pain prevalence in steel industries were happened whit higher rate compared to most of other countries. Next studies will suggest for determining work related risk factors of WMSDs in workers and designing preventive strategies

Prefer Parameters of Occupational Health Surveillance System (OSS) in Expert Opinions of Occupational Staffs: A Qualitative Study

Occupational Health Surveillance System (OHSS) provides a critical opportunity to monitor and evaluate occupational disorders and injuries over the time. Among more than 21 million employees in Iran, 62.08% and 38.03% had been worked in the industrial and private sections respectively. Present qualitative study was designed for collection of expert opinion of staffs in this field and determined proper characters of suitable Iranian OHSS. Present qualitative study was performed on an interview based on data from occupational medicine staffs. Some questions about OHSS definition, temporary accompaniment of occupational diseases and injuries surveillance system, OHSS promoters and consumers, type of requested data for OHSS and rewarding and controlling systems to prepare qualitative and valid OHSS data. Interview answers were read, summarized and presented. Most of study participants’ staff believed that OHSS in the scientific base must cover all of essentially its parts including disorders, hazards and accidents together. They believed that this combination was made by a team working with occupational medicine staffs and other specialties such as occupational hygienist and information technologists. They emphasized that the Iranian ministry of health had the capacity to promote OHSS and organizing executive committee with all of OHSS involved as team working in this field. Occupational staff had been focused on this fact that OHSS data must cover all of needed data of Iranian working population and their relatives. Iranian occupational registry system must be change and develop as Occupational Health Surveillance system according the main parameters which were found in occupational staff interview

Role of Rice Farming in Development Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Rice Farmers: a Prospective Study in 2013

Farming as job, had some activities or work task such as strenuous physical tasks and high levels of manual labor in farming job, which can increase risk of MSDs among farmers. Present study with prospective design designed for assessment role of rice farming in developmental risk of MSDs among Iranian rice farmers. Present prospective study was performed on 75 rice farmers of Babol city in Iran and 75 participants without history of rice farming, during March 2013 until September 2013. At the beginning of the study, participants did not have any musculoskeletal complaints in each of their body parts. Study exposure in the present study was working in the rice farming workplace for one rice farming period which at least lasted for four months. Frequency of MSDs had been assessed by Nordic questionnaire at three follow-up points. We followed 75 rice farmers of Babol city as expose and compare them with 75 participants without history of rice farming. Within the six months follow-up, MSDs complaints in 38 (50.66%), 61 (81.33%) and 47 (63.51%) rice farmers had been reported respectively in upper limbs, spinal and lower limbs regions. In the present study, rice farming was reported as a risk factor for MSDs in the spinal region and lower limbs

The Role of School Backpack and Training Habits on Development of Spinal Pain among Iranian Primary Student

In the recent studies, some variables such as weight of the school backpack, how to carry it or backpack features are currently under study in relation with low back pain (LBP) among students. The present study aimed to assess the role of school backpack and training habits on the development of spinal pain among Iranian students. A current cross-sectional study was performed between November 2015 and April 2016 on 616 primary school children with age between 11-13 years in Karaj city, Iran. We gathered information on demographic characteristics and ergonomic data on backpacks via a specific checklist. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to determine the prevalence of spinal complaints was used among the participants. To assess the ergonomic status of backpacks, the students were asked to carry with the consistent and conventional method. Study findings showed that unfortunately, only 1.9% of students carried their bags correctly. Musculoskeletal complaints in the neck region were significantly higher among students who do their homework on the floor in compare with students that doing their homework behind the desk. Musculoskeletal complaints in the shoulder region of students had a significant association with Bag handle type, TV & game time, doing homework position, Bag use with 2 ropes and Bag weight/body weight. Findings of the present study recommended that we need to step up public health strategies and develop a monitoring system that is both preventative and proactive

Quality of Life and Mental Health Status Among Iranian Blue Workers With Self-Reported Chronic Low Back at 2015

Musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain can cause a wide spectrum of chronic complications such as quality of life and general health impairment. Mental health is a wide spectrum of concepts that which those such as anxiety, depression or even quality of life had challengeable impacts on work related characters such as worker productivity, absensism. Present study was performed for evaluation of low back pain prevalence and its association with general health and quality of life status among blue workers of Fars ABFA Company. In the present study we focused on low back pain among 451 blue workers and assessed their mental health status and quality of life status with general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) and short form questionnaire (SF-36) respectively. In comparison one-year prevalence of low back pain was 44.2%. Mean of SF36 (63.90 ± 17.39 vs. 79.42 ± 15.01; P≤0.001) and General health subdomains (58.29 ± 19.63vs. 69.84 ± 18.63; P≤0.001) for workers with low back pain were significantly lower than other workers. Findings of our study showed that low back pain had impact on mental health status and quality of life among workers and these changes must consider in the designing preventive program more than control of pain

Fatal and Non-Fatal Work Related Injuries Among Workers of Iranian Aluminum and Copper Industries Between 2003 and 2011

One-third of globally, injuries to the adults in the world were related to workers and work situations. The aim of the present study was determining of work-related injuries rate among workers at two main metal industries (aluminum and Cooper industries) and independent predictors of fatal work-related injuries among them. Present cross-sectional study was assessed fatal and not fatal work-related injuries among 11172 workers into two groups of Iranian metal industries between April 2003 and September 2011. Information was obtained from the electronic registry of work-related injuries to the health & environment office of Iranian Mines and mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization of the Iranian industrial ministry. Binary logistic regression was used for determining predictors of fatal work-related injuries. During the study period, 55 workers of metal companies had been dyed and mortality rate among study workers was 1.7% and 3282 work-related injuries were reported. Mortality rate in study workers had significant association with injury location (P≤0.00), worker's age (P≤0.00) and not significant association with worker's shift (P≥0.44), educational level (P≥0.46), injury type (P≥0.65) and work experience (P≤0.07). In linear regression model analysis only age of workers was independent mortality predictors among study workers. Based on our findings work-related injuries in mentioned industries in this study setting are high, and a comprehensive injury prevention program seems to be essential

Hearing Impairment Due to Cigarette Smoking and SimultaneousExposure to Occupational Noise

Background:Noise is the most common hazard in the workplace and noise induced hearing loss considered to be the most common occupational disease as well. Cigarette smoking, in some studies, has been known to induce hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of contemporary exposure to occupational noise and cigarette smoking on hearing.Methods:478 assembly workers of an automobile plant which were exposed tothe noise more than TLV (threshold limit value)level included in this study.After considering the exclusion criteria, all participants according to the smoking status were divided in smoker and nonsmoker groups and compared for hearing impairment.Hearing impairment in this study was assessed with the offered method of American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO).   Results :Of 478 assembly workers, 225 persons were smokers and others non   smokers.Prevalence of hearing impairment in smokers was significantly higher (p<0.001). Hearing impairment had a significant relation with smoking status even after adjusting for cofounders like age and duration of work (OR=8.23, 95% CI=3.63-18.66).Conclusion:The results of this study suggested that cigarette smokers had more hearing impairment than non smokers. According to these results we concluded that in working environments, especially in noisy ones,workers must be encouraged to quit smoking and regular audiometric tests, especially for smokers,must be applied.We must consider not only the noise, but indeed all effective elements of hearing impairment in working environment that could compromise the hearing

Noise Exposure and Risk of Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background:Previous studies have indicated an unspecific correlation between noise exposure and blood pressure disturbances. Blood pressure disturbances could be caused by the environmental hazards such as noise exposure.The aim of this study is to analyze whether there is a relationship between noise exposure and hypertension.Methods: Atotal sample of 218 workers working in a small workshop aged between 27 and 49 yrs answered the questionnaire in this survey. Blood pressure was measured in the sitting position after 5 minutes rest. Level of sound intensity in the workplace was measured by sound level meter (SKC Model CEL-480-440) and human noise exposure level was measured by audiometric device (MEVOX). The correlation between industrial noise and blood pressure was extracted. The t-test and Fisher’s exact test was used to compare   the qualitative variables and quantitative variables with normal distribution as being applied in parametric tests. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to compare the magnitude of risk variables.Results: Sub-populations in this study consisted of 109 workers with noise exposure more than 85 dB (Case group) and the rest (i.e. 109 workers) with noise exposure less than 85 dB (Control group). High level systolic and diastolic blood pressure was more prevalent in the case group. Total hearing loss more than 25dB was significantly more prevalent in the case group (45% of case group have hearing loss). Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) for the effect of age, food type and BMI on blood pressure was 3.56 (95% CI: 6.6 – 1.9). Conclusion: This study showed that high blood pressure (>_140/90 mmHg) was more prevalent in the case group. This finding persisted after adjustment was made for age, food   type, and BMI. (Odds Ratio 3.56 (95% CI: 6.6 – 1.9)).

Occupational categories and cardiovascular diseases incidences; A cohort study in Iranian population: Different Occupational Categories and Cardiovascular disease

Introduction: In spite of traditional cardiovascular risk factor, the different occupations can play an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVDs) incidence. We aimed to assess the correlation between the occupational classes, based on the International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO), and CVDs in Iran as a developing country. Methods: We followed the 2440 men, aged 35-65 years and without history of CVDs over fourteen years; 2001 to 2015 during the Isfahan Cohort Study. ISCO was used to classify occupations into 10 categories. Incidence rates of ischemic heart diseases and stroke were recorded. Socioeconomic demographic data including marital state, income and place of living and metabolic risk factors were also recorded. Results: The mean age was 46.97±8.31 years old. 257 cardiovascular events (CVEs) were recorded that unstable angina was the highest recorded with 52% prevalence and the fatal stroke had the lowest outbreak (1%). The unemployed/jobless group and elementary occupations (9th ISCO category) had higher and lower relative frequency in CVEs respectively. There was non-significant decrease in CVEs in all of categories except of 4th (cleri­cal support workers) and 10th (armed forces) groups in comparison to unemployed/jobless subjects (P&gt;0.05). After considering of the group 7 as a reference group (most absolute CVEs frequency), in fully adjustment analysis group 4 had significant risk for CVEs (P=0.04). Conclusion: This study indicates that working as cleri­cal support workers (4th ISCO category) is associated with higher significant risk for IHD and stroke incidence in comparison to craft and related trades workers (7th group of ISCO)

Neck and Back Pain Prevalence in Workers of Iranian Steel industries at 2015

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are considered as the main cause of occupational complications and disability in developing countries. In Iranian steel companies, workers commonly are directly involved in the production process and physical activities such as manual material handling and awkward postures. Present study was performed for assessment of neck and back pain prevalence among workers of four Iranian steel industries. Study participants in our cross sectional study, were randomly selected from workers of four Iranian steel industries. Data of neck and back pain were gathered by Nordic questionnaire. Logistic regression was used for controlling confounding variables and determining independent predictors of neck and back pain among study workers. Among study workers, prevalence of neck and back pain in a recent year were 18.40% and 13.90% respectively. Age (p≤0.02) and job experience (p≤0.00) had significant association with neck pain. Age, sex, BMI, and job duration were not known as an independent predictor of neck or back pain. Neck and back pain prevalence in steel industries were happened whit higher rate compared to most of other countries. Next studies will suggest for determining work related risk factors of WMSDs in workers and designing preventive strategies