Umeå University Medical Dissertations

................................................................................................. 6 ORIGINAL PAPERS .................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 9 Work-related exposure............................................................................. 10 Physical demands................................................................................. 11 Psychosocial factors............................................................................. 11 Internal exposure and acute responses..................................................... 11 Health effects ........................................................................................... 12 Modifying factors .................................................................................... 13 Description of ambulance work............................................................... 14 Exposure factors in ambulance work................................................... 14 Acute responses to ambulance work.................................................... 14 Health-related outcomes among ambulance personnel ....................... 15 Individual characteristics as possible modifiers .................................. 15 AIMS OF THE THESIS.............................................................................. 18 The specific aims were ............................................................................ 18 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................ 19 Studies I and II......................................................................................... 20 Subjects................................................................................................ 20 Data collection ..................................................................................... 20 Study III ................................................................................................... 23 Subjects................................................................................................ 24 Data collection ..................................................................................... 24 Study IV................................................................................................... 27 Subjects................................................................................................ 27 Data collection ..................................................................................... 27 Study V .................................................................................................... 28 Subjects................................................................................................ 28 Data collection ..................................................................................... 29 RESULTS.................................................................................................... 31 Ambulance personnel .............................................................................. 31 Studies I and II......................................................................................... 32 Self-reported health ............................................................................. 32 External exposure ................................................................................ 32 Relationships between external exposure and health .......................... 34