The impact of diet, exercise, and sleep on Helicobacter pylori infection with different occupations: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Associations between Helicobacter pylori infection and lifestyle factors vary greatly by geographic location. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Hunan cohort of central China and analyze the associations between Helicobacter pylori infection and lifestyle factors in different occupations. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants who received an annual physical examination were invited. Helicobacter pylori infection was detected by the 13 C-urea breath test. Self-reported physical examination questionnaires were used to analyze participants' demographic information, diet, exercise status, and sleep situations. RESULTS: 23254 participants finished this study. The Helicobacter pylori infection rate in the Hunan area was 25.8%, with the lowest prevalence in students (8.5%) and the highest prevalence in business managers (29.9%). The risk factors for Helicobacter pylori infection were marital status (divorced or married) (OR:1.16, 95%CI:1.090-1.234), overeating (OR:1.105, 95%CI: 1.001-1.220), and consumption of eggs (OR:1.047, 95%CI:1.004-1.092), animal viscera (OR: 1.077, 95%CI:1.014-1.144) and coffee (OR:1.074, 95%CI:1.019-1.132). Participants' education level (OR:0.911, 95%CI:0.881-0942), consumption of midnight snack (OR:0.926, 95%CI:0.877-0.977), and vegetable (OR:0.927, 95%CI: 0.884-0.972) were protective factors against Helicobacter pylori infection. Whether participants exercised regularly or had sleep problems had no significant effect on Helicobacter pylori infection. Different professionals showed significant differences in the rates of overeating, eating three meals on time, midnight snack, and consuming coffee, eggs, animal viscera, and vegetables > 3 times/week (P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori infection showed a significant relationship with dietary factors, but not significantly with sleep and exercise factors. Different occupations showed different dietary tendencies related to Helicobacter pylori infection. The design of an occupation-based Helicobacter pylori screening and prevention program is supported.

Associations between body mass index and all-cause and CVD mortality in agriculture, forestry, and fishing occupations: A prospective cohort study using NHANES data (1999-2014).

INTRODUCTION: Obesity, as indicated by elevated Body Mass Index (BMI), is a well-established global health concern associated with increased morbidity and mortality across diverse populations. However, the influence of BMI on individuals in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) occupations, characterized by unique challenges and environmental factors, has received limited research attention. METHODS: Our study, a prospective cohort analysis, utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999-2014, targeting adults above 18 in AFF occupations with comprehensive BMI data, omitting individuals with a history of cancer. Mortality outcomes were extracted from the NHANES mortality file, and BMI was segmented into eight categories. Essential covariates such as age, sex, race, and various health factors were incorporated. The statistical analysis encompassed Cox regression, generalized additive models, smooth curve fitting, and stratified analyses. RESULTS: During 1,005 person-years with 201 all-cause and 57 CVD deaths, we observed L-shaped and U-shaped correlations of BMI with all-cause and CVD mortality, featuring a pivotal inflection at 26.69 and 27.40 kg/m2. Above this BMI threshold of 26.69 and 27.4 kg/m2, all-cause mortality association was not significant while CVD mortality was positive. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a unique BMI-mortality association in AFF occupations, diverging from standard patterns. The rigorous labor and environmental conditions in AFF jobs suggest that a certain range of higher BMI could reduce mortality risk. This highlights the necessity for tailored health guidelines in different occupations. Future research should concentrate on diverse health indicators and enhanced risk assessment for physically strenuous occupations.

Prenatal Maternal Occupation and Child Epigenetic Age Acceleration in an Agricultural Region: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program.

Importance: Research on fetal epigenetic programming suggests that the intrauterine environment can have long-term effects on offspring disease susceptibility. Objective: To examine the association between prenatal maternal occupation and child epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) among a farmworker community. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included participants in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas, a prospective, Latino, prebirth cohort. Pregnant women were recruited from October 1, 1999, to October 1, 2000, from 6 community clinics in California's Salinas Valley agricultural region. Participants were 18 years or older, English or Spanish speaking, Medicaid eligible, and at 20 weeks' gestation or earlier at enrollment. Mother-child pairs who had blood DNA methylation measured at the ages of 7, 9, and 14 years were included. Data were analyzed from July 2021 to November 2023. Exposures: Prenatal maternal occupation was ascertained through study interviews conducted during prenatal visits and shortly after delivery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Child EAA at 7, 9, and 14 years of age was estimated using DNA methylation-based epigenetic age biomarkers. Three EAA measures were calculated: the Horvath EAA, skin and blood EAA, and intrinsic EAA. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate longitudinal associations of prenatal maternal occupation and child EAA, adjusting for confounders and prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure. Results: Analyses included 290 mother-child pairs (mean [SD] maternal age at delivery, 26.5 [5.2] years; 152 [52.4%] female infants); 254 mothers (87.6%) were born in Mexico, 33 (11.4%) in the US, and 3 (1.0%) in other countries; and 179 families (61.7%) were below the federal poverty line during pregnancy. Mothers reported engaging in several types of work during pregnancy, including agricultural fieldwork (90 [31.0%]), other agricultural work (40 [13.8%]), nonagricultural work (53 [18.3%]), or no work (107 [36.9%]). Children whose mothers worked in agricultural fields during pregnancy had a mean of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.17-1.15) years of greater Horvath EAA, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.31-0.94) years of greater skin and blood EAA, and 0.45 (95% CI, 0.07-0.83) years of greater intrinsic EAA compared with children whose mothers did not work during pregnancy. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, prenatal maternal agricultural fieldwork was associated with accelerated childhood epigenetic aging independent of organophosphate pesticide exposure. Future research on which factors related to agricultural fieldwork accelerate aging in the next generation can inform targeted prevention programs and policies that protect children's health.

Comparison of internal and external reference populations for occupational cancer surveillance in a cohort drawn from a diverse workforce.

OBJECTIVES: Prior analyses of the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) have compared cancer rates using internal referent groups. As an exploratory analysis, we sought to estimate cancer risk using general population reference rates to evaluate the impact that the comparison population has on findings from our surveillance program. METHODS: A cohort of approximately 2.3 million workers in Ontario, Canada with an accepted lost-time workers' compensation claim were followed for all cancer diagnoses between 1983 and 2018. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for workers in specific occupational groups using (1) all other workers in the ODSS cohort, and (2) the general population of Ontario. RESULTS: SIRs using the general population reference group were generally equal to or modestly lower compared to SIRs using the internal reference group. Within occupation groups, SIRs had a discordant direction of association (increased rate in the internal comparison and decreased in the external comparison) for some cancer sites including urinary, prostate, and colorectal. CONCLUSIONS: Findings emphasize the importance of the choice of reference group when evaluating cancer risks in large occupational surveillance cohorts. Importantly, the magnitude of confounding and the healthy worker hire bias may depend on the occupation group and cancer site of interest.

Lung cancer risk associated with occupations in women: a pooling study.

BACKGROUND: Occupation is an important risk factor for lung cancer. This knowledge is mainly based on studies conducted on men, with the results being generalized to women. AIMS: We aimed to identify the relationship between different occupations and lung cancer in women. METHODS: Pooling study in which data were pooled from six case-control studies conducted at 13 Spanish hospitals and 1 hospital in Portugal. Each woman's longest held job was coded as per the ISCO-08. Results were adjusted for age, smoking, and exposure to residential radon. RESULTS: The study population comprised 1262 women: 618 cases and 644 controls. The reference group were white-collar workers. The adjusted multivariate analysis showed a higher risk of developing lung cancer among teaching professionals (odds ratio [OR]: 4.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.73-11.02), cooks (OR: 3.59; 95% CI 1.52-8.48), domestic cleaners and helpers (OR: 2.98; 95% CI 1.54-5.78), homemakers (OR: 2.30; 95% CI 1.26-4.21) and crop farmers, livestock farmers and gardeners (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.11-3.81). For adenocarcinoma, the highest risk was observed in teaching professionals, and for small-cell carcinoma, the highest risk was observed in cooks. Higher risks were observed for small-cell carcinoma compared to other histological types. CONCLUSIONS: Some occupations may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in women and this risk could vary by histologic subtype; however, further research is needed to confirm these associations. In any case, protection measures must be implemented in the workplace aimed at reducing the risk of lung cancer among women workers, and more studies exclusively focused on women are warranted.

Illegitimate work tasks: an investigation of psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the BITS instrument and its suitability in human versus 'non-human' service occupations.

BACKGROUND: Illegitimate tasks, i.e. working tasks that are perceived as unnecessary or unreasonable, are commonly measured by the Bern Illegitimate Tasks Scale (BITS). Despite a growing research attention paid to illegitimate tasks, the Swedish version of BITS needs yet to be properly evaluated. Moreover, previous multiorganizational studies in this field have taken for granted, without really testing it, that the instrument functions invariantly in different contexts; a prerequisite for meaningful comparisons. METHODS: Two occupational groups that differs hugely-966 human services workers (teachers and registered nurses) and 750 non-'human service' workers (construction and IT-workers) were targeted utilizing questionnaires data collected 2018 within the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) study. Psychometric properties, i.e., reliability, dimensionality, and measurement invariance between the occupations were examined using confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation models. Also, the associations between the two dimensions of illegitimate tasks and job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion, respectively, were tested. RESULTS: Good reliability was supported and two- versus one-dimensionality showed better psychometric properties. Partial scalar measurement invariance was satisfactory supported with only 25% relaxed constraints of equal intercepts between groups. Examining the two subdimensions revealed different associations with emotional exhaustion, where the associations was more substantial for unreasonable tasks. Nevertheless, the findings point to potential improvements for future investigation. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the Swedish version of BITS is working satisfactory and allows for meaningful comparisons of occupational groups. Furthermore, construct validity of the two dimensions was corroborated.

Suicide mortality according to occupation and method of suicide, Massachusetts, 2010-2019.

BACKGROUND: Suicide rates in the United States have been increasing. Work-related factors may contribute to risk for suicide. These work-related factors may be reflected in a varied risk for different suicide methods between occupations. This study sought to assess occupational differences in suicide rates according to the method used. METHODS: Death certificate data about suicide deaths in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2019 were used to calculate mortality rates and rate ratios with univariable and multivariable models controlling for age, sex, race ethnicity, and educational attainment for suicides overall, and for three specific methods of suicide (hanging/strangulation/suffocation, firearms, and poisoning) by occupation. RESULTS: In multivariate models, the risk for suicide was significantly elevated for workers in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (relative risk [RR] = 1.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.53, 2.22); construction trades (RR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.53, 1.84); protective services (RR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.26, 1.77); and healthcare support occupations (RR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.25, 1.93). Occupational risk for suicide differed across different methods. For hanging/strangulation/suffocation, workers in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations had the highest RR (2.09, 95% CI = 1.61, 2.71). For firearms, workers in protective service occupations had the highest RR (4.20, 95% CI = 3.30, 5.34). For poisoning, workers in life, physical, and social science occupations had the highest RR (2.32, 95% CI = 1.49, 3.60). CONCLUSIONS: These findings are useful for identifying vulnerable working populations for suicide. Additionally, some of the occupational differences in the risk for suicide and for specific methods of suicide may be due to workplace factors. Further research is needed to understand these workplace factors so that interventions can be designed for prevention.

Does the level of burnout differ between occupational groups in Lithuania?

Background: The strain on workers of the healthcare system and education sector increased psychological distress and burnout. This study aimed to distinguish the occupational group that is the most affected by occupational burnout and to reveal the scope of psychosocial risk factors among each occupational group. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed burnout syndrome among 1,046 participants of different occupational groups in association with psychosocial work environment factors in Lithuania. The anonymous questionnaire was composed of the standardized Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). To find out associations between psychosocial work environment factors and burnout dimensions, a multiple logistic regression model using the stepwise method was applied. Results: The burnout levels in all three dimensions (personal, work-related, and client-related burnout) were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers (p < 0.05). The job demands were associated with the personal burnout subscale for all occupations, except public health specialists - each one-unit increase of this variable significantly increased the probability of personal burnout from 10 to 16%, respectively by the occupation. Co-worker support was found to have a buffering effect for all occupational groups, except managers - and significantly reduced personal burnout for physicians (OR = 0.80), nurses (OR = 0.75), public health specialists (OR = 0.75), and teachers (OR = 0.79). Conclusion: The burnout levels in all three dimensions differed between occupational groups: there were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers. Considering the occupational preventive measures in the healthcare sector attention should be paid to the reduction of workload and ensuring good relations between co-workers.

Occupational inequalities and gender differences: work accidents, Brazil, 2019.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution and association of sociodemographic and occupational factors with self-reported work accidents (WA) in a representative sample of the Brazilian population, with emphasis on occupational class, and to examine gender differences in this distribution. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study, using data from the 2019 National Health Survey (PNS), analyzed the responses of a sample of adults aged 18 or over. Factors associated with WA were investigated using binary logistic regression and hierarchical analysis using blocks (sociodemographic and occupational variables). The final model was adjusted by variables from all blocks, adopting a significance level of 5%. The values of odds ratios (OR) and respective confidence intervals were obtained. RESULTS: Among the participants, 2.69% reported having suffered a WA, with a higher prevalence in men (3.37%; 95%CI 2.97-3.82%) than in women (1.86%; 95%CI 1.55-2.23%). The analysis identified that age group, night work, working hours, and exposure to occupational risks were associated with WA, with emphasis on gender differences. The class of manual workers, both qualified (ORwomen = 2.87; 95%CI 1.33-6.21 and ORmen = 2.46; 95%CI 1.37-4.40) and unskilled (ORwomen = 2.55; 95%CI 1.44-4.50 and ORmen = 3.70; 95%CI 1.95-7.03), had a higher chance of WA than the class of managers/professionals. CONCLUSION: Occupational factors contributed significantly to the increase in the probability of WA for men and women, with greater magnitude among those positioned in the lower strata of the occupational structure. The results obtained are clues for working out WA prevention actions.

Occupation-based demographic, clinical, and psychological presentation of spine pain: A retrospective analysis of 71,727 patients from urban India.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have investigated the physical and ergonomic risks of spine pain in specific occupation groups, the literature is lacking on occupation-based clinical and psychological presentation in patients with spine pain. OBJECTIVE: To analyze occupation-based variation in demographic, clinical, and psychological presentation in patients with spine pain. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 71727 patients with spine pain visiting a chain of spine rehabilitation clinics. Demographic and clinical variables such as gender, age, affected site, symptom duration, clinical symptoms and presentation, pain intensity, disability, and STarT Back Screening Tool (SBT) risk were compared between 9 occupational groups. RESULTS: The service and sales workers (44%) and students (43.5%) groups had the highest percentage of patients who presented with central spine pain; military personnel had the highest percentage of patients who presented with unilateral radicular pain (51.5%); and the retired or unemployed group had the highest percentage of patients who presented with severe myotomal loss (grade≤3) (6%). Homemakers had significantly higher pain intensity and disability (p < 0.001) and had the highest percentage of patients who presented with severe pain (47%), severe and crippled disability (59.5%), and medium to high risk (59%) with SBT when compared to other occupational groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with spine pain showed variation in demographic, clinical, and psychological presentation based on their occupation. The findings of this study can be the basis for identifying risk factors for spine pain and helping plan preventive and treatment measures based on their occupation.

Type 2 diabetes in the employed population: do rates and trends differ among nine occupational sectors? An analysis using German health insurance claims data.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well established in the literature. However, within the background of changing work contexts associated with digitalization and its effect on lifestyle and sedentary behavior, little is known on T2D prevalence and trends among different occupational groups. This study aims to examine occupational sector differences in T2D prevalence and trends thereof between 2012 and 2019. METHODS: The study was done on 1.683.644 employed individuals using data from the German statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, the "Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Niedersachsen" (AOKN). Predicted probabilities for T2D prevalence in four two-year periods between 2012 and 2019 were estimated based on logistic regression analyses for nine occupational sectors. Prevalence ratios were calculated to illustrate the effect of time period on the prevalence of T2D among the nine occupational sectors. Analyses were stratified by gender and two age groups. RESULTS: Results showed differences among occupational sectors in the predicted probabilities for T2D. The occupational sectors "Transport, logistics, protection and security" and "Health sector, social work, teaching & education" had the highest predicted probabilities, while those working in the sector "Agriculture" had by far the lowest predicted probabilities for T2D. Over all, there appeared to be a rising trend in T2D prevalence among younger employed individuals, with gender differences among occupational sectors. CONCLUSION: The study displayed different vulnerability levels among occupational sectors with respect to T2D prevalence overall and for its rising trend among the younger age group. Specific occupations within the vulnerable sectors need to be focused upon in further research to define specific target groups to which T2D prevention interventions should be tailored.

Epidemiological approaches to multivariable models of health inequity: A study of race, rurality, and occupation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: Methods for assessing the structural mechanisms of health inequity are not well established. This study applies a phased approach to modeling racial, occupational, and rural disparities on the county level. METHODS: Rural counties with disparately high rates of COVID-19 incidence or mortality were randomly paired with in-state control counties with the same rural-urban continuum code. Analysis was restricted to the first six months of the pandemic to represent the baseline structural reserves for each county and reduce biases related to the disruption of these reserves over time. Conditional logistic regression was applied in two phases-first, to examine the demographic distribution of disparities and then, to examine the relationships between these disparities and county-level social and structural reserves. RESULTS: In over 200 rural county pairs (205 for incidence, 209 for mortality), disparities were associated with structural variables representing economic factors, healthcare infrastructure, and local industry. Modeling results were sensitive to assumptions about the relationships between race and other social and structural variables measured at the county level, particularly in models intended to reflect effect modification or mediation. CONCLUSIONS: Multivariable modeling of health disparities should reflect the social and structural mechanisms of inequity and anticipate interventions that can advance equity.

Occupation and tongue cancer in Nordic countries.

PURPOSE: Almost 200,000 tongue cancers were diagnosed worldwide in 2020. The aim of this study was to describe occupational risk variation in this malignancy. METHODS: The data are based on the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) study containing 14.9 million people from the Nordic countries with 9020 tongue cancers diagnosed during 1961-2005. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of tongue cancer in each occupational category was calculated using national incidence rates as the reference. RESULTS: Among men, the incidence was statistically significantly elevated in waiters (SIR 4.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13--5.92), beverage workers (SIR 3.42, 95% CI 2.02-5.40), cooks and stewards (SIR 2.55, 95% CI 1.82-3.48), seamen (SIR 1.66, 95% CI 1.36-2.00), journalists (SIR 1.85, 95% CI 1.18-2.75), artistic workers (SIR 2.05, 95% CI 1.54-2.66), hairdressers (SIR 2.17, 95% CI 1.39-3.22), and economically inactive persons (SIR 1.57, 95% CI 1.42-1.73). Among women, the SIR was statistically significantly elevated only in waitresses (SIR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.81). Statistically significant SIRs ≤ 0.63 were observed in male farmers, gardeners, forestry workers and teachers, and in female launderers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may be related to consumption of alcohol and tobacco, but the effect of carcinogenic exposure from work cannot be excluded.

Forty years of struggle in North Carolina: Workplace segregation and fatal occupational injury rates.

OBJECTIVE: To assess workplace segregation in fatal occupational injury from 1992 to 2017 in North Carolina. METHODS: We calculated occupational fatal injury rates within categories of occupation, industry, race, age, and sex; and estimated expected numbers of fatalities among Black and Hispanic male workers had they experienced the rates of White male workers. We also estimated the contribution of workforce segregation to disparities by estimating the expected number of fatalities among Black and Hispanic male workers had they experienced the industry and occupation patterns of White male workers. We assessed person-years of life-lost, using North Carolina life expectancy estimates. RESULTS: Hispanic workers contributed 32% of their worker-years and experienced 58% of their fatalities in construction. Black workers were most overrepresented in the food manufacturing industry. Hispanic males experienced 2.11 (95% CI: 1.86-2.40) times the mortality rate of White males. The Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities were widest among workers aged 45 and older, and segregation into more dangerous industries and occupations played a substantial role in driving disparities. Hispanic workers who suffered occupational fatalities lost a median 47 life-years, compared to 37 among Black workers and 36 among White workers. CONCLUSIONS: If Hispanic and Black workers experienced the workplace safety of their White counterparts, fatal injury rates would be substantially reduced. Workforce segregation reflects structural racism, which also contributes to mortality disparities. Root causes must be addressed to eliminate disparities.

Work-related asthma prevalence among US employed adults.

BACKGROUND: Work-related asthma (WRA), a preventable occupational disease, can result in adverse health outcomes and employment disability, including decreased productivity, lost workdays, and job loss. Early identification of WRA cases and avoidance of further exposures is crucial for optimal management. OBJECTIVE: We estimate WRA prevalence among US workers by selected sociodemographic characteristics, industry, and occupation groups and assess the differences in adverse health outcomes, preventive care, and lost workdays between persons with WRA and those with non-WRA. METHODS: The 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for working adults aged ≥18 years employed in the 12 months before the survey were analyzed. Prevalence, and adjusted prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the estimated 170 million US adults working in the past year, 13.0 million (7.6%) had asthma. Among workers with asthma, an estimated 896,000 (6.9%) had WRA. WRA prevalence was highest among males, workers aged ≥55 years, those with no health insurance, those living in the Midwest, and those employed in the accommodation, food, and other services industry, and in production, installation, transportation, and material moving occupations. Workers with WRA were significantly more likely to use preventive medication and rescue inhalers, and to experience adverse health outcomes and lost workdays than workers with non-WRA. CONCLUSION: Early identification of WRA cases, assessment of workplace exposures, and implementation of targeted interventions that consider the hierarchy of controls are critical to preventing future WRA cases and associated adverse health consequences.

Do Subjects from Different Occupational Groups Experience Dental Fear and Anxiety Equally?

Background and Objectives: Research into the relationship between occupation and dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is scarce. This exploratory study aimed to compare the level of DFA and its association with its predictors amongst adults from different occupational groups. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study with 422 respondents from four occupational groups (physicians, teachers, industry workers, and artists) was carried out. A questionnaire on previous dental experience using the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), Dental Fear Survey (DFS), and Self-Esteem Scale was self-administered electronically. The data analysis involved descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The DFA levels differed significantly across the occupational groups, with the lowest mean scores among physicians (DAS = 9.29 (SE 0.39); DFS-1 = 14.67 (0.63); DFS-2 = 33.94 (1.69)) and the highest mean scores among artists (DAS = 10.74 (0.38); DFS-1 = 17.19 (0.71); DFS-2 = 41.34 (1.92)). A significant impact of self-esteem on DFA was observed among physicians, teachers, and artists, but not among industry workers. Multi-group analysis with SEM revealed differences in the variable association (Chi-squared = 53.75; df = 21; p < 0.001), thus rejecting the hypothesis of the same mechanism underlying DFA across occupational groups. Conclusions: Individuals from various occupations experience DFA at different levels, and there are different mechanisms underlying their DFA. These findings can provide valuable insights for dental practitioners in developing tailored approaches to reduce the feeling of DFA of their patients.

Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths in Maryland (2018), by Industry and Occupation.

OBJECTIVES: Opioid-related overdose deaths (OROD) increase annually, yet little is known about workplace risk factors. This study assessed differences in OROD rates across industry and occupation in Maryland, in addition to demographic differences within industry and occupation. METHODS: The 2018 State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System was used to compare OROD between industries and occupations. RESULTS: The leading industries in OROD included the following: construction, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing. Occupational groups were similar: construction and extraction, production, and transportation and material moving. There were also differences by sex (greater rates in men), age (greater rates in older workers), and race/ethnicity (varied patterns in rates). CONCLUSIONS: Employers and state leaders should work collaboratively to target prevention and intervention for workplaces at highest risk for OROD. Construction was highest and needs supports that respond to the workplace culture.

Development of the Korean construction job exposure matrix (KoConJEM) based on experts' judgment using the 60 consolidated occupations for construction workers.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted as an effort to develop a Korean construction job exposure matrix (KoConJEM) based on 60 occupations recently consolidated by the construction workers mutual aid association for use by the construction industry. METHODS: The probability, intensity, and prevalence of exposure to 26 hazardous agents for 60 consolidated occupations were evaluated as binary (Yes/No) or four categories (1 to 4) by 30 industrial hygiene experts. The score for risk was calculated by multiplying the exposure intensity by the prevalence of exposure. Fleiss' kappa for each hazardous agent and occupation was used to determine agreement among the 30 experts. The JEM was expressed on a heatmap and a web-based dashboard to facilitate comparison of factors affecting exposure according to each occupation and hazardous agent. RESULTS: Awkward posture, heat/cold, heavy lifting, and noise were hazardous agents regarded as exposure is probable by at least one or more experts in all occupations, while exposure to asphalt fumes was considered hazardous in the smallest number of occupations (n = 5). Based on the degree of agreement among experts, more than half of the harmful factors and most occupations showed fair to good results. The highest risk value was 16 for awkward posture for most occupations other than safety officer. CONCLUSIONS: The KoConJEM provides information on the probability, intensity, and prevalence of exposure to harmful factors, including most occupations employing construction workers; therefore, it may be useful in the conduct of epidemiological studies on assessment of health risk for construction workers.

Occupational differences in the effects of retirement on hospitalizations for mental illness among female workers: Evidence from administrative data in China.

Retirement, a major transition in the life course, may affect many aspects of retirees' well-being, including health and health care utilization. Leveraging differential statutory retirement age (SRA) by occupation for China's urban female workers, we provide some of the first evidence on the causal effect of retirement on hospitalizations attributable to mental illness and its heterogeneity. To address endogeneity in retirement decisions, we take advantage of exogeneity of the differing SRA cut-offs for blue-collar (age 50) and white-collar (age 55) female urban employees. We apply a Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) around the SRA cut-offs using nationally representative hospital inpatient claims data that cover these workers. We show that blue-collar females incur more hospitalizations for mental illness after retirement, while no similar change is found for white-collar females. Conditional on blue-collar females being hospitalized, probabilities of overall and ER admissions due to mental illness increase by 2.3 and 1.2 percentage points upon retirement, respectively. The effects are primarily driven by patients within the categories of schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders; and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders. Moreover, the 'Donut' RDD estimates suggest that pent-up demand at retirement unlikely dominates our findings for blue-collar females. Rather, our results lend support to their worsening mental health at retirement. These findings suggest that occupational differences in mental illness and related health care utilization at retirement should be considered when optimizing retirement policy schemes.

Online images amplify gender bias.

Each year, people spend less time reading and more time viewing images1, which are proliferating online2-4. Images from platforms such as Google and Wikipedia are downloaded by millions every day2,5,6, and millions more are interacting through social media, such as Instagram and TikTok, that primarily consist of exchanging visual content. In parallel, news agencies and digital advertisers are increasingly capturing attention online through the use of images7,8, which people process more quickly, implicitly and memorably than text9-12. Here we show that the rise of images online significantly exacerbates gender bias, both in its statistical prevalence and its psychological impact. We examine the gender associations of 3,495 social categories (such as 'nurse' or 'banker') in more than one million images from Google, Wikipedia and Internet Movie Database (IMDb), and in billions of words from these platforms. We find that gender bias is consistently more prevalent in images than text for both female- and male-typed categories. We also show that the documented underrepresentation of women online13-18 is substantially worse in images than in text, public opinion and US census data. Finally, we conducted a nationally representative, preregistered experiment that shows that googling for images rather than textual descriptions of occupations amplifies gender bias in participants' beliefs. Addressing the societal effect of this large-scale shift towards visual communication will be essential for developing a fair and inclusive future for the internet.