Respirable crystalline silica in mineral dust, wood dust, diesel engine exhaust emissions and welding fumes are among the most common process‐generated substances to which millions of workers are ...exposed daily. The composition of process‐generated substances can vary substantially, depending on the parameters of the underlying processes; for example, the composition and intensity of diesel motor emissions differs among the various generations of diesel engines and working environments (e.g. surface or underground mining). We illustrate how common these occupational exposures are and discuss challenges in estimating their global prevalence and their contribution to the burden of occupational cancer. Estimates of the number and proportion of workers exposed in most countries and on a global scale are generally scarce. A remarkable exception is based on the proactive bottom‐up estimates generated within the European Network for Silica. Actions to reduce exposures and research to fill gaps in knowledge adapted to local settings are warranted to mitigate the occupational cancer burden, especially in under‐researched settings including low‐ and middle‐income countries.
Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica, diesel engine exhaust emissions and welding fumes are widespread risk factors for lung cancer and account for approximately half of the occupational lung cancer burden. If employers succeed in controlling workplace exposures to these process‐generated substances, the fraction of lung cancers attributable to occupational exposures could be reduced dramatically.
There are reports of unsafe occupational handling and use of pesticide in recently intensifying commercial farming systems in Ethiopia. Very few studies reported the effect of occupational pesticide ...exposure on smaller airway respiratory parameters of farm workers from low and middle-income counties. A cross-sectional spirometry survey was carried out on randomly selected 387 subjects with an objective of investigating whether occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with a reduction in values of smaller airway respiratory parameters. 206 occupationally exposed (142 male pesticide applicators and 64 female re-entry workers) selected from commercial farms and 180 occupationally un-exposed male and female individuals involved in the survey. After controlling for potential confounders, pesticide exposure in male study subjects was associated with reduced respiratory parameters of Forced Expired Flow at 25% of vital capacity (FEF25%) (l/s) β=−0.69 (95% CI −1.11_−0.27) and Forced Expired Flow at 75% of vital capacity (FEF75%) (l/s) β=−0.49 (95% CI −0.78_−0.20. Also a reduction in respiratory parameters of Forced Expired Flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50%) β=−0.52 (95% CI −0.95_−0.09) was seen among exposed female subjects. The study indicated occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with a reduction of respiratory parameters of smaller airways in both male and female farm workers. Further longitudinal studies on respiratory parameters are warranted in Ethiopian farm workers.
•Cross-sectional analysis of 288 smallholder farmers in Uganda.•Exposure-intensity scores for 14 active ingredients generated using questionnaire-based exposure algorithm.•Assessment of 14 ...neurobehavioral outcome variables across five cognitive domains.•Bayesian Model-Averaging examining multiple pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes.•Positive association between glyphosate exposure and visual memory in farmers in Uganda.
Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to single pesticide active ingredients or chemical groups is associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in farmers. In agriculture, exposure to multiple pesticide active ingredients is the rule, rather than exception. Therefore, occupational studies on neurobehavioral effects of pesticides should account for potential co-exposure confounding.
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 288 Ugandan smallholder farmers between September and December 2017. We collected data on self-reported use of pesticide products during the 12 months prior to survey and estimated yearly exposure-intensity scores for 14 pesticide active ingredients using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We administered 11 neurobehavioral tests to assess five neurobehavioral domains. We implemented a Bayesian Model-Averaging (BMA) approach to examine the association between exposure to multiple pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes, while accounting for multiple testing. We applied two levels of inference to determine (1) which neurobehavioral outcomes were associated with overall pesticide exposure (marginal inclusion probability (MIP) for covariate-only models <0.5) and (2) which specific pesticide active ingredients were associated with these outcomes (MIP for models where active ingredient was included >0.5).
Seventy-two percent of farmers reported use of pesticide products that contained at least one of 14 active ingredients, while the applicators used in median three different active ingredients (interquartile range (IQR) 4) in the 12 months prior to the study. The most widely used active ingredients were glyphosate (79%), cypermethrin (60%), and mancozeb (55%). We found that overall pesticide exposure was associated with impaired visual memory (Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT)), language (semantic verbal fluency test), perceptual-motor function (Finger tapping test), and complex attention problems (Trail making A test and digit symbol test). However, when we looked at the associations for individual active ingredients, we only observed a positive association between glyphosate exposure and impaired visual memory (-0.103 95% Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI) -0.24, 0 units in BVRT scores per interquartile range (IQR) increase in annual exposure to glyphosate, relative to a median IQR of 6 3 units in BVRT across the entire study population).
We found that overall pesticide exposure was associated with several neurobehavioral outcome variables. However, when we examined individual pesticide active ingredients, we observed predominantly null associations, except for a positive association between glyphosate exposure and impaired visual memory. Additional epidemiologic studies are needed to evaluate glyphosate’s neurotoxicity, while accounting for co-pollutant confounding.
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•Cross-sectional analysis of 253 Ugandan smallholder farmers in a low-income context.•Increased risk of sleep problems among farmers exposed to pesticides.•Female farmers at higher ...risk for sleep problems after recent pesticide exposure.•Use of mancozeb and glyphosate leads to increased risk of sleep problems.
Poorly educated smallholder farmers in low-income countries are highly exposed to pesticides. This can result in adverse mental health issues, of which sleep problems might be an underlying indicator. We aim to examine the association between sleep problems and pesticide exposure among smallholder farmers in Uganda.
A cross-sectional survey with 253 smallholder farmers was conducted between October and December 2019. Sleep problems were assessed during the week before the visit using the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS). Exposure to pesticides was assessed as application days of any pesticide and as use of 2,4-D, glyphosate, mancozeb, organophosphates & carbamates, pyrethroids and other pesticides during the week and year prior to the visit. Associations were assessed using adjusted multivariable logistic regression models.
Increased odds ratio (OR) for the sleep problem index 6-items (OR 95% Confidence Interval 1.99 1.04; 3.84 and 3.21 1.33; 7.82), sleep inadequacy (1.94 1.04; 3.66 and 2.49 1.05–6.22) and snoring (3.17 1.12; 9.41 and 4.07 1.04; 15.14) were observed for farmers who respectively applied pesticides up to two days and three or more days in the past week compared to farmers who did not apply during the past week. Gender-stratified analyses showed a higher OR for female applicators (4.27 1.76–11.16) than for male applicators (1.82 0.91–3.79) for the association between the sleep problem index 6-items and pesticide use in the week before the visit. Increased ORs were also observed for the association between the sleep problem index 6-item and mancozeb exposure during the past year 2.28 1.12–4.71 and past week 2.51 0.86–7.55 and glyphosate exposure during the past week 3.75 1.24–11.8 compared to non-applicators.
Our findings suggest an increased risk of sleep problems among smallholder farmers in a pesticide-exposure-dependent way in a low-income context. Further gender-stratified, longitudinal investigations are warranted to confirm these findings.
Small airways obstruction (SAO) has been associated with occupational exposures. Whether exposure to harmful occupational agents impacts the survival of people with SAO is unknown. Our aim was to ...estimate the mortality risk associated with occupational exposures among people with SAO. We used data from UK Biobank participants with SAO, defined as a ratio of forced expiratory volume in three seconds to forced expiratory volume in six seconds (FEV.sub.3 /FEV.sub.6) below the lower limit of normal. We assigned lifetime occupational exposures to participants with available occupational histories using the ALOHA+ Job Exposure Matrix. Mortality data were provided by the National Death Registries. We used Cox regression to assess the association of all-cause mortality with lifetime occupational exposures (vapours, gases, dusts, fumes-VGDF; solvents; pesticides; metals), adjusting for potential confounders. The 13,942 participants with SAO had a mean age of 56±7 years, 59% were females and 94.2% were of White ancestry. Overall, there were 457 deaths over a median follow-up of 12.8 years. A greater mortality risk was associated with exposure to VGDF, with hazard ratios of 1.32 (95%CI: 1.04-1.78) for low levels and 1.41 (95%CI: 1.11-1.78) for moderate levels of cumulative exposure. There was no evidence of association for the other occupational exposures. Lifetime occupational exposure to VGDF in people with SAO may have a detrimental effect on their survival. Future respiratory health surveillance programmes of people exposed to VGDF should consider assessment for SAO and focus on primary prevention through adequate exposure control.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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A preliminary job-exposure matrix (JEM) for radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) was created based on self-reported occupational information from a multi-country ...population-based study of approximately 10,000 participants combined with available measurement data compiled in a source-exposure matrix (spot measurements). In order to address the limited personal occupational RF-EMF measurement data available in the literature, we performed a measurement campaign among workers in various occupations in Spain and France.
Personal full-shift measurements were conducted using RadMan 2XT™ (Narda) devices. A worker diary was used to capture information on occupational and background sources of RF exposure during the shift. Inclusion of occupations to be measured was initially based on exposure prevalence and level information in the preliminary JEM and expert judgment.
Personal full-shift measurements were conducted among 333 workers representing 46 ISCO88 occupations. Exposure to electric (E) and magnetic (H) fields was infrequent with >99% of measurements below the detection limit of the device (≥1% of the 1998 ICNIRP standards). A total of 50.2% and 77.2% of workers were ever exposed to E and H fields respectively (having at least one recorded 1-second measurement above the detection limit). Workers in elementary occupations, technicians and associate professionals, plant and machine operators and assemblers had somewhat greater numbers of measurements above the detection limit, higher maximum values and longer exposure durations. A small proportion of measurements were ≥100% of the standards, though these exceedances were brief (generally a few seconds in duration). Female workers and workers reporting use of any RF-EMF emitting source were more likely to have a measured exposure to E and H fields.
We conducted personal RF-EMF measurements among workers in various occupations in Spain and France. Overall, RF-EMF exposure ≥1 % ICNIRP was infrequent, despite some intermittent exposures ≥100% observed among workers in some occupations.
•Above median mobile phone call-time was associated with less sleep disturbance.•Above 90th percentile mobile phone call time was associated with insomnia.•Adjustment for network suggests association ...with insomnia was not due to RF-EMF.•Other potential explanations may be related to behavior and psychological factors.
Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure (RF-EMF) from mobile phone use on sleep quality has mainly been investigated in cross-sectional studies. The few previous prospective cohort studies found no or inconsistent associations, but had limited statistical power and short follow-up. In this large prospective cohort study, our aim was to estimate the effect of RF-EMF from mobile phone use on different sleep outcomes.
The study included Swedish (n = 21,049) and Finnish (n = 3120) participants enrolled in the Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS) with information about operator-recorded mobile phone use at baseline and sleep outcomes both at baseline and at the 4-year follow-up. Sleep disturbance, sleep adequacy, daytime somnolence, sleep latency, and insomnia were assessed using the Medical Outcome Study (MOS) sleep questionnaire.
Operator-recorded mobile phone use at baseline was not associated with most of the sleep outcomes. For insomnia, an odds ratio (OR) of 1.24, 95% CI 1.03–1.51 was observed in the highest decile of mobile phone call-time (>258 min/week). With weights assigned to call-time to account for the lower RF-EMF exposure from Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS, 3G) than from Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM, 2G) the OR was 1.09 (95% CI 0.89–1.33) in the highest call-time decile.
Insomnia was slightly more common among mobile phone users in the highest call-time category, but adjustment for the considerably lower RF-EMF exposure from the UMTS than the GSM network suggests that this association is likely due to other factors associated with mobile phone use than RF-EMF. No association was observed for other sleep outcomes. In conclusion, findings from this study do not support the hypothesis that RF-EMF from mobile phone use has long-term effects on sleep quality.
•COSMOS is a multi-national prospective cohort study of mobile phone use and health.•Earlier epidemiologic studies are limited by recall bias or crude exposure assessment.•COSMOS includes over 250000 ...participants, a large proportion are long-term users.•We found no evidence of increased risk of glioma, meningioma or acoustic neuroma.•Suggests that amount of mobile phone use is not associated with brain tumour risk.
Each new generation of mobile phone technology has triggered discussions about potential carcinogenicity from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Available evidence has been insufficient to conclude about long-term and heavy mobile phone use, limited by differential recall and selection bias, or crude exposure assessment. The Cohort Study on Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS) was specifically designed to overcome these shortcomings.
We recruited participants in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK 2007–2012. The baseline questionnaire assessed lifetime history of mobile phone use. Participants were followed through population-based cancer registers to identify glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma cases during follow-up. Non-differential exposure misclassification was reduced by adjusting estimates of mobile phone call-time through regression calibration methods based on self-reported data and objective operator-recorded information at baseline. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma in relation to lifetime history of mobile phone use were estimated with Cox regression models with attained age as the underlying time-scale, adjusted for country, sex, educational level, and marital status.
264,574 participants accrued 1,836,479 person-years. During a median follow-up of 7.12 years, 149 glioma, 89 meningioma, and 29 incident cases of acoustic neuroma were diagnosed. The adjusted HR per 100 regression-calibrated cumulative hours of mobile phone call-time was 1.00 (95 % CI 0.98–1.02) for glioma, 1.01 (95 % CI 0.96–1.06) for meningioma, and 1.02 (95 % CI 0.99–1.06) for acoustic neuroma. For glioma, the HR for ≥ 1908 regression-calibrated cumulative hours (90th percentile cut-point) was 1.07 (95 % CI 0.62–1.86). Over 15 years of mobile phone use was not associated with an increased tumour risk; for glioma the HR was 0.97 (95 % CI 0.62–1.52).
Our findings suggest that the cumulative amount of mobile phone use is not associated with the risk of developing glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma.
There is some evidence to suggest an association between ambient air pollution and development of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the small number of studies published to date has reported ...inconsistent findings.
To assess the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution constituents and the development of PD.
Air pollution exposures (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10 μm PM10, <2.5 μm PM2.5, between 2.5 μm and 10 μm PMcoarse, black carbon, and nitrogen oxides NO2 and NOx) were predicted based on land-use regression models developed within the “European Study for Air Pollution Effects” (ESCAPE) study, for a Dutch PD case-control study. A total of 1290 subjects (436 cases and 854 controls). were included and 16 years of exposure were estimated (average participant starting age: 53). Exposures were categorized and conditional logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association between ambient air pollution and PD.
Overall, no significant, positive relationship between ambient air pollutants and PD was observed. The odds ratio (OR) for PD associated with an increase from the first quartile of NO2 (<22.8 μg/m3) and the fourth (>30.4 μg/m3) was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.41). For PM2.5 where the contrast in exposure was more limited, the OR associated with an increase from the first quartile PM2.5 (<21.2 μg/m3) to the fourth (>22.3 μg/m3) was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.01). In a subset of the population with long-term residential stability (n = 632), an increased risk of PD was observed (e.g. OR for Q4 vs Q1 NO2:1.37, 95% CI: 0.71, 2.67).
We found no clear association between 16 years of residential exposure to ambient air pollution and the development of PD in The Netherlands.
•The role of air pollution in Parkinson's disease (PD) is poorly understood.•We examined 16 years of air pollution and PD in a case-control study of 1290 people.•No positive relationship between air pollution in the 16 years and PD was observed.
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