Browsing by Author "Neves, Paula"
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- Analysis of the combined exposure to noise and ototoxic substances—pilot studyPublication . Lopes, Marta; Tomé, David; Carmo, Paulo Cardoso do; Rodrigues, Matilde; Neves, PaulaOtotoxic substances have been associated to damage of the auditory system, and its effects are potentiated by noise exposure. The present study aims at analyzing auditory changes from combined exposure to noise and organic solvents, through a pilot study in the furniture industry sector. Audiological tests were performed on 44 workers, their levels of exposure to toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene were determined and the levels of noise exposure were evaluated. The results showed that workers are generally exposed to high noise levels and cabin priming filler and varnish sector workers have high levels of exposure to toluene. However, no hearing loss was registered among the workers. Workers exposed simultaneously to noise and ototoxic substances do not have a higher degree of hearing loss than those workers exposed only to noise. Thus, the results of this study did not show that the combined exposure to noise and the organic solvent is associated with hearing disorders.
- ARIA Project – Indoor air biological assessment in primary schoolsPublication . Aguiar, Lívia; Pereira, Cristiana; Mendes, Ana; Neves, Paula; Teixeira, João PauloChildren are considered a susceptible group due to their particularly vulnerability to the development of respiratory diseases, such as asthma, and also the amount of time they spend inside classrooms, reasons why they deserve priority attention in indoor air quality studies.
- Avaliação da exposição ocupacional a vibrações transmitidas ao sistema corpo inteiro: estudo preliminar em motoristas de pesados de mercadoriasPublication . Costa, Sofia; Santos, Joana; Silva, Maria V.; Neves, PaulaAs vibrações transmitidas ao corpo inteiro (VCI) são um agente físico que afecta os condutores de camiões e apresenta consequências para a sua saúde, estando fortemente associada à dor lombar. No presente estudo seleccionou-se um motorista que conduz um veículo pesado de mercadorias com classificação N3 e que efectua rotas de pequeno curso no Norte de Portugal. As medições realizaram-se em dois dias representativos da actividade semanal, em duas rotas distintas (Rota 1 e 2), de acordo com a metodologia definida no Decreto-Lei n.º 46/2006 de 24 de Fevereiro e na NP ISO 2631-1 de 2007. Foi utilizado um analisador de vibrações, sendo o acelerómetro triaxial fixado ao assento do veículo, de forma a quantificar a aceleração eficaz nos três eixos ortogonais x, y e z. Complementarmente ao processo de amostragem, aplicou-se um questionário a sete motoristas. Os resultados demonstram a dominância da direcção vertical (z) com picos de aceleração na frequência de 1,6Hz. A degradação do piso e a ausência de carga do veículo foram identificados como factores responsáveis pelo aumento dos níveis vibracionais. Relativamente à exposição do trabalhador, obteve-se valores de A(8) Rota 1 de 0,22 m/s2 e A(8) Rota 2 de 0,14 m/s2, sendo o A(8) semanal de 0,19 m/s2, verificando-se que os valores obtidos são inferiores ao valor de acção de exposição preconizado na legislação nacional (0,5m/s2). Quanto aos sintomas manifestados pelos motoristas destacam-se: dor lombar (43%), fadiga (71%), irritabilidade (57%) e dores de cabeça (57%). Apesar dos valores obtidos evidenciarem que o trabalhador não se encontra exposto, segundo o preconizados na legislação, devem ser implementadas medidas que visem a manutenção e conservação dos pisos das vias, manutenção dos veículos e elaboração de planos de formação que abordem o tipo de condução e as posturas a adoptar para salvaguarda do bem-estar e conforto dos trabalhadores.
- Biological air assessment in primary schools - The ARIA ProjectPublication . Aguiar, Lívia; Pereira, Cristiana; Mendes, Ana; Neves, Paula; Teixeira, João PauloExposure and sensitization to indoor allergens are important risk factors for asthma and allergic respiratory diseases, playing a key role in triggering and exacerbating allergy and asthma symptoms in children (Salo et al., 2009). While children’s greatest exposure to indoor allergens is at home, other public places where they spend a large amount of time, such as primary schools, may also be sources of significant allergen encounters (Abramson et al. , 2006), such as bacteria and fungi. Children are considered a susceptible group because they are particularly vulnerable to the development of respiratory diseases, such as asthma, and also spend much of their time inside classrooms, in a confined atmosphere, reasons why they should deserve priority attention in indoor air quality (IAQ) studies. In Portugal, this is an increasing and important subject, proved by the development of studies in this area, more sorely since the publication of the national legislation, Ordinance no. 353-A/2013 of December 4th, that establish reference values of maximum concentration for selected indoor air pollutants. The results of this project are part of an ongoing project (ARIA Project), that intend to study the exposure of children to indoor air in 20 public primary schools and investigate the associated respiratory and allergic related health effects in 1600 children’s.
- Biological air contamination in elderly care centers: GERIA ProjectPublication . Aguiar, Lívia; Mendes, Ana; Pereira, Cristiana; Neves, Paula; Mendes, Diana; Teixeira, João PauloHealthcare organizations throughout the world have an increasing concern about how to cope with a quickly aging population (Caley & Sidhu, 2011). This trend explains the increasing demand of long-term care services (Damiani et al ., 2009) such as Elderly Care Centers (ECCs) (Kembel et al ., 2012). In Portugal, the number of ECCs increased 49% between 1998 and 2010. Furthermore, considering that elders often spend a considerable portion of their lives indoors, enhanced by they reduced independency, it is clear that the possibility that adverse indoor climate can influence their health status cannot be ignored (Almeida-Silva et al ., 2014). It has been estimated that older persons spend about 19-20 hours per day indoors and the majority spend all of their time inside the ECCs. Older persons may be particularly at risk of detrimental effects from pollutants, even at low concentrations, due to their common and multiple underlying chronic diseases that increases their susceptibility. It is extremely important to assess elderly exposure to biological pollutants due to the adverse health effects caused by biological agents to this susceptible population present in ECCs, enhanced by the time these people spend indoors.
- Campos Eléctricos e Magnéticos e o seu Potencial Impacto na Saúde PúblicaPublication . Mendes, Diana; Alberto Alves Carvalhais, Carlos; Neves, PaulaUm vasto número de tecnologias produzem campos eléctricos e magnéticos (CEM) desde gamas de frequências muito elevadas, passando pelas micro-ondas e as ondas rádio, até às frequências muito baixas dos sistemas e máquinas eléctricos. Na Europa, os CEM gerados a partir das linhas de transporte de energia eléctrica situam-se na gama das frequências muito baixas, concretamente, na ordem dos 50Hz.
- Children´s exposure to indoor air: The case of the Childminders homesPublication . Ferreira, Juliana; Santos, Joana; Rodrigues, Matilde; Neves, Paula; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaPoster apresentado no International Congress on Environmental Health 2012 – ICEH 2012
- Conforto Térmico em Meio HospitalarPublication . Alberto Alves Carvalhais, Carlos; Neves, Paula; Lourenço, Irina; Torres Costa, JoséComunicação apresentada no 7º Congresso Nacional de Saúde Ocupacional. Introdução e Objectivos: A atmosfera do local de trabalho deve garantir a saúde e o bem estar dos trabalhadores. Os parámetros especificados na legislação nacional que dizem respeito ao ambiente térmico, cingem-se aos valores de temperatura e humidade do ar preconizados pelo DLn 243/86 de 20 de Agosto. Para além da conformidade legal dos parámetros legislados, este trabalho objectivou a determinação de indices de conforto térmico e as sensações e preferências térmicas, a partir de um estudo de campo efectuado em meio hospitalar, durante os meses de Maio e Junho de 2008.
- Evaluation of the noise exposure of symphonic orchestra musiciansPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde; Freitas, Marisa; Neves, Paula; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaFor musicians, the impact of noise exposure is not yet fully characterized. Some inconsistencies can be found in the methodology used to evaluate noise exposure. This study aims to analyze the noise exposure of musicians in a symphonic orchestra to understand their risk for hearing loss, applying the methodology proposed by ISO 9612:2009. Noise levels were monitored among musicians during the rehearsal of eight different repertoires. Test subjects were selected according to their instrument and position in the orchestra. Participants wore noise dosimeters throughout the rehearsals. A sound meter was used to analyze the exposure of the conductor. The results showed that musicians are exposed to high noise levels that can damage hearing. Brass, woodwind and percussion and timpani musicians were exposed to noise levels in excess of the upper exposure action level of 85 dB (A), while the other instrumental groups had a lower exposure action level of 80 dB (A). Percussion musicians were exposed to high peak noise levels of 135 dB (C). Sound levels varied by instrument, repertoire and position. Octave frequency analyses showed differences among musicians. This study suggests that musicians are at risk for hearing loss. There is a need for more effective guidelines applicable to all countries, which should define standardized procedures for determining musician noise exposure and should allow exposure level normalization to the year, including different repertoires.
- Musicians noise exposure in a Portuguese orchestra – a case studyPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde; Alves, Pedro; Ferreira, Luis; Neves, Paula; Aguiar, Livia; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaExposure to high noise levels is broadly recognized as being one of the most significant and frequent risk factors in occupational environments, particularly at industrial settings (Arezes et al., 2012). Such exposure can result in several effects for the workers' health, mainly in the development of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), which is the most frequent occupational disease in Europe (EU-OSHA, 2002). However, there are other professionals groups that are also considered as important, concerning noise exposure. The professional orchestras musicians are one of these groups. Previous studies show that orchestral musicians are exposed to loud music (Lee et al., 2005; MacDonald et al., 2008; O’Brien et al., 2008), which can have a great impact on their health. However, despite the relevance of this issue for orchestral musicians, it seems that the problematic of noise exposure is still not well characterized, and the strategy for the noise exposure assessment not well established. Furthermore, the Portuguese legislation, in particular the Decreto-Lei nº 182/2006, does not consider the specific case of musicians, and there is no code of conduct provided in accordance with Directive 2003/10/CE that establishes the guidelines about how musicians should be protected from noise exposure. This is particularly critical considering that the hearing ability of these musicians is a relevant part and a crucial tool of their professional activity and performance (Jansen et al., 2009; Kähäri et al., 2004). Besides, without a reliable risk assessment of musicians' exposure, it is not possible to compare sound pressure levels with the current guidelines and it is also very complex to define and implement an effective strategy to reduce the risk of NIHL (Arezes et al., 2012).