Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels and psychological reactions after sleep deprivation.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether changes in urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), an oxidative stress indicator, occur or not, and how psychological reactions change, after one night of sleep deprivation (SD) and after 7 hour recovery sleep opportunities during three recovery days. Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study. We measured their urinary 8-OH-dG levels and psychological reactions using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) for 5 days: on the baseline day, the post-vigil day, and on 3 recovery days after SD. The urinary 8-OH-dG levels and subscale scores of POMS were analyzed using repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA). In the psychological reactions, the values of Vigor on the post-vigil day and 2nd recovery day were significantly lower than on the baseline day. Fatigue and confusion on the post-vigil day were significantly higher than on the baseline day, and on the 1st and 2nd recovery days were relatively higher compared to the baseline day but returned to baseline level on the 3rd recovery day. The urinary 8-OH-dG levels did not change significantly after SD, on the post-vigil day or on the 3rd recovery days. These results suggest that the effect of one night of SD on psychological reactions continued for 2 or 3 days, and SD might not influence urinary 8-OH-dG levels despite marked changes in psychological reactions.

Development of a work improvement checklist for occupational mental health focused on requests from workers.

OBJECTIVES: To develop tools offering definite orientation for managers and employees to support their work improvement through occupational mental health. This research was a part of the Mental Health Improvement & Reinforcement Study (MIR study), conducted from October 2004 to March 2006. METHODS: We developed a trial version named the Kaizen Check List (KCL) by referring to problem solving methods for quality management. Then we improved it for a formal version named MIR Research of Recognition (MIRROR). A feedback form named MIR Action Guidance (MIRAGe) was also developed. We analyzed data from 1,953 respondents at five manufacturing enterprises in Japan using MIRROR and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) to determine whether or not the workers requesting work improvement had more stress than other workers. RESULTS: The KCL had 47 items, which indicated desirable working conditions for mental health at work, and four answer categories. MIRROR has 45 selected items and improved answer categories. MIRAGe displays the results of MIRROR and step-by-step guidance for work improvement. Respondents with request had significantly higher scores in stressor and lower scores in buffer factors compared with respondents without request in many items of MIRROR. CONCLUSIONS: A combinational use of MIRROR and stress scales is useful for finding worksites with high risk factors for mental health and for directing focus on work improvement at these worksites according to workers' requests.

[Expertise level of occupational health physician, implementation of occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS) and occupational safety and health activity level in Japan in the companies listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange first section].

By enforcement of the revised Japanese Industrial Safety and Health Law on April, 2006, the implementation of OSHMS seems to be expanding and encouraged. In OSHMS of Japan, however, the occupational health aspects have not been put into operated, while only occupational safety aspects have been prioritized. To clarify the issues to deploy OSHMS with occupational health aspects, we conducted a mail survey of 1,581 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Market First Section in December, 2004. The effective responses were 267 (16.9%). The number of companies which had installed OSHMS, those that planned to install OSHMS and those had no plan for OSHMS were 62 (23.2%), 82 (30.7%) and 123 (46.1%), respectively. Only 12 companies include the complete OH activities in the installed OSHMS. A significant relationship was observed among expertise of OH physicians, actual role and responsibility of OH physicians, installation of OSHMS and OH services quality level. To deploy OSHMS well-balanced for health and safety aspects in present Japan, it was suggested that the education regarding OH operation in OSHMS was necessary to the person in charge of OSHMS in each company, and the participation by OH physicians to operate OSHMS, especially OH physicians with expertise, was essential.