NIOSH Research Rounds - December, 2016

NIOSH Research Rounds - December, 2016

Volume 2, Number 6 (December 2016)

Are Flight Attendants at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer? During the course of their shifts, flight attendants face exposure to cosmic radiation at higher concentrations than the public generally experiences on the ground, may cross time zones, and work during normal sleeping hours. All of these work conditions raise questions about potential occupational health hazards. Cosmic radiation is a form of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is linked to risks for cancer and reproductive effects, but there are uncertainties about risk from cosmic radiation at the levels and durations of occupational exposure that flight crews may experience. Similar uncertainties complicate scientists’ abilities to estimate similar risks from disruption of the body’s “time clock” and sleep cycle. At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), scientists study these and other exposures in efforts to reduce uncertainty and better protect workers’ health and safety. Read More... Sleep Deprivation Affects Cognitive Function Similarly in Women and Men Working Shifts Sleep deprivation associated with working during regular sleeping hours, or working shifts, can be detrimental to awareness and alertness. In turn, working around heavy equipment or behind the wheel can be dangerous if you’re not sufficiently alert. Less clear is whether or how other factors such as work stress and sleep quality interact with shift work to affect cognitive function. In addition, given gender differences in the processes involving sleep, health, and stress, it is also unclear if these factors may affect cognition differently in women and men. Read More... Work-related Lead Exposure Unrelated to Thyroid Function in Men Memory loss, weakness, irritability, and fatigue are just some of the obvious health effects of exposure to lead, but what about hidden risks? Of concern are the possible consequences of lead exposure on the thyroid gland and the hormones it produces, which are critical to cell function. Although studies have looked at this issue, a quantitative review, or meta-analysis, of the results of these studies was unavailable until now. Read More... In This Issue Are Flight Attendants at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer? Sleep Deprivation Affects Cognitive Function Similarly in Women and Men Working Shifts Work-related Lead Exposure Unrelated to Thyroid Function in Men NIOSH Web Sites NIOSH Home Page Facebook Flickr Pinterest Twitter YouTube NIOSH Research Rounds is Brought to You By: John Howard, M.D., Director Fred Blosser, Editor in Chief Anne Blank, Story Editor Tanya Headley, Contributing Editor Cathy Rotunda, Copy Editor Glenn Doyle, Technical Lead Tonya White, Technical Support