What are the predictors and costs of nurse absenteeism at select multicenter government hospitals? A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence and cost of absenteeism in nurses as well as the factors that affect absenteeism. Methods: This is a cross sectional study where a self-administered questionnaire response were obtained from 442 nurses for the previous working in 4 hospitals and 3 primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia. Analyses compared those with zero absences with those with one or more absences per month. Attributable risk was calculated as the difference in the absence percentages among nurses with high-risk exposure and low risk exposure. Results: The average absence of nurses is 0.62 days per month. This results in an annual loss of around $4 million. The greatest absence frequency was significantly associated with work psychosocial factors. The modifiable factors included the clarity of work responsibilities, rating of managers, work facilities, work environment, transportation difficulties, and work satisfaction. Cost-effectiveness modules for absence intervention programs were built for these factors. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that nurse absenteeism is a costly issue related to work and psychosocial factors. Preventive programs to improve the quality of work life are likely to be cost effective.

Hematological parameters in a population of male bakers exposed to high heat work environment.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the hematological changes associated with heat exposure in a population of bakers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Personal information was collected using a questionnaire, and a venous blood sample was drawn at the end of a work shift from the bakers and from a control group. The average wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index was measured in the workplaces of both the bakers and the controls. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study involved 137 bakers working in 20 bakeries and 107 controls who were comparable in terms of likely confounding factors. Hemoglobin and platelet values were abnormal among the bakers and statistically significantly different to the control group (P = 0.026, and P = 0.016 respectively). The average WBGT index in the bakeries was 37.4°C, while the average WBGT in the workplaces of the controls was 25.5°C, (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The changes in the bakers' hematological parameters were found to be associated with exposure to high environmental heat at bakeries, as measured by the WBGT index. Preventive measures should be introduced to reduce the adverse effect of heat exposure among bakers and directed toward the worker-equipment-environment triad.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Ergonomic Hazards Among Healthcare Workers in a Saudi Government Hospital.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affecting healthcare workers (HCWs) must be considered and addressed as a serious issue. Thus, it is important to incorporate ergonomics into clinical practice to prevent MSDs. The objectives of this study were to investigate HCWs' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding ergonomics in a large governmental healthcare facility. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which the participants were interviewed to complete a validated four-section questionnaire (demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practice information related to ergonomics). The questionnaire was newly self-developed based on a literature review and was pilot tested after development. Results: This study included 273 HCWs. Their average knowledge score regarding ergonomics was 2.6, or "fair to good." Overall, the participants reported good attitude scores, with a total average score of 1 and 2, or "agree to strongly agree." The findings also indicated that appropriate ergonomics practices were often not implemented, as the average practice score was 1 to 2, or "always to sometimes engaging in bad practice." The risk factors of being Saudi, being a woman, and having low academic achievement were associated with poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to ergonomics among HCWs. Conclusion: This study showed that the majority of the participants had fair knowledge and good attitudes toward ergonomics at work while practicing. However, the practice of ergonomics at work was not implemented. It is important to apply ergonomics at work to prevent MSDs; therefore, ergonomic principles should be included in the undergraduate health curriculum for all HCWs, with emphasis on practicing ergonomics in their routine clinical work.

Musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers in secondary care hospitals in the city of Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among sonographers have raised significant concerns in recent years. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of WMSDs and identify risk factors for WMSDs among sonographers. To date, there is little research on WMSDs among sonographers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the Saudi literature by filling this gap. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among sonographers (n = 98) working in four major governmental hospitals in the city of Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a validated, self-administered questionnaire that focused on the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms among sonographers. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 35.5±9 years. The majority of the participants were female (71.4%), non-Saudi (51%), and working as technicians (49%). The prevalence rates of shoulder and neck disorders among the participants were 65.3% and 57.1%, respectively. Gender (female), job title (sonography technicians), and years of experience (seasoned sonographers) were identified as risk factors for WMSDs. CONCLUSIONS: Among the studied sonographers, WMSDs were a significant, common problem. Being female, being a sonography technician, and being a seasoned sonographer were identified as risk factors for these disorders. Preventive measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of WMSDs in this occupational setting.

Physiological and biochemical parameters among a population of bakers exposed to environmental heat.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the physiological and biochemical changes among bakers, induced by heat exposure at the workplace. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Information was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Vital signs were measured and recorded by a trained nurse before and after each work shift. A venous blood sample was drawn at the end of each work shift. The mean wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index in the bakeries and offices was measured. RESULTS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 137 bakers working in 20 bakeries, and 107 control subjects comparable in terms of age, race, marital status, years of service, income, and cigarette smoking. There was a significant weight loss and increase in the respiratory rate, the heart rate, and oral body temperature among the bakers compared to the control group. Sodium levels were significantly lower, while blood urea nitrogen levels were significantly higher, among the bakers than in the control group. There were unfavorably hot working conditions in the bakeries: the WBGT index in the bakeries was 37.4°C while the average WBGT for the offices was 25.5°C. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in the physiological and biochemical parameters among the bakers were found to be associated with exposure to high environmental heat in the bakeries, as judged by the WBGT index. Preventive measures should be aimed at reducing the adverse effects of heat exposure among bakers and should be directed towards the man-machine-environment triad. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(3):265-72.

Factors associated with needlestick injuries among healthcare workers: implications for prevention.

BACKGROUND: Our study sought to determine the frequency of Needlestick injuries (NSIs) among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) working at governmental hospital and to study the factors that associated with occurrence of NSIs, and to develop recommendations for a comprehensive program for prevention. METHODS: Retrospective study of all reported cases of NSIs in the period from April 2016 to May 2018 among healthcare workers at a governmental hospital. RESULTS: Incidence of NSIs over 26 months was 8.4% among all participants. Nurses were the most affected staff (52.5%) resulted commonly from disposing syringes (58.9%). In contrast, the incidence of NSIs among physicians was 24.9% where surgical devices were the primary source of NSIs among them (40%). Failure to complete all required hepatitis B vaccination was common among expatriates of the participants of this study. CONCLUSIONS: NSIs was common among HCWs participated in this study. Preventive measures should be implemented including adequate hepatitis B immunization.

Occupational Violence and Staff Safety in Health-Care: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Large Public Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Physical and psychological workplace violence in health-care settings has serious implications for the health of workers, as well as a negative effect on productivity and health-care quality. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2018 among physicians and nurses using a convenience sample (n = 213) for the previous 12 months at a tertiary hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed their personal and professional characteristics, whether they had experienced physical violence (assault) or psychological violence as health-care practitioners, and whether they had reported the incidents. RESULTS: Among the respondents, 57% had experienced psychological violence, 6% had experienced physical violence, and 37% had experienced both psychological and physical violence in the previous 12 months. Shiftwork and working in the inpatient department were associated with a significant increase in the risk of physical violence. However, these factors showed no difference with regard to psychological violence. Both physical and psychological violence had diverse causes, without any single predominant cause. Similarly, both forms of violence occurred in multiple departments. Many of the incidents were unreported (75% of incidents involving psychological violence and 39% involving physical violence). CONCLUSION: Physical and psychological violence against health-care workers (HCWs) in the hospital under study was found to be very common. The results of this study suggest the need to develop and evaluate a violence prevention program to achieve quality health-care services.

The battle against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Public health perspective.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which was initially reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan has now spread unprecedented all over the world, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The World Health Organization declared this outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern during late January 2020 while the announcement of this viral infectious condition was made as COVID-19 disease during February 2020. As of late May 2020, the global death rate due to COVID-19 was 357,714 and 441 in KSA alone. This review provides an overview of COVID-19 and the public health measures adopted by KSA in the context of COVID-19.

Temporal trends in the incidence and demographics of cancers, communicable diseases, and non-communicable diseases in Saudi Arabia over the last decade.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the trends in the incidence rates of 5 most common cancers, communicable diseases, and non-communicable diseases in Saudi Arabia over the last decade.  Methods: The incidence rates of cancers (2001-2014), communicable diseases (2003-2016), and non-communicable diseases (1990-2017) were retrieved, classified, and analyzed retrospectively during November 2017, based on data available with the Ministry of Health and were analyzed at the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Results: Age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) (per 100,000 population) of breast cancer among women increased dramatically from 11.8 in 2001 to 22.7 in 2014, indicating a 92.4% increase over the decade. Colorectal cancer incidence was the highest among men, and its ASR per 100,000 population increased from 5.0 to 10.6 in men and from 5.0 to 8.2 in women. Among communicable diseases, incidences of hepatitis B, measles, chickenpox, and brucellosis decreased while dengue fever increased. An alarming increase was observed in the incidence rate of non-communicable diseases namely, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Conclusion: The incidence rate of non-communicable diseases increased over the decade and was associated with increased mortality and disability, reduced quality of life, and increased health-care costs, indicating an urgent need to establish prevention and control programs. The rising trend in the incidence of cancers may also become a health care issue in Saudi Arabia in the coming years.

Low Back Pain among Workers in a Paint Factory.

BACKGROUND: Back pain is common among factory workers and is responsible for about 25% of workers' compensation cases. However, data on back pain among workers from paint industry in Saudi Arabia are limited. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of low back pain and to evaluate the associated risk factors among workers of a paint factory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire to elicit data regarding demography, job characteristics and prevalence of low back pain in the past 12 months among workers of a paint factory (n = 102) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In addition, a scale of low back pain risk was generated for each department by occupational health professionals using interviews and observations. RESULTS: The annual prevalence of low back pain was 44.1%, and it was more common among Saudi workers (67.9%) compared with non-Saudi workers (35.1%). Multivariate analysis indicated significant associations between low back pain and nationality (relative risk [RR] = 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-2.88), smoking (RR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.20-2.83) and aerobic exercise (RR = 2.37; 95% CI = 1.19-4.71). Spearman rank correlation showed correlation between the symptom pain scale and smoking (r s = 0.259; P = 0.008), and exercise was associated with lower pain scale scores (r s = -0.241, P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: This study found that low back pain is common among paint factory workers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Nationality and smoking are risk factors for low back pain and are associated with each other. Many workers did not exercise, and lack of exercise was associated with an increased risk of low back pain. Reducing smoking and increasing exercise in addition to workplace ergonomic intervention may reduce this frequently occurring problem.

Neonatal maternal deprivation impairs localized de novo activity-induced protein translation at the synapse in the rat hippocampus.

Neonatal neuropsychiatric stress induces alterations in neurodevelopment that can lead to irreversible damage to neuronal physiology, and social, behavioral, and cognitive skills. In addition, this culminates to an elevated vulnerability to stress and anxiety later in life. Developmental deficits in hippocampal synaptic function and plasticity are among the primary contributors of detrimental alterations in brain function induced by early-life stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. Localized protein translation, occurring at the synapse and triggered by neuronal activity, is critical for synapse function, maintenance, and plasticity. We used a rodent model of chronic maternal deprivation to characterize the effects of early-life neuropsychiatric stress on localized de novo protein translation at synaptic connections between neurons. Synaptoneurosomal preparations isolated biochemically from the hippocampi of rat pups that were subjected to maternal deprivation were deficient in depolarization-induced activity-dependent protein translation when compared with littermate controls. Conversely, basal unstimulated protein translation was not affected. Moreover, deficits in activity-driven synaptic protein translation were significantly correlated with a reduction in phosphorylated cell survival protein kinase protein B or Akt (p473 Ser and p308 Thr), but not phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

Male infertility among bakers associated with exposure to high environmental temperature at the workplace.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of male infertility among bakers exposed to high environmental temperature. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted to obtain information using a validated questionnaire administered through an interview. The mean wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index in the bakeries was measured. A new statistical formula was used to estimate the prevalence of infertility among bakers. RESULTS: A total of 137 bakers working in 20 bakeries and 107 individuals included in the comparable control group with variations in age, race, marital status, and income and with history of cigarette smoking were recruited. Using a newly devised formula, the prevalence of infertility among the exposed group was 22.7%, compared with 3.0% in the control group (p = 0.013). All possible confounding factors associated with infertility among bakers were excluded such as cigarette smoking, age, and race. There were unfavorable hot working conditions in bakeries, with a WBGT index of 37.4 °C, while the average WBGT for offices was 25.5 °C (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the rate of infertility among bakers was high, which resulted from exposure to high environmental temperature at the workplace as evidenced by the WBGT index. This finding should alert the healthcare authorities to take necessary measures under the labor code to curtail infertility among bakers.

Prevention of occupational Back Pain.

This paper reviews scientific research on occupational back pain and focuses on prevention of this problem. It discusses some of the challenges of translating the evidence of this multi-factorial condition into policy. Medical science is currently unable to clearly distinguish between back pain caused by work and that possibly due to other causes but which affects the individual's capacity to work. Back pain affects the vast majority of people at some point in their lives and is very costly to both the health care system and the industry. Evidence suggests that heavy lifting, driving, and vibration of the whole body are linked to occupational back pain. Once the risk factors for occupational back pain are identified, an otherwise chronic and disabling condition can be prevented in the majority of patients. As explained in this article, three levels of prevention for occupational back pain have been reported as effective. Failure to implement preventive measures may lead to a high incidence of occupational back pain.

Respiratory health of a population of welders.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to identify respiratory symptoms and respiratory function of welders in comparison to a "nonexposed group." MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was collected by means of a questionnaire completed during an interview, and spirometry of all subjects. RESULTS: This study involved 41 welders and 41 comparable nonexposed group. Sixteen (39%) welders reported bringing up phlegm from the chest first thing in the morning, compared with seven individuals (17.1%) in the nonexposed group. The difference is significant (Chi-square = 3.87 odds ratio (OR) 3.11 [1.0-9.9], P = 0.0182). Eleven welders had chronic bronchitis, which they had experienced most days for as long as 3 months, compared with one person in the nonexposed group. The difference was statistically significant, and OR was 1.7 (95% confidence interval 1.19-2.53). On the other hand, the difference in cough, shortness of breath and lung function was statistically insignificant when the welders were compared with the nonexposed group. CONCLUSION: This study showed more respiratory complaints, particularly chronic bronchitis, among welders compared with the nonexposed group, which is believed to be the result of welding emissions. Spirometry showed no impairment in lung function in both the welders and the nonexposed group.

Incidence of influenza A H1N1 2009 infection in Eastern Saudi Arabian hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiologic features of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) cases. METHODS: This study was conducted in Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization (SAMSO) facilities in the Eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Electronic medical records for H1N1 infected patients who visited SAMSO between June and October 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected from suspected patients, and sent to the Ministry of Health (MOH) Regional Laboratory in Dammam, KSA to confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 587 cases were diagnosed with H1N1 given an incidence rate of 3.5 per 1000. Most of the infected cases were outpatients. The study showed that H1N1 was more common in the younger age group (median age; 22 years), and in female dependents at all ages, which differs from that reported by other researchers. CONCLUSION: Influenza A H1N1 was more common in the younger age group and in female dependents, and it was more severe among pregnant women. In addition, obesity did not affect the frequency of H1N1 infection.

Evaluation of disability of occupational illness claims for workers' compensation.

Occupational physicians are faced with the challenge of estimating the contribution of occupational and non-occupational risk factors to a particular work-related illness for workers' compensation. This paper proposes guidelines for occupational physicians to evaluate claims for presentation to a compensation board. Occupational bladder cancer was taken as an example. Relevant literature was obtained and reviewed. A worksheet was designed to record pertinent information on occupational illness. The procedure for handling a claim is described. Failure to follow such an approach may lead to gross inequities.