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Background The operation mode of automobile manufacturing industry (AMI) makes workers have different degrees of occupational stress and burnout, which may lead to negative emotions and depressive symptoms. Objective To study the relationship between occupational stress, job burnout, and depressive symptoms in AMI workers. Methods In this study, 1300 workers from a Guangzhou AMI company were selected as subjects by cluster random sampling method. Occupational stress, job burnout, and depressive symptoms of the workers were assessed by using the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory general survey questionnaire, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the effects of occupational stress and job burnout on depressive symptoms in AMI workers. Mediating effect model was used to analyze the mediating effect of job burnout on the relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms. Results There were 1300 questionnaires distributed, 1228 valid questionnaires collected, with a 94.5% recovery rate. The ERI ratio of 1228 AMI workers was 1.06±0.72, and the positive rate of occupational stress was 37.3% (458/1228). The score of job burnout was 2.18±1.37, and the positive rate of job burnout was 62.6% (769/1228). The score of depressive symptoms was 10.27±6.42, and the positive rate of depressive symptoms was 47.1% (578/1228). The dimensional scores of effort and over-commitment in occupational stress as well as emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in job burnout of AMI workers were positively correlated with the depressive symptom scores (rs=0.415, 0.571, 0.573, 0.593, P＜0.05). The dimensional scores of reward and personal achievement were negatively correlated (rs=−0.454, −0.339, P＜0.05). The percentages of variance in depressive symptoms score explained by occupational stress and job burnout were 26.7% and 16.6%, respectively. Job burnout had a partial mediating effect between the three dimensions of occupational stress and depressive symptoms, and the mediating effect values were −0.2832 (95%CI: −0.3250– −0.2434), 0.3553 (95%CI: 0.3071–0.4041), and 0.4193 (95%CI: 0.3681–0.4725), respectively. Conclusion AMI workers' occupational stress affects job burnout, but also indirectly affects depressive symptoms. Job burnout partially mediates the association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms. Reducing occupational stress and burnout levels of AMI workers may alleviate depressive symptoms.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of noise exposure on the hearing ability at different frequency in workers.METHODS: A total of 2 411 workers in a mechanical plant in Guangzhou were chosen as the study subjects by using judgment sampling method. The pure tone audiometry threshold test was carried out to analyze the status of hearing loss at different frequencies and its relationship with the length of service of workers. RESULTS: Among the 2 411 workers,883 workers had different degrees of decreased hearing thresholds,the detection rate was 36. 6%. Among them,the single unilateral hearing loss accounted for 19. 6%( 472/2 411),and the binaural hearing loss was 17. 0%( 411/2 411). The hearing loss detection rate of left ear was higher than that of the right ear( P < 0. 05). The decreased threshold of left ear at 0. 5,3. 0 and 6. 0 kHz was higher than that of the right ear at the same frequencies( P < 0. 05). The decreased threshold in both the left and the right ear increased with the increase of the frequency( P < 0. 01). The decreased hearing threshold was the highest at the frequency of 6. 0 kHz. The auditory threshold of left ear in 0. 5,1. 0,2. 0,3. 0 and 6. 0 kHz were higher than that of right ear at the same frequencies( P < 0. 05). The detection rate of hearing loss increased with the increase of service length( P < 0. 01). The decreased threshold of 1. 0-6. 0 kHz increased with the increased length of service except for the frequency of 0. 5 kHz( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: There is a significant decreased threshold in workers exposed to noise frequency of 6. 0 kHz. The hearing ability of left ear is more easily impaired than the right ear.There is a dose-response relationship for the length of noise exposure and hearing loss.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the health status of painting and coating workers in an automobile manufacturing enterprise in Guangzhou, China and analyze the influential factors for the health status of these workers, and to provide health intervention measures and strategies.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Typical sampling was used to select an automobile manufacturing enterprise; according to whether the subjects were in contact with paint and coatings, paint spraying workers in the painting workshop were selected as the exposed group, and the staff in the administration, procurement, and marketing departments as the control group. Physical examination was performed by doctors among these subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The exposed group had significantly higher positive rates of dizziness, headache, bleeding gums, chest tightness, and skin itching than the control group (P < 0.05). The exposed group had a nonsignificantly higher rate of abnormal ECG than the control group (P > 0.05), but the exposed group had a significantly higher incidence of various blocks (P = 0.020) and significantly lower leukocyte count, erythrocyte count, and male workers' hemoglobin level (P < 0.05), as compared with the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Volatile organic solvents have adverse effect on the health of paint spraying workers in the automobile manufacturing enterprise, so regular physical examination should be performed to strengthen health interventions and improve health.</p>