成年人睡眠状况与糖尿病患病关系的研究

目的 探讨成年人睡眠状况与糖尿病患病关系。方法 利用“中国慢性病前瞻性研究”苏州市项目点53 260名30~79岁常住居民基线调查数据,通过多因素logistic回归模型分析睡眠状况与糖尿病患病关系。结果 调查人群糖尿病患病率为5.3%,入睡困难、容易早醒和经常打鼾的比例分别为7.2%、10.0%和29.5%,22.6%的调查对象报告睡眠时间≤6 h。经多因素模型调整后,入睡困难（男性：OR=1.63,95%CI：1.30~2.05;女性：OR=1.48,95%CI：1.27~1.73）、容易早醒（男性：OR=1.37,95%CI：1.12~1.68;女性：OR=1.31,95%CI：1.14~1.51）和经常打鼾（男性：OR=1.16,95%CI：1.00~1.34;女性：OR=1.39,95%CI：1.23~1.57）均与糖尿病罹患风险存在关联。女性服用助眠药物与糖尿病的患病相关（OR=1.42,95%CI：1.06~1.92）。与睡眠时间8 h相比,睡眠时间不足（≤6 h）与男女性糖尿病患病均存在统计学关联,OR值分别为1.37（95%CI：1.17~1.60）和1.24（95%CI：1.08~1.41）,睡眠时间过长（≥9 h）与糖尿病未见统计学关联。结论 睡眠问题（入睡困难、容易早醒、药物助眠、经常打鼾和睡眠时间不足）与糖尿病患病风险密切相关,睡眠时间过长与糖尿病患病未见统计学关联。     

2015年我国35岁及以上高血压患者社区健康管理与高血压治疗控制情况分析

目的 了解2015年我国≥ 35岁高血压患者的社区健康管理及高血压治疗控制情况并探索其影响因素。方法 利用2015年中国成人慢性病与营养监测项目收集的问卷调查及体格测量等信息,以乡镇卫生院（社区卫生服务中心）或以上级别医疗卫生机构医生诊断为高血压的≥ 35岁的患者为研究对象,对样本进行复杂加权后,分析其一般特征、高血压社区健康管理情况及高血压治疗控制情况。结果 共纳入高血压患者23 974名,经复杂加权后,我国≥ 35岁高血压患者的社区健康管理率为54.10%（95%CI：51.02%~57.17%）,社区规范管理率为45.72%（95%CI：42.93%~48.51%）;高血压治疗率为88.16%（95%CI：87.00%~89.31%）,控制率为22.67%（95%CI：21.25%~24.09%）,治疗控制率为27.76%（95%CI：26.09%~29.42%）。多因素分析结果显示,城市和农村年龄≥ 65岁（OR=1.40,95%CI：1.05~1.87;OR=3.11,95%CI：2.22~4.36）、按医嘱服药（OR=2.15,95%CI：1.46~3.15;OR=1.35,95%CI：1.13~1.62）、进行血压监测（OR=2.34,95%CI：1.88~2.90;OR=3.10,95%CI：2.72~3.53）的高血压患者更愿意接受高血压社区健康管理;文化程度大专及以上（OR=0.51,95%CI：0.39~0.66）、适量饮酒（OR=0.69,95%CI：0.57~0.84）或过量饮酒（OR=0.73,95%CI：0.58~0.92）的城市高血压患者接受社区高血压管理的情况不佳。城市和农村超重（OR=0.74,95%CI：0.61~0.91;OR=0.83,95%CI：0.71~0.98）、肥胖（OR=0.54,95%CI：0.45~0.65;OR=0.67,95%CI：0.54~0.83）的高血压患者血压控制情况较差,按医嘱服药（OR=4.58,95%CI：3.16~6.63;OR=2.84,95%CI：2.18~3.69）的高血压患者的血压控制状况较好。地处中部（OR=0.74,95%CI：0.61~0.89）、过量饮酒（OR=0.72,95%CI：0.54~0.97）的城市高血压患者血压控制情况较差,合并其他慢性疾病（OR=1.22,95%CI：1.04~1.44）、参加高血压社区规范管理（OR=1.29,95%CI：1.06~1.58）的城市高血压患者血压控制情况较好;地处中、西部地区（OR=0.71,95%CI：0.58~0.87;OR=0.62,95%CI：0.47~0.80）、适量饮酒（OR=0.81,95%CI：0.67~0.98）、人均每日食盐摄入量>6 g （OR=0.80,95%CI：0.69~0.93）的农村高血压患者血压控制情况较差,进行血压监测（OR=1.38,95%CI：1.18~1.61）的农村高血压患者血压控制情况较好。结论 我国≥ 35岁高血压患者社区健康管理情况较之前有所改善,但是高血压控制情况距离相关政策指标还有一定差距。     

天津市中老年社区居民性活跃现状及相关因素分析

目的 了解天津市中老年社区居民性活跃现状及其相关因素。方法 2020年6月至2022年12月，通过多阶段抽样方法，对天津市≥50岁中老年社区居民开展横断面调查。样本量估计数为735名。通过调查员面对面收集问卷，包括社会人口学特征、健康特征以及性生活方式有关特征等相关信息。采用多因素logistic回归模型分析性活跃状态的相关因素。结果 共纳入776名研究对象（男性和女性分别为510名和266名），年龄以50~59岁（45.9%）为主。总体性活跃率为45.6%。年龄更大（60~69岁：aOR=0.67，95%CI：0.45~0.99；≥70岁：aOR=0.12，95%CI：0.07~0.21）、男性（aOR=1.93，95%CI：1.32~2.82）、城镇居民（aOR=0.18，95%CI：0.12~0.28）、同居/已婚（aOR=2.80，95%CI：1.41~5.58）、独居（aOR=0.51，95%CI：0.27~0.96）、爬楼或行走困难（aOR=0.55，95%CI：0.31~0.97）、现患慢性病（1种：aOR=0.55，95%CI：0.36~0.85；≥2种：aOR=0.53，95%CI：0.33~0.84）与性活跃状态有关。结论 相当比例的中老年社区居民仍然保持性活跃。身体健康状况与中老年社区居民的性活跃状态存在关联。应将性健康服务纳入中老年社区居民卫生保健服务范围，加强社区卫生服务人员的性健康相关服务意识和技能。     

安徽省成年居民慢性肾病患病流行现状及相关因素研究

目的 利用2018年安徽省中国成人慢性病与营养监测数据,比较不同特征成年居民慢性肾病（CKD）患病率,并分析其相关因素。方法 采用多阶段分层整群随机抽样方法,选取≥18岁居民进行询问调查、身体测量和实验室检测。使用复杂加权方法估算不同特征居民的CKD患病率,CKD患病及其相关因素的多因素分析采用复杂抽样数据logistic回归模型。结果 共纳入7 181人,成年居民CKD患病率为11.06%,女性CKD患病率（12.49%）高于男性（9.59%）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。居民CKD进展的中、高和极高风险程度比例分别为8.66%、2.02%和0.38%。多因素分析结果显示,年龄（OR=1.03,95%CI：1.00~1.05）和BMI（OR=1.05,95%CI：1.01~1.09）增加、女性（OR=1.38,95%CI：1.22~1.55）、高血压（OR=2.50,95%CI：1.76~3.56）、糖尿病（OR=2.28,95%CI：1.51~3.43）、血脂异常（OR=1.26,95%CI：1.11~1.43）和高尿酸血症（OR=2.16,95%CI：1.68~2.78）均为CKD的危险因素。结论 安徽省成年居民CKD患病率较高,CKD与年龄、性别、BMI、高血压、糖尿病、血脂异常和高尿酸血症相关,应当注重相关危险因素的管控,包括超重/肥胖、高血压、糖尿病、血脂异常和高尿酸血症,预防CKD及其并发症。     

中国老年人结核病防治核心信息知晓率及影响因素分析

目的 了解中国老年人对结核病防治核心信息的知晓情况及其影响因素。方法 纳入2020年“十三五”全国结核病防治规划终期评估的知晓率专项调查中全部≥60岁老年人，获得有效调查问卷13 706份。采用多因素logistic回归分析老年人结核病防治核心信息知晓率的影响因素。结果 我国≥60岁老年人结核病防治核心信息总知晓率为78.4%，其中“肺结核的可疑症状”的知晓率最高（85.4%），“肺结核是否可以治好”的知晓率最低（65.3%），老年人结核病核心信息全部知晓率为41.3%，接受结核病健康教育比例为67.6%。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示，老年人结核病防治核心信息全部知晓率低的影响因素包括女性（OR=0.93，95%CI：0.86~1.00）；70~岁（OR=0.91，95%CI：0.84~0.98）和≥80岁（OR=0.77，95%CI：0.68~0.87）；少数民族（OR=0.85，95%CI：0.74~0.99）；全部知晓率高的影响因素包括文化程度初中（OR=1.46，95%CI：1.34~1.58）、高中（OR=1.62，95%CI：1.45~1.81）、大专（OR=1.37，95%CI：1.11~1.68）和本科及以上（OR=1.52，95%CI：1.09~2.11）；接受结核病健康教育（OR=2.13，95%CI：1.97~2.27）。结论 2020年我国≥60岁老年人对结核病防治核心信息总知晓率低于国家规划目标，应加大对女性、≥70岁、少数民族以及文化程度较低的老年人群结核病健康教育力度。     

山东省男男性行为人群HIV暴露前后预防用药情况及相关因素分析

目的 了解山东省MSM的HIV暴露前后预防（PrEP/PEP）用药情况并分析相关因素，为PrEP/PEP工作的推广提供参考依据。方法 2022年4-7月在山东省7个城市监测哨点招募MSM进行问卷调查，每个城市样本量为400人。收集MSM社会人口学、性行为、PrEP/PEP用药等信息，并采集血标本做HIV和梅毒抗体检测。结果 研究对象MSM共2 815人，以≤30岁（55.7%，1 569/2 815）、未婚（68.6%，1 931/2 815）、大专及以上文化程度（56.5%，1 590/2 815）为主。PrEP用药者占9.2%（258/2 815）；PEP用药者占10.8%（305/2 815）。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示，MSM中PrEP用药的可能性较高的相关因素包括年龄≤30岁（aOR=4.04，95%CI：1.25~13.01）、自我认知HIV感染风险较低（aOR=1.76，95%CI：1.16~2.68）、最近6个月发生群交行为（aOR=1.51，95%CI：1.10~2.09）、最近6个月发生同性商业性行为（aOR=1.69，95%CI：1.16~2.47）、使用新型毒品（aOR=1.53，95%CI：1.11~2.11）、接受同伴教育（aOR=1.56，95%CI：1.03~2.37）、知晓别人PrEP用药（aOR=3.29，95%CI：2.48~4.36）、HIV抗体阴性（aOR=8.40，95%CI：1.12~63.12）；MSM中PrEP用药的可能性较低的相关因素为主要性伴为临时性伴（aOR=0.67，95%CI：0.49~0.90）。MSM中PEP用药的可能性较高的相关因素包括年龄<50岁（≤30岁：aOR=2.41，95%CI：1.02~5.69；31~49岁：aOR=3.33，95%CI：1.42~7.85）、自我认知无HIV感染风险（aOR=1.87，95%CI：1.12~3.11）、最近6个月发生群交行为（aOR=1.68，95%CI：1.23~2.29）、使用新型毒品（aOR=3.86，95%CI：2.94~5.07）以及未接受同伴教育（aOR=1.54，95%CI：1.12~2.12）。结论 山东省MSM的PrEP/PEP用药比例较高。应加强同伴教育和自我认知HIV风险教育，提高MSM中PrEP/PEP用药的使用率。     

浙江省台州市海岛和山区中老年人群衰弱患病率与相关因素研究

目的 比较浙江省台州市海岛和山区≥45岁中老年社区人群衰弱现况及其相关因素。方法 基于横断面研究，采取分层整群抽样及配额抽样的方法。2022年7-8月在台州市沿海6个行政区和3个内陆行政区中各随机抽取1个行政区（椒江区和仙居县），作为两类地形代表地区。整群抽样纳入椒江区海岛所有≥45岁的常住人口，在仙居县山区按年龄和性别1∶1进行配额抽样，通过问卷调查和实验室检查收集其人口学特征、生活方式及健康状况相关数据，以Fried衰弱表型量表评估衰弱状况。采用分层分析和多元logistic回归分析海岛和山区研究对象衰弱的相关因素。结果 研究对象共1 011人，其中海岛和山区人群分别占48.1%（486/1 011），和51.9%（525/1 011）；男性和女性分别占45.9%（464/1 011）和54.1%（547/1 011）；45~、60~、≥75岁年龄组分别占38.6%（390/1 011）、44.6%（451/1 011）和16.8%（170/1 011）。研究对象的衰弱患病率为3.6%（36/1 011），男性和女性的衰弱率分别为3.7%（17/464）和3.5%（19/547）。45~、60~和≥75岁年龄组衰弱患病率分别为0.3%（1/390）、2.2%（10/451）、14.7%（25/170）。海岛的衰弱和衰弱前期患病率分别为6.0%（29/486）和39.1%（190/486），高于山区的1.3%（7/525）和30.9%（162/525）。调整潜在混杂因素后，海岛研究对象的衰弱患病风险显著高于山区（aOR=1.55，95%CI：1.07~2.25，P=0.019）。海岛研究对象的衰弱症状相关因素包括增龄（60~岁组：aOR=2.52，95%CI：1.56~4.13；≥75岁组：aOR=11.65，95%CI：5.38~26.70）、女性（aOR=1.94，95%CI：1.20~3.17）和抑郁（aOR=1.09，95%CI：1.02~1.17）。山区研究对象的衰老症状相关因素为增龄，但OR值低于海岛（60~岁组：aOR=1.74，95%CI：1.04~2.94；≥75岁组：aOR=4.78，95%CI：2.45~9.50）。山区研究对象的多重用药（aOR=2.08，95%CI：1.14~3.80）和抑郁（aOR=1.10，95%CI：1.02~1.18）与衰弱症状呈显著正相关；山区研究对象的文化程度与衰弱症状者显著负相关（初中：aOR=0.40，95%CI：0.21~0.75；高中/中专：aOR=0.29，95%CI：0.15~0.53；大专及以上：aOR=0.22，95%CI：0.11~0.42）。结论 台州市海岛中老年人群衰弱患病率显著高于山区，海岛和山区的衰弱相关因素存在差异。海岛≥75岁高龄老年人和女性的衰弱患病风险较高，增龄和抑郁是衰弱的独立危险因素。需关注海岛的健康危险因素及环境特殊性，采取综合干预措施，延缓衰弱进程，提高中老年人群生命质量。     

中国成年人糖尿病前期发病状况及其影响因素研究

目的 了解我国成年人糖尿病前期的发病状况及其影响因素。方法 基于2010年中国慢性病及其危险因素监测调查数据,从中抽取10省份,再从每省份中选择2个监测点作为随访点,于2016-2017年进行随访调查。采用非条件logistic回归模型分析糖尿病前期的影响因素。结果 本研究纳入5 578人,随访期间糖耐量受损（IGT）发生612人（男性268人,女性344人）,总计随访37 364.82人年,IGT发病率为16.4/1 000人年;空腹血糖受损（IFG）发生290人（男性128人,女性162人）,总计随访39 731.31人年,IFG发病率为7.3/1 000人年。多因素非条件logistic回归模型纳入年龄、城乡、糖尿病家族史、BMI、中心性肥胖、血脂异常、高血压以及身体活动水平,结果显示,年龄≥50岁（OR=1.60,95%CI： 1.32~1.95）、城市居民（OR=1.41,95%CI： 1.16~1.71）、肥胖（OR=1.56,95%CI： 1.12~2.19）、血脂异常（OR=1.52,95%CI： 1.25~1.83）、高血压（OR=1.32,95%CI： 1.07~1.61）以及身体活动不足（OR=1.25,95%CI： 1.04~1.50）是IGT发病的危险因素;年龄≥50岁（OR=1.31,95%CI： 1.01~1.70）、糖尿病家族史（OR=1.71,95%CI： 1.13~2.60）、超重（OR=1.41,95%CI： 1.04~1.92）、肥胖（OR=2.09,95%CI： 1.38~3.17）以及高血压（OR=1.53,95%CI： 1.18~2.00）是IFG发病的危险因素。结论 相比IFG,IGT发病率较高。年龄≥50岁者、超重/肥胖人群、高血压患者、血脂异常者、身体活动不足者以及有糖尿病家族史者易发生糖尿病前期。     

吉林省居民中心性肥胖及其前期流行特征的影响因素分析

目的 了解吉林省居民中心性肥胖及其前期的流行特征的影响因素,为制定相关预防与控制策略及措施提供参考依据。方法 本研究以2017-2018年吉林省心血管病高危人群早期筛查与综合干预项目为基础,纳入吉林省6个项目点35~75岁常住居民11 903人为研究对象,进行体格检查、实验室检测和问卷调查。采用χ²检验、趋势χ²检验、F检验计算不同特征人群和健康指标的中心性肥胖及其前期情况,其影响因素采用多因素logistic回归模型分析。结果 吉林省居民中心性肥胖率为33.35%（3 970/11 903）,标化率为31.73%,中心性肥胖前期率为28.79%（3 427/11 903）,标化率为28.86%。多因素分析结果显示,农村居民（OR=1.99,95%CI：1.78~2.23）、女性（OR=1.76,95%CI：1.57~1.97）、65~75岁组（OR=1.21,95%CI：1.03~1.45）、高中/中专文化程度（OR=1.38,95%CI：1.17~1.63）、家庭年收入>10万元（OR=1.65,95%CI：1.20~2.26）、超重（OR=9.27,95%CI：8.26~10.41）、肥胖（OR=82.82,95%CI：62.63~109.52）、正常高值血压（OR=1.49,95%CI：1.27~1.74）、高血压（OR=1.70,95%CI：1.42~2.04）、糖尿病（OR=2.30,95%CI：1.94~2.73）、血脂异常（OR=1.33,95%CI：1.18~1.50）与中心性肥胖及其前期发生风险呈正相关。结论 吉林省居民中心性肥胖及其前期率均处于较高水平,农村居民、女性、年龄大、高中/中专文化程度、高收入、超重、肥胖、正常高值血压、高血压、糖尿病、血脂异常是吉林省居民中心性肥胖及其前期的危险因素。     

吸烟和糖尿病对脑卒中联合效应的研究

目的 探讨吸烟和糖尿病与脑卒中的关系,分析两者对脑卒中的交互作用。方法 采用病例对照研究方法,通过调查问卷收集脑卒中患者及对照者的研究信息。以2013年徐州市慢性病危险因素调查发现的918例脑卒中患者作为病例组,同期参加慢性病危险因素调查相同例数的健康者作为对照组。采用非条件logistic回归模型分析吸烟和糖尿病与脑卒中的关系,通过Bootstrap法计算相对超额危险度比（RERI）、归因比（AP）和交互作用指数（S）以评价吸烟和糖尿病对脑卒中的相加交互作用。结果 吸烟与脑卒中有关联（OR=1.63,95%CI：1.33~2.00）;糖尿病与脑卒中也有关联（OR=2.75,95%CI：2.03~3.73）;吸烟和糖尿病同时存在时,与脑卒中关联增大（OR=8.94,95%CI：3.77~21.19）。吸烟和糖尿病对脑卒中的相加交互作用：S=3.65（95%CI：1.68~7.94）,RERI=5.77（95%CI：0.49~11.04）,AP=0.65（95%CI：0.42~0.87）。结论 吸烟和糖尿病对脑卒中具有交互作用,两因素同时存在时,对脑卒中的危害大于单因素的作用。     

The human drama of genetics: 'hard' and 'soft' media representations of inherited breast cancer

This paper examines media coverage of 'breast cancer genetics', and explores its implications for public understanding. We present a content analysis of coverage in British newspapers and look at a variety of popular forms, including women's magazines, television soap opera and radio drama. Genetic/inherited risk receives a great deal of coverage across a wide range of media formats and outlets. Much of this attention has focused on individuals from 'high risk families' and dilemmas around prophylactic mastectomies. Through examining media coverage, combined with interviews with media personnel and their sources, we show why this story proved so attractive to the media and highlight the different production values which influence coverage. Finally, we introduce preliminary findings from focus group discussions to demonstrate how such 'human interest' framing has engaged audience attention and influenced public understandings. The paper concludes by highlighting the implications for analysing, predicting, and engaging with, media representations of science.     

Worker education in the primary prevention of occupational dermatoses

This paper reports the evaluation of a skin care education programmeconducted on a fine chemicals manufacturing site where over1,000 employees are located. Approximately 60% are involvedin chemical manufacture. Over a 12 month period production staffreceived training in prevention of occupational dermatoses linkedto a site-wide poster initiative. The incidence of new casesof occupational dermatoses fell from 0.055 (70 cases in 1,277employees) to 0.021 (27 cases in 1,277 employees) before andafter the intervention respectively (p<0.0001). After otherfactors such as chemicals handled, observer bias and changesin reporting related to socioeconomic climate were taken intoaccount it is concluded that this study demonstrates the importanceof worker education as a tool for primary prevention of disease.Training materials such as video and poster presentations maybe effectively used in the chemical manufacturing industry asan adjunct to prevention and control of exposure to substanceshazardous to the skin. Such methods may also be used in otherindustries where there are significant risks of dermatoses.     

Regional Variation in Travel-related Illness acquired in Africa,March 1997–May 2011

To understand geographic variation in travel-related illness acquired in distinct African regions, we used the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network database to analyze records for 16,893 ill travelers returning from Africa over a 14-year period. Travelers to northern Africa most commonly reported gastrointestinal illnesses and dog bites. Febrile illnesses were more common in travelers returning from sub-Saharan countries. Eleven travelers died, 9 of malaria; these deaths occurred mainly among male business travelers to sub-Saharan Africa. The profile of illness varied substantially by region: malaria predominated in travelers returning from Central and Western Africa; schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, and dengue from Eastern and Western Africa; and loaisis from Central Africa. There were few reports of vaccine-preventable infections, HIV infection, and tuberculosis. Geographic profiling of illness acquired during travel to Africa guides targeted pretravel advice, expedites diagnosis in ill returning travelers, and may influence destination choices in tourism.     

The design of hazard risk assessment matrices for ranking occupational health risks and their application in mining and minerals processing

Two hazard risk assessment matrices for the ranking of occupational health risks are described. The qualitative matrix uses qualitative measures of probability and consequence to determine risk assessment codes for hazard-disease combinations. A walk-through survey of an underground metalliferous mine and concentrator is used to demonstrate how the qualitative matrix can be applied to determine priorities for the control of occupational health hazards. The semi-quantitative matrix uses attributable risk as a quantitative measure of probability and uses qualitative measures of consequence. A practical application of this matrix is the determination of occupational health priorities using existing epidemiological studies. Calculated attributable risks from epidemiological studies of hazard-disease combinations in mining and minerals processing are used as examples. These historic response data do not reflect the risks associated with current exposures. A method using current exposure data, known exposure-response relationships and the semi-quantitative matrix is proposed for more accurate and current risk rankings.     

Psychopathological features of a patient population of targets of workplace bullying

BACKGROUND: A strong association between workplace bullying and subsequent anxiety and depression, indicated by empirical research, suggests that bullying is an aetiological factor for mental health problems. AIMS: To evaluate levels of stress and anxiety-depression disorder developed by targets of workplace bullying together with outcome at 12 months and to characterize this population in terms of psychopathology and sociodemographic features. METHODS: Forty-eight patients (36 women and 12 men) meeting Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror criteria for bullying were included in a prospective study. Evaluations were performed at first consultation and at 12 months using a standard clinical interview, a visual analogue scale of stress, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, the Beech scale of stress in the workplace and a projective test (Picture-Frustration Study). RESULTS: At first consultation, 81% of patients showed high levels of perceived stress at work and 83 and 52% presented with anxiety or depression, respectively. At 12 months, only 19% of working patients expressed a feeling of stress at work. There was a significant change in symptoms of anxiety while there was no change in symptoms of depression. Stress at work and depression influenced significatively capacity to go back to work. At 12-month assessments, workers showed a significantly better score on the HAD scale than non-workers. Over half the targets presented a neuroticism-related predominant personality trait. CONCLUSION: Workplace bullying can have severe mental health repercussions, triggering serious and persistent underlying disorders.     

The rise and fall in incidence of malignant mesothelioma from a British Naval Dockyard, 1979-1999

BACKGROUND: The incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Britain is predicted to rise over the next 15-25 years because of past failure to protect the workforce against inhalation of asbestos. In British Naval dockyards, alternative insulation materials and respiratory protection were introduced from the mid-1960s. Aims This study was carried out to investigate the effects of these control measures on mesothelioma deaths in dockyard workers. METHODS: Cases of mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum between 1979 and 1999 in workers from the Devonport Naval Dockyard, south-west England, were sought from coroners' and medico-legal records. RESULTS: Three hundred and one cases were identified, 7% peritoneal. The peak incidence occurred in 1991 with 25 cases per annum (quadratic model fit R(2) = 74.2%, P < 0.001) and we predict that by 2003 the incidence will fall to fewer than five cases per annum. The mean time between first exposure and presentation was 48.5 years [95% confidence interval (CI) = 47.3-49.8], but this was significantly shorter in the more heavily exposed trades, when compared with the less heavily exposed (42 years, 95% CI = 39.0-45.0, versus 49.5 years, 95% CI = 48.2-50.9). Those with higher exposure were also at significantly greater risk of peritoneal disease (P < 0.023, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: The reduction in incidence of mesothelioma is greater than can be accounted for by reduction in numbers of dockyard workers over the last 50 years. Changes in insulation materials and improved industrial hygiene measures introduced into the Devonport Dockyard from the mid-1960s have resulted in an earlier decline in the incidence of malignant mesothelioma than that predicted for the British workforce as a whole.     

Organophosphate toxicity and occupational exposure

The ubiquitous organophosphates present a continuing health hazard in agriculture, public health eradication programmes and as chemical warfare agents. Despite significant progress in understanding the potential mechanisms of toxicity far beyond the commonly accepted mechanism of cholinesterase inhibition in intentional exposures, the precise health effects following occupational exposures are yet to be completely defined. A much greater understanding exists of the clinical features of organophosphate poisoning. These are characterized by a triphasic response involving an initial acute cholinergic phase, an intermediate syndrome (both associated with high mortality) and a disabling but non-lethal delayed polyneuropathy. The delayed polyneuropathy may occur in the absence of the cholinergic or intermediate phases. However, progress is still required in order to improve the quantification and assessment of occupational exposures and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. Finally, evidence-based guidelines for appropriate or optimal therapeutic interventions following poisoning are required urgently and collaborative work with colleagues in developing countries, where the occurrence of organophosphate exposures is more frequent, may provide the answers.     

Miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in underground miners

This report documents a case series of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in miners at a deep underground metalliferous mine in tropical arid Australia. During the summer months of February and March 1999, all cases of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in underground miners seen at the mine's medical centre were clinically examined and administered a questionnaire. Twenty-five patients were seen, an incidence of 56.4 cases per million man-hours. Miliaria rubra was most often located between the ankle and knee (88% of cases). Twenty-four percent had concurrent folliculitis and 20% had concurrent tinea. Thirty-two percent had a personal history of asthma. Walking through ground-water and splashing of the legs was common. Three to 4 weeks of sedentary duties in air conditioning was generally required to achieve resolution of miliaria rubra. The incidence of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs is 38% of the incidence of heat exhaustion at the same mine. The length of disablement is greater, however. Atopics may be at increased risk of miliaria rubra. Control measures are discussed.     

Planning research

The starting point for any research project should be a question.Once this has been defined and the relevant scientific literaturereviewed, a protocol should be drawn up. This will be used notonly as a guide to the conduct of the study and in the preparationof the final report, but also in seeking any financial supportand approvals that are required for the investigation. A protocolis normally arranged in sections covering the background tothe study, the question(s) that it will address, the methodsthat will be used for the collection and analysis of data, thestatistical power of the investigation (where relevant), anyethical considerations, and the financial input that will beneeded. A pilot study is often helpful where aspects of thestudy method are untried or of uncertainvalidity.     

Stress in the Norwegian police service

BACKGROUND: High levels of stress have been attributed to the conditions of police work, but there is little empirical evidence for this. AIMS: To develop a new instrument to measure job stress in the police; to assess the most severe and frequent police stressors; to compare levels of stress according to the demographic and organizational factors; and to study stress in relation to personality traits, work locus of control and coping strategies. METHODS: A comprehensive nationwide questionnaire survey of 3272 Norwegian police at all hierarchical levels, including the Norwegian Police Stress Survey (NPSS), the Job Stress Survey, the Basic Character Inventory, the Work Locus of Control Scale, and the Coping Strategies Scale. RESULTS: Work injuries were appraised as the most stressful but least frequent stressor and job pressure was reported the least severe but most frequent stressor. Females experienced job stressors less frequently, but appraised them as more severe than men did. Older police officers reported more job pressure severity and fewer work injuries. The police in districts where peer support was planned but not implemented, and who worked in districts with more than 50,000 inhabitants, perceived the lack of support more severely than others. The correlations between stress and personality traits, work locus of control, and coping were moderate. CONCLUSIONS: The NPSS captures police-specific stressors that are not adequately measured by global stress instruments. The study of stress in police work should preferably involve a nationwide use of police-specific stress instruments.