Summary Abstracts
Spring 2021 Journal

Editor’s Column
This standard feature provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. She includes a reprint of her column from Spring 2017 in this issue, which reflects on the evolution of the occupational health profession during her then 30-year career.

Staying Current on Government Affairs
In his Journal column, Stephen Burt, MFA, BS, AOHP Government Affairs Committee Chair, provides analysis of recent government affairs activities. For this issue, he examines the impact of marijuana legalization and the potential for impaired employees on the work of occupational health professionals.

Association Community Liaison Report
This regular Journal article details how AOHP is gaining visibility as an expert regarding occupational health issues. In this edition, author Bobbi Jo Hurst, BSN, RN, MBA, COHN-S, SGE, provides a review of the latest information from CDC, APIC, AOHP, and OSHA related to COVID-19, as well as FDA respirator guidance and the ONC’s Cures Act final rule on health information.

Perspectives in Healthcare Safety
Cory Worden, PhD ABD, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, shares his insights on safety in healthcare in this standing column. This issue's feature – Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? Optimizing Safety Leadership Skills Through Peer Feedback – reviews some common negative attributes of occupational health leaders that have the potential to detract from effective leadership and jeopardize safety.

Annual Treasurer's Report
Denise Knoblauch, MSN, RN, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN, AOHP Executive Treasurer, shares the results of AOHP’s financial review completed for the year ending December 31, 2020, with an explanation of how AOHP strives to maintain financial stability. An overview of the organization’s financial position for 2020, including a summary of income and expense, is depicted using pie charts.

A Tangled Web: Subjective Perspectives, Risk Assessments, Ethical Dilemmas, and Hazard Controls
Article author Cory Worden, PhD ABD, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, reviews the concepts of risk assessment, varied perceptions connected to them, and ethical dilemmas that follow. He analyzes potential outcomes related to the reliance of safe work practices and conditions on individual and organizational perceptions of risk and how risk perceptions can negatively influence hazard control decisions.

Hepatitis C Post Exposure Testing Update for Healthcare Personnel
Denise Knoblauch, MSN, RN, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN, discusses how hepatitis C virus is increasing in the United States, and how incidents of sharps injuries are also increasing for healthcare personnel (HCP). She explains HCP risk of developing hepatitis C after a percutaneous injury and new guidelines for initial laboratory testing of both the source and the exposed person.

Women’s Work: Why are Women Physicians More Burned Out?
Women make up more than 50% of family medicine residents now in training and comprise an increasing proportion of the family medicine workforce. A considerable body of research has highlighted the levels of burnout among physicians generally, with increased rates among women physicians. In this article, author Katherine J. Gold, MD, MSW, MS, examines the challenges and inequities women face in the workforce which reduce job satisfaction and contribute to burnout.

Uptake of Statin Guidelines to Prevent and Treat Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. Medication treatment with statins reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, and risk of CVD events. In December 2013, cholesterol treatment guidelines changed the approach to statin therapy by recommending fixed doses of low-, medium-, or high-intensity statins based on cardiovascular risk. This study evaluates the guideline's adoption in a diverse group of practices. Study authors include Sebastian T. Tong, MD, MPH; Roy T. Sabo, PhD; Camille J. Hochheimer, PhD; E. Marshall Brooks, PhD; Vivian Jiang, MD; Alison N. Huffstetler, MD; Paulette Lail Kashiri, MPH; and Alex H. Krist, MD, MPH.