Understanding Health Monitoring in Occupational Medicine
The health monitoring is one of the tools used by occupational medicine to control and monitor the impact of working conditions on the health of the working population. It consists of the systematic and continuous collection of data about a specific health problem, its analysis, interpretation, and use in planning, implementation, and evaluation of health programs. In the field of occupational health, this is monitored by continuous observation of the distribution and trends of the phenomena of interest, which are working conditions (risk factors) and the effects thereof on the worker (risks). In short, health monitoring helps us:
Identify the problems: in its two dimensions, the individual (early detection, capable workers, adaptation of the task) and collective (situation analysis and detection of new risks).
Preventive action plan: setting priorities for action.
Evaluate preventive measures: serving as an alert for any occurrence of injury despite the existence of working conditions in the top right and evaluating the effectiveness of the prevention plan, promoting the use of more efficient methods of operation.
In the Royal Decree Law 1/1994 of June 20, 1994, an occupational disease is defined as contracted as a result of all that work performed for others, in activities specified in the table adopted by the provisions and development of this Act, and is caused by the action of the elements or substances specified in that table. (10/10/2003 reform covers self-employed persons in case of accident and occupational diseases.) Diseases are considered those in which there is a proven causal link between exposure to a particular occupational hazard and a specific disease. To facilitate recognition, different organizations such as the International Labour Organization, European Community, etc., develop, update, and recommend the use of lists that are voluntarily adopted by member states. In Spain, for legal purposes, an occupational disease is known as one that, in addition to its work, is included in an official list published by the Ministry of Work, which therefore entitles the individual to payment of appropriate compensation.
Systems responsible for excretion (3): urinary / digestive (liver) and integumentary. Systems in charge of nutrition (2): respiratory / digestive. Systems in charge of transportation and defense (2): cardiovascular / lymphatic. Systems responsible for regulation (2): nervous / endocrine systems. Systems responsible for mobility: musculoskeletal. Systems charged with protection: integumentary.
Func BLOOD: – Transport (O 2-nutrients, waste products) .- Homeostasis (O 2-H 2O-pH-T-electrolytes).-Protection (Coagulation, leukocytes).
RJO GLOB Func “Hemoglobin (transport O2), CO2-Transport – Function Buffer (eq maintenance AC-BASE)
-RBC: most abundant cells in the blood responsible for oxygen transport (hemoglobin) from the lungs to other tissues. – Hematopoiesis: The process of generating blood cells.
Homeostasis is the persistence of constant conditions in the internal environment to ensure proper cell function. For this, the body has regulatory mechanisms that control and regulate, in any circumstance that requires changes or adjustments, physiological variables (blood glucose, partial pressure of gases (O 2-CO 2), temperature, thirst, sleep cycle) that maintain a healthy internal environment. To carry out this self-regulation, the body has an integrated communication system that is very complex, consisting of nerve impulses and hormones that affect almost all organs and body systems. The control mechanisms;
- Negative feedback: suppressive or negative response to the initial stimulus that causes the disappearance of stimuli (inhibitory systems)
- Positive feedback: promotes progressive change in some variable (system stimulators) such as following childbirth, breast milk is formed.
- Law of mass balance: the gain and loss of a substance must be compensated. It is the ability to maintain constant limits controlled under the variations of external stimuli.
The cardiac cycle is an automatic process for a system of nodes (atria, ventricles) that divides it into 2 phases:
- Relaxation phase (diastole) for blood outside the atria (1º) and ventricles (2º, no filling).
- Contraction phase (systole)
- Atrial systole, blood flow from the atria to the ventricles (full population), leaving the atria empty of blood.
- Ventricular systole, blood flow from the ventricles outward, leaving empty the ventricles of blood.
Response pathways: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic System
Depending on the type of control, the nervous system is divided into autonomous and somatic. The autonomic nervous system performs important tasks that automatically control blood flow, the rate of peristalsis in the digestive system, heart rate, etc. The autonomic system is divided into two systems: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. The sympathetic system (stimulates) accelerates the function of specific organs and/or principal, making them work faster. It originates in the lateral horn of the spinal cord mainly. The parasympathetic system (inhibits) functions or slows down. It arises mainly from the brain and the spinal cord to the sacral level. Vagus Nerve, Facial.
Differences between Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System.
Depending on their position, the nervous system is divided into the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, which are protected by three membranes, the meninges. Inside, there is a system of cavities called ventricles, through which cerebrospinal fluid circulates.
The brain is the central nervous system and is protected by the skull. It comprises the brain, cerebellum, and brainstem.
- Brain: It is divided into two hemispheres, one right and one left. The surface, called the cerebral cortex, is formed by refolding. In deep areas, there are two major autonomous formations: the thalamus (involved in emotional and affective life, in the regulation of sleep, body temperature, metabolism) and hypothalamus (coordinates autonomic functions).
- Cerebellum: It’s at the bottom and back of the brain and controls posture and balance.
- Brainstem: Composed of the midbrain, which is responsible for eye movements, pons nerve fibers that regulate the facial muscles and jaw, and medulla that connects the brain to the spinal cord.
The spinal cord is an extension of the brain, like a cord that extends through the interior of the spine.
The PNS is made up of nerves and spinal nerves, which run throughout the body containing axons with different functions, and the lymph peripherals that are in the path containing nerves and cell bodies.
- The cranial nerves: There are 12 pairs that send sensory information from the neck and head to the central nervous system. They receive motor commands to control the skeletal muscles of the neck and head.
- The spinal nerves: There are 31 pairs and are in charge of sending sensory information (touch, pain, and temperature) of the trunk and limbs and the position and condition of the muscles and joints of the trunk and limbs to the central nervous system and, from there, receiving motor commands to control the skeletal muscles that are driven by the spinal cord.
Number of Bones.
The bones can be divided: – By the way: long, short, flat, and irregular. – By type of bone tissue: compact tissue, spongy tissue. Its role is to: support, protection, bone boxes, movement, mineral deposits, reservoir of calcium, hematopoiesis, blood cell formation.
The skeletal system consists of 206 bones. The axial skeleton is made up of 80 bones. These are the bones of the skull, face, ear bones, hyoid bone, spine, sternum, and ribs. The appendicular skeleton is made up of 126 bones. These are the bones of the upper limbs and lower limbs.
Determinants of Health
– Human biology: It is given by genetics and aging. It refers to the genetic predisposition to a particular disease.
– The environment: Polluting factors: physical (noise, smoke …), chemicals (pesticides, metals …), and biological (viruses, fungi …). Psychosocial factors: level of access to basic services, education, employment …
– Lifestyles: Health behaviors such as smoking, obesity, malnutrition, alcoholism, violence, accidents, sedentary lifestyle ….
– The organization of health care systems: Quality, coverage, free …
Human biology + environment = lifestyle (the intersection is the most important). Employment, quality of work environment, physical security, mental and social work activity, and the ability to control the demands and pressures are important determinants of health.
System of Temperature Regulation. Strategies responsible for regulating temperature are based on: the passive mechanisms of regulation, changes in the diameter of blood vessels, sweating, and contraction of body muscles.