https://medicalxpress.com/occupational-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Occupational medicine University of Warwick researchers have shaped a new Mental Health Joint Code of Practice, launched by the Construction Leadership Council, that presents solutions to poor mental health in construction, which is one of the most significant risks facing the construction industry. The Office for National Statistics says the suicide rate for men in U.K. construction is nearly four times the national average. Yet mental health harm is not inevitable; it is the result of decision-making around how construction work is designed, planned and led. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tackling-root-mental-health.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:00:05 EDT news700824893 Paraquat is one of the world's most widely used herbicides. It's also highly toxic, and some research points to a link with Parkinson's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-paraquat-parkinson-evidence-common-weed.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:40:01 EDT news700811101 Mesothelioma deaths and diagnoses continue to rise in the United States despite decades of asbestos regulation and reduced industrial use, according to a new national analysis from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-mesothelioma-cases-deaths-decades-asbestos.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news700387621 A new study finds that employer points systems, which penalize workers for absences regardless of the reason, are strongly associated with presenteeism, the practice of showing up to work while sick, and that these systems undermine the public health benefits of paid sick leave laws even in jurisdictions where such protections are on the books. Published in the June 2026 issue of Health Affairs, the research, "Points-Based Attendance Systems Associated With Presenteeism Despite Paid Sick Leave Protections," draws on 2024 survey data from more than 3,000 hourly service-sector workers at 63 large U.S. firms. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-sick-workers-job-paid.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:20:05 EDT news700400521 Routine exposure to harmful levels of the human tissue preservative formaldehyde is risking the health of thousands of NHS staff working in pathology departments across the UK due to poor monitoring and control, finds an analysis of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-routine-exposure-formaldehyde-health-thousands.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:30:04 EDT news700132551 Heat could pose a danger to workers at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-pose-threat-world-cup-workers.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:20:02 EDT news700215745 New Curtin University research has found Australians exposed to asbestos could be falling through the cracks of lung cancer screening programs. The study, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, warns thousands of people at high risk of lung cancer may not be identified early enough because asbestos exposure is not being properly considered in current screening efforts. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-reveals-asbestos-lung-cancer-screening.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:20:05 EDT news699601622 Occupational exposure and residential exposure to coal operations are associated with worse cancer mortality, according to a review published in Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-worse-cancer-mortality-association-exposure.html Wed, 27 May 2026 20:20:01 EDT news699092474 Exposure to cancer risk factors in the workplace remains an important and preventable cause of disease in Europe. A new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analyzes the situation in the health and social care sector (HeSCare) in Europe. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ten-european-workers-workplace-cancer.html Wed, 27 May 2026 15:00:02 EDT news699106279 Occupational burnout is a growing threat to care quality, workforce retention and physician well-being. Pregnant and postpartum physicians-in-training are especially at risk, facing stigma, limited support, and physical demands, alongside major role transitions and increased responsibilities at home. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-parental-package-burnout-physician-trainees.html Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:03 EDT news697797181 Mothers who work in jobs where they are frequently exposed to toxic chemicals or experience high stress have higher odds of having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), suggest the findings of original research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-autism-spectrum-disorder-child-linked.html Tue, 12 May 2026 18:30:02 EDT news697710904 Man-made "forever chemicals" have been detected in 98.8% of blood tests, in a new study which examined more than 10,500 samples. The findings are the latest indication to suggest that nearly every single person in the US is living with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—and usually multiple—in their system. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-multiple-chemicals-people.html Fri, 08 May 2026 08:40:06 EDT news697447801 Researchers from National Jewish Health have conducted what is believed to be the largest systematic review of silicosis in mineral miners. Silicosis is an irreversible lung disease caused by the inhalation of respirable (breathable) crystalline silica dust, and—while preventable—it is not treatable and can be disabling. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-disease-global-pits-demand-critical.html Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:06 EDT news697214461 The responses to a national survey have revealed tunnel construction workers across Australia say they face significant exposure to silica dust, a hazardous dust that can cause incurable diseases like silicosis and lung cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-tunnel-workers-exposed-significant-silica.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:20:06 EDT news696745382 Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH) are studying how cannabis use affects driving performance. Using a "video game-like" simulator, they measure how people drive before and after consuming cannabis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-cannabis-reveal-big.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news695985762 If you piled all of Phoenix's pavement into one spot, it would be enough to cover San Francisco four times over. Roads, parking lots, and other paved surfaces blanket a lot of land—an estimated 40% of Arizona's capital city. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-asphalt-bad-health.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:01 EDT news696075781 For years, we've been told that "sitting is the new smoking." It's a catchy phrase that seems to sum up a very real problem, but it's also a huge oversimplification. If sitting were always the worst option, we could solve the problem by just standing up, and that is not the case. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-health.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:20:06 EDT news696078841 Professional wrestlers die nearly three years earlier than people of the same age and sex, new research from Macquarie University shows. The findings are published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The study—the largest of its kind—analyzed the survival of more than 1,000 male and female wrestlers who performed for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and its predecessor organizations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pro-spectacle-deadly-toll-fans.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:20:03 EDT news696072601 A new study finds that lead chromate pigments are used in more than 90% of the lead paints that are being sold in Mexico. Lead Chromate is a well-known human carcinogen and a lead poisoning hazard. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-toxic-shelves-mexico-products.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:00:04 EDT news696003782 A new study on physician misconduct using publicly available data on 208 physicians involved in cases of sex- or gender-based violence, harassment, or discrimination found gaps in how physicians were monitored and sanctioned. The research is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Using media stories, legal decisions, and information from physician regulatory body websites, researchers identified 689 victims—of whom 585 were women or girls and at least 40 were children—over five years from 2019 to 2024. Sexual-boundary or sexual-misconduct complaints were the most common (75, 36%) followed by sexual assault (65, 32%), although definitions sometimes differed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-transparency-physician-sexual-misconduct.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:04 EDT news695634502 Menopause has long been treated as something private, but the silence surrounding it is increasingly at odds with demographic reality. Women over 50 are the fastest-growing group in the workforce in many countries, and most will experience menopause during their working lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-women-menopause-symptoms-workplaces.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:40:02 EDT news695472241 In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers found that occupational exposure to talc that is not contaminated with asbestos is not associated with an increase in the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, or laryngeal cancer. The findings are published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-respiratory-cancers-asbestos-free-talc.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:30:01 EDT news695048471 A multidisciplinary research team has identified a faster way to determine which airborne chemicals pose a threat to human lungs. Led by an environmental health researcher with the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, the study in Inhalation Toxicology shows that lab-grown lung cells that behave like those inside the human body can reliably screen chemicals for respiratory toxicity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-fast-accurate-enables-airborne-chemical.html Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:40:02 EDT news694707637 The fight against widespread burnout in the health care workforce should begin with the training of future health care administrators, according to a new paper from the George Mason University College of Public Health. Published in the Journal of Health Administration Education, the paper examines how health administration programs can better prepare future leaders to address burnout by focusing on workplace factors such as working conditions, leadership support, job design and workload, social connections, and opportunities for advancement. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-ways-future-health-leaders-tackle.html Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:30:02 EDT news693580973 Night shift workers living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) face challenges in maintaining a healthy diet and managing their condition. The findings by King's College London, as part of a series of studies published in Diabetic Medicine, underscore the need for tailored support to help this group improve their health and well-being. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-night-shifts-worsen-diabetes.html Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:00:07 EDT news693487700 Efforts to address workplace violence against health care professionals need to evolve beyond preventing individual incidents to confronting systemic challenges that impede patient-centered, trauma-informed care, according to an article published in AACN Advanced Critical Care. Titled "Five Topics Overlooked in Workplace Violence Discussions in Health Care Settings," the study examines five underrecognized yet critical domains of inquiry that form the basis for practice and cultural changes in workplace violence prevention (WVP) on non-psychiatric units. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-workplace-violence-health-requires-paradigm.html Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:40:01 EDT news693652843 Nine leading medical societies are calling for updated safety standards in fluoroscopy laboratories, often called "cath labs," where clinicians performing minimally invasive procedures face radiation exposure and orthopedic injuries from heavy protective equipment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-medical-societies-alara-safety-standard.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:05 EDT news693467710 A study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä shows that regular leisure-time physical activity started at a young age prevents a decrease in work ability at the end of a career. The result is societally significant, as productivity losses due to reduced work ability cost billions of euros annually. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-physical-ability-lifelong-childhood-career.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:00:03 EDT news693144841 Ballet is an art of illusion: dancers seem to float across the stage and, in their leaps, appear to defy gravity for a moment. The effort behind this lightness and grace usually remains invisible to audiences. "Professional dance is a high-performance sport," says Professor Eileen Wanke of the Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt. "It requires exceptional physical control and athleticism, developed through many years of intensive training." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-sensor-injury-pro-dancers.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:40:04 EDT news693138962 Rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders (RMDs) like arthritis are having a significant impact on how long people across Europe can remain healthy while working, according to a new study. A research team from Keele University has found that workers in European countries who have an RMD can expect to be healthy and in work for significantly less time than their counterparts who do not have one of these conditions, with the difference being as much as 50% in six of the countries studied. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-musculoskeletal-disorders-shortening-healthy-europe.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:10:06 EDT news692981522