Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM)

Christopher Alawode MPH, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Hometown Rancho Cucamonga, CA Future plans Working as an Occupational Medicine physician, perhaps in a rehabilitation center.

Dorian Kenleigh MPH, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Hometown Pittsburgh, PA Future plans Continuing to advocate for workers, such as in the cannabis industry as a medical consultant.

Michael Cashman is pursuing an MPH in Occupational and Environmental Medicine so he can work on a population-based scale and maximize his impact.

Pain affects 100 million adults in the United States (US) and costs up to $635 billion annually. Several interventional treatments have been developed to mitigate the negative impacts of pain. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the strongest

Background: Asthma is a leading cause of childhood morbidity in the U.S. and a significant public health concern. The prenatal period is a critical window during which environmental influences, including maternal occupational exposures, can shape child respiratory health.

University of Washington Abstract Military Population Health Outcomes Associated with Hospitalization for COVID-19 infection between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2022 Karla Vega Colon Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Luke Mease Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been shown to increase certain health outcomes includ

Background: Evidence links air pollution to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The health effect of ultrafine particulate matter (UFP) air pollution is not well understood, and no community-based prospective cohort studies in older adults have evaluated the association between UFP and markers of AD neuropathology at autopsy.

Exposure to per-and poly-fluorinated substances is increasingly in the public eye. The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released a report advising increase surveillance screening for those exposed to high levels.

We use AERMOD modeling to estimate the carbon monoxide air pollution impact by idling cars at Whitman Elementary School in the City of Tacoma.

Aim – The primary aim of this study is to direct future research and guide interventions for the prevention of workplace violence [WPV] in the emergency department [ED] using a multidisciplinary approach and qualitative evidence of perceived facilitators and barriers of WPV.

Objective: This study characterizes determinants of depression and anxiety among U.S. Mariners during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies areas for intervention on these outcomes.

Introduction: The expansion of the U.S. cannabis industry has created thousands of new jobs in cultivation, processing and distribution. While little is known about occupational hazards in the Cannabis industry, pilot studies suggest an increased risk of respiratory exposures and associated adverse health outcomes, including immunologic sensitization to Cannabis.

Rationale: Approximately 31% of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is caused by vapor, gas, dust and fumes (VGDF). In collaboration with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention Program, we report a new algorithm for surveillance of Occupational COPD.

Introduction: Air pollution is a significant contributor to adverse health outcomes in humans around the world. Particulate matter has been linked to numerous cardiovascular, pulmonary and neurological diseases and associated with increased systemic inflammation and direct cellular toxicity.

Objective: Firefighters are exposed to occupational hazards including carcinogens working in states like Washington with laws that provide line-of-duty benefits for certain cancers; however, research on exposure-disease relationships is inconsistent for covered cancers like malignant melanoma (MM).

Background: Adverse health effects of extreme heat in occupational settings are substantial, particularly among outdoor workers who perform physical labor. Core body temperature (CT) is a critical indicator of heat strain. Excessive increase in CT negatively affects physical and cognitive performance and can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

This study hypothesized differences would exist in NIHL markers among veterans compared to non-veterans. Methods A data set of 10,000 NHANES records, dating from 2015 to 2016, was obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services website. Records with a complete audiometric exam were examined to exclude subjects with ear disease that would invalidate the audiometric exam.

Decisions made in the energy and natural resources sector can affect public health. This report reviews the characteristics and assesses the effectiveness of health impact assessments (HIAs) conducted in this sector. A total of 30 HIAs conducted in 14 states in the United States were identified using a targeted literature search.

Objectives: Suicide and unintentional deaths related to firearms are a problem in the United States. Findings cited by the National Center for Health Statistics show a 33% increase in the U.S. suicide rate over the past two decades.

Introduction: Exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) has been associated with increased prevalence of low back pain in occupational settings. Not only does exposure to WBV have a high personal cost for workers who experience chronic pain, but it also has a high impact on the costs of workers’ compensation claims.

Purpose: This study assessed how a job video together with a written job description, compared to a job description alone, affects occupational health providers’ knowledge about the job of injury and return to work (RTW) practices.

Background: Heat-related injury (HRI) remains a significant public health concern in heat exposed outdoor occupational groups and especially in agricultural workers like tree fruit harvesters.

Introduction: Characterization of Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) exposure is important for the development and evaluation of mitigation strategies for occupational WBV. Traditional gold standard accelerometer (GSA) systems can be bulky, expensive, and difficult to implement in real world testing.

Objective: Determine the association between occupational exposure to copper or aluminum and incidence of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

BACKGROUND: Opioids and benzodiazepines are central nervous system (CNS) depressants with sedating effects that can adversely impact cognitive as well as motor performance thereby potentially increasing the risk of occupational injury.

Background: Outdoor air pollution was recently classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, epidemiologic studies supporting this classification have focused on lung cancer mortality rather than incidence, and most previous studies have included relatively few women.

Analysis of an Intervention to Reduce  Truck Drivers’ Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration  Louwers, TD1,2; Johnson, PW1; Davies HW3; Martin, GJ2; Vedal, S1; Wang, F4; Du, B5; Hughes, M1  1Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington 

Abstract: Background/Introduction: Several studies have established an association between obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), but the exact mechanism of interactions remains unknown.

Aim: Health impact assessments (HIA) are tools that can be used to inform policy makers of the potential health consequences of their decisions. Reviews of HIAs related to housing and transportation have been performed, but little is known about employment-related HIAs.