bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Municipal waste incinerators: air and biological monitoring of workers for exposure to particles, metals, and organic compounds
Authors: Maître A , Collot-Fertey D , Anzivino L , Marques M , Hours M , Stoklov M 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To evaluate occupational exposure to toxic pollutants at municipal waste incinerators (MWIs).Methods:Twenty nine male subjects working near the furnaces in two MWIs, and 17 subjects not occupationally exposed to combustion generated pollutants were studied. Individual air samples were taken throughout the shift; urine samples were collected before and after. Stationary air samples were taken near potential sources of emission.Results:Occupational exposure did not result in the infringement of any occupational threshold limit value. Atmospheric exposure levels to particles and metals were 10–100 times higher in MWIs than at the control site. The main sources were cleaning operations for particles, and residue transfer and disposal operations for metals. MWI workers were not exposed to higher levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons than workers who are routinely in contact with vehicle exhaust. The air concentrations of volatile organic compounds and aldehydes were low and did not appear to pose any significant threat to human health. Only the measurement of chlorinated hydrocarbon levels would seem to be a reliable marker for the combustion of plastics. Urine metal levels were significantly higher at plant 1 than at plant 2 because of high levels of pollutants emanating from one old furnace.Conclusion:While biological monitoring is an easy way of acquiring data on long term personal exposure, air monitoring remains the only method that makes it possible to identify the primary sources of pollutant emission which need to be controlled if occupational exposure and environmental pollution are to be reduced.
Occupations with increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Swedish population
Authors: Alguacil J , Pollán M , Gustavsson P 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To identify occupations with increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Swedish population gainfully employed in 1970 over the period 1971–89.Methods:The base population was made up of Swedish men (1 779 646) and Swedish women (1 101 669) gainfully employed at the time of the 1970 census and were still alive and over age 24 on 1 January 1971. Information was drawn from two data sets: the Swedish cancer environment register and a background population register. After 19 years of follow up, 4420 men and 2143 women were diagnosed with histologically confirmed incident pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Log linear Poisson models were fitted, allowing for geographical area and town size. Risk estimators were also calculated for workers reporting the same occupation in 1960 and 1970.Results:Among women, a statistically significant risk excess of pancreatic cancer was observed for “educational methods advisors”, “librarian, archivist, curator”, “motor vehicle driver”, “typographer, lithographer”, “purser, steward, stewardess”, “other housekeeping and related workers”, and the groups of occupations of “electrical, electronic, and related” and “glass, pottery, and tile workers”. Men showed a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer among “technical assistants”, “travelling agents”, “other metal processing workers”, “baker and pastry cook”, “docker and freight handler”, and “waiters”.Conclusions:This study does not indicate that occupational factors play an important role in the aetiology of pancreatic cancer in Sweden. Few occupations were at increased risk of pancreatic cancer in both men and women, and the associations observed are in accordance with some previous studies from Western countries.
Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and acute leukaemia: analysis of a case-control study
Authors: Willett E V , McKinney P A , Fear N T , Cartwright R A , Roman E 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To investigate whether the risk of acute leukaemia among adults is associated with occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields.Methods:Probable occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields at higher than typical residential levels was investigated among 764 patients diagnosed with acute leukaemia during 1991–96 and 1510 sex and age matched controls. A job exposure matrix was applied to the self reported employment histories to determine whether or not a subject was exposed to electromagnetic fields. Risks were assessed using conditional logistic regression for a matched analysis.Results:Study subjects considered probably ever exposed to electromagnetic fields at work were not at increased risk of acute leukaemia compared to those considered never exposed. Generally, no associations were observed on stratification by sex, leukaemia subtype, number of years since exposure stopped, or occupation; there was no evidence of a dose-response effect using increasing number of years exposed. However, relative to women considered never exposed, a significant excess of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was observed among women probably exposed to electromagnetic fields at work that remained increased irrespective of time prior to diagnosis or job ever held.Conclusion:This large population based case-control study found little evidence to support an association between occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and acute leukaemia. While an excess of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia among women was observed, it is unlikely that occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields was responsible, given that increased risks remained during periods when exposure above background levels was improbable.
Occupational exposures and lung cancer in New Caledonia
Authors: Menvielle G , Luce D , Févotte J , Bugel I , Salomon C , Goldberg P , Billon-Galland M-A , Goldberg M 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To study the associations between occupational exposures and the risk of lung cancer in New Caledonia.Methods:All cases diagnosed between January 1993 and December 1995 (228 lung cancers) and 305 population controls were included. Detailed information on lifetime job history, smoking, and other potential risk factors was collected by interview. Occupational exposures were assessed from the questionnaires by an industrial hygienist, without knowledge of case-control status.Results:No significant association was found with exposures related to nickel mining and refining, the main industrial activity in the territory. Among men, an excess risk of lung cancer was found for bus and truck drivers. Increased risks were also observed in men with the highest level of cumulative exposure to cleaning products and inorganic fertilisers. Exposure to field dust was associated with lung cancer risk in both sexes, and risk increased with cumulative exposure level. In some areas tremolite asbestos derived from local outcroppings was used as a whitewash. The association between exposure to field dust and lung cancer was limited to men and women exposed to this whitewash—that is, living in areas where the soil may contain tremolite.Conclusion:This study shows several associations between occupational exposures and lung cancer. The findings suggest that exposure to tremolite fibres from cultivated fields may increase the risk of lung cancer in New Caledonia.
Chromium (VI) induced oxidative damage to DNA: increase of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine concentrations (8-OHdG) among electroplating workers
Authors: Kuo H W , Chang S F , Wu K Y , Wu F Y 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To investigate the concentration of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) among electroplating workers in Taiwan.Methods:Fifty workers were selected from five chromium (Cr) electroplating plants in central Taiwan. The 20 control subjects were office workers with no previous exposure to Cr. Urinary 8-OHdG concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.Results:Urinary 8-OHdG concentrations among Cr workers (1149.5 pmol/kg/day) were higher than those in the control group (730.2 pmol/kg/day). There was a positive correlation between urinary 8-OHdG concentrations and urinary Cr concentration (r= 0.447, p < 0.01), and urinary 8-OHdG correlated positively with airborne Cr concentration (r= 0.285). Using multiple regression analysis, the factors that affected urinary 8-OHdG concentrations were alcohol, the common cold, and high urinary Cr concentration. There was a high correlation of urinary 8-OHdG with both smoking and drinking, but multiple regression analysis showed that smoking was not a significant factor. Age and gender were also non-significant factors.Conclusion:8-OHdG, which is an indicator of oxidative DNA damage, was a sensitive biomarker for Cr exposure.
Wastewater exposure and health—a comparative study of two occupational groups
Authors: Hansen E S , Hilden J , Klausen H , Rosdahl N 
Published: July 2003

Aims:To investigate whether wastewater workers are at increased risk of developing cancer.Methods:Two cohorts of workers employed by the City of Copenhagen, 591 wastewater workers and 1545 water supply workers (controls), were followed from 1965 until 1998. These two cohorts were compared in terms of cause specific mortality and cancer incidence.Results:The wastewater workers’ mortality exceeded that of the controls (relative risk (RR) = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.51). A similar small excess was seen for cancer incidence (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.67). Though rare, there was a strongly increased incidence of primary liver cancer among the wastewater workers (RR = 8.9, 95% CI: 1.5 to 51.5).Conclusion:The excess mortality seen among the wastewater workers was smaller than originally feared. It may partly have been due to their occupational exposure, and for preventive purposes, exposure to wastewater and sludge should be minimised. The possibility that sewage exposure confers an increased risk of primary liver cancer deserves further investigation.
Exposure assessment of monoterpenes and styrene: a comparison of air sampling and biomonitoring
Authors: Liljelind I , Rappaport S , Eriksson K , Andersson J , Bergdahl I A , Sunesson A-L , Järvholm B 
Published: July 2003

Background:Within- and between-worker variance components have seldom been reported for both environmental and biological data collected from the same persons.Aims:To estimate these variance components and their ratio for air contaminants and urinary metabolites in two different work environments and to predict the attenuation of exposure-response relationships based on these measures.Methods:Parallel measurements of air and urine were performed among workers exposed to monoterpenes in sawmills (urinary metabolite: verbenol) and styrene in reinforced plastics factories (urinary metabolite: mandelic acid).Results:Among the sawmill workers, variance components of the air and urinary verbenol results were similar; for the reinforced plastics workers the estimated between-worker variance component was greater for styrene in air than mandelic acid in urine. This suggests that attenuation bias would be about equal if air or biological monitoring were employed for monoterpene exposures, but would be greater if urinary mandelic acid were used instead of airborne styrene in an investigation of styrene exposure.Conclusions:Personal air samplers provide data with similar or superior quality to urinary metabolites as measures of exposure to these monoterpenes in sawmills and styrene in reinforced plastics factories.
Ischaemic heart disease among livestock and agricultural workers
Authors: Sjögren B , Weiner J , Larsson K 
Published: July 2003

Background:Agricultural workers are exposed to organic dust containing endotoxins, mites, and moulds.Aims:To compare the occurrence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) among male and female livestock and agricultural workers with gainfully employed men and women in Sweden.Methods:Male and female livestock and agricultural workers were identified in the Swedish National Censuses of 1970 and 1990 and were followed until the end of 1995. The IHD mortality among the livestock and agricultural workers was compared with that of gainfully employed men and women. Information of smoking habits was gathered from a previous national survey.Results:Male as well as female livestock workers had slightly higher standardised mortality ratios (SMR) regarding IHD compared with all gainfully employed men and women in Sweden. The SMR for male workers was 1.06 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.18). The SMR for female workers was 1.10 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.23). Agricultural workers had lower SMRs. Adjustments for smoking habits would further increase the SMRs by about 9% in male workers and about 5% in female workers.Conclusion:The present data suggest a slightly increased risk for IHD among both male and female livestock workers, which may be the result of organic dust exposure.
Respiratory effects of sulphur dioxide: a hierarchical multicity analysis in the APHEA 2 study
Authors: Sunyer J , Atkinson R , Ballester F , Le Tertre A , Ayres J G , Forastiere F , Forsberg B , Vonk J M , Bisanti L , Anderson R H , Schwartz J , Katsouyanni K 
Published: July 2003

Background:Sulphur dioxide (SO2) was associated with hospital admissions for asthma in children in the original APHEA study, but not with other respiratory admissions.Aims:To assess the association between daily levels of SO2and daily levels of respiratory admissions in a larger and more recent study.Methods:Time series of daily counts of hospital emergency admissions were constructed for asthma at ages 0–14 years and 15–64 years, COPD and asthma, and all respiratory admissions at ages 65+ years in the cities of Birmingham, London, Milan, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and in the Netherlands for periods of varying duration between the years 1988 and 1997. A two stage hierarchical modelling approach was used. In the first stage generalised additive Poisson regression models were fitted in each city controlling for weather and season. These results were then combined across cities in a second stage ecological regression that looked at potential effect modifiers.Results:For an increase of 10 μg/m3of SO2the daily number of admissions for asthma in children increased 1.3% (95% CI 0.4% to 2.2%). Effect modification among cities by levels of other air pollutants or temperature was not found. The SO2effect disappeared after controlling for PM10or CO, but correlation among these pollutants was very high. Other respiratory admissions were not associated with SO2.Conclusion:SO2is associated with asthma admissions in children, indicating that reduction in current air pollution levels could lead to a decrease in the number of asthma admissions in children in Europe.
Animal production and wheeze in the Agricultural Health Study: interactions with atopy, asthma, and smoking
Authors: Hoppin J A , Umbach D M , London S J , Alavanja M C R , Sandler D P 
Published: July 2003

Background:Exposure to animals, their feeds, and by-products contribute to respiratory symptoms among farmers.Aims:To investigate the role of animal exposures and wheeze, and to assess whether their impact differs among susceptible subgroups, including atopics, asthmatics, and smokers.Methods:Using the Agricultural Health Study, a cohort of pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina enrolled in 1994–97, wheeze associated with animal production was evaluated and interactions among susceptible subgroups assessed. Logistic regression models were used to examine risk factors for wheeze in the past year among 20 468 farmers.Results:Individuals raising animals requiring direct contact had the highest odds ratios (OR) for wheeze (ORdairy= 1.26; OReggs= 1.70). A significant dose response was observed for both the number of poultry and the number of livestock on the farm. Farmers who performed veterinary procedures on a daily basis had an OR of 1.51. The odds of wheeze associated with poultry production was greater among atopic than non-atopic individuals. Milking cows daily increased the odds of wheeze in all individuals, with the largest association observed among atopic asthmatic individuals. The impact of dairy, poultry, and egg production varied among smoking groups. Past smokers had the highest odds ratios, followed by never smokers, and then current smokers. The OReggswas 2.88 among past smokers but only 1.46 for never smokers. The OReggsfor current smokers of 0.80 might reflect self selection of exposure among smokers.Conclusions:Results are consistent with animal production and respiratory symptoms, and suggest that subgroups may respond differently to exposure.
Recall and response of smokers and recent quitters to the Australian National Tobacco Campaign
Authors: Wakefield M , Freeman J , Donovan R 
Published: July 2003

Objective:To track national population indices of recall and response among smokers and recent quitters to an ongoing national televised anti-smoking campaign in Australia.Method:National cross sectional population telephone surveys of adults.Main outcome measures:Unprompted recall of advertising; recognition of advertising; campaign attributed encouragement to quit or stay quit; unprompted awareness of smoking related health effects; new learning about smoking and health; and agreement with campaign related attitudes.Results:Campaign advertising continued to be highly memorable over the period of study, with 88% having confirmed recognition in 2000. Campaign advertising was consistently thought by half of smokers who had seen it to make them more likely to quit (49% in 2000). Specific changes between surveys in unprompted awareness of smoking related health effects, new learning about smoking and health, and agreement with campaign related attitudes were observed in relation to the main messages of the advertisements, which were time sensitive according to the year of launch of the advert. The “artery” advertisement was associated with the largest and most consistent positive change in all of these parameters. The proportion of respondents who disagreed that the dangers of smoking had been exaggerated increased significantly from 59% in May 1997 to 68% in November 2000.Conclusion:A national campaign using graphic advertising to emphasise the health risks of smoking can make significant population wide contributions to improving new learning about smoking damage and positively influence attitudes about smoking risks.
Do adult focused anti-smoking campaigns have an impact on adolescents? The case of the Australian National Tobacco Campaign
Authors: White V , Tan N , Wakefield M , Hill D 
Published: July 2003

Objectives:To examine adolescents’ awareness of and response to an adult focused anti-smoking advertising campaign.Design and setting:Data were obtained from two cross sectional surveys of adolescents. The first study, a national evaluation study, involved a telephone survey of a randomly selected sample of 400 14–17 year olds across Australia in 1998. The second study involved a survey of 3714 students aged 12–17 years, randomly selected from a probability sample of secondary schools in the Australian State of Victoria.Main outcome measures:In both surveys, adolescents answered questions on their awareness of the advertising campaign and actions taken in response to the campaign. Adolescents in the national evaluation study also answered questions assessing knowledge of health effects of smoking, impact of the campaign on adolescents, and relevance of the campaign for adolescents and other groups. Responses for smokers and nonsmokers were examined.Results:Among the national evaluation sample, 85% of adolescent smokers thought the campaign was relevant to them. Fifty three per cent indicated that the campaign had led some teenagers to at least try to quit and 85% thought it made smoking seem less cool and desirable. Among students who were established smokers the campaign generated quitting activity, with 27% cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoked and 26% having thought about quitting.Conclusion:Results indicate that adolescents were very aware of this adult focused anti-smoking campaign and thought it relevant to them. The findings suggest that a graphic health effects cessation focused campaign may have been successful in promoting anti-smoking attitudes among adolescents.
Generating Quitline calls during Australia’s National Tobacco Campaign: effects of television advertisement execution and programme placement
Authors: Carroll T , Rock B 
Published: July 2003

Objective:The study sought to measure the relative efficiency of different television advertisements and types of television programmes in which advertisements were placed, in generating calls to Australia’s national Quitline.Design:The study entailed an analysis of the number of calls generated to the Quitline relative to the weight of advertising exposure (in target audience rating points (TARPs) for particular television advertisements and for placement of these advertisements in particular types of television programmes. A total of 238 television advertisement placements and 1769 calls to the Quitline were analysed in Sydney and Melbourne.Results:The more graphic “eye” advertisement conveying new information about the association between smoking and macular degeneration leading to blindness was more efficient in generating quitline calls than the “tar” advertisement, which reinforced the message of tar in a smoker’s lungs. Combining the health effects advertisements with a quitline modelling advertisement tended to increase the efficiency of generating Quitline calls. Placing advertisements in lower involvement programmes appears to provide greater efficiency in generating Quitline calls than in higher involvement programmes.Conclusions:Tobacco control campaign planners can increase the number of calls to telephone quitlines by assessing the efficiency of particular advertisements to generate such calls. Pairing of health effect and quitline modelling advertisements can increase efficiency in generating calls. Placement of advertisements in lower involvement programme types may increase efficiency in generating Quitline calls.
Understanding how mass media campaigns impact on smokers
Authors: Borland R , Balmford J 
Published: July 2003

Objectives:To explore the immediate impact of the 2001 National Tobacco Campaign (NTC) advertising on movement towards quitting in a broadly representative sample of smokers.Method:Repeated measures design with surveys two weeks apart. 1000 current smokers aged 18–40 were interviewed. 250 telephone interviews were conducted in each of Sydney and Melbourne (both unexposed at initial survey) and Brisbane and Adelaide (both exposed at initial survey) to measure frequency of negative thoughts about smoking and passive smoking, positive thoughts about smoking, and thoughts about the conduct of tobacco companies; perspective on change; and thoughts and actions about quitting.Results:At the initial survey, those in regions exposed to the campaign were more advanced in thoughts about quitting. Between surveys, 33% progressed toward cessation and 21% regressed. 69% of participants reported recalling NTC advertising at follow up, which was significantly associated with greater self reported quitting activity and a greater increase in frequency of negative thoughts about smoking.Conclusions:The results show increased frequency of negative thoughts about smoking and an increase in quitting related thoughts and actions following onset of the NTC campaign. There was also evidence of sustained increase in cessation activity for a month following onset of the campaign. This all occurred in the context of considerable naturally occurring smoking cessation activity, suggesting that the challenge of campaigns in Australia is to induce progress toward quitting among people who are generally engaged with the issue at some level, rather than attempt to stimulate fundamentally new consideration of smoking.