Project

Exposure and stress in the working-age population – Exposome Project for Health and Occupational Research – EPHOR

Work-related exposure and excessive stress can lead to illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. The overall disease burden caused by work-related disorders is estimated at about 5–7%, corresponding to the impact of outdoor air pollution or obesity. The links between work-related exposure and state of health are complex, and new tools are needed to gather information. In this project, we apply the exposome concept to illustrate the connections between the environment and diseases.

Timetable

1/2020–6/2025

Objectives

The aim of the exposome concept is to describe the share of all the exposure agents and stress factors that affect us in our living environment throughout our lives. In this project, we use the concept to illustrate the connection between the environment and diseases. We determine the factors included in the exposome during a person’s working-age life. It includes work-related exposure agents and stress factors, but also lifestyle and behavioural factors.

Invitation to EPHOR-PEROSH Workshops on 30 and 31 October 2024

The EPHOR project will organize two workshops with the PEROSH network on 30 and 31 October at 12–13.30 CET. The workshops will be Online (Teams).

As part of the EPHOR’s WeExpose toolbox, we are developing methods to enhance health impact assessment (HIA). These two workshops will present some of these methods, discuss their integration into HIA, and seek stakeholder input on development of them. Researchers, scientists, policy makers, occupational health practitioners and all those interested in exposomes and developing the working life are welcome to join.

Workshop 1: Work Life Expectancy (WLE) on 30 October at 12 (Helsinki time)
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In this workshop we will present population level metrics WLE, working years lost and healthy WLE, overview factors influencing on it and discuss how these measures could be incorporated into a Health Impact Assessment (HIA).

Workshop 2: Multiple Exposure Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on 31 October 2024 at 12 (Helsinki time)
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In the workshop we will present and discuss a case study examining the impact of incorporating these concepts into an HIA, and the role interventions can have on health outcomes.

After registration you will get a confirmation to your email as well as an Outlook reservation with a Teams link.
Additional information
EPHOR website news on EPHOR-PEROSH workshops

Data and methods

Researchers from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health will be involved in the project, particularly in harmonizing the evaluation of the information contained in large exposure databases and in establishing a new database linking this information. In the future, new research data can also be added to this new EPHOR database.

Results and impact

Determining the exposome during a person’s working-age life is a major step in occupational health research. The exposome makes it easier to understand the link between different work-related exposures and stress factors and diseases at different stages of life.

The EPHOR project will create methods and tools to characterize and utilize the exposome during a person’s working-age life in science, decision-making and practical occupational health care. This will, among other things, reduce the burden on European health care systems caused by national diseases while improving citizens' health, well-being and productivity at work. All this will also improve the competitiveness of EU industry.