Aralık 2019’dan beri görülmeye başlayan COVİD-19 salgını tüm dünyayı etkilemiştir. 11 Mart 2020’de ülkemizde ilk vaka tespit edilmiştir. Yoğun infektivitesi olan bu virüs karşısında sağlık çalışanları en yüksek risk altındaki meslek grubudur. Çin’de salgın sırasında ilk üç ay içinde 1500’ün üzerinde sağlık çalışanı enfekte olmuştur. Bu yüksek maruziyet riski nedeniyle gözlük, bone, tulum, maske gibi kişisel koruyucu donanımların yerinde ve uygun kullanımı önem kazanmaktadır. Bu derlemede sağlık çalışanlarının COVİD-19 salgınında iş sağlığı ve güvenliği ilkeleri kullanılarak mesleki bulaş risklerini azaltma yolları ve yöntemleri irdelenmiştir.

Introduction: Occupational injuries among healthcare workers adversely affect the quality of healthcare services by undermining their physical and mental well-being. This study evaluates the frequency, characteristics, and influencing factors of occupational injuries among non-physician healthcare workers in a university hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study examines occupational injuries reported between 2020 and 2023 at a university hospital in Turkey. Variables included sociodemographic characteristics, occupation, department, working hours, cause and type of injury, time of injury, affected body part, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical intervention, and incapacity for work. Results: A total of 694 occupational injuries were reported at Gazi University Hospital between 2020 and 2023, with the fewest cases occurring in 2021. Among the injured workers, 58.8% were female, 89.2% were aged between 20 and 49 years, 30.1% did not use PPE, 76.4% received medical intervention, and 11.1% experienced incapacity for work. Cleaning workers (33.6%) and nurses (32.1%) accounted for the highest proportion of injuries. Sharps injuries were the most common type (48.8%), while injuries to the hands, fingers, and wrists comprised 53.3% of cases. The highest frequency of injuries occurred between 11:00 and 11:59 am. Sharps injuries were significantly associated with gender, age, educational background, occupation, working hours, and injury time. In contrast, cases of workplace violence were significantly associated with gender, occupation, and working hours. Conclusions: Sharps injuries and violence represent critical occupational hazards. Preventive strategies should be tailored to healthcare workers’ occupational roles and educational levels. Effective surveillance systems and reporting mechanisms should be implemented to promote workplace safety and reduce the risk of injuries.

Background Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an occupational hazard for outdoor workers. Aims This descriptive study aimed to describe the solar UVR risk, and explore associations between demographic characteristics and sun-safety knowledge, risks and practices, in golf-course maintenance workers on the island of Ireland. Methods A survey, designed to collect demographic and occupational information, measures of skin cancer knowledge and sun protection practices, was completed by 154 male outdoor workers in the golf-course maintenance industry. Statistical analysis included tests of association and non-parametric tests. Results Less than 10% of this mainly male worker group had received education/training on solar UVR risks (sun safety) and two-thirds were more concerned about workplace injury. While a majority used routine precautionary measures, those with greater knowledge of skin cancer, senior grades and workers under 45 years were significantly more likely to use sunscreen and/or sunglasses. Conclusions Findings indicate that these workers were a high risk group for skin cancer, with good knowledge of the risk, but limited training or education in risk reduction. While the prevalence of sunscreen and sunglasses use is relatively good, it was better among younger workers and those in senior grades, and could be improved if they were routinely provided as a control measure by the employer.

Objectives To assess the relation of exposure to cement dust and heavy metal (aluminium, cadmium and lead) exposures to pulmonary function among male cement plant workers. The study also aimed to evaluate dose–response relationships and prevalence and severity of respiratory symptoms among exposure categories compared with a control group. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Secondary-level occupational health clinic in Ankara, Türkiye. Participants 461 male non-smoking cement plant employees were included in total. Participants were categorised into packaging (n=101), milling (n=162) and office unexposed workers (n=198). Inclusion criteria were more than 70% work history in the cement industry and exclusion of pre-existing respiratory disease and missing data from the participants. Interventions Not applicable. Primary and secondary outcome measures Pulmonary function tests (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC and peak expiratory flow (PEF)) and urinary, cadmium and blood lead concentrations were measured. Lung function impairment was the primary outcome measure; secondary outcomes included metal exposure—pulmonary measure correlations. Results Significant negative correlations existed between FEV1 and urine aluminium (r=−0.622, p<0.001), blood cadmium (r=−0.430, p<0.001) and lead (r=−0.473, p<0.001). Adjusted generalised linear models showed much lower FVC, FEV1 and PEF in the high-exposure milling group compared with controls (p<0.001). Workers with blood aluminium levels≥35 µg/L had lower FVC (4.26 L), FEV1 (3.61 L) and PEF (7.07 L/min) than those with lowered levels (p<0.001). Dose-dependent pulmonary function loss with increased metal levels was observed. Conclusions Occupational cement dust and heavy metal exposure is closely linked to impaired pulmonary function in cement plant employees, particularly those who work in higher exposure jobs. The implications are robust endorsement of targeted monitoring and preventive interventions. Long-term longitudinal research is necessary to identify long-term outcome and efficacy of exposure reduction approaches.

Objective: T cell abnormal activation is thought to have a main role in the etiology of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). While cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4) is suppressing the immune system, in previous studies serum soluble CTLA-4 (sCTLA-4) was detected at high amounts in autoimmune disorders. We sought to evaluate the association between soluble CTLA-4 in serum and disease activity in AS patients. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with AS, 28 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and 27 disease-free controls were enrolled to the study. The levels of sCTLA-4 were determined for each participant using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive peptide, and demographic characteristics were documented. The data were analyzed by using relevant statistical methods. Results: In comparison with RA patients and controls, patients with AS showed high sCTLA-4 levels (p

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