La Medicina del Lavoro

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

All submissions must meet the following requirements.
- As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
- The submission form must contain the full names of ALL authors as well as their emails and affiliations. Please add the names using the button "ADD CONTRIBUTORS". Use capital letters only for the first letter of the co-authors’ names and surnames. If all the co-authors’ names aren’t listed in the submission form, it is not possible to add them after the submission has been sent to the Journal and THE SUBMISSION MUST BE REPEATED.
- Please, be sure to add ALL the affiliations of ALL the Authors of the article because otherwise they they will not appear online. Please, be sure to fill in carefully all the metadata of the article.
- In the ABSTRACT box the abstract of the manuscript has been inserted using capital letters only for proper names.
- The manuscript contains the title of the article, the running title, the abstract, at least 3 key words, legends for figures and tables, tables, figures (only if prepared in Microsoft Word format).
- In the accompanying letter, uploaded in the website with the manuscript, the author responsible for correspondence should declare that all the authors have read and agreed with the content and interpretation of the submitted article. The accompanying letter should also contain a declaration signed by the corresponding author also on behalf of all the other authors concerning potential conflict of interest. Authors are welcome to suggest up to two reviewers for their work. The Journal may consider such suggestions, but editors reserve the right to make the final decision.
- With this submission, you agree, in the name and on behalf of any co-authors too, to the use of personal data collected for each purpose connected with this registration, to receive promotional material and, for any other purposes that may be necessary pursuant to EU Reg. N. 679/2016 and of the Legislative Decree n. 101/2018, as well as any other provision on the subject. / Effettuando tale submission, acconsenti, anche in nome e per conto di eventuali coautori, all’utilizzo dei dati personali raccolti per ogni finalità connessa alla presente registrazione, per ricevere materiale promozionale e, per ogni altro scopo che si rendesse necessario ai sensi del Reg. UE n. 679/2016 e del D.lgs. n. 101/2018, nonché di qualsiasi altra disposizione in materia.
- The manuscript has not already been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.
- Please, download and use the template file for your online submission: MDL template. Then, upload the file in your submission.
- The manuscript complies with the requirements of the Instructions to Authors in "About/Submission". The manuscript is written using Microsoft Word for Windows
- PLEASE BE SURE THAT THE METADATA ONLINE ARE CORRECT (WHEN YOU FILL OUT THE FORM OF SUBMISSION THE ARTICLE). REQUESTS FOR ADDITION/DELETE/CHANGE OF AUTHORS OR AFFILIATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE ISSUE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Metadata are crucial for the indexing of the paper and of authors and for attribution of copyright to ALL authors. Attention: Any submission received for a manuscript with more than one contributor, in which only one author has been inserted in the metadata, will result in immediate rejection, asking for a correct re-submission. The author names and affiliations inserted in the online submission system will be those which will be published in PubMed. The Editorial staff is therefore not responsible for eventual inaccuracies or mistakes in the affiliations inserted during the submission process.
- AGREEMENT between MATTIOLI 1885 s.r.l. and the Article’s AUTHOR Article 1 Purpose: The purpose of this agreement is to ensure effective global dissemination of the Article, enabling the Publisher to carry out necessary activities for publication, distribution, and preservation of the work, respecting the rights of the parties as defined under the creative common's license (CC BY-NC 4.0). Article 2 - Rights License: By accepting this agreement, the Author grants Mattioli 1885 srl an exclusive license to exploit the rights, as specified below: a. Reproduce the Article, in whole or in part, and communicate the Article to the public in print and/or digital form, both individually and in combination with works of others, for example, making it available on the internet or any other networks, as part of a database, online or offline, for third-party use. b. Translate the Article into other languages and communicate translations of the Article to the public. c. Create adaptations, summaries, or extracts of the Article or other derivative works based on the Article and exercise all rights in such adaptations, summaries, extracts, and derivative works. d. The Publisher agrees to acknowledge the Author's name and the source in a standard bibliographic citation. Article 3 - Rights Reserved to the Author: The Author retains all other rights related to the Article not granted to the Publisher and, in particular, may exercise the following rights, not for profit: a. Educational or Research Use: Reproduce the Article, in whole or in part, and communicate or make it available to the public, both in print and/or digital format, as part of an educational package or compilation, for use in educational or research settings within the Author's institution or affiliated institutions. b. Preservation: Grant the Author's institution (or another appropriate organization) the authority to preserve the Article to prevent deterioration and ensure the Article continues to be available for educational and research purposes. c. Future Reuse: Reuse the whole or part of the Article in a thesis, compilation, or other work. d. Personal Use: Present the Article at a meeting or conference. Article 4 - Warranties: 1. The Author guarantees the originality of the work and being its sole creator. The Author also guarantees that the Article does not violate any existing copyright or moral rights of third parties. 2. The Author guarantees not to have assigned to third parties the right to economic exploitation of the work itself. 3. The Author will indemnify and compensate the Publisher for any claims from third parties arising from the publication of the Article in case of a breach of this warranty. The warranties in this clause also apply to drawings, tables, photographs, or other illustrations included in the Article and provided by the Author. 4. The Author guarantees that the content is not defamatory or otherwise injurious to the moral or economic rights of others. 5. The Author authorizes the Publisher to take, in cooperation with the Author, necessary measures to prevent third-party copyright violations on the Article. The Author and the Publisher agree to provide each other with full cooperation and complete information in this regard. Costs are subject to a separate agreement when the issue arises. Article 5 - Publication Obligation: Mattioli 1885 undertakes to publish the Article according to customary standards and at the Publisher’s expense within a reasonable period from the acceptance. Article 6 - Legal Relationship: The Publisher may transfer exploitation rights to a third party, provided that this third party fulfills the Publisher's obligations under this agreement with the Author. If the Author can demonstrate that her/his moral rights are compromised by the Publisher's use of her/his Article, she/he may request the cessation of such use. Article 7 - Multiple Authors: In the case of multiple Authors, the above-identified Author (first Author) guarantees having the consent of each Author to sign this Publication License on their behalf. Article 8 - Final Clause: The agreement becomes effective immediately after the Acceptance of the work and remains effective for the entire duration of the copyright on the Article.

LA MEDICINA DEL LAVORO | WORK, ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH publishes original papers, reviews, short notes, and letters written in English. Areas of interest include clinical aspects and diagnosis of occupational diseases, occupational and environmental epidemiology, hygiene and toxicology, psychosocial factors at work, work-related mental and musculoskeletal disorders, aging, work ability and return to work, working shifts and health, and history of occupational medicine. Our journal strives to offer impartial scientific information on Occupational Medicine. To achieve this goal, we leverage the potential of modern information technologies.

OPEN-ACCESS – All articles are published under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC 4.0 to facilitate content reuse. La Medicina del Lavoro will deposit all open-access articles, including expressions of concern, retractions, and other notices, with PubMed Central and its mirror sites promptly following publication online. Authors may deposit the final published version in the repositories of their choice under the journal’s self-archiving policies.

MANUSCRIPTS should comply with instructions to authors, including those provided in the MDL template. Before peer review, the editorial team will conduct a suitability check to ensure compliance with editorial guidelines and the scientific soundness of original articles to rule out any major methodological errors. Authors, particularly those submitting papers based on web surveys, should avoid taking shortcuts that could affect the validity of findings, considering the following issues:

Selection bias is a significant concern, especially when using social media for recruitment, as it may exclude individuals who do not use these platforms. The study's inferences and external validity are seriously compromised if the examined sample does not represent the population's or target group's characteristics.

Control over response rates is difficult in all surveys, especially online surveys when using snowball sampling on the web. It may be challenging to determine if the sample represents the target audience and to evaluate nonresponse bias. Technical issues and other factors may also result in incomplete data or, on the contrary, in uncontrolled multiple responses from the same individuals.

Poor data quality is another frequent issue in all surveys, mainly in social media-based surveys, because of respondents' diverse motivations and attention spans. More easily than during face-to-face interviews, some participants may skip questions or provide inaccurate answers because of a lack of interest, misunderstanding, or social desirability bias.

Data privacy can be a concern when collecting personal information through social networks since these platforms often share user data across different sites without users' consent. Also, some respondents might differ from who they say they are, thus diluting and contaminating specific study groups.

Construct validity on unvalidated homemade questionnaires is a major problem. Obtaining consistent responses can also be challenging due to varying vocabulary, internet literacy, and engagement levels. This inconsistency can lead to invalid responses and reduce the usefulness of collected data.

DESK REJECTION: The editorial staff reserves the right to desk rejection without peer review whenever the above sources of potential bias are not adequately addressed. After redactional and editorial checks to assess suitability, manuscripts undergo an external double-blind peer review process.

The manuscripts should not have been previously published or submitted to other journals. They should be submitted using the journal’s website http://www.lamedicinadellavoro.it

Based on reviewers’ comments, the editors reserve the right to suggest changes or reject any article, and their decision is final. The editors cannot correspond about papers that are rejected as unsuitable for publication. Even though accepted for publication, responsibility for the information and views set out in the articles lies entirely with the authors.

TYPES OF MANUSCRIPTS

Original research articles

Full papers reporting original research articles

These articles report original research studies relevant to occupational and environmental health in a way accessible to journal readers. A concise writing style is encouraged. The journal requires authors to follow pertinent guidelines. If a randomized controlled trial is reported, authors should complete a CONSORT checklist and flowchart and be prepared to submit it if requested. The Equator network of reporting guidelines provides a more extensive list of links and topics at www.equator-network.org. The Journal template provides further advice on the format and layout of the manuscript.

Reviews, commentaries, perspectives

These articles review or comment on occupational and environmental health issues, either working on published papers or suggesting new insights and methodological approaches. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational and intervention studies should follow such guidelines as MOOSE and STROBE, respectively.

Short communications and case reports.

These articles report original data using a limited study question or a topic that can be reported concisely.

Limits depending on the manuscript type

Authors are encouraged to be concise, avoiding double data presentation in the text and tables. The latter should be simplified as far as possible and prepared using the format provided in the template. Headings, subheadings, and plain text should also be formatted according to the template’s styles. The limits proposed below regarding the number of words, illustrations, and tables are not mandatory, though they are highly recommended.

Original research and discussion papers:

Structured abstract: 250 words
Text (from introduction to conclusion): 5000 words
Tables/Figures: no more than 5 (sum of tables and figures). Tables should fit a vertical page (font 10 pt).
References: no more than 40

Short communication or case report:

Summary: 200 words
Text (from introduction to conclusion): 1500 words
Tables/Figures: no more than 2 (sum of tables and figures)
References: no more than 20

Systematic reviews

Summary: 200 words
Text: 5000 words
Tables/Figures: 5 are preferred, but additional tables/figures might be allowed depending on the circumstances. Tables should be as simple as possible, avoiding superfluous details (e.g., the reference number is sufficient, whereas Authors’ names are unnecessary, as they can be found in the reference section; in the tables, lengthy descriptions compromise readability, whereas they can be found in the reference).
References: no more than 60 are preferred.

Authors must note the word count and the number of tables/figures on the title page to check their compliance with instructions. If limits are exceeded, a justification must be given. If such a justification is valid, the editors may allow the publication of an article exceeding limits.

MANUSCRIPT ARRANGEMENT - Manuscripts should be written using Microsoft Word, 12 pt font using the journal’s template. All pages, including references, must be numbered consecutively. Articles must be reviewed by professional English language editors specializing in scientific English. Letters to the editor, if they comment on, complete, or review works already published in La Medicina del Lavoro – Work, Environment & Health, may be answered by the authors of the cited work. No further replies by the letter's author will be accepted for publication. Correspondence will not be considered an original contribution and will not be sent to PubMed Central or other indexing databases.

FIRST PAGE -The first page of the manuscript should contain the article's title, first name and surname of the author or authors, affiliation of each author, indication of any financial support for the research, and complete address of the author responsible for correspondence. A running title not exceeding 80 characters and at least three keywords must be provided on the same page. A footnote should be added if the article has been presented in a meeting, giving the date and place. The first page should also include three statements summarizing key messages: (i) What is known on this subject; (ii) What this manuscript adds to what is already known; (iii) How might this impact clinical practice or risk assessment and management. Such statements are not mandatory but will be highly appreciated by the editors, helping them to reach a decision, and by the authors themselves as a form of self-assessment of their work.

TABLES - Tables should be included in the text and numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals. Each table must be preceded by a legend containing sufficient information to render the table self-explanatory. In the text, tables must be cited in full (e.g., table 1). Tables should be incorporated in the same file as the text, following their legends and using the same fonts. Only very short paragraphs are acceptable to fill table cells. Lengthy and too-detailed descriptions are unacceptable for table cells.

FIGURES – Figures should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals. A legend must accompany each figure. In the text, the figure must be cited in full (e.g., figure 1). The figures and legends should be embedded in the manuscript. If figures are prepared in jpeg or tiff (or high-resolution pdf) format, they should be loaded separately as supplementary files. Photographs, drawings, graphs, and diagrams must have a minimum size of 10x15 cm. A minimum resolution of 300 dpi is required, and the letters’ size must be large enough to allow excellent readability even if the image is shrunk. If figures or graphs are taken from other journals or books, the contributor must obtain prior written authorization from the author and the publisher. A copy of this authorization should be sent to the editorial board of the Journal, and the source of the material should be quoted in the article.

ARRANGEMENT OF MANUSCRIPT - Articles should be divided into Abstract or Summary, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References. Repetition in the text under Results of data already given in tables and figures should be avoided. Only standard symbols, acronyms, and abbreviations must be used. Results from observational studies (cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional designs) should be reported following the guidelines in the STROBE statement, results of randomized trials should be reported following the CONSORT guidelines, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses should follow the PRISMA or MOOSE guidelines, whereas diagnostic tests should be reported according to STARD (BMJ. 2015;351:h5527). The authors should refer to the International System of Units for units of measure. When appropriate, authors should provide effect estimates (e.g., ratios or differences of means, rates, or risks) with their confidence intervals. Please avoid using terms like “statistically significant”, “P<0.05”, “P>0.05”, “NS” or “statistically not significant”. When P values are calculated, exact values should be provided (e.g., P=0.16, P=0.02). The use of “P<” is acceptable if P is very small (e.g., P<0.001).

ACCOMPANYING LETTER – The author responsible for correspondence should declare that all the authors have read and agreed with the content and interpretation of the submitted article. The accompanying letter should also contain a declaration signed by the corresponding author on behalf of all the other authors concerning potential conflicts of interest (see below).

TITLE - The title must be typed in the space on the website.

ABSTRACT - The abstract should describe the study concisely but clearly, highlighting only significant details; it should be divided into background, objectives, methods, results, and discussion, and should not exceed 250 words. It must be typed on the website in the space provided.

KEYWORDS - In the space provided, at least three keywords should be inserted using capital letters for each keyword's first letter and proper name only.

REFERENCES - Responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of references lies with the author. References should STRICTLY follow the style recommended by the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals". They should be cited in order of appearance in the text, using Arabic numbers in square brackets, e.g., [1], [2-6], etc.; references should be cited in the appropriate section at the end of the manuscript, using the AMA style available in PubMed^®. Personal communications, unpublished observations, and communications at congresses should not be included in the References but quoted in full in the text, e.g., (Foà, 1990: personal communication). Some examples of compilation are given below.

Journal papers:

- Lewis D. Coronavirus outbreak: what's next? Nature. 2020;578(7793):15–16

- Kalliomäki PL, Kalliomäki K, Korhonen O, Nordman H, Rahkonen E, Vaaranen V. Respiratory status of stainless steel and mild steel welders. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1982;8 Suppl 1:117–121.

Book, book chapters and monographs:

- McMahon B, Pugh TF: Epidemiology. Principles and methods. Boston (MA): Little Brown and Co, 1970

- Fogari R, Orlandi C: Essential hypertension among workers of a metallurgical factory. In Rosenfeld JB, Silverber DS, Viskoper R (eds): Hypertension control in the community. London: Libbey J, 1985: 270-273

- International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk to Humans. Some Non-heterocyclic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Some Related Exposures. Lyon, France: IARC, 2010: 92

Personal communications and conference proceedings:

- Galli DA, Colombi A, Antonini C, Cantoni S: Monitoraggio ambientale e biologico dell’esposizione professionale a pigmenti e coloranti azoici. In Foà V, Antonini C, Galli DA (eds): Atti del convegno Materie coloranti ed ambiente di lavoro. Milano, 14-15 marzo 1984. Fidenza: Tipografia Mattioli, 1985: 129-137

Documents available on the web:

- NIOSH, National Institute Occupational Safety and Health. (2003). Hydrocarbons, Aromatic. Method 1501. Available on line at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ docs/2003-154/pdfs/1501.pdf (last accessed 31-12-2010)

PROTECTION OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS - All submitted research articles must include a statement (either in the Method section or the Acknowledgement) that the study obtained ethics approval (or a statement that it was not required and why), including the name of the ethics committee(s) or institutional review board(s), the number/ID of the approval(s), and a statement that participants gave informed consent before taking part. If no formal ethics committee is available, authors should indicate that the procedures followed the Helsinki Declaration as revised in 2008.

INFORMED CONSENT – Any article containing personal medical information about an identifiable living individual requires the patient’s explicit consent before publication. If consent cannot be obtained because the patient cannot be traced, then publication will be possible only if the information can be anonymized. Identifying information, including names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. Informed consent for this purpose requires that an identifiable patient be shown the manuscript to be published. Authors should disclose to these patients whether any potentially identifiable material might be available online after publication.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST – A conflict of interest might exist when professional judgment on a primary interest, such as the interpretation of one’s results or those obtained by others, might be influenced, even unknowingly, by a secondary interest, such as an economic advantage or personal rivalry. A conflict of interest is not in itself anti-ethical. Nevertheless, it must be publicly and openly acknowledged. Such acknowledgment shall have no bearing on the decision to publish. Therefore, in conformity with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) of October 2008, when sending an article for publication in La Medicina del Lavoro - Work, Environment & Health, enclosed with the manuscript, the corresponding author, also on behalf of all the other authors, should declare the existence or otherwise of financial connections (consultancies, ownership of shares, patents, etc.) or of other relationships that might constitute a potential conflict of interest in relation to the subject matter of the article. The authors concerned must declare any such financial connections in a brief but complete definition. The possible presence of a conflict of interest on the website must be declared in the space provided. Authors must declare all sources of funding and describe the role of the study sponsor(s), if any, in the (i) study design, (ii) collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, (iii) writing of the report, and (iv) decision to submit the paper for publication. This should be stated if the funder(s) had no such involvement. Membership of Committees or Panels of either Governmental or NGOs’ Agencies publishing scientific opinions and assessments relevant to the article's subject matter must also be declared. If no conflict of interest exists, type NONE.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTION STATEMENT – Authorship should be limited to those who contributed significantly to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. Example: A.B. and B.C. contributed to the design and implementation of the research, C.D. and D.E. contributed to the analysis of the results, and A.B. and C.D. contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

DECLARATION ON THE USE OF AI: Please, declare which chatbot has been used or "none".

PROOFS—The corresponding author of an accepted manuscript will receive one set of proofs to correct printing errors. No substantial alterations may be made to the proof. Authors' correction of proofs relieves the editorial board of all responsibility for any errors in the printed text.

REVIEWS - Books and other publications on occupational health and industrial hygiene that authors or publishers wish to be reviewed in the Journal should be sent to the journal’s address.

ADVERTISEMENTS - Advertisers and persons interested in back issues and reprints should contact: MATTIOLI 1885 - Casa Editrice, Strada di Lodesana 649/sx, Loc. Vaio 43036 Fidenza (Parma), Tel. 0524/530383, Fax 0524/82537, e-mail: edit@mattioli1885.com

As part of the submission process, authors must verify that their submission complies with a detailed checklist on the Journal's website. Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines may be returned to the authors.

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