RESUMO
Given disproportionate burden of physical inactivity among US Hispanics and emerging interests in the potential role of the built environment on physical activity, we tested the hypothesis that residing in a more walkable block group is associated with increased physical activity in a cohort of Mexican-American adults. 10,183 Mexican-American adults from Houston, TX, USA were studied. Physical activity was assessed through self-report. Geographical information systems were used to create a "walkability index" (WI). We examined the relationship between WI and physical activity using regression models. Findings for the entire study population suggested a direct association between neighborhood walkability and physical activity that approached statistical significance (High WI vs. Low WI: OR = 1.16; 95% CI 0.95-1.40). Furthermore, participants who lived in a higher WI neighborhood were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines in 2 groups: (1) men whose recreational physical activity included walking (High WI vs. Low WI: OR = 5.43; 95% CI 1.30-22.73) and (2) men whose only recreational physical activity was (High WI vs. Low WI: OR = 9.54; 95% CI 1.84-49.60). Our findings suggest gender differences in the association between the built environment and physical activity in Mexican-American adults. Attempts to encourage walking among Mexican-American adults may be easier in high-walkability neighborhoods than in low-walkability neighborhoods.
Assuntos
Planejamento Ambiental , Americanos Mexicanos , Atividade Motora , Características de Residência , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Sistemas de Informação Geográfica , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , TexasRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Low levels of safety climate and training have been associated with higher occurrence of occupational-related health outcomes; workplace violence and verbal abuse could be considered an early indicator of escalating psychological workplace violence. We examined whether low level of safety factors were associated with a higher prevalence of verbal abuse at the workplace. METHODS: We used data from a cross-sectional survey administered among a stratified random sample of 1,000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using survey logistic regression models to estimate the association between safety factors and verbal abuse from the following sources: administrators, supervisors, patients, patients' relatives and coworkers. RESULTS: There was a high prevalence of verbal abuse among the healthcare workforce from both external (i.e., patients and patients' relatives) and internal workplace sources (i.e., coworkers, supervisors and administrators). A low level of safety climate was associated with verbal abuse from all sources with associations ranging from verbal abuse from administrators (OR=6.07; 95%CI: 2.05-17.92) to verbal abuse from patients (OR=2.24; 95%CI: 1.23-4.09). CONCLUSION: These results highlight the need to address organizational characteristics of the workplace that may increase the risk of verbal abuse for the future development of prevention interventions in this setting.
Assuntos
Hospitais Públicos , Relações Interprofissionais , Gestão da Segurança/normas , Comportamento Verbal , Violência/estatística & dados numéricos , Local de Trabalho/psicologia , Pessoal Administrativo/educação , Pessoal Administrativo/normas , Adulto , Costa Rica/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Capacitação em Serviço/normas , Capacitação em Serviço/estatística & dados numéricos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Ocupações/estatística & dados numéricos , Cultura Organizacional , Relações Profissional-Paciente , Psicometria , Gestão da Segurança/métodos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Análise e Desempenho de Tarefas , Violência/psicologia , Recursos HumanosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: We collected sample data on radon concentrations concurrently in the air, water, and soil in the northern part of the Texas-Mexico border (both sides) popularly known as Paso Del Norte. METHODS: These field data were used to statistically correlate relative contributions of yard soil, tap water, location, and house features to concentrations of radon indoors. RESULTS: Indoor air radon concentrations in some homes were up to nine-fold the limit recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Concentrations of radon in tap water were up to nearly three-fold the recommended limit. Apartments and manufactured homes had generally greater concentrations of indoor radon. Statistically significant associations were indicated between indoor radon air levels and radon in the soil (P < 0.001); radon in the water and radium in water (P = 0.016); radon air levels and apartment living (P = 0.010); and mobile homes vs. wood, brick, and stucco construction (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Radon soil gas, apartment living, and the aluminum plank wall environment of mobile homes were associated with elevated indoor radon in the homes studied. Physician's attention is invited to the potential nontrivial risk from radon, as it becomes trapped inside enclosed structures. This article is intended to serve as a resource for primary care physicians who want to better understand the distribution and contributing factors for indoor radon. The Surgeon General recommends every US home be tested for radon as of January 13, 2005.
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/análise , Análise por Conglomerados , Sistemas de Informação Geográfica , Humanos , México , Monitoramento de Radiação , Características de Residência , Poluentes Radioativos do Solo/análise , Texas , Contaminação Radioativa da Água/análiseRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: This study estimated the prevalence of chronic back pain among migrant farmworker family members and identified associated work and non-work variables. METHODS: Migrant farmworkers (n = 390 from 267 families) from Starr County, Texas were interviewed in their home once a year for 2 years. The original survey included items measuring demographics, smoking, sleep, farm work, and chronic back pain. For this cross-sectional analysis, multi-level logistic regression was used to identify associated work and other variables associated with chronic back pain while accounting for intraclass correlations due to repeated measures and multiple family members. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic back pain during the last migration season ranged from 9.5% among the youngest children to 33.3% among mothers. Variables significantly associated with chronic back pain were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.03, per year increase), depressive symptoms while migrating (OR, 8.72), fewer than 8 hours of sleep at home in Starr County (OR, 2.26), fairly bad/very bad quality of sleep while migrating (OR, 3.25), sorting crops at work (OR, 0.18), and working tree crops (OR, 11.72). CONCLUSION: The role of work exposures, depressive symptoms, and sleep in chronic back pain among farmworkers warrants further examination. Refinements in outcome and exposure assessments are also needed given the lack of a standardized case definition and the variety of tasks and crops involved in farm work in the United States.
Assuntos
Doenças dos Trabalhadores Agrícolas/epidemiologia , Doenças dos Trabalhadores Agrícolas/etiologia , Dor nas Costas/epidemiologia , Dor nas Costas/etiologia , Migrantes/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Doença Crônica , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , México/etnologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Privação do Sono/epidemiologia , Fumar/epidemiologia , Texas/epidemiologia , Trabalho , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Injury-related statistics in developing countries are rare. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between occupational and safety-related risk factors and absences from work during the preceding 6 months due to work-related injury among public hospital employees in Costa Rica. METHODS: Data were used from a cross-sectional survey conducted in December 2000 among a stratified random sample of 1000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, occupational exposures, and organizational risk factors. A dichotomous variable was created to indicate work-injury absence. At-risk employees (n = 466) were classified as having had a work-injury absence if they reported having been absent for at least 1 day in the preceding 6 months because of a work-related injury. OR and 95% CI were calculated using unconditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: There is a greater likelihood of injury-related absence in non-professional occupational positions (ie, auxiliary personnel (OR = 2.29) and general services employees (OR = 5.55)) than in professional positions, and in employees who show poor compliance with safety practices (OR = 2.03) and have high interference from their job task (OR = 3.79) compared with their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Work-injury absence appears not only to be a function of work injury, but also a function of occupation and degree of compliance with safety practices.
Assuntos
Absenteísmo , Acidentes de Trabalho/estatística & dados numéricos , Recursos Humanos em Hospital/estatística & dados numéricos , Gestão da Segurança/organização & administração , Acidentes de Trabalho/prevenção & controle , Adulto , Costa Rica , Estudos Transversais , Emprego , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Saúde Ocupacional , Fatores de Risco , Gestão da Segurança/economiaRESUMO
To develop a worker safety training program for its public hospital system, the Costa Rican Social Security System entered into a collaborative agreement with the University of Texas School of Public Health. A national survey to assess safety in the public hospitals revealed high rates of injury and under-reporting of injuries, as well a lack of worker safety training. A program developed based on the results of the survey was implemented using a training-of-trainers model. The program created opportunities for human resource development in occupational health in the hospital system, allowed for the sustainability of the training effort, and reduced dependency on external funding. Over 3700 workers were trained in its first three years, and 57 trainers were established in local hospitals and clinics.