China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
The UK social security system and rehabilitation
Published in Jim Ford, Gordon Parker, Fiona Ford, Diana Kloss, Simon Pickvance, Philip Sawney, Dame Carol Black, Rehabilitation for Work Matters, 2018
Jim Ford, Gordon Parker, Fiona Ford, Diana Kloss, Simon Pickvance, Philip Sawney, Dame Carol Black
Too often, work is seen as the problem, rather than as the goal or part of the solution, and healthcare professionals are as guilty of making this mistake as any other group. The past emphasis on the prevention of occupational injury and disease has led to an assumption that work is potentially ‘harmful’ to health. However, for many less severe health problems this is contrary to the evidence, namely that an earlier return to work reduces rather than increases the risk of recurrent or persistent trouble. The second assumption is that rest from work is part of treatment. In fact, modern approaches to the management of most common health problems emphasise the importance of continuing ordinary activities as normally as possible, and of early return to work. The third assumption is that it is not possible or advisable to return to work until symptoms are completely ‘cured’ (i.e. until the patient is ‘100 per cent’ recovered). However, modern clinical and occupational management emphasises that return to work as early as possible is an essential part of treatment for many health problems, even if there are some persistent symptoms. Not only is work the goal and outcome of treatment, but also work itself is therapeutic, aids recovery and is often the best form of rehabilitation. The important caveat to this is that the quality of the work is very important.
Global health
Published in Kevin McCracken, David R. Phillips, Global Health, 2017
Kevin McCracken, David R. Phillips
Accentuating the impact of workplace hazards is that exposure to them is usually in confined spaces. For example, everyday living exposes virtually everyone to various types of chemicals and metals (e.g. pesticide residues on food, benzene-based products, chemicals in plastics, aluminium, lead, asbestos), but workers in industries producing or using such products generally have more intense and extended exposures. Generally workers in agriculture-forestry-fishing, mining, transportation and construction suffer the highest occupational injury death rates. In the United States, for example, fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in those four industries in 2014 were respectively 25.6, 14.2, 14.1 and 9.8 (US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). In China, coal-mining stands out, causing around 85 per cent of all occupational injuries and diseases. In 2003 the industry was associated with 558,000 reported cases of pneumoconiosis (a lung disease caused by chronic inhalation of inorganic dust), with a mortality rate of more than 30 per cent (WHO and China State Council DRC, 2005). Improved regulation of coal-mining since then has reduced annual cases, but coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is still considered to be the primary occupational disease in China. The disease is irreversible and continues to exact a heavy premature mortality toll. Rates of CWP are higher in locally owned mines than state-owned ones due to the generally poorer working conditions in local operations (Mo et al., 2014).
Multidisciplinary Treatment of Chronic Pain in Vulnerable Populations
Published in Michael E. Schatman, Alexandra Campbell, John D. Loeser, Chronic Pain Management, 2007
The stress–diathesis model has been applied to the risk of disability following occupational injury (19). As Figure 1 indicates, the latter risk depends on several sources of vulnerability. Many are associated with features of the person who is injured, including his or her level of education, beliefs/expectancies, premorbid emotional status, race, etc. Others, however, involve situational factors surrounding the injury, including job flexibility, financial hardship, and presence of litigation.
Working safety and workloads of Chinese delivery riders: the role of work pressure
Published in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2023
Qi Zheng, Jing Zhan, Xiliang Feng
The gig work market, with its flexible and freedom-oriented features, provides workers with more career choices and diversifies their sources of income. Nonetheless, these benefits are accompanied by a series of risks and potential hazards, among which the likelihood of occupational injury is one of the most significant. In particular, the food delivery industry, with relatively low requirements for workers’ skills, has become the hardest-hit area for occupational injuries. Against the backdrop of China, the occurrence of occupational injuries directly impairs the physical and mental health as well as the safety of food delivery riders. In addition, labour disputes, litigation and rider turnover have inflicted platform companies for years. In the short term, this will take a toll on the interests of both the gig workers and the platform companies, putting their interests in peril. In the long run, this contradiction will severely impede the stable operation and sustainable development of the gig economy and the social economy. Post-event processing is important, but we shall also set great stores on preventing occupational injuries from happening. However, few studies have conducted in depth analyses of the cause of occupational injuries.
The effect of positive psychology group intervention for occupationally injured employees
Published in Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 2019
Jong-Min Woo, Hyejin Tae, Haejung Kim, Hana Cha, Seong-Kyeon Lim, Jeong-Ho Chae, Jung-Ho Kim
The findings showed that the psychological rehabilitation program was effective in increasing self-esteem and reducing stress response in workers with occupational injuries; however, it was found that the program did not significantly enhance self-esteem in employees who were injured more than a year. This suggests that employees who are injured for a long time may have lost desire to return to work and thus passively participate in the program or treatments. As time goes by, the patients lose motivation due to “learned helplessness” and become trapped in these negative emotions related with losing self-confidence and limited interpersonal relationship, especially for the family conflicts. Considering the importance of early intervention on the aftermath of trauma, it is better to provide psychosocial encouragement and to help develop relevant skills to the patients with occupational injury within 3 months from the injury.
Able or unable to work? Life trajectory after severe occupational injury
Published in Disability and Rehabilitation, 2019
Jarna Kulmala, Arto Luoma, Lasse Koskinen
We also investigated whether an additional occupational injury after the primary occupational injury had an effect on the later working outcomes. The GEE analysis indicated that mild occupational injuries (causing less than 30 days off work) were actually related to better chances of working in the future. This result can be explained by the general employment situation of the injured, which would affect both the working status on the anniversary and the probability of a new injury. However, when considering additional severe occupational injuries, the result was no more statistically significant. Such an injury would reflect a good employment situation, but, on the other hand, would also reduce the chances of working in the future. Hence, in the GEE analysis these effects offset one another. Because of a confounding factor, the general employment situation, we did not include the variable “additional occupational injuries” in the final GEE model.