Safety attitudes, burnout and well-being among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: an Indo-Pacific regional cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact in Asia and has placed significant burden on already stretched healthcare systems. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the safety attitudes among healthcare workers (HCWs), as well as their associated demographic and occupational factors, and measures of burnout, depression and anxiety.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional survey study utilising snowball sampling was performed involving doctors, nurses and allied health professions from 23 hospitals in Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia between 29 May 2020 and 13 July 2020. This survey collated demographic data and workplace conditions and included three validated questionnaires: the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We performed multivariate mixed-model regression to assess independent associations with the SAQ total percentage agree rate (PAR).@*RESULTS@#We obtained 3,163 responses. The SAQ total PARs were found to be 35.7%, 15.0%, 51.0% and 3.3% among the respondents from Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia, respectively. Burnout scores were highest among respondents from Indonesia and lowest among respondents from India (70.9%-85.4% vs. 56.3%-63.6%, respectively). Multivariate analyses revealed that meeting burnout and depression thresholds and shifts lasting ≥12 h were significantly associated with lower SAQ total PAR.@*CONCLUSION@#Addressing the factors contributing to high burnout and depression and placing strict limits on work hours per shift may contribute significantly towards improving safety culture among HCWs and should remain priorities during the pandemic.

Effects of carbaryl production exposure on the sperm and semen quality of occupational male workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyse the male reproductive toxicity of carbaryl.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-one male carbaryl exposure workers and 46 male administrators in the office in a pesticide factory were selected as the exposure group and internal control group respectively, and 22 male administrators in a center for disease control and prevention were served as the external control group. In order to evaluate the exposure levels, the concentrations of carbaryl, methyl isocyanate, ammonia and phenol in the ambient air of the work place in these three groups were monitored simultaneously for three consecutive days. Moreover, three workers in the exposure group and the external control group were selected to evaluate the amount of carbaryl of individual and dermal contamination for three consecutive days. After the semen were collected according to the standard method, the workers'semen qualities were analysed with WHO method, the sperm morphology and the sperm motility were evaluated using micro-cell slide spectrum technology and computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the exposure group, the concentrations of carbaryl and phenol (52.41 mg/m(3) and 0.08 mg/m(3) respectively) were significantly higher than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the carbaryl exposure area the geometric mean concentration of carbaryl with the individual sampling was 7.38 mg/m(3), and the geometric mean of dermal contamination detected in the carbaryl exposure area was 862.47 mg/m(2). Carbaryl was not found in the external control area (P < 0.01). The seminal volume [(2.39 +/- 1.44) ml] and the sperm motility [(1.77 +/- 0.61) grade] were significantly lower than those in the external control group (P < 0.05), and sperm motion parameters such as linearity (LIN, 39.89% +/- 6.00%), straightness (STR, 71.51% +/- 11.22%), straight line velocity [VSL, (26.29 +/- 7.84) microm/s] and beat cross frequency [BCF, (3.99 +/- 1.55) Hz] were lower than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.05), while the abnormal rates of viscidity, sperm motility and total aberration rate were higher than those in the external control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Occupational exposure to carbaryl production can affect the workers'sperm and semen quality to certain extent.</p>

Effects of fenvalerate exposure on the semen quality of occupational workers / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the effects of fenvalerate exposure on the semen quality of occupational workers in order to find out the early effective biomarkers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two male workers who exposed to fenvalerate and 46 male administrators in the office in a pesticide factory were selected as the exposure group and internal control group, respectively, and 22 male administrators in a center for disease control were served as the external control group. In order to evaluate the exposed levels, the concentration of fenvalerate, toluene and xylene in the ambient air of working place in these three groups were monitored simultaneously for three consecutive days. After the semen were collected according to the standard method, the workers' semen qualities were analysed with University of California at Davis (UCDavis) method and the sperm motility were evaluated using computer assisted sperm analysis(CASA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the exposure group, the concentrations of fenvalerate were significantly higher than those in the internal and external control group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference of the concentration on toluene or xylene was found (P > 0.05). Sperm motion parameters in the exposure group such as linearity(LIN), straightness(STR), and the sperm count were decreased significantly, and the abnormality rate of viscidity, coagulation and sperm count were increased significantly as compared with the internal and the external control groups(P < 0.05). Furthermore, the sperm progression and beat cross frequency (BCF) in the exposure group were also lower significantly than those in the external control group(P < 0.05), while the abnormality rate of sperm progression was increased significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In such a low concentration, occupational exposure to fenvalerate can affect workers' semen quality, especially the sperm count and sperm movement ability.</p>