00699 - Occupational Medicine

Learning outcomes

The students are expected to have a good knowledge of the main theoretical issues of occupational risk factors and job organization in the health care sector. Students are also expected to be able to apply these principles to promote good practices taking into account workers' safety and health.

Course contents

The course aims at introducing etiology and clinical features of the main occupational diseases, focusing on the health care sector.

Basic concepts of risk assessment and dose response relationship are discussed.

I. General contents

Occupational Medicine: general background and evolution of working conditions.

Work, health and well-being.

Epidemiology of occupational accidents and diseases. Global burden of disease.

Gender and work.

New forms of employment: new formal employment relationships or work patterns (linked to aspects such as place of work, working time or use of ICT).

Reference legislative frame. The professional role of the occupational physician an other professionals involved in prevention.Mandatory reports and certifications.

Risk assessment and occupational hygiene: exposure limits to noxious agents, environmental and biological monitoring.

Sustainable work ability. Return to work and health promotion programs.

Job accommodation for disabled workers.

 

II. Health and safety (focus on the health care sector):

• Musculoskeletal disorders due to biomechanical overload. Manual patient handling and the health care sector.
• Diseases due to biological agents: major occupational infections. Prevention of percutaneous and airborne (TB) transmissible diseases.
• Diseases due to chemical and carcinogen agents: clinical and preventive issues. Risk from chemicals in the healthcare environment: antineoplastic drugs, anaesthetics, aldehydes.
• Occupational Dermatitis

 

III. Reproductive hazards in the workplace.

Scientific evidence and legislative framework.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Link to public websites 

Scientific papers, guidelines, best practices.

Faculty of Occupational Medicine guidance and documents (available at) https://www.fom.ac.uk/media-events/publications/fom-guidance

Health and Safety Executive guidance: https://www.hse.gov.uk/guidance/index.htm

Teaching methods

Lectures (PP presentations)

Risk assessment, environmental and biological monitoring results are discussed.

Clinical case reports and fitness for duty in the health care sector are presented.

Assessment methods

At the end of the course, the lecturer will point students to a selection of scientific articles related to the topics covered in class (general part, health care workers safety and health, reproductive risks in the workplace)
The student will be required to choose one scientific paper from the suggested ones, review it, conduct in-depth research by searching databases for (at least 3) additional related articles, and write a written text (project work) integrating and discussing the contents.
The text will be handed to the lecturer and presented orally on the day of the exam.
The work may be done individually or in groups of two students.
Assessment will be made in relation to content, written and oral form of expression.

Excellent grade 30/30 possibly with honors:
Comprehensive content, supported by finding more supplementary sources than the minimum required (>3 articles), inclusion in the text of the criteria used to search databases (keywords, MESH terms...), integration of information and individual contribution in the discussion. Written and oral expository clarity, use of specific technical terminology.

Very good rating 27-29/30:
Comprehensive content, supported by finding more supplementary sources than the minimum required (>3 articles), integration of information and individual contribution in discussion. Written and oral expository clarity, use of proper  terminology.

Fair rating 23-26/30
More than sufficient content, supported by finding the minimum number of required supplementary sources (3 articles), integration of information in the summary of findings. Fair written and oral clarity of exposition.

Sufficient assessment 18-22/30
Sufficient content, supported by finding the minimum number of required supplementary sources (3 articles), description of results without proper integration and discussion. Sufficient written and oral expository clarity.

 

 

Teaching tools

Lectures will involve Power Point presentations, videos and images of manual jobs.

Scientific papers analysis.

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Bonfiglioli