Occupational Health Flashcards

1
Q

What can ‘worklessness’ lead to?

A
Poorer physical health - premature death
Poorer mental health
More medical care
Poorer social integration
Loss of self-confidence
Less monetary resources
Effect on next generation
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2
Q

What’s the cost of ill-health on the economy? Who pays?

A

Sickness absence to the economy is £28bn
Ill-health costs £100bn

State pay sickness benefits, healthcare costs and loss of tax
Employers pay sick pay
Employees lose earnings

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3
Q

What factors encourage/influence the ‘sick role’?

A

Culture, beliefs and attitudes - misconceptions about health and work (need to be 100% fit to go to work)

Inadequate systems - no pathways of rapid intervention to keep in work/help return

Lack of primary care involvement - rehab to work not a performance measure for healthcare/lack of occupation health advice

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4
Q

What’s the future of ill-health and employment?

A

By 2020, 1/3 of the workforce will be over 50 years old

Life expectancy increasing, retirement age increasing but disability free years aren’t changing with this

Early retirement: often ill-health causes early retirement

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5
Q

What is occupational health?

A

A discipline concerned with the effects of work on health, and the effects of health on work

Promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations

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6
Q

Define Hazard, Risk and Risk Assessment

A

Hazard = something that might cause harm

Risk = likelihood of that harm actually occurring

Risk assessment: identify the hazard, assess the risks, manage/control risks

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7
Q

What are the current risks to ill-health in the UK?

A

Mental health - depression/anxiety/stress

Musculoskeletal - skin, respiratory, infection

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8
Q

What are some categories of hazards?

A
Physical
Chemical
Mechanical
Biological
Psycho-social (shift patterns, bullying, workload, stress)
Organisational
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9
Q

What are red flags of back pain?

A
Sphincter disturbance
Gait disturbance
Saddle anaesthesia
Age <20, >50
Thoracic pain
Non-mechanical pain
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10
Q

What are some work-related neck and upper limb disorders?

A
Shoulder pain
Epicondylitis
Tenosynovitis
Non-specific diffuse forearm pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
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11
Q

What are the key elements of a history concerning work-related neck/upper-limb disorders?

A

Establish anatomical diagnosis
Consider work-related risk factors by asking the patient what they do at work in functional terms
Exclude recreational risk factors

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12
Q

What is an occupational history?

A

Most effective instrument for the proper diagnosis of occupational disease

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13
Q

What focussed questions are important to ask in an occupational history?

A

What is your job?
What do you do in your job? What tasks/what do you work with? Eg chemicals
How long have you been doing this job?
Do you have any other jobs?
Have you done any different kinds of work in the past? What were you exposed to?
Do the symptoms improve when away from work? (Eg occupational asthma)

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14
Q

Whose responsibility is it to assess fitness for work?

A

Normally the employers - with advice from occupational health advisor

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15
Q

What’s the deal with sickness absence certification?

A

Can self-certify for up to 7 days

Beyond 7 days require medical certificate: the ‘fit note’ which provides certification for statutory sick pay
Includes: advise about period of sickness absence, advises employer about suitable adjustments, facilitates return to work through communication

Fit note may also include: amended duties, altered hours

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16
Q

Equality Act 2010: define ‘disability’

How is disability assessed? What does the act state?

A

A physiocrat or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term adverse effect on ability to carry out normal day to day activities

Assessed without medication/aids as without then they would be substantially impaired if disabled

Make reasonable adjustments to avoid being put at a disadvantage to non-disabled people in the workplace (hours/equipment)

17
Q

What’s the role of occupational health team?

A

Provide independent and impartial advice to employer and employee
Investigate and diagnose those who are sick/injured due to work
Assist in return to work at earliest opportunity
Match people with jobs appropriate to their health/fitness/susceptibility status

18
Q

Department of Work and Pensions: Access to work scheme - what type of help does this provide?

A
Special aids and equipment
Adaptations to equipment
Travel to work
Travel in work
Mental health support service