Research/Studies

Oakland, CA – More than 6,000 workers in California have elevated levels of lead in their blood, according to a report from the state’s Department of Public Health.

Houston – Excluding physicians, a majority of hospital workers are overweight or obese and do not take part in vigorous physical activity, according to a recent study from the University of Texas School of Public Health.

Boston – Women whose jobs require heavy lifting or shift work may experience decreased fertility levels, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Salt Lake City – Commercial truck drivers who have at least three health issues have as much as quadruple the crash risk of healthier drivers, according to a study from the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Villejuif, France – Occupational exposure to chlorinated solvents perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene may increase the risk of head and neck cancer in women, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in the journal BMJ Open.

Arlington, VA – A lack of safe, available parking spaces forces many commercial motor vehicle drivers to stop in undesignated or unauthorized areas such as highway shoulders and ramps, according to the results of a survey conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute – the research arm of the American Trucking Associations.

Washington – Policies for paid sick days and family and medical leave do not result in increased unemployment, according to a report from the Center for American Progress, a policy research and advocacy organization.

St. Louis – Prolonged exposure to fumes from the chemical element manganese may put welders at risk for developing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study from the Washington University School of Medicine.

Boston – More than 1 out of 8 commercial airline pilots meet the criteria for clinical depression, and a small percentage have suicidal thoughts, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Chicago – Law enforcement officers who wear body armor are 76 percent more likely to survive a bullet to the torso than officers who don’t wear the gear, according to a study from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.