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GENERAL PRACTICE AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE: A DYNAMIC EXCHANGE? Occupational physicians and general practitioners have different roles but share the common goal of maintaining and promoting the health of the population. Their collaboration is necessary, and both practitioners and employees are generally in favor of it. This collaboration is particularly necessary in several situations: the discovery of a pathology by the occupational physician, the need for temporary incapacity, or difficulties in maintaining employment. Especially in the case of musculoskeletal disorders and mental suffering at work. The pre-reinstatement visit is an important tool for achieving this collaboration. There are also several ways of improving these exchanges, such as the introduction of joint training courses.
MÉDECINE GÉNÉRALE, MÉDECINE DU TRAVAIL : QUELLE DYNAMIQUE D'ÉCHANGE ? Le médecin du travail et le médecin généraliste ont des places et des rôles différents mais pour objectif commun de maintenir et promouvoir la santé de la population. Leur nécessaire collaboration, à laquelle les praticiens comme les salariés se disent globalement favorables, est pourtant insuffisamment constatée sur le terrain. Cette collaboration est nécessaire dans plusieurs situations : découverte d'une pathologie par le médecin du travail, nécessité d'une inaptitude temporaire ou encore difficultés de maintien en emploi. C'est particulièrement le cas pour les situations de troubles musculo-squelettiques et de souffrance psychique au travail. La visite de préreprise est un outil important pour permettre cette collaboration. Il existe également plusieurs pistes d'amélioration de ces échanges, comme la mise en place de formations communes.
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Medicina General , Medicina del Trabajo , Humanos , Medicina del Trabajo/organización & administración , Medicina del Trabajo/educación , Medicina General/organización & administración , Enfermedades Profesionales/terapia , Enfermedades Profesionales/prevención & controlRESUMEN
(1) Background: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), named Günther's disease, is a rare recessive type of porphyria, resulting from deficient uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS), the fourth enzyme of heme biosynthesis. The phenotype ranges from extremely severe perinatal onset, with life-threatening hemolytic anaemia, to mild or moderate cutaneous involvement in late-onset forms. This work reviewed the perinatal CEP cases recorded in France in order to analyse their various presentations and evolution. (2) Methods: Clinical and biological data were retrospectively collected through medical and published records. (3) Results: Twenty CEP cases, who presented with severe manifestations during perinatal period, were classified according to the main course of the disease: antenatal features, acute neonatal distress and postnatal diagnosis. Antenatal symptoms (seven patients) were mainly hydrops fetalis, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, and malformations. Six of them died prematurely. Five babies showed acute neonatal distress, associated with severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, liver dysfunction, and marked photosensitivity leading to diagnosis. The only two neonates who survived underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Common features in post-natal diagnosis (eight patients) included hemolytic anemia, splenomegaly, skin sensitivity, and discoloured teeth and urine. All patients underwent HSCT, with success for six of them, but with fatal complications in two patients. The frequency of the missense variant named C73R is striking in antenatal and neonatal presentations, with 9/12 and 7/8 independent alleles, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The most recent cases in this series are remarkable, as they had a less fatal outcome than expected. Regular transfusions from the intrauterine period and early access to HSCT are the main objectives.
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OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the midwives' practices and knowledges with regard to the management of the smoking cessation in pregnant women and analyse the profile of midwives prescribing nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). METHODS: A national practice survey amongst 23,541 French midwives was conducted from 1 September 2020 to 15 September 2021 using an online self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The analysis of the 1,216 usable questionnaires (97, 7% women, mostly aged 30 to 49 years and non-smokers) showed that 93.4% of midwives frequently questioned pregnant women about their smoking consumption during pregnancy. The minimal counselling was known and practiced by 91% of midwives, the Fagerström test by 26.9% and the measurement of exhaled CO by 27.1%. Concerning NRT, 60% of the midwives prescribed them in a usual way and 36.8% were aware of the possibility of prescribing them to the pregnant woman's entourage. The profile of midwives prescribing NRT was significantly more concerned with smoking cessation in pregnant women; worked more frequently in a hospital; carried out 25% or more of antenatal monitoring consultations; and had significantly better knowledge of the evaluation tools, without influence of sex or smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Improving the training of midwives in the screening and management of smoking cessation during pregnancy seems necessary.
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Partería , Complicaciones del Embarazo , Cese del Hábito de Fumar , Femenino , Embarazo , Humanos , Masculino , Complicaciones del Embarazo/prevención & control , Dispositivos para Dejar de Fumar Tabaco , Mujeres EmbarazadasRESUMEN
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal condition and, globally, a leading cause of years lived with disability. It leads to reduced social participation, impaired quality of life, and direct and indirect costs due to work incapacity. A coordinated approach focusing on psychosocial risk factors, active reeducation, and the early use of tools to maintain employment, may be effective for improving prognosis of patients with LBP. Primary care professionals and multidisciplinary teams, who see patients in the early stages of LBP may be in the best position to implement such a coordinated approach. We designed this study to assess a coordinated multi-faceted strategy in primary care for patients with subacute or recurrent acute LBP. Methods: The CO.LOMB study was designed as a multicentric, cluster-randomized, controlled study. Patients aged 18-60 years, with subacute or recurrent acute LBP are eligible. Patients also need to be employed (but can be on sick leave) with access to occupational health services. The clusters of GPs will be randomized (1:1) to either the Coordinated-care group or the Usual-care group. Patients will be assigned the group allocated to their GP. The healthcare professionals (GPs and associated physiotherapists) allocated to the Coordinated-care group will perform a 2-session study training. The following interventions are planned in the Coordinated-care group: exploration and management of psychosocial factors, active reeducation with a physiotherapist, the implementing of tools to maintain employment, and a reinforced cooperation between primary healthcare professionals. The primary objective is to assess the benefit of coordinated primary care to reduce disability in LBP patients at 12 months after enrollment: measure using the validated French version of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Secondary objectives include the evaluation of pain, work status, and quality of life at various time points. The study plans to enroll 500 patients in 20 GP clusters. Patients will be followed up for 12months. Discussion: This study will evaluate the benefit of a coordinated multi-faceted strategy in primary care for patients with LBP. Notably whether this approach will alleviate the associated disability, attenuate pain, and promote the maintenance or return to work. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04826757.
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The overall survival rate after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for inborn errors of immunity (IEI) has improved considerably, and its indications have broadened. As a consequence, addressing the issue of long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become crucial. Our study focuses on the health and HRQoL of post-HSCT survivors. We conducted a multicenter prospective follow-up study enrolling IEI patients who underwent transplantation in childhood before 2009. Self-reported data from the French Childhood Immune Deficiency Long-term Cohort and the 36-item Short Form questionnaires were compiled. One hundred twelve survivors were included with a median duration period from HSCT of 15 years (range 5-37), of whom 55 underwent transplantation for a combined immunodeficiency. We show that in patients evaluated at least 5 years after HSCT, 55% are still affected by a poor or very poor health status. Poor and very poor health status correlated with an abnormal graft function, defined as host or mixed chimerism, abnormal CD3+ count, or diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease (poor health: odds ratio [OR] = 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-5.9, P = .028; very poor health: OR = 3.6, 95% CI, 1.1-13, P = .049). Poor health was directly linked to a poorer HRQoL. Significant improvements in graft procedures have translated into better survival rates, but we show here that about half of the transplanted patients remain affected by an altered health status with a correlation to both abnormal graft function and impaired HRQoL. Additional studies are needed to confirm the impact of those improvements on long-term health status and HRQoL.
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Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas , Calidad de Vida , Humanos , Estudios Prospectivos , Estudios de Seguimiento , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/métodos , Estado de Salud , SobrevivientesRESUMEN
Pediatric melanoma is a rare cancer, especially in young children, and it remains a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of massively metastatic melanoma in young patient with an atypical clinical and biological presentation and with no risk factors.
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Melanoma , Neoplasias Primarias Secundarias , Neoplasias Cutáneas , Niño , Humanos , Preescolar , Melanoma/patología , Factores de Riesgo , Neoplasias Cutáneas/patologíaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Previous international mass-media campaigns for low back pain (LBP) have had conflicting impacts on the general population. The objective was to evaluate the impact of a national back pain campaign conducted between 2017 and 2019 on beliefs and behaviours of general practitioners and the general population in France. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2019, a mass-media campaign was used to disseminate positive messages about LBP using several media, along with a parallel campaign addressed to general practitioners. An email survey before the campaign and 6 and 18 months after the campaign started evaluated beliefs and behaviours among a representative sample of the 2 target populations (3500 people from the general population and 700 general practitioners before the campaign, and 2000 people and 300 general practitioners 6 and 18 months after). RESULTS: Overall, 56% of the general population respondents before the campaign and 74% and 75% at 6 and 18 months after adhered to the statement "One should maintain physical activity" when dealing with LBP. Conversely, the percentage adhering to the statement "The best treatment is resting" decreased significantly from 68% before the campaign to 45% at 6 and 18 months after. Physicians reported delivering more reassurance and giving more documentation to patients after the campaign. They prescribed less sick leave during the first consultation (65% before the campaign, 46% and 30% at 6 and 18 months after). CONCLUSION: A mass-media campaign aimed at the public and general practitioners in France significantly modified beliefs and behaviours about LBP.
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Médicos Generales , Dolor de la Región Lumbar , Humanos , Dolor de la Región Lumbar/diagnóstico , Dolor de la Región Lumbar/terapia , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Dolor de Espalda , Encuestas y CuestionariosAsunto(s)
Anticuerpos Biespecíficos , Hemofilia A , Humanos , Niño , Adolescente , Hemofilia A/complicaciones , Hemofilia A/tratamiento farmacológico , Calidad de Vida , Hemorragia/prevención & control , Hemorragia/tratamiento farmacológico , Anticuerpos Biespecíficos/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Biespecíficos/farmacología , Percepción , Factor VIII/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Cold environments are a potential risk factor for stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between performing work tasks in cold environments and the occurrence of a first stroke event. METHODS: From the French population-based cohort CONSTANCES ('Cohorte des consultants des Centres d'examens de santé' in French), we collected data from baseline questionnaires along with medical interviews on cardiovascular risk factors and reported exposure to cold temperatures (<10°C) at work. Exposures were categorised as rare (<2 hours/day), often (≥2 and <4 hours/day) and almost always (≥4 hours/day). Incidence of stroke was retrieved from the French National Health database. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between working in cold environments and the incidence of stroke. Stratified analyses on stroke types were also conducted. RESULTS: There were 160 782 participants and 224 strokes (168 ischaemic and 76 haemorrhagic) included in our study. No significant increase in stroke was found for working in cold environments; the adjusted OR for often or almost always exposed was 1.14 (95% CI 0.46 to 2.84). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not reveal a significant excess risk of stroke for occupational exposures to low temperatures. Further studies are needed to better assess the effect of preventive measures and very low temperature on occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.
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Accidente Cerebrovascular , Estudios de Cohortes , Humanos , Incidencia , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Accidente Cerebrovascular/epidemiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/etiologíaRESUMEN
The embryonic transcription factors TWIST1/2 are frequently overexpressed in cancer, acting as multifunctional oncogenes. Here we investigate their role in neuroblastoma (NB), a heterogeneous childhood malignancy ranging from spontaneous regression to dismal outcomes despite multimodal therapy. We first reveal the association of TWIST1 expression with poor survival and metastasis in primary NB, while TWIST2 correlates with good prognosis. Secondly, suppression of TWIST1 by CRISPR/Cas9 results in a reduction of tumor growth and metastasis colonization in immunocompromised mice. Moreover, TWIST1 knockout tumors display a less aggressive cellular morphology and a reduced disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) reticulin network. Additionally, we identify a TWIST1-mediated transcriptional program associated with dismal outcome in NB and involved in the control of pathways mainly linked to the signaling, migration, adhesion, the organization of the ECM, and the tumor cells versus tumor stroma crosstalk. Taken together, our findings confirm TWIST1 as promising therapeutic target in NB.
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Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Expresión Génica , Neuroblastoma , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Proteína 1 Relacionada con Twist/genética , Animales , Huésped Inmunocomprometido , Ratones , Neuroblastoma/patología , Neuroblastoma/secundario , Proteínas Nucleares/metabolismo , Proteína 1 Relacionada con Twist/metabolismoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The self-efficacy to return to work is a major psychological factor of the return to work of patients diagnosed with a cancer. However, french investigations in this field do not take this dimension into account due to the lack of a suitable tool for its assessment. The objective of this study was to provide a french translation and adaptation of the "Return to Work Self-Efficacy' scale - 11 items" (RTWSE-11), validated in dutch language in its original version. METHODS: After translation-back translation steps, completed by experts' consensus meetings, interviews were conducted with thirteen patients diagnosed with cancer in order to evaluate the degree of clarity, simplicity and ambiguity or the various elements of the french version of the RTW-SE-11. RESULTS: The main modifications inherent to the french adaptation of the questionnaire concerned the modalities of the Likert scale and the inversion of three negative items into positive items. DISCUSSION: The french translation and adaptation of the RTWSE-11 was particularly faithful to the semantic, idiomatic, functional, experiential, conceptual and operational aspects of the original version. Future work can therefore focus on the psychometrics evaluations of the questionnaire. However, this tool can already be used in clinical practice to establish an initial assessment of the ability of patients diagnosed with cancer to return to work.
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Neoplasias , Autoeficacia , Humanos , Lenguaje , Neoplasias/diagnóstico , Psicometría , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Reinserción al Trabajo , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic and the extended lockdown are associated with numerous changes in behavior and lifestyles. The objective was to assess the impact of the first lockdown on LBP course among chronic LBP patients. METHODS: Descriptive and analytical, cross-sectional, multicenter study, conducted by questionnaire from mid-May to end of June 2020 among patients treated for chronic LBP in 6 French and 1 Swiss center. Collected data concerned changes in LBP intensity during lockdown, lockdown experience, physical activity (PA) practice and sedentary lifestyle prior and during lockdown, recourse to care, consumption of psychoactive substances for LBP, and professional activity and its conditions during lockdown. RESULTS: 360 participants (58.6% women, 52.1 ± 13.4 years) were included of which 65% were active (63% keep on working of which 54% teleworked). LBP got worse in 41.1%, mean VAS went from 49.5 ± 21.6 before to 53.5 ± 22.4 during lockdown (p < 0.001) and needed increase of treatment by 29% but very few people increased their consumption psychoactive substances for analgesia. Half of participants had well-experienced lockdown. Findings revealed a significant decrease in PA and increase of sedentary during lockdown (p < 0.0001). Good experience of lockdown was associated with LBP improvement (OR = 0.6 [0.3-0.9]) and decrease of PA with LBP worsening (OR = 1.9 [1.1-3.2]). Teleworking was also associated with LBP worsening. Gender, age, or BMI did not influence LBP course. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that chronic LBP people suffered from increase in self-perceived LBP during lockdown and help to better understand the factors associated with their condition.
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COVID-19 , Dolor de la Región Lumbar , Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Dolor de la Región Lumbar/epidemiología , Masculino , Pandemias , SARS-CoV-2Asunto(s)
Anemia Aplásica/terapia , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas , Adulto , Femenino , Enfermedad Injerto contra Huésped/diagnóstico , Enfermedad Injerto contra Huésped/etiología , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/efectos adversos , Humanos , Masculino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Análisis de Supervivencia , Donante no Emparentado , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To propose a conceptual framework of the return to work (RTW) of breast cancer survivors (BCS) according to the transactional perspective. METHODS: The Technique for Research of Information by Animation of a Group of Experts was implemented. For each determinant in an initial list established from the literature, experts selected for the consensus exercise were firstly asked to indicate their agreement level individually, via an online questionnaire. Determinants obtaining an agreement level of 80% or over during this first phase were retained. Determinants obtaining an agreement level below 80%, and additional determinants proposed by the experts, were then discussed collectively. After discussion, experts voted via a new online questionnaire to retain (or not) each determinant. Determinants obtaining an agreement level of 80% or over after this second phase were retained. Based on the determinants selected, a conceptual model was developed following the transactional approach. RESULTS: Eleven experts participated in the study. Forty of the 51 determinants listed initially from the literature achieved an agreement level over 80%, and 20 were added after the individual consultation phase. Twenty-two of the 31 determinants discussed collectively were retained. In total, 62 determinants were selected to construct the conceptual model. CONCLUSIONS: This integrative, operational, and transactional conceptual model of the RTW of BCS, constructed following an expert consensus, will help to design more efficient patient-centered intervention studies. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Identification of the 62 determinants associated with the RTW of BCS will help design tools that are easily used by all stakeholders involved in the RTW process.
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Neoplasias de la Mama , Supervivientes de Cáncer , Femenino , Humanos , Reinserción al Trabajo , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , SobrevivientesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In France, general practitioners (GPs) may use two tools specifically designed to help employees who experience difficulties in returning to work after sick leave: the pre-return-to-work (PRW) medical consultation and therapeutic part-time (TPT) work. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to investigate the level of knowledge and use of these two tools by GPs in Maine-et-Loire, France. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed using a telephone questionnaire to evaluate the level of knowledge of GPs and the use of these two tools in patients having difficulties returning to work. RESULTS: Among the 200 randomly selected GPs, 122 responded (response rate: 61%). More than half of the interviewed GPs declared they 'often' (46%) or 'always' (14%) contacted the occupational physician in these situations. Moreover, 62.2% and 32.7% believed that they had a 'vague' or 'very good' level of knowledge, and 41% and 51% declared either 'frequent' or 'regular' level of use of the PRW medical consultation, respectively. Regarding TPT work, 47% and 53% reported a 'very good' or 'vague' level of knowledge, and 41% and 51% a 'frequent' or 'regular' level of use, respectively. GPs who had a better level of knowledge of this tool reported a higher level of use (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows that while the level of knowledge and use of the PRW medical consultation and TPT work is good, it is not optimal. This could be improved by organising training courses for GPs. Obstacles to their wider use could be investigated further in a qualitative study.
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Médicos Generales , Reinserción al Trabajo , Actitud del Personal de Salud , Estudios Transversales , Francia , Humanos , Derivación y Consulta , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Addressing chronic low back pain (cLBP) from the point of view of representation allows better understanding the behaviors associated with it and thus improve its medical and socio-occupational management. The Quebec Questionnaire of Representations related to Work Disability (QRWoD) proposes an evaluation of 9 dimensions of the cLBP-related representation. OBJECTIVE: To translate and adapt the QRoWD to French language and assess its validity and reliability in French cLBP workers on prolonged sick leave. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from March 2017 to April 2018 in the Department of occupational health of the University Hospital of Angers, France. The QRWoD is a self-administered questionnaire (87 items) which assesses Identity, Acute/Chronic duration, Consequences, Personal Control, Treatment Control, Cyclical Timeline, Coherence, Emotional Representation and Causes dimensions. The Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) and the convergent validity (Pearson correlations) in comparison to validated instruments for each dimension were assed. RESULTS: Fifty French workers (29 men, 43 ± 9.1 years, 293.6 ± 173.0 days of work absence) were included. The internal consistency (all α> 0.7) and the convergent validity (all r2> 0.25, p< 0.01) of each dimension were very satisfactory except for the Cyclical Timeline dimension. CONCLUSIONS: The French version of the QRoWD seems to be valid and relevant among the target population.
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Dolor de la Región Lumbar , Comparación Transcultural , Evaluación de la Discapacidad , Humanos , Lenguaje , Masculino , Estudios Prospectivos , Psicometría , Quebec , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Indications and techniques of rehabilitation differ widely across types of lumbar surgery, including timing (before or after surgery) and prescriptions (surgeons but also medical or paramedical professionals). OBJECTIVES: This project aimed to build consensual recommendations for practice in this context. METHODS: The SOFMER methodology was used to establish recommendations for physical medicine and rehabilitation: a steering committee defined the types of lumbar surgery involved and developed the main questions to be addressed; a scientific committee performed a literature review for grading evidence and proposed the first version of recommendations, which were discussed during a dedicated session at the national Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine congress; then an e-Delphi method with cross-professional experts was used to finalise recommendations and reach a multidisciplinary consensus. RESULTS: The main questions developed were the value of rehabilitation before and after surgery, timing and type of rehabilitation, benefit of supervision and instrumental rehabilitation, value of patient education, and complementary interventions concerning rehabilitation for discectomy, fusion, and disc prosthesis (excluding decompression for spinal stenosis). The literature review identified 60 articles, but for several of the questions, no article in the literature addressed the issue. The multidisciplinary scientific committee analysed the literature and addressed the questions to propose the first version of a set of 23 recommendations. The congress session failed to answer all questions or to reach consensus for all items. After a three-step e-Delphi, 20 recommendations were retained, for which consensus among experts was reached. The recommendations are applicable only to patients without a neurological lesion. CONCLUSIONS: These recommendations provide important and consensual knowledge to assist clinicians in decision-making for rehabilitation in lumbar surgery. Despite many of the recommendations relying exclusively on expert opinion rather than published evidence, this approach is an important advance to improve concordance among healthcare professionals.
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We have read with great interest the two editorials by Burdorf et al: "The COVID-19 pandemic: one year later - an occupational perspective" (1) and "The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic: consequences for occupational health" (2). The authors highlight the importance of the societal consequences of the outbreak and changes in the world of work to manage occupational health. The key points identified - such as individual socio-economic factors, psychological effects and occupations with highest risk of contamination - modify return-to-work approaches. It is estimated that around 800 million people of working age worldwide were living with disabilities before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In early January 2021, the cumulative COVID-19 hospitalisation rate reached 207.4/100 000 (18-49-year-olds) and 505.7/100 000 (50-64-year-olds), respectively, in the United States (3). In France, the hospitalisation rate was 411.5/100 000 across all ages (4). A recent cohort study of working-age men who were hospitalised for COVID-19 highlighted the long-term health consequences of such a disease (5). The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic creates new challenges for occupational health, shifting attention away from return-to-work after health problems to resuming work during an outbreak, dealing with lockdown, and taking special account of workers with vulnerabilities (6, 7). We recommend considering three different aspects of occupational medicine during a pandemic. Firstly, for most workers at high-risk of severe COVID-19, the issues of work disability and resuming work had never occurred before the epidemic. Recommendations such as physical and social distancing and wearing a facemask are highly advisable to protect against infection but may not be enough to enable some individuals to resume work. Therefore, decision-making requires individual comprehensive assessments of the underlying medical condition, the SARS-CoV-2 contamination risk associated with either regular work or teleworking, and vaccination opportunities. The second situation concerns workers who have suffered from COVID-19. Preliminary studies suggest that long recovery duration is related to high severity (7), but this is still a matter of debate for patients suffering from "long COVID-19" (5, 8, 9), a condition for which the long-term effects remain unknown. Any long-running recovery must be considered to be a potential sign of long COVID-19. These long-lasting syndromes occur among patients with severe symptoms but have also been reported independently of acute phase severity, hospitalisation and receiving medical oxygen (8, 9). Researchers worldwide are currently investigating such syndromes. Strategies promoting return to work for these workers will need to be implemented and could be similar to programmes developed for other chronic conditions. Moreover, numerous more serious sequelae following critical illness suggest the need for enhanced support by rehabilitation and occupational health specialists. Finally, the consequences of the epidemic must be evaluated over time for people who suffered from functional limitations before COVID-19 as their physical and mental condition may be modified by the epidemic and, specifically, the consequences of lockdown (10). In all of these situations, medical, social, financial and working contexts are key elements. In addition to a medical assessment, the use of scales such as the Work Ability Index (WAI) (11) or the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) (12) can help perform long-term follow-up and provide information about work capacity and workload. It also gives a "back to basics" perspective, urging politicians to move towards a `decent-work-for-all` policy, as advocated by the United Nation`s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, which the WHO has endorsed (13). References 1. Burdorf A, Porru F, Rugulies R. The COVID-19 pandemic: one year later - an occupational perspective. Scand J Work Environ Health - online first. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3956 2. Burdorf A, Porru F, Rugulies R. The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic: consequences for occupational health. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2020;46(3):229-230. https://doi:org/10.5271/sjweh.3893. 3. COVID-19 Hospitalizations [Internet]. Available from: https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/COVIDNet/COVID19_3.html 4. COVID-19 in France, vaccine and allergy management in occupational setting. Descatha A et al. Arch Mal Prof Environ 2021. Accepted for publication. 5. Huang C, Huang L, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Gu X, et al. 6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study. Lancet 2021;397(10270):220-32 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32656-8 6. Shaw WS, Main CJ, Findley PA, Collie A, Kristman VL, Gross DP. Opening the Workplace After COVID-19: What Lessons Can be Learned from Return-to-Work Research? J Occup Rehabil. 2020;30(3):299-302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-020-09908-9 7. Taylor T, Das R, Mueller K, Pransky G, Christian J, Orford R, et al. Safely Returning America to Work: Part I: General Guidance for Employers. J Occup Environ Med. 2020;62(9):771-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001984 8. Carfì A, Bernabei R, Landi F, Gemelli Against COVID-19 Post-Acute Care Study Group. Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID-19. JAMA. 2020;324(6):603-5. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.12603 9. Tenforde MW, Kim SS, Lindsell CJ, Billig Rose E, Shapiro NI, Files DC, et al. Symptom Duration and Risk Factors for Delayed Return to Usual Health Among Outpatients with COVID-19 in a Multistate Health Care Systems Network - United States, March-June 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly. 2020;69(30):993-8. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6930e1 10. Chudasama YV, Gillies CL, Zaccardi F, Coles B, Davies MJ, Seidu S, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on routine care for chronic diseases: A global survey of views from healthcare professionals. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020;14(5):965-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.06.042 11. Tuomi K. Eleven-year follow-up of aging workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1997;23(1):1-71. 12. Reilly MC, Zbrozek AS, Dukes EM. The validity and reproducibility of a work productivity and activity impairment instrument. PharmacoEconomics. 1993;4(5):353-65. https://doi.org/10.2165/00019053-199304050-00006 13. Organization WH. Health in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Sixty-Ninth World Health Assembly. Document A. 2016, p69.