Premenstrual syndrome among medical versus non-medical workers and its association with work-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a commonly underestimated disorder that negatively impacts a woman's life. Medical workers, who live a more stressful life, may report an increased rate of PMS. Studies on the relationship between PMS and work-related quality of life for medical professionals are scarce, particularly in the Arab world. This study aimed to compare the frequency of PMS among medical versus non-medical workers at Zagazig University and to assess the association between PMS and their work-related quality of life. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample population consisted of 48 medical and 48 non-medical female workers aged 18-45 years from Zagazig University. The two groups filled out a questionnaire with 3 parts: sociodemographic and occupational data, the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), and the Work-Related Quality of Life Scale (WRQL). RESULTS: Severe PMS was reported in 45.8% of medical workers versus 20.8% of non-medical workers with a statistically significant difference between both groups (p = 0.009). Binary logistic regression showed that being a medical worker, clinical specialty, ≥ 8 years of work, ≥ 24 working hours per week, and having a non-set hourly schedule were predictors for severe PMS. PMS was found to be a statistically significant predictor of poor WRQL (p < 0.001). There was a highly significant negative correlation between the PMS score and the WRQL score (r = - 0.302, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among medical workers, PMS is more common and more severe, and WRQL is worse and negatively correlated with PMS. We suggest further studies with larger samples to prove this association and planning for public health programs to screen for and manage PMS among medical workers in our community.

Climatic changes: knowledge and adaptation behavior to heat-related illness among solid waste disposal workers.

BACKGROUND: Earth's climate changes are progressing at an alarming rate. One of the most severe effects of climate change is extreme heat. This study aimed to assess knowledge and adaptation behavior to heat-related illness (HRI) among solid waste disposal workers in the 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt, and to study the predictors for their knowledge and adaptation behavior. METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted on 220 solid waste disposal workers. A structured interview questionnaire was used to assess the studied workers' sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, heat exposure risk, and their knowledge, and adaptation behavior. RESULTS: The results showed that 40% and 30% of participants had adequate levels of total knowledge and adaptation behavior, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between workers' knowledge and both age and education. There was a statistically significant relationship between workers' adaptation behavior and age, duration of employment, working hours, and education. A binary logistic regression for significant predictors of knowledge and adaptation behavior showed that age and education were the most significant predictors. CONCLUSION: Solid waste disposal workers were at high risk of HRI due to their low levels of knowledge and adaptation behavior regarding HRI. Educational health programs that guide workers to follow healthy behaviors and prevent HRI are recommended.

Patient safety attitude among healthcare workers at different levels of healthcare in Sharqia Governorate, Egypt.

BACKGROUND:  Patient safety (PS) has been identified as a significant healthcare challenge. A good safety attitude helps healthcare workers (HCWs) to decrease medical errors. AIM:  This study aimed to assess the PS attitude and identify its determinants among HCWs. SETTING:  This study was conducted in Sharqia Governorate at different levels of health care. METHODS:  This was a comparative cross-sectional study that involved240 HCWs selected after using a multistage cluster sampling technique from Sharqia Governorate.In ordertto assess the respondents' attitudes towards PS, the modified Chinese Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (CSAQ) was used. RESULTS:  The scale with the highest percentage of positive responses, on average, was safety climate (49.59%). The study found a statistically significant association between the level of health care and mean scores of 'teamwork climate, perception of management, job satisfaction, working conditions, and stress recognition' and the overall CSAQ score. In regression analysis, the highest degree of education and job type were significant predictors of PS attitude among the HCWs under study (p = 0.031 and 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSION:  According to the study's findings, PS is low among HCWs in both healthcare units and hospitals, with a significantly higher score among hospital workers than among primary care workers. All PS composites need improvement starting with regular assessment of PS culture along with continuous monitoring.