Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM)

Time is running out! Secure your spot today for ACOEM's MRO Fast Track Course, which will take place in Atlanta from February 1-2. Registration rates increase after today, January 13 – don't miss this opportunity to learn from top experts and elevate your career with MRO Certification. Use the link below to register! https://buff.ly/4heG87c

Consider Publishing Your JOEM Article OPEN ACCESS for Maximum Increased Visibility & Reach! Benefit: By choosing open access, your research will be accessible to a wider audience, enhancing its impact and facilitating greater engagement with your work in the community. You'll elevate your visibility among peers and increase citing opportunities, ensuring that your findings have the recognition they deserve. #JOEM

Start the year off strong by helping ACOEM shape the future of our educational offerings. The Member Education Needs Survey is your opportunity to share what matters most to you when it comes to learning opportunities and resources. Your insights will guide us in tailoring programs that meet your needs and the needs of fellow members. By completing the survey, you’ll also be entered to win one of four $50 Amazon gift cards as a token of our appreciation. Get started by clicking on the link below! https://lnkd.in/g3mRUEhC

Because people have asked me for the link. https://lnkd.in/epE4W4zB

OPEN ACCESS CME Paper: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake Among Firefighters An Application of the Health Belief Model Hooker, Stephanie A. PhD, MPH; Ziegenfuss, Jeanette Y. PhD; Muegge, Jule MPH; Dinh, Jennifer M. MPH; Zabel, Erik W. PhD, MPH; Dabrowski, Dominik MD, MPH; Nadeau, Ashley M. MD, MPH; McKinney, Zeke J. MD, MHI, MPH Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 67(1):p 19-26, January 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003232 Occupational medicine clinicians working with firefighters should consider their beliefs about infectious disease (like COVID-19) vaccines and illness to increase their openness to becoming vaccinated. Encouraging firefighters to weigh benefits and barriers, along with their own perceived risks, may increase the likelihood that they will accept a vaccine. CME Learning Objectives After completing this enduring educational activity, the learner will be better able to: Outline the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of Minnesota firefighters. Compare the rates from the sample of Minnesota firefighters to the general population. Summarize how different beliefs (as part of the Health Belief Model) are associated with vaccination status among firefighters in Minnesota. https://lnkd.in/eh3wByj4 #JOEM #covid-19 #covid-19research

JOEM CME Paper: A Longitudinal Analysis of Long Working Hours and the Onset of Psychological Distress Ezekekwu, Emmanuel PhD; Johnson, Christopher PhD; Karimi, Seyed PhD; Lorenz, Doug PhD; Antimisiaris, Demetra PharmD, BCGP, FASCP Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 67(1):p 11-18, January 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003231 In Brief This study highlights the critical clinical importance of identifying, evaluating, and addressing occupational influences on mental health. It brings attention to the role of working hours, especially high overtime hours, which can be a manageable factor in decreasing the development of psychological distress among workers. CME Learning Objectives After completing this enduring educational activity, the learner will be better able to: Articulate the relationship between long working hours and the development of psychological distress. Discuss the workhour groups associated with the onset of psychological distress. Outline the importance of using fixed-effects estimation to examine the relationship between working hours and the onset of psychological distress. https://lnkd.in/eGNrxgsk #JOEM

OPEN ACCESS JOEM CME PAPER: Determinants of Post-COVID Ill-Health in a Cohort of Canadian Healthcare Workers Zadunayski, Tanis MSc; Durand-Moreau, Quentin MD; Adisesh, Anil MD; Burstyn, Igor PhD; Labrèche, France PhD; Ruzycki, Shannon MD; Cherry, Nicola MD, PhD Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 67(1):p 1-10, January 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003226 Canadian healthcare workers (HCW) were at greater risk than the general population of reporting persisting ill-health they attributed to COVID-19. Predisposing factors included self-reported chronic health conditions, higher depression scores, and increased alcohol use prior to infection. Risk was decreased with vaccination and months into the pandemic. CME Learning Objectives After completing this enduring educational activity, the learner will be better able to: Describe important factors associated with reporting a post-COVID condition among HCW, including the importance of vaccination for prevention. Outline and discuss modifiable workplace and personal circumstances in order to reduce the likelihood of a post-COVID (or post-viral) epidemic condition among HCW. Map out a process to support those who believe infection was acquired at work to fully support to return to the workforce. https://lnkd.in/ebPzSAZi #JOEM #Covid-19 #covid-19research

Please welcome the newest JOEM Editorial Board Member: Roxana C. Chicas, PhD, RN, FAAN from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University Dr. Roxana Chicas, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist dedicated to health equity and labor policies for farmworkers. Her research on heat-related illness has raised national awareness, including pioneering a field study on temperature reduction with real-time biomonitoring. She is also testing a wearable biopatch to help AI predict heat illness risks in outdoor workers. #JOEM

Elevate your career with ACOEM’s Medical Review Officer (MRO) Fast Track Course, taking place February 1-2, 2025, at the American Management Association Atlanta Executive Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This focused 1.5-day program delivers the expertise you need to thrive as an MRO, equipping you to confidently handle the challenges of this pivotal role. Immediately following the course, you’ll have the chance to sit for the MRO Certification Exam – but act now, registration increases after January 13!

RESPONSE TO LETTER TO THE EDITOR Response to Comment for Incorporating Social Determinant of Health Into Occupational Medicine Practice Batra, Sumeet MD, MPH; Bernacki, Edward J. MD, MPH; Kalia, Nimisha MD, MPH, MBA Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 66(12):p e677, December 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003242 https://lnkd.in/eqSZxjDF #JOEM