Several review studies have shown that 3.4% to 16.6% of patients in acute care hospitals experience one or more adverse events. Adverse events (AEs) in hospitals constitute a significant problem with serious consequences and a challenge for public health. The occurrence of AEs in Portuguese hospitals has not yet been systematically studied. The main purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence, impact and preventability of adverse events in Portuguese hospitals. It is also our aim to examine the feasibility of applying to Portuguese acute hospitals the methodology of detecting AEs through record review, previously used in other countries.

To analyse the variation in the rate of adverse events (AEs) between acute hospitals and explore the extent to which some patients and hospital characteristics influence the differences in the rates of AEs. Retrospective cohort study. Chi-square test for independence and binary logistic regression models were used to identify the potential association of some patients and hospital characteristics with AEs. Nine acute Portuguese public hospital centres. A random sample of 4250 charts, representative of around 180 000 hospital admissions in 2013, was analysed. To measure adverse events based on chart review. Rate of AEs. Main results: (i) AE incidence was 12.5%; (ii) 66.4% of all AEs were related to Hospital-Acquired Infection and surgical procedures; (iii) patient characteristics such as sex (female 11%; male 14.4%), age (≥65 y 16.4%; <65 y 8.5%), admission coded as elective vs. urgent (8.6% vs. 14.6%) and medical vs. surgical Diagnosis Related Group code (13.4% vs. 11.7%), all with p < 0.001, were associated with a greater occurrence of AEs. (iv) hospital characteristics such as use of reporting system (13.2% vs. 7.1%), being accredited (13.7% vs. non-accredited 11.2%), university status (15.9% vs. non-university 10.9%) and hospital size (small 12.9%; medium 9.3%; large 14.3%), all with p < 0.001, seem to be associated with a higher rate of AEs. We identified some patient and hospital characteristics that might influence the rate of AEs. Based on these results, more adequate solutions to improve patient safety can be defined.

Hospital work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) symptoms are highly prevalent and nurses are considered the health care professional group more often affected by WRMSDs. Understanding the effects of nursing tasks on WRMSDs symptoms. Portuguese nurses answered to a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal symptoms Questionnaire. The increased likelihood of having WRMSDs symptoms was estimated from a daily working task schedule and the probability of suffering from lumbar WRMSDs symptoms intensity was also estimated. Hospital nurses studied (n= 1.396) were mainly females (75.8%), and most of them reported more than 1 symptom (88%). Low-back pain was the most prevalent complaint (60.9%). Tasks performed more than 10 times a day, such as invasive procedures (OR = 2.142); care of hygiene and patient comfort in bed (OR = 2.484); patient mobilization in bed (OR = 2.022); and patient feeding (OR = 2.186) had an effect on dorsal and lumbar symptoms (p< 0.05).Those tasks involving invasive procedures were just the only ones producing symptoms simultaneously on every studied body part, such as lumbar, dorsal, wrist/hand and ankles/feet areas. Tasks with a greater effect on low-back pain intensity were patient bed feeding and patient hygiene and care. We found, when analysing simultaneously the effects of every task on the likelihood of having low-back symptoms, that involving invasive procedures were that only ones affecting simultaneously the presence of almost all WRMSDs symptoms studied.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are manufactured nanofibres that hold impressive expectations in forest, food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries. CNF production and applications are leading to an increased human exposure and thereby it is of utmost importance to assess its safety to health. In this study, we screened the cytotoxic, immunotoxic and genotoxic effects of a CNF produced by TEMPO-mediated oxidation of an industrial bleached Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp on a co-culture of lung epithelial alveolar (A549) cells and monocyte-derived macrophages (THP-1 cells). The results indicated that low CNF concentrations can stimulate A549 cells proliferation, whereas higher concentrations are moderately toxic. Moreover, no proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β was detected in the co-culture medium suggesting no immunotoxicity. Although CNF treatment did not induce sizable levels of DNA damage in A549 cells, it leaded to micronuclei formation at 1.5 and 3 μg/cm2. These findings suggest that this type of CNF is genotoxic through aneugenic or clastogenic mechanisms. Noteworthy, cell overgrowth and genotoxicity, which are events relevant for cell malignant transformation, were observed at low CNF concentration levels, which are more realistic and relevant for human exposure, e.g., in occupational settings.

BACKGROUND: Occupational physical demands are commonly assumed the cause of work-related Low Back Pain (LBP) and absenteeism. OBJECTIVES: To analyse relationships between LBP at work, physical demands and absenteeism. METHODS: Workers filled out a qu

Healthcare units consist of numerous people circulating daily, such as workers, patients, and companions, and these people are vehicles for the transmission of microorganisms, such as bacteria. Bacteria species may have different allergenic, pathogenic, infectious, or toxic properties that can affect humans. Hospital settings foment the proliferation of bacteria due to characteristics present in the indoor hospital environment. This review article aims to identify the potential health effects caused by bacterial contamination in the context of healthcare units, both in patients and in workers. A search was carried out for articles published in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, between 1 January 2000 and 31 October 2021, using the descriptor hospital exposure assessment bacteria. This bibliographic research found a total of 13 articles. Bacteria transmission occurs mainly due to the contact between healthcare workers and patients or through the handling of/contact with contaminated instruments or surfaces. The most common bacterial contaminants are Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus, and the principal health effects of these contaminants are hospital-acquired infections and infections in immunocompromised people. A tight control of the disinfection methods is thus required, and its frequency must be increased to remove the microbial contamination of wards, surfaces and equipment. A better understanding of seasonal variations is important to prevent peaks of contamination.