BackgroundBus and truck drivers are apparently more involved in metabolic syndrome and its complications due to their working conditions. The related impacts are not only harmful for driver's health, but also may endanger others. The present research was carried out to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among bus and truck drivers in Kashan, a city in Iran.MaterialsIn 2007, 429 bus and truck male drivers were enrolled to this cross sectional study to examine the metabolic syndrome using ATPIII criteria. Statistical tests including Chi-Square test, T-student test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data.ResultsPrevalence of metabolic syndrome in subjects was 35.9%. Hypertension and diabetes were seen in 42.9% and 7% of the drivers respectively. Body mass index (BMI) in 41% of the drivers within the range of 25-30 was considered overweight and 23% of them were found to be obese. High triglyceride (53.4%) and low HDL-C levels (48.7%) were more common than other components of metabolic syndrome. A significant positive correlation was seen between BMI, diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001); but there was no positive correlation between metabolic syndrome and smoking (p < 0.06).ConclusionHigh prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other relevant risk factors for coronary heart diseases (CHD) were detected among the drivers. Based on these findings, it is recommended to consider training programs, establish pertinent health regulations, and focus on the metabolic syndrome complications in high risk group to improve and maintain their quality of life and to promote their public health.

Structural equation modeling may provide methodological opportunities in occupational health research with a potential to explain the complexity of interactions among risk factors. Prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among nurses must account for physical and psychosocial conditions.

Background Job stress and safety climate have been recognized as two crucial factors that can increase the risk of occupational accidents. This study was performed to determine the relationship between job stress and safety climate factors in the occurrence of accidents using the Bayesian network model. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 1530 male workers of Asaluyeh petrochemical company in Iran. The participants were asked to complete the questionnaires, including demographical information and accident history questionnaire, NIOSH generic job stress questionnaire, and Nordic safety climate questionnaire. Also, work experience and the accident history data were inquired from the petrochemical health unit. Finally, the relationships between the variables were investigated using the Bayesian network model. Results A high job stress condition could decrease the high safety climate from 53 to 37% and increase the accident occurrence from 72 to 94%. Moreover, a low safety climate condition could increase the accident occurrence from 72 to 93%. Also, the concurrent high job stress and low safety climate could raise the accident occurrence from 72 to 93%. Among the associations between the job stress factor and safety climate dimensions, the job stress and worker’s safety priority and risk non-acceptance (0.19) had the highest mean influence value. Conclusion The adverse effect of high job stress conditions on accident occurrence is twofold. It can directly increase the accident occurrence probability and in another way, it can indirectly increase the accident occurrence probability by causing the safety climate to go to a lower level.

Problem statement: Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is one of the most important occupational disease in worldwide. NIHL has been found to be potentiated by simultaneous Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. Exposure to noise plus CO is common in occupational and environmental settings. Free radicals have been implicated in cochlear damage resulting from exposure to noise and due to CO hypoxia This study examined whether N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) administration cause attenuation of Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) threshold shifts resulting from noise exposure and noise plus CO exposure. Approach: Forty-two rabbits were divided into seven groups including control, noise+ saline, noise+ CO +saline, noise+ NAC, noise+ CO+ NAC, CO+ NAC and NAC alone. ABR was assessed before exposure, 1 hour and 14 days post exposure. Results: The administration of 325 mg kg^-1 of NAC prior, following and post exposure to noise or noise plus CO recovered permanent ABR threshold shift at 1 and 2 kHz almost to the baseline and provided significant attenuation in permanent ABR threshold shift at 4 and 8 kHz in subjects which were exposed to noise but it did not block the potentiating of threshold elevation by CO exposure (extra threshold loss by combined exposure) at 4 and 8 kHz. Conclusion: NAC provides protective effect against hearing loss resulting from noise exposure and simultaneous exposure to noise plus CO

Incorporation of Project‐based Learning into an Occupational Health Course: Alireza DEHDASHTI, et al. Occupational Health Department, Faculty of Health, Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Iran— Objective Use of an appropriate teaching approach is a major concern for faculty members who are involved in occupational health and safety academic education. The challenge is to explore teaching tools to equip students with knowledge and skills to prepare them for their practices, in which they will encounter occupational health and safety issues in various occupational settings. The current study presents the design and implementation of a team project‐based learning approach for undergraduate occupational health students to examine the appropriateness and perceptions of students and educators with regard to such a learning experience. Methodology: Steps were taken to guide the educators and students through the learning process based on projects completed in teams. The research tools for collecting data were a questionnaire and semi‐structured interviews with participants. Results The results illustrated that use of the proposed teaching approach as part of occupational health education may have the potential to motivate and enhance the active roles of educators and students in the learning process, and improve students' technical and social skills that are crucial for practice in the occupational health field. Conclusions The study findings showed that project‐based learning may provide a promising teaching strategy in the education and training of occupational health students. In addition, academic institutions should encourage educators to plan, introduce and evaluate the effectiveness of project‐based learning.