Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study
Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade,
Lucky Evbuomwan
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
63-77
Received:
8 July 2019
Accepted:
30 July 2019
Published:
10 September 2019
Abstract: Healthcare workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces that pose threats to their health and safety, however, exposure depends on the job category and their work environment. In the healthcare facilities, occupational safety and health hazards can be grouped according to location or service offered. Contaminated laundry, noise, heat, lifting, sharps, slips, trips, falls and fire hazards are among those located in the laundry department. In industrial laundries, chemical exposure, injuries from sharps left in linen, slips from wet floors, and exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen are among the most common accidents. The purpose of the study was to provide information on the exposure of hospital laundry workers to previously identified workplace hazards, in order that appropriate interventions to minimize occupational risks due to workers exposures to hazards in the healthcare laundries would be established. Furthermore, it also provides information on the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers. The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional study design, conducted in hospitals with a laundry department in Benin, Nigeria. A survey was conducted as semi-structured questionnaires were issued to the study participants to obtain data on their exposure to different workplace hazards as well as on work-related injuries and diseases. Also, body mapping exercise was conducted to obtain workers’ health information resulting from exposures to ergonomic hazards. All the respondents handled clean linen but only 74% handled dirty linen, while 62% handled soiled linen. In addition, respondents reported that they were exposed to sharps (62%), ergonomic (40%), illumination (2%), noise (28%), electrical (50%), heat (38%) and chemical (68%) hazards in the workplace. The common workplace injuries or illnesses reported were sharps injury (20%), musculoskeletal pain (92%), hearing disorder (4%), burns (8%), electric shocks (6%), slips, trips, or falls (28%) and cuts or bruises (18%). The most common musculoskeletal complaints were that of the lower back (74%), shoulders (42%), upper back (34%), and knee (34%). Various types of hazards were identified in all the health facilities. Hospital laundry workers in both secondary and tertiary health facilities alike suffered from various adverse health and safety conditions due to exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace. It is recommended that laundry workers be frequently educated on the occupational health and safety risks associated with their job.
Abstract: Healthcare workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces that pose threats to their health and safety, however, exposure depends on the job category and their work environment. In the healthcare facilities, occupational safety and health hazards can be grouped according to location or service offered. Contaminated laundry, noise, heat,...
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Application of Qualitative Information System in Assessing Household Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Behaviors in Rural Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Comparative Study
Tahera Akter,
Mahmudur Rahman,
Mahfuzar Rahman
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
78-86
Received:
27 January 2019
Accepted:
6 September 2019
Published:
24 September 2019
Abstract: Ensuring the condition of water, and sanitation facilities is the early step to behavior change. However, mere provision of facilities does not ensure the desired behavioral change, thus health benefits. To improve health of the rural poor, the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) has been working in rural sub-districts since 2006. The main objective of the present study is to assess the status and quality of hygiene practice of some WASH indicators by the application of qualitative information system (QIS). This was a cross-sectional comparative study between intervention and comparison areas. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select study samples, where each sub-district was considered as a cluster. Total 880 households were selected randomly from 22 upazilas for data collection. Thirty-six interviewers grouped into twelve were trained intensively on data collection tools and techniques. Both observed (spot check) and self-reported data were collected using structured questionnaire to assess the status and quality of WASH practices. The scaling principles of qualitative information system (QIS) were applied to analyze data on WASH behaviors. The uniqueness of QIS method is that WASH practices are monitored and measured by collecting quantitative information on qualitative aspects. More households in intervention areas than comparison areas scored above benchmark in using arsenic free and protected drinking water source (69%. vs. 53%). There was no significant difference between the areas in terms of installing latrine within 12 steps of tubewell. Higher proportion of households in intervention areas had clean and two-pit latrines than comparison areas (61% vs. 34%). Drinking water was collected and stored safely from the safe source by 65% households in intervention areas higher than the comparison areas (65% vs. 52%). Unhygienic sanitation practices (e.g., open defecation, latrine without ring-slab, water seal) were found higher among the households in comparison areas than intervention areas (56% vs. 22%). More households in intervention than comparison areas reached at above benchmark in maintaining hygiene. However concern over unhygienic sanitation behaviors and relative distance between latrine and tubewell is required for enabling environment thus public health.
Abstract: Ensuring the condition of water, and sanitation facilities is the early step to behavior change. However, mere provision of facilities does not ensure the desired behavioral change, thus health benefits. To improve health of the rural poor, the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) has been wo...
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Regulation of TGF-β1-Mediated Wnt/β-catenin Pathways Plays an Important Role in EMT-like Transformation Induced by Cadmium
Yanlin Zhang,
Jiandong Wu,
Lulu Ren,
Guning Wang,
Lihong Yuan,
Zhihui Zou
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 3, September 2019
Pages:
87-94
Received:
18 November 2018
Accepted:
13 December 2018
Published:
11 October 2019
Abstract: Backgrounds Some studies have reported that different dosage of cadmium (Cd) had a biphasic effect on cells viability, Cd at a dose of more than 20 μM can induce excessive apoptosis which past studies were mainly concentrated on while there has been few reports on a relatively lower dose of Cd causing abnormal proliferation. Kidney is the most sensitive target organ of Cd, however, the mechanism how Cd at a relatively lower dose affects the proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) is not yet clear at present. Objectives To explore the toxic effect of Cd at a relatively lower dose on RTEC and study the mechanism how the TGF-β1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathways involved in EMT-like transformation induced by Cadmium. Methods The RTEC were isolated by mixed collagenase digestion methods and the effect of Cd at different dose on cell viability was detected by MTT assay. The effect of Cd at Hormesis zone dose on the expression of c-myc, cyclinD1, α-SMA, TGF-β1, Wnt and β-catenin were determined by qRT-PCR. Results When exposed for 24h-72h, Cd at a dose of 2.5 μM had maximum proliferation promoting effect. Cd at Hormesis zone dose could up-regulate the expression of cell cycle and proliferation key regulators c-myc and cyclinD1 in an obvious time-dependent manner. Cd at Hormesis zone dose could significantly promote α-SMA, TGF-β1, Wnt and β-catenin mRNA expression. Conclusions Cd at Hormesis zone dose could induce RTEC significant abnormal proliferation and EMT-like transformation. The activation of TGF-β1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathways might play a key role in EMT-like transformation induced by Cd at Hormesis zone dose.
Abstract: Backgrounds Some studies have reported that different dosage of cadmium (Cd) had a biphasic effect on cells viability, Cd at a dose of more than 20 μM can induce excessive apoptosis which past studies were mainly concentrated on while there has been few reports on a relatively lower dose of Cd causing abnormal proliferation. Kidney is the most sens...
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