Association between physical hazardous agent exposure and mental health in the Korean working population: the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey

Youth at work: Exploring the relationship between social status, a history of child labour, and health

BACKGROUND

Despite positive post-pandemic changes, youth are still employed in work environments and conditions that threaten their health.

AIM

To evaluate individual, family, and work-related factors associated with physical and mental health, and the relationship between health, social status, and child labour among young apprentices.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The study involved 417 young workers between December 2023 and April 2024. Data were gathered using the Social Status Index Form, Brief Symptom Inventory, physical examinations, and analyzed through IPWRA, hierarchical regression, and decision tree analysis.

RESULTS

Being male, having five or more siblings, and having a father with low education were significant predictors of a history of child labour. After adjusting for objective social status, key risk factors for young workers' physical health included being female, having poor mental health, having a lowly educated mother, and working long hours. Approximately one-quarter of the variability in young workers' mental health could be attributed to factors related to low family status, such as the mother's employment, a history of child labor, having a sibling not in formal education, low subjective social status, working in the service sector, and being in an inappropriate working environment.

CONCLUSION

Low family social status, a history of child labor, and unsafe working conditions emerge as key shared predictors of both physical and mental health risks. In line with the decent work goal, macro-level policies aimed at improving social status and regulating working conditions are essential to supporting youth in the workforce.

Exploring the Chemical Space of the Exposome: How Far Have We Gone?

Around two-thirds of chronic human disease can not be explained by genetics alone. The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health estimates that 16% of global premature deaths are linked to pollution. Additionally, it is now thought that humankind has surpassed the safe planetary operating space for introducing human-made chemicals into the Earth System. Direct and indirect exposure to a myriad of chemicals, known and unknown, poses a significant threat to biodiversity and human health, from vaccine efficacy to the rise of antimicrobial resistance as well as autoimmune diseases and mental health disorders. The exposome chemical space remains largely uncharted due to the sheer number of possible chemical structures, estimated at over 1060 unique forms. Conventional methods have cataloged only a fraction of the exposome, overlooking transformation products and often yielding uncertain results. In this Perspective, we have reviewed the latest efforts in mapping the exposome chemical space and its subspaces. We also provide our view on how the integration of data-driven approaches might be able to bridge the identified gaps.

Exploring the relationship between adverse working environments and poor psychological states of Chinese workers: A comprehensive study

BACKGROUND

Employee mental health is linked with job satisfaction and productivity. However, there is a notable lack of empirical evidence regarding the adverse effects of Hazardous Work Environments (HWE) on employee mental health, indicating a significant gap in occupational health research.

METHODS

Data from the China Family Panel Studies involving 9972 participants were utilized. Mental health was assessed using the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale at baseline and the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale at follow-up. Associations between HWE exposure and mental health were explored cross-sectionally at baseline plus mediation analyses for the influence of sleep duration. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the longitudinal implications of HWE exposure.

FINDINGS

Participants exposed to HWE showed a higher risk of having serious psychological distress (OR (95%CI): 1.47 (1.29-1.69)) cross-sectionally at baseline, and this risk rose with increased number of HWE elements (1.30 (1.11-1.52) and 2.18 (1.75-2.72) for 1-2 and ≥ 3 elements, respectively). Longitudinally, HWE exposure was associated with an increased risk of depression (HR (95%CI): 1.10 (1.07-1.14)). Similarly, this risk risen with increased number of HWE elements (1.08 (1.06-1.09) and 1.20 (1.05-1.38) for 1-2 and ≥ 3 elements, respectively) and longer duration of exposure (1.01 (1.00-1.01)). Short sleep duration emerged as a significant mediator between HWE exposure and psychological distress.

INTERPRETATION

This study illuminates a robust association between HWE exposure and psychological distress, especially under prolonged and multiple exposures. We advocate for rigorous mental health monitoring and interventions for workers in adverse working environments.

FUNDING

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Association between physical risk factors and sleep disturbance among workers in Korea: The 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disturbance is associated with negative effects to workers' health and productivity; hence, it is important to find which population of workers are associated with sleep disturbance. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical risk factors (vibration, noise, high, and low temperatures) and sleep disturbance in the Korean working population.

METHODS

We analyzed data on 29,213 paid workers from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey. Individual and occupational characteristics, physical risk factors exposure, and sleep disturbance were collected using self-reported questionnaires. To assess the association between physical risk factors and sleep disturbance, the chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression models were conducted. All statistical analyses were performed in sex-based subgroups.

RESULTS

We observed that all physical risk factors are associated with sleep disturbance. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) of severe exposure to vibration, noise, high and low temperature were 1.69 (CI:1.47-1.94), 2.52 (CI:2.17-2.92), 3.09 (CI:2.69-3.56), and 1.96 (CI:1.68-2.28) in male workers and 2.27 (CI:1.89-2.72), 3.52 (CI:2.92-4.24), 3.30 (CI:2.81-3.87), and 2.87 (CI:2.44-3.38) in female workers, respectively. The prevalence of sleep disturbance increased with increased exposure to physical risk factors, indicating a dose-response relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical risk factors exposure in the workplace was associated with sleep disturbance of workers, indicating a dose-response relationship. Given the impact of sleep disturbance on workers' health and efficiency, it may be important to control exposure to physical risk factors in the working environment with regards to sleep conditions.

Proposal of Combined Noise and Hand-Arm Vibration Index for Occupational Exposure: Application to a Study Case in the Olive Sector

In many production and industrial sectors, workers are exposed to noise and hand-arm vibrations (HAV). European directives have established the maximum limit values or exposure action values for noise and vibration independently. However, in many cases, workers who endure hand-arm vibration also receive high noise levels. This research suggests a procedure to aid the establishment of precautionary measures for workers with simultaneous exposure to both physical agents. This procedure defines a combined index based on the energy doses for both noise and HAV. From this combined index, the suggested methodology allows a recommended exposure time for workers with simultaneous noise and HAV exposure to be calculated. This methodology can be adapted to tackle the relative importance assigned to both agents according to the safety manager and new knowledge on combined health effects. To test this method, a measurement campaign under real working conditions was conducted with workers from the olive fruit-harvesting sector, where a variety of hand-held machinery is used. The results of the study case show that the suggested procedure can obtain reliable exposure time recommendations for simultaneous noise and HAV exposures and is therefore a useful tool for establishing prevention measures.