Occupational Medicine and the Construction of “Difficult Reputations”

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tee L. Guidotti
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Environmental Medicine ◽  
Occupational Medicine ◽  
Historical Information ◽  
Target Individual ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Company Doctor ◽  
Occupational And Environmental Medicine

The creation of “difficult reputations” is a collective act of disparagement often undertaken to diminish the influence of the target individual or group for political reasons. This process can be observed in efforts to discredit the field of occupational medicine and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) by revising its history. Examples are given from Draper's The Company Doctor: Risk, Responsibility, and Corporate Professionalism and LaDou, in which new sources of historical information do not support the allegations or impressions conveyed. This tendency is inimical to progress in occupational health in general and may be highly destructive to the field if not recognized and discouraged.

Beyond Reputation: Debate on the Role of Corporate Influence in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna Rankin Bohme ◽  
David Egilman
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Medicine ◽  
Occupational Medicine ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Corporate Influence ◽  
Family Medical Leave Act ◽  
History Of ◽  
Historical Role ◽  
Family Medical Leave ◽  
Occupational And Environmental Medicine

In his article in this issue, Tee Guidotti casts recent works addressing corporate influence on occupational medicine as “collective act[s] of disparagement … undertaken … for political reasons.” We move beyond the question of reputation to address key conflicts in the history of occupational medicine, including the American Occupational Medical Association's historical role in weakening the beryllium standard and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine's recent efforts to limit the extent of the Family Medical Leave Act. The corporate practice of externalizing health and safety costs makes industry influence an important ongoing topic of debate in occupational and environmental medicine.

scholarly journals Occupational Health and Safety Measures in German Outpatient Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2987
Author(s):  
Mara Shirin Hetzmann ◽  
Natascha Mojtahedzadeh ◽  
Albert Nienhaus ◽  
Volker Harth ◽  
Stefanie Mache
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Outpatient Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health Threats ◽  
Company Doctor

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, outpatient caregivers are exposed to new serious health threats at work. To protect their health, effective occupational health and safety measures (OHSM) are necessary. Outpatient caregivers (n = 15) participated in semi-structured telephone interviews in May/June 2020 (1) to examine the pandemic-related OHSM that have been implemented in their outpatient care services, as well as (2) to identify their corresponding unmet needs. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed by using qualitative content analysis in accordance with Mayring. Available OHSM in outpatient care services described by outpatient caregivers mainly included personal protective equipment (PPE) and surface disinfection means after an initial shortage in the first peak of the pandemic. Further OHSM implied social distancing, increased hygiene regulations and the provision of pandemic-related information by the employer, as well as the possibility to consult a company doctor. Our study revealed that OHSM were largely adapted to the health threats posed by COVID-19, however an optimum has not yet been achieved. There is still a need for improvement in the qualitative and quantitative supply of PPE, as well as on the organisational level, e.g., with regard to the development of pandemic plans or in work organisation.

scholarly journals Message

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jen Fuk Liem
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Occupational Medicine ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Potential Biomarker

It gives me great pleasure and enthusiasm to welcome you to the special issue of Acta Medica Philippina - Workplace and Environment Safety and Health Issue. The occupational medicine and occupational health and safety activities primarily focusing on preventing diseases, injuries, and deaths due to working conditions. While exposure to harmful substances and or activities can happen at any time, I believe there are always some measures to ensure that no one has to suffer a work-related injury or illness because of their job. In this special issue, we published several articles including papers from the 13th Indonesia Occupational Medicine Updates, covering research on important aspects of occupational health and safety in the Philippines and Indonesia. The impacts of psychosocial hazards and shift work, the potential biomarker of effect on cardiovascular risk, pesticide exposure among farmers; and key statistics and trends in occupational injuries and traffic accidents in the Philippines are featured in this issue. I sincerely hope this work will be of interest to our readers and meet the real needs of the scientific community, stimulates thought, and eventually open up new research ideas. Finally, as special editor of this special issue, I would like to thank the authors who have worked very hard to prepare and revise the articles and to all reviewers for their careful reviews, and for providing valuable and constructive comments.   Jen Fuk Liem, MD Department of Occupational Health and Safety Faculty of Medicine and Health Science Universitas Kristen Krida Wacana Jakarta, Indonesia

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