occupational and environmental health papers

Occupational and environmental health explores how our workplaces and surroundings shape our well-being, from the air we breathe to the chemicals we encounter daily. This vital field investigates the hidden risks of modern life, aiming to prevent illness before it starts by understanding the complex links between our environment and our bodies.

At Gist.Science, we track every new preprint in this category from medRxiv to ensure you stay informed on the latest research. We process each study to provide both clear, plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries, making cutting-edge science accessible without losing essential nuance.

Below are the latest papers in occupational and environmental health, offering fresh insights into how we can build safer, healthier futures for everyone.

📄 occupational and environmental health

Evaluating Nursing Performance During Heatwave Simulations: Protocol for a Repeated Measures Cross-Over Study

This study protocol outlines a repeated-measures cross-over trial using climatic chamber simulations to evaluate the effects of varying heat stress levels and electric fan cooling interventions on UK hospital nurses' physiological strain, fatigue, vigilance, and clinical performance, with the goal of informing evidence-based climate adaptation strategies to ensure staff wellbeing and patient safety.

Blount, H., Bingham, L., Esteves, N. K., Daniels, T., Filingeri, V., Aceves-Gonzalez, C., Brooks, K., Watts, N., Jones (…)2026-09-21

📄 occupational and environmental health

Chronotype distinctness a key risk factor for emotional and cognitive disruption in shift working nurses

This study of NHS shift workers reveals that while sleep disturbances primarily drive fatigue in day-shift nurses, high chronotype distinctness is a critical risk factor determining the severity of emotional and cognitive disruptions in those working rotating shifts.

Davies, A., Hickman, R., Cai, Z., Lai, D. J., Hampshire, A., Hellyer, P. J., Shergill, S., D'Oliveira, T.2026-08-24

📄 occupational and environmental health

Socioeconomic disparities in perceived air quality and associated respiratory health outcomes among residents of Nairobi, Kenya

This study reveals significant socioeconomic disparities in Nairobi, Kenya, where residents of low-income areas perceive substantially poorer air quality and report a higher burden of respiratory problems compared to their high-income counterparts, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions to address environmental health inequalities.

Otieno, E. A., Mwitari, J. M., Makalliwa, G. A.2026-08-23

📄 occupational and environmental health

Effect of airborne particulate matter on mtDNA copy number: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 studies involving over 13,000 participants reveals that ambient particulate matter exposure significantly alters mitochondrial DNA copy number, with findings showing a decrease in percentage-based metrics but an increase in absolute values, suggesting complex mechanistic disruptions that warrant further prospective validation.

Pathak, A., Tandekar, A., Singh, A. K., Gurjar, V., Sarma, D. K., Nema, R. K., Tiwari, R., Mishra, P. K.2026-08-23

📄 occupational and environmental health

Divergent social patterning of directly measured environmental exposures across Rhode Island communities

This study of 176 sites across Rhode Island reveals that directly measured environmental noise (including low-frequency components) and night-time light exhibit strong social gradients linked to community disadvantage, whereas short-term PM2.5 and relative humidity show little to no such disparity.

Walker, E. D., Mandalapu, S. V., Lefebvre, S.2026-08-23

📄 occupational and environmental health

Sociodemographic and occupational factors associated with general sick leave among public school teachers in Bogota: A retrospective cohort study, 2010-2025

This retrospective cohort study of nearly 60,000 public school teachers in Bogotá (2010–2025) reveals that general illness-related sick leave is highly prevalent and significantly influenced by sociodemographic, occupational, and temporal factors, with respiratory and musculoskeletal conditions driving the highest frequency of episodes while chronic and mental health issues contribute to longer absences.

Bayona-Rodriguez, H., Sanchez-Santiesteban, D., Buitrago, G.2026-08-10

📄 occupational and environmental health

Protecting the protectors: Occupational burden and management of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Cameroonian healthcare professionals and the Sustainable Development Goals

A study of 561 healthcare professionals in Douala, Cameroon, reveals a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders that significantly impair workforce productivity and job satisfaction, highlighting an urgent need for standardized, proactive management strategies and national occupational health policies to align with Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 8.

Kum, M. B., Meh, B. K., Buh, F. C., Mandengue, S. H., Bopda, O. S. M.2026-08-02

📄 occupational and environmental health

Research protocol for a multidimensional environmental and health impact study of petrochemical plant emissions in Calvert city, Kentucky

This paper outlines the multidimensional framework of the BEACON study, which integrates air quality data, human and wildlife biomonitoring, veterinary surveys, and community engagement to assess the environmental and health impacts of petrochemical emissions in Calvert City, Kentucky.

Huntington-Moskos, L., Cave, M., Reynolds, L., Anderson, L., Housman, B., Abolins-Abols, M., Fratzke, R., Holm, R., Smit (…)2026-07-09

📄 occupational and environmental health

Biomechanical Analysis of Dynamic Gripping in Manual Laborers Exhibiting Work-Related Scapholunate Instability Signs

This cross-sectional study of manual laborers in Pakistan reveals that those exhibiting signs of scapholunate instability demonstrate significantly reduced grip force, abnormal wrist ulnar deviation, and compensatory muscle hyperactivation during dynamic gripping, with occupational exposure duration and specific biomechanical loading patterns serving as key predictors of ligament compromise.

Bari, M. H., Khalid, Z., Ilyas, M., Qaiser, S.2026-06-30✓ Author reviewed ⓘ

📄 occupational and environmental health

Consumer-Product Chemical Mixture and Systemic Inflammation: Survey-Weighted Analysis of Seven Urinary Biomarkers in NHANES 2005-2010

This study utilizing NHANES 2005-2010 data demonstrates that a mixture of seven consumer-product chemical biomarkers is collectively associated with systemic inflammation, with monocyclohexyl phthalate showing the most robust and consistent positive link, thereby supporting a shift toward mixture-based risk assessment frameworks for consumer product safety.

Jobe, N. I.2026-06-10