00699 - Occupational Medicine

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:

1. Explain a definition of an occupational physician’s field of expertise;
2. Describe the general relation between work activity (risk factors for health and safety), lifestyle and other relevant determinants of health;
3. Define the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of the most common occupational diseases;
4. Describe the medico-legal requirements applicable to occupational injuries and diseases.

Course contents

Introduction and general fundamentals of Occupational Medicine

Introduction to occupational medicine

Classification of occupational risk factors

Occupational diseases due to Physical, Biological and Biomechanical risk factors

Some physical risk factors: radiations, heat, noise, hand-arm and whole-body vibration

Some biological risk factors: airborne diseases (Flu, TBC, Covid-19), bloodborne diseases (Hepatitis B&C, HIV)

Some biomechanical risk factors Manual work, manual material Handling and related musculoskeletal disorders and diseases (low-back pain, upper and lower limb diseases)

Occupational diseases mainly due to Chemical risk factors

Occupational toxicology and industrial hygiene: general concepts

Respiratory diseases (Pneumoconiosis, Interstitial lung diseases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Skin diseases (Acute and chronic dermatitis, Photosensitivity, Folliculitis, Pigment changes)

Cancers (Lung and Pleura, Upper respiratory tract, Liver, Bladder, Skin)

Toxicology of metals (Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel)

Toxicology of solvents (Aromatic hydrocarbons: Benzene, Toluene; Alcohols: Methanol, Propanol; Ethylacetate)

Toxicology of pesticides (Organophosphate and Carbamates; Organochlorine; Pyrethroids; Glyphosate; Dichloropropane)

Occupational diseases mainly due to psychosocial risk factors

Models for occupational stress assessment and related health effects

Special issues

Occupational medicine in the healthcare work setting

Reproductive health in the workplace and pertinent legislation

The practice of the occupational physician and medico-legal requirements applicable to occupational injuries and diseases

Readings/Bibliography

- Mutti A. and Corradi M. Lezioni di Medicina del Lavoro. Nuova Editrice Berti, 2021

- LaDou J and Harrison R. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Occupational and Environmental Medicine. McGraw-Hill Education, 2021

Teaching methods

The exam will focus on the issues indicated in the "Course contents" section.

The exam consists in a multiple-choice test, with four answers for each question.

Students are asked to select one correct answer from the choices offered as a list.

A total of 65 questions will be included: n.26 on Forensic Medicine, n.26 on Occupational Medicine and n.13 on General and Social Pedagogy.

To get the maximum final score (30/30 cum laude) students should answer correctly to more than or equal to 63 questions. If the number of right scoring is 61 or 62 then the final score will be 30/30. Minimum final scoring (18/30) will be awarded for 36 correct answers and pass-scoring for each subject. Final score will be proportionally calculated for intermediate results.

Time for completing the test: 60 minutes.

Assessment methods

Classroom lectures and discussions, assisted by slides, videos and handouts

Teaching tools

If needed, they will be distributed directly or via the university website. Students who need compensatory tools, due to disability-related reasons or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), are invited to inform the teacher of their needs as soon as possible in order to adopt the appropriate measures, as feasible

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Saverio Violante