Factors affecting the work ability of nursing personnel with post-COVID infection.

Post-COVID infection have raised concerns regarding their impact on nursing personnel's work ability. This study aimed to assess the relationship between post-COVID infection and work ability among nursing personnel. A retrospective observational study from December 2022 to January 2023 involved 609 nursing personnel with a history of COVID-19 infection at a tertiary hospital. An online questionnaire measured post-COVID infection, personal and working factors, and the Work Ability Index (WAI). Long COVID was defined as the continuation or development of new symptoms 1 month post COVID-19 infection. Of 609 personnel, 586 showed post-COVID symptoms (fatigue, cough, difficulty breathing, etc.), with 73.72% in the short COVID group and 26.28% in the long COVID group. A significant association was found between WAI and post-COVID infection (aOR: 3.64, 95% CI 1.59-8.30), with the short COVID group had a significantly higher WAI than the long COVID group (mean difference 2.25, 95% CI 1.44-3.05). The factors related to work ability in the long COVID group were chronic diseases, work limitation, low job control (P < 0.05). Post-COVID infection, especially long COVID, adversely affect nursing personnel's work ability. Enhancing job control and addressing work limitations are crucial for supporting their return to work.

The Urgent Need for Cardiopulmonary Fitness Evaluation among Wildland Firefighters in Thailand.

Wildland firefighting is a high-risk occupation. The level of cardiopulmonary fitness can indicate whether wildland firefighters are ready to perform their job duties. This study's objective was to determine wildland firefighters' cardiopulmonary fitness using practical methods. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to enroll all 610 active wildland firefighters in Chiang Mai. The participants' cardiopulmonary fitness was assessed using an EKG, a chest X-ray, a spirometry test, a global physical activity questionnaire, and the Thai score-based cardiovascular risk assessment. The NFPA 1582 was used to determine "fitness" and "job restriction". Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare cardiopulmonary parameters. With a response rate of 10.16%, only eight wildland firefighters met the cardiopulmonary fitness requirements. Eighty-seven percent of participants were in the job-restriction group. An aerobic threshold of eight METs, an abnormal EKG, an intermediate CV risk, and an abnormal CXR were the causes of restriction. The job-restriction group had a higher 10-year CV risk and higher systolic blood pressure, although these differences were not statistically significant. The wildland firefighters were unfit for their task requirements and were more at risk of cardiovascular health compared to the estimated risk of the general Thai population. To improve the health and safety of wildland firefighters, pre-placement exams and health surveillance are urgently needed.

Effects of urinary of organophosphate metabolites on nerve conduction and neurobehavioral performance among farmers in northern Thailand.

Farmers are regarded as a high-risk population for pesticide exposure because of the frequency of their occupational exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides. The purposes of this study were 1) to compare urinary OP metabolites, nerve conduction, and neurobehavioral (NB) performance between farmers and a control group, as well as between baseline measurement and after spraying OP pesticides; 2) to investigate the factors associated with increased urinary OP metabolites after spraying OP pesticides; and 3) to investigate the effects of OP metabolites on changes in nerve conduction and NB performance after spraying OP pesticides. This study was conducted with a sample size of 71 farmers and a control group of 26. The findings showed that after spraying OP pesticides total dialkylphosphate (DAP) levels were significantly higher than baseline levels. Multiple linear regression showed that increased urinary OP metabolites among farmers after spraying pesticides were negatively associated with wearing a mask when spraying OP pesticides and positively associated with the number of years of farm work and type of sprayer equipment. The results also showed a positive association between the increased urinary total diethylphosphate (DEP) levels and the decreased amplitude of motor nerve conduction. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between increased urinary total DEP and decreased right amplitude of sympathetic skin response (SSR). An increase in urinary total DMP was positively associated with a decrease in raw score and a standard score of visual-motor integration (VMI). Our findings provide evidence that exposure to OP pesticides can cause a deficit in nerve conduction and NB performance in farmers. These findings may contribute to the early detection of neurological disease and inform strategies to prevent damage to the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Which Shiftwork Pattern Is the Strongest Predictor for Poor Sleep Quality in Nurses?

Shiftwork is related to an increased risk of several diseases, including gastric ulcers, myocardial infarction, and diabetes. Several shiftwork patterns are related to poor sleep quality, such as a quick returns or extended shifts. This study aimed to find the shiftwork patterns strongly associated with poor sleep quality amongst nurses. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among nurses working for at least one month. The sub-groups were the good sleep quality group (n = 150) and the poor sleep quality group (n = 472). Eligible participants were asked to complete a self-reported questionnaire comprising personal characteristics, job characteristics, shiftwork characteristics, and sleep quality. Factors associated with poor sleep quality were determined using logistic regression analysis. Two factors associated with poor sleep quality remained in the final model: viz., depression and backward rotational shift. The only independent factor for poor sleep quality was a backward rotational shift with an adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 1.946 (1.344, 2.871). In conclusion, compared with other shift patterns, backward shiftwork was the most significant factor associated with poor sleep quality and should be avoided.

Respiratory Symptoms and Skin Sick Building Syndrome among Office Workers at University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand: Associations with Indoor Air Quality, AIRMED Project.

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is the term used to describe the medical condition in which people in a building suffer from symptoms of illnesses for no apparent reason. SBS was found to be associated with indoor air quality (IAQ) but there are a variety of determinants (buildings, in particular). Identifying and controlling factors related to SBS is crucial for improving worker health and efficiency. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate (1) the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and skin SBS and (2) their associations with IAQ among office workers in administrative offices in an academic medical institute. A self-reporting questionnaire assessing the worker's characteristics, working conditions, and perception of working environments was used. The building assessment was via a walk-through survey and IAQ measurement. Of 290 office workers, 261 (90%) in 25 offices of 11 buildings took part in the survey. The highest prevalence of SBS was nasal symptoms (25.3%). We found that to reduce the risk of SBS, optimal air temperature levels in air-conditioned offices should be lower than 23 °C, with relative humidity between 60% and 70%. Lowering indoor CO2 levels below 700 ppm may be indicative of adequate ventilation to prevent SBS by reducing worker discomfort and indoor contaminants (e.g., formaldehyde).

The reliability of neurobehavioral tests in a thai adult population / A confiabilidade dos testes neurocomportamentais em uma população adulta tailandesa

ABSTRACT Early detection of decline in neurobehavioral (NB) performance requires reliable methods of testing. Although NB tests have been shown to be consistent and reliable in Western countries, there has been limited research in Asian populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of NB tests in a Thai adult population and examine the impact of demographic data on NB tests. The aspects of the tests chosen were memory, attention, hand-eye coordination, motor speed, and dexterity. Methods: The three NB tests used were digit span, Purdue Pegboard, and visual-motor integration. All three were administered to a population of 30 Thai adults. Results: The outcomes of all Pearson's correlation coefficient tests (r) were positive and greater than 0.60, and subtest-retest reliability correlation coefficients ranged from 0.63 (p<0.001) to 0.81 (p<0.001). Interestingly, the outcomes of all of these tests were not affected by demographic data, with the exception of the Purdue Pegboard test, in which performance on the preferred hand and both hands assessment was weakly associated with age (β=-0.09, p<0.001 and β=-0.08, p<0.05, respectively). Conclusions: NB tests have adequate reliability and are useful for the evaluation of clinical memory, attention, hand-eye coordination, motor speed, and dexterity in Thai adults. These tests were not affected by demographic data. However, further studies to measure the validity of the digit span, Purdue Pegboard, and visual-motor integration tests are needed.

RESUMO A detecção precoce do declínio no desempenho neurocomportamental (NC) requer métodos confiáveis de teste. Embora os testes NC tenham se mostrado consistentes e confiáveis em países ocidentais, as pesquisas em populações asiáticas ainda são limitadas. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a confiabilidade de teste-reteste dos testes NC em uma população adulta tailandesa e o impacto dos dados demográficos nos testes NC. Os aspectos dos testes escolhidos foram memória, atenção, coordenação óculo-manual, velocidade motora e destreza. Métodos: Os três testes RC utilizados foram o digit span, o Purdue Pegboard e a integração visomotora. Todos os três foram usados em uma população de 30 adultos tailandeses. Resultados: Os resultados de todos os testes de coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) foram positivos e superiores a 0,60, e os coeficientes de correlação de confiabilidade subteste-reteste variaram de 0,63 (p<0,001) a 0,81 (p<0,001). Curiosamente, os resultados de todos esses testes não foram afetados pelos dados demográficos, com exceção do teste Purdue Pegboard, no qual o desempenho na mão preferida e a avaliação de ambas as mãos foi fracamente associado à idade (β=-0,09, p<0,001 e β=-0,08, p<0,05, respectivamente). Conclusão: Os testes NC apresentam confiabilidade adequada e são úteis para avaliação da memória clínica, atenção, coordenação óculo-manual, velocidade motora e destreza em adultos tailandeses. Esses testes não foram afetados por dados demográficos. No entanto, são necessários mais estudos para medir a validade dos testes de digit span, Purdue Pegboard e IVM.

Effect of N95 Respirator on Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Physiologic Response: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, N95 respirators were commonly used in many situations. Respiratory problems from prolonged use of respirators were discussed in many studies, which show varied results. From the inconclusive results, the current systematic review and meta-analysis discerned the effects of the N95 respirator by assessing the oxygen and carbon dioxide changes in both high- and low-to-moderate-intensity physical activities in a healthy population. Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion in the study. In high-intensity physical activities, our meta-analysis showed borderline lower oxygen saturation and higher carbon dioxide partial pressure, but oxygen saturation did not change in low-to-moderate physical activity. The use of N95 respirators could statistically affect the physiologic changes of carbon dioxide and oxygen in high-intensity physical activity among healthy participants, but this may not be clinically significant. Some users who have certain health conditions, such as respiratory problems, should be informed of the clinical symptoms related to hypercarbia and hypoxia for the early detection of adverse effects of N95 respirators.

Self-Reported Computer Vision Syndrome among Thai University Students in Virtual Classrooms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, computer vision syndrome (CVS) related to online classrooms were unavoidable. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence, characteristics and associated factors of CVS. A total of 527 students who were currently studying in a virtual classroom (70.40% female, mean (standard deviation; SD) age of 20.04 (2.17) years) were included. The prevalence of CVS assessed by an online CVS-Questionnaire was 81.0% (427/527). Comparing with those in the period before the online study, an increase in screen time (interquartile range) in students with and without CVS was 3 (0−3) and 2 (1−5) h, respectively. Overall, 516 students (97.9%) experienced at least one symptom. The most frequent symptom in CVS subjects was eye pain (96.5%). The most intense symptoms were the feeling of worsening eyesight (15.9%). The factors associated with CVS were female (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.010), atopic diseases (p = 0.020), prior ocular symptoms (p < 0.001), astigmatism (p = 0.033), distance from display <20 cm (p = 0.023), presence of glare or reflection on screen (p < 0.001), low screen brightness (p = 0.045), sleep duration (p = 0.030), inadequate break time between classes (p < 0.001) and increased screen time usage during online study (p < 0.001). Recommendations to prevent CVS based on the adjustable factors might reduce the burden of online study.

Differences in Knowledge, Awareness, Practice, and Health Symptoms in Farmers Who Applied Organophosphates and Pyrethroids on Farms.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine farmers' knowledge, awareness, practices regarding pesticide use, and prevalence of health symptoms related to pesticides exposure among farmers who applied organophosphates (OP) and pyrethroids (PY). METHODS: Data regarding demographic variables and health symptoms pertinent to pesticide use was collected from 67 farmers who applied OP and 50 farmers who applied PY using interviews from January to March 2021. RESULTS: The farmers who applied OP had lower knowledge, awareness, and prevention practices regarding pesticide use than those who applied PY. After adjustment of covariate variables, the farmers who applied OP had a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory conditions (OR = 8.29 for chest pain, OR = 6.98 for chest tightness, OR = 27.54 for dry throat, and OR = 5.91 for cough), neurological symptoms (OR = 10.62 for fatigue and OR = 6.76 for paresthesia), and neurobehavioral symptoms (OR = 13.84 for poor concentration, OR = 3.75 for short term memory, and OR = 8.99 for insomnia) related to pesticide exposure than those who applied PY. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that OP had a more adverse effect on human health than PY, resulting in a higher prevalence of pesticide-related symptoms. The outcomes of this study have the benefit of providing vital information for all stakeholders with regard to the implementation of safe practices in the utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) and pesticide use in a health intervention and health promotion program.

The reliability of neurobehavioral tests in a thai adult population.

Early detection of decline in neurobehavioral (NB) performance requires reliable methods of testing. Although NB tests have been shown to be consistent and reliable in Western countries, there has been limited research in Asian populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of NB tests in a Thai adult population and examine the impact of demographic data on NB tests. The aspects of the tests chosen were memory, attention, hand-eye coordination, motor speed, and dexterity. Methods: The three NB tests used were digit span, Purdue Pegboard, and visual-motor integration. All three were administered to a population of 30 Thai adults. Results: The outcomes of all Pearson's correlation coefficient tests (r) were positive and greater than 0.60, and subtest-retest reliability correlation coefficients ranged from 0.63 (p<0.001) to 0.81 (p<0.001). Interestingly, the outcomes of all of these tests were not affected by demographic data, with the exception of the Purdue Pegboard test, in which performance on the preferred hand and both hands assessment was weakly associated with age (ß=-0.09, p<0.001 and ß=-0.08, p<0.05, respectively). Conclusions: NB tests have adequate reliability and are useful for the evaluation of clinical memory, attention, hand-eye coordination, motor speed, and dexterity in Thai adults. These tests were not affected by demographic data. However, further studies to measure the validity of the digit span, Purdue Pegboard, and visual-motor integration tests are needed.

A detecção precoce do declínio no desempenho neurocomportamental (NC) requer métodos confiáveis de teste. Embora os testes NC tenham se mostrado consistentes e confiáveis em países ocidentais, as pesquisas em populações asiáticas ainda são limitadas. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a confiabilidade de teste-reteste dos testes NC em uma população adulta tailandesa e o impacto dos dados demográficos nos testes NC. Os aspectos dos testes escolhidos foram memória, atenção, coordenação óculo-manual, velocidade motora e destreza. Métodos: Os três testes RC utilizados foram o digit span, o Purdue Pegboard e a integração visomotora. Todos os três foram usados em uma população de 30 adultos tailandeses. Resultados: Os resultados de todos os testes de coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) foram positivos e superiores a 0,60, e os coeficientes de correlação de confiabilidade subteste-reteste variaram de 0,63 (p<0,001) a 0,81 (p<0,001). Curiosamente, os resultados de todos esses testes não foram afetados pelos dados demográficos, com exceção do teste Purdue Pegboard, no qual o desempenho na mão preferida e a avaliação de ambas as mãos foi fracamente associado à idade (ß=-0,09, p<0,001 e ß=-0,08, p<0,05, respectivamente). Conclusão: Os testes NC apresentam confiabilidade adequada e são úteis para avaliação da memória clínica, atenção, coordenação óculo-manual, velocidade motora e destreza em adultos tailandeses. Esses testes não foram afetados por dados demográficos. No entanto, são necessários mais estudos para medir a validade dos testes de digit span, Purdue Pegboard e IVM.

Acceptance, attitude, and factors affecting the intention to accept COVID-19 vaccine among Thai people and expatriates living in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide problem. Vaccination as primary prevention is necessary. Thailand is in the initial phase of the vaccination program. However, the demand for this vaccine among Thais and expatriates living in Thailand is still unknown. This study aims to assess acceptance, attitude, and determinants for COVID-19 vaccination among Thai people and expatriates living in Thailand. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Thailand during May 2021. An online survey (REDcap) was distributed through online social media platforms. Adult (>18 years old) Thai and expatriates living in Thailand were invited. Any person who already received any COVID-19 vaccine was excluded from this study. RESULT: One thousand sixty-six responses were collected in this survey. A total of 959 were available for analysis. Six hundred thirty-seven 637 responses were from Thais and 322 responses from expatriates living in Thailand. The acceptance rate was significantly higher among expatriates than local people (57.8% vs 41.8%, p-value < 0.001). The acceptance rate increased up to 89.0-91.3% if they could select the vaccine brand, and 80.7-83.2% when they were recommended by the health care professionals. Both groups had a similar mean attitude score toward COVID-19 vaccination. Being Thai, health care worker, good compliance to social distancing, accepting serious side effects at level 1 per 100,000, and having a good attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination were associated with vaccine acceptance. CONCLUSION: Thailand's COVID-19 vaccination program could improve the acceptance rate by informing the public about vaccine efficacy, vaccine benefit, and vaccine safety. Moreover, supplying free of charge high efficacy alternative vaccines and letting all people living in Thailand make their own vaccine choices could increase the acceptance rate.