[Cervical disorders in a group of male workers not exposed to physical ergonomic risk]. / Disturbi cervicali in un gruppo maschile di lavoratori non esposti a rischi ergonomici fisici.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of neck pain in the working population not exposed to ergonomic risks. METHODS: A total of 373 male workers were recruited in the Venice area of Italy. The inclusion criterion was the absence of exposure to ergonomic risk factors at the workplace. We collected the data via interviews between March 2004 and December 2006 conducted by properly trained operators. The prevalence of neck pain episodes was calculated after selecting 347 subjects without functional outcomes for severe trauma or genetic and degenerative diseases involving the same anatomical area. The strength of the association of neck pain with the collected variables was tested by means of logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The group had a good attitude to doing physical activity in their free time. Exposure to high stress at work involved 12% of the sample. Multivariate analysis suggested a more than 3-fold level of risk among individuals with high levels of stress at work. The O.R. was 3.51 for those suffering from back pain at the same time and 6.85 for those who reported shoulder pain. CONCLUSIONS: Our study, in agreement with the scientific literature, showed evidence of increased risk of neck pain in subjects exposed to stress. There was a clear association with neck pain and joint disorders of other areas of the spine and shoulder. The results showed that the quantification of painful joint disorders, considering the numerical importance and the brief latency, is well suited to models of cross sectional studies.

[Epidemiology of work-related diseases in ULSS 12 Venice (Italy)]. / Epidemiologia delle malattie professionali nella ULSS 12 Veneziana.

In Veneto, like in Italy, in the last years the course of the professional diseases shown a trend in reduction. This trend has had to the difficulty to recognize the professional aetiology of multifactorial diseases. In the Venice the analysis of the course of the professional diseases in last the 4-5 years has demonstrated an increase of the communications of diseases from the doctors who operate in hospital to the SPISAL for the active search for pathologies asbestos and CVM correlated; moreover it has been a reduction of the hearing loss from noise from 2000 and it has been increment of cancer of lung and mesothelioma from 2001. Emergent diseases, like the allergy, the back diseases and those tied to the organizational constriction, are sottostimate. They have been a collaboration with the doctors of hospital, the doctors of factories, the INAIL and the court.

[Results of a health education program on smoking for trainee workers]. / Risultati conseguiti con un'azione di educazione alla salute sul fumo di sigaretta rivolta a lavoratori apprendisti.

BACKGROUND: Social costs of smoking behaviour are remarkable. Although smoking is an individual choice, it is strongly influenced by a social contest where it is widespread. OBJECTIVES: To induce young non-smoking apprentices to continue as such and smokers to give up smoking. METHODS: During 1999, a specific health education programme on smoking was carried out for a group of 1083 young apprentices, 531 females and 552 males, who came to the occupational health unit in Venice for a check on work fitness. This programme was part of a larger global programme concerning health hazards prevention where apprentices received various information about health and safety at work. Smoking habits were compared to a control group of 312 females and 458 males after a one year follow-up. RESULTS: The females' chance of giving up smoking was three times higher than controls; while the chance of becoming a smoker was 70% lower. The males' chance of giving up smoking was double; while the chance of becoming a smoker was 60% lower. The health education programme decreased the trend of becoming a smoker in cases and increased non-smoking, especially in females. In females, there was also a significant prevalence who reduced cigarette consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of health education programmes on smoking directed to young people and stresses the role of public health units in the involvement of the users of such services in prevention programmes. An occupational health service has specific prevention objectives here, since promoting healthy attitudes affects motivation of individual behaviour. This is the reason why initiatives on a single specific prevention objective, like smoking, become significant in every context of people's lives. Such attitudes are a significant resource which people can use to protect themselves from hazards, with a resulting safe, aware and active behaviour as regards occupational risks.

Lung cancer risk in Venice: a population-based case-control study.

Populations resident in the historical town of Venice and in the inland industrial city of Mestre are at different risk of exposure to environmental pollutants. This case-control study compares the risk of developing lung cancer in the two populations in relation to known risk factors for this neoplasm. A retrospective study of 305 incident cases of lung and 447 frequency-matched population controls was conducted through a standard questionnaire on main risk factors for lung cancer. Completeness of cases was checked against the Venetian Cancer Registry files. The results indicate that lung cancer risk associated with tobacco smoking was high in both areas, although more elevated in Venice islands among heavy smokers. An elevation of risk was associated with housing without a heating system, possibly suggesting a role of worse hygienic conditions. An increased risk associated with exposure to occupational carcinogens was detected in the inland area. In conclusion, lung cancer risk due to tobacco smoking largely affects both the populations, while other risks such as occupation or housing conditions appear to be more population-specific.

Malignant mesothelioma in thermoelectric power plant workers in Italy.

Asbestos has been widely used in Italian thermoelectric power plants and instances of exposure to workers have been documented in a variety of jobs. Preventive measures were put into effect only in the late 1970s. We report here on four mesothelioma cases among workers of three Italian power plants where cohort studies were carried out, and on three additional cases recorded by a systematic survey carried out on this neoplasm in Tuscany. When the data of the cohorts sources are merged, a significant excess of lung cancer is also evident. Even without a quantitative assessment of exposure, this report shows the importance of asbestos risk in thermal power plants. The risk appears not to be restricted to any particular category of workers.

Mortality among workers of three thermoelectric power plants in northern Italy: a retrospective cohort study.

During the last ten years, interest has been focussed on occupational exposure in thermoelectric power plants (i.e., coal dust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxin, dielectric liquids, PCB's, asbestos, etc.), although available evidence on its effects on the health status of the occupational population are far from being definitive. A retrospective cohort study was carried out to investigate the association between exposure to risk factors and mortality for cancer in three thermoelectric power plants located in the north-east of Italy. The three plants studied started with oil and coal but since 1968 they utilized mostly coal as fuel. In spite of the different fuel used at the beginning, the production process has been fairly constant since the main conversion from oil to coal with a substantial increase in power production. A total of 1,772 male workers were included in the total study cohort and followed-up from 1968 to 1987, with a total of 22,090 person-years of exposure. Eighty percent of the cohort began to work in the plant before 30 years of age, and had a mean period of employment of 9.5 years. The cohort was completely traced to the end of the follow-up period by using an original computer system based on personal fiscal codes. Causes of death were ascertained in the municipalities where the deaths occurred and coded according to the International Classification of Disease, IX Revision. During the study period 68 deaths were observed with an SMR for all causes of death equal to 0.79.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Alcohol consumption in some manufacturing activities of Venice: a public health problem]. / Il consumo di alcol in alcune attività produttive di Venezia: un problema di sanità pubblica.

A total of 1246 workers were interviewed employed in the industrial and urban area of Venice: 91.3% consumed alcoholic beverages, 17.4% of whom exceeded 1 litre of wine per day. Only 15% of the interviewees thought that an acceptable alcohol consumption level should not exceed 1 litre, whereas more than 18% thought that 2 or more litres of wine per day was not harmful. A certain tendency to incorrect knowledge of alcohol and its effects on health was observed. A high consumption of alcoholic beverages was confirmed, mainly depending on the type of work group, a subjective assessment of individual consumption, consumption at work, level of education, duration of consumption, specific information about alcohol. In particular, jobs such as porterage, foundry work, boat piloting, urban refuse collection, road and machine maintenance were associated with alcohol abuse mainly due to the level of education and drinking for pleasure. The paper discusses the role of social dynamics in boosting drinking behaviour and a possible health education policy. The role of occupational health services in community care programmes involving managerial and technical staff is stressed.

[The prevalence of spondylopathies among the workers in the operating rooms of Mestre Hospital]. / Prevalenza di spondilopatie tra i lavoratori delle sale operatorie dell'ospedale di Mestre.

A total of 107 hospital workers, 49 males and 58 females, employed in the operating theatres of Mestre Hospital (near Venice, Italy), were examined using the "EPM Research Unit" method for assessing spinal function. These workers are obliged to maintain a fixed standing posture characterized by isometric load of the extensor lumbar muscles. The frequency of spinal disorders in males was 16.3% for the cervical tract, 6.1% for the dorsal tract and 20.4% for the lumbar tract. The frequency in females was respectively 32.8%, 22.4% and 44.8%. The results were compared with those of a control group, revealing a statistically significant difference as regards dorsal and lumbar disorders in females (O.R. = 5.68 and 3.18). The results suggest an increased spinal risk for the female members of this category of workers.

[Occupational risks in the maintenance of pot-lining and anode firing furnaces]. / Rischi lavorativi nella manutenzione dei forni elettrolitici e di cottura anodi.

A group of 66 pot-lining and anode furnace maintenance workers was examined, including 44 workers who had been exposed to these occupational hazards for more than one year. No occupational bronchial diseases were observed. Two cases of 1/0 grade silicosis and two cases of initial palmar aponeurosis retraction were reported. Seventeen cases (38.6%) of occupational hearing loss had been compensated or reported. Hearing loss exceeding the 2nd degree of the Merluzzi scale was observed in 11 workers. There were 13 cases of hearing loss (29.5%) according to ISO criteria, due to exposure levels calculated at 95/100 dB-A eq. Spirometry revealed only one worker with marked reduction in vital capacity. Urinary fluoride concentrations (1.37, S.D. = 0.63 pre-shift and 2.32, S.D. = 1.15 post shift) did not indicate any particular level of hazard. ECGs showed no significant alterations. Variance analysis and multiple regression techniques were used to study the relationship between respiratory volume, hearing capacity, age, duration of exposure and length of past exposure in the construction industry. A marked association was observed between age and hearing loss and a weaker association between duration of exposure and hearing loss.

[A retrospective assessment of 19 subjects compensated for the inhalation of aluminum powders (item 48, D.P.R. 482/75)]. / Valutazione retrospettiva su 19 soggetti indennizzati per inalazione di polveri di alluminio (voce 48, D.P.R. 482/75).

A study was made of 19 male subjects, mean age 54.7, S.D. 7.5 years, exposed to risk of aluminium dust inhalation for 16, S.D. 9.7 years, awarded compensation by the local provincial branch of INAIL (National Institute for Insurance against Occupational Accidents) in the period 1975-1988, as prescribed by item 48 of Presidential Decree 482/1975. The workers were divided into two groups on the basis of radiological signs of lung fibrosis (3 1/1 cases and 7 1/0 cases according to the ILO classification) or of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) (9 cases). Careful examination of the work histories confirmed the previous observations of aluminium pneumoconiosis with moderate functional alterations in alumina production, potroom and casting workers.

[Chronic bronchitis and respiratory function in those employed in primary aluminum production]. / Bronchite cronica e funzionalità respiratoria negli addetti alla produzione di alluminio primario.

A study was carried out on a group of 323 workers of a primary aluminium production plant located in Porto Marghera (Italy) in order to assess the prevalence of chronic bronchitis and respiratory function alterations, compared with the general working population of the same industrial area. The results showed a higher prevalence of chronic bronchitis (5.6% compared with 2.6%) and a greater reduction in vital capacity but only in the non-smokers (5.4% compared with 1.7%). The highest prevalence of chronic bronchitis (20%) and reduced vital capacity (27%) was observed in the rodding section. The frequency of bronchial obstruction was similar to that observed in potroom and casting workers.

[Alcohol consumption by refuse collection workers: a problem of public health]. / Il consumo di alcool tra i lavoratori dell'igiene urbana: un problema di sanità pubblica.

A total of 485 workers were interviewed employed by the municipal urban refuse collection corporation of Venice; 87.6% consumed alcoholic beverages, 24.5% of whom exceeded 1 litre of wine per day. Only 9.7% of the interviewees thought that an acceptable alcohol consumption level should not exceed 1 litre, whereas more than 23% thought that 2 or more litres of wine per day was not harmful. The variables associated with a high alcohol consumption in this working community were mainly: level of education and of specific knowledge about alcohol and long-term residence in the historical centre of Venice. The authors discuss the possible factors connected with the type of job which could influence the incentive to drink and the public hygiene actions that could be taken. The need for community medicine programmes is emphasized.

[The prevalence of spondylopathies among the crane operators in the port of Venice]. / Prevalenza di spondilopatie tra i gruisti del porto di Venezia.

A group of 78 crane operators were examined using the "EPM Research Unit" method for assessing spine function. Crane operators work in a fixed posture characterized by a flexed position of the cervical spine, isometric load of the extensor cervical muscles and increased dorsal kyphosis. The prevalence of spinal disorders was 39.7% for the cervical tract, 37.2% for the dorsal tract and 38.5% for the lumbar region. The results were compared with those concerning a control group. A statistically significant difference was found in the number of cervical and dorsal complaints (O.R. = 3.33 and 2.69), whereas the difference was nearly significant for the lumbar tract (O.R. = 1.65). The results suggest that this category of workers may be subject to an increased risk for the spine.

A retrospective cohort mortality study on workers of two thermoelectric power plants: fourteen-year follow-up results.

Although many studies have been performed to evaluate the environmental impact of coal energy production, few studies are available on the health risk for the people working in coal power plants. A retrospective cohort study was performed on the workers of two power plants near Venice (which use coal since 1968) in order to test the association between exposure to coal dust and ashes and mortality for all causes, all cancers, and respiratory and digestive cancer. One thousand three hundred seven male workers were followed up from 1968 to 1984. During this period 41 workers died; causes of death were collected from the local Mortality Registers and/or from the Hospital Records. The observed mortality of the study cohort was compared with the mortality expected from the Italian death rates in the same period. No Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) was found in excess in the working cohort with respect to the standard population for any of the investigated effects.