Metrological stakes in the monitoring of air quality : PAH example in France

International audienceLa surveillance de la qualité de l'air représente un enjeu considérable pour prévenir et réduire les effets des polluants sur la santé humaine et l'environnement. Le Laboratoire Central de Surveillance de la Qualité de l'Air, créé par le Ministère chargé de l'environnement vise à apporter un appui technique au dispositif national de surveillance de la qualité de l'air en France, en particulier dans le cadre de la mise en oeuvre des Directives européennes. Le développement d'une stratégie nationale de surveillance des HAP est une des missions du LCSQA depuis plusieurs années, avec l'accompagnement d'un programme pilote, qui vise à mieux connaître les niveaux de concentration dans l'air ambiant, à définir et valider des stratégies de prélèvement et d'analyse, à quantifier les incertitudes et à évaluer les coûts

Outcome and clinical changes in patients 3, 6, 12 months after a severe or major hand injury - can sense of coherence be an indicator for rehabilitation focus?

Background: Our objective was to explore outcome and clinical changes in hand function, satisfaction in daily occupations, sleep disturbances, health and quality of life in consecutive patients after a severe or major hand injury. Our objective was also to investigate possible differences between groups according to severity of injury, presence of peripheral nerve injury and the patients' sense of coherence. Methods: A postal questionnaire, including demographic data, disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH), QoL (SF-36), EuroQol (EQ-5D VAS), hand function (VAS), satisfaction in daily occupation (SDO), was sent out 3, 6 and 12 months after injury to 45 consecutive patients with a severe or major hand injury. Sense of coherence (SOC) was evaluated at 6 months. For the descriptive study, non-parametric tests were used since almost all results were measured with ordinal scales, the study sample was small, and most variables not normally distributed. Results: Almost all self-assessed aspects of hand function, satisfaction in daily occupations, health (DASH), and physical QoL (SF-36) improved statistically for the whole group over time. Large clinical improvement was seen for physical QoL and health, while a low or no improvement was observed for mental QoL, and cold sensitivity. Few differences were found between participants with a severe or major of hand injury or with or without a major nerve injury. No significant differences in demographic data were observed between participants with high or low SOC, but participants with low SOC showed significantly lower satisfaction in daily occupations, higher DASH scores, lower mental QoL, more sleep disturbances, and bodily pain. Correlation was found between SOC, and QoL, health and satisfaction in daily occupations. Conclusions: SOC had a significant influence on patients with a severe or major traumatic hand injury. Patients with lower SOC would probably benefit from extra support and help to master their daily life, indicating that sense of coherence is an indicator for future rehabilitation focus

Working conditions and musculoskeletal disorders in professional ballet dancers in Sweden

Ballet dancers have been shown to have frequent problems with the musculoskeletal system, but little is generally known about the prevalences of musculoskeletal disorders and about working conditions of professional ballet dancers in Sweden. The aims of the thesis were: to analyse the prevalence, location and recurrence of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders (pain) in professional ballet dancers and to study their association with background factors, amount of work, and the dancers'opinionsabout their psychosocial work environment. additional aims were to investigate possible preventive strategies such as a new screening pain questionnaire, called the Self-Estimated Functional Inability because of Pain (SEFIP), and extra fitness training. Of the 147 dancers in the three major ballet companies 128 participated (87%). Only 5% of the dancers reported no experience of musculoskeletal disorders the preceding year. The low back, the feet and the neck were the three most common locations for pain, and there was a strong association between upper body disorders but not between low back and hips, or between hips and knees or knees and ankles/feet. Incapacitating pain the preceding year was reported by 65%. In a six-year follow-up no significant increase in neither total body disorders nor incapacitating pain from the whole body was seen. Faulty and too much training were the most commonly proposed reasons for both major injuries and increased musculoskeletal pain. While "satisfaction with work", "use of one's capacity" and "influence in the working situation" showed some association, "social support" seemed to be least important among the psychosocial factors examined. The validation of the new pain questionnaire showed good sensitivity and specificity when compared with findings in a clinical examination developed especially for dancers. SEFIP can therefore be recommended as a screening instrument for professional dancers. With special training, the dancers' fitness increased regarding maximum oxygen up-take and lactic acid in blood, but this did not affect the musculoskeletal pain significantly

Quality of life after stroke: well-being, life satisfaction, and subjective aspects of work.

Stroke incidence in those of working age has been reported to be increasing significantly, implying strong incentives for research concerning working ability after stroke. This study focused on differences in subjective aspects of work and dimensions of quality of life after having experienced stroke. Sixty-five persons answered a postal questionnaire. The median age at the time of the stroke was 54 years, (Q3-Q1=8 years). “Financial aspects” and “intrinsic aspects” of work were rated as the most important by 37% and 36% of the respondents, respectively. Fewer respondents ranked “social aspects” as most important. In total, 23 persons had returned to work, but no difference in the ratings of the most important aspects of work between those who had returned to work and those who had not was found. Persons who rated “intrinsic aspects” of work as the most important were more satisfied with the subjective dimensions of quality of life “vocational situation” (p=0.020) and “work” (p=0.015) than the others. In conclusion, subjective aspects of work need to be explored and discussed thoroughly in rehabilitation of younger stroke patients