Occupational Health News and Research

RSS

Hospital sinks fuel antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control reports the infection prevention steps taken to control a months-long multispecies outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales that occurred in a pediatric ward at the Toho University Omori Medical Center in Tokyo in 2017.

12 Apr 2024

Simple pre-surgical protocol can help prevent dangerous post-surgical infections

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) demonstrates the use of a simple pre-surgical infection prevention protocol to prevent dangerous post-surgical infections.

28 Mar 2024

VTT's breakthrough: AI tool detects workplace stress levels

VTT, one of Europe's leading research institutions, has developed an AI-based tool that can recognize when knowledge workers are under stress.

26 Mar 2024

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by how unprepared and misguided the American health system was.

19 Mar 2024

AI technologies can accurately identify cases of healthcare-associated infections

A new proof-of-concept study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can accurately identify cases of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) even in complex clinical scenarios.

14 Mar 2024

U.S. laws and regulations inadequately protected frontline workers during the pandemic

An analysis published today in the The BMJ examines the risks faced by frontline workers in the United States during the pandemic and suggests reforms that could protect population health and save lives.

30 Jan 2024

Exposure to flame-retardant chemicals may affect pregnancy outcomes

Pregnant women exposed to specific classes of flame-retardant chemicals may face an increased risk of preterm birth, especially for baby girls, or higher birth weights, according to a Rutgers Health researcher.

27 Jan 2024

Pregnant women exposed to common flame retardants may face preterm birth risk

In the largest study of its kind, researchers at UC Davis Health found that exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants during pregnancy was associated with preterm birth, especially among females.

24 Jan 2024

New screening tool helps doctors spot precarious employment

Precarious employment, defined by temporary contracts, unstable employment, or job insecurity, is increasingly common and is associated with inconsistent access to health insurance, lower incomes, and greater exposure to physical hazards and psychological stress.

22 Jan 2024

Daily active commuting associated with lower levels of inflammation

A new study, conducted by the University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, shows that engaging in active commuting for a minimum of 45 minutes a day was associated with lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a key marker of inflammation.

16 Jan 2024

Hospital surfaces harbor pathogens despite cleaning, study finds

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports microbial contamination -; including pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria -; on high-touch hospital surfaces despite compliance with recommended disinfection protocols.

11 Jan 2024

Study links upgraded fitness to reduced hospital admissions

People who maintain or increase their aerobic fitness are at less risk of being hospitalized in future, particularly if they were hospitalized previously.

22 Dec 2023

Study reveals need for improved infection prevention for high-risk healthcare personnel

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), based on a survey of healthcare professionals conducted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests that new efforts may be needed to strengthen infection prevention precautions and protect staff members at the highest risk of exposure to dangerous pathogens.

7 Dec 2023

Latest scientific findings provide new insights into heart and stroke health

More than 4,000 abstracts were presented during the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023 and Resuscitation Science Symposium 2023, held earlier this month in Philadelphia.

28 Nov 2023

Traffic-related air pollution raises blood pressure, study finds

For more than a century, American cities have been sliced and diced by high-traffic roadways. Interstate highways and wide arterials are now a defining feature of most metropolitan areas, their constant flow of cars spewing pollution into nearby neighborhoods.

27 Nov 2023

Researchers identify potential new drug target for treating Barth syndrome

In a Nature Metabolism paper published today, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh detail a potential new target and a small-molecule drug candidate for treating Barth syndrome, a rare, life-threatening and currently incurable genetic disease with devastating consequences.

23 Nov 2023

Study reveals weight-related differences in daily energy burning

Weight influences how and when bodies burn energy, new research indicates.

15 Nov 2023

Wearable technology helps to improve working conditions in agriculture

The AgWearCare project resorts to wearables to collect and digitalize data, supporting agricultural tasks and preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

6 Nov 2023

Doxycycline use may help protect against C. diff infection for some patients with pneumonia

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reveals that the use of doxycycline may help protect against Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection for some patients with pneumonia.

2 Nov 2023

Sleepiness during virtual meetings may be the result of mental underload and boredom

New research suggests sleepiness during virtual meetings is caused by mental underload and boredom. Earlier studies suggested that fatigue from virtual meetings stems from mental overload, but new research from Aalto University shows that sleepiness during virtual meetings might actually be a result of mental underload and boredom.

31 Oct 2023