ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the indoor air quality (IAQ) status of an automotive assembly plant in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia using selected IAQ parameters, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), temperature, relative humidity (RH) and respirable particulate matter (PM10). A cross-sectional study was conducted in the paint shop and body shop sections of the plant in March 2005. The Q-TRAK Plus IAQ Monitor was used to record the patterns of CO, CO2, RH and temperature; whilst PM10 was measured using DUSTTRAK Aerosol Monitor over an 8-hour time weight average (8-TWA). It was found that the average temperatures, RH and PM10 in the paint shop section and body shop sections exceeded the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) standards. The average concentrations of RH and CO were slightly higher in the body shop section than in the paint shop section, while the average concentrations of temperature and CO2 were slightly higher in the paint shop section than in the body shop section. There was no difference in the average concentrations of PM10 between the two sections.
ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the risk factors of job-related depression in laboratory technicians in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) and Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) Hospitals in Kelantan, between September 2001 and February 2002. One hundred and two laboratory technicians from HUSM and 79 from KKM Hospitals were selected and 84 (82.4%) from HUSM and 71 (89.9%) from KKM Hospitals were recruited as study subjects. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire using the validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), originally developed by Robert Karasek. The results indicated significant associations between the risk factors of job-related depression, and low social support, and high psychological demands (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.1-8.8) in laboratory technicians in HUSM. However, for laboratory technicians in KKM Hospitals, the significant association was between job-related depression, and low social support and low decision authority (OR 9.7, 95% CI 1.1-91.1). Low social support was highly associated with job-related depression in laboratory technicians in HUSM and KKM Hospitals. We, therefore, conclude that low social support positively predicted depression in laboratory technicians in HUSM and KKM Hospitals. In addition, high psychological demands also significantly predicted depression in laboratory technicians in HUSM; however, for laboratory technicians in KKM Hospitals, low decision authority was the significant predictor of depression.