| 1. |
- Sjöström, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
A job-exposure matrix for occupational noise : development and validation.
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Annals of Occupational Hygiene. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0003-4878 .- 1475-3162. ; 57:6, s. 774-83
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To develop a job-exposure matrix (JEM) for occupational noise in Sweden and to estimate its validity.METHODS: The JEM, developed by a group of experienced occupational hygienists, contains 321 job families with information regarding occupational noise from 1970 to 2004. The occupational noise information derives from measurements collected from different sources. The time period label has a 5-year scale starting in 1970. The estimated average 8h (TWA) noise level in decibel [dB(A)] for every 5-year period was coded either as <75 dB(A), 75-84 dB(A), or ≥85 dB(A) and the risk of peak level exposure assessed. The validity of the JEM is tested, using Svensson's non-parametric methods based on classification consensus, reached by a second group of occupational hygienists.RESULTS/DISCUSSION: Validation results show ~ 80% agreement and no systematic differences, in classification, between the two different groups of occupational hygienists, classifying the occupational noise exposure. However, classification of peak level exposure did show a systematic difference in relative position. The results will give more power to the JEM that it gives a good general estimate for the occupational noise levels in Sweden for different job families during 1970-2004. We, thus, intend to use it in further studies and also make it available to collaborators.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Barkstedt, Vanda, et al.
(författare)
-
Sophämtares fysiska och psykosociala arbetsbelastning
- 2016
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Arbetet som sophämtare inkluderar manuell hantering som hämtning och hantering av hushållsavfall i kärl och säckar. Det finns tidigare studier som visat att arbetet kan vara tungt med en hög helkroppsbelastning. Tungt arbete förknippas ofta med besvär i rörelseorganen. Psykologiska påfrestningar i arbetet kan också bidra till besvärsuppkomst.Biltrafikens arbetsgivarförbund och Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet tog gemensamt initiativ till det här projektet ”Sophämtarnas arbetsmiljö - allas ansvar”. Projektet har utförts av Transportfackens Yrkes- och Arbetsmiljönämnd (TYA) i samarbete med Karolinska Institutet (KI) och Centrum för belastningsskadeforskning (CBF) vid Högskolan i Gävle. I den här delen av projektet var syftet att kartlägga branschens förekomst av arbetsrelaterade besvär och undersöka den fysiska och psykosociala arbetsbelastningen hos sophämtare vid arbete med insamling av hushållsavfall.Samtliga Sveriges sophämtare som arbetar med insamling av hushållsavfall, knappt 2000, erbjöds att fylla i ett omfattande frågeformulär avseende arbete och hälsa. Sextiosex procent svarade. Inom projektetet genomfördes också heldagsmätningar av puls och arbetsställningar för rygg och armar på 56 sophämtare som arbetade med baklastande sopbil. På 12 sophämtare som arbetade med sidlastande sopbil genomfördes dessutom mätningar av muskelbelastning i skulder- och underarmsmuskulatur under en hel arbetsdag. I samband med heldagsmätningarna observerades sophämtarnas arbete av en observatör från en efterföljande bil, eller via en personburen videokamera. För att få fram ytterligare information om belastning på skuldror, rygg och knän genomfördes även biomekaniska fältexperiment där sophämtare fick utföra typiska arbetssituationer samtidigt som förekommande skjut- och drag-krafter registrerades.Enligt enkätundersökningen ansåg 17 procent av sophämtarna att deras fysiska arbetsförmåga var låg, vilket är samma procentandel som tidigare har registrerats hos flygplanslastare, men något bättre än vad man brukar se bland män med kort utbildningstid.Det var vanligare med kroppsliga besvär bland sophämtare än generellt i befolkningen. Andelen med besvär för olika kroppsdelar som skuldror (60 procent), ländrygg (62 procent), nacke (49 procent), händer/handleder (44 procent), motsvarade situationen för flygplanslastare; det fanns dock en skillnad för knän, där 52 procent av sophämtarna hade besvär mot 44 procent av flyglastarna.Sophämtarnas psykosociala arbetsbelastning liknade i stort den hos flygplanslastare, och motsvarar generellt förhållandena i den arbetande befolkningen. I genomsnitt rapporterar sophämtarna även samma upplevda stöd ifrån ledningen som andra yrkesgrupper, men sophämtare på arbetsställen med särskilt lågt stöd ifrån ledningen rapporterade fler olyckstillfällen, hade högre förekomst av kroppsliga besvär och lägre arbetsförmåga än sophämtare på arbetsställen med högt stöd. Mycket talande var att många fler, 27 procent skattade låg psykisk arbetsförmåga av dem på arbetsställen med generellt lågt upplevt stöd från ledningen jämfört med 8 procent av dem på arbetsställen med högt stöd.Det var vanligare med olycksfallstillbud bland de som angav ett ständigt högt arbetstempo, vilka återfanns både bland de som svarade att de, 64 procent av sophämtarna, som fick och bland de som inte fick gå hem tidigare om de var klara med dagens uppgifter.Fyrtiofyra procent av sophämtarna svarade att de en eller flera gånger hade råkat ut för olycksfall som lett till sjukskrivning. Halkolyckor var klart vanligast. Bland de som rapporterade ett ständigt högt arbetstempo var det vanligare med olyckor.De 41 kvinnor som ingick i enkätstudien rapporterade generellt högre upplevd fysisk och psykosocial belastning, samt sämre hälsa och arbetsförmåga än sina manliga kollegor.Heldagsmätningarna visade att baklastarnas genomsnittliga arbetstid utanför depån var drygt 6½ timma, varav 43 procent utgjordes av bilkörning. Pulsmätningarna visade, liksom enkäterna, att hämtning från flerbostadhus var mera belastande än hämtning i villaområden och på landsbygden. Pulsen var stundtals hög, men i genomsnitt var den för de flesta sophämtare acceptabel enligt internationella rekommendationer.De biomekaniska analyserna visade att krafterna vid dragning av sopkärl ibland var höga, speciellt på snöunderlag, men de föreföll inte att innebära några tydliga risker för ländryggen enligt amerikanska rekommendationer för acceptabla nivåer. Det finns dock forskning som indikerar att upprepad exponering för höga dragkrafter kan innebära risk för skulderbesvär. Att hoppa eller att gå framlänges ned från styrhytt var förknippat med knäbesvär, och kan enligt de biomekaniska analyserna även ge höga ländryggsbelastningar.Mot bakgrund av dessa resultat kan några rekommendationer/frågeställningar i syfte att förbättra arbetsmiljön vara följande:Kan man öka stödet från ledningen? Ledarskaps- och arbetsmiljöutbildning för första linjens chefer? Strategi vid chefsrekrytering?Kan man påverka sophämtarna att inte arbeta i ett ”onödigt” högt tempo, om det egentligen inte är bråttom?Kan man se till att det finns tid (eller om det redan finns tid, att få sophämtarna att använda denna tid) att arbeta i ett rimligt tempo, och kanske hjälpas åt vid hantering av mycket tunga kärl?Kan man få alla att ta sig ner från hytten på "rätt sätt"? Kan man i större utsträckning använda sopbilar med låga insteg?
|
|
| 4. |
- Cedstrand, Emma, et al.
(författare)
-
A Participatory Intervention to Improve the Psychosocial Work Environment and Mental Health in Human Service Organisations. A Mixed Methods Evaluation Study
- 2021
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 18:7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Work-related stress is a global problem causing suffering and economic costs. In Sweden, employees in human service occupations are overrepresented among persons on sick leave due to mental health problems such as stress-related disorders. The psychosocial work environment is one contributing factor for this problem, making it urgent to identify effective methods to decrease stress at the workplace. The aim of the study is to evaluate a participatory intervention to improve the psychosocial work environment and mental health using an embedded mixed methods design. The study is a controlled trial with a parallel process evaluation exploring fidelity and participants' reactions to the intervention activities, experiences of learning and changes in behaviours and work routines. We collected data through documentation, interviews and three waves of questionnaires. Our results show small changes in behaviours and work routines and no positive effects of the intervention on the psychosocial work environment nor health outcomes. One explanation is end-users' perceived lack of involvement over the process causing the intervention to be seen as a burden. Another explanation is that the intervention activities were perceived targeting the wrong organisational level. A representative participation over both content and process can be an effective strategy to change psychosocial working conditions and mental health.
|
|
| 5. |
- Cedstrand, Emma, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of a co-created occupational health intervention on stress and psychosocial working conditions within the construction industry : a controlled trial
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Frontiers In Public Health. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2565. ; 10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Work-related stress problems, i.e., burnout, depression, and anxiety, is a rising global health challenge. Poor mental health also appears to be a challenge for the construction industry, even though the occupational health focus has traditionally been on the physical work environment and musculoskeletal disorders. Yet, studies targeting the organisational level (i.e., work environment, policy) to enhance mental health within the construction industry are scant. Therefore, our first objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a co-created occupational health intervention on stress and psychosocial working conditions within the construction industry in Sweden. The second objective was to evaluate whether the intervention was implemented as intended, i.e., implementation fidelity. The trial is registered in the ISRCTN clinical trial registry (ISRCTN16548039, ). Methods This is a controlled trial with one intervention and one matched control group. We co-created the program logic with stakeholders from the intervention group. The essence of the chosen intervention components, duties clarification, and structured roundmaking was enhanced planning and role clarification. We assessed adherence to the intervention and dose delivered (i.e., fidelity). We collected data on the outcomes (role clarity, team effectiveness, planning, staffing, quantitative demands, and the psychosocial safety climate) with online questionnaires at baseline, 12, and 24 months. Marginal means models adjusting for missing data patterns were applied to estimate potential differences in outcomes between groups over time. Results Fidelity was considered reasonably high. Yet, we found no intervention effects on the primary outcome stress. All outcomes, except role clarity deteriorated during the trial in the intervention and control group. However, the results indicate a positive effect of the intervention components on professionals' role clarity. The pandemic appears to have negatively affected stress and psychosocial working conditions. Conclusion The study's results suggest that co-creating occupational health interventions could be one solution for improved implementation fidelity. More studies are needed to evaluate these intervention components. Also, we recommend researchers of future intervention studies consider using missing not at random, sensitivity analysis.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Ilar, Anna, et al.
(författare)
-
Myocardial infarction and occupational exposure to motor exhaust : a population-based case-control study in Sweden
- 2014
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Epidemiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0393-2990 .- 1573-7284. ; 29:7, s. 517-525
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a well-established association between particulate urban air pollution and cardiovascular disease, but few studies have investigated the risk associated with occupational exposure to particles from motor exhaust. This study investigated the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) after occupational exposure to motor exhaust, using elemental carbon (EC) as a marker of exposure. A population-based case-control study of first-time non-lethal MI was conducted among Swedish citizens in ages 45-70 living in Stockholm County 1992-1994, including 1,643 cases and 2,235 controls. Working histories and data on potential confounders were collected by questionnaire and medical examination. The exposure to EC was assessed through a job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression. We investigated various exposure metrics: intensity, cumulative exposure and years since exposure. There was an exposure-response relation between the highest average exposure intensity during the work history and the risk of MI when adjusting for smoking and alcohol drinking (p for trend 0.034), with an OR of 1.30 (95 % CI 0.99-1.71) in the highest tertile of exposure compared to the unexposed. An exposure-response pattern was observed in the analysis of years since exposure cessation among formerly exposed. Additional adjustments for markers of the metabolic syndrome reduced ORs and trends to non-significant levels, although this might be an over-adjustment since the metabolic syndrome may be part of the causal pathway. Occupational exposure to motor exhaust was associated with a moderately increased risk of MI.
|
|
| 8. |
- Jonsson, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
-
Exploring multidimensional operationalizations of precarious employment in swedish register data – a typological approach and a summative score approach
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - : Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 47:2, s. 117-126
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives This study aimed to explore multidimensional operationalizations of precarious employment (PE) in Swedish register data using two approaches: (i) a typological approach and (ii) a dimensional, summative scale approach. It also examined the distribution of sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of precarious employees in Sweden. Method Register data was retrieved on individuals and their employers in the Swedish workforce. Five items corresponding to three dimensions of PE were operationalized: contractual relationship insecurity, contractual temporariness, multiple jobs/sectors, income level, and lack of unionization. First, latent class analysis was applied and a typology of six employment types emerged. Second, a summative scale was constructed by scor-ing all PE-items. Results Three types of PE were found using the typological approach, which were characterized by direct employment, solo self-employment and multiple job holding, respectively. The summative scale score ranged between-10 and +2 (average:-1.8). Particularly poor scores were seen for solo self-employed, multiple job hold-ers/multiple sectors, and low income. Female gender, young age, low education and foreign origin were prone to precariousness. PE was more frequent among certain economic sectors and occupations. Conclusions Using an existing register of labor market data, two operationalizations of PE were constructed and rendered promising for exposure assessment. Hence, the operationalizations could be of interest for countries with similar data structure. Both approaches highlighted precarious combinations of employment conditions and pointed towards the existence of a wide continuum of precariousness on the labor market. Etiological studies and research assessing trends over time are needed to validate these findings.
|
|
| 9. |
- Jonsson, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
-
Low-quality employment trajectories and risk of common mental disorders, substance use disorders and suicide attempt : a longitudinal study of the Swedish workforce
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - : Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 47:7, s. 509-520
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective High-quality longitudinal evidence exploring the mental health risk associated with low-quality employment trajectories is scarce. We therefore aimed to investigate the risk of being diagnosed with common mental disorders, substance use disorders, or suicide attempt according to low-quality employment trajectories.Methods A longitudinal register-study based on the working population of Sweden (N=2 743 764). Employment trajectories (2005–2009) characterized by employment quality and pattern (constancy, fluctuation, mobility) were created. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models for first incidence (2010–2017) diagnosis of common mental disorders, substance use disorders and suicide attempt as dependent on employment trajectories.Results We identified 21 employment trajectories, 10 of which were low quality (21%). With the exception of constant solo self-employment, there was an increased risk of common mental disorders (HR 1.07–1.62) and substance use disorders (HR 1.05–2.19) for all low-quality trajectories. Constant solo self-employment increased the risk for substance use disorders among women, while it reduced the risk of both disorders for men. Half of the low-quality trajectories were associated with a risk increase of suicide attempt (HR 1.08–1.76).Conclusions Low-quality employment trajectories represent risk factors for mental disorders and suicide attempt in Sweden, and there might be differential effects according to sex – especially in terms of self-employment. Policies ensuring and maintaining high-quality employment characteristics over time are imperative. Similar prospective studies are needed, also in other contexts, which cover the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the mechanisms linking employment trajectories with mental health.
|
|
| 10. |
- Leijon, Ola, et al.
(författare)
-
Target groups for prevention of neck/shoulder and low back disorders : An explanatory cluster analysis of working and living conditions
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation. - 1051-9815. ; 27, s. 189-204
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have a multifactorial etiology. Therefore, a holistic approach to identifying target groups for primary/secondary prevention is essential. In this study, an exploratory person-oriented approach was applied, using cluster analysis of variables related to physical and psychosocial work conditions, and conditions in the private sphere, on a data set of 1,341 Swedish women and men who had not sought care for MSDs the 6 months preceding enrollment in the study. Three groups at risk and five “healthy” groups regarding MSDs were identified. Two of the risk groups had a strained situation regarding psychosocial work conditions or domestic/family conditions, respectively. The majority of individuals in these groups were women. The third risk group had a strained situation regarding both physical and psychosocial work conditions. This group consisted largely of men working in male-dominated jobs. The five healthy groups had low/moderate metabolic demands at work, and all of them having high proportions of subjects with moderate to high education, and fairly even distributions of men and women. In conclusion, the results indicate that gender-specific working and living conditions are associated with an increased risk for MSDs. The identification of these subgroups in the population may facilitate a selective prevention approach.
|
|
