Martina Gasbarri

Background/Objectives: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a set of customs and eating habits developed in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea thousands of years ago. These habits are frequently proposed as a complement to pharmacological therapies for chronic diseases and could also counteract their onset. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the MD in workers from 22 companies in Latium (Italy) and to evaluate the association of diet with workers’ health. Methods: Workers undergoing their health surveillance examination and routine blood tests (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose) were invited to fill in the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), the Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire for work-related stress, the Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI) for sleep quality, the STOP-Bang questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) for low mental health, and the Abdel-Khalek questionnaire (AKQ) for happiness. A total of 1475 out of 1608 workers (91.7%) participated in the study. Results: The prevalence of high adherence to the MD was 53.8% (95% CI 51.3; 56.4). Female workers reported greater adherence to the MD than males (Mann–Whitney U, p < 0.001). MD adherence was positively correlated with age (Spearman’s rho = 0.071, p < 0.01). Workers who had never smoked and those who engaged in physical activity during their leisure time showed significantly higher adherence (p < 0.001). In multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, physical activity, night work, and occupational sector, the MEDAS score was inversely associated with hypertension [aOR = 0.922 (95% CI = 0.856; 0.994)], hypertriglyceridemia [aOR = 0.919 (95% CI = 0.844; 0.999)], and metabolic syndrome [aOR = 0.911 (95% CI = 0.831; 0.999)]. The MEDAS score was positively related to happiness [aOR = 1.074 (95% CI = 1.017; 1.134)]. Conclusions: Although the association between diet adherence and health is weak, the MD remains a useful measure for promoting health in the workplace.

Background/Objectives: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a set of customs and eating habits developed in countries bordering the Mediterranean sea thousands of years ago. These habits are frequently proposed as a complement to pharmacological therapies for chronic diseases and could also counteract their onset. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the MD in workers from 22 companies in Latium (Italy) and to evaluate the association of diet with workers' health. Methods: Workers undergoing their health surveillance examination and routine blood tests (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose) were invited to fill in the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire for work-related stress, the Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI) for sleep quality, the STOP-Bang questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) for low mental health, and the Abdel-Khalek questionnaire (AKQ) for happiness. 1,475 out of 1,608 workers (91.7%) participated in the study. Results: The prevalence of high adherence to the MD was 53.8% (95%CI 51.3; 56.4). Female workers reported greater adherence to the MD than males (Mann-Whitney U, p< 0.001). MD adherence was positively correlated with age (Spearman’s rho = 0.071, p< 0.01). In multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age and gender, the MEDAS score was inversely associated with hypertension [aOR=0.923 (95%CI=0.861; 0.990)], hypercholesterolemia [aOR=0.939 (95%CI=0.882; 0.999)], hypertriglyceridemia [aOR= 0.909 (95%CI=0.838; 0.985)], and metabolic syndrome [aOR =0.900 (95%CI=0.824; 0.982)]. The MEDAS score was inversely related to low mental health [aOR=0.943 (95%CI=0.893; 0.996) p=0.036] and positively related to happiness [aOR =1.094 (95%CI= 1.038; 1.154) p< 0.001]. Conclusions: Although the association between diet adherence and health is weak, the MD remains a useful measure for promoting health in the workplace.

Workplace violence (WV) is a ubiquitous, yet under-reported and under-studied phenomenon. Prevention measures may be ineffective because risk assessment is often based on unvalidated algorithms. After monitoring the risk of WV in a healthcare company for over 20 years, this paper presents the results collected in 2023 and details of the methodology used. Monitoring WV in health surveillance can involve three actions: (1) asking all the workers who attend periodic medical examinations in the workplace whether they have suffered physical aggression, threats, or harassment in the previous year; (2) investigating WV at the end of workplace inspections by setting up participatory ergonomics groups (PEGs) to suggest solutions; (3) investigating the characteristics and consequences of WV through anonymous online questionnaires. In 2023, 6.9% of the healthcare workers (HCWs) reported having experienced one or more physical attacks during the previous year; 12.7% reported having been threatened, and 12.9% reported other types of violent, harassing behavior. The HCWs observed an increase in violence after the pandemic years and, in the PEGs, suggested using different preventive measures in different health departments. The online survey provided further information on the characteristics of WV and its consequences. The risk of WV can be effectively characterized and measured through health surveillance.

Introduction. Violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread, underreported, and inadequately prevented problem. Only a few companies have efficient systems for assessing the extent of the phenomenon. Methods. In 2005, the health surveillance service of a public health company introduced a system that monitored violence experienced by HCWs by means of three items from the Violent Incident Form (VIF) integrated with departmental in-depth analyses using the participatory ergonomics group technique. Results. In 2005, the annual rate of physical assaults was 8.2%, that of threats was 12.0%, and the harassment rate was 19.6%. Over the past twenty years of observation (2005–2024), the percentage of workers who reported experiencing a physical attack in the previous year at their periodic medical examination has fluctuated between 5.8% and 11.1%, except for the years 2020 and 2021 when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate was 3.9% and 3.2%, respectively. During the same pandemic period, the annual threat rate, which ranged from 9.4% to 20.1%, dropped to 7.7%, while the prevalence of harassment, which was between 13.5 and 19.6, fell to 7.2%. HCWs believe that (i) limiting visitor access, (ii) a better balance of the demand for services, and (iii) a better attitude towards HCWs were the causes of the reduced rate of violence during the pandemic. Conclusions. Recording the violence experienced during health surveillance is an economical, reliable, and sustainable risk assessment method.

Violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread, underreported and inadequately prevented problem. Only a few companies have efficient systems for assessing the extent of the phenomenon. In 2005, the health surveillance service of a public health company introduced a system that monitored violence experienced by HCWs by means of three items from the Violent Incident Form (VIF), integrated with departmental in-depth analyses using the participatory ergonomics group technique. In 2005, the annual rate of physical assaults was 8.2%, that of threats 12.0%, while the harassment rate was 19.6%. Over the past twenty years of observation (2005-2024), the percentage of workers who reported experiencing a physical attack in the previous year at their periodic medical examination, has fluctuated between 5.8% and 11.1%, except for the years 2020 and 2021 when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate was 3.9% and 3.2%, respectively. During the same pandemic period, the annual threat rate that ranged from 9.4% to 20.1%, dropped to 7.7%, while the prevalence of harassment, that was between 13.5 and 19.6, fell to 7.2%. HCWs believe that (i) limiting visitor access (ii) a better balance of the demand for services and (iii) a better attitude towards HCWs were the causes of the reduced rate of violence during the pandemic. Recording the violence experienced during health surveillance is an economical, reliable and sustainable risk assessment method.

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is frequently observed in workers and has a substantial impact on work ability. We conducted a health promotion program to identify cases of post-COVID syndrome, analyze the distribution of symptoms and their association with work ability. Of the 1422 workers who underwent routine medical examination in 2021, 1378 agreed to participate. Among the latter, 164 had contracted SARS-CoV-2 and 115 (70% of those who were infected) had persistent symptoms. A cluster analysis showed that most of the post-COVID syndrome cases were characterized by sensory disturbances (anosmia and dysgeusia) and fatigue (weakness, fatigability, tiredness). In one-fifth of these cases, additional symptoms included dyspnea, tachycardia, headache, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and muscle aches. Workers with post-COVID were found to have poorer quality sleep, increased fatigue, anxiety, depression, and decreased work ability compared with workers whose symptoms had rapidly disappeared. It is important for the occupational physician to diagnose post-COVID syndrome in the workplace since this condition may require a temporary reduction in work tasks and supportive treatment.

In complex systems such as hospitals, work organization can influence the level of occupational stress and, consequently, the physical and mental health of workers. Hospital healthcare workers were asked to complete a questionnaire during their regular occupational health examination, in order to assess the perceived level of organizational justice, and to verify whether it was associated with occupational stress, mental health, and absenteeism. The questionnaire included the Colquitt Organizational Justice (OJ) Scale, the Karasek/Theorell demand-control-support (DCS) questionnaire for occupational stress, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) for mental health. Workers were also required to indicate whether they had been absent because of back pain in the past year. Organizational justice was a significant predictor of occupational stress. Stress was a mediator in the relationship between justice and mental health. Occupational stress was more closely related to perceptions of lack of distributive justice than to perceptions of procedural, informational, and interpersonal justice. Physicians perceived significantly less distributive justice than other workers. In adjusted univariate logistic regression models, the perceptions of organizational justice were associated with a significant reduction in the risk of sick leave for back pain (OR 0.96; CI95% 0.94–0.99; p < 0.001), whereas occupational stress was associated with an increased risk of sick leave (OR 6.73; CI95% 2.02–22.40; p < 0.002). Work organization is a strong predictor of occupational stress and of mental and physical health among hospital employees.

Syncope and presyncope episodes that occur during work could affect one’s safety and impair occupational performance. Few data are available regarding the prevalence of these events among workers. The possible role of sleep quality, mental stress, and metabolic disorders in promoting syncope, presyncope, and falls in workers is unknown. In the present study, 741 workers (male 35.4%; mean age 47 ± 11 years), employed at different companies, underwent clinical evaluation and blood tests, and completed questionnaires to assess sleep quality, occupational distress, and mental disorders. The occurrence of syncope, presyncope, and unexplained falls during working life was assessed via an ad hoc interview. The prevalence of syncope, presyncope, and falls of unknown origin was 13.9%, 27.0%, and 10.3%, respectively. The occurrence of syncope was associated with an increased risk of occupational distress (adjusted odds ratio aOR: 1.62, confidence intervals at 95%: 1.05–2.52), low sleep quality (aOR: 1.79 CI 95%: 1.16–2.77), and poor mental health (aOR: 2.43 CI 95%: 1.52–3.87). Presyncope was strongly associated with occupational distress (aOR: 1.77 CI 95%: 1.25–2.49), low sleep quality (aOR: 2.95 CI 95%: 2.08–4.18), and poor mental health (aOR: 2.61 CI 95%: 1.78–3.84), while no significant relationship was found between syncope or presyncope and metabolic syndrome. These results suggest that occupational health promotion interventions aimed at improving sleep quality, reducing stressors, and increasing worker resilience might reduce syncope and presyncope events in the working population.