BackgroundThe spread of early detection and the improvement of cancer treatment have led to an increased prevalence of cancer survivors, including in the working age population. Return-to-work (RTW) of cancer survivors has become a key issue for national cancer control plans. This study aims (1) to identify the factors that have an impact on RTW of cancer survivors and to draw a risk profile supporting health professionals in the screening of those at risk for barriers of RTW and (2) to sharpen these results with input from health, social security and academic Belgian experts and to provide evidence-based recommendations that facilitate RTW of cancer survivors.MethodsA rapid review was conducted, based on the methodology elaborated by The Knowledge to Action Research Programme and researchers from the University of York, including a quality assessment of retained studies. Next, the Delphi method was used to organize a consultation with experts in order to discuss, validate and complement the results.ResultsForty-three out of 1860 studies were included. We identified nine risk factors grouped into four categories: socio-demographic, disease and treatment-related, work-related, and personal and subjective factors. Experts suggested dividing them into two even groups: factors which are modifiable and those which are not. The awareness of health professionals regarding the identified factors, a better assessment of work capacities, clarity on the rights and obligations of employers and workers alike, and the setup of a positive discrimination employment policy for cancer survivors were acknowledged as factors facilitating RTW of cancer survivors.ConclusionsThe awareness of health professionals regarding barriers of RTW may improve the early identification of cancer survivors at risk for prolonged time to RTW and may allow early supportive intervention. Social and employment policies should be better tailored to support both employers and cancer survivors in the RTW process, providing incentives to positively discriminate cancer survivors on prolonged sick leave.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13643-016-0210-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Tools improvement associated with adequate training seem to be the basis of accident prevention. Availability of suitable medical care should improve artisanal miners' recovery after accidents.

Objective: While artisanal mining takes place in casual framework and with total ignorance of good practices, few studies have focused on the origin of hazards specific to each workplace constitutive of this exploitation facility. Nevertheless, this study is a condition of an efficient occupational health and safety control in this sector. Materials and Method: We took the effort to identify different workplaces, as well as hazards specific to each of them, through the observation and analysis of the tasks, tools and the processes related to their use applied in the Ruashi artisanal mine. Results: The investigated exploitation facility consists of five workplaces: diggers (60% -in charge of mineralized gangue recovery); crushers; washers; hand-made furnace workers (in charge of various treatment processes); and loaders (in charge of packing the obtained material). Beside the risks common to these various workplaces and ensuing notably from the lack of hygiene and working in bad positions, operating in underground galleries, in particular, exposes diggers to the risks connected with collapsing parts of the mine, suffocation, dehydration or fine particles in the breathed air. Crushers are especially exposed to traumatism risks, notably ocular, and loaders are exposed to risks related to handling heavy loads. These risks are connected with the mining processes because, in spite of the similarity of tools, they appear less often in other forms of artisanal exploitation described in literature. It is notable in the case of crushing in sawed gas bottles where ocular trauma risk is decreased. It was also shown that humidification of work surface reduces dust particles emission into the air. Conclusions: Hazards identification, through a tools and processes description, has the advantage of providing information on reducing the occurrence of these risks. It shows that this reduction is not necessarily a consequence of the activity mechanization degree.

The so-called 'Melatonin Hypothesis' proposed that decreased nocturnal production of melatonin (MLT) might explain the increased risk of breast cancer that has been formerly attributed to extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) of weak intensity. Although the risk of ELF MF upon breast cancer was later dismissed, repeated reports were published of partial inhibition of MLT secretion in rats under long-term (≥ 4 weeks) exposure to weak ELF MF. Since 2004, however, this topic has not been experimentally studied any more. In the present study, we propose to go back to the MLT hypothesis and apply it to childhood leukemia, for which an increased risk has been robustly associated with residential exposure to ELF MF. Contrary to the original hypothesis, however, we do not consider decreased MLT levels, but disruption of circadian rhythmicity per se as the effector mechanism. Indeed, the role of the circadian timing system in the development of childhood leukemia has been well established. Motivation for going back to the MLT hypothesis comes from recent data that suggest magnetosensory disruption by ELF MF in mammals, and magnetosensitivity in humans, together with current evidence for an influence on circadian rhythmicity from disruption of non-photic sensory stimuli of various natures. We thus suggest further study on circadian rhythmicity in humans (children if possible) under long-term exposure to weak ELF MF.

It has been suggested that weak 50/60 Hz [extremely low frequency (ELF)] magnetic fields (MF) could affect circadian biorhythms by disrupting the clock function of cryptochromes (the "cryptochrome hypothesis," currently under study). That hypothesis is based on the premise that weak (Earth strength) static magnetic fields affect the redox balance of cryptochromes, thus possibly their signaling state as well. An appropriate method for testing this postulate could be real time or short-term study of the circadian clock function of retinal cryptochromes under exposure to the static field intensities that elicit the largest redox changes (maximal "low field" and "high field" effects, respectively) compared to zero field. Positive results might encourage further study of the cryptochrome hypothesis itself. However, they would indicate the need for performing a similar study, this time comparing the effects of only slight intensity changes (low field range) in order to explore the possible role of the proximity of metal structures and furniture as a confounder under the cryptochrome hypothesis.

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RESUMEUne étude descriptive et analytique sur l'alimentation en eau de boisson a été réalisée sur une population de 110 puits dans la commune d'Abomey-Calavi au Bénin qui sont respectivement sélectionnés par tirage aléatoire simple dans l'ensemble des 55898 ménages de la commune. L'objectif de ce travail est d'évaluer le niveau de pollution des eaux de puits consommées par la population de la Commune et son lien avec la santé. La pollution physico-chimique et microbiologique des puits dans cette commune, ville semiurbaine de 307.745 habitants, a été étudiée. Les puits présentent une forte pollution en nitrites, en nitrates, en aluminium, en fer total, en cadmium et en mercure qui sont respectivement de 32,73%, 11,82%,10%, 43,64%, 6,36% et14,55% d'une part et d'autre part, une pollution microbiologique (bactéries, parasites et champignons) qui rendent l'eau impropre à la consommation. L'origine des pollutions peut être attribuée à diverses causes: défaut d'assainissement et de collecte des ordures ménagères, transfert de polluants à partir des couches superficielles, conditions de puisage et structure des installations. À terme, l'utilisation des puits pourrait constituer un risque sanitaire important pour la majorité des habitants de la zone d'étude.

IntroductionArtisanal gold mining is an activity ensuring the survival of about 700,000 families in Burkina Faso with a considerable contribution to the national economy. Techniques and chemicals used in the operation, have adverse impacts on health and the environment. Our study aims to evaluate the perceptions and knowledge of these different impacts among artisanal gold miners.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in artisanal gold mines Bouda and Nagsene in the region of the North of Burkina Faso. Two hundred miners over 18 years of age were interviewed.ResultsAll the participants have recognized that gold mining has health impacts and 88.5% felt these impacts as important with a significantly higher proportion among those with more than 3 years' seniority (p = 0.001). The environmental impacts were perceived as important by 64.5% of miners, with a significant difference according to the position (p = 0.004). Sixty percent (60%) of respondents could identify at least 3 of the 5 health impacts of gold mining listed and 49.5% acknowledged at least 3 impacts on the environment. The diggers had significantly more knowledge about the symptoms (p < 0.001).ConclusionStudy highlights the lack of knowledge of the Stampeders on the health and environmental impacts of artisanal gold mining. Findings might be used to develop more effective awareness campaigns in the future. Communication with diggers must focus on the risk perception because it appears that raising risk perceptions from low to high would have a major effect on behavior.