Background: Tuberculosis ( TB) remains a major occupational health risk in sub-Saharan Africa, where healthcare workers (HCWs) experience sustained exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In Malindi Sub-county, Kilifi County, Kenya, where TB prevalence is estimated at 206 per 100 000 population, HCWs are at increased risk of latent TB infection. Although tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT) effectively reduces progression to active disease, uptake among HCWs in high-burden settings remains suboptimal.
Objective: To estimate the level of TPT uptake among HCWs in Malindi Sub-county and identify associated individual-level factors, viz. knowledge of TB and TPT, attitudes towards TPT effectiveness and safety, and fear of side effects; and health system-level factors, viz. availability of TPT services, accessibility of screening services, consistency of drug supply, and managerial support.
Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted among 146 HCWs from public health facilities. Data were collected using a structured electronic questionnaire and interviews were conducted with key informants. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable binary logistic regression to identify factors independently associated with TPT. Qualitative data were analysed thematically.
Results: Eighty-six (58.9%) of the participants reported having undergone TB screening and all were found eligible for TPT; 51 (59.3%) were initiated on TPT, 43 (84.3%) of whom completed therapy. Fear of TPT side effects was independently associated with lower TPT uptake (aOR 0.28; 95% CI 0.08–0.95, p = 0.041). No knowledge-related or health system factor was independently associated with uptake. Interviews identified inconsistent drug supply, lack of dedicated HCW service points, and stigma as barriers to tuberculosis service access.
Conclusion: Despite moderate TB screening coverage, TPT uptake among participating HCWs remained suboptimal. Addressing concerns about treatment-related risks and strengthening institutional support mechanisms are critical to improving uptake.

Background: The rapid advancement of information technology has increased computer use in the workplace. Computer-based work is visually demanding, particularly in call centres where employees spend prolonged periods using digital screens.
Objective: To investigate visual ergonomics and working conditions, estimate the prevalence of ocular, visual, and musculoskeletal symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome (CVS), and identify ergonomic factors associated with these symptoms among call centre agents in the City of Tshwane, in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
Methods: A self-administered structured questionnaire was used in this crosssectional survey to collect demographic, occupational, ergonomic, and visual information, and ocular and musculoskeletal symptoms experienced during and after work. Objective measurements of screen viewing distance, monitor position relative to eye level, and workplace illumination levels were recorded. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Of the 175 participants, 121 (69.1%) were female. The most common ocular symptoms were tired or strained eyes (n = 166, 94.9%) and light sensitivity (n = 144, 82.3%). Musculoskeletal symptoms included backache (n = 156, 89.1%), shoulder pain (n = 153, 87.4%), neck pain (n = 148, 84.6%), and neck stiffness (n = 147, 84.0%). The prevalence of CVS was 99.4% (n = 174).
Conclusion: Computer vision syndrome was common among the study participants, with prolonged computer use and shorter viewing distance identified as significant risk factors for ocular and musculoskeletal symptoms. These findings highlight the need for ergonomic interventions, including limiting computer use, maintaining appropriate viewing distances, and promoting structured work breaks to reduce ocular and musculoskeletal symptoms in call centre environments.

Background: Most people spend 80–90% of their time indoors. A healthy indoor environment contributes to the wellbeing of its occupants.
Objectives: We investigated environmental and psychophysical stressors potentially associated with sick building syndrome (SBS) among employees at an administrative office in Durban, KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa, by assessing how these stressors impact employee wellbeing, particularly in relation to SBS.
Methods: In 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 213 administrators using a modified questionnaire. Participants’ perceptions of ventilation, lighting, noise, and overcrowding were assessed as indicators of perceived environmental conditions. Reported symptoms included eye and nose irritation, fatigue, and nasal congestion. Indoor temperatures, air velocity, and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured. Airflow rates per person were calculated. The maximum number of occupants supported by the ventilation system and the required airflow rate per person were calculated, using the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommendation of 10 litres per second (l/s). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise participants’ characteristics and reported symptoms of SBS. Participants’ perceptions of environmental conditions and the frequency of reported SBS were summarised using descriptive statistics, specifically frequencies and percentages. Spearmen’s correlation analysis was used to show relationships between different perceived environmental conditions, including air circulation, air freshness, temperature, stuffiness, odour, and humidity.
Results: Most participants were aged 18–30 years (n = 129, 59.2%) and female (n = 135, 63.4%). Participants perceived several environmental conditions unfavourably, with concerns most commonly raised about air freshness (n = 149, 70.2%), air circulation (n = 141, 66%), temperature (n = 140, 65.7%), and odour (n = 107, 50.2%). There were strong positive correlations between air circulation and air freshness (r = 0.803, p = 0.001), and temperature and air circulation (r = 0.751, p = 0.001). The most frequently reported symptoms while at work included headaches (n = 57, 36.1%), fatigue or tiredness (n = 74, 49.6%), sinusitis (n = 45, 35.2%), and blocked or stuffy nose (n = 36, 34.6%). Mean airflow rates did not meet the ASHRAE minimum ventilation requirements. On average, the building was occupied by 158 people in excess of the capacity recommended to ensure adequate airflow per person each day. The average temperature was 23.03 °C in the morning and 22.88 °C in the afternoon. Carbon dioxide concentrations increased by an average of 227.72 parts per million by the end of each day.
Conclusion: Poor ventilation, overcrowding, temperature fluctuations, and elevated CO2 levels were associated with SBS symptoms. The building failed to meet the ASHRAE standards, indicating an unhealthy indoor environment. Unfavourable perceptions of environmental conditions were associated with employee discomfort, highlighting the need for improved ventilation, maintenance, and ongoing monitoring.

Background: Professional nurses employed in single-staffed occupational health clinics often work in isolation, without the immediate presence of colleagues or on-site managerial support. This solitary work environment contributes to unique stressors, including professional isolation, emotional exhaustion, and reduced job satisfaction, all of which may increase the risk of workplace stress and burnout. Understanding these stressors is essential for developing strategies to support nurses’ wellbeing, and to sustain occupational health services.
Objectives: To explore factors associated with workplace stress and burnout among professional nurses in single-staffed occupational health clinics in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan region, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Methods: A qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study was conducted. Professional nurses working in singlestaffed occupational health clinics were purposively selected. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Interview questions focused on daily work experiences that may be related to stress and burnout.
Results: Ten professional nurses participated in the study. Three overarching themes related to workplace stress and burnout emerged: individual, occupational, and environmental factors. Individual factors included personal health issues, family responsibilities, the impact of sole responsibility on work-life integration, professional experience and independent practice, and anxiety associated with working alone. Occupational factors included administrative burden, technology issues, high workload, role conflict and ambiguity, and staff limitations. Environmental factors comprised noise pollution, exposure to hazardous fumes, and space limitations that compromised privacy.
Conclusion: While many of the stressors identified in this study have been reported in other nursing settings, the findings suggest that working as the sole professional nurse in an occupational health clinic may intensify workplace stress and burnout. Professional isolation, sole responsibility for service delivery, exposure to occupational hazards, and the need to manage multiple clinical, administrative, and organisational responsibilities emerged as important contextual factors that influenced participants’ experiences.