Factors influencing occupational exposure to pyrethroids and glyphosate: An analysis of urinary biomarkers in Malaysia, Uganda and the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to pesticides is often assessed using semi-quantitative models. To improve these models, a better understanding of how occupational factors determine exposure (e.g., as estimated by biomonitoring) would be valuable. METHODS: Urine samples were collected from pesticide applicators in Malaysia, Uganda, and the UK during mixing/application days (and also during non-application days in Uganda). Samples were collected pre- and post-activity on the same day and analysed for biomarkers of active ingredients (AIs), including synthetic pyrethroids (via the metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid [3-PBA]) and glyphosate, as well as creatinine. We performed multilevel Tobit regression models for each study to assess the relationship between exposure modifying factors (e.g., mixing/application of AI, duration of activity, personal protective equipment [PPE]) and urinary biomarkers of exposure. RESULTS: From the Malaysia, Uganda, and UK studies, 81, 84, and 106 study participants provided 162, 384 and 212 urine samples, respectively. Pyrethroid use on the sampling day was most common in Malaysia (n = 38; 47%), and glyphosate use was most prevalent in the UK (n = 93; 88%). Median pre- and post-activity 3-PBA concentrations were similar, with higher median concentrations post-compared to pre-activity for glyphosate samples in the UK (1.7 to 0.5 µg/L) and Uganda (7.6 to 0.8 µg/L) (glyphosate was not used in the Malaysia study). There was evidence from individual studies that higher urinary biomarker concentrations were associated with mixing/application of the AI on the day of urine sampling, longer duration of mixing/application, lower PPE protection, and less education/literacy, but no factor was consistently associated with exposure across biomarkers in the three studies. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a need for AI-specific interpretation of exposure modifying factors as the relevance of exposure routes, levels of detection, and farming systems/practices may be very context and AI-specific.

Heat-related fatalities in North Carolina 1999-2017.

OBJECTIVES: Research shows the highest rates of occupational heat-related fatalities among farm laborers and among Black and Hispanic workers in North Carolina (NC). The Hispanic population and workforce in NC have grown substantially in the past 20 years. We describe the epidemiology of heat-related fatal injuries in the general population and among workers in NC. METHODS: We reviewed North Carolina death records and records of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identify heat-related deaths (primary International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis code: X30 or T67.0-T67.9) that occurred between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2017. Decedent age, sex, race, and ethnicity were extracted from both the death certificate and the medical examiner's report as well as determinations of whether the death occurred at work. RESULTS: In NC between 1999 and 2017, there were 225 deaths from heat-related injuries, and 25 occurred at work. The rates of occupational heat-related deaths were highest among males, workers of Hispanic ethnicity, workers of Black, multiple, or unknown race, and in workers aged 55-64. The highest rate of occupational heat-related deaths occurred in the agricultural industry. CONCLUSIONS: Since the last report (2001), the number of heat-related fatalities has increased, but fewer were identified as workplace fatalities. Rates of occupational heat-related deaths are highest among Hispanic workers. NC residents identifying as Black are disproportionately burdened by heat-related fatalities in general, with a wider apparent disparity in occupational deaths.

Systematic review of epidemiological studies evaluating the association between exposure to man-made vitreous fibers and non-malignant respiratory diseases.

This study aimed to systematically review and synthesize epidemiological evidence evaluating the association between occupational man-made vitreous fiber (MMVF) exposure and non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD). We searched PubMed and Scopus databases to identify epidemiological studies evaluating the association between occupational MMVF exposure (limited to insulation wools) and at least 1 NMRD outcome published prior to January 2023. A total of 23 studies met our inclusion criteria. Studies of NMRD mortality among workers with MMVF exposure (n = 9) predominately reported null findings. Qualitative and quantitative synthesis of evidence from these studies suggests that MMVF exposure is not associated with elevated risk of NMRD mortality. The remaining 14 studies evaluated NMRD morbidity, specifically self-reported respiratory symptoms and/or subclinical measures of respiratory disease. Our review did not identify any consistent or compelling evidence of an association between MMVF exposure and any NMRD morbidity outcome; however, this body of evidence was largely limited by cross-sectional design, self-reported exposure and/or outcome ascertainment, incomplete statistical analysis and reporting, and questionable generalizability given that 13/14 studies were published over 20 years ago. We recommend that future studies aim to overcome the limitations of this literature to more accurately characterize the association between occupational MMVF exposure and NMRD morbidity.

Radon exposure and risk of neurodegenerative diseases among male miners in Ontario, Canada: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Environmental radon has been examined as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases in a small number of previous studies, but the findings have been inconsistent. This study aims to investigate the association between occupational radon exposure and neurodegenerative disease in a cohort of male miners with work experience in multiple ore types in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Radon exposure (1915-1988) was assessed using two job-exposure matrices (JEM) constructed from using historical records for 34,536 Ontario male miners. Neurodegenerative outcomes were ascertained between 1992 and 2018. Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between cumulative radon exposure in working level months (WLM) and each neurodegenerative outcome. RESULTS: Levels of cumulative radon exposure showed variability among cohort members with a mean of 7.5 WLM (standard deviation 24.4). Miners in uranium mines or underground jobs had higher levels and more variability in exposure than workers in non-uranium work or surface jobs. Compared to the reference group (radon < 1 WLM), increased rates of Alzheimer's (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.05-1.45) and Parkinson's disease (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.08-1.89) were observed among workers with >1-5 WLM and >5-10 WLM, respectively, but not among higher exposed workers (>10 WLM). CONCLUSION: This study did not observe a positive monotonic dose-response relationship between cumulative radon exposure and Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease in Ontario mining workers. There was no association observed with motor neuron disease.

The risk of an incident hospital contact with a musculoskeletal disorder in Danish occupational fishers: a register-based study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among occupational fishers is high, yet knowledge of the risk factors is scarce and inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk from various work-related characteristics on incident hospital contact due to a musculoskeletal disorders and other pain disorders among Danish occupational fishers. METHODS: This register-based study comprised data from the Danish Occupational Cohort with eXposure (DOC*X) for all persons registered as occupational fishers between 1994 and 2017. Time-to-event analysis with Cox regression model was used with age as the time scale. RESULTS: Among the 15,739 fishers, 40% (n = 5,669 cases) had an incident hospital contact with an MSD during follow-up. Back disorders were the dominant complaint. Male fishers working less than 5 years or more than 15 years had higher risks of MSD (HR 2.40 (95% CI: 2.06, 2.80), HR: 2.04 (95% CI: 1.76, 2.35), respectively, than those working for over 20 years. Period effects confounded and reduced the risk from occupational seniority. CONCLUSION: Fishers occupational seniority vary in risk of MSDs across working life. Results showed a nonlinear relationship between the highest risk for fishers working less than 5 years and the lowest risk working more than 20 years as occupational fisher. More years in the workforce, a captain education, and primarily working part time significantly reduced the risk of experiencing a first MSDs for men. Healthy worker effect was documented.

Occupational pesticide exposure, cancer and chronic neurological disorders: A systematic review of epidemiological studies in greenspace workers.

CONTEXT: The greenspace sector includes a broad range of occupations: gardeners, landscapers, municipal workers, maintenance operators of public facilities, golf-course employees and other sports facilities, horticulturists, plant and tree nursery workers etc. The health impact of occupational pesticide exposure has mainly been studied among farmers. Other professionals such as greenspace workers are also extremely exposed, presenting specific exposure features (practices, types of pesticide used). The aim of this review was to summarize epidemiological literature that examine the relationship between pesticide exposure and the risk of cancer and long-term health effects in greenspace workers. METHOD: Six main groups of greenspace workers were identified and examined through a systematic literature review based on PubMed and Scopus. The studies were then grouped according to their design, health outcomes and the type of population studied. RESULTS: Forty-four articles were selected among the 1679 identified. Fifteen studies were conducted exclusively among greenspace workers, while ten also studied these workers with other pesticide applicators. Six were cohorts from the general population in which greenspace workers were identified. Elevated risks were found in several studies for leukaemia, soft-tissue sarcoma, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Parkinson's disease. DISCUSSION: The majority of studies used rough parameters for defining exposure such as job titles which could lead to the misclassification of exposure, with the risk of false or positive negative conclusions. Health outcomes were mainly collected through registries or death certificates, and information regarding potential confounders was often missing. CONCLUSION: The review identified only 15 studies conducted exclusively among greenspace workers. Elevated risk was found for several sites of cancer and Parkinson's diseases. Further epidemiological research is needed, conducted specifically on these workers, to better characterize this population, its exposure to pesticides and the related health effects.

Health of greenspace workers: Morbidity and mortality data from the AGRICAN cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge on the health of greenspace workers is scarce, even though they are exposed to many occupational hazards. The aim of this study was to analyze mortality by cause, prevalence of some non-cancer diseases, and incidence of the main cancers among greenspace workers. METHODS: A sub-cohort of greenspace workers was formed within the AGRICAN cohort. Demographic information, health characteristics and self-reported diseases at enrollment were described separately in terms of frequencies (%), median and Interquartile Range (IQR) for greenspace workers, farmers, and other non-agricultural workers. Causes of death and cancer incidence were identified through linkage with cancer registries from enrollment (2005-2007) to 2015. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% Confidence Intervals [95% CI] were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression with age as the underlying timescale. RESULTS: The sub-cohort included 6247 greenspace workers who were higher proportion men, younger and more frequently smokers than farmers and non-agricultural workers. Male and female greenspace workers reported more history of allergic diseases; and males, more history of depression. Compared to other workers male greenspace workers showed a non-significant higher mortality from ischemic cardiological diseases (HR = 1.14 [0.81-1.60]). Incidence was higher in male greenspace workers than farmers for overall cancer (HR = 1.15 [1.04-1.27]), cancer of the prostate (HR = 1.21 [1.02-1.44]), thyroid (HR = 2.84 [1.26-6.41]), testis (HR = 3.98 [1.50-10.58]) and skin melanoma (HR = 2.15 [1.33-3.47]). Non-significant increased risks were also found for sarcomas, larynx and breast. In women, risk of breast cancer was higher in greenspace workers than in farmers (HR = 1.71 [1.17-2.50]). CONCLUSIONS: Whereas greenspace workers have often been included with other pesticide applicators in epidemiological studies, our analyses highlighted the differences between these two populations. They demonstrate the need to study them separately and to investigate more thoroughly the role of specific occupational exposures such as pesticides as well as the effect on women.

High prevalence of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology among workers in the Mesoamerican Nephropathy Occupational Study.

BACKGROUND: Mortality from chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is extremely high along the Pacific coast of Central America, particularly among sugarcane workers. The Mesoamerican Nephropathy Occupational Study (MANOS) is a prospective cohort study of CKDu among agricultural and non-agricultural workers in El Salvador and Nicaragua. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the MANOS cohort recruitment, baseline data collection, and CKDu prevalence after two rounds. METHODS: Workers with no known diabetes, hypertension, or CKD were recruited from sugarcane, corn, plantain, brickmaking, and road construction industries (n = 569). Investigators administered questionnaires, collected biological samples, and observed workers for three consecutive workdays at the worksite. Serum specimens were analyzed for kidney function parameters, and used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). At six months, serum was collected again prior to the work shift. CKD at baseline is defined as eGFR ≤ 60 ml/min/1.73m2 at both timepoints. Age-standardized prevalence was calculated by industry, country, and demographic measures. Kidney function parameters were compared by CKD status. RESULTS: Prevalence of CKD at baseline was 7.4% (n = 42). Age-standardized prevalence was highest in Salvadoran sugarcane (14.1%), followed by Salvadoran corn (11.6%), and Nicaraguan brickmaking (8.1%). Nicaraguan sugarcane had the lowest prevalence, likely due to kidney function screenings prior to employment. CONCLUSION: Despite efforts to enroll participants without CKD, our identification of prevalent CKD among agricultural and non-agricultural workers in the MANOS cohort indicates notable kidney disease in the region, particularly among sugarcane workers.

Concussion and long-term cognitive function among rugby players-The BRAIN Study.

OBJECTIVE: The BRAIN Study was established to assess the associations between self-reported concussions and cognitive function among retired rugby players. METHODS: Former elite-level male rugby union players (50+ years) in England were recruited. Exposure to rugby-related concussion was collected using the BRAIN-Q tool. The primary outcome measure was the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC). Linear regressions were conducted for the association between concussion and PACC score, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 146 participants were recruited. The mean (standard deviation) length of playing career was 15.8 (5.4) years. A total of 79.5% reported rugby-related concussion(s). No association was found between concussion and PACC (ß -0.03 [95% confidence interval (CI): -1.31, 0.26]). However, participants aged 80+ years reporting 3+ concussions had worse cognitive function than those without concussion (ß -1.04 [95% CI: -1.62, -0.47]). CONCLUSIONS: Overall there was no association between concussion and cognitive function; however, a significant interaction with age revealed an association in older participants.

Risk assessment for o-toluidine and bladder cancer incidence.

BACKGROUND: Elevated bladder cancer incidence has been reported in a cohort of 1875 workers manufacturing chemicals used in the rubber industry and employed any time during 1946-2006. o-Toluidine (OT), an aromatic amine, was the prime suspect agent. Using the available environmental data and process characterization, previous investigators assigned ranks to volatile chemical air concentrations across time in departments and jobs, reflecting probabilities of exposure and use of personal protective equipment for airborne and dermal exposures. Aniline, another aromatic amine, was present at comparable concentrations and is known to be an animal carcinogen but produced lower levels in post-shift urine and of hemoglobin adducts than OT in a group of workers. METHODS: A quantitative risk assessment was performed based on this same population. In this study, cumulative OT exposures were estimated (a) based on previously assigned ranks of exposure intensity and reported actual exposures in jobs with the highest assigned rank, and (b) directly from the historical environmental sampling for OT. Models of bladder cancer incidence were evaluated taking into account possible healthy worker survivor effects. RESULTS: Under various assumptions regarding workforce turnover, the excess lifetime risk of bladder cancer from OT exposure at 1 ppb was estimated to be in the range 1-7 per thousand. CONCLUSIONS: The current ACGIH TLV and OSHA standards for OT are 2 and 5 ppm, respectively, 1000-fold higher than the exposure estimated here for 1-7 per thousand excess lifetime risk.

Impact of healthcare services on thyroid cancer incidence among World Trade Center-exposed rescue and recovery workers.

BACKGROUND: A recent study of World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters and emergency medical service workers demonstrated that elevated thyroid cancer incidence may be attributable to frequent medical testing, resulting in the identification of asymptomatic tumors. We expand on that study by comparing the incidence of thyroid cancer among three groups: WTC-exposed rescue/recovery workers enrolled in a New York State (NYS) WTC-medical monitoring and treatment program (MMTP); WTC-exposed rescue/recovery workers not enrolled in an MMTP (non-MMTP); and the NYS population. METHODS: Person-time began on 9/12/2001 or at enrollment in a WTC cohort and ended at death or on 12/31/2015. Cancer data were obtained through linkages with 13 state cancer registries. We used Poisson regression to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MMTP and non-MMTP participants. NYS rates were used as the reference. To estimate potential changes over time in WTC-associated risk, change points in RRs were estimated using profile likelihood. RESULTS: The thyroid cancer incidence rate among MMTP participants was more than twice that of NYS population rates (RR = 2.31; 95% CI = 2.00-2.68). Non-MMTP participants had a risk similar to NYS (RR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.72-1.28). We observed no change points in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the hypothesis that no-cost screening (a benefit provided by WTC-MMTPs) is associated with elevated identification of thyroid cancer. Given the high survival rate for thyroid cancer, it is important to weigh the costs and benefits of treatment, as many of these cancers were asymptomatic and may have been detected incidentally.

Incidence of acute myocardial infarction in the workforce: Findings from the Occupational Disease Surveillance System.

BACKGROUND: Increased risks of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may be attributable to the workplace, however, associations are not well-established. Using the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), we sought to estimate associations between occupation and industry of employment and AMI risk among workers in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: The study population was derived by linking provincial accepted lost-time workers' compensation claims data, to inpatient hospitalization records. Workers aged 15-65 years with an accepted non-AMI compensation claim were followed for an AMI event between 2007 and 2016. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each industry and occupation group, compared to all other workers in the cohort. Sex-stratified analyses were also performed. RESULTS: In all, 24,514 incident cases of AMI were identified among 1,502,072 Ontario workers. Increased incidence rates of AMI were found across forestry (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.19-1.58) and wood processing (HR 1.50, 1.27-1.77) job-titles. Elevated rates were also detected within industries and occupations both broadly related to mining and quarrying (HR 1.52, 1.17-1.97), trucking (HR 1.32, 1.27-1.38), construction (HR 1.32, 1.14-1.54), and the manufacturing and processing of metal (HR 1.41, 1.19-1.68), textile (HR 1.41, 1.07-1.88), non-metallic mineral (HR 1.30, 0.82-2.07), and rubber and plastic (HR 1.42, 1.27-1.60) products. Female food service workers also had elevated AMI rates (HR 1.36, 1.23-1.51). CONCLUSION: This study found occupational variation in AMI incidence. Future studies should examine work-related hazards possibly contributing to such excess risks, like noise, vibration, occupational physical activity, shift work, and chemical and particulate exposures.

The impact of different approaches to exposure assessment on understanding non-malignant respiratory disease risk in taconite miners.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the association between cumulative silica exposures in taconite mining and non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) using a comprehensive assessment of current and historical exposure measurements in a cross-sectional study of Minnesota taconite mining workers. We also explored the impact of exposure measurement methods by comparing estimated exposure risk from two different exposure measurement modeling approaches. METHODS: Miners were screened with an occupational and medical history questionnaire, spirometry testing and chest x-rays per ILO guidelines. Current and historical occupational exposure assessments were obtained, the former measuring about 679 personal samples over the period of the study for respirable dusts, including silica, in 28 major job functions. Cumulative silica exposure ((mg/m3) × years) was estimated as a cumulative product of time worked and year-specific silica job exposure concentrations. Chest x-ray abnormalities were based on B-reader agreement with a third B-reader for arbitration. Forced vital capacity (FVC) less than lower limits of normal for age, height, race and gender was used to determine spirometric restrictive ventilatory defect (RVD). Prevalence ratios (PR) of exposure-outcome associations, with 95% confidence intervals (CI), were estimated using multivariate Poisson regression. RESULTS: Cumulative silica exposure was associated with RVD prevalence (PR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.09-1.81) and prevalence of parenchymal abnormalities on chest x-ray (PR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.00-1.69) using exposure estimates based primarily on current study measurements, and assuming unchanged historical exposure trend. Conversely, when exposures were defined incorporating available actual historical values, no associations were observed between silica exposure and either RVD (PR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.41-1.40) or parenchymal (PR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.45-1.70) outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the estimated association between silica dust exposure and lung disease is highly sensitive to the approach used to estimate cumulative exposure. Cumulative values based on conservative estimates of past exposure, modeled from recently measured respirable silica, showed an association with restriction RVD on spirometry. Silica exposure was also significantly associated with increased parenchymal findings on chest x-ray using this approach. Conversely, these findings were absent when actual available historical data was used to estimate cumulative silica exposure. These differences highlight the challenges with estimating occupational dust exposure, the potential impact on calculated exposure risk and the need for long term quality exposure data gathering in industries prone to risk from inhaled respirable dusts.

Health and safety in the Maine woods: Assemblage and baseline characteristics of a longitudinal cohort of logging workers.

BACKGROUND: Logging remains one of the most hazardous industries in the United States, despite many safety improvements made in the last decades. Currently, we know little about regional trends in health conditions of logging workers, especially in the Northeast. However, the forest products industry is a critical component of the Northeast's economy, especially in the State of Maine. METHODS: This paper reports on the baseline data of a longitudinal cohort study involving Maine loggers, aimed to assess the health and safety of the industry. RESULTS: Three hundred twenty-five are included in these analyses, 246 mechanized loggers, and 79 conventional. On average mechanized loggers worked longer days (11.8 vs 9.7 hours) and had longer commutes from home to the woodlot (72.6 vs 40.7 minutes) than conventional loggers. For health factors, mechanized and conventional loggers had similar responses. Nearly two-thirds of both mechanized and conventional loggers had an annual physical in the previous year, and 36.3% had seen a health specialist during that same time period. The overall work-related injury and illness rate is 6.8 of 100 workers for this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: These factors contribute to a need to work with the community on transforming logging into a safer and healthier profession for the current workforce, as well as the workforce of the future. This study provides the basis for an appropriate intervention, in collaboration with the loggers and industry stakeholders, to improve the lives of these vital workers.

A semi-quantitative job exposure matrix for dust exposures in Swedish soft tissue paper mills.

BACKGROUND: Total paper dust exposure has been associated with respiratory problems among workers in the soft tissue paper industry. However, a comprehensive job exposure matrix (JEM) has not been developed for application to this industry. Our study was intended to address this need and to support further studies of mortality and morbidity in a cohort of Swedish workers from this industry. METHODS: We evaluated four participating soft tissue paper mills in Sweden. We combined information on process and equipment status from the mills with knowledge of the mills obtained through research efforts and paper dust measurements made at all four mills to develop a semi-quantitative JEM with seven dust exposure levels. The JEM was targeted at workers enrolled into a soft tissue paper mill cohort and working any time between 1960 and 2009. RESULTS: The JEM includes a total of 14 421 cells, with each cell corresponding to the exposure for a job title, department, or work location for a one-year period. Exposure levels in the JEM were estimated to decline at three of the four mills from 1971 to 2009, but overexposures (ie, exceedances of the relevant occupational exposure limits) remained common at the end of the period. CONCLUSIONS: The JEM results highlight the need for ongoing exposure control efforts in the soft tissue paper industry, and will inform ongoing epidemiological studies of the health effects of exposure to paper dust in Sweden. It is freely available for use by other researchers.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function in GuLF study participants.

INTRODUCTION: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster exposed tens of thousands of oil spill response and cleanup (OSRC) workers to hydrocarbons and other hazardous chemicals. Some hydrocarbons, such as toluene and hexane, have been found to have acute adverse effects on the central nervous system in occupational settings. However, no studies have examined the association between oil spill exposures and neurobehavioral function. METHODS: We used data from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study, a cohort of adults who worked on the DWH response and cleanup. Total hydrocarbon (THC) exposure attributed to oil spill cleanup work was estimated from a job-exposure matrix linking air measurement data to detailed cleanup work histories. Participants were also categorized into 6 job categories, or OSRC classes, based on their activity with the highest exposure. Neurobehavioral performance was assessed at a clinical exam 4-6 years after the spill. We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate relationships of ordinal THC levels and OSRC classes with 16 neurobehavioral outcomes. RESULTS: We found limited evidence of associations between THC levels or OSRC classes and decreased neurobehavioral function, including attention, memory, and executive function. Workers exposed to ≥3 ppm THC scored significantly worse (difference1.0-2.9ppm = -0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.74, -0.04) than workers exposed to <0.30 ppm THC for the digit span forward count test. There was also a possible threshold effect above 1 ppm THC for symbol digit test total errors (difference1.0-2.9ppm = -0.56 (95% CI = -1.13, -0.003), difference≥3.0ppm = -0.55 (95% CI = -1.20, 0.10)). Associations appeared to be stronger in men than in women. A summary latency measure suggested an association between more highly exposed jobs (especially support of operations workers) and decreased neurobehavioral function. CONCLUSION: OSRC-related exposures were associated with modest decreases in neurobehavioral function, especially attention, memory, and executive function.

Historical evidence of glyphosate exposure from a US agricultural cohort.

In response to the recent review by Gillezeau et al., The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: A review, Environmental Health 1/19/19, here we report additional glyphosate biomonitoring data from a repository of urine samples collected from United States farmers in 1997-98. To determine if glyphosate exposure could be identified historically, we examined urine samples from a biorepository of specimens collected from US dairy farmers between 1997 and 98. We compared samples from farmers who self-reported glyphosate application in the 8 h prior to sample collection to samples from farm applicators who did not report using glyphosate. Of 18 applicator samples tested, 39% showed detectable levels of glyphosate (mean concentration 4.04 µg/kg; range:1.3-12) compared to 0% detections among 17 non glyphosate applicator samples (p-value < 0.01). One of the applicator samples that tested positive for glyphosate also tested positive for AMPA. Concentrations of glyphosate were consistent with levels reported in the prior occupational biomonitoring studies reviewed by Gillezeau et al.Accurately detecting both glyphosate and AMPA in this small sample of Wisconsin farmers demonstrates a) glyphosate exposures among farmers were occurring 20 years ago, which was prior to the widespread planting of genetically engineered glyphosate tolerant crops first approved in 1996; and b) liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) can be used for sensitive characterization in cryopreserved urine samples. These data offer an important historical benchmark to which urinary levels from current and future biomonitoring studies can be compared.

Psychosocial job demand and control: multi-site musculoskeletal pain in Swedish police.

AIMS: Police have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. While physical factors contributing to this have been explored, little is known regarding the contribution of the psychosocial work environment. This study explores the association between elements of the JDC model, social support and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among Swedish police. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, responses from 4185 police were collected using a self-administered online survey. The survey included questions on the psychosocial work environment and musculoskeletal pain, as well as several potential confounding factors. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the degree of association between 1) the indices for job demands, job control, social support and multi-site musculoskeletal pain and 2) the four categories of the JDC model, social support and multi-site musculoskeletal pain. RESULTS: The overall psychosocial work environment of Swedish police was characterised by low control and high social support. Police who reported active and high strain jobs were found to have an increase in the odds ratio for multi-site musculoskeletal pain (OR 1.45 (95% CI 1.08-1.94) and 1.84 (1.51-2.24), respectively). High demands, which is a component in the categories for active and high strain jobs, was also found to be associated with an increase in the odds ratio for multi-site musculoskeletal pain (OR 1.66 (1.45-1.91)). High social support was associated with a decrease in the odds ratio for multi-site musculoskeletal pain (OR 0.72 (0.57-0.86)). CONCLUSIONS: The psychosocial work environment should be considered when investigating factors related to the health and wellbeing of police.

Harmonizing work history data in epidemiologic studies with overlapping employment records.

BACKGROUND: Work history data often require major data management including handling of overlapping jobs to avoid overestimating exposure before linkage to job-exposure matrices (JEMs) is possible. METHODS: In a case-cohort study of 1825 male Norwegian offshore petroleum workers, 3979 jobs were reported (mean duration 2417 days/job; maximum 8 jobs/worker). Each job was assigned to one of 27 occupation categories. Overlapping jobs of the same category (1142 jobs) were collapsed and overlapping jobs of different categories (1013 jobs) were split. The resulting durations were weighted by a factor accounting for the number of overlapping jobs. RESULTS: Collapsing overlapping jobs within the same category resulted in 3295 jobs (mean 2629 days/job). Splitting overlapping jobs of different categories increased the number to 4239 jobs (mean 2043 days/job), while the total duration in days dropped by 10%. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that overlapping employment data structures can be harmonized in a systematic and unbiased way, preparing work history data for linkage to several JEMs.

Measles immunity in an Italian teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have an increased exposure risk to measles, which can put them, their patients and their relatives at risk of infection. In Italy, 4617 cases of measles were reported in 2017; 302 involving HCWs. According to the Italian National Immunization and Prevention Plan, all HCWs should have demonstrable evidence of immunity to measles. AIMS: To evaluate measles immunization status in HCWs at a large Italian teaching hospital. METHODS: We analysed clinical records and measles-specific IgG antibody titres of HCWs undergoing occupational health surveillance between 1 January and 31 August 2017. RESULTS: Among the 1532 HCWs (mean age 32.7 ± 10.4 years) included in the study, 87% (1328) had protective antibody titres. The proportion of protective titres was highest in those born before 1982. No significant gender differences in mean measles-specific IgG antibody titres were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows non-protective measles IgG antibody titres in a substantial percentage of HCWs, especially those born in the 1980s and 1990s. Due to the increased risk of measles transmission in the hospital environment, increased prevention strategies are required, including rigorous screening and prompt vaccination of non-immune workers.