OBJECTIVES: This study aims to present an overview of the formal recognition of COVID-19 as occupational disease (OD) or injury (OI) across Europe. METHODS: A COVID-19 questionnaire was designed by a task group within COST-funded OMEGA-NET and sent to occupational health experts of 37 countries in WHO European region, with a last update in April 2022. RESULTS: The questionnaire was filled out by experts from 35 countries. There are large differences between national systems regarding the recognition of OD and OI: 40% of countries have a list system, 57% a mixed system and one country an open system. In most countries, COVID-19 can be recognised as an OD (57%). In four countries, COVID-19 can be recognised as OI (11%) and in seven countries as either OD or OI (20%). In two countries, there is no recognition possible to date. Thirty-two countries (91%) recognise COVID-19 as OD/OI among healthcare workers. Working in certain jobs is considered proof of occupational exposure in 25 countries, contact with a colleague with confirmed infection in 19 countries, and contact with clients with confirmed infection in 21 countries. In most countries (57%), a positive PCR test is considered proof of disease. The three most common compensation benefits for COVID-19 as OI/OD are disability pension, treatment and rehabilitation. Long COVID is included in 26 countries. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 can be recognised as OD or OI in 94% of the European countries completing this survey, across different social security and embedded occupational health systems.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemoci z povolání * epidemiologie terapie MeSH
- postakutní syndrom COVID-19 MeSH
- pracovní expozice * škodlivé účinky MeSH
- zaměstnání MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa MeSH
The risk of psychological disorders influencing the health of workers increases in accordance with growing requirements on employees across various professions. This study aimed to compare approaches to the burnout syndrome in European countries. A questionnaire focusing on stress-related occupational diseases was distributed to national experts of 28 European Union countries. A total of 23 countries responded. In 9 countries (Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden) burnout syndrome may be acknowledged as an occupational disease. Latvia has burnout syndrome explicitly included on the List of ODs. Compensation for burnout syndrome has been awarded in Denmark, France, Latvia, Portugal and Sweden. Only in 39% of the countries a possibility to acknowledge burnout syndrome as an occupational disease exists, with most of compensated cases only occurring in recent years. New systems to collect data on suspected cases have been developed reflecting the growing recognition of the impact of the psychosocial work environment. In agreement with the EU legislation, all EU countries in the study have an action plan to prevent stress at the workplace.
Carbon monoxide (CO) reversibly binds to hemoglobin forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). CO competes with O(2) for binding place in hemoglobin leading to tissue hypoxia. Already 30 % saturation of COHb can be deadly. Medical oxygen at atmospheric pressure as a therapy is not enough effective. Therefore hyperbaric oxygen O(2) inhalation is recommended. There was a question if partially ionized oxygen can be a better treatment at atmospheric pressure. In present study we evaluated effect of partially ionized oxygen produced by device Oxygen Ion 3000 by Dr. Engler in elimination of COHb in vitro experiments and in smokers. Diluted blood with different content of CO was purged with 5 l/min of either medicinal oxygen O(2), negatively ionized O(2) or positively ionized O(2) for 15 min, then the COHb content was checked. In vivo study, 15 smokers inhaled of either medicinal oxygen O(2) or negatively ionized O(2), than we compared CO levels in expired air before and after inhalation. In both studies we found the highest elimination of CO when we used negatively ionized O(2). These results confirmed the benefit of short inhalation of negatively ionized O(2), in frame of Ionized Oxygen Therapy (I O(2)Th/Engler) which could be used in smokers for decreasing of COHb in blood.
- MeSH
- ionty terapeutické užití MeSH
- kyslík chemie terapeutické užití MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- otrava oxidem uhelnatým terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis ranks among the common occupational health problems. However, data on the incidence of occupational rhinitis are lacking, since comprehensive studies are rare. METHODS: The study includes a group of patients in the Slovak Republic who were reported as having occupational rhinitis in the years 1990-2011. The following parameters were tracked in the investigated sample: age, gender, number of cases by individual years, occupations, causative factors and the length of exposure to the given agent. Possible progression of rhinitis to bronchial asthma was evaluated as well. The diagnostic algorithm was also analysed retrospectively, which included skin tests, the examination of specific IgE antibodies and nasal provocation tests. RESULTS: A total of 70 cases of occupational rhinitis were reported. The disease most often occurred in food industry workers (50% of cases). The most common aetiological factor was flour. Among other relatively common allergens were synthetic textile, wool, cotton and different types of moulds. Significant agents were also different chemical factors causing allergic and irritant rhinitis. The average length of exposure was 14.8 years. Exposure was shorter in men than in women (11 years vs. 16 years) (p = 0.04). Bronchial asthma as a comorbidity was diagnosed in 13 patients (19.7%). The critical diagnostic method on the basis of which the causal association between rhinitis and work environments was confirmed in 59% of cases was skin test; confirmation of the occupational cause using nasal provocation test was less frequent (18%). CONCLUSION: Food industry, textile industry and agriculture were the most risky occupational environments. Workers in these sectors require preventive intervention. In case of showing rhinitis symptoms it is necessary to confirm the occupational aetiology of the disease by the objective diagnostic methods. Since occupational rhinitis mostly precedes the occupational asthma, the elimination from the workplace is necessary.
- MeSH
- alergická rýma epidemiologie etiologie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemoci z povolání diagnóza epidemiologie etiologie MeSH
- pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky MeSH
- retrospektivní studie MeSH
- rýma diagnóza epidemiologie etiologie MeSH
- sexuální faktory MeSH
- věkové faktory MeSH
- zaměstnání * MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
- MeSH
- bronchiální astma MeSH
- hlášení nemocí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemoci z povolání epidemiologie MeSH
- pracovní expozice MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- průmysl MeSH
- rýma MeSH
- statistika jako téma MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
- MeSH
- bronchiální astma * klasifikace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- spirometrie * MeSH
- usilovný výdechový objem * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
Úvod: Pneumokoniózy, akútne alebo chronické, vznikajú v dôsledku inhalácie a retencie minerálneho prachu v pľúcach s rozvojom tkanivových zmien a následnou poruchou mikroarchitektoniky pľúc (tzv. kolagénne pneumokoniózy) alebo bez poruchy mikroarchitektoniky (tzv. nekolagénne pneumokoniózy). Etiopatogenéza: Rozvoj silikózy závisí od kvalitatívnych a kvantitatívnych vlastností prašného aerosólu a individuálnej vnímavosti podmienenej vrodenými a získanými dispozíciami pracovníka. Diagnostika: Diagnóza pneumokonióz je založená na anamnéze pracovnej i environmentálnej expozície a prítomnosti korešpondujúcich klinických a rentgenologických nálezov, doplnených o pomocné vyšetrenia obligatórne a fakultatívne. Terapia: Vzhľadom na ireverzibilitu a progredujúci charakter ochorenia si liečba vyžaduje komplexný prístup vrátane prevencie a liečby pridružených ochorení.
Background: Pneumoconioses, acute or chronic, arise from the inhalation and retention of mineral dust in the lung tissues with the development and subsequent failure of lung microarchitectonics (known as collagenous pneumoconioses) or without failure of lung microarchitectonics (so-called noncollagenous pneumoconioses). Etiopathogenesis: The development of silicosis depends on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of dust aerosol particulates and on individual susceptibility according to congenital and acquired dispositions of workers. Diagnosis: The diagnosis of pneumoconiosis is based on history of occupational and environmental exposure and on the presence of corresponding clinical and radiological findings, supplemented by obligatory and facultative medical examinations. Treatment: Due to the irreversible and progressive nature of the disease, treatment requires a comprehensive approach including prevention and treatment of comorbidities.
Souborný referát se věnuje rozdílům v oboru pracovní lékařství a přináší přehled v pracovněprávní problematice v České a Slovenské republice. Autoři článku si nedávají za cíl hodnotit, který systém je lepší, ale úkolem bylo přiblížit čtenářům hlavní odlišnosti v obou systémech, v ideálním případě nabrat inspiraci při neustále probíhajících změnách koncepce oboru pracovní lékařství.
This review paper deals with differences in the field of Occupational Medicine in the Czech and Slovak Republic and presents a review of occupational legal problems in the field. The authors do not aim to evaluate which system is better but the goal was to make clear main differences in both systems and inspire the readers in the context of ongoing changes in the concept of the field of Occupational Medicine.
- Klíčová slova
- srovnání pracovního lékařství ve Slovenské a České republice, srovnání seznamů nemocí z povolání, vývoj nemocí z povolání, finanční dopady profesionálních onemocnění, rozdělení Československa, posudková kritéria, ztížení společenského uplatnění, odškodnění za bolest, legislativa nemocí z povolání,
- MeSH
- ambulantní péče ekonomika organizace a řízení využití MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemoci z povolání ekonomika klasifikace MeSH
- odškodnění pracovníků MeSH
- pacienti zákonodárství a právo MeSH
- posudkové řízení ve zdravotní péči metody normy zákonodárství a právo MeSH
- pracovní lékařství ekonomika klasifikace organizace a řízení MeSH
- služby zdravotní péče o pracující ekonomika organizace a řízení využití MeSH
- statistika jako téma MeSH
- vládní organizace zákonodárství a právo MeSH
- zákonodárství jako téma MeSH
- závodní lékaři ekonomika organizace a řízení zákonodárství a právo MeSH
- zdravotní pojištění ekonomika zákonodárství a právo MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Československo MeSH
- Slovenská republika MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
