The effect of exposure to biomass smoke on respiratory symptoms in adult rural and urban Nepalese populations

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Factors in Removing Job Restrictions for Cancer Survivors in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force

PurposeTo identify personal, occupational and clinical factors associated with the lifting of restrictions on duties among Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel who have returned to work after surviving primary cancer treatment. MethodsA retrospective cohort of 205 RAF personnel aged 18–58 with cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2011 was followed-up until May 2012. Personal, occupational, and clinical information was extracted from occupational health and primary care records. Predictors of the lifting of (a) employment restrictions on UK duties at 18 months after diagnosis and (b) the lifting of all deployment restrictions at the end of the study were analysed using logistic and Cox regression models. Results At 18 months, 62% of the cancer survivors had restrictions on their UK duties lifted. The positive independent predictors of unrestricted UK duties are testicular cancer (OR 5.34; 95% CI 1.21–23.6) and no treatment being required (16.8; 1.11–255.2). The lifting of all employment restrictions and return to full deployability was achieved by 41% of the participants (median time 2.1 years), with testicular cancer (HR 2.69; 95% CI 1.38–5.26) and age at diagnosis (1.05; 1.01–1.09) being the positive independent predictors of faster lifting of all restrictions. ConclusionDiagnostic group, prognosis and type of treatment are not the only predictor of employment outcome after cancer. Patient-centred factors such as smoking, age, fatigue, job status, job type and length of employment are also important predictors of return to pre-morbid job function in cancer survivors in the RAF.</p

Oxford handbook of occupational health / second edition

xxviii, 915 pages ; 18 c

Birmingham COPD Cohort : a cross-sectional analysis of the factors associated with the likelihood of being in paid employment among people with COPD

Background: Employment rates among those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are lower than those without COPD, but little is known about the factors that affect COPD patients’ ability to work. Methods: Multivariable analysis of the Birmingham COPD Cohort Study baseline data was used to assess the associations between lifestyle, clinical, and occupational characteristics and likelihood of being in paid employment among working-age COPD patients. Results: In total, 608 of 1,889 COPD participants were of working age, of whom 248 (40.8%) were in work. Older age (60–64 years vs 30–49 years: odds ratio [OR] =0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.12–0.65), lower educational level (no formal qualification vs degree/higher level: OR =0.43; 95% CI =0.19–0.97), poorer prognostic score (highest vs lowest quartile of modified body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise (BODE) score: OR =0.10; 95% CI =0.03–0.33), and history of high occupational exposure to vapors, gases, dusts, or fumes (VGDF; high VGDF vs no VGDF exposure: OR =0.32; 95% CI =0.12–0.85) were associated with a lower probability of being employed. Only the degree of breathlessness of BODE was significantly associated with employment. Conclusion: This is the first study to comprehensively assess the characteristics associated with employment in a community sample of people with COPD. Future interventions should focus on managing breathlessness and reducing occupational exposures to VGDF to improve the work capability among those with COPD