Occupational Health News and Research

RSS

Measles risk heightened by undernutrition in vulnerable children

Amid a global surge in measles cases, new research suggests that undernutrition may be exacerbating outbreaks in areas suffering from food insecurity.

16 Jan 2025

High job strain linked to increased sleep disturbances in middle-aged workers

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, middle aged workers in the U.S. who reported high job strain at the start of the study experienced significantly more sleep disturbances over an average follow-up of nine years.

8 Jan 2025

Sedentary jobs linked to increased risk of insomnia symptoms

People whose jobs are highly sedentary – an estimated 80% of the modern workforce – experience a much higher risk of insomnia symptoms, according to a new study led by University of South Florida psychologist Claire Smith.

7 Jan 2025

Trash incinerators disproportionately harm Black and Hispanic people

When leaders of Florida's most populous county met in September to pick a site for what could become the nation's largest trash incinerator, so many people went to the government center to protest that overflow seating spilled into the building's atrium.

23 Dec 2024

How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic

Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October.

20 Dec 2024

Reducing hand hygiene monitoring could save hospitals time and money

Hand hygiene (HH) monitoring in hospitals could be reduced significantly, allowing infection preventionists to redirect efforts toward quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

20 Dec 2024

Bedfont® Scientific Limited Secures a Double Win at the Kent Business Awards

Crowned Medium Business of the Year 2024 and Best of Kent, Bedfont® showcases its leadership in breath analysis technology and sustainable business practices.

From Bedfont® Scientific Ltd 11 Dec 2024

Low levels of arsenic exposure linked to increased kidney cancer risk

New research findings from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health indicate that exposure to even low levels of arsenic poses significant health risks, including an increased risk of kidney cancer.

2 Dec 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Public health and the dairy cow in the room

Public health, one of the more misunderstood concepts in the health world, is about the health of entire populations, rather than individuals.

26 Nov 2024

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may increase cancer risk

Derek Urwin has a special stake in his work as a cancer control researcher. After undergraduate studies in applied mathematics at UCLA, he became a firefighter.

28 Oct 2024

How a proposed federal heat rule might have saved these workers’ lives

On a sweltering afternoon in July 2020, Belinda Ramones got a call that her brother was in the hospital. The call was from a woman at the Florida landscaping business that he had joined that week, the Davey Tree Expert Co., Ramones said. By the time she arrived, she said, "My brother was swollen up from hands to toes."

28 Oct 2024

Diagnostic toolkit aims to improve response to Marburg virus cases

Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) such as Marburg virus disease have been in the news recently, with more than 60 cases of Marburg confirmed in Rwanda.

26 Oct 2024

Assessing and addressing IP staffing needs in a pediatric setting

A new paper published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) describes efforts at a major children's hospital to assess and fulfill its staffing needs for infection prevention and control, highlighting the challenges of allocating sufficient resources to this important role.

17 Oct 2024

Stigma in the workplace affects managers' ability to support employees

Managers are not only influenced by their own views on mental health when employees with mental health problems need support.

15 Oct 2024

Pilot study shows impact of infection control staffing shortages on patient safety

Inadequate infection prevention and control staffing levels are associated with higher rates of healthcare-associated infections, according to a new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control.

10 Oct 2024

Study: Economic gains from meeting physical activity guidelines

Meeting physical activity recommendations can bring significant economic benefits. These benefits can take the form of both wage income for the individual and reduced health care costs to society.

8 Oct 2024

New recommendations for workplace chemical risk assessment published

The Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area of the DFG has now published the English version of its latest research-based recommendations on the risk assessment of substances used at the workplace.

23 Sep 2024

Study shows effectiveness of colored disinfectant wipes

A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports a comparison of hospital room cleanliness using standard disinfectant wipes versus wipes with a color additive that allows users to see which surfaces have been sanitized. With the color additive, rooms were 69.2% cleaner and were able to be cleaned in slightly less time compared to cleaning with standard wipes. The study was performed at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn.

19 Sep 2024

UC study explores airborne transmission of MRSA in hospital settings

Even in a post-pandemic world, frontline health care workers face many occupational challenges, and exposure to infection is among them.

16 Sep 2024

Study reveals negative health consequences of sleep disruption for overweight individuals

New research from Oregon Health & Science University reveals negative health consequences for people who are overweight and ignore their body's signals to sleep at night, with specific differences between men and women.

23 Aug 2024