Two way assessment of other physical work demands while measuring the whole body vibration magnitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiemessen, Ivo J. H.; Hulshof, Carel T. J.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2008-03-01

Direct observation, instead of using self-administered questionnaires might give more reliable and specific information about physical work demands at the workplace. This information is of use in a population already at risk of developing low back pain (LBP) due to whole body vibration (WBV) exposure. The aims of this study are to assess the WBV exposure in an exposed population and to assess other physical work demands in two ways, by direct observation and with the use of a self-administered questionnaire. We therefore assessed the WBV magnitude and 5 WBV-related physical work demands by using the PalmTrac system and a self-administered questionnaire in a group of drivers ( N=10). The main findings are 7 out of 10 drivers are exceeding the EU action value. About 50% of the drivers under-estimated the time 'bending', 60% the time 'walking+standing' and 60% over-estimated the time when 'lifting.' We concluded that 7 drivers from this group are at risk of developing LBP and substantial differences exists for the 5 physical work demands comparing the PalmTrac method with the questionnaire. Direct observational assessment in WBV measurements yields extra information. This is useful for preventive activities necessary as drivers are exceeding the EU action value.

Work Characteristics Associated with Physical Functioning in Women

PubMed Central

Palumbo, Aimee J.; De Roos, Anneclaire J.; Cannuscio, Carolyn; Robinson, Lucy; Mossey, Jana; Weitlauf, Julie; Garcia, Lorena; Wallace, Robert; Michael, Yvonne

2017-01-01

Women make up almost half of the labor force with older women becoming a growing segment of the population. Work characteristics influence physical functioning and women are at particular risk for physical limitations. However, little research has explored the effects of work characteristics on women’s physical functioning. U.S. women between the ages of 50 and 79 were enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study between 1993 and 1998. Women provided job titles and years worked at their three longest-held jobs (n = 79,147). Jobs were linked to characteristics in the Occupational Information Network. Three categories of job characteristics related to substantive complexity, physical demand, and social collaboration emerged. The association between job characteristics and physical limitations in later life, measured using a SF-36 Physical Functioning score <25th percentile, was examined using modified Poisson regression. After controlling for confounding variables, high physical demand was positively associated with physical limitations (RR = 1.09 CI: 1.06–1.12) and substantively complex work was negatively associated (RR = 0.94, CI: 0.91–0.96). Jobs requiring complex problem solving, active learning, and critical thinking were associated with better physical functioning. Employers should explore opportunities to reduce strain from physically demanding jobs and incorporate substantively complex tasks into women’s work to improve long-term health. PMID:28420131

Does employee participation in workplace health promotion depend on the working environment? A cross-sectional study of Danish workers.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Villadsen, Ebbe; Burr, Hermann; Punnett, Laura; Holtermann, Andreas

2016-06-08

To investigate if participation in workplace health promotion (WHP) depends on the work environment. Questionnaire data on participation in WHP activities (smoking cessation, healthy diet, exercise facilities, weekly exercise classes, contact with health professionals, health screenings) and the work environment (social support, fatiguing work, physical, quantitative and emotional demands, job control and WHP availability setting) were collected cross-sectionally in 2010 in a representative sample (n=10 605) of Danish workers. Binary regression analyses of the association between work environment characteristics and participation in WHP were conducted and adjusted for age, gender and industry. WHP offered during leisure time was associated with lower participation in all measured activities compared with when offered during working hours. Low social support and fatiguing work were associated with low participation in WHP. No associations with participation in WHPs were observed for physical work or quantitative demands, work pace or job strain. However, high physical demands/low job control and high emotional demands/low job control were associated with low participation. Lower participation in WHP was associated with programmes during leisure, low social support, very fatiguing work and high physical or emotional demands with low job control. This suggests that to obtain proper effect of health promotion in a workplace setting, a good work environment is essential. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Differential risk of employment in more physically demanding jobs among a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada.

PubMed

Smith, P M; Chen, C; Mustard, C

2009-08-01

To examine the proportion of a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada who were working in jobs that were more physically demanding than those in which they worked before migration to Canada. Longitudinal cohort of immigrants to Canada with occupational position measured before and 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Respondents to Statistics Canada's Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The LSIC surveyed a representative sample of immigrants, aged 15 and older, who arrived in Canada between November 2000 and December 2001. For the purpose of this study, the sample was restricted to respondents who had worked before immigrating and were working when re-interviewed 2 (n = 4331) or 4 (n = 4238) years after arrival in Canada. Employment in an occupation with higher physical demands than that employed in before arrival in Canada. Respondents with less proficiency at speaking English and family class or refugee applicants were the most likely to be employed in occupations with higher physical demands both 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Employment in a more physically demanding occupation may pose particular risks of workplace injury. In this sample of immigrants to Canada, respondents with poorer English skills and refugees (factors that may increase this risk) were more likely to be employed in more physically demanding occupations. Greater attention to the prevention of workplace injuries among particular groups of new immigrants to Canada is required.

The combined fatigue effects of sequential exposure to seated whole body vibration and physical, mental, or concurrent work demands

PubMed Central

Lang, Angelica E.; Stobart, Jamie; Kociolek, Aaron M.; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Trask, Catherine

2017-01-01

Many occupations in agriculture, construction, transportation, and forestry are non-routine, involving non-cyclical tasks, both discretionary and non-discretionary work breaks, and a mix of work activities. Workers in these industries are exposed to seated whole body vibration (WBV) and tasks consisting of physical, mental, or a combination of demands. Risk assessment tools for non-routinized jobs have emerged but there remains a need to understand the combined effects of different work demands to improve risk assessment methods and ultimately inform ergonomists and workers on optimum work arrangement and scheduling strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate fatigue-related human responses of WBV sequentially combined with physical, mental, or concurrent physical and mental demands. Sixteen healthy participants performed four conditions on four separate days: (1) physically demanding work, (2) mentally demanding work, (3) concurrent work, and (4) control quiet sitting. For each condition, participants performed two 15-minute bouts of the experimental task, separated by 30-minutes of simulated WBV based on realistic all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding data. A test battery of fatigue measures consisting of biomechanical, physiological, cognitive, and sensorimotor measurements were collected at four interval periods: pre-session, after the first bout of the experimental task and before WBV, after WBV and before the second bout of the experimental task, and post-session. Nine measures demonstrated statistically significant time effects during the control condition; 11, 7, and 12 measures were significant in the physical, mental, and concurrent conditions, respectively. Overall, the effects of seated WBV in combination with different tasks are not additive but possibly synergistic or antagonistic. There appears to be a beneficial effect of seated ATV operation as a means of increasing task variation; but since excessive WBV may independently pose a health risk in the longer-term, these beneficial results may not be sensible as a long-term solution. PMID:29236752

The combined fatigue effects of sequential exposure to seated whole body vibration and physical, mental, or concurrent work demands.

PubMed

Yung, Marcus; Lang, Angelica E; Stobart, Jamie; Kociolek, Aaron M; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Trask, Catherine

2017-01-01

Many occupations in agriculture, construction, transportation, and forestry are non-routine, involving non-cyclical tasks, both discretionary and non-discretionary work breaks, and a mix of work activities. Workers in these industries are exposed to seated whole body vibration (WBV) and tasks consisting of physical, mental, or a combination of demands. Risk assessment tools for non-routinized jobs have emerged but there remains a need to understand the combined effects of different work demands to improve risk assessment methods and ultimately inform ergonomists and workers on optimum work arrangement and scheduling strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate fatigue-related human responses of WBV sequentially combined with physical, mental, or concurrent physical and mental demands. Sixteen healthy participants performed four conditions on four separate days: (1) physically demanding work, (2) mentally demanding work, (3) concurrent work, and (4) control quiet sitting. For each condition, participants performed two 15-minute bouts of the experimental task, separated by 30-minutes of simulated WBV based on realistic all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding data. A test battery of fatigue measures consisting of biomechanical, physiological, cognitive, and sensorimotor measurements were collected at four interval periods: pre-session, after the first bout of the experimental task and before WBV, after WBV and before the second bout of the experimental task, and post-session. Nine measures demonstrated statistically significant time effects during the control condition; 11, 7, and 12 measures were significant in the physical, mental, and concurrent conditions, respectively. Overall, the effects of seated WBV in combination with different tasks are not additive but possibly synergistic or antagonistic. There appears to be a beneficial effect of seated ATV operation as a means of increasing task variation; but since excessive WBV may independently pose a health risk in the longer-term, these beneficial results may not be sensible as a long-term solution.

Physically demanding situations as predictors of disability pensioning with soft tissue rheumatism among persons 30-39 years old in Norway, 1981-90.

PubMed

Holte, Hilde H; Tambs, Kristian; Bjerkedal, Tor

2002-08-01

Physically demanding work is a predictor of disability pensioning with musculoskeletal diseases. Being a parent is probably also physically demanding. Having manual work and being a parent will be analyzed as possible predictors of becoming a disability pensioner with soft tissue rheumatism (DPSTR) after controlling for level of education, employment, number of hours worked, income, age, sex, and marital status. In this prospective study based on census data of persons 30-39 years old in 1980, predictors of becoming DPSTR during the followup period 1981-90 were identified by logistic regression analysis. Manual work was a predictor for becoming DPSTR for both men and women, while being a parent was neither a risk factor nor a protective factor for becoming DPSTR. Being employed was a predictor of becoming DPSTR for married women, but a protective factor for unmarried women and all men. Low level of education and being married or divorced were predictors of becoming DPSTR for both men and women. Working part time and having low income were predictors of becoming DPSTR among men. Physically demanding employment, but not a physically demanding private life, predicts becoming DPSTR. This may reflect that factors concerning a patient's private life are not taken into account when evaluating whether or not a disability pension should be granted, at least not for patients with uncertain medical conditions.

Physical and psychosocial work environment factors and their association with health outcomes in Danish ambulance personnel – a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Reviews of the literature on the health and work environment of ambulance personnel have indicated an increased risk of work-related health problems in this occupation. The aim of this study was to compare health status and exposure to different work environmental factors among ambulance personnel and the core work force in Denmark. In addition, to examine the association between physical and psychosocial work environment factors and different measures of health among ambulance personnel. Methods Data were taken from a nationwide sample of ambulance personnel and fire fighters (n = 1,691) and was compared to reference samples of the Danish work force. The questionnaire contained measures of physical and psychosocial work environment as well as measures of musculoskeletal pain, mental health, self-rated health and sleep quality. Results Ambulance personnel have half the prevalence of poor self-rated health compared to the core work force (5% vs. 10%). Levels of mental health were the same across the two samples whereas a substantially higher proportion of the ambulance personnel reported musculoskeletal pain (42% vs. 29%). The ambulance personnel had higher levels of emotional demands and meaningfulness of and commitment to work, and substantially lower levels of quantitative demands and influence at work. Only one out of ten aspects of physical work environment was consistently associated with higher levels of musculoskeletal pain. Emotional demands was the only psychosocial work factor that was associated with both poorer mental health and worse sleep quality. Conclusions Ambulance personnel have similar levels of mental health but substantially higher levels of musculoskeletal pain than the work force in general. They are more exposed to emotional demands and these demands are associated with higher levels of poor mental health and poor sleep quality. To improve work environment, attention should be paid to musculoskeletal problems and the presence of positive organizational support mechanisms that can prevent negative effects from the high levels of emotional demands. PMID:22824415

Excessive physical demands in modern worklife and characteristics of work and living conditions of persons at risk.

PubMed

Karlqvist, Lena K; Härenstam, Annika; Leijon, Ola; Schéele, Patrik

2003-10-01

This study attempted to identify work and leisure-time conditions and life-style factors associated with excess metabolic levels (metabolic demands exceeding one-third of a person's aerobic capacity) at work among men and women. The study focused upon psychological, ergonomic, and physically loading factors and chemical and physical environmental conditions. Data were obtained through self-reports, interviews, workplace analyses, technical measurements, and observations. Gender-specific calculations were used in univariate analyses and in stepwise logistic regression models for excess metabolic level. Twenty-seven percent of the men and twenty-two percent of the women worked at an excess metabolic level during their workday. Awkward work postures, heavy manual materials handling, high circulatory strain, chemical exposures, noise levels, much routine work, and many obstacles to job performance characterized their work conditions. The women had low skill discretion and more often atypical workhours, while the men showed high circulatory strain during leisure-time activities. Important negative life-style factors were a high consumption of alcohol for the men and a high body mass index and no or little regular physical exercise for the women. Metabolic demands in worklife today remain high. The women who exceeded the recommended metabolic level at work in this study were characterized by low pay, poor health, and children at home, in addition to high physical load and psychosocial strain at work. These characteristics indicate a group with few possibilities to leave a hazardous job for a less physically demanding one. The men who worked at an excess metabolic level seemed to be characterized more by a life-style common in some male-dominated work cultures with monotonous work.

Barriers to Later Retirement for Men: Physical Challenges of Work and Increases in the Full Retirement Age.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Joanne Song; Neumark, David

2018-03-01

Policy changes intended to delay retirements of older workers and extend their work lives may run up against barriers owing to rising physical challenges of work as people age. We examine whether physical challenges at work influence employment transitions of older male workers in the age range for which public policy is trying to extend work lives and whether older male workers are able to mitigate these challenges while still remaining employed. The evidence indicates that physical challenges pose a barrier to extending work lives, although some older male workers with physically demanding jobs are able to mitigate these demands-either at new jobs or with the same employer. Our findings suggest that greater accommodation of physical challenges faced by older workers would likely increase the success of policies intended to induce later retirement.

Work and Sleep--A Prospective Study of Psychosocial Work Factors, Physical Work Factors, and Work Scheduling.

PubMed

Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Garefelt, Johanna; Richter, Anne; Westerlund, Hugo; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Sverke, Magnus; Kecklund, Göran

2015-07-01

There is limited knowledge about the prospective relationship between major work characteristics (psychosocial, physical, scheduling) and disturbed sleep. The current study sought to provide such knowledge. Prospective cohort, with measurements on two occasions (T1 and T2) separated by two years. Naturalistic study, Sweden. There were 4,827 participants forming a representative sample of the working population. Questionnaire data on work factors obtained on two occasions were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Competing models were compared in order to investigate temporal relationships. A reciprocal model was found to fit the data best. Sleep disturbances at T2 were predicted by higher work demands at T1 and by lower perceived stress at T1. In addition, sleep disturbances at T1 predicted subsequent higher perception of stress, higher work demands, lower degree of control, and less social support at work at T2. A cross-sectional mediation analysis showed that (higher) perceived stress mediated the relationship between (higher) work demands and sleep disturbances; however, no such association was found longitudinally. Higher work demands predicted disturbed sleep, whereas physical work characteristics, shift work, and overtime did not. In addition, disturbed sleep predicted subsequent higher work demands, perceived stress, less social support, and lower degree of control. The results suggest that remedial interventions against sleep disturbances should focus on psychosocial factors, and that such remedial interventions may improve the psychosocial work situation in the long run. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Cognitive task demands, self-control demands and the mental well-being of office workers.

PubMed

Bridger, Robert S; Brasher, Kate

2011-09-01

The cognitive task demands of office workers and the self-control demands of their work roles were measured in a sample of 196 employees in two different office layouts using a self-report questionnaire, which was circulated electronically. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both factors were associated with mental well-being, but not with physical well-being, while controlling for exposure to psychosocial stressors. The interaction between cognitive task demands and self-control demands had the strongest association with mental well-being, suggesting that the deleterious effect of one was greater when the other was present. An exploratory analysis revealed that the association was stronger for employees working in a large open-plan office than for those working in smaller offices with more privacy. Frustration of work goals was the cognitive task demand having the strongest negative impact on mental well-being. Methodological limitations and scale psychometrics (particularly the use of the NASA Task Load Index) are discussed. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Modern office work has high mental demands and low physical demands and there is a need to design offices to prevent adverse psychological reactions. It is shown that cognitive task demands interact with self-control demands to degrade mental well-being. The association was stronger in an open-plan office.

Age, occupational demands and the risk of serious work injury.

PubMed

Smith, P M; Berecki-Gisolf, J

2014-12-01

Interest in the relationship between age and serious work injury is increasing, given the ageing of the workforce in many industrialized economies. To examine if the relationship between age and risk of serious musculoskeletal injury differs when the physical demands of work are higher from those when they are lower. A secondary analysis of workers' compensation claims in the State of Victoria, Australia, combined with estimates of the insured labour force. We focused on musculoskeletal claims, which required 10 days of absence or health care expenditures beyond a pecuniary threshold. Regression models examined the relationship between age and claim-risk across workers with different occupational demands, as well as the relationship between occupational demands and musculoskeletal claim-risk across different age groups. Older age and greater physical demands at work were associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal claims. In models stratified by occupational demands, we observed the relationship between age and claim-risk was steeper when occupational demands were higher. We also observed that the relationship between occupational demands and risk of work injury claim peaked among workers aged 25-44, attenuating among those aged 45 and older. This study's results suggest that although older workers and occupations with higher demands should be the targets of primary preventive efforts related to serious musculoskeletal injuries, there may also be gains in targeting middle-aged workers in the most physically demanding occupations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Disentangling the effects of psychological and physical work demands on sleep, recovery and maladaptive chronic stress outcomes within a large sample of Australian nurses.

PubMed

Winwood, Peter C; Lushington, Kurt

2006-12-01

This paper reports a study to determine if different types of work strain experienced by nurses, particularly those of an essentially psychological nature, such as emotional demand, mental effort and problems with peers and/or supervisors, have a differential impact on sleep quality and overall recovery from work strain, compared with physical work strains, and lead to higher maladaptive chronic fatigue outcomes. Various studies have shown that the dominant work-demand strain associated with nursing work can vary between different areas of nursing. For example, whereas emotional strain is reported to be the principal strain associated with work in areas such as oncology, haematology and renal units, medical and surgical unit nurses report work pace and staffing issues as the dominant work strain. Purely physical strain seems to be less commonly reported as a concern. A large sample (n = 760) of Australian nurses working in a large metropolitan hospital completed questionnaires on their work demands, sleep quality, fatigue, and recovery between shifts in January 2004. A high work pace exacerbates the psychological rather than the physical strain demands of nursing. Psychological strain affects sleep quality and impairs recovery from overall work strain between shifts. This combination is highly predictive of serious maladaptive stress/fatigue outcomes among nurses. Coping with psychological stressors adequately is an important requirement for nurses in order to avoid adverse health effects and maintain a long-term career in nursing. Appropriate training of undergraduate nursing students in managing the stresses they are likely to encounter would seem to be an essential requirement for the 21st century. Such training might constitute an important long-term component in overcoming the chronic nurse shortages evident in many countries.

Does age modify the association between physical work demands and deterioration of self-rated general health?

PubMed

Burr, Hermann; Pohrt, Anne; Rugulies, Reiner; Holtermann, Andreas; Hasselhorn, Hans Martin

2017-05-01

Objective Due to the growing proportion of older employees in the work force in several countries, the importance of age in the association between work and health is becoming increasingly relevant. Few studies have investigated whether age modifies the association of physical work demands with health. We hypothesized that the association of demanding body postures with deteriorated self-rated health (SRH) is stronger among older employees than among younger employees. Method We analyzed three 5-year cohorts in the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study comprising 8318 observations from 5204 employees (follow-up participation rate 83%) with good baseline SRH. Physical work demands were assessed as demanding body postures. Age was divided into tertiles; young (18-32 years), middle-aged (33-43 years) and old (44-59 among men and 44-54 years among women). Poor SRH ("fairly good", "poor", and "very poor") was measured with a single item. Log binomial regressions were stratified by gender. Effect modification (ie, interaction) was defined as deviation from additivity and examined by calculating the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). The reference group was employees aged 18-32 years with low physical exposure. Results When predicting deterioration of SRH, an interaction between demanding body postures and age was found among men [RERI: 0.75, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.16-1.34, regarding the age group 44-59 years] and among women (RERI: 0.84, 95% CI 0.19-1.34, for the age group 33-43 years; and 1.17, 95% CI 0.42-1.93, for the age group 44-54 years). Conclusion The study findings suggest that demanding body postures have a stronger impact on health among older compared to younger employees.

Psychosocial factors at work and self reported health: comparative results of cross sectional and prospective analyses of the French GAZEL cohort

PubMed Central

Niedhammer, I; Chea, M

2003-01-01

Background: Psychosocial factors at work have been found to be significant contributors to health, especially cardiovascular health. Aims: To explore the relation between psychosocial factors at work and self reported health, using cross sectional and prospective analyses for a large occupational cohort of men and women. Methods: Psychosocial factors at work were evaluated using the Karasek questionnaire, designed to measure psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, and physical demands. Self reported health was used as health outcome. Covariates included chronic diseases, and sociodemographic, occupational, and behavioural factors. The cross sectional and prospective analyses concerned respectively 11 447 and 7664 workers. Men and women were analysed separately. Results: Cross sectional analysis revealed significant associations between psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, and physical demands, and self reported health for both men and women. Prospective analysis showed that high psychological demands for both genders, low decision authority for men, and low social support and high physical demands for women were predictive of poor self reported health. These results were independent of potential confounding variables. Conclusions: Results highlight the predictive effects of psychosocial factors at work on self reported health in a one year follow up study. They also underline the need for longitudinal study design and separate analyses for men and women in the field of psychosocial factors at work. PMID:12819285

Long-term sickness absence from combined factors related to physical work demands: prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Andersen, Lars L; Thorsen, Sannie V; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann; Holtermann, Andreas

2018-05-05

The working environment plays an important role in public health. This study investigates the risk for long-term sickness absence (LTSA) from the combination of factors related to physical work demands. Employees (n = 22 740) of the general population (the Danish Work Environment & Health study 2012) were followed for two years in the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation. Using Cox regression analyses we determined the risk of LTSA from four factors; (i) physical work demands, (ii) physical exertion during work, (iii) fatigue after work and (iv) work-limiting pain. During follow-up 10.2% experienced LTSA. Each of the four factors increased the risk of LTSA with hazard ratios (HR) ranging from 1.30 to 1.57. Scoring high on one (30.3% of the respondents), two (24.4%), three (19.9%) and all four factors (9.2%) gradually increased the risk of LTSA (HR's of 1.39 [95% CI 1.16-1.66], 1.66 [95% CI 1.39-1.99], 1.90 [95% CI 1.57-2.29] and 3.02 [95% CI 2.47-3.68], respectively). Risk estimates remained robust in stratified analyses of age, sex and socioeconomic position. Population attributable fractions were high across all subgroups; 39% (general population), 36% (younger workers), 45% (older workers), 36% (men), 41% (women), 30% (higher socioeconomic position) and 45% (lower socioeconomic position). The risk of LTSA gradually increased with number of factors related to high physical work demands, underlining the importance of targeting combined factors in risk assessment and preventive interventions.

Circadian rhythms as a basis for work organization: a study with live line electricians.

PubMed

Guimarães, Lia Buarque de Macedo; Ribeiro, Jose Luis Duarte; Saurin, Tarcísio Abreu; de Bittencourt Júnior, Paulo Ivo Homem

2013-02-01

With the assumption that circadian rhythms influence human performance, the work of live line electricians was reorganized and evaluated. The hypothesis was that in highly physical and attention-demanding work, the organization of tasks, according to the ideal period of day and day of week, should diminish stress and consequent work risks. There are only a few studies reporting the work of electricians and even fewer approaching work organization. Moreover, these investigations often do not consider human physiological limitations and capabilities as well as task demands. A new work system was proposed with consideration of (a) the circadian cycles and homeostatic processes; (b) the effect of heat, which is a zeitgeber (synchronizer) for the biological clocks; and (c) the degree of physical and mental demands of the different performed tasks, which was assessed on the basis of opinions of the electricians and physiological markers of stress that are controlled by circadian rhythms. The traditional and new systems were compared on the basis of two cognitive indices (the arrangement of matchsticks and the perception of a minute) and three physiological markers of mental-to-physical loads (heart frequency and the level of adrenaline and noradrenaline). Both physical and mental loads were reduced in the new system. Work organization should include consideration of human circadian rhythms, mainly when stressful and high-risk tasks are involved. The findings can be applied in any work design, but they are especially suited for highly demanding work carried out outdoors.

Psychosocial work environment and health in U.S. metropolitan areas: a test of the demand-control and demand-control-support models.

PubMed

Muntaner, C; Schoenbach, C

1994-01-01

The authors use confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the psychosocial dimensions of work environments relevant to health outcomes, in a representative sample of five U.S. metropolitan areas. Through an aggregated inference system, scales from Schwartz and associates' job scoring system and from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) were employed to examine two alternative models: the demand-control model of Karasek and Theorell and Johnson's demand-control-support model. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the two models. The two multidimensional models yielded better fits than an unstructured model. After allowing for the measurement error variance due to the method of assessment (Schwartz and associates' system or DOT), both models yielded acceptable goodness-of-fit indices, but the fit of the demand-control-support model was significantly better. Overall these results indicate that the dimensions of Control (substantive complexity of work, skill discretion, decision authority), Demands (physical exertion, physical demands and hazards), and Social Support (coworker and supervisor social supports) provide an acceptable account of the psychosocial dimensions of work associated with health outcomes.

Employment consequences of depressive symptoms and work demands individually and combined.

PubMed

Thielen, Karsten; Nygaard, Else; Andersen, Ingelise; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-02-01

Denmark, like other Western countries, is recently burdened by increasingly high social spending on employment consequences caused by ill mental health. This might be the result of high work demands affecting persons with ill mental health. Therefore, this study assesses to what extent depressive symptoms and high work demands, individually and combined, have an effect on employment consequences. We conducted a population-based 7-year longitudinal follow-up study with baseline information from the year 2000 on socio-demographics, lifestyle, depressive symptoms and work demands. In total, 5785 employed persons, aged 40 and 50 years, were included. Information about employment status, sick leave and work disability was obtained from registers. Logistic regression models were used to measure separate and combined effects of depressive symptoms and work demands on job change, unemployment and sick leave during 2001-02 and work disability during 2003-07. After adjustment for covariates, high physical work demands and depressive symptoms had a graded effect on subsequent unemployment, sick leave and permanent work disability. Persons with both depressive symptoms and high physical demands had the highest risks, especially for sick leave, but the combined effect did not exceed the product of single effects. Persons who perceived high amount of work changed job significantly more frequently. Persons with depressive symptoms might have an increased risk of negative employment consequences irrespective of the kind and amount of work demands. This might be an effect on the level of work ability in general as well as partly the result of health selection and co-morbidity.

Differences between day and nonday workers in exposure to physical and psychosocial work factors in the Danish eldercare sector.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Tüchsen, Finn; Christensen, Karl Bang; Garde, Anne Helene; Diderichsen, Finn

2009-01-01

The possible interaction between individual and occupational risk factors, the need for meaningful intervention, and the demand for valid shift work research make the accumulation of adverse exposures at certain times of the day of special relevance with respect to occupational health. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine whether there was a clustering of detrimental work factors among female eldercare workers in fixed evening or fixed night shifts when they are compared with workers in fixed day shifts. This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 4590 female health care workers in the Danish eldercare sector. The participants worked in nursing homes, in home care, or in both. They answered questions on job demands, job control, and social support, together with questions on physical and psychological violence, physical workload, and passive smoking. We found that-compared with day workers-fixed nonday workers were more exposed to low job control, low support from leaders, physical and psychological violence, and high physical demands. Nonday workers were, however, less exposed to high demands. These differences remained after control for age, job title, and workplace. Exposures in the work environment of Danish eldercare workers varied between shifts. In a research perspective these findings stress the importance of adequate adjustment for work factors when the health effects of shift work are studied. Moreover, the results underscore the need for an increased awareness of work factors of special importance among nonday workers when interventions against shiftwork-related occupational disorders are designed.

SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF OCCUPATIONS (PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORKING CONDITIONS, TRAINING TIME), A SUPPLEMENT TO THE DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Employment Security (DOL), Washington, DC.

THIS SUPPLEMENT LISTS INDIVIDUAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORKING CONDITIONS, AND TRAINING TIME DATA FOR EACH JOB DEFINED IN VOLUMES 1 AND 2 (VT 003 654 AND VT 003 655). IT WAS PUBLISHED IN RESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED WITH MANPOWER UTILIZATION WHO REQUIRE MORE SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS DATA THAN…

The Type A experience: occupational and life demands, satisfaction and well-being.

PubMed

Burke, R J; Weir, T

1980-12-01

This study investigated the relationship of Type A behavior to occupational and life demands, occupational and life satisfactions, and emotional and physical health. Respondents were 127 senior administrators of correctional institutions. Data were collected via questionnaires and objective physiological and physical health assessments. Greater Type A's reported more occupational demands, more concrete stressful life events at work, greater interference of work with home and family life, and less marital satisfaction. But greater Type A's also reported more self-esteem at work, greater job involvement and organizational identification and greater life satisfaction. The latter findings highlight the resistance to behavior change by Type A men. Contrary to other studies, Type A behavior bore little relationship to emotional or physical health. Exploratory analyses relating Type A behavior to emotional and physical health did confirm previous findings when the older half of the sample (45 and above) was examined.

The biomechanical demands of manual scaling on the shoulders & neck of dental hygienists.

PubMed

La Delfa, Nicholas J; Grondin, Diane E; Cox, Jocelyn; Potvin, Jim R; Howarth, Samuel J

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postural and muscular demands placed on the shoulders and neck of dental hygienists when performing a simulated manual scaling task. Nineteen healthy female dental hygienists performed 30-min of simulated manual scaling on a manikin head in a laboratory setting. Surface electromyography was used to monitor muscle activity from several neck and shoulder muscles, and neck and arm elevation kinematics were evaluated using motion capture. The simulated scaling task resulted in a large range of neck and arm elevation angles and excessive low-level muscular demands in the neck extensor and scapular stabilising muscles. The physical demands varied depending on the working position of the hygienists relative to the manikin head. These findings are valuable in guiding future ergonomics interventions aimed at reducing the physical exposures of dental hygiene work. Practitioner Summary: Given that this study evaluates the physical demands of manual scaling, a procedure that is fundamental to dental hygiene work, the findings are valuable to identify ergonomics interventions to reduce the prevalence of work-related injuries, disability and the potential for early retirement among this occupational group.

Workload composition of the organic horticulture.

PubMed

Abrahão, R F; Ribeiro, I A V; Tereso, M J A

2012-01-01

This project aimed the characterization of the physical workload of the organic horticulture by determining the frequency of exposure of operators to some activity categories. To do this, an adaptation of the PATH method (Posture, Activities, Tools and Handling) was done to be used in the context of agriculture work. The approach included an evaluation of physical effort demanded to perform the tasks in the work systems from an systematic sampling of work situations from a synchronized monitoring of the heart rate; a characterization of posture repertoire adopted by workers by adapting the OWAS method; an identification of pain body areas using the Corlett diagram; and a subjective evaluation of perceived effort using the RPE Borg scale. The results of the individual assessments were cross correlated and explained from an observation of the work activity. Postural demands were more significant than cardiovascular demands for the studied tasks, and correlated positively with the expressions of bodily discomfort. It is expected that, besides the knowledge obtained of the physical effort demanded by organic horticulture, this project will be useful for the development of new technologies directed to minimize the difficulties of the human work and to raise the work productivity.

Job strain as a risk factor for leisure-time physical inactivity: an individual-participant meta-analysis of up to 170,000 men and women: the IPD-Work Consortium.

PubMed

Fransson, Eleonor I; Heikkilä, Katriina; Nyberg, Solja T; Zins, Marie; Westerlund, Hugo; Westerholm, Peter; Väänänen, Ari; Virtanen, Marianna; Vahtera, Jussi; Theorell, Töres; Suominen, Sakari; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Siegrist, Johannes; Sabia, Séverine; Rugulies, Reiner; Pentti, Jaana; Oksanen, Tuula; Nordin, Maria; Nielsen, Martin L; Marmot, Michael G; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Madsen, Ida E H; Lunau, Thorsten; Leineweber, Constanze; Kumari, Meena; Kouvonen, Anne; Koskinen, Aki; Koskenvuo, Markku; Knutsson, Anders; Kittel, France; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Joensuu, Matti; Houtman, Irene L; Hooftman, Wendela E; Goldberg, Marcel; Geuskens, Goedele A; Ferrie, Jane E; Erbel, Raimund; Dragano, Nico; De Bacquer, Dirk; Clays, Els; Casini, Annalisa; Burr, Hermann; Borritz, Marianne; Bonenfant, Sébastien; Bjorner, Jakob B; Alfredsson, Lars; Hamer, Mark; Batty, G David; Kivimäki, Mika

2012-12-15

Unfavorable work characteristics, such as low job control and too high or too low job demands, have been suggested to increase the likelihood of physical inactivity during leisure time, but this has not been verified in large-scale studies. The authors combined individual-level data from 14 European cohort studies (baseline years from 1985-1988 to 2006-2008) to examine the association between unfavorable work characteristics and leisure-time physical inactivity in a total of 170,162 employees (50% women; mean age, 43.5 years). Of these employees, 56,735 were reexamined after 2-9 years. In cross-sectional analyses, the odds for physical inactivity were 26% higher (odds ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 1.38) for employees with high-strain jobs (low control/high demands) and 21% higher (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.31) for those with passive jobs (low control/low demands) compared with employees in low-strain jobs (high control/low demands). In prospective analyses restricted to physically active participants, the odds of becoming physically inactive during follow-up were 21% and 20% higher for those with high-strain (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.32) and passive (odds ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.30) jobs at baseline. These data suggest that unfavorable work characteristics may have a spillover effect on leisure-time physical activity.

Biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors for low back pain at work.

PubMed Central

Kerr, M S; Frank, J W; Shannon, H S; Norman, R W; Wells, R P; Neumann, W P; Bombardier, C

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study determined whether the physical and psychosocial demands of work are associated with low back pain. METHODS: A case-control approach was used. Case subjects (n = 137) reported a new episode of low back pain to their employer, a large automobile manufacturing complex. Control subjects were randomly selected from the study base as cases accrued (n = 179) or were matched to cases by exact job (n = 65). Individual, clinical, and psychosocial variables were assessed by interview. Physical demands were assessed with direct workplace measurements of subjects at their usual jobs. The analysis used multiple logistic regression adjusted for individual characteristics. RESULTS: Self-reported risk factors included a physically demanding job, a poor workplace social environment, inconsistency between job and education level, better job satisfaction, and better coworker support. Low job control showed a borderline association. Physical-measure risk factors included peak lumbar shear force, peak load handled, and cumulative lumbar disc compression. Low body mass index and prior low back pain compensation claims were the only significant individual characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified specific physical and psychosocial demands of work as independent risk factors for low back pain. PMID:11441733

Factors associated with inadequate work ability among women in the clothing industry.

PubMed

Augusto, Viviane Gontijo; Sampaio, Rosana Ferreira; Ferreira, Fabiane Ribeiro; Kirkwood, Renata Noce; César, Cibele Comini

2015-01-01

Work ability depends on a balance between individual resources and work demands. This study evaluated factors that are associated with inadequate work ability among workers in the clothing industry. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 306 workers in 40 small and medium-sized enterprises. We assessed work ability, individual resources, physical and psychosocial demands, and aspects of life outside work using a binary logistic regression model with hierarchical data entry. The mean work ability was 42.5 (SD=3.5); when adjusted for age, only 11% of the workers showed inadequate work ability. The final model revealed that smoking, high isometric physical load, and poor physical environmental conditions were the most significant predictors of inadequate work ability. Good working conditions and worker education must be implemented to eliminate factors that can be changed and that have a negative impact on work ability. These initiatives include anti-smoking measures, improved postures at work, and better physical environmental conditions.

Work related musculoskeletal disorders amongst therapists in physically demanding roles: qualitative analysis of risk factors and strategies for prevention.

PubMed

Passier, Leanne; McPhail, Steven

2011-01-25

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy are two professions at high risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD). This investigation aimed to identify risk factors for WRMD as perceived by the health professionals working in these roles (Aim 1), as well as current and future strategies they perceive will allow them to continue to work in physically demanding clinical roles (Aim 2). A two phase exploratory investigation was undertaken. The first phase included a survey administered via a web based platform with qualitative open response items. The second phase involved four focus group sessions which explored topics obtained from the survey. Thematic analysis of qualitative data from the survey and focus groups was undertaken. Overall 112 (34.3%) of invited health professionals completed the survey; 66 (58.9%) were physiotherapists and 46 (41.1%) were occupational therapists. Twenty-four health professionals participated in one of four focus groups. The risk factors most frequently perceived by health professionals included: work postures and movements, lifting or carrying, patient related factors and repetitive tasks. The six primary themes for strategies to allow therapists to continue to work in physically demanding clinical roles included: organisational strategies, workload or work allocation, work practices, work environment and equipment, physical condition and capacity, and education and training. Risk factors as well as current and potential strategies for reducing WRMD amongst these health professionals working in clinically demanding roles have been identified and discussed. Further investigation regarding the relative effectiveness of these strategies is warranted.

A comparison of work-related physical activity levels between inpatient and outpatient physical therapists: an observational cohort trial.

PubMed

Brewer, Wayne; Ogbazi, Raluchukwu; Ohl, Devan; Daniels, Jeffry; Ortiz, Alexis

2016-06-16

Physical therapists (PTs) work in a variety of healthcare settings with varied levels of physical activity demands placed on them. The purpose of this study is to compare the physical activity (PA) levels between PTs in inpatient versus outpatient environments for one work week using a cross-sectional design. Sixty-one PTs (30 inpatient, 31 outpatient) wore a tri-axial accelerometer and inclinometer for one work-week. The number steps-per-day, PA intensities, energy expenditures and postural positions adopted during the work day were recorded. Significantly longer amounts of time spent sitting was found for inpatient PTs regardless of the significantly higher number of steps-per-day. Outpatient PTs had a higher number of breaks from sedentary activity with those breaks being longer than the inpatient PTs. The percentage of time spent performing moderate-vigorous PA approached significance implying more time was spent performing these types of activities for outpatient PTs. The energy expenditures between the two groups of PTs were not different. This study compared the differences in physical activity levels between physical therapists who worked at inpatient versus outpatient environment as little is known about their activity levels. Inpatient physical therapists took more steps per day than outpatient physical therapists but the outpatient physical therapists were less sedentary and took more frequent and longer breaks from sedentary activities. The energy expenditures were similar between both types of therapists and this may be reflective of the gender and bodyweight differences between the groups that equalizes the energy expenditures. The findings of this study suggests that there are differences in the physical activity demands between inpatient and outpatient physical therapists. The results of this study may serve dual purposes: (1) employers may be able to more accurately describe the expected physical activity demands to future employees; (2) individuals tasked with preparing PTs to physically manage their work environment can outline training programs that are diverse based on the specific work environment of PTs.

Public emergency department: the psychosocial impact on the physical domain of quality of life of nursing professionals

PubMed Central

Kogien, Moisés; Cedaro, José Juliano

2014-01-01

Objectives to determine the psychosocial factors of work related to harm caused in the physical domain of the quality of life of nursing professionals working in a public emergency department. Method cross-sectional, descriptive study addressing 189 nursing professionals. The Job Stress Scale and the short version of an instrument from the World Health Organization to assess quality of life were used to collect data. Robert Karasek's Demand-Control Model was the reference for the analysis of the psychosocial configuration. The risk for damage was computed with a confidence interval of 95%. Results In regard to the psychosocial environment, the largest proportion of workers reported low psychological demands (66.1%) and low social support (52.4%), while 60.9% of the professionals experienced work situations with a greater potential for harm: high demand job (22.8%) and passive work (38.1%). Conclusions low intellectual discernment, low social support and experiencing a high demand job or a passive job were the main risk factors for damage in the physical domain of quality of life. PMID:24553703

Public emergency department: the psychosocial impact on the physical domain of quality of life of nursing professionals.

PubMed

Kogien, Moisés; Cedaro, José Juliano

2014-01-01

to determine the psychosocial factors of work related to harm caused in the physical domain of the quality of life of nursing professionals working in a public emergency department. cross-sectional, descriptive study addressing 189 nursing professionals. The Job Stress Scale and the short version of an instrument from the World Health Organization to assess quality of life were used to collect data. Robert Karasek's Demand-Control Model was the reference for the analysis of the psychosocial configuration. The risk for damage was computed with a confidence interval of 95%. In regard to the psychosocial environment, the largest proportion of workers reported low psychological demands (66.1%) and low social support (52.4%), while 60.9% of the professionals experienced work situations with a greater potential for harm: high demand job (22.8%) and passive work (38.1%). low intellectual discernment, low social support and experiencing a high demand job or a passive job were the main risk factors for damage in the physical domain of quality of life.

Decision Making and the Avoidance of Cognitive Demand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kool, Wouter; McGuire, Joseph T.; Rosen, Zev B.; Botvinick, Matthew M.

2010-01-01

Behavioral and economic theories have long maintained that actions are chosen so as to minimize demands for exertion or work, a principle sometimes referred to as the "law of less work". The data supporting this idea pertain almost entirely to demands for physical effort. However, the same minimization principle has often been assumed also to…

Persistent high job demands and reactivity to mental stress predict future ambulatory blood pressure.

PubMed

Steptoe, A; Cropley, M

2000-05-01

To test the hypothesis that work stress (persistent high job demands over 1 year) in combination with high reactivity to mental stress predict ambulatory blood pressure. Assessment of cardiovascular responses to standardized behavioural tasks, job demands, and ambulatory blood pressure over a working day and evening after 12 months. We studied 81 school teachers (26 men, 55 women), 36 of whom experienced persistent high job demands over 1 year, while 45 reported lower job demands. Participants were divided on the basis of high and low job demands, and high and low systolic pressure reactions to an uncontrollable stress task. Blood pressure and concurrent physical activity were monitored using ambulatory apparatus from 0900 to 2230 h on a working day. Cardiovascular stress reactivity was associated with waist/hip ratio. Systolic and diastolic pressure during the working day were greater in high job demand participants who were stress reactive than in other groups, after adjustment for age, baseline blood pressure, body mass index and negative affectivity. The difference was not accounted for by variations in physical activity. Cardiovascular stress reactivity and sustained psychosocial stress may act in concert to increase cardiovascular risk in susceptible individuals.

Job stress, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers: towards an occupation specific model of job demands and control

PubMed Central

de Croon, E M; Blonk, R; de Zwart, B C H; Frings-Dresen, M; Broersen, J

2002-01-01

Objectives: Building on Karasek's model of job demands and control (JD-C model), this study examined the effects of job control, quantitative workload, and two occupation specific job demands (physical demands and supervisor demands) on fatigue and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers. Methods: From 1181 lorry drivers (adjusted response 63%) self reported information was gathered by questionnaire on the independent variables (job control, quantitative workload, physical demands, and supervisor demands) and the dependent variables (fatigue and job dissatisfaction). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the main effects of job demands and job control and the interaction effect between job control and job demands on fatigue and job dissatisfaction. Results: The inclusion of physical and supervisor demands in the JD-C model explained a significant amount of variance in fatigue (3%) and job dissatisfaction (7%) over and above job control and quantitative workload. Moreover, in accordance with Karasek's interaction hypothesis, job control buffered the positive relation between quantitative workload and job dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that the inclusion of (occupation) specific job control and job demand measures is a fruitful elaboration of the JD-C model. The occupation specific JD-C model gives occupational stress researchers better insight into the relation between the psychosocial work environment and wellbeing. Moreover, the occupation specific JD-C model may give practitioners more concrete and useful information about risk factors in the psychosocial work environment. Therefore, this model may provide points of departure for effective stress reducing interventions at work. PMID:12040108

Job stress, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers: towards an occupation specific model of job demands and control.

PubMed

de Croon, E M; Blonk, R W B; de Zwart, B C H; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Broersen, J P J

2002-06-01

Building on Karasek's model of job demands and control (JD-C model), this study examined the effects of job control, quantitative workload, and two occupation specific job demands (physical demands and supervisor demands) on fatigue and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers. From 1181 lorry drivers (adjusted response 63%) self reported information was gathered by questionnaire on the independent variables (job control, quantitative workload, physical demands, and supervisor demands) and the dependent variables (fatigue and job dissatisfaction). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the main effects of job demands and job control and the interaction effect between job control and job demands on fatigue and job dissatisfaction. The inclusion of physical and supervisor demands in the JD-C model explained a significant amount of variance in fatigue (3%) and job dissatisfaction (7%) over and above job control and quantitative workload. Moreover, in accordance with Karasek's interaction hypothesis, job control buffered the positive relation between quantitative workload and job dissatisfaction. Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that the inclusion of (occupation) specific job control and job demand measures is a fruitful elaboration of the JD-C model. The occupation specific JD-C model gives occupational stress researchers better insight into the relation between the psychosocial work environment and wellbeing. Moreover, the occupation specific JD-C model may give practitioners more concrete and useful information about risk factors in the psychosocial work environment. Therefore, this model may provide points of departure for effective stress reducing interventions at work.

Effect of block weight on work demands and physical workload during masonry work.

PubMed

Van Der Molen, H F; Kuijer, P P F M; Hopmans, P P W; Houweling, A G; Faber, G S; Hoozemans, M J M; Frings-Dresen, M H W

2008-03-01

The effect of block weight on work demands and physical workload was determined for masons who laid sandstone building blocks over the course of a full work day. Three groups of five sandstone block masons participated. Each group worked with a different block weight: 11 kg, 14 kg or 16 kg. Productivity and durations of tasks and activities were assessed through real time observations at the work site. Energetic workload was also assessed through monitoring the heart rate and oxygen consumption at the work site. Spinal load of the low back was estimated by calculating the cumulated elastic energy stored in the lumbar spine using durations of activities and previous data on corresponding compression forces. Block weight had no effect on productivity, duration or frequency of tasks and activities, energetic workload or cumulative spinal load. Working with any of the block weights exceeded exposure guidelines for work demands and physical workload. This implies that, regardless of block weight in the range of 11 to 16 kg, mechanical lifting equipment or devices to adjust work height should be implemented to substantially lower the risk of low back injuries.

Are Young Adults with Special Needs Ready for the Physical Work Demands?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratzon, N.; Schejter, T.; Alon, E.; Schreuer, N.

2011-01-01

Youth and Adolescents with Special Needs (YASN) face many challenges during transition into employment. Although most of their physical challenges are secondary, yet they call for attention since most of them are hired for blue collar jobs. Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) should be adapted to prepare them addressing the physical job-demands,…

Resource scarcity, effort, and performance in physically demanding jobs: An evolutionary explanation.

PubMed

Pitesa, Marko; Thau, Stefan

2018-03-01

Based on evolutionary theory, we predicted that cues of resource scarcity in the environment (e.g., news of droughts or food shortages) lead people to reduce their effort and performance in physically demanding work. We tested this prediction in a 2-wave field survey among employees and replicated it experimentally in the lab. In Study 1, employees who perceived resources in the environment to be scarce reported exerting less effort when their jobs involved much (but not little) physical work. In Study 2, participants who read that resources in the environment were scarce performed worse on a task demanding more (carrying books) but not less (transcribing book titles) physical work. This result was found even though better performance increased participants' chances of additional remuneration, and even though scarcity cues did not affect individuals' actual ability to meet their energy needs. We discuss implications for managing effort and performance, and the potential of evolutionary psychology to explain core organizational phenomena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The effects of work-related and individual factors on the Work Ability Index: a systematic review.

PubMed

van den Berg, T I J; Elders, L A M; de Zwart, B C H; Burdorf, A

2009-04-01

This paper systematically reviews the scientific literature on the effects of individual and work-related factors on the Work Ability Index (WAI). Studies on work ability published from 1985 to 2006 were identified through a structured search in PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were included if the WAI was used as measure of work ability and if quantitative information was presented on determinants of work ability. In total, 20 studies were included with 14 cross-sectional studies and six longitudinal studies. Factors associated with poor work ability, as defined by WAI, were lack of leisure-time vigorous physical activity, poor musculoskeletal capacity, older age, obesity, high mental work demands, lack of autonomy, poor physical work environment, and high physical work load. The WAI is associated with individual characteristics, lifestyle, demands at work, and physical condition. This multifactorial nature of work ability should be taken into account in health promotion programmes aimed at maintaining and promoting the participation of the labour force and improvement of the performance at work.

Relations between work and upper extremity musculoskeletal problems (UEMSP) and the moderating role of psychosocial work factors on the relation between computer work and UEMSP.

PubMed

Nicolakakis, Nektaria; Stock, Susan R; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Kline, Rex; Messing, Karen

2017-11-01

Computer work has been identified as a risk factor for upper extremity musculoskeletal problems (UEMSP). But few studies have investigated how psychosocial and organizational work factors affect this relation. Nor have gender differences in the relation between UEMSP and these work factors  been studied. We sought to estimate: (1) the association between UEMSP and a range of physical, psychosocial and organizational work exposures, including the duration of computer work, and (2) the moderating effect of psychosocial work exposures on the relation between computer work and UEMSP. Using 2007-2008 Québec survey data on 2478 workers, we carried out gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression modeling and two-way interaction analyses. In both genders, odds of UEMSP were higher with exposure to high physical work demands and emotionally demanding work. Additionally among women, UEMSP were associated with duration of occupational computer exposure, sexual harassment, tense situations when dealing with clients, high quantitative demands and lack of prospects for promotion, and among men, with low coworker support, episodes of unemployment, low job security and contradictory work demands. Among women, the effect of computer work on UEMSP was considerably increased in the presence of emotionally demanding work, and may also be moderated by low recognition at work, contradictory work demands, and low supervisor support. These results suggest that the relations between UEMSP and computer work are moderated by psychosocial work exposures and that the relations between working conditions and UEMSP are somewhat different for each gender, highlighting the complexity of these relations and the importance of considering gender.

Behaving safely under pressure: The effects of job demands, resources, and safety climate on employee physical and psychosocial safety behavior.

PubMed

Bronkhorst, Babette

2015-12-01

Previous research has shown that employees who experience high job demands are more inclined to show unsafe behaviors in the workplace. In this paper, we examine why some employees behave safely when faced with these demands while others do not. We add to the literature by incorporating both physical and psychosocial safety climate in the job demands and resources (JD-R) model and extending it to include physical and psychosocial variants of safety behavior. Using a sample of 6230 health care employees nested within 52 organizations, we examined the relationship between job demands and (a) resources, (b) safety climate, and (c) safety behavior. We conducted multilevel analyses to test our hypotheses. Job demands (i.e., work pressure), job resources (i.e., job autonomy, supervisor support, and co-worker support) and safety climate (both physical and psychosocial safety climate) are directly associated with, respectively, lower and higher physical and psychosocial safety behavior. We also found some evidence that safety climate buffers the negative impact of job demands (i.e., work-family conflict and job insecurity) on safety behavior and strengthens the positive impact of job resources (i.e., co-worker support) on safety behavior. Regardless of whether the focus is physical or psychological safety, our results show that strengthening the safety climate within an organization can increase employees' safety behavior. Practical implication: An organization's safety climate is an optimal target of intervention to prevent and ameliorate negative physical and psychological health and safety outcomes, especially in times of uncertainty and change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Job Strain as a Risk Factor for Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity: An Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis of Up to 170,000 Men and Women

PubMed Central

Fransson, Eleonor I.; Heikkilä, Katriina; Nyberg, Solja T.; Zins, Marie; Westerlund, Hugo; Westerholm, Peter; Väänänen, Ari; Virtanen, Marianna; Vahtera, Jussi; Theorell, Töres; Suominen, Sakari; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Siegrist, Johannes; Sabia, Séverine; Rugulies, Reiner; Pentti, Jaana; Oksanen, Tuula; Nordin, Maria; Nielsen, Martin L.; Marmot, Michael G.; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L.; Madsen, Ida E. H.; Lunau, Thorsten; Leineweber, Constanze; Kumari, Meena; Kouvonen, Anne; Koskinen, Aki; Koskenvuo, Markku; Knutsson, Anders; Kittel, France; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Joensuu, Matti; Houtman, Irene L.; Hooftman, Wendela E.; Goldberg, Marcel; Geuskens, Goedele A.; Ferrie, Jane E.; Erbel, Raimund; Dragano, Nico; De Bacquer, Dirk; Clays, Els; Casini, Annalisa; Burr, Hermann; Borritz, Marianne; Bonenfant, Sébastien; Bjorner, Jakob B.; Alfredsson, Lars; Hamer, Mark; Batty, G. David; Kivimäki, Mika

2012-01-01

Unfavorable work characteristics, such as low job control and too high or too low job demands, have been suggested to increase the likelihood of physical inactivity during leisure time, but this has not been verified in large-scale studies. The authors combined individual-level data from 14 European cohort studies (baseline years from 1985–1988 to 2006–2008) to examine the association between unfavorable work characteristics and leisure-time physical inactivity in a total of 170,162 employees (50% women; mean age, 43.5 years). Of these employees, 56,735 were reexamined after 2–9 years. In cross-sectional analyses, the odds for physical inactivity were 26% higher (odds ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 1.38) for employees with high-strain jobs (low control/high demands) and 21% higher (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.31) for those with passive jobs (low control/low demands) compared with employees in low-strain jobs (high control/low demands). In prospective analyses restricted to physically active participants, the odds of becoming physically inactive during follow-up were 21% and 20% higher for those with high-strain (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.32) and passive (odds ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.30) jobs at baseline. These data suggest that unfavorable work characteristics may have a spillover effect on leisure-time physical activity. PMID:23144364

Custodial Methods and Procedures Manual. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald R.

This manual discusses school facility cleaning and maintenance from the expanded perspective of work management, physical assets management, and resource management. Work management encompasses the organization of work and personnel, scheduling of daily or routine duties and tasks, and handling of demand work. Physical asset management includes…

Psychosocial work conditions, unemployment, and leisure-time physical activity: a population-based study.

PubMed

Ali, Sadiq Mohammad; Lindström, Martin

2006-01-01

To investigate the association between psychosocial work conditions and unemployment, and low leisure-time physical activity. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5,180 persons aged 18-64 years who belonged to the workforce and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work and unemployment, and low leisure-time physical activity. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and job strain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of birth, education, economic stress, and social participation. In total, 16.1% of men and 14.8% of women had low leisure-time physical activity. The job strain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of low leisure-time physical activity among both men and women compared with the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. However, the significant differences between the job strain, the unemployed, and the relaxed categories disappeared in the multivariate models. Respondents with job strain or unemployment have significantly higher odds ratios of low leisure-time physical activity than the relaxed category. However, after adjustments for education in particular the differences disappear. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the association between psychosocial work conditions, which are often dependent on education, and leisure-time physical activity may be interesting to study in more detail.

Work at the Uddevalla Volvo Plant from the Perspective of the Demand-Control Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lottridge, Danielle

2004-01-01

The Uddevalla Volvo plant represents a different paradigm for automotive assembly. In parallel-flow work, self-managed work groups assemble entire automobiles with comparable productivity as conventional series-flow assembly lines. From the perspective of the demand-control model, operators at the Uddevalla plant have low physical and timing…

The Physical Demands and Ergonomics of Working with Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gratz, Rene R.; Claffey, Anne; King, Phyllis; Scheuer, Gina

2002-01-01

Examines the physical demands and ergonomic concerns within child care settings. Discusses problem areas and ergonomic recommendations for room design and staff training. Presents important implications for writing job descriptions, determining essential job functions, orienting and training staff, and committing to improving the child care work…

Cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular workload and risk factors among cleaners; a cluster randomized worksite intervention.

PubMed

Korshøj, Mette; Krustrup, Peter; Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Prescott, Eva; Hansen, Åse Marie; Kristiansen, Jesper; Skotte, Jørgen Henrik; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Søgaard, Karen; Holtermann, Andreas

2012-08-13

Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is unevenly distributed among occupational groups. The working environment, as well as lifestyle and socioeconomic status contribute to the disparity and variation in prevalence of these risk factors. High physical work demands have been shown to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality, contrary to leisure time physical activity. High physical work demands in combination with a low cardiorespiratory fitness infer a high relative workload and an excessive risk for cardiovascular mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine whether a worksite aerobic exercise intervention will reduce the relative workload and cardiovascular risk factors by an increased cardiorespiratory fitness. A cluster-randomized controlled trial is performed to evaluate the effect of the worksite aerobic exercise intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular risk factors among cleaners. Cleaners are eligible if they are employed ≥ 20 hours/week, at one of the enrolled companies. In the randomization, strata are formed according to the manager the participant reports to. The clusters will be balanced on the following criteria: Geographical work location, gender, age and seniority. Cleaners are randomized to either I) a reference group, receiving lectures concerning healthy living, or II) an intervention group, performing worksite aerobic exercise "60 min per week". Data collection will be conducted at baseline, four months and 12 months after baseline, at the worksite during working hours. The data collection will consist of a questionnaire-based interview, physiological testing of health and capacity-related measures, and objective diurnal measures of heart rate, physical activity and blood pressure. Primary outcome is cardiorespiratory fitness. Information is lacking about whether an improved cardiorespiratory fitness will affect the cardiovascular health, and additionally decrease the objectively measured relative workload, in a population with high physical work demands. Previous intervention studies have lacked robust objective measurements of the relative workload and physical work demands. This study will monitor the relative workload and general physical activity before, during after the intervention, and contribute to the understanding of the previously observed opposing effects on cardiovascular health and mortality from occupational and leisure time physical activity. The study is registered as ISRCTN86682076.

Overweight and obesity are progressively associated with lower work ability in the general working population: cross-sectional study among 10,000 adults.

PubMed

Andersen, Lars L; Izquierdo, Mikel; Sundstrup, Emil

2017-11-01

Obesity is associated with many diseases and functional limitations. Workplaces are not always designed to accommodate this challenge. This study investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and work ability in the general working population. Currently employed wage earners (N = 10,427) from the 2010 round of the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study (DWECS) replied to questions about work and health. Cumulative logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender, physical and psychosocial work factors, lifestyle, and chronic diseases modeled the associations between BMI and work ability. BMIs above the normal range were progressively associated with lower work ability in relation to the physical demands of the job. Odds ratios for having lower work ability were 1.11 (95% CI 1.01-1.22), 1.17 (95% CI 1.01-1.34), 1.43 (95% CI 1.09-1.88), 1.69 (95% CI 1.10-2.62) for overweight and obesity classes I, II, and III, respectively. In subgroup analyses, the associations between BMI and work ability were more pronounced among individuals with mainly sedentary work than among those with physically active work. BMI was not associated with work ability in relation to the mental demands of the work. BMIs above the normal range are progressively associated with lower work ability in relation to the physical demands of the job, especially among individuals with mainly sedentary work. Ergonomic research on how to optimally design workstations for workers with obesity are needed.

Assessment of work compatibility across employees' demographics: a case study.

PubMed

Basha, S A; Maiti, J

2017-03-01

'Work compatibility' (WC) is a multi-dimensional diagnostic tool for measuring human performance that affects safety performance of work force. There are a dearth of literature on the use of WC in industrial applications. In this study, the status of WC and its components across employees' demographics such as age, experience, designation and location of work were examined in a steel plant in India. Data on 119 employees collected using Demand-Energizer Instrument was analysed. The results revealed that supervisors perceive higher energizers, higher demands and low WC as compared to workers. Older and high experience employees perceive higher energizers, lower demands and high WC as compared to younger and less experienced employees. All employee groups perceive higher demand for physical environment and physical task content. The problematic work groups identified are less experienced employees and workers in 'allied sections'. The outcomes of the study help the management in three ways to improve human performance at work places: (i) it provides useful information about the work factors to be considered for intervention design, (ii) it identifies the work groups to be targeted while preparing intervention strategies and (iii) it can be used as a leading indicator of human performance.

Job demands and health complaints in white and blue collar workers.

PubMed

Schreuder, K J; Roelen, C A M; Koopmans, P C; Groothoff, J W

2008-01-01

General health in the working population is thought to depend on working conditions. This survey studied job demands and health complaints in working white and blue collar employees. We expect physical and psychological job demands to be differentially distributed among white and blue collar workers. Do they report health complaints consistent with their working conditions? Cross-sectional study of 323 white and 383 blue collar workers. They completed the Basic Occupational Health Questionnaire, a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire about health, work and working conditions. The results were analysed using Chi-square and logistic regression analysis, controlling for educational level as a proxy of socioeconomic status. The questionnaires of 280 white and 251 blue collar workers were suitable for analysis. White collar workers reported higher psychological job demands, and blue collar workers reported higher physical demands. In both occupational groups, low back pain, fatigue and upper respiratory complaints were most common. The rates of low back pain and pain in the lower extremity were higher in blue collar workers, as were regular headaches, pain in the cardiac region and feeling sleepy. However, these relationships substantially weakened when the educational level was adjusted for. Despite the differential distribution of job demands, white and blue collar workers reported similar health complaints. Health in the working population depended predominantly on socioeconomic status. Interventions to improve general health of employees should be directed at their socioeconomic position instead of working conditions.

Organizational practices, work demands and the well-being of employees: a follow-up study in the metal industry and retail trade.

PubMed

Tuomi, Kaija; Vanhala, Sinikka; Nykyri, Erkki; Janhonen, Minna

2004-03-01

Rapid technological change and increased international competition have changed working life and work organizations. These changes may not be considered when researching employee work ability and well-being. This study investigates the impact of organizational practices, work demands and individual factors on work ability, organizational commitment and mental well-being of employees in the metal industry and retail trade. A follow-up study was conducted to examine these connections among 1389 employees (mean age 42 years at baseline) in 91 organizations. The first survey was conducted in 1998 and was repeated in 2000. Changes in organizational practices and the demands of work were strongly associated with changes in employee well-being. Work ability, organizational commitment and the mental well-being of employees were increased most if the opportunities for development and influence and the promotion of employee well-being were increased and if the supervisory support and organization of work were improved. Well-being also improved with less uncertainty at work and with decreasing mental and physical work demands. In addition physical exercise and affluence also had favourable effects. The results confirm that several features of organizational practices are strongly associated with employees' well-being. Organizational development is an important method of improving employees' work ability, commitment and well-being.

Acceleration in the care of older adults: new demands as predictors of employee burnout and engagement.

PubMed

Kubicek, Bettina; Korunka, Christian; Ulferts, Heike

2013-07-01

This paper introduces the concept of acceleration-related demands in the care of older adults. It examines these new demands and their relation to cognitive, emotional, and physical job demands and to employee well-being. Various changes in the healthcare systems of Western societies pose new demands for healthcare professionals' careers and jobs. In particular today's societal changes give rise to acceleration-related demands, which manifest themselves in work intensification and in increasing requirements to handle new technical equipment and to update one's job-related knowledge. It is, therefore, of interest to investigate the effects of these new demands on the well-being of employees. Survey. Between March-June 2010 the survey was conducted among healthcare professionals involved in care of older adults in Austria. A total of 1498 employees provided data on cognitive, emotional, and physical job demands and on acceleration-related demands. The outcome variables were the core dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) and engagement (vigour and dedication). Hierarchical regression analyses show that acceleration-related demands explain additional variance for exhaustion, depersonalization, vigour, and dedication when controlling for cognitive, emotional, and physical demands. Furthermore, acceleration-related demands associated with increasing requirements to update one's knowledge are related to positive outcomes (vigour and dedication). Acceleration-related demands associated with an increasing work pace are related to negative outcomes such as emotional exhaustion. Results illustrate that new demands resulting from social acceleration generate potential challenges for on-the-job learning and potential risks to employees' health and well-being. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A multi-faceted workplace intervention targeting low back pain was effective for physical work demands and maladaptive pain behaviours, but not for work ability and sickness absence: Stepped wedge cluster randomised trial.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Charlotte Diana Nørregaard; Holtermann, Andreas; Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Ørberg, Anders; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Søgaard, Karen

2016-08-01

The aims of this study were to test whether a multi-faceted intervention effective for low back pain was effective for physical capacity, work demands, maladaptive pain behaviours, work ability and sickness absence due to low back pain. A stepped wedge cluster randomised, controlled trial with 594 nurses' aides was conducted. The intervention lasted 12 weeks and consisted of physical training (12 sessions), cognitive behavioural training (two sessions) and participatory ergonomics (five sessions). Occupational lifting, fear avoidance, physical exertion, muscle strength, support from management, work ability and sickness absence due to low back pain were measured every 3 months. Before and after the intervention we measured physical capacity, kinesiophobia and need for recovery. Linear mixed models adjusted for baseline values of the outcome were used to estimate the effect. Significant reduction in occupational lifting (-0.35 (95% confidence interval -0.61 to -0.08)), and improvement in two measures of fear avoidance ((-0.75 (95% confidence interval -1.05 to -0.45) and -0.45 (95% confidence interval -0.80 to -0.11)) were found for the intervention group compared to the control. There were no significant effects on physical exertion, muscle strength, support from management, work ability or sickness absence due to low back pain. After the intervention, significant increased physical capacity and improvements in kinesiophobia were found, but no change in need for recovery. CONCLUSIONS THE INTERVENTION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTIVE FOR PHYSICAL WORK DEMANDS AND MALADAPTIVE PAIN BEHAVIOURS, BUT NOT FOR WORK ABILITY AND SICKNESS ABSENCE DUE TO LOW BACK PAIN TO IMPROVE WORK ABILITY OR REDUCE SICKNESS ABSENCE DUE TO LOW BACK PAIN MORE SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS SHOULD PROBABLY BE DEVELOPED. © 2016 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Expert ratings of job demand and job control as predictors of injury and musculoskeletal disorder risk in a manufacturing cohort

PubMed Central

Cantley, Linda F; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Slade, Martin D; Galusha, Deron; Cullen, Mark R

2016-01-01

Objective To examine associations between workplace injury and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk and expert ratings of job-level psychosocial demand and job control, adjusting for job-level physical demand. Methods Among a cohort of 9260 aluminium manufacturing workers in jobs for which expert ratings of job-level physical and psychological demand and control were obtained during the 2 years following rating obtainment, multivariate mixed effects models were used to estimate relative risk (RR) of minor injury and minor MSD, serious injury and MSD, minor MSD only and serious MSD only by tertile of demand and control, adjusting for physical demand as well as other recognised risk factors. Results Compared with workers in jobs rated as having low psychological demand, workers in jobs with high psychological demand had 49% greater risk of serious injury and serious MSD requiring medical treatment, work restrictions or lost work time (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.01). Workers in jobs rated as having low control displayed increased risk for minor injury and minor MSD (RR=1.45; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.87) compared with those in jobs rated as having high control. Conclusions Using expert ratings of job-level exposures, this study provides evidence that psychological job demand and job control contribute independently to injury and MSD risk in a blue-collar manufacturing cohort, and emphasises the importance of monitoring psychosocial workplace exposures in addition to physical workplace exposures to promote worker health and safety. PMID:26163544

Prevalence and perpetrators of workplace violence by nursing unit and the relationship between violence and the perceived work environment.

PubMed

Park, Mihyun; Cho, Sung-Hyun; Hong, Hyun-Ja

2015-01-01

To identify the prevalence and perpetrators of workplace violence against nurses and to examine the relationship of work demands and trust and justice in the workplace with the occurrence of violence. This study employed cross-sectional data from a 2013 nurse survey conducted at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The study sample included 970 female nurses from 47 nursing units, including general, oncology, intensive care units (ICUs), operating rooms, and outpatient departments. The second version of the medium-sized Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II) was used to measure work demands (i.e., quantitative demands, work pace, and emotional demands), trust and justice, and violence. Relationships among those variables were examined by conducting multiple logistic regression analyses with multilevel modeling. The 12-month prevalence of verbal abuse (63.8%) was highest, followed by threats of violence (41.6%), physical violence (22.3%), and sexual harassment (19.7%), but bullying had the lowest prevalence (9.7%). Physical violence, threats of violence, and verbal abuse occurred most frequently in ICUs, whereas sexual harassment and bullying were highest in operating rooms. The main perpetrators were patients, followed by physicians and patients' families. Nurses perceiving greater work demands and less trust and justice were more likely to have been exposed to violence. The prevalence and perpetrators of violence varied considerably among nursing units. Greater work demands and less trust and justice were associated with nurses' experiences of violence. Adequate work demands and a trusted and just work environment may reduce violence against nurses. In return, reduction of violence will contribute to creating a better nursing work environment. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Occupational Factors, Fatigue, and Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Purpose: Briefly identify the epidemiological evidence, propose pertinent mechanisms, and discuss physical therapy practice as well as research implications of a causal association between occupational factors and cardiovascular disease. Summary of Key Points: There is evidence that occupational metabolic demands and work organizations characterized by reduced worker control are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is biologically plausible that these two factors interact to create a preclinical, intermediate state of fatigue (burnout) that is a critical component in the causal path from occupational factors to CVD. Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to contribute to an understanding of these mechanisms and their resultant implications for work organization, rehabilitation, and health promotion. Statement of Recommendations: Physical therapists engaged in ergonomic job analysis should consider work related metabolic demands, worker control, and fatigue in their assessment of risk for injury and illness, in recommendations for return to work, and in the prescription of health promotion leisure time physical activity PMID:20467535

Activity-rest schedules in physically demanding work and the variation of responses with age.

PubMed

Kakarot, Nadine; Mueller, Friedrich; Bassarak, Claudia

2012-01-01

Workers in physically demanding occupations require work breaks to recover from exertion. In a laboratory setting, we investigated the impact of ergometer cycling for 7 h in two conditions with an identical total break time but with two different activity-rest schedules. We hypothesised that more frequent but shorter breaks lead to less psychophysical strain and its effects than do less frequent but longer breaks, particularly for older workers. Twenty-nine participants representing three different age groups were tested in both conditions. Heart rate, perceived exertion/tension and feelings of fatigue were assessed and used as dependent variables. Results indicate no general activity-rest differences as well as no age-related differences of break effects under the condition of subjectively equal straining load. However, heart rate was found to be lower at some measurement points in the frequent-short-break condition and perceived exertion was lower in the infrequent-long-break condition. Design of activity-rest schedules in physically demanding occupations is a key issue in the prevention of strain and hence of interest to ergonomists. Our study suggests that breaks during physically demanding work have the same effect if they are frequent and short or infrequent and long, regardless of age.

Power Demand in Walking and Pace Optimization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellemans, A.

1981-01-01

Presents an elementary formulation of the work expenditure corresponding to walking, the most common physical exercise. The model described is included in a physics course for freshmen in physical education and physical therapy. (Author/JN)

Impact of job characteristics on psychological health of Chinese single working women.

PubMed

Yeung, D Y; Tang, C S

2001-01-01

This study aims at investigating the impact of individual and contextual job characteristics of control, psychological and physical demand, and security on psychological distress of 193 Chinese single working women in Hong Kong. The mediating role of job satisfaction in the job characteristics-distress relation is also assessed. Multiple regression analysis results show that job satisfaction mediates the effects of job control and security in predicting psychological distress; whereas psychological job demand has an independent effect on mental distress after considering the effect of job satisfaction. This main effect model indicates that psychological distress is best predicted by small company size, high psychological job demand, and low job satisfaction. Results from a separate regression analysis fails to support the overall combined effect of job demand-control on psychological distress. However, a significant physical job demand-control interaction effect on mental distress is noted, which reduces slightly after controlling the effect of job satisfaction.

Psychosocial work aspects, stress and musculoskeletal pain among musicians. A systematic review in search of correlates and predictors of playing-related pain.

PubMed

Jacukowicz, Aleksandra

2016-06-16

Musicians face numerous psychosocial and physical demands at work resulting in high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems. Unlike physical risks, little is known about psychosocial work factors influencing such health problems in this particular group. The paper aimed to identify psychosocial work demands resulting in musculoskeletal problems among musicians. A systematic review was undertaken to find data linking psychosocial work demands or stress with musculoskeletal disorders among musicians. The exploration of databases resulted in nine research studies linking psychosocial aspects of work or stress with musculoskeletal problems among musicians. The analyzed studies linked psychosocial aspects with musculoskeletal problems in three ways - showing proportions of people indicating particular causes of pain, indicating correlations between these variables or performing regression analysis showing psychosocial predictors of musculoskeletal pain. Only a few studies have undertaken the issue of psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal problems among musicians. The results revealed that some psychosocial aspects of work, e.g. long hours at work, work content, high job demands, low control/influence, lack of social support, were related to musculoskeletal pain, however, the methods and results were inconsistent. The extant studies employed variety of definitions of psychosocial aspects that hindered the possibility for consistent conclusions. Basing on those conclusions, future directions were offered.

Work characteristics predict the development of multi-site musculoskeletal pain.

PubMed

Oakman, Jodi; de Wind, Astrid; van den Heuvel, Swenne G; van der Beek, Allard J

2017-10-01

Musculoskeletal pain in more than one body region is common and a barrier to sustaining employment. We aimed to examine whether work characteristics predict the development of multi-site pain (MSP), and to determine differences in work-related predictors between age groups. This study is based on 5136 employees from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) who reported no MSP at baseline. Measures included physical, emotional, mental, and psychological job demands, social support and autonomy. Predictors of MSP were studied by logistic regression analyses. Univariate and multivariate analyses with age stratification (45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and 60-64 years) were done to explore differences between age groups. All work characteristics with the exception of autonomy were predictive of the development of MSP, with odds ratios varying from 1.21 (95% CI 1.04-1.40) for mental job demands to 1.63 (95% CI 1.43-1.86) for physical job demands. No clear pattern of age-related differences in the predictors of MSP emerged, with the exception of social support, which was predictive of MSP developing in all age groups except for the age group 60-64 years. Adverse physical and psychosocial work characteristics are associated with MSP. Organisations need to comprehensively assess work environments to ensure that all relevant workplace hazards, physical and psychosocial, are identified and then controlled for across all age groups.

Changes in autonomy, job demands and working hours after diagnosis of chronic disease: a comparison of employed and self-employed older persons using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

PubMed

Fleischmann, Maria; Carr, Ewan; Xue, Baowen; Zaninotto, Paola; Stansfeld, Stephen A; Stafford, Mai; Head, Jenny

2018-06-23

Modifications in working conditions can accommodate changing needs of chronically ill persons. The self-employed may have more possibilities than employees to modify their working conditions. We investigate how working conditions change following diagnosis of chronic disease for employed and self-employed older persons. We used waves 2-7 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We included 1389 participants aged 50-60 years who reported no chronic disease at baseline. Using fixed-effects linear regression analysis, we investigated how autonomy, physical and psychosocial job demands and working hours changed following diagnosis of chronic disease. For employees, on diagnosis of chronic disease autonomy marginally decreased (-0.10, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.00) and physical job demands significantly increased (0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.25), whereas for the self-employed autonomy did not significantly change and physical job demands decreased on diagnosis of chronic disease (-0.36, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.07), compared with prediagnosis levels. Psychosocial job demands did not change on diagnosis of chronic disease for employees or the self-employed. Working hours did not change for employees, but dropped for self-employed (although non-significantly) by about 2.8 hours on diagnosis of chronic disease (-2.78, 95% CI -6.03 to 0.48). Improvements in working conditions after diagnosis of chronic disease were restricted to the self-employed. This could suggest that workplace adjustments are necessary after diagnosis of chronic disease, but that the self-employed are more likely to realise these. Policy seeking to extend working life should consider work(place) adjustments for chronically ill workers as a means to prevent early exit from work. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Differences in the association between psychosocial work conditions and physical work load in female- and male-dominated occupations. MUSIC-Norrtälje Study Group.

PubMed

Josephson, M; Pernold, G; Ahlberg-Hultén, G; Härenstam, A; Theorell, T; Vingård, E; Waldenström, M; Hjelm, E W

1999-01-01

This study investigated whether there is a relationship between high physical work load and adverse psychosocial work factors, and whether this relationship is different for women and men. Separate analyses for female registered nurses and assistant nurses were made because these are common occupations involving high physical and psychological demands. This study was part of the MUSIC-Norrtälje study, a population study with the overall aim of identifying risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. The respondents, 1423 gainfully employed men and women, were randomly selected from the study population. The exposure assessments referred to a typical workday during the previous 12 months. Physical exposure was investigated by interview, psychosocial work factors by interview and questionnaire. For the women, but not the men, mainly routine work and a job strain situation, according to the model of Karasek and Theorell, increased the probability of having a high physical work load, assessed as a time-weighted average of energy expenditure in multiples of the resting metabolic rate. Results indicated that in female-dominated occupations, high physical work load might also imply adverse psychosocial conditions. A higher frequency of high physical work load and job strain was observed among assistant nurses compared with registered nurses. Covariance between physical and psychosocial demands makes it difficult to determine the relative influence of each in health problems. Results of the present study imply that this is a larger problem in studies of women than men.

Expert ratings of job demand and job control as predictors of injury and musculoskeletal disorder risk in a manufacturing cohort.

PubMed

Cantley, Linda F; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Slade, Martin D; Galusha, Deron; Cullen, Mark R

2016-04-01

To examine associations between workplace injury and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk and expert ratings of job-level psychosocial demand and job control, adjusting for job-level physical demand. Among a cohort of 9260 aluminium manufacturing workers in jobs for which expert ratings of job-level physical and psychological demand and control were obtained during the 2 years following rating obtainment, multivariate mixed effects models were used to estimate relative risk (RR) of minor injury and minor MSD, serious injury and MSD, minor MSD only and serious MSD only by tertile of demand and control, adjusting for physical demand as well as other recognised risk factors. Compared with workers in jobs rated as having low psychological demand, workers in jobs with high psychological demand had 49% greater risk of serious injury and serious MSD requiring medical treatment, work restrictions or lost work time (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.01). Workers in jobs rated as having low control displayed increased risk for minor injury and minor MSD (RR=1.45; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.87) compared with those in jobs rated as having high control. Using expert ratings of job-level exposures, this study provides evidence that psychological job demand and job control contribute independently to injury and MSD risk in a blue-collar manufacturing cohort, and emphasises the importance of monitoring psychosocial workplace exposures in addition to physical workplace exposures to promote worker health and safety. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Obesity/Overweight and the Role of Working Conditions: A Qualitative, Participatory Investigation

PubMed Central

Nobrega, Suzanne; Champagne, Nicole; Abreu, Marlene; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Montano, Mirna; Lopez, Isabel; Arevalo, Jonny; Bruce, Suezanne; Punnett, Laura

2018-01-01

The rising U.S. prevalence of obesity has generated significant concern and demonstrates striking socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities. Most interventions target individual behaviors, sometimes in combination with improving the physical environment in the community but rarely involving modifications of the work environment. With 3.6 million workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage, it is imperative to understand the impact of working conditions on health and weight for lower income workers. To investigate this question, a university–community partnership created a participatory research team and conducted eight focus groups, in English and Spanish, with people holding low-wage jobs in various industries. Analysis of transcripts identified four themes: physically demanding work (illnesses, injuries, leisure-time physical activity), psychosocial work stressors (high demands, low control, low social support, poor treatment), food environment at work (available food choices, kitchen equipment), and time pressure (scheduling, having multiple jobs and responsibilities). Physical and psychosocial features of work were identified as important antecedents for overweight. In particular, nontraditional work shifts and inflexible schedules limited participants’ ability to adhere to public health recommendations for diet and physical activity. Workplace programs to address obesity in low-wage workers must include the effect of working conditions as a fundamental starting point. PMID:26333770

Obesity/Overweight and the Role of Working Conditions: A Qualitative, Participatory Investigation.

PubMed

Nobrega, Suzanne; Champagne, Nicole; Abreu, Marlene; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Montano, Mirna; Lopez, Isabel; Arevalo, Jonny; Bruce, Suezanne; Punnett, Laura

2016-01-01

The rising U.S. prevalence of obesity has generated significant concern and demonstrates striking socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities. Most interventions target individual behaviors, sometimes in combination with improving the physical environment in the community but rarely involving modifications of the work environment. With 3.6 million workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage, it is imperative to understand the impact of working conditions on health and weight for lower income workers. To investigate this question, a university-community partnership created a participatory research team and conducted eight focus groups, in English and Spanish, with people holding low-wage jobs in various industries. Analysis of transcripts identified four themes: physically demanding work (illnesses, injuries, leisure-time physical activity), psychosocial work stressors (high demands, low control, low social support, poor treatment), food environment at work (available food choices, kitchen equipment), and time pressure (scheduling, having multiple jobs and responsibilities). Physical and psychosocial features of work were identified as important antecedents for overweight. In particular, nontraditional work shifts and inflexible schedules limited participants' ability to adhere to public health recommendations for diet and physical activity. Workplace programs to address obesity in low-wage workers must include the effect of working conditions as a fundamental starting point. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

[Pre-labor maternity leave for working women in physically demanding occupations].

PubMed

Orly, Tivon-Fisher; Ido, Sot; Menahem, Fisher

2015-07-01

Pregnant women, when employed in physically demanding occupations, may encounter difficulties in carrying out their work throughout pregnancy. Many such "blue collar" workers are unable to proceed in strenuous work during advanced stages of pregnancy. However, scientific evidence is not sufficient to support the widely accepted assumption of health risks due to the hard work during pregnancy. Therefore, in Israel, as long as pregnancy is normal, and the good health of both the mother and fetus is maintained, such workers are not entitled to sick leave or any other form of compensation. Nevertheless, many agree that strenuous work is not suitable for pregnant women, as a medical survey partly demonstrates. Identification of this problem and review of relevant literature led to the formation of a committee by the Israeli National Council for Women's Health. We hereby summarize relevant literature, describe the committee's work and elaborate its recommendations, mainly to consider and establish a unique compensated pre-birth leave for pregnant women whose work is physically strenuous.

Work of gravediggers and health.

PubMed

Pinheiro, Fernando; Fischer, Frida Marina; Cobianchi, Claudio José

2012-01-01

Gravediggers have death as object of their work. Their activities are painful, physically and mental demanding, as well as unhealthy. Literature is scarce about this theme. The aim of this study is to evaluate gravediggers' work activities and health consequences. The methodological frame which guided this study was Dejours' psychic suffering and its association with the psychodynamic aspects of work. Data collection took place in April-May 2011 in one public and one private cemetery of São Paulo, Brazil. Four male workers, aged between 45 to 60 years old were interviewed. Their work activities were observed during a workday. Participants reported their life dreams, defense mechanisms and frustration. The discourse of gravediggers showed serious problems associated to physical and mental demands, public invisibility and/ or social devaluation of work. The most important physical symptom was body pain. In spite this is a preliminary study, it was possible to raise a number of work stressors and health outcomes of gravediggers, an "invisible" worker of our society.

The Effects of an Afterschool Physical Activity Program on Working Memory in Preadolescent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamijo, Keita; Pontifex, Matthew B.; O'Leary, Kevin C.; Scudder, Mark R.; Wu, Chien-Ting; Castelli, Darla M.; Hillman, Charles H.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the effects of a 9-month randomized control physical activity intervention aimed at improving cardiorespiratory fitness on changes in working memory performance in preadolescent children relative to a waitlist control group. Participants performed a modified Sternberg task, which manipulated working memory demands based…

Associations of Occupational Attributes and Excessive Drinking

PubMed Central

Barnes, Andrew J.; Zimmerman, Frederick J.

2017-01-01

Numerous work-related drinking mechanisms have been posited and, oftentimes, examined in isolation. We combined data from over 100 occupational attributes into several factors and tested the association of these factors with measures of alcohol use. We used the NLSY79 2006 wave, a U.S. representative sample of 6,426 workers ages 41 to 49 and the 2006 Occupational Information Network database (O*NET), a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,000 occupations. We conducted exploratory factor analysis on 119 occupational attributes and found three independent workplace characteristics – physical demands, job autonomy, and social engagement - explained the majority of the variation. We then tested the association of these composite attributes with three drinking measures, before and after adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, and a measure of human capital using count data models. We then stratified by gender and repeated our analyses. Men working in occupations with a one standard deviation higher level of physical demand (e.g. construction) reported a higher number of heavy drinking occasions (+20%, p<0.05). Job autonomy was not significantly associated with measures of alcohol use and when the combined association of higher levels of physical demand and lower levels of job autonomy was examined, modest support for job strain as a mechanism for work-related alcohol consumption was found. In our pooled sample, working in occupations with one standard deviation higher levels of social engagement was associated with lower numbers of drinking days (−9%, p<0.05) after adjustment. Physical demand and social engagement were associated with alcohol consumption measures but these relationships varied by workers’ gender. Future areas of research should include confirmatory analyses using other waves of O*Net data and replicating the current analysis in other samples of workers. If our results are validated, they suggest male workers in high physical demand occupations could be targets for intervention. PMID:23849277

Work organization and health among immigrant women: Latina manual workers in North Carolina.

PubMed

Arcury, Thomas A; Grzywacz, Joseph G; Chen, Haiying; Mora, Dana C; Quandt, Sara A

2014-12-01

We sought to describe work organization attributes for employed immigrant Latinas and determine associations of work organization with physical health, mental health, and health-related quality of life. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 319 employed Latinas in western North Carolina (2009-2011). Measures included job demands (heavy load, awkward posture, psychological demand), decision latitude (skill variety, job control), support (supervisor control, safety climate), musculoskeletal symptoms, mental health (depressive symptoms), and mental (MCS) and physical component score (PCS) health-related quality of life. Three fifths reported musculoskeletal symptoms. Mean scores for depression, MCS, and PCS were 6.2 (SE = 0.2), 38.3 (SE = 0.5), and 42.8 (SE = 0.3), respectively. Greater job demands (heavy load, awkward posture, greater psychological demand) were associated with more musculoskeletal and depressive symptoms and worse MCS. Less decision latitude (lower skill variety, job control) was associated with more musculoskeletal and depressive symptoms. Greater support (supervisor's power and safety climate) was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better MCS. Work organization should be considered to improve occupational health of vulnerable women workers. Additional research should delineate the links between work organization and health among vulnerable workers.

Leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress in female-dominated occupations in Lithuania.

PubMed

Malinauskiene, Vilija; Malinauskas, Romualdas; Malinauskas, Mindaugas

2017-12-27

Poor mental health, manifesting as psychological distress, has become a leading problem recently; therefore, determining associated factors is important, especially in female-dominated occupations, as women are more prone to psychological distress than men, in part due to demands of both professional and domestic tasks. The objective of the present study was to investigate associations between leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress, accounting for the possible relation of psychosocial factors at work (job demands, job control, social support at work, workplace bullying) and life events in representative samples of family physicians, internal medicine department nurses and secondary-school teachers in Lithuania. In total, 323 family physicians, 748 internal medicine department nurses and 517 secondary-school teachers were interviewed during 2012-2014 in Lithuania. Godin leisure-time exercise, Goldberg General Health, Job content, and Negative acts questionnaires were administered. Logistic regression was used. A high proportion of family physicians, nurses and teachers were physically inactive during leisure. Leisure-time physical inactivity was strongly associated with psychological distress, adjusting for age, workplace bullying, job demands, job control, social support at work and traumatic life events in all three female-dominated occupations. Efforts to increase leisure-time physical activity level in medical occupations could be beneficial.

Associations of psychosocial working conditions with self-rated general health and mental health among municipal employees.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Mikko; Rahkonen, Ossi; Martikainen, Pekka; Lahelma, Eero

2006-03-01

To examine associations of job demands and job control, procedural and relational organizational fairness, and physical work load with self-rated general health and mental health. In addition, the effect of occupational class on these associations is examined. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study baseline surveys in 2001-2002. Respondents to cross-sectional postal surveys were middle-aged employees of the City of Helsinki (n=5.829, response rate 67%). Associations of job demands and job control, organizational fairness and physical work load with less than good self-rated health and poor GHQ-12 mental health were examined. Those with the poorest working conditions two to three times more, often reported poor general and mental health than those with the best working conditions. Adjustment for occupational class weakened the associations of low job control and physical work load with general health by one fifth, but even more strengthened that of high job demands. Adjustment for occupational class clearly strengthened the associations of job control and physical work load with mental health in men. Mutual adjustment for all working conditions notably weakened their associations with both health measures, except those of job control in men. All working conditions except relational organizational fairness remained independently associated with general and mental health. All studied working conditions were strongly associated with both general and mental health but the associations weakened after mutual adjustments. Of the two organizational fairness measures, procedural fairness remained independently associated with both health outcomes. Adjustment for occupational class had essentially different effects on the associations of different working conditions and different health outcomes.

Work demands, job insecurity and sickness absence from work. how productive is the new, flexible labour force?

PubMed

D'Souza, Rennie M; Strazdins, Lyndall; Broom, Dorothy H; Rodgers, Bryan; Berry, Helen L

2006-06-01

We investigate one aspect of productivity--sickness absence--and ask whether job insecurity and high work demands are associated with increased sickness absence and, if so, whether mental or physical health mediates this association. We further investigate if having control at work modifies these associations. We used cross-sectional survey data from 2,248 employees aged 40-44 years living in two cities of south-eastern Australia. Logistic regressions were used to compare the associations between job insecurity and demands among those with short (1-3 days) or long-term (> 3 days) sickness absence with those who had no sickness absence in the last four weeks. The mediating effects of mental and physical health were assessed by evaluating changes in the magnitude of the association between these work conditions and sickness absence. High job insecurity (OR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.54-6.95) and high work demands (OR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.13-2.30) were significantly associated with long-term, but not with short-term, sickness absence. These associations were unaffected by job control. Depression and anxiety explained 61% of the association between high work demands and long-term sickness absence and 30% of the association between job insecurity and long-term sickness absence. Difficult working conditions may reduce productivity by contributing to longer absences from work. Reforms intended to improve economic performance should address any potential health costs of insecurity or intensification, which could inadvertently decrease productivity, possibly through their impact on mental health.

Effect of economic recession on psychosocial working conditions by workers' nationality.

PubMed

Torá, Isabel; Martínez, José Miguel; Benavides, Fernando G; Leveque, Katia; Ronda, Elena

2015-01-01

Several publications have documented the effects of economic recessions on health. However, little is known about how economic recessions influence working conditions, especially among vulnerable workers. To explore the effects of 2008 economic crisis on the prevalence of adverse psychosocial working conditions among Spanish and foreign national workers. Data come from the 2007 and 2011 Spanish Working Conditions Surveys. Survey year, sociodemographic, and occupational information were independent variables and psychosocial factors exposures were dependent variables. Analyses were stratified by nationality (Spanish versus foreign). Prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) of psychological job demands, job control, job social support, physical demands and perceived job insecurity were estimated using Poisson regression. The Spanish population had higher risk of psychological and physical job demand (aPR = 1.07, 95% CI = [1.04-1.10] and aPR = 1.05, 95% CI = [1.01-1.09], respectively) in 2011 compared to 2007. Among both Spanish and foreign national workers, greater aPR were found for job loss in 2011 compared to 2007 (aPR = 2.47, 95% CI = [2.34-2.60]; aPR = 2.44, 95% CI = [2.15-2.77], respectively). The 2008 economic crisis was associated with a significant increase in physical demands in Spanish workers and increased job insecurity for both Spanish and foreign workers.

Effect of economic recession on psychosocial working conditions by workers' nationality

PubMed Central

Torá, Isabel; Martínez, José Miguel; Benavides, Fernando G.; Leveque, Katia

2015-01-01

Background: Several publications have documented the effects of economic recessions on health. However, little is known about how economic recessions influence working conditions, especially among vulnerable workers. Objective: To explore the effects of 2008 economic crisis on the prevalence of adverse psychosocial working conditions among Spanish and foreign national workers. Methods: Data come from the 2007 and 2011 Spanish Working Conditions Surveys. Survey year, sociodemographic, and occupational information were independent variables and psychosocial factors exposures were dependent variables. Analyses were stratified by nationality (Spanish versus foreign). Prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) of psychological job demands, job control, job social support, physical demands and perceived job insecurity were estimated using Poisson regression. Results: The Spanish population had higher risk of psychological and physical job demand (aPR = 1.07, 95% CI = [1.04–1.10] and aPR = 1.05, 95% CI = [1.01–1.09], respectively) in 2011 compared to 2007. Among both Spanish and foreign national workers, greater aPR were found for job loss in 2011 compared to 2007 (aPR = 2.47, 95% CI = [2.34–2.60]; aPR = 2.44, 95% CI = [2.15–2.77], respectively). Conclusion: The 2008 economic crisis was associated with a significant increase in physical demands in Spanish workers and increased job insecurity for both Spanish and foreign workers. PMID:26743788

Occupational demand and human rights. Public safety officers and cardiorespiratory fitness.

PubMed

Shephard, R J

1991-08-01

The issue of discrimination in physically demanding employment, such as police, firefighters, prison guards and military personnel, is contentious. In terms of oxygen transport, the 'action limit' (calling for personnel selection or task redesign) is a steady oxygen consumption of 0.7 L/min, while the maximum permissible limit is 2.1 L/min. Note is taken of the commonly expressed belief that public safety duties are physically demanding, calling for personnel with an aerobic power of at least 3 L/min, or 42 to 45 ml/kg/min. The actual demands of such work can be assessed on small samples by physiological measurements (using heart rate or oxygen consumption meters), but the periods sampled may not be typical of a normal day. A Gestalt can also be formed as to the heaviness of a given job, or a detailed task analysis can be performed; most such analyses of public safety work list distance running and other aerobic activities infrequently. An arbitrary requirement of 'above average fitness' is no longer accepted by courts, but a further approach is to examine the characteristics of those currently meeting the demands of public safety jobs satisfactorily. Young men commonly satisfy the 3 L/min standard, but this is not usually the case for women or older men; in the case of female employees, it also seems unreasonable that they should be expected to satisfy the same standards as men, since a lower body mass reduces the energy cost of most of the tasks that they must perform. A second criterion sometimes applied to physically demanding work (a low vulnerability to heart attacks) is examined critically. It is concluded that the chances that a symptom-free public safety officer will develop a heart attack during a critical solo mission are so low that cardiac risk should not be a condition of employment. Arbitrary age- and sex-related employment criteria are plainly discriminatory, since some women and 65-year-old men have higher levels of physical fitness than the average young man of 25 years. Neither laboratory nor field tests offer a satisfactory means of distinguishing such individuals, and the only equitable basis of selecting personnel for physically demanding work seems a probationary period of employment.

The distribution and co-occurrence of physical and psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in a general working population.

PubMed

Kausto, Johanna; Miranda, Helena; Pehkonen, Irmeli; Heliövaara, Markku; Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Solovieva, Svetlana

2011-10-01

There is growing evidence that physical and psychosocial exposures at work increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution and co-occurrence of these risk factors in the working population. We used data from the Health 2000 survey carried out in Finland in 2000-2001. The sample of our study consisted of 2,491 men and 2,613 women who had been actively working during the year preceding the survey. Logistic regression and exploratory factor analysis were used to analyze the co-occurrence of the work-related risk factors. Exposure to high physical work load and several co-occurring work load factors was more prevalent among men than women. In women, as opposed to men, the highest exposure to most physical work load factors was found in their later work life. Gender and age showed weak associations with psychosocial work load factors. Low socioeconomic position, in both genders, was related to an increased risk of being exposed to several co-occurring physical or psychosocial factors. Physical exposures most frequently co-occurred with high job demands and low job control in men. Among women, physical exposures were found to co-occur with high job demands, low job control and job insecurity. This study provides novel information on the occupational exposures in general working population. It appears that co-occurrence of physical and psychosocial exposures should be considered in research and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, a broader set of occupational factors, e.g., work organization, are suggested to be included in future studies to cover all the relevant determinants.

Production practices affecting worker task demands in concrete operations: A case study.

PubMed

Memarian, Babak; Mitropoulos, Panagiotis

2015-01-01

Construction work involves significant physical, mental, and temporal task demands. Excessive task demands can have negative consequences for safety, errors and production. This exploratory study investigates the magnitude and sources of task demands on a concrete operation, and examines the effect of the production practices on the workers' task demands. The NASA Task Load Index was used to measure the perceived task demands of two work crews. The operation involved the construction of a cast-in-place concrete building under high schedule pressures. Interviews with each crew member were used to identify the main sources of the perceived demands. Extensive field observations and interviews with the supervisors and crews identified the production practices. The workers perceived different level of task demands depending on their role. The production practices influenced the task demands in two ways: (1) practices related to work organization, task design, resource management, and crew management mitigated the task demands; and (2) other practices related to work planning and crew management increased the crew's ability to cope with and adapt to high task demands. The findings identify production practices that regulate the workers' task demands. The effect of task demands on performance is mitigated by the ability to cope with high demands.

Explaining the Links between Workload, Distress, and Work-Family Conflict among School Employees: Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Fatigue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilies, Remus; Huth, Megan; Ryan, Ann Marie; Dimotakis, Nikolaos

2015-01-01

This study examined the intraindividual relationships among workload and affective distress; cognitive, physical, and emotional fatigue; and work-family conflict among school employees. Using a repeated-measure, within-person research design, the authors found that work demands and affective distress, as well as cognitive, emotional, and physical…

Work-based physiological assessment of physically-demanding trades: a methodological overview.

PubMed

Taylor, Nigel A S; Groeller, Herb

2003-03-01

Technological advances, modified work practices, altered employment strategies, work-related injuries, and the rise in work-related litigation and compensation claims necessitate ongoing trade analysis research. Such research enables the identification and development of gender- and age-neutral skills, physiological attributes and employment standards required to satisfactorily perform critical trade tasks. This paper overviews a methodological approach which may be adopted when seeking to establish trade-specific physiological competencies for physically-demanding trades (occupations). A general template is presented for conducting a trade analyses within physically-demanding trades, such as those encountered within military or emergency service occupations. Two streams of analysis are recommended: the trade analysis and the task analysis. The former involves a progressive dissection of activities and skills into a series of specific tasks (elements), and results in a broad approximation of the types of trade duties, and the links between trade tasks. The latter, will lead to the determination of how a task is performed within a trade, and the physiological attributes required to satisfactorily perform that task. The approach described within this paper is designed to provide research outcomes which have high content, criterion-related and construct validities.

Ergonomic intervention for employed persons with rheumatic conditions.

PubMed

Allaire, Saralynn J; Backman, Catherine L; Alheresh, Rawan; Baker, Nancy A

2013-01-01

Prior articles in this series on employment and arthritis have documented the major impact arthritis and other rheumatic conditions have on employment. As expected, physically demanding job tasks, including hand use, are substantial risk factors for work limitation. Computer use has been increasing. People with arthritis may choose occupations involving extensive computer use to avoid occupations with other physical demands. But studies show many people with arthritis conditions have difficulty using computers.Ergonomic assessment and implementation helps relieve the physical and other demands of jobs. The Ergonomic Assessment Tool for Arthritis (EATA) is specifically for people with arthritis conditions. Since the EATA can be conducted off worksite, it is feasible to use with workers not wishing to disclose their condition to their employer. Available research supports the effectiveness of ergonomic intervention as a viable method to reduce work limitation for persons with arthritis. Some workers will need additional vocational intervention to remain employed long term. However, ergonomic intervention is a useful first step, as it promotes awareness of arthritis effects on work activities. Assisting workers with arthritis or other rheumatic conditions to use ergonomics to enhance their ability to work well should be an important aspect of managing these conditions.

Canine Supply for Physical Security: An Analysis of the Royal Australian Air Force Military Working Dog Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

PHYSICAL SECURITY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE MILITARY WORKING DOG PROGRAM by Mark W. Powell March 2016 Thesis...AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE MILITARY WORKING DOG PROGRAM 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Mark W. Powell 7. PERFORMING...increased demand on its physical security elements. Its military working dog (MWD) workforce is required to meet an inventory of 204 by end of year 2023 as

Job demand and control in mid-life and physical and mental functioning in early old age: do childhood factors explain these associations in a British birth cohort?

PubMed Central

von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Cooper, Rachel; Kuh, Diana

2014-01-01

Objectives Adverse work-related exposures have been linked with decreased physical and mental functioning in later life, however, whether childhood factors explain the associations between work exposures and functioning is unknown. Our aim was to investigate if job demand and control in mid-life were related to self-reported physical and mental functioning in early old age and whether childhood factors explained these associations. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting England, Scotland and Wales. Participants and outcome measures Data come from the UK Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, a cohort with follow-up since birth in 1946. 1485 occupationally active study members had data available on job demand and control in mid-life and on physical and mental functioning assessed using the Short Form-36 questionnaire at 60–64 years. Results Those with higher job control in mid-life had better physical functioning than those who reported lower job control (β 0.51, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.01, p=0.04 adjusted for adult confounders). Those with higher job demand in mid-life had poorer mental functioning (β −0.82, 95% CI −1.14 to −0.51, p<0.001). Associations between job control and mental functioning were similar but less pronounced. Adjustment for childhood factors (father's and mother's educational attainment, parents’ interest in school at age 7 and cognitive ability at age 8) partially explained the association between job control and physical functioning, but did not explain the association between job demand and mental functioning. Conclusions Job demand and control in mid-life are differentially associated with mental and physical functioning in early old age and some of these associations may be partially explained by childhood factors. PMID:25319998

Is work engagement related to work ability beyond working conditions and lifestyle factors?

PubMed

Airila, Auli; Hakanen, Jari; Punakallio, Anne; Lusa, Sirpa; Luukkonen, Ritva

2012-11-01

To examine the associations of age, lifestyle and work-related factors, and particularly work engagement with the work ability index (WAI) and its sub-dimensions. Step-wise regression analysis with a sample of Finnish firefighters (n = 403) was used. The outcome variables were the WAI and its six sub-dimensions. The independent variables consisted of age, lifestyle variables (alcohol consumption, BMI, smoking, physical exercise, and sleep problems), working conditions (job demands, physical workload, supervisory relations, and task resources), and work engagement. The outcome variables and all the variables related to lifestyle, working conditions, and work engagement were measured in 2009. Work ability at baseline 10 years earlier was adjusted for in the models. Work engagement, age, physical exercise, sleep problems, and physical workload were associated with the WAI. All independent variables, except BMI and alcohol consumption, were associated with at least one sub-dimension of the WAI after controlling the baseline WAI. Lifestyle variables, working conditions, and work engagement were more strongly related to the subjective WAI sub-dimensions than to the two more objective WAI sub-dimensions. Work engagement was significantly associated with work ability even after adjusting for various factors, indicating its importance in promoting work ability. Other key factors for good work ability were frequent exercise, good sleep, non-smoking, low job demands, low physical workload, and high task resources. More specifically, this study suggests that in maintaining work ability, it is valuable not only to promote lifestyle factors or working conditions, but also to enhance employees' positive state of work engagement.

Development of Rasch-based item banks for the assessment of work performance in patients with musculoskeletal diseases.

PubMed

Mueller, Evelyn A; Bengel, Juergen; Wirtz, Markus A

2013-12-01

This study aimed to develop a self-description assessment instrument to measure work performance in patients with musculoskeletal diseases. In terms of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), work performance is defined as the degree of meeting the work demands (activities) at the actual workplace (environment). To account for the fact that work performance depends on the work demands of the job, we strived to develop item banks that allow a flexible use of item subgroups depending on the specific work demands of the patients' jobs. Item development included the collection of work tasks from literature and content validation through expert surveys and patient interviews. The resulting 122 items were answered by 621 patients with musculoskeletal diseases. Exploratory factor analysis to ascertain dimensionality and Rasch analysis (partial credit model) for each of the resulting dimensions were performed. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in four dimensions, and subsequent Rasch analysis led to the following item banks: 'impaired productivity' (15 items), 'impaired cognitive performance' (18), 'impaired coping with stress' (13) and 'impaired physical performance' (low physical workload 20 items, high physical workload 10 items). The item banks exhibited person separation indices (reliability) between 0.89 and 0.96. The assessment of work performance adds the activities component to the more commonly employed participation component of the ICF-model. The four item banks can be adapted to specific jobs where necessary without losing comparability of person measures, as the item banks are based on Rasch analysis.

The physical work environment and end-user requirements: Investigating marine engineering officers' operational demands and ship design.

PubMed

Mallam, Steven C; Lundh, Monica

2016-08-12

Physical environments influence how individuals perceive a space and behave within it. Previous research has revealed deficiencies in ship engine department work environments, and their impact on crew productivity, health and wellbeing. Connect operational task demands to pragmatic physical design and layout solutions by implementing a user-centric perspective. Three focus groups, each consisting of three marine engineers participated in this study. Focus groups were divided into two sessions: first, to investigate the end-user's operational requirements and their relationship with ship physical design and layout. Second, criteria formulated from group discussions were applied to a ship design case study. All focus group sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Design choices made in a ships general arrangement were described to inherently influence how individuals and teams are able to function within the system. Participants detailed logistical relationships between key areas, stressing that the work environment and physical linkages must allow for flexibility of work organization and task execution. Traditional engine control paradigms do not allow effective mitigation of traditional engine department challenges. The influence of technology and modernization of ship systems can facilitate improvement of physical environments and work organization if effectively utilized.

Cancer as the cause of changes in work situation (a NOCWO study).

PubMed

Lindbohm, M-L; Kuosma, E; Taskila, T; Hietanen, P; Carlsen, K; Gudbergsson, S; Gunnarsdottir, H

2011-08-01

To investigate the frequency of changes in work situation due to cancer and to analyze the association of physically demanding work, social support from supervisors, colleagues or occupational health services, and disease-related factors, with changing employers due to cancer. Working-aged patients with breast, testicular or prostate cancer, or lymphoma with a good prognosis between 1997 and 2002 were identified from a hospital or cancer registry in four Nordic countries. The registers provided data on the disease-related factors. Information on changes in work situation, received support, and other work-related factors was collected using a questionnaire (response rate 72%). The frequency of changes in work situation was evaluated among a total of 2030 survivors. Further analyses were carried out among 688 survivors using a multivariable logistic regression model, to investigate factors affecting the risk of changing employers due to cancer. Altogether, 5-10% of cancer survivors had changed employers, occupations or work tasks, 5% had been unemployed, and 9% had retired due to cancer. The physical demands of previous work were the most important reason behind changing employers after cancer. Among women, weak support from supervisors and occupational health personnel increased the risk of changing employers because of cancer. A minority of cancer survivors changed employers, occupations, or work tasks because of cancer. Supervisors' support in the form of lightening physically demanding jobs and taking illness into consideration when planning work tasks, and health-care workers' advice on coping at work may help survivors to maintain their jobs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Can favorable psychosocial work conditions and high work dedication protect against the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders?

PubMed

Joling, Catelijne I; Blatter, Birgitte M; Ybema, Jan Fekke; Bongers, Paulien M

2008-10-01

This study investigated whether work dedication and job resources are longitudinally related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders and whether job resources buffer the impact of job demands on these disorders? Data were used from a longitudinal three-phase study (2004, 2005, 2006) on health at work among a sample of Dutch workers. The first survey was sent in 2004 by e-mail to 3100 members of an existing panel. For the analyses, 1522 participants were included with full longitudinal data. The analyses were performed using an autoregressive model with generalized estimating equations. The job-resource quality of communication was found to predict the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders over time. This effect was not mediated by work dedication. A high quality of communication was also found to buffer the negative effects of a high physical workload on the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, a low level of social support by colleagues was found to buffer the negative effect of a medium physical workload on work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study shows that job resources are not only important for promoting work dedication, but may also moderate the negative impact of high job demands on the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. With respect to social support, the question is raised of whether this can also work negatively. The results of this study imply that, besides avoiding or reducing risks to health in the workplace and lowering job demands, strengthening job resources may additionally buffer harmful effects of job demands on musculoskeletal health.

Occupational physical demand and risk of hip fracture in older women.

PubMed

Palumbo, Aimee J; Michael, Yvonne L; Burstyn, Igor; Lee, Brian K; Wallace, Robert

2015-08-01

Hip fractures are leading causes of disability, morbidity and mortality among older women. Since physical activity helps maintain physical functioning and bone mineral density, occupational physical demand may influence fracture risk. This study investigates the association of occupational physical demand with hip fracture incidence among women. The Women's Health Initiative Observational Study is a multiethnic cohort of 93,676 postmenopausal women, 50-79 years of age at enrolment, enrolled from 1994 to 1998 at 40 geographically diverse clinical centres throughout the USA. Outcomes including hip fractures were assessed annually and up to 3 jobs held since age 18 years were reported by each woman. Occupational physical demand levels were assigned for each job through linkage of occupational titles with Standard Occupational Codes and the Occupational Information Network. Average, cumulative and peak physical demand scores both before and after menopause and throughout women's work life were estimated. Women were followed through 2010 for an average of 11.5 years; 1834 hip fractures occurred during this time. We did not observe an overall association of occupational physical demand with subsequent risk of hip fracture after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, birth region and education. Previous research on occupations and hip fracture risk in women is inconclusive. This study was able to take critical risk periods into account and control for confounding factors in a large cohort of older women to show that overall occupational physical demand neither increases nor decreases risk of hip fracture later in life. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Factors contributing to work related low back pain among personal care workers in old age.

PubMed

Yeung, Simon S

2012-01-01

This study aims to preliminary explore the work related and individual factors that contributed to the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) that affected work activities of Personal Care Workers (PCWs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to 36 PCWs in an old age home of Hong Kong. The study is divided into three parts: 1) a questionnaire to document the workload exposure factors and the musculoskeletal symptoms survey of the PCWs, 2) work posture evaluation; and 3) an evaluation of the physical fitness and lifting capacity of the PCWs. Univariate analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with LBP that affected work activities. The results indicated that individual physical profile and lifting capacities did not contribute to occurrence of low back pain at work. For the work demand factors, the perceived physical demands in lifting and lowering heavy objects, awkward sustain neck and back postures, loading on the back, and perceived effort of cleaning task contributed to the occurrence of LBP. For the physical environment factors, thermal stress and improper ventilation were associated with the occurrence of LBP cases. For the individual factor, LBP cases were associated with workers' self perceived muscular effort, and perceived risk of mental illness in response to work requirements.

Managing job stress in nursing: what kind of resources do we need?

PubMed

van den Tooren, Marieke; de Jonge, Jan

2008-07-01

This paper is a report of a study to investigate the functionality of different kinds of job resources for managing job stress in nursing. There is increasing recognition that healthcare staff, and especially nurses, are at high risk for burnout and physical complaints. Several researchers have proposed that job resources moderate the relationship between job demands and job-related outcomes, particularly when there is a match between the type of demands, resources, and outcomes. Based on the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation Model, cross-sectional survey data were collected between November 2006 and February 2007 by a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 69 nurses from a Dutch nursing home (response rate 59.4%). Data were analyzed by hierarchical regression analyses. High physical demands had adverse effects on both physical complaints and emotional exhaustion (i.e. burnout), unless employees had high physical resources. A similar pattern was found for high physical demands and emotional resources in predicting emotional exhaustion. The likelihood of finding theoretically-valid moderating effects was related to the degree of match between demands, resources, and outcomes. Job resources do not randomly moderate the relationship between job demands and job-related outcomes. Both physical and emotional resources seem to be important stress buffers for human service employees such as nurses, and their moderating effects underline the importance of specific job resources in healthcare work. Job redesign in nursing homes should therefore primarily focus on matching job resources to job demands in order to diminish poor health and ill-being.

Work and Health among Latina Mothers in Farmworker Families

PubMed Central

Arcury, Thomas A.; Trejo, Grisel; Suerken, Cynthia K.; Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Ip, Edward H.; Quandt, Sara A.

2014-01-01

Background Work organization is important for the health of vulnerable workers, particularly women. This analysis describes work organization for Latinas in farmworker families and delineates the associations of work organization with health indicators. Methods 220 Latino women in farmworker families completed interviews from October 2012 - July 2013. Interviews addressed job structure, job demand, job control, and job support. Health measures included stress, depressive symptoms, physical activity, family conflict, and family economic security. Results Three-fifths of the women were employed. Several work organization dimensions, including shift, psychological demand, work safety climate, and benefits, were associated with participant health as expected, based on the work organization and job demands-control-support models. Conclusions Research should address women's health and specific work responsibilities. Occupational safety policy must consider the importance of work organization in the health of vulnerable workers. PMID:25742536

Influence of mental workload on muscle endurance, fatigue, and recovery during intermittent static work.

PubMed

Mehta, Ranjana K; Agnew, Michael J

2012-08-01

Most occupational tasks involve some level of mental/cognitive processing in addition to physical work; however, the etiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to these demands remains unclear. The aim of this study was to quantify the interactive effects of physical and mental workload on muscle endurance, fatigue, and recovery during intermittent work. Twelve participants, balanced by gender, performed intermittent static shoulder abductions to exhaustion at 15, 35, and 55% of individual maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), in the absence (control) and presence (concurrent) of a mental arithmetic task. Changes in muscular capacity were determined using endurance time, strength decline, electromyographic (EMG) fatigue indicators, muscle oxygenation, and heart rate measures. Muscular recovery was quantified through changes in strength and physiological responses. Mental workload was associated with shorter endurance times, specifically at 35% MVC, and greater strength decline. EMG and oxygenation measures showed similar changes during fatigue manifestation during concurrent conditions compared to the control, despite shorter endurance times. Moreover, decreased heart rate variability during concurrent demand conditions indicated increased mental stress. Although strength recovery was not influenced by mental workload, a slower heart rate recovery was observed after concurrent demand conditions. The findings from this study provide fundamental evidence that physical capacity (fatigability and recovery) is adversely affected by mental workload. Thus, it is critical to determine or evaluate occupational demands based on modified muscular capacity (due to mental workload) to reduce risk of WMSD development.

Predicting physiological capacity of human load carriage - a review.

PubMed

Drain, Jace; Billing, Daniel; Neesham-Smith, Daniel; Aisbett, Brad

2016-01-01

This review article aims to evaluate a proposed maximum acceptable work duration model for load carriage tasks. It is contended that this concept has particular relevance to physically demanding occupations such as military and firefighting. Personnel in these occupations are often required to perform very physically demanding tasks, over varying time periods, often involving load carriage. Previous research has investigated concepts related to physiological workload limits in occupational settings (e.g. industrial). Evidence suggests however, that existing (unloaded) workload guidelines are not appropriate for load carriage tasks. The utility of this model warrants further work to enable prediction of load carriage durations across a range of functional workloads for physically demanding occupations. If the maximum duration for which personnel can physiologically sustain a load carriage task could be accurately predicted, commanders and supervisors could better plan for and manage tasks to ensure operational imperatives were met whilst minimising health risks for their workers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Changes in division of labour and tasks within public dentistry: relationship to employees work demands, health and work ability.

PubMed

Rolander, Bo; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Johnston, Venerina; Wagman, Petra; Lindmark, Ulrika

2016-08-01

By 2023, fewer dentists are expected in Sweden, at the same time as the demand for dental care is expected to increase. Older people, in particular, are expected to require more dental health than previous generations. To meet this demand, the public sector dentistry in Sweden is moving towards changes in division of labour among dental professionals, including dentists, dental hygienists and dental nurses. However, the impact of this reallocation on the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of employees is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare workplaces with an equal or larger proportion of dental hygienists than dentists (HDH) with workplaces with a larger proportion of dentists than dental hygienists (HD) on the physical and psychosocial work load, musculoskeletal and psychosomatic disorders and sickness presence. A total of 298 persons employed in the Public Dental Service in a Swedish County Council participated in this study. The medium large clinics HDH reported 85% of employee's with considerably more high psychosocial demands compared to employees in medium HD (53%) and large HD (57%). Employees in medium large clinics HDH also reported sleep problems due to work (25%) compared with employees in medium large clinics HD (6%), large clinics HD (11%) and small clinics HDH (3%). Clinic size does not seem to influence the outcome of the HD and HD clinics to any great extent. Of all employees, about 94-100% reported high precision demands and 78-91% poor work postures.

Socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese civil servants: role of job demand, control, and work hours.

PubMed

Sekine, Michikazu; Chandola, Tarani; Martikainen, Pekka; Marmot, Michael; Kagamimori, Sadanobu

2009-11-01

This study aims to evaluate whether the pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) differs among employees in Britain, Finland, and Japan and whether work characteristics contribute to some of the health inequalities. The participants were 7340 (5122 men and 2218 women) British employees, 2297 (1638 men and 659 women) Japanese employees, and 8164 (1649 men and 6515 women) Finnish employees. All the participants were civil servants aged 40-60 years. Both male and female low grade employees had poor physical functioning in all cohorts. British and Japanese male low grade employees tended to have poor mental functioning but the associations were significant only for Japanese men. No consistent employment-grade differences in mental functioning were observed among British and Japanese women. Among Finnish men and women, high grade employees had poor mental functioning. In all cohorts, high grade employees had high control, high demands and long work hours. The grade differences in poor physical functioning and disadvantaged work characteristics among non-manual workers were somewhat smaller in the Finnish cohort than in the British and Japanese cohorts. Low control, high demands, and both short and long work hours were associated with poor functioning. When work characteristics were adjusted for, the socioeconomic differences in poor functioning were mildly attenuated in men, but the differences increased slightly in women. This study reconfirms the generally observed pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in health for physical functioning but not for mental functioning. The role of work characteristics in the relationship between socioeconomic status and health differed between men and women but was modest overall. We suggest that these differences in the pattern and magnitude of grade differences in work characteristics and health among the 3 cohorts may be attributable to the different welfare regimes among the 3 countries.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Physical and Mental Functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese Civil Servants: Role of Job Demand, Control, and Work Hours

PubMed Central

Chandola, Tarani; Martikainen, Pekka; Marmot, Michael; Kagamimori, Sadanobu

2009-01-01

This study aims to evaluate whether the pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) differs among employees in Britain, Finland, and Japan and whether work characteristics contribute to some of the health inequalities. The participants were 7340 (5122 men and 2218 women) British employees, 2297 (1638 men and 659 women) Japanese employees, and 8164 (1649 men and 6515 women) Finnish employees. All the participants were civil servants aged 40–60 years. Both male and female low grade employees had poor physical functioning in all cohorts. British and Japanese male low grade employees tended to have poor mental functioning but the associations were significant only for Japanese men. No consistent employment-grade differences in mental functioning were observed among British and Japanese women. Among Finnish men and women, high grade employees had poor mental functioning. In all cohorts, high grade employees had high control, high demands and long work hours. The grade differences in poor physical functioning and disadvantaged work characteristics among non-manual workers were somewhat smaller in the Finnish cohort than in the British and Japanese cohorts. Low control, high demands, and both short and long work hours were associated with poor functioning. When work characteristics were adjusted for, the socioeconomic differences in poor functioning were mildly attenuated in men, but the differences increased slightly in women. This study reconfirms the generally observed pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in health for physical functioning but not for mental functioning. The role of work characteristics in the relationship between socioeconomic status and health differed between men and women but was modest overall. We suggest that these differences in the pattern and magnitude of grade differences in work characteristics and health among the 3 cohorts may be attributable to the different welfare regimes among the 3 countries. PMID:19767137

Subjective evaluation of physical and mental workload interactions across different muscle groups.

PubMed

Mehta, Ranjana K; Agnew, Michael J

2015-01-01

Both physical and mental demands, and their interactions, have been shown to increase biomechanical loading and physiological reactivity as well as impair task performance. Because these interactions have shown to be muscle-dependent, the aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of the NASA Task Load Index (NASA TLX) and Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to evaluate physical and mental workload during muscle-specific tasks. Twenty-four participants performed upper extremity and low back exertions at three physical workload levels in the absence and presence of a mental stressor. Outcome measures included RPE and NASA TLX (six sub-scales) ratings. The findings indicate that while both RPEs and NASA TLX ratings were sensitive to muscle-specific changes in physical demand, only an additional mental stressor and its interaction with either physical demand or muscle groups influenced the effort sub-scale and overall workload scores of the NASA TLX. While additional investigations in actual work settings are warranted, the NASA TLX shows promise in evaluating perceived workload that is sensitive not only to physical and mental demands but also sensitive in determining workload for tasks that employ different muscle groups.

Work environment, overtime and sleep among offshore personnel.

PubMed

Parkes, Katharine R

2017-02-01

Personnel working on North Sea oil/gas installations are exposed to remote and potentially hazardous environments, and to extended work schedules (typically, 14×12h shifts). Moreover, overtime (additional to the standard 84-h week) is not uncommon among offshore personnel. Evidence from onshore research suggests that long work hours and adverse environmental characteristics are associated with sleep impairments, and consequently with health and safety risks, including accidents and injuries. However, little is known about the extent to which long hours and a demanding work environment combine synergistically in relation to sleep. The present study sought to address this issue, using survey data collected from offshore day-shift personnel (N=551). The multivariate analysis examined the additive and interactive effects of overtime and measures of the psychosocial/physical work environment (job demands, job control, supervisor support, and physical stressors) as predictors of sleep outcomes during offshore work weeks. Control variables, including age and sleep during leave weeks, were also included in the analysis model. Sleep duration and quality were significantly impaired among those who worked overtime (54% of the participants) relative to those who worked only 12-h shifts. A linear relationship was found between long overtime hours and short sleep duration; personnel who worked >33h/week overtime reported <6h/day sleep. Significant interactions were also found; sleep duration was negatively related to job demands, and positively related to supervisor support, only among personnel who worked overtime. Poor sleep quality was predicted by the additive effects of overtime, low support and an adverse physical environment. These findings highlight the need to further examine the potential health and safety consequences of impaired sleep associated with high overtime rates offshore, and to identify the extent to which adverse effects of overtime can be mitigated by favourable physical and psychosocial work environment characteristics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a fatigue management in work programme on meeting work demands of individuals with rheumatic diseases: A pilot study.

PubMed

McCormack, Róisín C; O'Shea, Finbar; Doran, Michele; Connolly, Deirdre

2018-03-25

Work disability and job loss are serious consequences of rheumatic diseases (RDs), and fatigue is a symptom of RDs commonly reported to have an impact on work performance. A FAtigue ManagEment in Work (FAME-W) programme was developed to facilitate the self-management of fatigue in work. The present pilot study explored if FAME-W could facilitate individuals with RDs to manage fatigue in work and improve their ability to meet work demands. Twenty-seven individuals with a variety of rheumatic diagnoses completed a 4-week, 2-h occupational therapy-led self-management programme. Each week focused on fatigue-related topics, including fatigue and activity management, pain management and joint protection, mental well-being, effective communication with employers and work colleagues, and employment legislation. Individual workplace ergonomic assessments were also offered. Study measures (work function, fatigue, pain, mood and self-efficacy) were completed prior to starting FAME-W, immediately post-intervention and 12 weeks post-intervention. Participants (56% male) had a mean age of 43 years. No significant improvements were observed immediately post-programme. However, at the 12-week follow-up, significant improvements were reported in meeting work demands (scheduling [p = 0.046], output [p = 0.002], physical [p = 0.003], mental [p = 0.016]), fatigue [p = 0.001], pain [p = 0.01], anxiety [p = 0.001], depression [p < 0.001], self-efficacy [p < 0.001] and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2-Short Form (physical: p = 0.005; symptoms: p = 0.010; affect: p = 0.010; social: p = 0.001). Significant improvements were reported in participants' ability to meet various demands of their work 3 months post-FAME-W. These findings suggest that FAME-W has the potential to assist individuals with RDs to meet the demands of their work, although further research is required to test the effectiveness of this intervention. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Relationships between work-family and family-work conflicts and health of nurses--buffering effects of social support].

PubMed

Baka, Łukasz

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC) and health, as well as the moderating effect of social support. The study was based on the Job Demands-Resources model. There were 567 nurses from 21 Polish hospitals participating in the study. To verify the hypothesis four scales, which measured WFC, FWC, social support, physical complaints and job burnout, were used. The results partially support the hypothesis. As predicted, high WFC and FWC were correlated with low physical (H1) and mental health (H2). Social support moderated negative effects of WFC (but not FWC) on mental health (H3). The effects of WFC and FWC on physical health were not moderated by social support (H4). The results also partially support the notion of the Job Demands-Resources model and provide further insight into processes leading to the high well-being of nurses in the workplace.

The Reciprocal Effect of Psychosocial Aspects on Nurses' Working Conditions

PubMed Central

Kowalczuk, Krystyna; Krajewska-Kułak, Elżbieta; Sobolewski, Marek

2017-01-01

Objectives: Psychosocial work risks are most often considered in the context of occupational stress. The aim of this article is to evaluate the correlations between different aspects of nurses' psychosocial working conditions. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using the questionnaire: Psychosocial aspects of work. A total of 789 nurses working in inpatient health care facilities in Bialystok were included in the study. Correlation analysis was performed by determining Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Correlations between the primary scales, such as job demands, control, social support, well-being, and expectations of changes, were evaluated. The weakest correlation was shown between the assessment of job demands and other work aspects. The strongest correlation was found between the ability to control and social support. Perception of the need for changes was influenced by the assessment of job demands, components of the control scale and, most of all, the scale of social support. A strong correlation was found between physical and psychological well-being and support from superiors and coworkers. Conclusions: The state of well-being had no effects on nurses' assessment of the demands they were faced with. Nurses' well-being depended only on social support provided by their superiors and colleagues, the sense of being able to have an effect on the performed work, minimal conflicts, and absence of overload.Management should enable adequate working conditions in order to ensure nurses' physical and psychological well-being, as both these aspects were closely correlated.Poor social support, lack of a sense of control over one's work, conflicts, and work overload were factors that promoted nurses' expectations of changes. PMID:28861019

Risk factors for work disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Ward, M M; Kuzis, S

2001-02-01

To identify risk factors for work disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Risk factors for permanent work disability and for receipt of disability payments were assessed using Cox regression models in a retrospective cohort study of 234 patients with AS. Candidate risk factors included age at onset of AS, sex, race, education level, marital status, the presence of comorbid conditions, smoking and drinking history, recreational activity, occupation, and physical activity at work. Risk factors for changes in the type of work performed, decrease in number of hours worked, long sick leave, and the need for help at work were assessed using logistic regression models in a prospective study of the subset of 144 patients who reported working for pay during the study. Candidate risk factors for these aspects of work disability were age, sex, race, education level, levels of functional disability, pain and stiffness, changes in functional disability, pain or stiffness over the preceding 6 months, minutes/week of recreational exercise, back exercises, freedom of movement at work, control over the pace of work, and physical activity at work. In a cohort of 234 patients with a median duration of AS of 21.4 years, 31 patients (13.2%) developed permanent work disability and 57 patients (24.3%) had received disability payments. Older age at onset of AS, less formal education, and having had jobs that were more physically active were significant risk factors for permanent work disability. These factors, along with the presence of a comorbid condition and being female, were also significantly associated with the receipt of disability payments. In a prospective study of 144 patients followed for a median of 4 years, higher levels of functional disability and pain were associated with increased risks of decreased work hours, long sick leaves, and needing help at work, while higher levels of pain were also associated with an increased risk of changing the type of work performed. Women were significantly more likely than men to change their type of work or decrease their work hours. Patients whose jobs were more physically demanding were more likely to change their type of work or need help at work. Patients with AS who have physically demanding jobs are more likely to experience permanent or temporary work disability, or need to change the type of work done or receive help at work, than those with jobs that are less physically demanding.

Preoperative predictors of returning to work following primary total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Styron, Joseph F; Barsoum, Wael K; Smyth, Kathleen A; Singer, Mendel E

2011-01-05

There is little in the literature to guide clinicians in advising patients regarding their return to work following a primary total knee arthroplasty. In this study, we aimed to identify which factors are important in estimating a patient's time to return to work following primary total knee arthroplasty, how long patients can anticipate being off from work, and the types of jobs to which patients are able to return following primary total knee arthroplasty. A prospective cohort study was performed in which patients scheduled for a primary total knee arthroplasty completed a validated questionnaire preoperatively and at four to six weeks, three months, and six months postoperatively. The questionnaire assessed the patient's occupational physical demands, ability to perform job responsibilities, physical status, and motivation to return to work as well as factors that may impact his or her recovery and other workplace characteristics. Two survival analysis models were constructed to evaluate the time to return to work either at least part-time or full-time. Acceleration factors were calculated to indicate the relative percentage of time until the patient returned to work. The median time to return to work was 8.9 weeks. Patients who reported a sense of urgency about returning to work were found to return in half the time taken by other employees (acceleration factor = 0.468; p < 0.001). Other preoperative factors associated with a faster return to work included being female (acceleration factor = 0.783), self-employment (acceleration factor = 0.792), higher mental health scores (acceleration factor = 0.891), higher physical function scores (acceleration factor = 0.809), higher Functional Comorbidity Index scores (acceleration factor = 0.914), and a handicap accessible workplace (acceleration factor = 0.736). A slower return to work was associated with having less pain preoperatively (acceleration factor = 1.132), having a more physically demanding job (acceleration factor = 1.116), and receiving Workers' Compensation (acceleration factor = 4.360). Although the physical demands of a patient's job have a moderate influence on the patient's ability to return to work following a primary total knee arthroplasty, the patient's characteristics, particularly motivation, play a more important role.

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers' Job Demands and Resources.

PubMed

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands-resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers' job demands-resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample ( n = 397). Exploratory factor analysis established a five-dimension construct structure matching the theoretical construct deliberated in the literature. The composite reliability scores for the five dimensions range from .68 to .83. Validity coefficients (intraclass correlational coefficients) are .69 for job resources items and .82 for job demands items. Inter-scale correlational coefficients range from -.32 to .47. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity with high dimensional factor loadings (ranging from .47 to .84 for job resources scale and from .50 to .85 for job demands scale) and adequate model fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation = .06). The instrument provides a tool to measure physical education teachers' perception of their working environment.

Physical exercise at the workplace prevents deterioration of work ability among healthcare workers: cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jakobsen, Markus D; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Jay, Kenneth; Aagaard, Per; Andersen, Lars L

2015-11-25

Imbalance between individual resources and work demands can lead to musculoskeletal disorders and reduced work ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of workplace- versus home-based physical exercise on work ability among healthcare workers. Two hundred female healthcare workers (Age: 42.0, BMI: 24.1, work ability index [WAI]: 43.1) from 18 departments at three Danish hospitals participated (Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug 2013-Jan 2014). Participants were randomly allocated at the cluster level to 10 weeks of: 1) workplace physical exercise (WORK) performed during working hours for 5x10 min per week and up to 5 group-based coaching sessions on motivation for regular physical exercise, or 2) home-based physical exercise (HOME) performed during leisure time for 5x10 min per week. Both groups received ergonomic counseling on patient handling and use of lifting aides. The main outcome measure was the change from baseline to 10-week follow-up in WAI. Significant group by time interaction was observed for WAI (p < 0.05). WAI at follow-up was 1.1 (0.3 to 1.8) higher in WORK compared with HOME corresponding to a small effect size (Cohens'd = 0.24). Within-group changes indicated that between-group differences were mainly caused by a reduction in WAI in HOME. Of the seven items of WAI, item 2 (work ability in relation to the demands of the job) and item 5 (sickness absence during the past year) were improved in WORK compared with HOME (P < 0.05). Performing physical exercise together with colleagues at the workplace prevents deterioration of work ability among female healthcare workers. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01921764 . Registered 10 August 2013.

Variation at work: alternations between physically and mentally demanding tasks in blue-collar occupations.

PubMed

Jahncke, Helena; Hygge, Staffan; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Hallman, David; Mixter, Susanna; Lyskov, Eugene

2017-09-01

The aims of this questionnaire study were to describe the occurrence and desired number of alternations between mental and physical tasks in industrial and non-industrial blue-collar work, and determine to which extent selected personal and occupational factors influence these conditions. On average, the 122 participating workers (55 females) reported to have close to four alternations per day between mental and physical tasks, and to desire more alternations than they actually had. They also expressed a general preference for performing a physical task after a mental task and vice versa. In univariate regression models, the desired change in task alternations was significantly associated with gender, age, occupation, years with current work tasks and perceived job control, while occupation was the only significant determinant in a multiple regression model including all factors. Our results suggest that alternations between productive physical and mental tasks could be a viable option in future job rotation. Practitioner Summary: We addressed attitudes among blue-collar workers to alternations between physically and mentally demanding tasks. More alternations were desired than those occurring in the job, and workers preferred performing a physical task after a mental and vice versa. Alternating physical and mental tasks could, thus, be a viable option in job rotation.

Effects of concurrent physical and cognitive demands on muscle activity and heart rate variability in a repetitive upper-extremity precision task.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Divya; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Hallman, David M; Samani, Afshin; Madeleine, Pascal; Lyskov, Eugene

2016-01-01

Most previous studies of concurrent physical and cognitive demands have addressed tasks of limited relevance to occupational work, and with dissociated physical and cognitive task components. This study investigated effects on muscle activity and heart rate variability of executing a repetitive occupational task with an added cognitive demand integral to correct task performance. Thirty-five healthy females performed 7.5 min of standardized repetitive pipetting work in a baseline condition and a concurrent cognitive condition involving a complex instruction for correct performance. Average levels and variabilities of electromyographic activities in the upper trapezius and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles were compared between these two conditions. Heart rate and heart rate variability were also assessed to measure autonomic nervous system activation. Subjects also rated perceived fatigue in the neck-shoulder region, as well as exertion. Concurrent cognitive demands increased trapezius muscle activity from 8.2% of maximum voluntary exertion (MVE) in baseline to 9.0% MVE (p = 0.0005), but did not significantly affect ECR muscle activity, heart rate, heart rate variability, perceived fatigue or exertion. Trapezius muscle activity increased by about 10%, without any accompanying cardiovascular response to indicate increased sympathetic activation. We suggest this slight increase in trapezius muscle activity to be due to changed muscle activation patterns within or among shoulder muscles. The results suggest that it may be possible to introduce modest cognitive demands necessary for correct performance in repetitive precision work without any major physiological effects, at least in the short term.

HEAVY MANUAL WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORKING LIFETIME AND MUSCLE STRENGTH AMONG MEN AT RETIREMENT AGE

PubMed Central

Walker-Bone, K; D’Angelo, S; Syddall, HE; Palmer, KT; Cooper, C; Coggon, D; Sayer, AA

2016-01-01

Introduction Reductions in heavy manual work as a consequence of mechanisation might impact adversely on muscle strength at older ages. We investigated the association between grip strength at retirement age and lifetime occupational exposure to physically demanding activities. Grip strength is an important predictor of long-term health and physical function in older people. Methods Grip strength (maximum of three readings in each hand) was measured in men from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study at a single examination when their mean age was 65.8 (SD 2.9) years. Associations with lifetime occupational exposure (ascertained by questionnaire) to three activities (standing/walking ≥4 hours/day; lifting ≥25 kg; and energetic work sufficient to induce sweating) were assessed by multivariable linear regression with adjustment for various potential confounders. Results Complete data were available from 1,418 men who had worked for at least 20 years. After adjustment for age, height and weight, those with longer exposures to walking/standing and heavy lifting had lower grip strength, but the relationship disappeared after further adjustment for confounders. Working at physical intensity sufficient to induce sweating was not significantly associated with grip strength. Conclusions We found no evidence that physically demanding occupational activities increase hand grip strength at normal retirement age. Any advantages of regular physical occupational activity may have been obscured by unmeasured socio-economic confounders. PMID:26896253

High Job Demands, Still Engaged and Not Burned Out? The Role of Job Crafting.

PubMed

Hakanen, Jari J; Seppälä, Piia; Peeters, Maria C W

2017-08-01

Traditionally, employee well-being has been considered as resulting from decent working conditions arranged by the organization. Much less is known about whether employees themselves can make self-initiated changes to their work, i.e., craft their jobs, in order to stay well, even in highly demanding work situations. The aim of this study was to use the job demands-resources (JD-R model) to investigate whether job crafting buffers the negative impacts of four types of job demands (workload, emotional dissonance, work contents, and physical demands) on burnout and work engagement. A questionnaire study was designed to examine the buffering role of job crafting among 470 Finnish dentists. All in all, 11 out of 16 possible interaction effects of job demands and job crafting on employee well-being were significant. Job crafting particularly buffered the negative effects of job demands on burnout (7/8 significant interactions) and to a somewhat lesser extent also on work engagement (4/8 significant interactions). Applying job crafting techniques appeared to be particularly effective in mitigating the negative effects of quantitative workload (4/4 significant interactions). By demonstrating that job crafting can also buffer the negative impacts of high job demands on employee well-being, this study contributed to the JD-R model as it suggests that job crafting may even be possible under high work demands, and not only in resourceful jobs, as most previous studies have indicated. In addition to the top-down initiatives for improving employee well-being, bottom-up approaches such as job crafting may also be efficient in preventing burnout and enhancing work engagement.

Relationship of employee-reported work limitations to work productivity.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Amick, Benjamin C; Lee, Jennifer C; Rooney, Ted; Rogers, William H; Chang, Hong; Berndt, Ernst R

2003-05-01

Work limitation rates are crucial indicators of the health status of working people. If related to work productivity, work limitation rates may also supply important information about the economic burden of illness. Our objective was to assess the productivity impact of on-the-job work limitations due to employees' physical or mental health problems. Subjects were asked to complete a self-administered survey on the job during 3 consecutive months. Using robust regression analysis, we tested the relationship of objectively-measured work productivity to employee-reported work limitations. We attempted to survey employees of a large firm within 3 different jobs. The survey response rate was 2245 (85.9%). Full survey and productivity data were available for 1827 respondents. Each survey included a validated self-report instrument, the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ). The firm provided objective, employee-level work productivity data. In adjusted regression analyses (n = 1827), employee work productivity (measured as the log of units produced/hour) was significantly associated with 3 dimensions of work limitations: limitations handling the job's time and scheduling demands (P = 0.003), physical job demands (P = 0.001), and output demands (P = 0.006). For every 10% increase in on-the-job work limitations reported on each of the 3 WLQ scales, work productivity declined approximately 4 to 5%. Employee work limitations have a negative impact on work productivity. Employee assessments of their work limitations supply important proxies for the economic burden of health problems.

Gender Differences in the Effects of Job Control and Demands on the Health of Korean Manual Workers.

PubMed

Kim, HeeJoo; Kim, Ji Hye; Jang, Yeon Jin; Bae, Ji Young

2016-01-01

We used the job-demand-control model to answer our two research questions concerning the effects of working conditions on self-rated health and gender differences and the association between these working conditions and health among Korean manual workers. Since a disproportionate representation of women in nonstandard work positions is found in many countries, including Korea, it is important to examine how working conditions explain gender inequality in health. We used data from the 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and analyzed a total sample of 1,482 men and 1,350 women using logistic regression. We found that job control was positively related to self-rated health, while both physical and mental job demands were negatively related to self-rated health. We also found significant interaction effects of job demands, control, and gender on health. Particularly, female workers' health was more vulnerable to mentally demanding job conditions. We discussed theoretical and practice implications based on these findings.

Overcoming barriers to work participation for patients with postpoliomyelitis syndrome.

PubMed

Ten Katen, Kim; Beelen, Anita; Nollet, Frans; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2011-01-01

This study aimed to explore the perceived work ability of patients with postpoliomyelitis syndrome (PPS), to identify barriers and factors that are impeding or conducive, respectively, to work participation, and to identify possible interventions. Qualitative cross-sectional interview study with 17 subjects with PPS, 12 women and 5 men, mean age 49 years (SD: 11). Semi-structured interviews were held with the subjects in their homes, with the aid of a topic list. The COREQ criteria list for qualitative research was used as guideline in design and analysis. Thirteen out of 17 subjects rated their work ability six or higher on a scale from 0 to 10. Most subjects worked in an administrative, educational or managerial function. Five subjects stopped working, four worked between 0 and 20 h/week and eight worked between 20 and 40 h/week. Factors conducive to working were physical adaptations in the workplace, accessibility of the workplace and high decision latitude. Barriers to full work ability in PPS patients were high physical job demands, low social support and the symptoms of PPS, especially fatigue and pain. These findings suggest that work-oriented interventions aimed at preventing PPS patients from dropping out of the workforce should primarily focus on reducing physical job demands, arranging adaptations in the workplace and increasing job control.

Work Stress in the Family Life of African Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broman, Clifford L.

2001-01-01

Investigated the link between job-related stressors and family life among African Americans. Data from African Americans who participated in the America's Changing Lives survey indicated that job latitude positively affected marital harmony, and physical demands negatively affected marital harmony. Psychosocial demands, job bother, and chronic…

An older worker's decision to "push or protect self" following a work-related injury.

PubMed

Stikeleather, Jill

2004-01-01

This study highlights the return-to-work experience of older workers on worker's compensation as there is a dearth of research in this area. Qualitative research methods delineated the experience of four older workers who had sustained work-related musculoskeletal injuries. "Push or Protect Self" emerged as the core category with three themes, including the level of employer support and degree of flexibility in work; continued health problems; and financial distress. These themes influenced each worker's decision to either "push self" to meet their pre-injury work demands, or "protect self" and accept a job post-injury that was less physically demanding, but was at a lower pay level. The four workers sustained financial difficulties subsequent to being off work, and reported continued health problems related to their injuries after being discharged from the worker's compensation system. Degree of employer support in providing flexibility in work demands varied, where low support and inflexibility in job tasks contributed to difficulty in returning to work or in sustaining the work demands of the job.

Juggling work and elder caregiving: work-life balance for aging American workers.

PubMed

Pitsenberger, D Jeanne

2006-04-01

As the American work force ages, the demands of caring for aging relatives increase. Family caregiving often interferes with workplace responsibilities, creating physical, emotional, and financial stress for caregivers. Employers must address the productivity losses created by absenteeism of workers who struggle with work-life issues created by caregiving roles. Occupational health nurses must understand the factors that affect workers in their caregiving roles and make appropriate nursing interventions. They are in key positions to help aging employees and their employers face the increased demands on work-life balance created by elder caregiving.

Perceived Expectations for Active Aging, Formal Productive Roles, and Psychological Adjustment Among the Young-Old.

PubMed

Pavlova, Maria K; Silbereisen, Rainer K

2016-01-01

We investigated how older adults' perceptions of societal expectations for active aging, or activation demands (e.g., to stay fit and to contribute to the public good), relate to their involvement in paid work and formal volunteering and psychological adjustment. We used two waves of survey data on young-old Germans (aged 56-75, N(T1) = 1,508, N(T2) = 602). With the exception of several items on perceived activation demands, paid work and volunteering were not significant longitudinal predictors of such demands. In females, perceived activation demands increased the likelihood to work for pay a year later. Finally, among nonworking individuals, perceived activation demands predicted a better physical self-concept and a higher positive affect, whereas among nonvolunteers, such demands predicted fewer depressive symptoms a year later. We conclude that the policy debate on active aging may benefit some older German adults but is of little consequence for most of them. © The Author(s) 2015.

Risk factors for interpersonal conflicts at work.

PubMed

De Raeve, Lore; Jansen, Nicole Wh; van den Brandt, Piet A; Vasse, Rineke M; Kant, Ijmert

2008-04-01

The main goal of this study was to identify work-related risk factors for the onset of interpersonal conflicts at work. Longitudinal data from the Maastricht Cohort Study on "fatigue at work" (N=9241) were used. After the respondents who reported an interpersonal conflict at baseline were excluded, logistic regression analyses were used to determine the role of several work-related risk factors at baseline in the onset of a conflict with coworkers or supervisors after 1 year of follow-up. Higher psychological job demands, higher levels of role ambiguity, the presence of physical demands, higher musculoskeletal demands, a poorer physical work environment, shift work, overtime, and higher levels of job insecurity significantly predicted the onset of both a coworker conflict and a supervisor conflict. Higher levels of coworker and supervisor social support, more autonomy concerning the terms of employment, good overall job satisfaction, monetary gratification, and esteem reward significantly protected against the onset of both a coworker conflict and a supervisor conflict. Higher levels of decision latitude and more career opportunities also significantly protected against the onset of a supervisor conflict. Several factors in the work environment were related to the onset of interpersonal conflicts at work. Given the rather serious consequences of interpersonal conflicts at work with respect to health and well-being, the observed risk factors can serve as a starting point for effective prevention and intervention strategies in the workplace.

The moderating role of personality traits in the relationship between work and salivary cortisol: a cross-sectional study of 401 employees in 34 Canadian companies.

PubMed

Parent-Lamarche, Annick; Marchand, Alain

2015-12-14

The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of personality traits in explaining the relationship between workplace stressors and variations in salivary cortisol concentrations. Multilevel regression analyses were performed on a sample of 401 employees from 34 Quebec firms. Saliva samples were collected five times a day (on awakening, 30 min after awakening, and at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and bedtime). Sample collection was repeated on three days (1 rest day, 2 working days). Work-related variables comprised skill utilization, decision authority, psychological demands, physical demands, job insecurity, irregular schedule, number of working hours, and social support from coworkers and supervisors. Personality traits comprised self-esteem, locus of control, and the Big Five. Cortisol levels at awakening and 30 min later were significantly higher for work days than for days off. Psychological demands and job insecurity were associated with lower cortisol levels at bedtime. Also, self-esteem moderated the relationship between physical demands and cortisol levels at awakening and 4 p.m. Agreeableness was associated with lower cortisol levels at awakening and at 2 p.m. and further moderated the relationship between number of hours worked and cortisol at 2 p.m. Neuroticism moderated the relationship between coworker support and cortisol at bedtime. Specific working conditions and certain personality traits are associated with variations in salivary cortisol concentrations. In addition, certain personality traits moderate the relationship between stressors and salivary cortisol concentrations. In conclusion, salivary cortisol concentrations at work seem to be modulated in part by personality traits.

[Attention, repetitive works, fatigue and stress].

PubMed

Tomei, G; Cinti, M E; Cerratti, D; Fioravanti, M

2006-01-01

Repetitive work in occupational settings often requires a combination of mental and physical demands, but few studies were conducted concerning the relationship between attention and repetitive work. In attentive and cognitive tasks, it is common to observe effort and fatigue without the presence of those neuromuscular modifications that would justify the use of these terms. Therefore, we can talk about mental fatigue in those cases in which it is observed the exhaustion of the necessary resources for the execution of a job that doesn't demand the employment of neuromuscular apparatus. Scientific literature about this argument consists of experimental studies which aim to estimate at what extent attentive demands exspecially cognitive demands can interact with physical ones which are peculiarities of repetitive tasks. Work characterized by the maintenance of high levels of performance for a long time, produce cognitive effort with high level of vigilance, selective attention, decisional ability, automated control mechanisms, such as "eye-hand", and may contribute to the fatigue. Indeed, fatigue plays a important role in a working context since, it may interfere with the work itself by reducing the worker's efficiency and performance and if excessive and extended, it may alter the subject's psycho-physical condition and induce different pathologies. Repetitive work can contribute to the increasing of muscular fatigue by inducing mental fatigue: for example tasks which require high vigilance but low neuromuscular work, may induce a sense of effort and fatigue and cognitive factors and mental stress may cause muscular fatigue. Several intrinsic job factors, including repetitive works, may act as stressors and they can cause mental and physical symptoms such as anxiety, depression and somatic diseases. The European Community has often emphasized the pathogenic value of stress and fatigue with their high social and individual costs. For this purpose, it is opportune to consider the norm UNI EN ISO 10075, which points out the necessity to consider the human component, in term of mental load which implies not only the cognitive component but also the whole psychical sphere of the subject. Training intended like a sort of learning of specific modalities, supplies workers with the necessary instruments for a correct and more aware management of the peculiarities of working activity, contributing to the reduction of fatigue and stress deriving from the job.

Let's Move! School Psychologists as Change Agents in the Domain of School-Based Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedewa, Alicia L.; Clark, Teresa P.

2010-01-01

Many of the students the authors have worked with see recess as a refuge from the multiple demands of school. Yet, how many school psychologists truly understand the multidimensional benefit of physical activity in schools? Increased physical activity has been associated with better physical health, improved mental health, and higher academic…

Work-home interference among nurses: reciprocal relationships with job demands and health.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Beatrice I J M; Demerouti, Evangelia; Bakker, Arnold B

2008-06-01

This paper is a report of a study with three aims: (i) to investigate whether emotional, quantitative and physical demands have a causal, negative impact on nurses' health; (ii) to examine whether work-home interference can explain this effect, by playing a mediating role; and (iii) to test the so-called loss spiral hypothesis claiming that nurses' health problems lead to even higher job demands and more work-home interference over time. While many scholars have thought in terms of the stressor-->work-home interference-->strain model, the validity of a model that includes opposite pathways needs to be tested. A questionnaire was completed twice, with a 1-year time interval by 753 (63.4%) Registered Nurses working in hospitals, 183 (15.4%) working in nursing homes, and 251 (21.1%) working in home care institutions. The first measurement took place between October 2002 and June 2003. Our findings strongly support the idea of cross-lagged, reciprocal relationships between job demands and general health over time. The reciprocal model with work-home interference as an intervening variable (including reciprocal relationships between job demands, work-home interference and general health) showed a good fit to the data, and proved to be superior to both the causality and reversed causation models. The higher nurses' job demands, the higher is their level of work-home interference and the more likely is a general health deterioration over time, in turn giving rise to higher job demands and work-home interference, which may even aggravate the nurses' general health, and so on.

Working in small-scale, homelike dementia care: effects on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Zwakhalen, Sandra Mg; Hamers, Jan Ph; van Rossum, Erik; Ambergen, Ton; Kempen, Gertrudis Ijm; Verbeek, Hilde

2018-05-01

This paper reports on a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study on the effects of working in a new type of dementia care facility (i.e. small-scale living facilities) on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics (job autonomy, social support, physical demands and workload). It is hypothesised that nursing staff working in small-scale facilities experience fewer burnout symptoms, more autonomy and social support, and fewer symptoms of physical demands and workload compared with staff in regular wards. Two types of long-term institutional nursing care settings were included: 28 houses in small-scale living facilities and 21 regular psychogeriatric wards in nursing homes. At baseline and at follow-ups after 6 and 12 months nursing staff were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. In total, 305 nursing staff members were included in the study, 114 working in small-scale living facilities (intervention group) and 191 in regular wards (control group). No overall effects on burnout symptoms were detected. Significantly fewer physical demands and lower workload were experienced by staff working in small-scale living facilities compared with staff in regular wards. They also experienced more job autonomy. No significant effect was found for overall social support in the total group. This study suggests positive effects of the work environment on several work characteristics. Organisational climate differs in the two conditions, which might account for our results. This may influence nursing staff well-being and has important implications for nursing home managers and policy makers. Future studies should enhance our understanding of the influence of job characteristics on outcomes.

Relationships between work-related factors and musculoskeletal health with current and future work ability among male workers.

PubMed

Boschman, J S; Noor, A; Lundström, R; Nilsson, T; Sluiter, J K; Hagberg, M

2017-08-01

The purpose was to increase job-specific knowledge about individual and work-related factors and their relationship with current and future work ability (WA). We studied cross-sectional relationships between mental demands, physical exertion during work, grip strength, musculoskeletal pain in the upper extremities and WA and the relationships between these variables and WA 11 years later. We used a dataset of a prospective cohort study (1997-2008) among employees of an engineering plant (n = 157). The cohort was surveyed by means of tests and written questions on work demands, musculoskeletal health, WA score (WAS; 0-10), and mental and physical WA. Spearman correlation coefficients and logistic regression analysis were used. Among manual workers, we found weak correlations between grip strength and current and future physical WA. We did not find predictors for future poor WA among the manual workers. Among the office workers, we found that musculoskeletal pain was moderately and negatively related to current WAS and physical WA. More handgrip strength related to better future WAS and physical WA. Musculoskeletal pain (OR 1.67 p < 0.01) and lower handgrip strength (OR 0.91 p < 0.05) predicted future poor WA among office workers. Our results showed cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between musculoskeletal health and work ability depending on occupation. However, the present implies that predicting work ability in the far future based on health surveillance data is rather difficult. Testing the musculoskeletal system (grip strength) and asking workers' about their musculoskeletal health seems relevant when monitoring work ability.

Work Functioning Among Firefighters: A Comparison Between Self-Reported Limitations and Functional Task Performance.

PubMed

MacDermid, Joy C; Tang, Kenneth; Sinden, Kathryn E; D'Amico, Robert

2018-05-25

Purpose Performance-based and disease indicators have been widely studied in firefighters; self-reported work role limitations have not. The aim of this study was to describe the distributions and correlations of a generic self-reported Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ-26) and firefighting-specific task performance-based tests. Methods Active firefighters from the City of Hamilton Fire Services (n = 293) were recruited. Participants completed the WLQ-26 to quantify on-the-job difficulties over five work domains: work scheduling (4 items), output demands (7 items), physical demands (8 items), mental demands (4 items), and social demands (3 items). A subset of participants (n = 149) were also assessed on hose drag and stair climb with a high-rise pack performance-based tests. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to compare item/subscale performance; and to describe the inter-relationships between tests. Results The mean WLQ-26 item scores (/5) ranged from 4.1 to 4.4 (median = 5 for all items); most firefighters (54.5-80.5%) selected "difficult none of the time" response option on all items. A substantial ceiling effect was observed across all five WLQ-26 subscales as 44.0-55.6% were in the highest category. Subscale means ranged from 61.8 (social demands) to 78.7 (output demands and physical demands). Internal consistency exceeded 0.90 on all subscales. For the hose drag task, the mean time-to-completion was 48.0 s (SD = 14.5; range 20.4-95.0). For the stair climb task, the mean time-to-completion was 76.7 s (SD = 37.2; range 21.0-218.0). There were no significant correlations between self-report work limitations and performance of firefighting tasks. Conclusions The WLQ-26 measured five domains, but had ceiling effects in firefighters. Performance-based testing showed wider score range, lacked ceiling effects and did not correlate to the WLQ-26. A firefighter-specific, self-report role functioning scale may be needed to identify compromised work role capabilities in firefighters.

Job stress and mortality in older age.

PubMed

Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Brzyski, Piotr; Florek, Marzena; Brzyska, Monika

2013-06-01

This paper aims to assess the relationship between the determinants of the psychosocial work environment, as expressed in terms of JDC or ERI models, and all-cause mortality in older individuals. The baseline study was conducted on a cohort comprising a random sample of 65-year-old community-dwelling citizens of Kraków, Poland. All of the 727 participants (410 women, 317 men) were interviewed in their households in the period between 2001 and 2003; a structured questionnaire was used regarding their occupational activity history, which included indexes measuring particular dimensions of their psychosocial work environment based on Karasek's Job Demand-Control model and Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance model, as well as health-related quality of life and demographic data. Mortality was ascertained by monitoring City Vital Records for 7 years. Analyses were conducted separately for men and women, with the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. During a 7-year follow-up period, 59 participants (8.1%) died, including 21 women (5.1% of total women) and 38 men (12%) (p < 0.05). Significant differences in the number of deaths occurred regarding disproportion between physical demands and control in men: those with low physical demands and low control died three times more often than those with high control, regardless of the level of demands. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model showed that significantly higher risk of death was observed only in men with low physical demands and low control, compared to those with low physical demands and high control (Exp(B) = 4.65, 95% CI: 1.64-13.2). Observed differences in mortality patterns are similar to the patterns of relationships observed in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) level at the beginning of old age; however, the relationship between efforts and rewards or demands and control and mortality was not fully confirmed.

The relationship between lifestyle, occupational health, and work-related factors with presenteeism amongst general practitioners.

PubMed

Pit, Sabrina Winona; Hansen, Vibeke

2016-01-01

There is evidence that general practitioners (GPs) are more likely to exhibit sickness presenteeism than other health professional groups or other high-income earners and less likely to take sick leave. This study aims to examine the relationship between lifestyle, occupational health, and work-related factors with presenteeism amongst GPs. A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst GPs in 2011. Logistic regression was used to determine crude and adjusted odds ratios between lifestyle, occupational health, and work-related factors with presenteeism. Whilst adjusting for age and gender, exercising 1 to 3 times a week (odds ratio [OR] = 4.88), not having a good work-life balance (OR = 4.2), work-related sleep problems (OR = 2.55), moderate psychological distress (OR = 3.94), and poor or fair health (OR = 6.22) were associated with presenteeism. Increased burnout and reduced job satisfaction and workability due to the physical demands of the job were also associated with presenteeism. In conclusion, presenteeism amongst GPs can be addressed by implementing interventions in relation to physical activity, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene and improving work-life balance and the physical demands of the job.

Heavy physical work under time pressure: the garbage collection service--a case study.

PubMed

Camada, Ilza Mitsuko de Oliveira; Pataro, Silvana Maria Santos; Fernandes, Rita de Cássia Pereira

2012-01-01

The increased generation of garbage has become a problem in large cities, with greater demand for collection services. The collector is subjected to high workload. This study describes the work in garbage collection service, highlighting the requirements of time, resulting in physical and psychosocial demands to collectors. Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA) - a method focused on the study of work in real situations was used. Initially, technical visits, global observations and unstructured interviews with different subjects of a garbage collection company were conducted. The following step of the systematic observations was accompanied by interviews conducted during the execution of tasks, inquiring about the actions taken, and also interviews about the actions, but conducted after the development of the tasks, photographic records and audiovisual recordings, of workers from two garbage collection teams. Contradictions between the prescribed work and activities (actual work) were identified, as well as the variability present in this process, and strategies adopted by these workers to regulate the workload. It was concluded that the insufficiency of means and the organizational structure of management ensue a situation where the collection process is maintained at the expense of hyper-requesting these workers, both physically and psychosocially.

Physical workload and thoughts of retirement.

PubMed

Perkiö-Mäkelä, Merja; Hirvonen, Maria

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present Finnish employees' opinions on continuing work until retirement pension and after the age of 63, and to find out if physical workload is related to these opinions. Altogether 39% of men and 40% of women had never had thoughts of early retirement, and 59% claimed (both men and women) that they would consider working beyond the age of 63. Own health (20%); financial gain such as salary and better pension (19%); meaningful, interesting and challenging work (15%); flexible working hours or part-time work (13%); lighter work load (13%); good work community (8%); and good work environment (6%) were stated as factors affecting the decision to continue working after the age of 63. Employees whose work involved low physical workload had less thoughts of early retirement and had considered continuing work after the age of 63 more often than those whose work involved high physical loads. Own health in particular was stated as a reason to consider continuing work by employees whose work was physically demanding.

20 CFR 404.1560 - When we will consider your vocational background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... section. (b) Past relevant work. We will first compare our assessment of your residual functional capacity with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant work. (1) Definition of past relevant work. Past relevant work is work that you have done within the past 15 years, that was substantial gainful...

Risk factors predicting hip pain in a 5-year prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Tüchsen, Finn; Hannerz, Harald; Burr, Hermann; Lund, Thomas; Krause, Niklas

2003-02-01

The aim of the study was to identify and quantify risk factors for hip pain. A representative sample of 5001 Danish men and women aged 18-65 years in 1990 were interviewed about occupational exposures (response rate 90%); 5 years later they were reinterviewed about hip pain (response rate 86%). Logistic regression with forced entry of all the independent variables was used to estimate the odds ratios for the possible risk factors. The impact of the various predictors was assessed through the calculation of population etiologic fractions. A double risk of hip pain was found for the women as compared with the men [odds ratio (OR) 2.28, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.68-3.09]. The risk increased with body mass index. Whole-body vibration (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.09-2.71) and physically demanding work (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.23-2.71) were strong predictors of hip pain, while a squatting work posture was protective (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.98). The impact of the statistically significant predictors (the etiologic fractions) was as follows: 0.49 for body mass index, 0.05 for whole body vibration, 0.10 for physically demanding work, and 0.32 for squatting (preventive). Female gender, age, high body mass index, whole-body vibration, and physically demanding work are significant risk factors for hip pain.

[Job Demands-Resources, exhaustion and work engagement in a long-term care institution].

PubMed

Conway, P M; Neri, L; Campanini, P; Francioli, L; Camerino, D; Punzi, S; Fichera, G P; Costa, G

2012-01-01

In this study, we aimed at testing the main hypotheses of the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R) in a sample of employees (n = 205, mainly healthcare workers) of a long-term care institution located in Northern Italy. Hierarchical linear regression analyses show that almost all job demands considered were significantly associated with higher general psycho-physical exhaustion (beta ranging from 0.14 to 0.29), whereas more unfavourable scores in all job resources were associated with lower work engagement (from -0.27 to -0.51). However, also significant cross-over associations were observed, mainly between job resources and exhaustion, with effect sizes comparable with those found for the relationships between job demands and exhaustion. Hence, our study only partially supports the JD-R model. Implications of results for work-related stress management are finally discussed.

Relative effects of demand and control on task-related cardiovascular reactivity, task perceptions, performance accuracy, and mood.

PubMed

Flynn, Niamh; James, Jack E

2009-05-01

The hypothesis that work control has beneficial effects on well-being is the basis of the widely applied, yet inconsistently supported, Job Demand Control (JDC) Model [Karasek, R.A., 1979. Job demands, job decision latitude and mental strain: Implications for job redesign. Adm. Sci. Q. 24, 285-308.; Karasek, R., Theorell, T., 1990. Healthy Work: Stress, Productivity, and the Reconstruction of Working Life. Basic Books, Oxford]. The model was tested in an experiment (N=60) using a cognitive stressor paradigm that sought to prevent confounding between demand and control. High-demand was found to be associated with deleterious effects on physiological, subjective, and performance outcomes. In contrast, few main effects were found for control. Evidence for the buffer interpretation of the JDC Model was limited to a significant demand-control interaction for performance accuracy, whereas substantial support was found for the strain interpretation of the model [van der Doef, M., Maes, S., 1998. The job demand-control(-support) model and physical health outcomes: A review of the strain and buffer hypotheses. Psychol. Health 13, 909-936., van der Doef, M., Maes, S., 1999. The Job Demand-Control(-Support) model and psychological well-being: A review of 20 years of empirical research. Work Stress 13, 87-114]. Manipulation checks revealed that objective control altered perceptions of control but not perceptions of demand. It is suggested that beneficial effects of work-related control are unlikely to occur in the absence of reductions in perceived demand. Thus, contrary to the propositions of Karasek and colleagues, demand and control do not appear to be independent factors.

Validity and Reliability of Malay Version of the Job Content Questionnaire among Public Hospital Female Nurses in Malaysia.

PubMed

Amin, N A; Quek, K F; Oxley, J A; Noah, R M; Nordin, R

2015-10-01

The Job Content Questionnaire (M-JCQ) is an established self-reported instrument used across the world to measure the work dimensions based on the Karasek's demand-control-support model. To evaluate the psychometrics properties of the Malay version of M-JCQ among nurses in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was carried out on nurses working in 4 public hospitals in Klang Valley area, Malaysia. M-JCQ was used to assess the perceived psychosocial stressors and physical demands of nurses at their workplaces. Construct validity of the questionnaire was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach's α values were used to estimate the reliability (internal consistency) of the M-JCQ. EFA showed that 34 selected items were loaded in 4 factors. Except for psychological job demand (Cronbach's α 0.51), the remaining 3 α values for 3 subscales (job control, social support, and physical demand) were greater than 0.70, indicating acceptable internal consistency. However, an item was excluded due to poor item-total correlation (r<0.3). The final M-JCQ was consisted of 33 items. The M-JCQ is a reliable and valid instrument to measure psychosocial and physical stressors in the workplace of public hospital nurses in Malaysia.

Musculoskeletal disorders among female and male air traffic controllers performing identical and demanding computer work.

PubMed

Arvidsson, I; Arvidsson, M; Axmon, A; Hansson, G-A; Johansson, C R; Skerfving, S

2006-09-15

Operators with identical, demanding computer work (90 female and 97 male air traffic controllers) were found to have high prevalences of disorders (assessed by questionnaire and physical examination) in neck, shoulders and upper back. In spite of the identical work, the women displayed higher prevalences than the men (e.g. neck diagnoses 21% vs. 4%). Disorders in elbows, wrists and hands were less common, with similar rates in both genders. Generally, the psychosocial work environment (assessed by questionnaire) was found to be good, but with large inter-individual variation. Women experienced lower decision latitude than men, particularly regarding influence and freedom at work, but perceived higher social support. Physically, the work was characterized by relatively low angular velocities of upper arms (measured by inclinometry) and wrists (right: < 1 degrees/s during 19% of time, measuring by goniometry), dynamic muscular activities and high time fractions of rest in the trapezius and forearm extensor muscles (measuring by electromyography). There were only minor differences between the genders.

Future trends in the supply and demand for radiation oncology physicists.

PubMed

Mills, Michael D; Thornewill, Judah; Esterhay, Robert J

2010-04-12

Significant controversy surrounds the 2012 / 2014 decision announced by the Trustees of the American Board of Radiology (ABR) in October of 2007. According to the ABR, only medical physicists who are graduates of a Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs, Inc. (CAMPEP) accredited academic or residency program will be admitted for examination in the years 2012 and 2013. Only graduates of a CAMPEP accredited residency program will be admitted for examination beginning in the year 2014. An essential question facing the radiation oncology physics community is an estimation of supply and demand for medical physicists through the year 2020. To that end, a Demand & Supply dynamic model was created using STELLA software. Inputs into the model include: a) projected new cancer incidence and prevalence 1990-2020; b) AAPM member ages and retirement projections 1990-2020; c) number of ABR physics diplomates 1990-2009; d) number of patients per Qualified Medical Physicist from Abt Reports I (1995), II (2002) and III (2008); e) non-CAMPEP physicists trained 1990-2009 and projected through 2014; f) CAMPEP physicists trained 1993-2008 and projected through 2014; and g) working Qualified Medical Physicists in radiation oncology in the United States (1990-2007). The model indicates that the number of qualified medical physicists working in radiation oncology required to meet demand in 2020 will be 150-175 per year. Because there is some elasticity in the workforce, a portion of the work effort might be assumed by practicing medical physicists. However, the minimum number of new radiation oncology physicists (ROPs) required for the health of the profession is estimated to be 125 per year in 2020. The radiation oncology physics community should plan to build residency programs to support these numbers for the future of the profession.

Different effort constructs and effort-reward imbalance: effects on employee well-being in ancillary health care workers.

PubMed

van Vegchel, N; de Jonge, J; Meijer, T; Hamers, J P

2001-04-01

The present study investigates the relationship between Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) and employee well-being, using three different concepts of efforts (i.e. psychological demands, physical demands and emotional demands). The ERI model had been used as a theoretical framework, indicating that work stress is related to high efforts (i.e. job demands) and low occupational rewards (e.g. money, esteem and security/career opportunities). The ERI model also predicts that, in overcommitted workers, effects of ERI on employee well-being are stronger compared with their less committed counterparts. A cross-sectional survey among 167 ancillary health care workers of two nursing homes was conducted. Multiple univariate logistic regression analyses were used to test the relationship between ERI and employee well-being. Results of the logistic regression analyses showed that employees with both high (psychological, physical and emotional) efforts and low rewards had higher risks of psychosomatic health complaints, physical health symptoms and job dissatisfaction (odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 5.09 to 18.55). Moreover, employees who reported both high efforts and high rewards had elevated risks of physical symptoms and exhaustion (ORs ranged from 6.17 to 9.39). No support was found for the hypothesis on the moderating effect of overcommitment. Results show some support for the ERI model; ancillary health care workers with high effort/low reward imbalance had elevated risks of poor employee well-being. In addition, results show that the combination of high efforts and high rewards is important for employee well-being. Finally, some practical implications are discussed to combat work stress in health care work.

Mechanisms of physical activity limitation in chronic lung diseases.

PubMed

Vogiatzis, Ioannis; Zakynthinos, George; Andrianopoulos, Vasileios

2012-01-01

In chronic lung diseases physical activity limitation is multifactorial involving respiratory, hemodynamic, and peripheral muscle abnormalities. The mechanisms of limitation discussed in this paper relate to (i) the imbalance between ventilatory capacity and demand, (ii) the imbalance between energy demand and supply to working respiratory and peripheral muscles, and (iii) the factors that induce peripheral muscle dysfunction. In practice, intolerable exertional symptoms (i.e., dyspnea) and/or leg discomfort are the main symptoms that limit physical performance in patients with chronic lung diseases. Furthermore, the reduced capacity for physical work and the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, in an attempt to avoid breathlessness upon physical exertion, cause profound muscle deconditioning which in turn leads to disability and loss of functional independence. Accordingly, physical inactivity is an important component of worsening the patients' quality of life and contributes importantly to poor prognosis. Identifying the factors which prevent a patient with lung disease to easily carry out activities of daily living provides a unique as well as important perspective for the choice of the appropriate therapeutic strategy.

Effectiveness of a participatory physical and psychosocial intervention to balance the demands and resources of industrial workers: A cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gupta, Nidhi; Wåhlin-Jacobsen, Christian Dyrlund; Abildgaard, Johan Simonsen; Henriksen, Louise Nøhr; Nielsen, Karina; Holtermann, Andreas

2018-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a participatory physical and psychosocial workplace intervention (known as PIPPI) on work ability and recovery among industrial workers. Methods Eligible workers were cluster-randomized into intervention (N=193) and control (N=222) groups. Intervention group members participated in three workshops where they mapped positive and negative aspects of their physical and psychosocial work environment and developed action plans addressing the highlighted issues, which were subsequently implemented by the participants. Questionnaire-based data on work ability and recovery were collected at baseline and 8-, 10- and 12-month follow-up. Data on productivity, well-being, mental health, and physical demands and resources were collected at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Results The intervention was delivered and received as planned (100% planned workshops conducted, 69% [standard deviation (SD) 7%] participation in workshops) and with a response rate of 76% (SD 8%) to the questionnaires. No significant between-group improvements for any of the outcomes were found in intention-to-treat multi-level mixed models. On the contrary, tendencies were observed for poorer recovery and reduced work ability in the intervention compared to control group. Conclusion The intervention did not improve the outcomes. This result can have several explanations, such as a regression-toward-the-mean effect or that the intervention might have put an additional burden on the workers already facing high work demands. In addition, there may have been an insufficient match between the intervention components implemented and the predetermined outcomes, and implementation may have been unsuccessful. These potential explanations need to be investigated using process evaluation data.

Job attributes, job satisfaction and the return to health after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment

PubMed Central

Barnes, Andrew J.; Robert, Nicholas; Bradley, Cathy J.

2015-01-01

Background As detection and treatment of cancer has advanced, the number of working age women with breast cancer has increased. This study provides new information on the intersection of breast cancer treatment and job tasks and how, together, they impact employed and newly diagnosed women. Methods The sample comprised 493 employed women within 2 months of initiating treatment. Job satisfaction and demands were assessed by a pre-diagnosis recall along with measures of mental and physical health and assessed again 9 months after initiating treatment. Using seemingly unrelated regression, we tested the effect of job tasks and satisfaction on mental and physical health 9 months post-treatment initiation, controlling for pre-diagnosis health status, patient characteristics, and job tasks. Results Physical job demands prior to diagnosis were not significantly associated with mental or physical health 9 months after treatment initiation. Employment in cognitively demanding and less satisfying jobs was associated with decreases in mental health and increases in problems with work or daily activities 9 months post-treatment initiation (p<0.05). Women who received five or more cycles of chemotherapy reported lower vitality, social functioning, and worse measures of physical health compared with those who did not receive chemotherapy (p<0.05). Conclusions Employment in cognitively demanding and unsatisfying jobs may impede mental health recovery, particularly in patients who receive longer chemotherapy regimens. Such information may be used by patients and clinicians in deciding when to undergo chemotherapy and whether job tasks can be restructured to hasten recovery. PMID:24000141

Job Demands & Pesticide Exposure among Immigrant Latino Farmworkers

PubMed Central

Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Quandt, Sara A.; Vallejos, Quirina M.; Whalley, Lara E.; Chen, Haiying; Isom, Scott; Barr, Dana B.; Arcury, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

The goal of this study was to understand the potential threat of job stressors to farmworker health. To accomplish this goal we studied pesticide exposure, an issue with immediate and long-term health consequences, and predictions from the demands-control model of occupational stress. Longitudinal, self-report data and urine samples were collected at monthly intervals from a cohort of Latino farmworkers (N=287) during the 2007 agricultural season. The primary hypothesis was that greater exposure to psychological demands, physical exertion, and hazardous work conditions are associated with greater odds of detecting DAP urinary pesticide metabolites, biomarkers indicating exposure to pesticides. Contrary to this hypothesis, results indicated that none of the elements of the Demands-Control model were independently associated with detection of DAP urinary pesticide metabolites. However, analyses produced several interaction effects, including evidence that high levels of control may buffer the effects of physical job demands on detection of DAP urinary pesticide metabolites. PMID:20604632

Evaluation of team lifting on work demands, workload and workers' evaluation: an observational field study.

PubMed

Visser, Steven; van der Molen, Henk F; Kuijer, P Paul F M; Hoozemans, Marco J M; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2014-11-01

The objective of this study was to assess differences in work demands, energetic workload and workers' discomfort and physical effort in two regularly observable workdays in ironwork; one where loads up to 50kg were handled with two persons manually (T50) and one where loads up to 100kg were handled manually with four persons (T100). Differences between these typical workdays were assessed with an observational within-subject field study of 10 ironworkers. No significant differences were found for work demands, energetic workload or discomfort between T50 and T100 workdays. During team lifts, load mass exceeded 25kg per person in 57% (T50 workday) and 68% (T100 workday) of the lifts. Seven ironworkers rated team lifting with two persons as less physically demanding compared with lifting with four persons. When loads heavier than 25kg are lifted manually with a team, regulations of the maximum mass weight are frequently violated. Loads heavier than 25kg are frequently lifted during concrete reinforcement work and should be lifted by a team of persons. However, the field study showed that loads above 25kg are most of the time not lifted with the appropriate number of workers. Therefore, loads heavier than 25kg should be lifted mechanically. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Personnel resources in physical therapy: an analysis of supply, career patterns, and methods to enhance availability.

PubMed

Gwyer, J

1995-01-01

Describing the ever-changing supply and demand for physical therapy personnel in the United States is an intricate, complex, and profoundly significant task for the profession. In this article, a review of data relating to the supply of physical therapy personnel in the work force and their typical career patterns is presented. The estimates of the numbers of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are discussed, as are problems associated with such estimates. Studies of career patterns of physical therapists are compared. Changes in the participation rates of women in the physical therapy work force over the last three decades are described. Career expectations, defined as both length and pattern of work-force participation, of entering physical therapy professionals are presented. Strategies to adjust the work-force participation of personnel through changes in the educational process, career patterns, and practice patterns are discussed.

Ageing, working hours and work ability.

PubMed

Costa, G; Sartori, S

2007-11-01

The current paper reports the main results of several studies carried out on Italian workers using the work ability index as a complementary tool for workers' periodical health surveillance. The work ability index shows a general decreasing trend over the years, but it changes differently according to working conditions and personal health status. In jobs with higher mental involvement and autonomy, but lower physical constraint, it remains quite constant and high over the years, while it significantly decreases with a steeper trend the higher the physical work load and the lower the job control are. Sex and working hours appear to act concurrently in influencing work ability, particularly in association with more physically demanding jobs. It is therefore necessary to adopt flexible interventions, able to give ageing shift workers a proper support for maintaining a satisfactory work ability, by means of actions addressed both to work organization and psycho-physical conditions.

Differences in physical workload, psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders between two groups of female hospital cleaners with two diverse organizational models.

PubMed

Unge, Jeannette; Ohlsson, Kerstina; Nordander, Catarina; Hansson, Gert-Ake; Skerfving, Staffan; Balogh, Istvan

2007-11-01

To clarify if differences in the physical workload, the psychosocial factors and in musculoskeletal disorders can be attributed to work organizational factors. The physical workload (muscular activity of m. trapezius, positions and movements of the head, upper arms and wrists and heart rate) was assessed in 24 female hospital cleaners working in a traditional work organization (TO) and in 22 working in an extended one (i.e. with an enlarged work content and more responsibilities; EO). The psychosocial work environment was assessed as job demand, decision latitude and social support in 135 (TO) and 111 (EO) cleaners, and disorders of the neck and upper extremity by a physical examination. The EO group was associated with lower physical workload, in terms of heart rate ratio (23 vs 32; P<0.001), head and upper arm positions and movements (right upper arm, 50th percentile, 35 degrees/s vs 71 degrees/s; P<0.001) and wrist movements (20 degrees/s vs 27 degrees/s; P=0.001), than the TO group. The EO group reported higher decision latitude and lower work demand than the TO one, while we found no difference in social support. The prevalence of complaints and diagnoses in neck/shoulders were lower in the EO group (diagnoses 35% vs 48%; P=0.04). Moreover, the prevalence of subjects with at least ten physical finding in elbows/hands was lower in the EO group (10 vs 29; P<0.001). Hospital cleaners have a high prevalence of neck and upper limb disorders and a high physical workload. Comparing two groups of cleaners, with differences in the way of organizing the work, lower physical workload, more beneficial psychosocial factors and a better musculoskeletal health was found in the group with an extended organization. Hence, the differences found can be attributed to the organizational factors.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the work role functioning questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Gallasch, Cristiane Helena; Alexandre, Neusa Maria Costa; Amick, Benjamin

2007-12-01

The study objectives were to translate and adapt the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ) into the Brazilian Portuguese language and evaluate its reliability in patients experiencing musculoskeletal disorders. The cross-cultural adaptation was performed according to the internationally recommended methodology, using the following guidelines: translation, back-translation, revision by a committee, and pretest. At first, the questionnaire was independently translated by two bilingual translators, who had Portuguese as their mother language. Subsequently, two other translators whose mother language was English did the back-translation. A committee composed of five specialists revised and compared the translations obtained, developing the final version for pretest application. The pretest was carried out with 30 patients experiencing musculoskeletal disorders. Psychometric properties were evaluated by administering the questionnaire to 105 subjects with musculoskeletal disorders and receiving physical therapy treatment. The reliability was estimated through stability and homogeneity assessment. The construct validity was tested comparing subjects experiencing musculoskeletal disorders to healthy workers. The results indicated good content validity and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.95). Cronbach alpha for each scale was >0.85, except for the social demand scale. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for the test-retest reliability was satisfactory for mental demands (ICC = 0.68) and excellent for the others (0.82-0.91). In relation to the construct validity, the mean score obtained for each scale was lower for physical, work scheduling, and output demands in the subjects with musculoskeletal disorders. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the groups in comparison to work scheduling, physical, and output demands. The data showed that the cross-cultural adaptation process was successful and the adapted instrument demonstrated psychometric properties making it reliable to use in Brazilian culture.

Iranian nursing staff's self-reported general and mental health related to working conditions and family situation.

PubMed

Arsalani, N; Fallahi-Khoshknab, M; Josephson, M; Lagerstrom, M

2012-09-01

There is increasing global evidence that today's work environment results in higher risk of adverse health among nursing staff than among other professions. To investigate self-reported general and mental health among Iranian nursing staff, and associations with organizational, physical and psychosocial working conditions and family situation. 520 nursing personnel from 10 university hospitals in Tehran participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire in the Persian language, containing the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, physical items from the Nurse Early eXit Study and two scales relating to general health and mental health from the Short Form-36. The Chi-square test with P<0.05 and logistic regression were used to analyse data. Three out of four nursing staff reported overtime work. The self-reported general and mental health rates of participants were poor/fair (38%, 41%), good (44%, 39%) and very good/excellent (18%, 20%), respectively. Family demands were associated with general health but were not associated with mental health. Adverse physical and psychosocial work conditions gave an elevated odds ratio for poor health. Poor general and mental health was associated with adverse working conditions and family demands. Physical and psychosocial working conditions of nursing personnel should be improved. Social facilities such as daycare for children and care for the elderly should be available during work shifts to help Iranian nurses play their family roles. © 2012 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2012 International Council of Nurses.

Upper Limb Absence: Predictors of Work Participation and Work Productivity.

PubMed

Postema, Sietke G; Bongers, Raoul M; Brouwers, Michael A; Burger, Helena; Norling-Hermansson, Liselotte M; Reneman, Michiel F; Dijkstra, Pieter U; van der Sluis, Corry K

2016-06-01

To analyze work participation, work productivity, contributing factors, and physical work demands of individuals with upper limb absence (ULA). Cross-sectional study: postal survey (response rate, 45%). Twelve rehabilitation centers and orthopedic workshops. Individuals (n=207) with unilateral transverse upper limb reduction deficiency (RD) or acquired amputation (AA), at or proximal to the carpal level, between the ages of 18 and 65 years, and a convenience sample of control subjects (n=90) matched on age and sex. Not applicable. Employment status, self-reported work productivity measured with the Quality-Quantity method, and self-reported upper extremity work demands measured with the Upper Extremity Work Demands scale. Seventy-four percent of the individuals with RD and 57% of the individuals with AA were employed (vs 82% of the control group and 66% of the general population). Male sex, younger age, a medium or higher level of education, prosthesis use, and good general health were predictors of work participation. Work productivity was similar to that of the control group. Higher work productivity was inversely related to musculoskeletal complaint-related pain. When having predominantly mentally demanding work, individuals with ULA perceived higher upper extremity work demands compared with controls. Work participation of individuals with RD was slightly higher compared with that of the general population, whereas employment rates of individuals with AA were slightly lower. Furthermore, work productivity did not differ between individuals with RD, AA, and controls. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational factors associated with obesity and leisure-time physical activity among nurses: A cross sectional study

PubMed Central

Chin, Dal Lae; Nam, Soohyun; Lee, Soo-Jeong

2016-01-01

Background and objective Adverse working conditions contribute to obesity and physical inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of occupational factors with obesity and leisure-time physical activity among nurses. Methods This study used cross-sectional data of 394 nurses (mean age 48 years, 91% females, 61% white) randomly selected from the California Board of Registered Nursing list. Data on demographic and employment characteristics, musculoskeletal symptom comorbidity, physical and psychosocial occupational factors, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity were collected using postal and on-line surveys from January to July in 2013. Results Of the participants, 31% were overweight and 18% were obese; 41% engaged in regular aerobic physical activity (≥150 min/week) and 57% performed regular muscle-strengthening activity (≥2 days/week). In multivariable logistic regression models, overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) was significantly more common among nurse managers/supervisors (OR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.16–5.59) and nurses who worked full-time (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.29–3.70) or worked ≥40 h per week (OR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.58–4.05). Regular aerobic physical activity was significantly associated with high job demand (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.06–2.51). Nurses with passive jobs (low job demand combined with low job control) were significantly less likely to perform aerobic physical activity (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.26–0.93). Regular muscle-strengthening physical activity was significantly less common among nurses working on non-day shifts (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34–0.89). Physical workload was not associated with obesity and physical activity. Conclusions Our study findings suggest that occupational factors significantly contribute to obesity and physical inactivity among nurses. Occupational characteristics in the work environment should be considered in designing effective workplace health promotion programs targeting physical activity and obesity among nurses. PMID:27045565

Determinants of Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent in Home Health Workers: The Role of Job Demands and Resources.

PubMed

Jang, Yuri; Lee, Ahyoung A; Zadrozny, Michelle; Bae, Sung-Heui; Kim, Miyong T; Marti, Nathan C

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this study explored the impact of job demands (physical injury and racial/ethnic discrimination) and resources (self-confidence in job performance and recognition by supervisor/organization/society) on home health workers' employee outcomes (job satisfaction and turnover intent). Using data from the National Home Health Aide Survey (N = 3,354), multivariate models of job satisfaction and turnover intent were explored. In both models, the negative impact of demands (physical injury and racial/ethnic discrimination) and the positive impact of resources (self-confidence in job performance and recognition by supervisor and organization) were observed. The overall findings suggest that physical injury and discrimination should be prioritized in prevention and intervention efforts to improve home health workers' safety and well-being. Attention also needs to be paid to ways to bolster work-related efficacy and to promote an organizational culture of appreciation and respect. © The Author(s) 2015.

Managing the Risky Humanity of Academic Workers: Risk and Reciprocity in University Work-Life Balance Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltmarsh, Sue; Randell-Moon, Holly

2015-01-01

University work-life balance policies increasingly offer academic workers a range of possible options for managing the competing demands of work, family, and community obligations. Flexible work arrangements, family-friendly hours and campus facilities, physical well-being and mental health programs typify strategies for formally acknowledging the…

Sex differences in physical and mental functioning of Japanese civil servants: explanations from work and family characteristics.

PubMed

Sekine, Michikazu; Chandola, Tarani; Martikainen, Pekka; Marmot, Michael; Kagamimori, Sadanobu

2010-12-01

Poor physical and mental functioning are more common among women than men and those with disadvantaged work and family characteristics. This study aims to clarify whether sex differences in health functioning can be explained by sex differences in work and family characteristics. The subjects were 3787 civil servants (2525 men and 1262 women), aged 20-65, working in a local government on the west coast of Japan. A questionnaire survey was conducted in January 2003. Low employment grade, high demands, long work hours, shift work, being unmarried, having no young children, high family-to-work conflict and high work-to-family conflict were more common among women than men and were independently associated with poor physical and mental functioning. The age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of women for poor health functioning were 1.80 for poor physical functioning and 1.77 for poor mental functioning. When adjusted for employment grade and work characteristics (control, demand, support, work hours, and shift work), the sex differences in health functioning attenuated. When adjusted for family characteristics (family structure and work-family conflicts), the sex differences in health functioning further attenuated and were no longer statistically significant. Sex differences in family characteristics contributed more to sex difference in mental functioning than sex differences in work characteristics. Japan belongs to conservative welfare regimes. In such countries, men are able to concentrate on their work with relative freedom from their family tasks and responsibilities, whereas women feel difficulties in maintaining their work-life balances. Such sex differences in work- and family-related stresses may contribute to sex difference in health. Longitudinal research is necessary to clarify the causal nature of these associations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in midlife on health functioning after labor market exit--results from the GAZEL study.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Sembajwe, Grace; Zins, Marie; Berkman, Lisa; Goldberg, Marcel; Siegrist, Johannes

2012-07-01

To study long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in mid-life on health functioning after labor market exit using two established work stress models. In the frame of the prospective French Gazel cohort study, data on psychosocial work stress were assessed using the full questionnaires measuring the demand-control-support model (in 1997 and 1999) and the effort-reward imbalance model (in 1998). In 2007, health functioning was assessed, using the Short Form 36 mental and physical component scores. Multivariate regressions were calculated to predict health functioning in 2007, controlling for age, gender, social position, and baseline self-perceived health. Consistent effects of both work stress models and their single components on mental and physical health functioning during retirement were observed. Effects remained significant after adjustment including baseline self-perceived health. Whereas the predictive power of both work stress models was similar in the case of the physical composite score, in the case of the mental health score, values of model fit were slightly higher for the effort-reward imbalance model (R(2): 0.13) compared with the demand-control model (R²: 0.11). Findings underline the importance of working conditions in midlife not only for health in midlife but also for health functioning after labor market exit.

The Employer Perspective on Sustainable Employability in the Construction Industry.

PubMed

Tonnon, Susanne C; van der Veen, Rozan; Westerman, Marjan J; Robroek, Suzan J W; van der Ploeg, Hidde P; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I

2017-01-01

To determine the measures employers in the construction industry take to promote sustainable employability, the barriers and facilitators that influence implementation and employer needs. Questionnaire among 499 employers and interviews with 17 employers. Employers expressed a need for alternative jobs for workers who can no longer perform physically demanding tasks, as well as means to stimulate proactive employee behavior. Measures frequently targeted the work environment (95%) and employee health (79%), less frequently personal development (63%) and organization (65%). Implementation was influenced by economic factors, rules and regulations, client demands, employee demands, company vision, company culture, and time/manpower/expertise. Implementation of measures aimed at reducing physical load and the promotion of personal development are needed.

Changes in psychosocial and physical working conditions and psychotropic medication in ageing public sector employees: a record-linkage follow-up study.

PubMed

Kouvonen, Anne; Mänty, Minna; Lallukka, Tea; Pietiläinen, Olli; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2017-07-12

To investigate whether changes in psychosocial and physical working conditions are associated with subsequent psychotropic medication in ageing employees. Data were from the Helsinki Health Study, a cohort study of Finnish municipal employees, aged 40-60 years at phase 1 (2000-2002). Changes in psychosocial and physical working conditions were measured between phase 1 and phase 2 (2007). Survey data were longitudinally linked to data on prescribed, reimbursed psychotropic medication purchases (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical) obtained from the registers of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland between the phase 2 survey and December 2013 (N=3587; 80% women). Outcomes were any psychotropic medication; antidepressants (N06A); anxiolytics (N05B); and sedatives and hypnotics (N05C). Cox regression analyses were performed. During the follow-up, 28% of the participants were prescribed psychotropic medication. Repeated exposures to low job control, high job demands and high physical work load were associated with an increased risk of subsequent antidepressant and anxiolytic medication. Increased and repeated exposure to high physical work load, increased job control and repeated high job demands were associated with subsequent sedative and hypnotic medication. Age and sex-adjusted HR varied from 1.18 to 1.66. Improvement in job control was associated with a lower risk of anxiolytic, but with a higher risk of sedatives and hypnotic medication. Decreased physical work load was associated with a lower risk of antidepressant and anxiolytic medications. Improvement in working conditions could lower the risk of mental ill-health indicated by psychotropic medication. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Creating a climate for ergonomic changes in the construction industry.

PubMed

Boatman, Laura; Chaplan, Debra; Teran, Suzanne; Welch, Laura S

2015-08-01

Ergonomic solutions that have gained acceptance in other industries are often considered not applicable to a construction work environment, even though the industry is characterized by high physical work demands. We conducted 50 key informant interviews with 23 contractor representatives and 27 union staff, plus 4 focus groups with a total of 48 workers. Many workers hold the belief that WMSDs are inevitable as part of the job, and did not consistently believe that changing the nature of the work could prevent that injury or pain. The interviewees reported limited availability and accessibility of tested and effective tools that both reduce physical demand and also get the job done efficiently and effectively. Yet for each major obstacle to implementation of ergonomics in the industry identified, the construction professionals we interviewed offered a variety of solutions. Contractors, unions, and workers need to work together to find actions that work within the parameters of the current economic environment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Working in small-scale, homelike dementia care: effects on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Zwakhalen, Sandra MG; Hamers, Jan PH; van Rossum, Erik; Ambergen, Ton; Kempen, Gertrudis IJM; Verbeek, Hilde

2018-01-01

Aim This paper reports on a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study on the effects of working in a new type of dementia care facility (i.e. small-scale living facilities) on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics (job autonomy, social support, physical demands and workload). Methods It is hypothesised that nursing staff working in small-scale facilities experience fewer burnout symptoms, more autonomy and social support, and fewer symptoms of physical demands and workload compared with staff in regular wards. Two types of long-term institutional nursing care settings were included: 28 houses in small-scale living facilities and 21 regular psychogeriatric wards in nursing homes. At baseline and at follow-ups after 6 and 12 months nursing staff were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. In total, 305 nursing staff members were included in the study, 114 working in small-scale living facilities (intervention group) and 191 in regular wards (control group). Results No overall effects on burnout symptoms were detected. Significantly fewer physical demands and lower workload were experienced by staff working in small-scale living facilities compared with staff in regular wards. They also experienced more job autonomy. No significant effect was found for overall social support in the total group. Conclusions This study suggests positive effects of the work environment on several work characteristics. Organisational climate differs in the two conditions, which might account for our results. This may influence nursing staff well-being and has important implications for nursing home managers and policy makers. Future studies should enhance our understanding of the influence of job characteristics on outcomes. PMID:29805471

Job strain variations in relation to plasma testosterone fluctuations in working men--a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Theorell, T; Karasek, R A; Eneroth, P

1990-01-01

Job strain, a high level of psychological demands combined with a low level of decision latitude, has been hypothesized to induce mobilization of energy and inhibition of anabolism. In the present project this hypothesis was tested using four repeated observations every third month in a group of 44 men working in six widely different occupations. On each occasion scores of self-reported demands and decision latitude were calculated for every participant. An earlier report has shown that systolic blood pressure during work hours--an indicator of mobilization of energy--increased with increasing job strain (ratio between demands and decision latitude). Blood samples were drawn in the morning at the work site. For each man the plasma testosterone levels--representing the general level of anabolic activity--on the two occasions with the worst strain (ratio between demands and decision latitude) were compared with the plasma testosterone levels on the two occasions with the least strain. The results indicated that total plasma testosterone (but not free testosterone) levels increased when strain diminished in sedentary but not in physically demanding work. Subjects with a family history of hypertension showed a greater decrease in testosterone levels than others when job strain increased.

Occupational class inequalities in health across employment sectors: the contribution of working conditions.

PubMed

Lahelma, Eero; Laaksonen, Mikko; Aittomäki, Akseli

2009-01-01

While health inequalities among employees are well documented, their variation and determinants among employee subpopulations are poorly understood. We examined variations in occupational class inequalities in health within four employment sectors and the contribution of working conditions to these inequalities. Cross-sectional data from the Helsinki Health Study in 2000-2002 were used. Each year, employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40-60 years, received a mailed questionnaire (n = 8,960, 80% women, overall response rate for 3 years 67%). The outcome was physical health functioning measured by the overall physical component summary of SF-36. The socioeconomic indicator was occupational social class. Employment sectors studied were health care, education, social welfare and administration (n = 6,557). Physical and mental workload, and job demands and job control were explanatory factors. Inequality indices from logistic regression analysis were calculated. Occupational class inequalities in physical health functioning were slightly larger in education (1.47) than in the other sectors (1.43-1.40). Physical workload explained 95% of inequalities in social welfare and 32-36% in the other sectors. Job control also partly explained health inequalities. However, adjusting for mental workload and job demands resulted in larger health inequalities. Inequalities in physical health functioning were found within each employment sector, with minor variation in their magnitude. Physical workload was the main explanation for these inequalities, but its contribution varied between the sectors. In contrast, considering psychosocial working conditions led to wider inequalities. Improving physical working conditions among the lower occupational classes would help reduce health inequalities within different employment sectors.

Assembly work in Indonesia and in Sweden--ergonomics, health and satisfaction.

PubMed

Waluyo, L; Ekberg, K; Eklund, J

1996-02-01

Work conditions in industrial production vary substantially between different cultures. In the present study the aims were to identify differences between Swedish and Indonesian assembly industry workers regarding work environment factors, health and job satisfaction, and to find associations between work environment factors, and the health measures. Data were collected by a questionnaire from 326 Swedish and 136 Indonesian assembly industry workers, interviews and from company documents. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was high in both groups. Stress and psychosomatic symptoms had higher prevalences in the Swedish group, which also rated their work conditions as worse in most respects. Work tasks were physically heavier in Indonesia, but less monotonous and with lower demands on productivity. The Indonesians were more satisfied with their jobs. Physical job demands were associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. Competence development was associated with increased job satisfaction. Conflicts and harassments at work were associated with stress and psychosomatic symptoms. Job pressure, especially deficient planning of the jobs was associated with lower job satisfaction, psychosomatic and stress symptoms in the Swedish group. Implications for job design in the two cultures are presented.

Impact of the Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arion, Douglas

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs has worked diligently to develop recommendations for what physics programs could and should be doing to prepare graduates for 21st century careers. While the `traditional' physics curriculum has served for many years, the demands of the new workforce, and the recognition that only a few percent of physics students actually become faculty - the vast majority entering the workforce and applying their skills to a very diverse range of problems, projects, and products - implies that a review of the education undergraduates receives is in order. The outcomes of this study point to the need to provide greater connection between the education process and the actual skills, knowledge, and abilities that the workplace demands. This presentation will summarize these considerations, and show how entrepreneurship and innovation programs and curricula are a particularly effective means of bringing these elements to physics students.

Association between perceived present working conditions and demands versus attitude to early retirement among construction workers.

PubMed

Jebens, Einar; Medbø, Jon I; Knutsen, Oddvar; Mamen, Asgeir; Veiersted, Kaj Bo

2014-01-01

Early retirement is an increasing problem in the construction industry. There is limited information about causes leading employees to leave working life early. We have compared construction workers present situation with their perception of future demands at work to avoid early retirement. All 87 employees in a medium-sized Norwegian construction company participated in the study. All were men and answered questionnaires on health and pain, work ability, mechanical exposure, psychosocial conditions, and demands regarding future working conditions. Most workers showed good work ability, irrespective of age. Many reported high levels of mechanical exposure at work. The level of musculoskeletal pain was higher in the middle-aged (30-50 year old) age groups and seniors aged over 50 years than among the youngest workers less than 30 years of age. All workers reported that good health was important for continued working. Most workers stated that future work must not be too physically demanding. Many workers reported relatively low job satisfaction; consequently an interesting job was rated as important for continuing work. Good social conditions were a high priority. According to the examined construction workers, good health and reduced levels of mechanical exposure at work are essential to avoid early retirement.

Computer use, symptoms, and quality of life.

PubMed

Hayes, John R; Sheedy, James E; Stelmack, Joan A; Heaney, Catherine A

2007-08-01

To model the effects of computer use on reported visual and physical symptoms and to measure the effects upon quality of life measures. A survey of 1000 university employees (70.5% adjusted response rate) assessed visual and physical symptoms, job, physical and mental demands, ability to control/influence work, amount of work at a computer, computer work environment, relations with others at work, life and job satisfaction, and quality of life. Data were analyzed to determine whether self-reported eye symptoms are associated with perceived quality of life. The study also explored the factors that are associated with eye symptoms. Structural equation modeling and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the hypotheses. Seventy percent of the employees used some form of vision correction during computer use, 2.9% used glasses specifically prescribed for computer use, and 8% had had refractive surgery. Employees spent an average of 6 h per day at the computer. In a multiple regression framework, the latent variable eye symptoms was significantly associated with a composite quality of life variable (p = 0.02) after adjusting for job quality, job satisfaction, supervisor relations, co-worker relations, mental and physical load of the job, and job demand. Age and gender were not significantly associated with symptoms. After adjusting for age, gender, ergonomics, hours at the computer, and exercise, eye symptoms were significantly associated with physical symptoms (p < 0.001) accounting for 48% of the variance. Environmental variability at work was associated with eye symptoms and eye symptoms demonstrated a significant impact on quality of life and physical symptoms.

Work load and individual factors affecting work ability among aging municipal employees.

PubMed

Tuomi, K; Eskelinen, L; Toikkanen, J; Jarvinen, E; Ilmarinen, J; Klockars, M

1991-01-01

The effects of work stressors, individual characteristics, symptoms, and diseases on work ability were studied among 4255 municipal employees. Work ability was assessed by a work ability index in two cross-sectional inquiries, one in 1981 and the other in 1985. The most impairing for work ability were mental symptoms and musculoskeletal disease. Among the work stressors, high physical demands at work, poor physical work environment, and lack of freedom were associated with impaired work ability. Muscular work, disturbing temperatures at the workplace, and lack of freedom particularly affected employees with disease, whereas poor work postures and role conflicts at work were particularly injurious for healthy employees. The worst situation was observed when a worker with many symptoms and disease was exposed to many different work stressors. Life satisfaction, sitting work posture, a good basic education, and physical exercise during leisure time were associated with good work ability.

Work Factors, Work-Family Conflict, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Healthy Intentions: A Cross-Cultural Study.

PubMed

Shukri, Madihah; Jones, Fiona; Conner, Mark

2016-12-01

The present study examined the roles of work factors (i.e. job demands and job resources), work-family conflicts and culture on predictors of healthy intentions (fruit and vegetable consumption, low-fat diet and physical activity) within the framework of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Employees from the United Kingdom (N = 278) and Malaysia (N = 325) participated in the study. Results indicated that higher job demands were significantly related to lower intentions to eat a low-fat diet. Women reported higher intentions to eat a low-fat diet than men did, while participants from the United Kingdom had lower intentions to engage in physical activity compared with those from Malaysia. The efficacy of TPB variables in explaining intentions was verified, with perceived behavioural control (i.e. self-efficacy), attitudes and descriptive norms combined with past behaviour predictive across the samples. The results also suggest the roles of culture and work interference with family variables in moderating TPB-intention relationships and confirm that TPB variables mediate the effects of job demands and job resources on intentions. Practically, to promote health, identifying strategies to reduce stress factors; specifying important cognitive factors affecting work factors and thus, healthy intentions; and acknowledging cultural-specific determinants of healthy intentions are recommended. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Motor activity as a way of preventing musculoskeletal problems in string musicians.

PubMed

Wilke, Christiane; Priebus, Julian; Biallas, Bianca; Froböse, Ingo

2011-03-01

The health status of performing artists, especially musicians, was not an issue for medical research until the 1980s. Musicians tend to suffer from health-related problems, as playing an instrument demands long and intensive practice. This paper provides a literature review of health problems of string players in particular. It analyzes whether their problems are playing-related or if various parameters potentially influence their health state, and it subsequently presents a concept of efficient training. Health disorders and diseases are individual. In order to ensure efficient prevention, a profile of qualification, including physical and psychological aspects as well as key skills, allows developing an individual training schedule and thus should be included in the process of prevention. Physical performance plays a decisive role and is more important than commonly thought. Strength, endurance, and flexibility in particular have an immense influence on the musician's performance. Playing an instrument requires both physical and mental skills, and all too often this leads to excessive demands. It is necessary to highlight the possible causes and provide the musician with a therapeutic intervention and educational work. As the demand for preventative work in this field grows steadily, this paper draws a detailed concept of a therapeutic intervention.

Job stress dimension and work-related musculoskeletal disorders among southeast Nigerian physiotherapists.

PubMed

Abaraogu, Ukachukwu Okoroafor; Ezema, Charles Ikechukwu; Nwosu, Chinenye Kosisochukwu

2017-09-01

Although publications describe physical demands of the job in the physiotherapy profession, there is a dearth of literature on job stress dimensions (JSDs), and their relationship to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). To investigate JSDs and their relationship to WMSDs among physiotherapists currently practicing in southeast Nigeria. A cross-sectional study using items related to the Job Content Questionnaire and the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics, and the relationship between WMSDs and JSDs was analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. A total of 126 physiotherapists responded. There were high levels of stress in most of the job dimensions investigated: 82.1% and 22.8% of the physiotherapists had WMSDs in at least one body region in the last 12 months and the last 7 days respectively. The lower back was the most commonly affected in both periods. No specific domain was related to development of WMSDs. Over 80% of physiotherapists in southeast Nigeria have WMSDs. However, despite high levels of physical demands on the job, physiotherapists have job control and good social support. Intervention programs aimed at reducing WMSDs in physiotherapists should focus on risk factors that target the physical demands of the job.

Work, work-life conflict and health in an industrial work environment.

PubMed

Hämmig, O; Bauer, G F

2014-01-01

Work-life conflict has been poorly studied as a cause of ill-health in occupational medicine. To study associations between physical and psychosocial working conditions, including work-life conflict on the one hand and general, physical and mental health outcomes on the other. Cross-sectional data were used from an employee survey among the workforces of four medium-sized and large companies in Switzerland. Physical work factors included five demands and exposures such as heavy loads, repetitive work and poor posture. Psychosocial factors included 14 demands and limited resources such as time pressure, overtime, monotonous work, job insecurity, low job autonomy, low social support and work-life conflict. Health outcomes studied were self-rated health, sickness absence, musculoskeletal disorders, sleep disorders, stress and burnout. There was a response rate of 49%; 2014 employees participated. All adverse working conditions were positively associated with several poor health outcomes in both men and women. After mutual adjustment for all work factors and additional covariates, only a few, mainly psychosocial work factors remained significant as risk factors for health. Work-life conflict, a largely neglected work-related psychosocial factor in occupational medicine, turned out to be the only factor that was significantly and strongly associated with all studied health outcomes and was consistently found to be the strongest or second strongest of all the studied risk factors. Even in an industrial work environment, psychosocial work factors, and particularly work-life conflict, play a key role and need to be taken into consideration in research and workplace health promotion.

Need for recovery from work related fatigue and its role in the development and prediction of subjective health complaints

PubMed Central

Sluiter, J; de Croon, E M; Meijman, T; Frings-Dresen, M

2003-01-01

Aims: To present the available empirical evidence for the assumed position of the concept of work related fatigue as: (1) short term effect of the working day; and (2) an intermediate variable between work demands and the development of subjective health complaints and sickness absence. Methods: Results from six single occupation studies, conducted between 1996 and 2002, are presented. Work demands (working hours, decision latitude, break control/autonomy, and mental, emotional, and physical demands) were assessed through validated scales. Work related fatigue was represented and assessed by means of the need for recovery after working time scale in all studies. Subjective health complaints and duration of sickness absence were quantified with the same instruments in most studies as well. Both cross sectional studies (four) as well as prospective studies (two; up to two years follow up) were performed. Cross sectional data of 3820 workers, in total, were available. Prospective data were accessible for 1200 workers in industry and health care. Models were tested with stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results: Strong associations between work demands and need for necovery were found in different occupations. The variance explained in need for recovery by work demands, age, and (baseline) need for recovery ranged between 14% and 48% in both types of studies. The amount of explained variance by work demands, age, and (baseline) need for recovery in subjective health complaints ranged between 24% and 58% in the different occupations. The prospective data showed the prognostic value of need for recovery in relation to subjective health complaints (in terms of psychosomatic complaints, emotional exhaustion, or sleep problems) and duration of future sickness absence. Conclusions: The hypothesised role for work related fatigue as a link in the causal string of events, that is assumed to exist between repeated adverse work demands and the development of work related stress reactions, (psychological) overload and, eventually, health problems, was confirmed. PMID:12782749

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Content Knowledge of Electric and Magnetic Field Concepts: Conceptual Facets and Their Balance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nousiainen, Maija; Koponen, Ismo T.

2017-01-01

The concepts of electricity and magnetism in physics are complex and demanding to learn because their meaning builds through several different phenomenological areas. Each of the phenomenological areas adds a certain facet of the meaning of the concept. All standard physics textbooks discuss at least 1) force, 2) energy and work, and 3) electric…

20 CFR 404.1560 - When we will consider your vocational background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... benefits based on disability which began before age 22, or widow's or widower's benefits based on... section. (b) Past relevant work. We will first compare our assessment of your residual functional capacity with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant work. (1) Definition of past relevant work...

Job strain and unhealthy lifestyle: results from the baseline cohort study, Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Griep, Rosane Härter; Nobre, Aline Araújo; Alves, Márcia Guimarães de Mello; da Fonseca, Maria de Jesus Mendes; Cardoso, Letícia de Oliveira; Giatti, Luana; Melo, Enirtes Caetano Prates; Toivanen, Susanna; Chor, Dóra

2015-03-31

Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking and sedentary behavior, are among the main modifiable risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases. The workplace is regarded as an important site of potential health risks where preventive strategies can be effective. We investigated independent associations among psychosocial job strain, leisure-time physical inactivity, and smoking in public servants in the largest Brazilian adult cohort. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)-a multicenter prospective cohort study of civil servants. Our analytical samples comprised 11,779 and 11,963 current workers for, respectively, analyses of job strain and leisure-time physical activity and analyses of job strain and smoking. Job strain was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Swedish Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire; physical activity was evaluated using a short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We also examined smoking status and number of cigarettes smoked per day. The association reported in this paper was assessed by means of multinomial and logistic regression, stratified by sex. Among men, compared with low-strain activities (low demand and high control), job strain showed an association with physical inactivity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-1.64) or with the practice of physical activities of less than recommended duration (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.15-1.82). Among women, greater likelihood of physical inactivity was identified among job-strain and passive-job groups (OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.22-1.77 and OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.20-1.67, respectively). Greater control at work was a protective factor for physical inactivity among both men and women. Social support at work was a protective factor for physical inactivity among women, as was smoking for both genders. We observed no association between demand or control dimensions and smoking. Job strain, job control, and social support were associated with physical activity. Social support at work was protective of smoking. Our results are comparable to those found in more developed countries; they provide additional evidence of an association between an adverse psychosocial work environment and health-related behaviors.

Pain-related work interference is a key factor in a worker/workplace model of work absence duration due to musculoskeletal conditions in Canadian nurses.

PubMed

Murray, Eleanor; Franche, Renée-Louise; Ibrahim, Selahadin; Smith, Peter; Carnide, Nancy; Côté, Pierre; Gibson, Jane; Guzman, Jaime; Koehoorn, Mieke; Mustard, Cameron

2013-12-01

To examine the role of pain experiences in relation to work absence, within the context of other worker health factors and workplace factors among Canadian nurses with work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Structural equation modeling was used on a sample of 941 employed, female, direct care nurses with at least one day of work absence due to a work-related MSK injury, from the cross-sectional 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses. The final model suggests that pain severity and pain-related work interference mediate the impact of the following worker health and workplace factors on work absence duration: depression, back problems, age, unionization, workplace physical demands and low job control. The model accounted for 14 % of the variance in work absence duration and 46.6 % of the variance in pain-related work interference. Our findings support a key role for pain severity and pain-related work interference in mediating the effects of workplace factors and worker health factors on work absence duration. Future interventions should explore reducing pain-related work interference through addressing workplace issues, such as providing modified work, reducing physical demands, and increasing job control.

Work stress precipitates depression and anxiety in young, working women and men.

PubMed

Melchior, Maria; Caspi, Avshalom; Milne, Barry J; Danese, Andrea; Poulton, Richie; Moffitt, Terrie E

2007-08-01

Rates of depression have been rising, as have rates of work stress. We tested the influence of work stress on diagnosed depression and anxiety in young working adults. Participants were enrolled in the Dunedin study, a 1972-1973 longitudinal birth cohort assessed most recently in 2004-2005, at age 32 (n=972, 96% of 1015 cohort members still alive). Work stress (psychological job demands, work decision latitude, low work social support, physical work demands) was ascertained by interview. Major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) were ascertained using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) and diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. Participants exposed to high psychological job demands (excessive workload, extreme time pressures) had a twofold risk of MDD or GAD compared to those with low job demands. Relative risks (RRs) adjusting for all work characteristics were: 1.90 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-2.98] in women, and 2.00 (95% CI 1.13-3.56) in men. Analyses ruled out the possibility that the association between work stress and disorder resulted from study members' socio-economic position, a personality tendency to report negatively, or a history of psychiatric disorder prior to labour-market entry. Prospective longitudinal analyses showed that high-demand jobs were associated with the onset of new depression and anxiety disorder in individuals without any pre-job history of diagnosis or treatment for either disorder. Work stress appears to precipitate diagnosable depression and anxiety in previously healthy young workers. Helping workers cope with work stress or reducing work stress levels could prevent the occurrence of clinically significant depression and anxiety.

Counterbalancing work-related stress? Work engagement among intensive care professionals.

PubMed

van Mol, Margo M C; Nijkamp, Marjan D; Bakker, Jan; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; Kompanje, Erwin J O

2018-07-01

Working in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is increasingly complex and is also physically, cognitively and emotionally demanding. Although the negative emotions of work-related stress have been well studied, the opposite perspective of work engagement might also provide valuable insight into how these emotional demands may be countered. This study focused on the work engagement of ICU professionals and explored the complex relationship between work engagement, job demands and advantageous personal resources. This was a cross-sectional survey study among ICU professionals in a single-centre university hospital. Work engagement was measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, which included items about opinions related to the respondent's work environment. Additionally, 14 items based on the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy were included to measure empathic ability. A digital link to the questionnaire was sent in October 2015 to a population of 262 ICU nurses and 53 intensivists. The overall response rate was 61% (n=193). Work engagement was negatively related both to cognitive demands among intensivists and to emotional demands among ICU nurses. No significant relationship was found between work engagement and empathic ability; however, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability were highly correlated with work engagement. Only the number of hours worked per week remained as a confounding factor, with a negative effect of workload on work engagement after controlling for the effect of weekly working hours. Work engagement counterbalances work-related stress reactions. The relatively high workload in ICUs, coupled with an especially heavy emotional burden, may be acknowledged as an integral part of ICU work. This workload does not affect the level of work engagement, which was high for both intensivists and nurses despite the known high job demands. Specific factors that contribute to a healthy and successful work life among ICU professionals need further exploration. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classroom-Based Physical Activity Breaks and Children's Attention: Cognitive Engagement Works!

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Mirko; Benzing, Valentin; Kamer, Mario

2016-01-01

Classroom-based physical activity breaks are postulated to positively impact children's attention during their school day. However, empirical evidence for this claim is scarce and the role of cognitive engagement in enhancing children's attentional performance is unexplored in studies on physical activity breaks. The aim of the present study was therefore to disentangle the separate and/or combined effects of physical exertion and cognitive engagement induced by physical activity breaks on primary school children's attention. In addition, the role of children's affective reactions to acute interventions at school was investigated. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, 92 children between the ages of 11 and 12 years (M = 11.77, SD = 0.41) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (1) combo group (physical activity with high cognitive demands), (2) cognition group (sedentary with high cognitive demands), (3) physical group (physical activity with low cognitive demands), and (4) control group (sedentary with low cognitive demands). Attention and affect were measured before and immediately after a 10-min intervention. ANCOVAs revealed that whereas physical exertion had no effect on any measure of children's attentional performance, cognitive engagement was the crucial factor leading to increased focused attention and enhanced processing speed. Mediational analyses showed that changes in positive affect during the interventions mediated the effect between cognitive engagement and focused attention as well as between cognitive engagement and processing speed. These surprising results are discussed in the light of theories predicting both facilitating and deteriorative effects of positive affect on attention. PMID:27757088

The evaluation of team lifting on physical work demands and workload in ironworkers.

PubMed

van der Molen, Henk F; Visser, Steven; Kuijer, P Paul F M; Faber, Gert; Hoozemans, Marco J M; van Dieën, Jaap H; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2012-01-01

Lifting and carrying heavy loads occur frequently among ironworkers and result in high prevalence and incidence rates of low back complaints, injuries and work-disability. From a health perspective, little information is available on the effect of team lifting on work demands and workload. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the effects of team lifting of maximally 50 kg by two ironworkers (T50) with team lifting of maximally 100 kg by four ironworkers (T100). This study combined a field and laboratory study with the following outcome measures: duration and frequency of tasks and activities, energetic workload, perceived discomfort and maximal compression forces (Fc peak) on the low back. The physical work demands and workload of an individual iron worker during manual handling of rebar materials of 100 kg with four workers did not differ from the manual handling of rebar materials of 50 kg with two workers, with the exception of low back discomfort and Fc peak. The biomechanical workload of the low back exceeded for both T50 and T100 the NIOSH threshold limit of 3400N. Therefore, mechanical transport or other effective design solutions should be considered to reduce the biomechanical workload of the low back and the accompanying health risks among iron workers.

The Work Role Functioning Questionnaire v2.0 Showed Consistent Factor Structure Across Six Working Samples.

PubMed

Abma, Femke I; Bültmann, Ute; Amick Iii, Benjamin C; Arends, Iris; Dorland, Heleen F; Flach, Peter A; van der Klink, Jac J L; van de Ven, Hardy A; Bjørner, Jakob Bue

2017-09-09

Objective The Work Role Functioning Questionnaire v2.0 (WRFQ) is an outcome measure linking a persons' health to the ability to meet work demands in the twenty-first century. We aimed to examine the construct validity of the WRFQ in a heterogeneous set of working samples in the Netherlands with mixed clinical conditions and job types to evaluate the comparability of the scale structure. Methods Confirmatory factor and multi-group analyses were conducted in six cross-sectional working samples (total N = 2433) to evaluate and compare a five-factor model structure of the WRFQ (work scheduling demands, output demands, physical demands, mental and social demands, and flexibility demands). Model fit indices were calculated based on RMSEA ≤ 0.08 and CFI ≥ 0.95. After fitting the five-factor model, the multidimensional structure of the instrument was evaluated across samples using a second order factor model. Results The factor structure was robust across samples and a multi-group model had adequate fit (RMSEA = 0.63, CFI = 0.972). In sample specific analyses, minor modifications were necessary in three samples (final RMSEA 0.055-0.080, final CFI between 0.955 and 0.989). Applying the previous first order specifications, a second order factor model had adequate fit in all samples. Conclusion A five-factor model of the WRFQ showed consistent structural validity across samples. A second order factor model showed adequate fit, but the second order factor loadings varied across samples. Therefore subscale scores are recommended to compare across different clinical and working samples.

Long-term Effects of Psychosocial Work Stress in Midlife on Health Functioning After Labor Market Exit—Results From the GAZEL Study

PubMed Central

Sembajwe, Grace; Zins, Marie; Berkman, Lisa; Goldberg, Marcel; Siegrist, Johannes

2012-01-01

Objectives. To study long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in mid-life on health functioning after labor market exit using two established work stress models. Methods. In the frame of the prospective French Gazel cohort study, data on psychosocial work stress were assessed using the full questionnaires measuring the demand-control-support model (in 1997 and 1999) and the effort–reward imbalance model (in 1998). In 2007, health functioning was assessed, using the Short Form 36 mental and physical component scores. Multivariate regressions were calculated to predict health functioning in 2007, controlling for age, gender, social position, and baseline self-perceived health. Results. Consistent effects of both work stress models and their single components on mental and physical health functioning during retirement were observed. Effects remained significant after adjustment including baseline self-perceived health. Whereas the predictive power of both work stress models was similar in the case of the physical composite score, in the case of the mental health score, values of model fit were slightly higher for the effort–reward imbalance model (R²: 0.13) compared with the demand-control model (R²: 0.11). Conclusions. Findings underline the importance of working conditions in midlife not only for health in midlife but also for health functioning after labor market exit. PMID:22546992

Work-related psychosocial stress and risk of preterm, low birthweight delivery.

PubMed Central

Homer, C J; James, S A; Siegel, E

1990-01-01

We investigated whether work-related psychologic stress--defined as work characterized by both high psychologic demands and limited control over the response to these demands--increases a woman's risk of delivering a preterm, low birthweight infant. We studied 786 employed pregnant women included in the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience, Youth Cohort (NLSY), a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young adults. Data concerning work status, job title, and other factors affecting pregnancy outcome were obtained from the NLSY. Assessment of job experience was based on job title, using an established catalogue of occupation characteristics. After accounting for the physical exertion entailed in a job, occupational psychologic stress as measured by job title was not associated with preterm, low birthweight delivery for the sample as a whole (Relative risk = 1.16, 95% confidence interval .45, 2.95). For those women who did not want to remain in the work force, work-related stress increased their risk of experiencing this outcome (RR = 8.1, 95% CI 1.5, 50.2). Personal motivation toward work, as well as the physical effort of work, should be considered in evaluating the impact of a job's psychologic characteristics on pregnancy outcome. PMID:2297061

Work-related psychosocial stress and risk of preterm, low birthweight delivery.

PubMed

Homer, C J; James, S A; Siegel, E

1990-02-01

We investigated whether work-related psychologic stress--defined as work characterized by both high psychologic demands and limited control over the response to these demands--increases a woman's risk of delivering a preterm, low birthweight infant. We studied 786 employed pregnant women included in the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience, Youth Cohort (NLSY), a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young adults. Data concerning work status, job title, and other factors affecting pregnancy outcome were obtained from the NLSY. Assessment of job experience was based on job title, using an established catalogue of occupation characteristics. After accounting for the physical exertion entailed in a job, occupational psychologic stress as measured by job title was not associated with preterm, low birthweight delivery for the sample as a whole (Relative risk = 1.16, 95% confidence interval .45, 2.95). For those women who did not want to remain in the work force, work-related stress increased their risk of experiencing this outcome (RR = 8.1, 95% CI 1.5, 50.2). Personal motivation toward work, as well as the physical effort of work, should be considered in evaluating the impact of a job's psychologic characteristics on pregnancy outcome.

A Compendium of the Physiological Demands of the 32 Critical Physically Demanding Tasks of Combat Arms Soldiers

DTIC Science & Technology

As part of the U.S. Army Physical Demands Study (which led to the development of the Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT)), 32 physically ...demanding tasks were identified as being critical to combat arms soldiers. In order to identify the most physically demanding of those tests, data were...comprehensive reference of the physiological demands of the critical physically demanding tasks of combat arms Soldiers.

Psychosocial work factors and sleep problems: findings from the French national SIP survey.

PubMed

Chazelle, Emilie; Chastang, Jean-François; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2016-04-01

This study aimed at exploring the cross-sectional and prospective associations between psychosocial work factors and sleep problems. The study population consisted of a national representative sample of the French working population (SIP survey). The sample sizes were 7506 and 3555 for the cross-sectional and prospective analyses. Sleep problems were defined by either sleep disturbances or insufficient sleep duration at least several times a week. Psychosocial work factors included classical (job strain model factors) and emergent factors (recognition, insecurity, role/ethical conflict, emotional demands, work-life imbalance, etc.). Occupational factors related to working time/hours and physical work environment were also included as well as covariates related to factors outside work. Statistical analyses were performed using weighted Poisson regression analysis. In the cross-sectional analyses, psychological demands, low social support, low recognition, emotional demands, perception of danger, work-life imbalance and night work were found to be associated with sleep problems. In the prospective analyses, psychological demands and night work were predictive of sleep problems. Using a less conservative method, more factors were found to be associated with sleep problems. Dose-response associations were observed, showing that the more frequent the exposure to these factors, the higher the risk of sleep problems. No effect of repeated exposure was found on sleep problems. Classical and emergent psychosocial work factors were associated with sleep problems. More prospective studies and prevention policies may be needed.

A Comparison of Subjective and Objective Job Demands and Fit with Personal Resources as Predictors of Retirement Timing in a National U.S. Sample.

PubMed

Sonnega, Amanda; Helppie-McFall, Brooke; Hudomiet, Peter; Willis, Robert J; Fisher, Gwenith G

2017-12-19

Population aging and attendant pressures on public budgets have spurred considerable interest in understanding factors that influence retirement timing. A range of sociodemographic and economic characteristics predict both earlier and later retirement. Less is known about the role of job characteristics on the work choices of older workers. Researchers are increasingly using the subjective ratings of job characteristics available in the Health and Retirement Study in conjunction with more objective measures of job characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database. Employing a theoretically-informed model of job demands-personal resources fit, we constructed mismatch measures between resources and job demands (both subjectively and objectively assessed) in physical, emotional, and cognitive domains. When we matched comparable measures across the two data sources in the domains of physical, emotional, and cognitive job demands, we found that both sources of information held predictive power in relation to retirement timing. Physical and emotional but not cognitive mismatch were associated with earlier retirement. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research.

Psychosocial work factors and sickness absence in 31 countries in Europe.

PubMed

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Chastang, Jean-François; Sultan-Taïeb, Hélène; Vermeylen, Greet; Parent-Thirion, Agnès

2013-08-01

The studies on the associations between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence have rarely included a large number of factors and European data. The objective was to examine the associations between a large set of psychosocial work factors following well-known and emergent concepts and sickness absence in Europe. The study population consisted of 14,881 male and 14,799 female workers in 31 countries from the 2005 European Working Conditions Survey. Psychosocial work factors included the following: decision latitude, psychological demands, social support, physical violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, long working hours, shift and night work, job insecurity, job promotion and work-life imbalance. Covariates were as follows: age, occupation, economic activity, employee/self-employed status and physical, chemical, biological and biomechanical exposures. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel negative binomial hurdle models to study the occurrence and duration of sickness absence. In the models, including all psychosocial work factors together and adjustment for covariates, high psychological demands, discrimination, bullying, low-job promotion and work-life imbalance for both genders and physical violence for women were observed as risk factors of the occurrence of sickness absence. Bullying and shift work increased the duration of absence among women. Bullying had the strongest association with sickness absence. Various psychosocial work factors were found to be associated with sickness absence. A less conservative analysis exploring each factor separately provided a still higher number of risk factors. Preventive measures should take psychosocial work environment more comprehensively into account to reduce sickness absence and improve health at work at European level.

Shiftwork and environment as interactive predictors of work perceptions.

PubMed

Parkes, Katharine R

2003-10-01

Evidence suggests that the work environment may play a role in the elevated risk of adverse health outcomes among shiftworkers compared with dayworkers. Perceived work environment measures (physical stressors, job demand, job control, skill discretion, supervisor support, and safety perceptions) from UK oil industry personnel (N=1,867) were analyzed in relation to shiftwork (day/night rotation vs daywork) and objective work environment (onshore vs offshore). Age, education, job type, and negative affectivity were also included. The Environment * Shiftwork interaction was significant in multivariate tests and in 5 of the 6 univariate analyses. Onshore, shiftworkers perceived their environment significantly less favorably than dayworkers, but differences were less marked offshore. Results are discussed in relation to the demand-control-support model of work stress. 2003 APA

Swedish Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work and their suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Gemark Simonsen, Jenny; Gard, Gunvor

2016-09-15

Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic and work-related pain problems at work have so far mostly been researched in quantitative studies by questionnaires. There is a need of experience-based research to deepen the knowledge about how sonographers perceive ergonomic problems at work. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work, and their suggestions for improvement strategies. Twenty-two female sonographers were individually interviewed regarding different aspects of their physical working environment. Content analysis was applied. The sonographers perceived different ergonomic problems in their working environment, but to offer patient comfort and to obtain the best possible images were often prioritized over working posture. Echocardiography was considered demanding as the examination is performed with little variation in posture. Ergonomic improvements included reducing the manual handling of the transducer, optimizing the adjustability of equipment, and taking the patient's physique and health into account. As some examinations were perceived to be more ergonomically demanding, variation between examinations was suggested, however, this requires broader skills. Sonography, especially echocardiography is ergonomically demanding but the improvement strategies suggested were perceived useful and applicable.

Convergence of self-reports and coworker reports of counterproductive work behavior: a cross-sectional multi-source survey among health care workers.

PubMed

de Jonge, Jan; Peeters, Maria C W

2009-05-01

Most studies of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) are criticized for overreliance on single-source self-reports. This study attempts to triangulate on behaviors and perceptions of the work environment by linking job incumbent self-report with coworker report of the job incumbent's behaviors. Theoretical framework is the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation (DISC) Model, which proposes in general that specific job resources should match specific job demands to reduce deviant behavioral outcomes such as CWB. To test the extent to which job incumbent self-report and coworker report of CWB in health care work converge, and the extent to which job incumbent-reported work-related antecedents (i.e., job demands and job resources) similarly predict both self-reported and coworker-reported behaviors (in line with DISC theory). A cross-sectional survey with anonymous questionnaires was conducted, using data from two different sources (self-reports and coworker reports). A large organization for residential elderly care in the Northern urban area in The Netherlands. Self-report and coworker questionnaires were distributed to 123 health care workers, of which 73 people returned the self-report questionnaire (59% response rate). In addition, 66 out of 123 coworker questionnaires were returned (54% coworker response rate). In total 54 surveys of job incumbents and coworkers could be matched. Next to descriptive statistics, t-test, and correlations, hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Correlations and a t-test demonstrated significant convergence between job incumbent and coworker reports of CWB. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that both job incumbent and coworker data consistently demonstrated CWB to be related to its work-related antecedents. Specifically, findings showed that both physical and emotional job resources moderated the relation between physical job demands and CWB. The current findings provide stronger evidence that (multi-source measured) CWB is associated with job demands and job resources than has been provided in the past. Moreover, the present study implies that DISC theory has the potential of making a profound contribution to our understanding of counterproductive working behaviors in health care work. Future longitudinal studies should investigate this kind of relations more intensely.

Latina Workers in North Carolina: Work Organization, Domestic Responsibilities, Health, and Family Life.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Guadalupe; Trejo, Grisel; Schiemann, Elizabeth; Quandt, Sara A; Daniel, Stephanie S; Sandberg, Joanne C; Arcury, Thomas A

2016-06-01

This analysis describes the work organization and domestic work experienced by migrant Latinas, and explores the linkage between work and health. Twenty Latina workers in North Carolina with at least one child under age 12 completed in-depth interviews focused on their work organization, domestic responsibilities, work-family conflict, health, and family health. Using a systematic qualitative analysis, these women described a demanding work organization that is contingent and exploitative, with little control or support. They also described demanding domestic roles, with gendered and unequal division of household work. The resulting work-family conflict affects their mental and physical health, and has negative effects on the care and health of their families. The findings from this study highlight that work stressors from an unfavorable work organization create work-family conflict, and that work-family conflict in this population has a negative influence on workers' health and health behaviors.

Psychosocial work characteristics and social support as predictors of SF-36 health functioning: the Whitehall II study.

PubMed

Stansfeld, S A; Bosma, H; Hemingway, H; Marmot, M G

1998-01-01

To assess whether work characteristics and social support are predictors of physical, psychological, and social functioning. Work characteristics (Karasek and Siegrist models) and social support at baseline were used to predict health functioning measured by the SF-36 General Health Survey 5 years later in a prospective cohort study of 10,308 British male and female civil servants. Effort-reward imbalance and negative aspects of close relationships predicted poor physical, psychological, and social functioning after adjustment for the potential confounding effects of age, employment grade, baseline ill health, and negative affectivity. These psychosocial characteristics seem to act in a similar way in the healthy and those with existing illness. Psychological demands at work in women, and low confiding/emotional support in men, also predicted poor functioning. Etiologically. these effects are not mediated through health-related behaviors. Negative aspects of work (high demands and effort-reward imbalance) and negative aspects of close relationships are independent powerful predictors of poor health functioning. They may have an etiological role, which is independent of baseline illness.

[Workers' Health Referral Centers and reporting of work-related injuries in Brazil].

PubMed

Galdino, Adriana; Santana, Vilma Sousa; Ferrite, Silvia

2012-01-01

This study examines the contribution of Workers' Health Referral Centers (CEREST) to the reporting of severe work-related injuries and those involving exposure to biological materials in the Brazilian National Health Reporting System (SINAN), under the Unified National Health System (SUS). The study used data from the Form-SUS and SINAN databases, aggregated for the CEREST coverage areas. Valid data were obtained for 125 CEREST (23 State and 102 regional). A majority of the CEREST were assessed as fully installed. The increase in the reporting of severe work-related accidents was greater when staffing was consistent with the demand, and when teams responded to external demands, including those of the media. For exposures to biological material, CEREST with good physical installations, those that responded to media demands, and those with trained personnel in the sentinel network showed a higher increase in reporting. Infrastructure, staff numbers and training, and responding to external demands are important for increasing notification of work-related accidents and should be prioritized in order to reduce the major underreporting of such accidents.

Management of eWork health issues: a new perspective on an old problem.

PubMed

Kirk, Elizabeth; Strong, Jenny

2010-01-01

Contact centres are vehicles for a rapidly growing group of knowledge workers, or eWorkers. Using computers and high-speed telecommunications connections as work tools, these employees spend long hours performing mentally demanding work while maintaining static, physically stressful, seated positions. The complex interplay between job demands, work environment, and individual differences combine to produce high levels of physical discomfort among eWorkers. This paper discusses a new view that has emerged, one that focuses on the management rather than the elimination of work related upper limb disorders (WRULD) and computer vision syndrome (CVS) issues that are prevalent among eWorkers. It also reviews a cultural shift among practitioners and business that moves towards a consultative process and the sharing of knowledge among all stakeholders. The controlled work conditions and large single location workforce found within contact centres provide the opportunity to understand the personal and industry cost of eWork injuries and the ability to develop and review new multifaceted interventions. Advances in training and workplace design aimed at decreasing discomfort and injury and reducing the associated economic burden may then be adapted for all eWorkforce groups.

What Challenges Manual Workers' Ability to Cope with Back Pain at Work, and What Influences Their Decision to Call in Sick?

PubMed

Frederiksen, Pernille; Karsten, Mette Marie V; Indahl, Aage; Bendix, Tom

2015-12-01

Although back pain (BP) is a very common cause for sickness absence, most people stay at work during BP episodes. Existing knowledge on the factors influencing the decision to stay at work despite pain is limited. The aim of this study was to explore challenges for coping with BP at work and decisive factors for work attendance among workers with high physical work demands. Three focus groups (n = 20) were conducted using an explorative inductive method. Participants were public-employed manual workers with high physical work demands. All had personal BP experience. Thematic analysis was used for interpretation. Results were matched with the Flags system framework to guide future recommendations. Workers with BP were challenged by poor physical work conditions and a lack of supervisor support/trust (i.e. lack of adjustment latitude). Organization of workers into teams created close co-worker relationships, which positively affected BP coping. Workers responded to BP by applying helpful individual adjustments to reduce or prevent pain. Traditional ergonomics was considered inconvenient, but nonetheless ideal. When pain was not decisive, the decision to call in sick was mainly governed by workplace factors (i.e. sick absence policies, job strain, and close co-workers relationships) and to a less degree by personal factors. Factors influencing BP coping at work and the decision to report sick was mainly governed by factors concerning general working conditions. Creating a flexible and inclusive working environment guided by the senior management and overall work environment regulations seems favourable.

Psychosocial factors at work and perceived health among agricultural meat industry workers in France.

PubMed

Cohidon, Christine; Morisseau, Patrick; Derriennic, Francis; Goldberg, Marcel; Imbernon, Ellen

2009-07-01

The objective of this study was to describe the perceived health status of the meat industry employees--i.e., working in the slaughtering, cutting, and boning of large animals and poultry--and its relation to their organisational and psychosocial constraints at work. This postal survey included all 3,000 employees of the meat industry (beef, pork and poultry) in four districts in Brittany, France, whose companies were affiliated with the agricultural branch of the national health insurance fund. The questionnaire asked for social and demographic data and information describing their job and the organisation of their work. The psychosocial factors at work were described according to Karasek's questionnaire (demand, latitude and social support at work). Perceived health was measured with the Nottingham Health Profile perceived health indicator. This study shows the high prevalence of poor health reported by the workers in this industry. This poor perceived health was worse in women and increased regularly with age. Among the psychosocial factors studied, high quantitative and qualitative demand at work, inadequate resources for good work and to a lesser extent, inadequate prospects for promotion appear especially associated with poor perceived health. Other factors often associated with poor perceived health included young age at the first job and work hours that disrupt sleep rhythms (especially for women). Our results show that this population of workers is especially vulnerable from the point of view of perceived physical and psychological health and is exposed to strong physical, organisational and psychosocial constraints at work. They also demonstrate that poor perceived health is associated with some psychosocial (such as high psychological demand and insufficient resources) and organisational factors at work. These results, in conjunction with those from other disciplines involved in studying this industry, may help the companies to develop preventive activities.

[Translation into Brazilian Portuguese and validation of the Work Limitations Questionnaire].

PubMed

de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho; Kowalski, Clarissa Campos Guaragna; Ferraz, Marcos Bosi; Ciconelli, Rozana Mesquita

2007-07-01

To translate into Brazilian Portuguese, cross-culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ). This cross-sectional observational study was performed in 2005 and 2006 at the Hospital São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina of the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. Data from 150 individuals who were employed at the time of the study were obtained using the WLQ, the SF-36 (a generic quality of life questionnaire), and the SRQ-20 (used to screen for mental disorders). The WLQ has 25 items, which are divided into four domains: time management, physical demands, mental-interpersonal demands, and output demands. The questionnaires were administered as interviews to individuals without a university education, and were self-administered to individuals with a university degree. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample. The intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess reliability (internal consistency, test-retest, interobserver, and intraobserver agreement). The Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess construct validity. The mean age of the subjects was 37.6 years (standard deviation, +/- 9.6 years), and 64.7% of the subjects were female. The mean number of years at the job held at the time of the interview was 8.6 (+/- 8.3 years); 60.7% of the subjects were satisfied with their job, and 94.0% had not missed work in the preceding two weeks. In comparison to completely healthy persons, the mean productivity loss reported by the study subjects was 4.2%. Interobserver agreement was significant and high (0.600 to 0.800) or very high (0.800 to 1.000) in all domains, except physical demands (r = 0.497, moderate agreement). Intraobserver agreement was not significant for the time management and physical demands domains. The correlations associated with intraobserver agreement were moderately significant (0.400 to 0.600). Internal consistency was very high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.800 to 1.000). There was a significant correlation between all the SF-36 questionnaire domains and the WLQ domains of time management, mental-interpersonal demands, and output demands as well as the WLQ index score. A positive correlation was also found between the WLQ domains of time management, mental-interpersonal demands, and output demands and a positive result (score >or= 7) on the SRQ-20. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the WLQ is a reliable and valid scale to assess the impact of health problems on the productivity of Brazilian workers.

Occupational accident and disease claims, work-related stress and job satisfaction of physiotherapists.

PubMed

Brattig, Birte; Schablon, Anja; Nienhaus, Albert; Peters, Claudia

2014-01-01

Physiotherapists are exposed to diverse occupational demands. Until now, little has been known about the interaction between occupational stress and the job satisfaction of physiotherapists. This paper aims to examine their work-related stress and job satisfaction. It will analyse accidents at work and occupational diseases of physiotherapists along with work-related physical and psychosocial stress and job satisfaction. We analysed routine data of the German Institute for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW) on accidents at work and occurring en route to/from work as well as occupational diseases of physiotherapists. Work-related stress and job satisfaction were examined in a cross-sectional survey using a standard questionnaire to be completed by subjects themselves. Between 2007 and 2011, 1,229 cases of occupational disease were reported to the BGW. The majority of reports involved skin diseases (73%). Stumbles and falls were the most frequent causes of accidents at work (42.9%). Eighty-five physiotherapists all over Germany took part in the survey. They experience high quantitative demands at work. The main physical demands consist of a torso posture between 45° and 90° and high hand activity. Of the 85 subjects, 51% suffer from complaints of the musculoskeletal system in the neck and thoracic spine area and 24% have skin diseases. Most physiotherapists (88%) are satisfied with their work overall. This is aided by a high degree of influence on their work and breaks, by practical application of skills and expert knowledge, high regard for their profession, varied work and a good atmosphere at work. Reservations tend to be about statutory regulations and the social benefits provided by the German healthcare system. Overall, despite high demands and stress relating to the adequacy of resources, the majority of physiotherapists surveyed seem to be satisfied with their job. The main focus of action to promote the health of physiotherapists should be on preventing skin disease, problems of the musculoskeletal system and accidents caused by stumbles and falls.

Retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions as predictors of prospectively assessed sickness absence and disability pension among older workers.

PubMed

Sundstrup, Emil; Hansen, Åse Marie; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Poulsen, Otto Melchior; Clausen, Thomas; Rugulies, Reiner; Møller, Anne; Andersen, Lars L

2018-01-17

The aim was to explore the association between retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions during working life and prospectively assessed risk of sickness absence and disability pension among older workers. The prospective risk of register-based long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and disability pension was estimated from exposure to 12 different psychosocial work characteristics during working life among 5076 older workers from the CAMB cohort (Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank). Analyses were censored for competing events and adjusted for age, gender, physical work environment, lifestyle, education, and prior LTSA. LTSA was predicted by high levels of cognitive demands (HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10-1.56)), high levels of emotional demands (HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.07-1.48)), low levels of influence at work (HR 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64)), and high levels of role conflicts (HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09-1.65)). Disability pension was predicted by low levels of influence at work (HR 2.73 (95% CI 1.49-5.00)) and low levels of recognition from management (HR 2.04 (95% CI 1.14-3.67)). This exploratory study found that retrospectively assessed high cognitive demands, high and medium emotional demands, low influence at work, low recognition from management, medium role clarity, and high role conflicts predicted LTSA and/or disability pension.

Evaluation of two working methods for screed floor layers on musculoskeletal complaints, work demands and workload.

PubMed

Visser, Steven; van der Molen, Henk F; Kuijer, P Paul F M; van Holland, Berry J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2013-01-01

Screed floors are bound by sand-cement (SF) or by anhydrite (AF). Sand-cement floors are levelled manually and anhydrite floors are self-levelling and therefore differences in work demands and prevalences of musculoskeletal complaints might occur. The objective was to assess among SF layers and AF layers (1) the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and (2) the physical work demands, energetic workload, perceived workload and discomfort. A questionnaire survey and an observational field study were performed. Compared with AF layers (n = 35), SF layers (n = 203) had higher, however, not statistically significant different, prevalences of neck (20% vs. 7%), shoulder (27% vs. 13%), low back (39% vs. 26%) and ankles/feet (9% vs. 0%) complaints. Sand-cement-bound screed floor layers (n = 18) bent and kneeled significantly longer (Δ77 min and Δ94 min; respectively), whereas AF layers (n = 18) stood significantly longer (Δ60 min). The work demands of SF layers exceeded exposure criteria for low back and knee complaints and therefore new working measures should be developed and implemented. In comparison with anhydrite-bound screed floor layers, sand-cement-bound screed floor layers exceeded exposure criteria for work-related low back and knee complaints. New working methods and measures for sand-cement-bound screed floor layers should be developed and implemented to reduce the risk for work-related musculoskeletal complaints.

Association between Work Related Stress and Health Related Quality of Life: The Impact of Socio-Demographic Variables. A Cross Sectional Study in a Region of Central Italy.

PubMed

La Torre, Giuseppe; Sestili, Cristina; Mannocci, Alice; Sinopoli, Alessandra; De Paolis, Massimiliano; De Francesco, Sara; Rapaccini, Laura; Barone, Marco; Iodice, Valentina; Lojodice, Bruno; Sernia, Sabina; De Sio, Simone; Del Cimmuto, Angela; De Giusti, Maria

2018-01-19

The aim of this work is investigate relationship between health-related quality of life and work-related stress and the impact of gender, education level, and age on this relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted among workers of various setting in Rome and Frosinone. Work-related stress was measured with a demand-control questionnaire and health-related functioning by SF (short form)-12 health survey. There were 611 participants. Men reported high mental composite summary (MCS) and physical composite summary (PCS). In multivariate analysis age, gender ( p < 0.001) and job demand (0.045) predicted low PCS. Low MCS predicted poor PCS. Job demand and educational level resulted negatively associated with MCS. In an analysis stratified for age, gender, and educational level, gender and age resulted effect modifier for MCS, gender and education level for PCS. In women increase of decision latitude predict ( p = 0.001) an increase in MCS; a low job demand predict high MCS in male ( p ≤ 0.001). In younger workers, a lower level of job demand predicted high MCS (<0.001). For PCS, gender and education level resulted effect modifier. In women, high decision latitude predicted higher PCS ( p = 0.001) and lower level of job demand results in higher PCS ( p ≤ 0.001). Higher educational level resulted predictor of low PCS. Management of risk about work-related stress should consider socio-demographic factors.

Identifying work ability promoting factors for home care aides and assistant nurses.

PubMed

Larsson, Agneta; Karlqvist, Lena; Westerberg, Mats; Gard, Gunvor

2012-01-11

In workplace health promotion, all potential resources needs to be taken into consideration, not only factors relating to the absence of injury and the physical health of the workers, but also psychological aspects. A dynamic balance between the resources of the individual employees and the demands of work is an important prerequisite. In the home care services, there is a noticeable trend towards increased psychosocial strain on employees at work. There are a high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and a low prevalence of sustainable work ability. The aim of this research was to identify factors promoting work ability and self-efficacy in care aides and assistant nurses within home care services. This study is based on cross-sectional data collected in a municipality in northern Sweden. Care aides (n = 58) and assistant nurses (n = 79) replied to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 46%). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of several independent variables on self-efficacy (model 1) and work ability (model 2) for care aides and assistant nurses separately. Perceptions of personal safety, self-efficacy and musculoskeletal wellbeing contributed to work ability for assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.36, p < 0.001), while for care aides, the safety climate, seniority and age contributed to work ability (R2adj of 0.29, p = 0.001). Self-efficacy was associated with the safety climate and the physical demands of the job in both professions (R2adj of 0.24, p = 0.003 for care aides), and also by sex and age for the assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.31, p < 0.001). The intermediate factors contributed differently to work ability in the two professions. Self-efficacy, personal safety and musculoskeletal wellbeing were important for the assistant nurses, while the work ability of the care aides was associated with the safety climate, but also with the non-changeable factors age and seniority. All these factors are important to acknowledge in practice and in further research. Proactive workplace interventions need to focus on potentially modifiable factors such as self-efficacy, safety climate, physical job demands and musculoskeletal wellbeing.

Practical Life from the Second Plane to Third Plane: Orientation to History and Social Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, James

2015-01-01

In lyrical prose, Jim Webster lays out his view on the universal human use of tools and how "humans meet the practical demands of life." Webster lauds physical work and the work of the hand as they both support engagement, social cooperation, a deepening of relationships, and sustainability. Practical work is valuable and is plentiful as…

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers’ Job Demands and Resources

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands–resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers’ job demands–resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample (n = 397). Exploratory factor analysis established a five-dimension construct structure matching the theoretical construct deliberated in the literature. The composite reliability scores for the five dimensions range from .68 to .83. Validity coefficients (intraclass correlational coefficients) are .69 for job resources items and .82 for job demands items. Inter-scale correlational coefficients range from −.32 to .47. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity with high dimensional factor loadings (ranging from .47 to .84 for job resources scale and from .50 to .85 for job demands scale) and adequate model fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation = .06). The instrument provides a tool to measure physical education teachers’ perception of their working environment. PMID:29200808

RELATING OLDER WORKERS' INJURIES TO THE MISMATCH BETWEEN PHYSICAL ABILITY AND JOB DEMANDS

PubMed Central

Fraade-Blanar, Laura A.; Sears, Jeanne M.; Chan, Kwun Chuen G.; Thompson, Hilaire J.; Crane, Paul K.; Ebel, Beth E.

2016-01-01

Objective We examined the association between job demand and occupational injury among older workers. Methods Participants were workers aged 50+ enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, 2010–2014. Participants reported physical ability within three domains: physical effort, stooping/kneeling/crouching, and lifting. To measure subjective job demand, participants rated their job's demands within domains. We generated objective job demand measures through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Using Poisson regression, we modeled the association between physical ability, job demand, and self-reported occupational injury. A second model explored interaction between job demand and physical ability. Results The injury rate was 22 /1,000 worker-years. Higher job demand was associated with increased injury risk. Within high job demands, lower physical ability was associated with increased injury risk. Conclusions Older workers whose physical abilities do not meet job demands face increased injury risk. PMID:28166127

The natural history and risk factors of musculoskeletal conditions resulting in disability among US Army personnel

PubMed Central

Lincoln, Andrew E.; Smith, Gordon S.; Amoroso, Paul J.; Bell, Nicole S.

2007-01-01

We describe the natural history of 13 musculoskeletal conditions requiring hospitalization and identify demographic, behavioral, psychosocial, occupational, and clinical characteristics most strongly associated with disability discharge from the Army. Subjects included 15,268 active-duty personnel hospitalized for a common musculoskeletal condition between the years 1989–1996 who were retrospectively followed through 1997. Back conditions had the greatest 5-year cumulative risk of disability (21%, 19%, and 17% for intervertebral disc displacement, intervertebral disc degeneration, and nonspecific low back pain, respectively). Cox proportional hazards models identified the following risk factors for disability among males: lower pay grade, musculoskeletal diagnosis, shorter length of service, older age, occupational category, lower job satisfaction, recurrent musculoskeletal hospitalizations, more cigarette smoking, greater work stress, and heavier physical demands. Among females, fewer covariates reached statistical significance, although lower education level was significant in more than one model. Modifiable risk factors related to work (job satisfaction, work stress, physical demands, occupation) and health behaviors (smoking) suggest possible targets for intervention. PMID:12441574

Work-Load Planning for Navy Stock Points

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

capacity. 2. The level of utilization of a non -bottleneck is not determined by its own potential, but by some other constraint in the system. 3...the amounts to carry based on customer demands and non -demand based requirements II. Basic Operations A. Determines which items to carry in inventory...storage, physical inventory, issue, transportation, and 8 control of material. The focus was to be primarily on the relationships among functions in

20 CFR 404.1560 - When we will consider your vocational background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... benefits based on disability which began before age 22, or widow's or widower's benefits based on... section. (b) Past relevant work. We will first compare our assessment of your residual functional capacity with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant work. See § 404.1520(h) for an exception to...

20 CFR 404.1560 - When we will consider your vocational background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... benefits based on disability which began before age 22, or widow's or widower's benefits based on... section. (b) Past relevant work. We will first compare our assessment of your residual functional capacity with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant work. See § 404.1520(h) for an exception to...

Stress in the Work Place: ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Bonita C.

Although employment can be an exciting challenge, it can also induce stress. This digest examines some of the characteristics of job-related stress. Three concepts characterize the association of work, mental health, and physical health. (1) Stress is an interaction between individuals and any source of environmental demand. (2) A stressor is an…

Physical and postural aspects of teachers during work activity.

PubMed

da Silva, Nilson Rogério; Almeida, Maria Amélia

2012-01-01

Studies indicate that teachers constitute a professional segment, in which the work characteristics and the demands originating from the act of teaching, favor the emergence of sickness, concerning physical or emotional aspects. The present work aimed to describe physical and postural aspects during the working activity of teachers. A total of 120 elementary school teachers (1st to 8th grade) took part in the survey. For data collection, a questionnaire was applied: it included personal and occupational information, perception of discomfort and being off work; physical strength activities; posture at work and physical conditioning activities. The average age of teachers of the present sample corresponds to 35,8 years. In relation to activities which generate more physical strength, the answer none of the activities was predominant with 30 answers; followed by writing on the board, standing up during the period of classes, explanation of the subjects, class elaboration, correction of homework and others. The area of the body with higher amount of occurrences and prevalent discomfort referred to the lower limbs and spinal cord. These data inform the necessity of investing in prevention programs for the teachers, in order to develop strategies into the organizational context and interventions at the work environment.

Gender, aging, and work: aging workers' strategies to confront the demands of production in maquiladora plants in nogales, Mexico.

PubMed

Adarga, Mireya Scarone; Becerril, Leonor Cedillo; Champion, Catalina Denman

2010-01-01

This work is part of a qualitative socio-cultural investigation with a group of men and women 40 years and older in the maquila export industry in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. In 1994, as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement, maquila plants combined traditional intensive work methods with new "just in time" production norms that impacted work and health conditions, particularly in older, or aging, workers. The workers that were interviewed for this study show a reduction in their functional ability to work starting at 40 years of age. Work organization demands, general health conditions, and a decrease in physical abilities brings these 40-year-old workers to prematurely construct an image of themselves as aging workers and to develop coping strategies that vary by gender.

Distribution and determinants of maximal physical work capacity of Korean male metal workers.

PubMed

Kang, D; Woo, J H; Shin, Y C

2007-12-01

The distribution of maximal physical work capacity (MPWC) can be used to establish an upper limit for energy expenditure during work (EEwork). If physically demanding work has wearing effects, there will be a negative relationship between MPWC and workload. This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of MPWC among Korean metal workers and to examine the relationship between workload and MPWC. MPWC was estimated with a bicycle ergometer using a submaximal test. Energy expenditure was estimated by measuring heart rates during work. The study subjects were 507 male employees from several metal industries in Korea. They had a lower absolute VO2max than the Caucasian populations described in previous studies. The older workers had a lower physical capacity and a greater overload at work. A negative relationship was found between MPWC and workload across all age groups. Upper limits for EEwork for all age groups and for older age groups are recommended based on the 5th percentile value of MPWC.

A Comparison of Subjective and Objective Job Demands and Fit with Personal Resources as Predictors of Retirement Timing in a National U.S. Sample

PubMed Central

Sonnega, Amanda; Helppie-McFall, Brooke; Hudomiet, Peter; Willis, Robert J.; Fisher, Gwenith G.

2017-01-01

Population aging and attendant pressures on public budgets have spurred considerable interest in understanding factors that influence retirement timing. A range of sociodemographic and economic characteristics predict both earlier and later retirement. Less is known about the role of job characteristics on the work choices of older workers. Researchers are increasingly using the subjective ratings of job characteristics available in the Health and Retirement Study in conjunction with more objective measures of job characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database. Employing a theoretically-informed model of job demands-personal resources fit, we constructed mismatch measures between resources and job demands (both subjectively and objectively assessed) in physical, emotional, and cognitive domains. When we matched comparable measures across the two data sources in the domains of physical, emotional, and cognitive job demands, we found that both sources of information held predictive power in relation to retirement timing. Physical and emotional but not cognitive mismatch were associated with earlier retirement. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research. PMID:29270302

Characteristics of the home health practice setting that attract and retain physical therapists: results of a survey and implications for home health.

PubMed

Collins, Tracey L

2011-03-01

An electronic survey of the home health (HH) section members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) found that physical therapists (PTs) are attracted to HH for flexible work hours, the ability to work one on one with a patient, the functional setting, and salary, in that order. They continue to practice in HH because they take pride in their work, the relationships they have with their patients/caregivers, their ability to make autonomous work decisions, their control over their schedule, the relationships they have within the home health agency (HHA), salary, the relationships they have with peers, their benefits, and their ability to handle documentation demands, in that order. Copyright © 2011 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

How job demands affect an intimate partner: a test of the spillover-crossover model in Japan.

PubMed

Shimazu, Akihito; Bakker, Arnold B; Demerouti, Evangelia

2009-01-01

The present study examined how job demands affect an intimate partner's well-being. We hypothesized that job demands have a negative influence on partner well-being through the experience of work-family conflict (WFC) and an impaired quality of the relationship (reduced social support and increased social undermining towards the partner). The participants of this study were 99 couples of dual-earner parents in Japan. Consistent with hypotheses, men's job demands (i.e. overload and emotional demands) were positively related to their own reports of WFC, and indirectly to women's ratings of men's WFC. Consequently, women's ratings of men's WFC were negatively related to the quality of the relationship (i.e. decreased social support from and increased social undermining by men), which, in turn, led to women's ill-health (i.e. depressive symptoms and physical complaints). We found similar findings for the model starting with women's job demands; gender did not affect the strength of the relationships in the model. These findings suggest that high job demands initiate a process of work-family conflict and poor relationship quality, which may eventually affect the intimate partner's well-being in an unfavorable way.

Work ability of Dutch employees with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

de Croon, E M; Sluiter, J K; Nijssen, T F; Kammeijer, M; Dijkmans, B A C; Lankhorst, G J; Frings-Dresen, M H W

2005-01-01

To (i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics (job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the other, and (ii) determine the advice that health care professionals give to employees with RA on how to maintain their work ability. Data were gathered from 78 employees with early RA (response = 99%) by telephone interviews and self-report questionnaires. Fatigue, lack of autonomy, low coworker/supervisor support, low participation in decision making, and high physical work requirements (i.e. using manual force) predicted low work ability. High psychological job demands, however, did not predict low work ability. The rheumatologist, occupational physician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and psychologist gave advice on how to cope with RA at work to 36, 30, 27, 26, and 17% of the employees, respectively. Advice was directed mainly at factors intrinsic to the employee. Employees expressed a positive attitude towards this advice. Fatigue, lack of support, lack of autonomy, lack of participation in decision making, and using manual force at work (e.g. pushing and pulling) threaten the work ability of employees with RA. According to the employees with RA, involvement of health care professionals from different disciplines and the implementation of organizational and technical interventions would help them to tackle these threats.

Healthy offshore workforce? A qualitative study on offshore wind employees' occupational strain, health, and coping.

PubMed

Mette, Janika; Velasco Garrido, Marcial; Harth, Volker; Preisser, Alexandra M; Mache, Stefanie

2018-01-23

Offshore work has been described as demanding and stressful. Despite this, evidence regarding the occupational strain, health, and coping behaviors of workers in the growing offshore wind industry in Germany is still limited. The purpose of our study was to explore offshore wind employees' perceptions of occupational strain and health, and to investigate their strategies for dealing with the demands of offshore work. We conducted 21 semi-structured telephone interviews with employees in the German offshore wind industry. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in a deductive-inductive approach following Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Workers generally reported good mental and physical health. However, they also stated perceptions of stress at work, fatigue, difficulties detaching from work, and sleeping problems, all to varying extents. In addition, physical health impairment in relation to offshore work, e.g. musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal complaints, was documented. Employees described different strategies for coping with their job demands. The strategies comprised of both problem and emotion-focused approaches, and were classified as either work-related, health-related, or related to seeking social support. Our study is the first to investigate the occupational strain, health, and coping of workers in the expanding German offshore wind industry. The results offer new insights that can be utilized for future research in this field. In terms of practical implications, the findings suggest that measures should be carried out aimed at reducing occupational strain and health impairment among offshore wind workers. In addition, interventions should be initiated that foster offshore wind workers' health and empower them to further expand on effective coping strategies at their workplace.

The socio-economic distribution of health-related occupational stressors among wage-earners in a Post-Fordist labour market

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Unequal exposure to occupational stressors is a central pathway towards socio-economic health inequalities in working populations. This paper assesses the differential exposure of such stressors within the population of Flemish wage-earners. Our focus is on differences in gender, age, skill levels, occupational and social class positions. Method The analyses are based on the "Flemish Quality of Labour Monitor 2004" (Vlaamse Werkbaarheidsmonitor 2004), a cross-sectional representative sample (N = 11,099) of 16- to 65-year-old wage-earners, living in Flanders. The investigated health-related working conditions are: high quantitative, emotional and physical demands, frequent repetitive movements, atypical work schedules, frequent overtime work and schedule changes, low job autonomy, task variation and superior-support, high job insecurity and exposure to bullying. The distribution of the working conditions is assessed by means of standard logistic regression analyses. Also gender specific analyses are performed. Results At least two clusters of health-related occupational stressors can be identified. On the one hand, high physical demands, atypical schedules, low control over the work environment and high job insecurity are more common in manual, unskilled and subordinate workers. On the other hand, high quantitative and emotional demands, as well as schedule unpredictability are characteristic of higher skilled, professional and managerial employees. Conclusion Since little empirical information on the socio-economic distribution of various health-related occupational stressors is available for Flanders, our results are important for obtaining more insight into the pathways linking occupational health risks to socio-economic health inequalities in the Flemish wage-earning population.

Quality of life, life satisfaction and happiness in shift- and non-shiftworkers.

PubMed

Kaliterna, Lipovcan L J; Prizmic, Larsen Z; Zganec, Nino

2004-12-01

To investigate the quality of life, life satisfaction, happiness and demands of work in workers with different work schedules. The survey was carried out on professional workers in social care. Some were shiftworkers whose schedule included night shifts (N=311), some were shiftworkers without night shifts (N=207) and some were non-shiftworkers (N=1,210). Surveys were mailed and the response rate was 86%. For the purpose of this study several variables were selected from the Survey: The Quality of Life Profile, which measures importance, satisfaction, control and opportunities in nine domains of life plus measures of happiness, life satisfaction and demands of work. While both groups of shiftworkers, compared to non-shiftworkers, reported needing more physical effort to complete their work, and reported 'being' more physically tired, no differences were found in reports of overall happiness, life satisfaction or total quality of life. However, night-shiftworkers reported greater percentage of time unhappy than the other two groups of workers. In analyses of the quality of life, night-shiftworkers were less satisfied with domains of spiritual 'being' and physical and community 'belonging' than day-shiftworkers and non-shiftworkers. They also reported having fewer opportunities to improve their physical 'being', leisure, and personal growth than the other two groups. Quality of life in specific domains in night-shiftworkers was rated worse than in other groups of workers. Domain-based quality of life assessment gives more information regarding the particular needs of workers than overall or global measures of well-being.

Effects of psychosocial work factors on lifestyle changes: a cohort study.

PubMed

Allard, Karin Olofsson; Thomsen, Jane Frølund; Mikkelsen, Sigurd; Rugulies, Reiner; Mors, Ole; Kærgaard, Anette; Kolstad, Henrik A; Kaerlev, Linda; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Hansen, Ase Marie; Bonde, Jens Peter

2011-12-01

To evaluate the effect of the demand-control-support model, the effort-reward imbalance model, and emotional demands on smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index. This is a 2-year prospective cohort study of 3224 public sector employees. Measures were assessed with questionnaires. Multiple regression analyses were used to predict changes in lifestyle factors. Low reward predicted smoking, low-decision latitude predicted being inactive, and high demands predicted high-alcohol consumption but only for men at follow-up even after controlling for potential confounders. There were no other significant findings in the expected direction except for some of the confounders. We found only limited and inconsistent support for the hypothesis that a poor psychosocial work environment is associated with an adverse lifestyle.

Overweight, obesity and work functioning: the role of working-time arrangements.

PubMed

Nigatu, Yeshambel T; van de Ven, Hardy A; van der Klink, Jac J L; Brouwer, Sandra; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Bültmann, Ute

2016-01-01

Obesity is associated with productivity loss, but little is known about how obese workers function at work and also the role of working-time arrangements on this association is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association of overweight and obesity with work functioning (WF), and to determine whether the associations differ between workers with different working-time arrangements. A cross-sectional study was conducted within the sampling frame of the 'Shift Your Work' study that examined the effect of irregular working-times in relation to health and functioning at work. We included N = 622 Dutch employees, of which N = 384 (62%) were shift-workers, N = 171 (27%) on-call workers and N = 67 (11%) day-workers. Overweight and obesity were defined as BMI 25-30 and ≥30, respectively. WF was assessed using the Work-Role Functioning Questionnaire. The prevalences of overweight and obesity were 48% and 10% in all workers, 49% and 11% in shift-workers, 45% and 10% in on-call workers, and 49% and 6% in day workers, respectively. In all workers, obesity was associated with lower WF scores for physical demands (adjusted estimate, aB = -5.5). In shift-workers, obesity was associated with lower WF scores for output and physical demands (aB = -8.8 and -6.8, respectively). In day and on-call workers, overweight and obesity were not associated with WF. Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in the working population. Obesity might reduce the executive function performance beyond physical limitations, and limit the ability to accomplish tasks successfully, especially in shift workers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Intrapersonal, social and physical environmental determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in working-age women: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Prince, Stephanie A; Reed, Jennifer L; Nerenberg, Kara A; Kristjansson, Elizabeth A; Hiremath, Swapnil; Adamo, Kristi B; Tulloch, Heather E; Mullen, Kerri-Anne; Fodor, J George; Wright, Erica; Reid, Robert D

2014-11-04

The majority of North American adult females do not meet current physical activity recommendations (150 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) per week accrued in ≥10 min bouts) ultimately placing themselves at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Working-age females face particular challenges in meeting physical activity recommendations as they have multiple demands, including occupational, family and social demands. To develop effective interventions to increase MVPA among working-age females, it is necessary to identify and understand the strongest modifiable determinants influencing these behaviours. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review is to examine the available evidence to identify intrapersonal, social and environmental determinants of MVPA among working-age females. Six electronic databases will be searched to identify all prospective cohort studies that report on intrapersonal, social and/or environmental determinants of MVPA in working-age females. Grey literature sources including theses, published conference abstracts and websites from relevant organizations will also be included. Articles that report on intrapersonal (e.g. health status, self-efficacy, socio-economic status (SES), stress, depression), social environmental (e.g. crime, safety, area SES, social support, climate and capital, policies), and environmental (e.g. weather, workplace, home, neighbourhood, recreation environment, active transportation) determinants of MVPA in a working-age (mean age 18-65 years) female population will be included. Risk of bias will be assessed within and across all included studies using the Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies and the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Harvest plots will be used to synthesize results across all determinants, and meta-analyses will be conducted where possible among studies with sufficient homogeneity. This review will provide a comprehensive examination of evidence in this field and will serve to highlight gaps for future research on the determinants of MVPA in working-age females and ultimately inform intervention design. CRD42014009750.

Challenge and hindrance demands lead to employees' health and behaviours through intrinsic motivation.

PubMed

Kim, Minseo; Beehr, Terry A

2018-01-12

Based on the job demand-resource theory, this study examined the differential relationships of two types of job demands, challenge and hindrance stressors, with three outcomes: ill health, organizational citizenship behaviour, and work engagement. These relationships were mediated by two personal resources: psychological empowerment and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE). Data were collected at two separate points, 2 weeks apart. With 336 full-time U.S. employees, results from path analysis indicated that the challenge stressor, workload, was positively related to psychological empowerment and OBSE, both of which were in turn positively related to good work behaviours as well as negatively related to ill health, an indication that employees experienced physical symptoms and psychological strains. In contrast, hindrance stressors (role stressors and interpersonal conflict) showed the opposite patterns of relationships with these intermediate outcomes, resulting in less empowerment and OBSE. Overall, findings suggested that psychological empowerment and OBSE were important intrinsic motivational mechanisms through which some stressors (especially hindrance demands) can promote employees' favourable work behaviours as well as alleviate the negative health outcomes. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Healthy work environments for the ageing nursing workforce.

PubMed

Stichler, Jaynelle F

2013-10-01

The aim of this article is to describe the physical challenges that ageing nurses experience and the facility design features that can promote healthy work environments to motivate nurses to continue working. Older nurses are working longer and beyond the usual retirement age. They often experience chronic fatigue and the usual physical and cognitive changes associated with aging. Nursing is a physically demanding profession and many older nurses work in pain while providing direct patient care. The literature is replete with studies focusing on the organisational factors that retain older nurses, but little research addresses design factors that facilitate nurses working longer and more safely in direct patient care. Electronic databases in medicine, nursing, psychology, and architecture were searched and evidence-based, non-evidence-based, and review articles and government and organisational newsletters were evaluated. Hospital design can help address the physical work challenges that older nurses experience. Older nurses have a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and the design of nursing units can optimize their work experience. Nurse Managers must participate in design efforts and advocate designs that support aging nurses. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health and turnover of working mothers after childbirth via the work-family interface: an analysis across time.

PubMed

Carlson, Dawn S; Grzywacz, Joseph G; Ferguson, Merideth; Hunter, Emily M; Clinch, C Randall; Arcury, Thomas A

2011-09-01

This study examined organizational levers that impact work-family experiences, participant health, and subsequent turnover. Using a sample of 179 women returning to full-time work 4 months after childbirth, we examined the associations of 3 job resources (job security, skill discretion, and schedule control) with work-to-family enrichment and the associations of 2 job demands (psychological requirements and nonstandard work schedules) with work-to-family conflict. Further, we considered subsequent impact of work-to-family conflict and enrichment on women's health (physical and mental health) 8 months after women returned to work and the impact of health on voluntary turnover 12 months after women returned to work. Having a nonstandard work schedule was directly and positively related to conflict, whereas schedule control buffered the effect of psychological requirements on conflict. Skill discretion and job security, both job resources, directly and positively related to enrichment. Work-to-family conflict was negatively related to both physical and mental health, but work-to-family enrichment positively predicted only physical health. Physical health and mental health both negatively influenced turnover. We discuss implications and opportunities for future research. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Effect of physical exercise on work ability and daily strain in symptomatic menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rutanen, Reetta; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Moilanen, Jaana; Mikkola, Tomi; Raitanen, Jani; Tomas, Eija; Luoto, Riitta

2014-01-01

Menopause related symptoms modify quality of life and may also have an impact on work ability. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise on work ability and daily strain among women with menopausal symptoms. Occupationally active symptomatic menopausal women (n=123) were randomized into 24-week aerobic exercise intervention and control groups. Mobile phone questionnaires were used to collect daily data on perceived physical and mental strain in a randomised and controlled setting. Work ability was measured with the Work Ability Index (WAI) and with questions about work strain. In all 123 women aged 44-62 (mean age 53.8 ± 3.4) years who worked full- or part-time participated in the study. Women were randomized into a control (n=60) and intervention group (n=63). The subjects were mostly working in mentally demanding jobs (e.g., office worker), but also in physical (e.g., cleaner) and mixed (physical and mental) jobs (e.g., nurse). The increase in mental resources and decrease in physical strain from baseline to end were statistically significantly greater among the intervention group than among the control group. Between-group differences in the change in WAI were, however, statistically non-significant. A 6-month physical exercise intervention among symptomatic menopausal women seems not to be enough to increase perceived work ability but the physical exercise may increase perceived mental resources and decrease perceived daily physical strain.}

Psychosocial work factors and long sickness absence in Europe.

PubMed

Slany, Corinna; Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2014-01-01

Studies exploring a wide range of psychosocial work factors separately and together in association with long sickness absence are still lacking. The objective of this study was to explore the associations between psychosocial work factors measured following a comprehensive instrument (Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire, COPSOQ) and long sickness absence (> 7 days/year) in European employees of 34 countries. An additional objective was to study the differences in these associations according to gender and countries. The study population consisted of 16 120 male and 16 588 female employees from the 2010 European working conditions survey. Twenty-five psychosocial work factors were explored. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel logistic regression models and interaction testing. When studied together in the same model, factors related to job demands (quantitative demands and demands for hiding emotions), possibilities for development, social relationships (role conflicts, quality of leadership, social support, and sense of community), workplace violence (physical violence, bullying, and discrimination), shift work, and job promotion were associated with long sickness absence. Almost no difference was observed according to gender and country. Comprehensive prevention policies oriented to psychosocial work factors may be useful to prevent long sickness absence at European level.

Psychosocial work factors and long sickness absence in Europe

PubMed Central

Slany, Corinna; Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2014-01-01

Background: Studies exploring a wide range of psychosocial work factors separately and together in association with long sickness absence are still lacking. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the associations between psychosocial work factors measured following a comprehensive instrument (Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire, COPSOQ) and long sickness absence (>7 days/year) in European employees of 34 countries. An additional objective was to study the differences in these associations according to gender and countries. Methods: The study population consisted of 16 120 male and 16 588 female employees from the 2010 European working conditions survey. Twenty-five psychosocial work factors were explored. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel logistic regression models and interaction testing. Results: When studied together in the same model, factors related to job demands (quantitative demands and demands for hiding emotions), possibilities for development, social relationships (role conflicts, quality of leadership, social support, and sense of community), workplace violence (physical violence, bullying, and discrimination), shift work, and job promotion were associated with long sickness absence. Almost no difference was observed according to gender and country. Conclusions: Comprehensive prevention policies oriented to psychosocial work factors may be useful to prevent long sickness absence at European level. PMID:24176393

Working safely in summertime heat

Treesearch

Robert B. Rummer

1997-01-01

As logging operations continue in the hotter months of he year, the safety hazard of heat stress appears. Loggers are particularly at risk, because the combination of hard physical work and outdoor conditions puts high demands on the body. While loggers rarely die from heat stress, they may suffer heat illness symptoms ranging from the discomfort of heat rash to nausea...

Communication Consulting from Academe to the "Real World."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiler, William J.; Dunning, David

Before adding consulting, training, or other work to the usual responsibilities of teaching, academicians must make a number of decisions. These include whether to work in or outside of academe, how much time they have available, whether they can meet the physical and mental demands of consulting, how to arrange for initial contacts, and how much…

A prospective study of musculoskeletal outcomes among manufacturing workers: II. Effects of psychosocial stress and work organization factors.

PubMed

Gerr, Fredric; Fethke, Nathan B; Anton, Dan; Merlino, Linda; Rosecrance, John; Marcus, Michele; Jones, Michael P

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to characterize associations between psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and upper-extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Methodological limitations of previous studies of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and musculoskeletal outcomes have produced inconsistent associations. In this prospective epidemiologic study of 386 workers, questionnaires to assess decision latitude ("control") and psychological job demands ("demand") were administered to study participants and were used to classify them into job strain "quadrants". Measures of job stress and job change were collected during each week of follow-up. Incident hand/arm and neck/shoulder symptoms and disorders were ascertained weekly. Associations between exposure measures and musculoskeletal outcomes were estimated with proportional hazard methods. When compared to the low-demand/high-control job strain referent category, large increases in risk of hand/arm disorders were observed for both high-demand/high-control (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.23, 16.4]) and high-demand/low-control job strain categories (HR = 5.18,95% CI = [1.39, 19.4]). Similar associations were observed for hand/arm symptoms. A strong association was also observed between the low-demand/low-control job strain category and neck/shoulder disorders (HR = 6.46, 95% CI = [1.46, 28.6]). Statistically significant associations were also observed between weekly stress level and weekly job change and several musculoskeletal outcomes. Associations between psychosocial risk factors and work organizational factors and musculoskeletal outcomes were large and in the hypothesized direction. Prevention of occupational musculoskeletal disorders may require attention to psychosocial and work organizational factors in addition to physical factors. Methods to control adverse effects of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors should be explored.

Are occupational factors important determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in musculoskeletal pain?

PubMed

Mehlum, Ingrid Sivesind; Kristensen, Petter; Kjuus, Helge; Wergeland, Ebba

2008-08-01

The aim of this study was to quantify socioeconomic inequalities in low-back pain, neck-shoulder pain, and arm pain in the general working population in Oslo and to examine the impact of job characteristics on these inequalities. All economically active 30-, 40-, and 45-year-old persons who attended the Oslo health study in 2000-2001 and answered questions on physical job demands, job autonomy, and musculoskeletal pain were included (N=7293). Occupational class was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. The lower occupational classes were compared with higher grade professionals, and prevalences, prevalence ratios, prevalence differences, and population attributable fractions were calculated. There were marked, stepwise socioeconomic gradients for musculoskeletal pain, steeper for the men than for the women. The relative differences (prevalence ratios) were larger for low-back pain and arm pain than for neck-shoulder pain. The absolute differences (prevalence differences) were the largest for low-back pain. Physical job demands explained a substantial proportion of the absolute occupational class inequalities in low-back pain, while job autonomy was more important in explaining the inequalities in neck-shoulder pain and arm pain. The estimated population attributable fractions supported the impact of job characteristics at the working population level, especially for low-back pain. In this cross-sectional study, physical job demands and job autonomy explained a substantial proportion of occupational class inequalities in self-reported musculoskeletal pain in the working population in Oslo. This finding indicates that the workplace may be an important arena for preventive efforts to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in musculoskeletal pain.

Class and ideological orientations revisited: an exploration of class-based mechanisms.

PubMed

Bengtsson, Mattias; Berglund, Tomas; Oskarson, Maria

2013-12-01

Studies of the relationship between class position and political outlooks still only have a limited understanding of the class-related mechanisms that matter for ideological orientations. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms that link class position and left/right and authoritarian/libertarian orientations. Besides main factors such as income, career prospects, job security, education, class origin and class identification, the significance of work-related factors such as work autonomy, working in a team, a physically demanding job and a mentally demanding job is studied. The findings are based on a survey specifically designed for this purpose and collected in Sweden in 2008/2009. A great deal of the association between class position and left/right orientations is explained by socio-economic conditions; different classes sympathize with policies that will benefit them economically. Another important factor is class identification. Work-related factors also have relevance, but the effect of class position on left/right orientations works mainly through the remuneration system. Class position is also related to authoritarian/libertarian orientations. However, this relationship is less explained by socio-economic position per se, but is rather an effect of the educational system and its allocation of the workforce into different class positions. It also turns out that work-related factors do not explain the class effects; however, a physically demanding job shows a unique effect. Overall, our findings suggest that besides factors such as class position, income, education and class identification, we need to consider work-related aspects to derive a more complete understanding of the distribution of ideological orientations in Western societies. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2013.

Use of Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) on formwork carpentry--a comparison between the United States and Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lee, Gloria K L; Chan, Chetwyn C H

2003-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the utilization and applicability of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) as a methodology to study the job profile (nature and physical demand) of formwork carpentry in the local situation. Thirty male formwork carpenters were recruited by convenient sampling to participate in a two-hour interview, with reference to the DOT Physical Demand Questionnaire (DOTPDQ) and the WestTool Sort Questionnaire. The information obtained was further consolidated by comparing the results from the interview to three construction sites and training guidelines from the formwork carpentry training centers. The triangulation of the data formulated a job profile of formwork carpenters. The results from the DOTPDQ revealed that workers' work demands were standing, walking, pushing, pulling, reaching, climbing, balancing, stooping, crouching, lifting, carrying, handling and near acuity. This produced an agreement of 84.6% with the original DOT. A discrepancy was found in the demands of kneeling, fingering, far acuity and depth perception. The discrepancy between the data from the United States and local appeared to be minimal. It was thus inferred that the DOT-based job profile was largely valid for describing formwork carpentry in Hong Kong. In-depth analysis should be conducted to further substantiate the validity of utilizing the DOT system for other job types and their physical demands.

Health and Turnover of Working Mothers After Childbirth Via the Work–Family Interface: An Analysis Across Time

PubMed Central

Carlson, Dawn S.; Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Ferguson, Merideth; Hunter, Emily M.; Clinch, C. Randall; Arcury, Thomas A.

2013-01-01

This study examined organizational levers that impact work–family experiences, participant health, and subsequent turnover. Using a sample of 179 women returning to full-time work 4 months after childbirth, we examined the associations of 3 job resources (job security, skill discretion, and schedule control) with work-to-family enrichment and the associations of 2 job demands (psychological requirements and nonstandard work schedules) with work-to-family conflict. Further, we considered subsequent impact of work-to-family conflict and enrichment on women’s health (physical and mental health) 8 months after women returned to work and the impact of health on voluntary turnover 12 months after women returned to work. Having a nonstandard work schedule was directly and positively related to conflict, whereas schedule control buffered the effect of psychological requirements on conflict. Skill discretion and job security, both job resources, directly and positively related to enrichment. Work-to-family conflict was negatively related to both physical and mental health, but work-to-family enrichment positively predicted only physical health. Physical health and mental health both negatively influenced turnover. We discuss implications and opportunities for future research. PMID:21604833

Reciprocal Influences of Personality and Job Characteristics Across Middle Adulthood

PubMed Central

Sutin, Angelina R.; Costa, Paul T.

2010-01-01

The present research uses an economically diverse, middle-aged sample to examine the concurrent and longitudinal interplay between personality and occupational experiences. Using the Five-Factor Model of personality and the Demand-Control Model of the occupational environment as guiding frameworks, participants (N = 722) reported on their personality, job characteristics, and occupational history; a subset (n = 297) made the same ratings approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable, extraverted, open, and conscientious participants reported jobs with greater decision-making latitude, whereas disagreeable participants had more physically demanding and dangerous jobs. Longitudinal cross-lagged analyses revealed that personality was associated with changes in decision latitude, hazardous working conditions, and physical demands. None of the job characteristics predicted change in personality at the factor level. Thus, personality shaped occupational experiences, but occupational experiences had minimal impact on personality. Support for the Five-Factor Theory perspective and implications for environmental approaches to personality development are discussed. PMID:20433619

Occupational risk factors for upper-limb and neck musculoskeletal disorder among health-care staff in nursing homes for the elderly in France.

PubMed

Pelissier, Carole; Fontana, Luc; Fort, Emmanuel; Agard, Jean Pierre; Couprie, Francoise; Delaygue, Beatrice; Glerant, Valerie; Perrier, Catherine; Sellier, Brigitte; Vohito, Michel; Charbotel, Barbara

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relation between working conditions, in terms of physical and psychological demand, and upper-limb and neck musculoskeletal disorders (ULNMD) in female staff working in direct contact with the elderly in nursing homes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 105 nursing homes in France. Data on nursing-home working conditions were collected by questionnaire from occupational physicians and by self-administered questionnaire from staff. Psychosocial demand at work was assessed on Siegrist's questionnaire and ULNMD on the Nordic questionnaire. 2,328 employees were included: 628 housekeepers, 1,372 nursing assistants and 328 nurses. During the previous 12 months, 50% of the subjects (1,160) had presented with a musculoskeletal complaint concerning the neck, 38% (881) the shoulders, 10% (246) the elbows and 22% (520) the wrists. 9% (219) reported effort/reward imbalance on the 2004 Siegrist questionnaire and 42% were in a situation of over-commitment. ULNMD complaints were associated not only with physical occupational factors but also with psychosocial factors (effort/reward imbalance and over-commitment), both before and after adjustment on individual and occupational factors. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the causal role of occupational, including, organizational, psychosocial factors in ULNMD outcomes. Preventive approaches should take account of both physical and psychosocial occupational factors.

How Things Work: Teaching Physics in the Context of Everyday Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloomfield, Louis

2015-03-01

How Things Work is an unconventional introduction to physics, a course that starts with whole objects and looks inside them to see what makes them work. Effectively ``case-study physics,'' it is designed primarily for non-science students who are unsure of the role of physics in the world and are looking for relevance in their studies. How Things Work is essentially the generalization of context-based introductory courses (Physics of the Human Body, Physics of the Automobile, and Physics of Music) and demonstrates that when physics is taught in the context of ordinary objects, these students are enthusiastic about it, look forward to classes, ask insightful questions, experiment on their own, and find themselves explaining to friends and family how things in their world work. In this talk, I will discuss the concept and structure of a How Things Work course and look briefly at how to teach its objects and assess what students learn from it. Although this course focuses on concepts rather than on calculations, it is rich in physics and requires that students think hard about the world around them. It also teaches problem solving and logical thinking skills, and demands that students face their misconceptions and failures of intuition. Lastly, it is actually quantitative in many respects, though its results are usually more words than numbers: your weight, the battery's voltage, or the acceleration due to gravity.

Changes in working conditions and physical health functioning among midlife and ageing employees.

PubMed

Mänty, Minna; Kouvonen, Anne; Lallukka, Tea; Lahti, Jouni; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2015-11-01

The aim this study was to examine the effect of changes in physical and psychosocial working conditions on physical health functioning among ageing municipal employees. Follow-up survey data were collected from midlife employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, at three time points: wave 1 (2000-2002), wave 2 (2007), and wave 3 (2012). Changes in physical and psychosocial working conditions were assessed between waves 1 and 2. Physical health functioning was measured by the physical component summary (PCS) of the Short-Form 36 questionnaire at each of the three waves. In total, 2784 respondents (83% women) who remained employed over the follow-up were available for the analyses. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the associations and adjust for key covariates (age, gender, obesity, chronic diseases, and health behaviors). Repeated and increased exposure to adverse physical working conditions was associated with greater decline in physical health functioning over time. In contrast, decrease in exposures reduced the decline. Of the psychosocial working conditions, changes in job demands had no effects on physical health functioning. However, decreased job control was associated with greater decline and repeated high or increased job control reduced the decline in physical health functioning over time. Adverse changes in physical working conditions and job control were associated with greater decline in physical health functioning over time, whereas favorable changes in these exposures reduced the decline. Preventing deterioration and promoting improvement of working conditions are likely to help maintain better physical health functioning among ageing employees.

Psychosocial indicators among aircraft maintenance workers with and without neck and shoulder musculoskeletal symptoms.

PubMed

Oliveira, A; Nogueira, H; Diniz, A; Barbieri, D

2012-01-01

In the aircraft maintenance industry, most of workers performs manual handling tasks of different materials, varying from small objects up to large pieces of the aircraft. It can increase the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which are strongly associated with high physical demands required by the task. Moreover, psychosocial demands are considered as risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in both the upper limbs and lumbar spine. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess psychosocial indicators among aircraft maintenance workers according to the presence of neck and shoulder musculoskeletal symptoms. Eighty workers of an aircraft maintenance company were evaluated (32.69 ± 8.25 years, 79.8 ± 13.4 kg, 175 ± 7 cm). According to physical examination, 50 workers were classified as asymptomatic (AS - 4.1 ± 3.17 positive signs) whilst 30 workers were classified as symptomatic (SS - 26.72 ± 11.44 positive signs). AS and SS have shown similar profile of demand (p = 0.62), control (p = 0.66) and social support (p = 0.74) according to the Job Content Questionnaire. However, the groups are different when considering work engagement variables. In general, SS have higher scores than AS (p < 0.05).

Physiological responses to fire fighting activities.

PubMed

Romet, T T; Frim, J

1987-01-01

Eight professional fire fighters participated in six fire fighting scenarios at a training facility. Data on heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (Tre), and skin temperatures at the chest and thigh were collected using a portable data acquisition system. Average HR ranged from 122 to 151 beats.min-1 during the six scenarios. Detailed analyses indicated that HR and Tre increases are related to both the physical and environmental stresses of the various activities carried out. The most demanding activity, that of building search and victim rescue, resulted in an average HR of 153 beats.min-1 and Tre rise of 1.3 degree C, while the least demanding activity, that of the crew captain who directs the fire fighting, resulted in an average HR of only 122 beats.min-1 and a Tre rise of only 0.3 degree C. This study shows that fire fighting is strenuous work for those directly entering a building and performing related duties, but that the physical demands of other activities are considerably less. The results further suggest that heat strain injuries in fire fighters could perhaps be reduced by rotating duties frequently with other crew members performing less stressful work.

How to Define the Content of a Job-Specific Worker's Health Surveillance for Hospital Physicians?

PubMed

Ruitenburg, Martijn M; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2016-03-01

A job-specific Worker's Health Surveillance (WHS) for hospital physicians is a preventive occupational health strategy aiming at early detection of their diminished work-related health in order to improve or maintain physician's health and quality of care. This study addresses what steps should be taken to determine the content of a job-specific WHS for hospital physicians and outlines that content. Based on four questions, decision trees were developed for physical and psychological job demands and for biological, chemical, and physical exposures to decide whether or not to include work-related health effects related to occupational exposures or aspects of health reflecting insufficient job requirements. Information was gathered locally through self-reporting and systematic observations at the workplace and from evidence in international publications. Information from the decision trees on the prevalence and impact of the health- or work-functioning effect led to inclusion of occupational exposures (e.g., biological agents, emotionally demanding situations), job requirements (e.g., sufficient vision, judging ability), or health effects (e.g., depressive symptoms, neck complaints). Additionally, following the Dutch guideline for occupational physicians and based on specific job demands, screening for cardiovascular diseases, work ability, drug use, and alcohol consumption was included. Targeted interventions were selected when a health or work functioning problem existed and were chosen based on evidence for effectiveness. The process of developing a job-specific WHS for hospital physicians was described and the content presented, which might serve as an example for other jobs. Before implementation, it must first be tested for feasibility and acceptability.

Properties of potential eco-friendly gas replacements for particle detectors in high-energy physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saviano, G.; Ferrini, M.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Piccolo, D.; Colafranceschi, S.; KjØlbro, J.; Sharma, A.; Yang, D.; Chen, G.; Ban, Y.; Li, Q.; Grassini, S.; Parvis, M.

2018-03-01

Gas detectors for elementary particles require F-based gases for optimal performance. Recent regulations demand the use of environmentally unfriendly F-based gases to be limited or banned. This work studies properties of potential eco-friendly gas replacements by computing the physical and chemical parameters relevant for use as detector media, and suggests candidates to be considered for experimental investigation.

Change in Psychosocial Work Factors Predicts Follow-up Employee Strain: An Examination of Australian Employees.

PubMed

Jimmieson, Nerina L; Hobman, Elizabeth V; Tucker, Michelle K; Bordia, Prashant

2016-10-01

This research undertook a time-ordered investigation of Australian employees in regards to their experiences of change in psychosocial work factors across time (decreases, increases, or no change) in the prediction of psychological, physical, attitudinal, and behavioral employee strain. Six hundred and ten employees from 17 organizations participated in Time 1 and Time 2 psychosocial risk assessments (average time lag of 16.7 months). Multi-level regressions examined the extent to which change in exposure to six demands and four resources predicted employee strain at follow-up, after controlling for baseline employee strain. Increases in demands and decreases in resources exacerbated employee strain, but even constant moderate demands and resources resulted in poor employee outcomes, not just constant high or low exposure, respectively. These findings can help employers prioritize hazards, and guide tailored psychosocial organizational interventions.

Longitudinal relationship of work hours, mandatory overtime, and on-call to musculoskeletal problems in nurses.

PubMed

Trinkoff, Alison M; Le, Rong; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Lipscomb, Jane; Lang, Gary

2006-11-01

Nurses are at very high risk for work-related musculoskeletal injury/disorders (MSD) with low back pain/injury being the most frequently occurring MSD. Nurses are also likely to work extended schedules (long hours, on-call, mandatory overtime, working on days off). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of extended work schedules in nurses to MSD. Using a longitudinal, three wave survey of 2,617 registered nurses, Wave 1 work schedule data were related to neck, shoulder, and back (MSD) cases occurring in Waves 2 or 3. Schedule characteristics increasing MSD risk included 13+ hour/days, off-shifts, weekend work, work during time off (while sick, on days off, without breaks), and overtime/on-call. These increases in risk were not explained by psychological demands, but were largely explained by physical demands. Adverse schedules are significantly related to nurse MSD. Healthier schedules, less overtime, and reducing work on days off would minimize risk and recovery time. Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Factors associated with work-related fatigue and recovery in hospital nurses working 12-hour shifts.

PubMed

Han, Kihye; Trinkoff, Alison M; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne

2014-10-01

Nurse fatigue threatens both nurse and patient safety; fatigue affects nurses' neurocognitive functioning and hinders their work performance. The authors assessed the association of work and non-work factors with acute and chronic fatigue and intershift recovery among hospital nurses working 12-hour shifts. This study used survey data from 80 nurses who provided full-time direct patient care on medical-surgical and critical care units in a large teaching hospital. Psychological job demands (e.g., work load and social support from supervisor or coworker) were significantly associated with acute and chronic fatigue and intershift recovery. Rotating shifts were significantly related to acute fatigue. Findings suggest the need for a comprehensive approach to fatigue management, including organizational support to provide healthful work schedules and favorable nursing work environments, fewer psychological and physical demands, and assistance to improve nurses' sleep quality and quantity. [Workplace Health Saf 2014;62(10):409-414.]. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Breast Augmentation

MedlinePlus

... If you don't have a physically demanding job, you might be able to return to work within a few days to a week. Avoid strenuous activities — anything that could raise your pulse or blood pressure — for at least two weeks. While you're ...

Physical work capacity in older adults: implications for the aging worker.

PubMed

Kenny, Glen P; Yardley, Jane E; Martineau, Lucie; Jay, Ollie

2008-08-01

In many developed countries, the workforce is rapidly aging. Occupational demands however, have not decreased despite the fact that workers see a decline in physical work capacity with age. The purpose of this review is to examine the physiological adaptations to aging, the impact of aging on performance and the benefits of physical fitness in improving functional work capacity in aging individuals. An extensive search of the scientific literature was performed, acquiring published articles which examined the physiological changes associated with age-related decrements in the physical work capacity of healthy aging adults. The databases accessed included AARP Ageline, AccessScience, Annual Reviews, CISTI, Cochrane Library, Clinical Evidence, Digital Dissertations (Proquest), Embase, HealthSTAR, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and PASCAL and included relevant information sites obtained on the world wide web. While a great deal of variation exists, an average decline of 20% in physical work capacity has been reported between the ages of 40 and 60 years, due to decreases in aerobic and musculoskeletal capacity. These declines can contribute to decreased work capacity, and consequential increases in work-related injuries and illness. However, differences in habitual physical activity will greatly influence the variability seen in individual physical work capacity and its components. Well-organized, management-supported, work-site health interventions encouraging physical activity during work hours could potentially decrease the incidence of age-related injury and illness. Age-associated functional declines and the accompanying risk of work-related injury can be prevented or at least delayed by the practice of regular physical activity. Older workers could optimally pursue their careers until retirement if they continuously maintain their physical training.

Identifying work ability promoting factors for home care aides and assistant nurses

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In workplace health promotion, all potential resources needs to be taken into consideration, not only factors relating to the absence of injury and the physical health of the workers, but also psychological aspects. A dynamic balance between the resources of the individual employees and the demands of work is an important prerequisite. In the home care services, there is a noticeable trend towards increased psychosocial strain on employees at work. There are a high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and a low prevalence of sustainable work ability. The aim of this research was to identify factors promoting work ability and self-efficacy in care aides and assistant nurses within home care services. Methods This study is based on cross-sectional data collected in a municipality in northern Sweden. Care aides (n = 58) and assistant nurses (n = 79) replied to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 46%). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of several independent variables on self-efficacy (model 1) and work ability (model 2) for care aides and assistant nurses separately. Results Perceptions of personal safety, self-efficacy and musculoskeletal wellbeing contributed to work ability for assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.36, p < 0.001), while for care aides, the safety climate, seniority and age contributed to work ability (R2adj of 0.29, p = 0.001). Self-efficacy was associated with the safety climate and the physical demands of the job in both professions (R2adj of 0.24, p = 0.003 for care aides), and also by sex and age for the assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.31, p < 0.001). Conclusions The intermediate factors contributed differently to work ability in the two professions. Self-efficacy, personal safety and musculoskeletal wellbeing were important for the assistant nurses, while the work ability of the care aides was associated with the safety climate, but also with the non-changeable factors age and seniority. All these factors are important to acknowledge in practice and in further research. Proactive workplace interventions need to focus on potentially modifiable factors such as self-efficacy, safety climate, physical job demands and musculoskeletal wellbeing. PMID:22236253

The relationship between work arrangements and work-family conflict.

PubMed

Higgins, Christopher; Duxbury, Linda; Julien, Mark

2014-01-01

A review of the literature determined that our understanding of the efficacy of flexible work arrangements (FWA) in reducing work-family conflict remains inconclusive. To shed light on this issue by examining the relationship between work-to-family conflict, in which work interferes with family (WFC), family-to-work conflict, in which family interferes with work (FWC), and four work arrangements: the traditional 9-5 schedule, compressed work weeks (CWWs) flextime, and telework. Hypotheses were tested on a sample of 16,145 employees with dependent care responsibilities. MANCOVA analysis was used with work arrangement as the independent variable and work interferes with family (WFC) and family interferes with work (FWC) as dependent variables. Work demands, non-work demands, income, job type and gender were entered into the analysis as covariates. The more flexible work arrangements such as flextime and telework were associated with higher levels of WFC than were fixed 9-to 5 and CWW schedules. Employees who teleworked reported higher FWC than their counterparts working a traditional 9-to-5 schedule particularly when work demands were high. The removal of both temporal and physical boundaries separating work and family domains results in higher levels of work-family interference in both directions. The results from this study suggest that policy makers and practitioners who are interested in improving employee well-being can reduce work-family conflict, and by extension improve employee mental health, by focusing on the effective use of traditional and CWW schedules rather than by implementing flextime and telework arrangements.

Work Performance of Employees With Depression: The Impact of Work Stressors

PubMed Central

Lerner, Debra; Adler, David A.; Rogers, William H.; Chang, Hong; Lapitsky, Leueen; McLaughlin, Thomas; Reed, John

2014-01-01

Purpose Depressed employees are vulnerable to adverse work outcomes. We hypothesized that work performance is impaired by depression and is worsened by exposure to psychosocial work stressors. Design Longitudinal cohort study with surveys administered at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Setting Recruitment in primary care offices. Subjects A total of 14,268 were screened; 286 depressed, employed adults (18–62 years) and 193 controls were enrolled. Measures At-work limitations (presenteeism) and absenteeism were measured with the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) and WLQ Work Absence Module, respectively. Work stressors were assessed using a modified version of the Job Content Questionnaire. Analysis Univariate and multivariate tests assessed the degree to which at-work limitations were related to depression and/or stressful work. Results Presenteeism and absenteeism were significantly worse for the depression group at each time point (p ≤ .001). In cross-sectional models, presenteeism was associated with more severe depression symptoms, poorer general physical health, psychologically demanding work, the interaction of psychologically demanding work with depression, and less job control (r2 range = .33–.54). Absences were explained by depression symptom severity and poorer general physical health but not work stressors (r2 = .19). Because of minimal change in the work stressors, their longitudinal effects on outcomes were mostly nonsignificant. Conclusion This study found that depression symptoms are related to work absences and impaired work performance, and results partly confirmed that work stressors add to this impact. Results suggest that workers with depression may benefit from care involving medical and vocational interventions. PMID:20073388

Applications of physical methods in high-frequency futures markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartolozzi, M.; Mellen, C.; Chan, F.; Oliver, D.; Di Matteo, T.; Aste, T.

2007-12-01

In the present work we demonstrate the application of different physical methods to high-frequency or tick-bytick financial time series data. In particular, we calculate the Hurst exponent and inverse statistics for the price time series taken from a range of futures indices. Additionally, we show that in a limit order book the relaxation times of an imbalanced book state with more demand or supply can be described by stretched exponential laws analogous to those seen in many physical systems.

"It's still a great adventure" - exploring offshore employees' working conditions in a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mette, Janika; Velasco Garrido, Marcial; Harth, Volker; Preisser, Alexandra M; Mache, Stefanie

2017-01-01

Despite the particular demands inherent to offshore work, little is known about the working conditions of employees in the German offshore wind industry. To date, neither offshore employees' job demands and resources, nor their needs for improving the working conditions have been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis to gain further insight into these topics. Forty-two semi-structured telephone interviews with German offshore employees ( n  = 21) and offshore experts ( n  = 21) were conducted. Employees and experts were interviewed with regard to their perceptions of their working conditions offshore. In addition, employees were asked to identify areas with potential need for improvement. The interviews were analysed in a deductive-inductive process according to Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Employees and experts reported various demands of offshore work, including challenging physical labour, long shifts, inactive waiting times, and recurrent absences from home. In contrast, the high personal meaning of the work, regular work schedule (14 days offshore, 14 days onshore), and strong comradeship were highlighted as job resources. Interviewees' working conditions varied considerably, e.g. regarding their work tasks and accommodations. Most of the job demands were perceived in terms of the work organization and living conditions offshore. Likewise, employees expressed the majority of needs for improvement in these areas. Our study offers important insight into the working conditions of employees in the German offshore wind industry. The results can provide a basis for further quantitative research in order to generalize the findings. Moreover, they can be utilized to develop needs-based interventions to improve the working conditions offshore.

Physical activity barriers and facilitators among working mothers and fathers.

PubMed

Mailey, Emily L; Huberty, Jennifer; Dinkel, Danae; McAuley, Edward

2014-06-27

The transition to parenthood is consistently associated with declines in physical activity. In particular, working parents are at risk for inactivity, but research exploring physical activity barriers and facilitators in this population has been scarce. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perceptions of physical activity among working parents. Working mothers (n = 13) and fathers (n = 12) were recruited to participate in one of four focus group sessions and discuss physical activity barriers and facilitators. Data were analyzed using immersion/crystallization in NVivo 10. Major themes for barriers included family responsibilities, guilt, lack of support, scheduling constraints, and work. Major themes for facilitators included being active with children or during children's activities, being a role model for children, making time/prioritizing, benefits to health and family, and having support available. Several gender differences emerged within each theme, but overall both mothers and fathers reported their priorities had shifted to focus on family after becoming parents, and those who were fitting in physical activity had developed strategies that allowed them to balance their household and occupational responsibilities. The results of this study suggest working mothers and fathers report similar physical activity barriers and facilitators and would benefit from interventions that teach strategies for overcoming barriers and prioritizing physical activity amidst the demands of parenthood. Future interventions might consider targeting mothers and fathers in tandem to create an optimally supportive environment in the home.

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards.

PubMed

Cheung, Stephen S; Lee, Jason K W; Oksa, Juha

2016-06-01

Many physically demanding occupations in both developed and developing economies involve exposure to extreme thermal environments that can affect work capacity and ultimately health. Thermal extremes may be present in either an outdoor or an indoor work environment, and can be due to a combination of the natural or artificial ambient environment, the rate of metabolic heat generation from physical work, processes specific to the workplace (e.g., steel manufacturing), or through the requirement for protective clothing impairing heat dissipation. Together, thermal exposure can elicit acute impairment of work capacity and also chronic effects on health, greatly contributing to worker health risk and reduced productivity. Surprisingly, in most occupations even in developed economies, there are rarely any standards regarding enforced heat or cold safety for workers. Furthermore, specific physical employment standards or accommodations for thermal stressors are rare, with workers commonly tested under near-perfect conditions. This review surveys the major occupational impact of thermal extremes and existing employment standards, proposing guidelines for improvement and areas for future research.

Does physical or psychosocial workload modify the effect of musculoskeletal pain on sickness absence? A prospective study among the Finnish population.

PubMed

Neupane, Subas; Pensola, Tiina; Haukka, Eija; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Leino-Arjas, Päivi

2016-07-01

Previously, among food industry workers, multisite pain predicted sickness absence (SA) only in those with low biomechanical workload. Here we studied among a wide range of occupations whether the relationship of pain with SA was modified by the level of physical or psychosocial workload. A nationally representative sample (Health 2000 Survey) comprised 3420 occupationally active Finns aged 30-55 years. Baseline data on musculoskeletal pain during the preceding month, strenuous work history, current physical workload, job demands, job control, support at work, lifestyle, and chronic diseases were obtained in 2000/2001 by questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination. Musculoskeletal pain in 18 body locations was combined into four sites (neck, upper limbs, low back, and lower limbs) and classified as no pain, single-site pain, and multisite pain (2-4 sites). The data were linked with information from national registers on annual SA periods lasting ≥10 workdays for 2002-2008. Negative binomial regression analysis was used. At baseline, one-third of the study sample reported single-site and one-third multisite pain. Allowing for gender and age, the employees with multisite pain in strata with high physical workload and high job demands tended to have the highest risk of SA, but no statistically significant interactive effects between work factors and pain were observed. Further adjustment for health-related lifestyle and chronic diseases decreased the risk estimates in all strata. We did not find evidence for significant modification by physical or psychosocial workload of the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and SA periods lasting ≥10 workdays.

News

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-11-01

IRELAND New courses for high-tech Ireland; SCIENCE YEAR Science Year launched with a jump; THE NETHERLANDS School science teachers face uncertainty; KOREA Embedding physics in a cultural context; TEACHING RESOURCES Teacher, get your hook; ICT RESOURCES Stock-take of ICT progress; INTERNET Teachers to test-drive new physics gateway; NEW ZEALAND Physics is valued in New Zealand; JAPAN Advancing Physics in Japan; HIGHER EDUCATION Networking works in Cologne; INSTITUTE MATTERS IoP demands a better deal for physics teachers; AUSTRALIA Physics numbers decline: educators blame the low impact curriculum; SCIENCE FOR THE PUBLIC More than sixty seconds in Glasgow; INTERNET A gift selection of papers from IoP; TEACHING STYLES I know what you did last summer;

Identifying Challenging Job and Environmental Demands of Older Nurses Within the National Health Service.

PubMed

Durosaiye, Isaiah Oluremi; Hadjri, Karim; Liyanage, Champika Lasanthi

2016-04-01

To explore the existing theoretical contexts of the job and environmental demands of the nursing profession in the National Health Service (NHS) and to investigate how these job and environmental demands impact on the personal constructs of older nurses within the NHS. Nursing is the single most widely practiced profession in the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom. However, nurses contend with challenging job and environmental demands on a daily basis, which deplete them of personal constructs (or resources) required to stay in the profession. A multilevel exploratory qualitative research design was employed. Ten managers were interviewed for the preliminary study, based on which the three characteristics of an age-friendly NHS workplace were established: health, retirement, and flexibility. Then an in-depth literature review revealed that the most adversely affected job within the NHS was the nursing profession. Finally, a focus group study was undertaken with six older nurses working in the NHS. The most compelling finding of this study is that older nurses would generally not want to stay on the job if they had to work in the ward area. The physical, cognitive, and sensory constructs of older nurses are negatively affected by the job and environmental demands of the ward areas. Understanding how these job and environmental demands of the workplace affect an older nurse's personal constructs may help support a better design of nurse work and the wards and help extend the working lives of older nurses in the NHS. © The Author(s) 2015.

Relationships between work environment factors and workers' well-being in the maritime industry.

PubMed

Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Bergheim, Kjersti; Eid, Jarle

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether physical and psychosocial work factors are related to the levels of job satisfaction and intentions to leave in the maritime industry, and to determine whether there exist cross-cultural differences in work factors, job satisfaction and intentions to leave between European and Filipino crew members. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the variables were assessed in a sample of 541 seafarers from 2 large Norwegian shipping companies. Work factors included safety perceptions,leadership, job demands, harassment, and team cohesion. The findings show that physical and psychosocial work factors are important correlates of both intentions to leave and job satisfaction, with safety perceptions, job demands, and team cohesion as the strongest and most consistent factors. As for cross-cultural differences, the findings show that European and Filipino respondents differ with regard to safety perceptions, laissez-faire leadership, authentic leadership,exposure to harassment, team cohesion, and intentions to leave. No differences were established with regard to overall job satisfaction. The findings support occupational stress models which emphasise the importance of situational factors in the understanding of well-being among workers. Shipping companies should therefore always take these factors into consideration when developing and implementing interventions aimed at improving employee well-being.

Pre-employment and periodical health examinations, job analysis and placement of workers

PubMed Central

Forssman, Sven

1955-01-01

A short survey has been given on the purpose and methods of pre-employment and regular examinations and job analysis. Placement of workers from the health point of view must be carried out according to the physical and mental demands of the work and the qualifications of the individual worker to fulfil those demands. Although the principles of the placement process are known, there is a great need for research into some leading problems. PMID:13276805

Identifying occupational attributes of jobs performed after spinal cord injury: implications for vocational rehabilitation.

PubMed

Sinden, Kathryn E; Martin Ginis, Kathleen A

2013-09-01

Although individuals after spinal cord injury (SCI) demonstrate a breadth of ability and employment potential, return-to-work (RTW) outcomes are low. In Canada, only 38% of individuals RTW after SCI. Refining the process of job suitability and enhancing job search strategies have been suggested to improve RTW outcomes. Our primary study objective was to identify occupational attributes of jobs performed after SCI that might be used to inform vocational rehabilitation strategies and improve RTW outcomes after SCI. A secondary analysis of participants from the Study of Health and Activity in People with Spinal Cord Injury employed in an occupation for which they received pay, was conducted. Frequency distributions for various occupational attributes including physical demands and educational requirements were examined across 181 reported occupations. χ-tests identified whether the primary mode of mobility was related to occupational physical demands. Analysis of the physical demand attribute identified that 58% of occupations required sitting and 33% required sitting/standing or walking. Forty-four percent of occupations required upper or multiple limb coordination. Eighty-three percent of occupations required a limited strength capacity. Sixty percent of occupations required college education and 58% required an undergraduate university education. χ-analysis revealed nonsignificant associations between primary mode of mobility and physical demands. In conclusion, a breadth of occupational attributes in jobs performed by individuals after SCI was identified. These results are suggested to inform future vocational rehabilitation strategies.

Using the PhysX engine for physics-based virtual surgery with force feedback.

PubMed

Maciel, Anderson; Halic, Tansel; Lu, Zhonghua; Nedel, Luciana P; De, Suvranu

2009-09-01

The development of modern surgical simulators is highly challenging, as they must support complex simulation environments. The demand for higher realism in such simulators has driven researchers to adopt physics-based models, which are computationally very demanding. This poses a major problem, since real-time interactions must permit graphical updates of 30 Hz and a much higher rate of 1 kHz for force feedback (haptics). Recently several physics engines have been developed which offer multi-physics simulation capabilities, including rigid and deformable bodies, cloth and fluids. While such physics engines provide unique opportunities for the development of surgical simulators, their higher latencies, compared to what is necessary for real-time graphics and haptics, offer significant barriers to their use in interactive simulation environments. In this work, we propose solutions to this problem and demonstrate how a multimodal surgical simulation environment may be developed based on NVIDIA's PhysX physics library. Hence, models that are undergoing relatively low-frequency updates in PhysX can exist in an environment that demands much higher frequency updates for haptics. We use a collision handling layer to interface between the physical response provided by PhysX and the haptic rendering device to provide both real-time tissue response and force feedback. Our simulator integrates a bimanual haptic interface for force feedback and per-pixel shaders for graphics realism in real time. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, we present the simulation of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedure as a case study. To develop complex and realistic surgical trainers with realistic organ geometries and tissue properties demands stable physics-based deformation methods, which are not always compatible with the interaction level required for such trainers. We have shown that combining different modelling strategies for behaviour, collision and graphics is possible and desirable. Such multimodal environments enable suitable rates to simulate the major steps of the LAGB procedure.

U.S. Army physical demands study: Prevalence and frequency of performing physically demanding tasks in deployed and non-deployed settings.

PubMed

Boye, Michael W; Cohen, Bruce S; Sharp, Marilyn A; Canino, Maria C; Foulis, Stephen A; Larcom, Kathleen; Smith, Laurel

2017-11-01

To compare percentages of on-duty time spent performing physically demanding soldier tasks in non-deployed and deployed settings, and secondarily examine the number of physically demanding tasks performed among five Army combat arms occupational specialties. Job task analysis. Soldiers (n=1295; over 99% serving on active duty) across five Army jobs completed one of three questionnaires developed using reviews of job and task related documents, input from subject matter experts, observation of task performance, and conduct of focus groups. Soldiers reported estimates of the total on-duty time spent performing physically demanding tasks in both deployed and non-deployed settings. One-way analyses of variance and Duncan post-hoc tests were used to compare percentage time differences by job. Two-tailed t-tests were used to evaluate differences by setting. Frequency analyses were used to present supplementary findings. Soldiers reported performing physically demanding job-specific tasks 17.7% of the time while non-deployed and 19.6% of the time while deployed. There were significant differences in time spent on job-specific tasks across settings (p<0.05) for three of five occupational specialties. When categories of physically demanding tasks were grouped, all soldiers reported spending more time on physically demanding tasks when deployed (p<0.001). Twenty-five percent reported performing less than half the physically demanding tasks represented on the questionnaire in the last two years. Soldiers spent more time performing physically demanding tasks while deployed compared to non-deployed but spent similar amounts of time performing job-specific tasks. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sex Inequalities in Physical and Mental Functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese Civil Servants: Role of Job Demand, Control and Work Hours

PubMed Central

Sekine, Michikazu; Tatsuse, Takashi; Kagamimori, Sadanobu; Chandola, Tarani; Cable, Noriko; Marmot, Michael; Martikainen, Pekka; Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero

2011-01-01

In general, women report more physical and mental symptoms than men. International comparisons of countries with different welfare state regimes may provide further understanding of the social determinants of sex inequalities in health. This study aims to evaluate (1) whether there are sex inequalities in health functioning as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36), and (2) whether work characteristics contribute to the sex inequalities in health among employees from Britain, Finland, and Japan, representing liberal, social democratic, and conservative welfare state regimes, respectively. The participants were 7340 (5122 men and 2218 women) British employees, 2297 (1638 men and 659 women) Japanese employees, and 8164 (1649 men and 6515 women) Finnish employees. All the participants were civil servants aged 40-60 years. We found that more women than men tended to have disadvantaged work characteristics (i.e. low employment grade, low job control, high job demands, and long work hours) but such sex differences were relatively smaller among employees from Finland, where more gender equal policies exist than Britain and Japan. The age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of women for poor physical functioning was the largest for British women (OR=2.08), followed by for Japanese women (OR=1.72), and then for Finnish women (OR=1.51). The age-adjusted OR of women for poor mental functioning was the largest for Japanese women (OR=1.91), followed by for British women (OR=1.45), and then for Finnish women (OR=1.07). Thus, sex differences in physical and mental health was the smallest in the Finnish population. The larger the sex differences in work characteristics, the larger the sex differences in health and the reduction in the sex differences in health after adjustment for work characteristics. These results suggest that egalitarian and gender equal policies may contribute to smaller sex differences in health, through smaller differences in disadvantaged work characteristics between men and women. PMID:21782303

Naturally occurring workplace facilities to increase the leisure time physical activity of workers: A propensity-score weighted population study.

PubMed

Biswas, Aviroop; Smith, Peter M; Gignac, Monique A M

2018-06-01

The benefit of providing access to physical activity facilities at or near work to support the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) of workers is uncertain. We examined the association between access to physical activity facilities at or near work and the LTPA of workers after adjusting for a range of individual and occupational characteristics. Data was obtained from 60,650 respondents to the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey. Participants were employed adults ≥18 years of age who had no long-term health condition which reduced their participation in physical activity. Latent class analysis determined naturally occurring combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work. Each combination was balanced by 19 individual and occupational covariate characteristics using inverse probability of treatment weights derived from propensity scores. The association between combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work on LTPA level was estimated by multinomial logistic regression. Five different combinations of physical activity facilities were available to respondents at or near work. Data were analyzed in 2017. All possible physical facilities increased the likelihood for LTPA (OR, 2.08, 95% CI, 1.03-4.20) and other combinations were also positively associated. Respondents with no physical activity facilities were characterized as having a low education, low income, high physically demanding work, poor health and mental health, non-white racial background, and being an immigrant. Access to supportive workplace environments can help workers be physically active. Future research should assess a range of personal, social and environmental factors that may be driving this relationship.

Behavioral and psychophysiological responses to job demands and association with musculoskeletal symptoms in computer work.

PubMed

Griffiths, Karin Lindgren; Mackey, Martin G; Adamson, Barbara J

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare individual behavioral and psychophysiological responses to workload demands and stressors associated with the reporting of musculoskeletal symptoms with computer work. Evidence is growing that the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms increases with longer hours of computer work and exposure to psychosocial stressors such as high workloads and unrealistic deadlines. Workstyle, or how an individual worker behaves in response to such work demands, may also be an important factor associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in computer operators. Approximately 8,000 employees of the Australian Public Service were invited to complete an on-line survey if they worked with a computer for 15 or more hours per week. The survey was a composite of three questionnaires: the ASSET to measure perceived organizational stressors, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to measure reported prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and additional questions to measure individual work behaviors and responses. 934 completed surveys were accepted for analyses. Logistic regression was used to identify significant behavioral and work response predictors of musculoskeletal symptoms. Reporting of heightened muscle tension in response to workload pressure was more strongly associated, than other physical behavioral factors, with musculoskeletal symptoms for all body areas, particularly the neck (OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 2.09-2.99). Individual workstyles in response to workload demands and stressors, including working with heightened muscle tension and mental fatigue, were significantly associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. Future risk management strategies should have a greater focus on the identification and management of those organizational factors that are likely to encourage and exacerbate adverse workstyles.

Longitudinal Mediation Modeling of Unhealthy Behaviors as Mediators between Workplace Demands/Support and Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Magnusson Hanson, Linda L.; Peristera, Paraskevi; Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Westerlund, Hugo

2016-01-01

Lifestyle has been regarded as a key pathway through which adverse psychosocial working characteristics can give rise to long-term health problems. The purpose of this study was to estimate the indirect/mediated effect of health behaviors in the longitudinal work characteristics-depression relationship. The analyses were based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, including 3706 working participants with repeat survey measures on four occasions (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014). Psychosocial work characteristics including demands and social support were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms. Autoregressive longitudinal mediation models using structural equation modeling were used to estimate the intermediate effects of unhealthy behaviors including current smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Both workplace demands and social support were related to later depressive symptoms. In bivariate models we found no significant paths from workplace demands to health behaviors, but two out of three significant time-specific paths from workplace support to excessive drinking and from excessive drinking to depressive symptoms. Social support was also associated with subsequent unhealthy diet, and one path from unhealthy diet to depressive symptoms was found. However, despite indications of certain longitudinal relationships between psychosocial working conditions and health behaviors as well as between health behaviors and depressive symptoms, no significant intermediate effects were found (p>0.05). We conclude that changes in unhealthy behaviors over a period of two years are unlikely to act as strong intermediaries in the longitudinal relationship between job demands and depressive symptoms and between social support and depressive symptoms. PMID:28036376

Longitudinal Mediation Modeling of Unhealthy Behaviors as Mediators between Workplace Demands/Support and Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Peristera, Paraskevi; Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Westerlund, Hugo

2016-01-01

Lifestyle has been regarded as a key pathway through which adverse psychosocial working characteristics can give rise to long-term health problems. The purpose of this study was to estimate the indirect/mediated effect of health behaviors in the longitudinal work characteristics-depression relationship. The analyses were based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, including 3706 working participants with repeat survey measures on four occasions (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014). Psychosocial work characteristics including demands and social support were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms. Autoregressive longitudinal mediation models using structural equation modeling were used to estimate the intermediate effects of unhealthy behaviors including current smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Both workplace demands and social support were related to later depressive symptoms. In bivariate models we found no significant paths from workplace demands to health behaviors, but two out of three significant time-specific paths from workplace support to excessive drinking and from excessive drinking to depressive symptoms. Social support was also associated with subsequent unhealthy diet, and one path from unhealthy diet to depressive symptoms was found. However, despite indications of certain longitudinal relationships between psychosocial working conditions and health behaviors as well as between health behaviors and depressive symptoms, no significant intermediate effects were found (p>0.05). We conclude that changes in unhealthy behaviors over a period of two years are unlikely to act as strong intermediaries in the longitudinal relationship between job demands and depressive symptoms and between social support and depressive symptoms.

Optimising technical skills and physical loading in small-sided basketball games.

PubMed

Klusemann, Markus J; Pyne, David B; Foster, Carl; Drinkwater, Eric J

2012-01-01

Differences in physiological, physical, and technical demands of small-sided basketball games related to the number of players, court size, and work-to-rest ratios are not well characterised. A controlled trial was conducted to compare the influence of number of players (2v2/4v4), court size (half/full court) and work-to-rest ratios (4x2.5 min/2x5 min) on the demands of small-sided games. Sixteen elite male and female junior players (aged 15-19 years) completed eight variations of a small-sided game in randomised order over a six-week period. Heart rate responses and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured to assess the physiological load. Movement patterns and technical elements were assessed by video analysis. There were ∼60% more technical elements in 2v2 and ∼20% more in half court games. Heart rate (86 ± 4% & 83 ± 5% of maximum; mean ± SD) and RPE (8 ± 2 & 6 ± 2; scale 1-10) were moderately higher in 2v2 than 4v4 small-sided games, respectively. The 2v2 format elicited substantially more sprints (36 ±12%; mean ±90% confidence limits) and high intensity shuffling (75 ±17%) than 4v4. Full court games required substantially more jogging (9 ±6%) compared to half court games. Fewer players in small-sided basketball games substantially increases the technical, physiological and physical demands.

The influence of demographics and work related goals on adaptive development for work related learning amongst private hospital employees.

PubMed

Tones, Megan; Pillay, Hitendra; Fraser, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Contemporary lifespan development models of adaptive development have been applied to the workforce to examine characteristics of the ageing employee. Few studies have examined adaptive development in terms of worker perceptions of workplace, or their learning and development issues. This study used the recently developed Revised Learning and Development Survey to investigate employee selection and engagement of learning and development goals, opportunities for learning and development at work, and constraints to learning and development at work. Demographic and career goal variables were tested amongst a sample of private hospital employees, almost all of whom were nurses. Workers under 45 years of age perceived greater opportunities for training and development than more mature aged workers. Age and physical demands interacted such that physical demands of work were associated with lower engagement in learning and development goals in mature aged workers. The opposite was observed amongst younger workers. Engagement in learning and development goals at work predicted goals associated with an intention to decrease work hours or change jobs to a different industry when opportunities to learn via work tasks were limited. At the same time limited opportunities for training and development and perceptions of constraints to development at work predicted the intention to change jobs. Results indicate consideration must be paid to employee perceptions in the workplace in relation to goals. They may be important factors in designing strategies to retain workers.

Socially Responsible Mining: the Relationship between Mining and Poverty, Human Health and the Environment

PubMed Central

Maier, Raina M.; Díaz-Barriga, Fernando; Field, James A.; Hopkins, James; Klein, Bern; Poulton, Mary M.

2016-01-01

Increasing global demand for metals is straining the ability of the mining industry to physically keep up with demand (physical scarcity). On the other hand, social issues including the environmental and human health consequences of mining as well as the disparity in income distribution from mining revenues are disproportionately felt at the local community level. This has created social rifts, particularly in the developing world, between affected communities and both industry and governments. Such rifts can result in a disruption of the steady supply of metals (situational scarcity). Here we discuss the importance of mining in relationship to poverty, identify steps that have been taken to create a framework for socially responsible mining, and then discuss the need for academia to work in partnership with communities, government, and industry to develop trans-disciplinary research-based step change solutions to the intertwined problems of physical and situational scarcity. PMID:24552962

Transactive Control of Commercial Building HVAC Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corbin, Charles D.; Makhmalbaf, Atefe; Huang, Sen

This document details the development and testing of market-based transactive controls for building heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These controls are intended to serve the purposes of reducing electricity use through conservation, reducing peak building electric demand, and providing demand flexibility to assist with power system operations. This report is the summary of the first year of work conducted under Phase 1 of the Clean Energy and Transactive Campus Project. The methods and techniques described here were first investigated in simulation, and then subsequently deployed to a physical testbed on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) campus formore » validation. In this report, we describe the models and control algorithms we have developed, testing of the control algorithms in simulation, and deployment to a physical testbed. Results from physical experiments support previous simulation findings, and provide insights for further improvement.« less

Job control, psychological demand, and farmworker health: evidence from the national agricultural workers survey.

PubMed

Grzywacz, Joseph G; Alterman, Toni; Gabbard, Susan; Shen, Rui; Nakamoto, Jorge; Carroll, Daniel J; Muntaner, Carles

2014-01-01

Improve understanding of the potential occupational health impact of how agricultural jobs are organized. Exposure to low job control, high psychological demands, and high job strain were hypothesized to have greater risk for poor self-rated physical health and elevated depressive symptoms. Cross-sectional data (N = 3691) obtained using the Work Organization and Psychosocial Factors module of the US National Agricultural Workers Survey fielded in 2009-2010. More than one fifth (22.4%) of farmworkers reported fair/poor health, and 8.7% reported elevated depressive symptoms. High psychological demand was associated with increased risk of fair/poor health (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 2.2) and elevated depressive symptoms (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9 to 3.8). The organization of work in field agriculture may pose risks for poor occupational health outcomes among a vulnerable worker population.

20 CFR 404.1545 - Your residual functional capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Your residual functional capacity. 404.1545 Section 404.1545 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND... fully capable of the physical demands consistent with those of sustained medium work activity, but...

20 CFR 404.1545 - Your residual functional capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Your residual functional capacity. 404.1545 Section 404.1545 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND... fully capable of the physical demands consistent with those of sustained medium work activity, but...

Bacterial exopolysaccharides for corrosion resistance on low carbon steel

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corrosion is a global issue that affects safety and economics. There is an increasing demand for bio-based polymers for industrial applications and production of polymers by micro-organisms is especially attractive. This work reports on the electrochemical and physical properties of exopolysaccharid...

Improving Work Performance Through Appraisal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, William J.

1978-01-01

Effective appraisal depends on three essential elements: employees who are motivated to achieve goals, who have the necessary mental and physical ability, and who clearly understand the demands of the job. What this implies for systems touching on these elements is spelled out in detail. (Author/MLF)

Job Stress Reactivity and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-05-01

analogous to waste thermal warmth in a power plant ), they propose that increased processing demands (either physical or mental) placed upon a task...32 on the next page) MEDICAL Yes No Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., Ibuprofen, Naproxen , Naprosyn) Oral steroids Local steroid

The contribution of occupational factors to social inequalities in health: findings from the national French SUMER survey.

PubMed

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Chastang, Jean-François; David, Simone; Kelleher, Cecily

2008-12-01

Social inequalities in health have long been demonstrated, but the understanding of these inequalities remains unclear. Work and its related occupational factors may contribute to these inequalities. The objective of this study was to study the contribution of work factors using an integrated approach (including all types of exposures) to social inequalities in three health outcomes: poor self-reported health, long sickness absence, and work injury. Respondents were 14,241 men and 10,245 women drawn from a survey of the national French working population (response rate: 96.5%). Work factors included job characteristics, and occupational exposures of the physical, ergonomic, biological, chemical, and psychosocial work environment. All work factors were measured through expert evaluation by occupational physicians, except psychosocial work factors, which were self-reported. Strong social gradients were found for all work factors, except for psychological demands, workplace bullying, and aggression from the public. Marked social gradients were also observed for the health outcomes studied, blue collar workers being more likely to report poor self-reported health, long sickness absence, and work injury. The social differences in health were reduced strongly after adjustment for work factors (psychological demands excluded) by 24-58% according to sex and health outcomes. The strongest impacts were found for decision latitude, ergonomic, physical, and chemical exposures, as well as for work schedules. A detailed analysis allowed us to identify more precisely the contributing occupational factors. It suggests that concerted prevention of occupational risk factors would be useful not only to improve health at work, but also to reduce social inequalities in health.

Energy cost of the Trondheim firefighter test for experienced firefighters.

PubMed

von Heimburg, Erna; Medbø, Jon Ingulf

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to measure aerobic demands of fire fighting activities including exercise in the heat. Twenty-two experienced firefighters performed the Trondheim test simulating fire fighting tasks including work in the heat. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), heart rate (HR) and ventilation were recorded continuously. Data were compared with results obtained during a treadmill test during which the participants were dressed as smoke divers. The participants completed physical parts of the Trondheim test in ˜12 min (range: 7.5-17.4). Time to complete the test was closely related to the participant's VO2 max. HR of ˜170 beats/min and pulmonary ventilation of ˜100 L/min were higher than at lactate threshold (LT) during laboratory tests. VO2 averaged over the test's physical part was 35 ± 7 ml/min/kg, which was at the same or below the level corresponding to the participants' LT. Physically fit participants completed the test faster than less fit participants. Slower and physically less fit participants consumed more air and used more oxygen than faster and physically more fit participants. The Trondheim test is physically demanding; it distinguishes physically fit and less fit participants.

Pursuing minimally disruptive medicine: disruption from illness and health care-related demands is correlated with patient capacity.

PubMed

Boehmer, Kasey R; Shippee, Nathan D; Beebe, Timothy J; Montori, Victor M

2016-06-01

Chronic conditions burden patients with illness and treatments. We know little about the disruption of life by the work of dialysis in relation to the resources patients can mobilize, that is, their capacity, to deal with such demands. We sought to determine the disruption of life by dialysis and its relation to patient capacity to cope. We administered a survey to 137 patients on dialysis at an academic medical center. We captured disruption from illness and treatment, and physical, mental, personal, social, financial, and environmental aspects of patient capacity using validated scales. Covariates included number of prescriptions, hours spent on health care, existence of dependents, age, sex, and income level. On average, patients reported levels of capacity and disruption comparable to published levels. In multivariate regression models, limited physical, financial, and mental capacity were significantly associated with greater disruption. Patients in the top quartile of disruption had lower-than-expected physical, financial, and mental capacity. Our sample generally had capacity comparable to other populations and may be able to meet the demands imposed by treatment. Those with reduced physical, financial, and mental capacity reported higher disruption and represent a vulnerable group that may benefit from innovations in minimally disruptive medicine. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of three ergonomic measures on productivity, physical work demands, and workload in gypsum bricklayers.

PubMed

van der Molen, Henk F; Kuijer, P Paul F M; Formanoy, Margriet; Bron, Lennart; Hoozemans, Marco J M; Visser, Bart; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2010-06-01

This study evaluated the effects of a combination of three ergonomic measures designed to reduce the risk of low back complaints among gypsum bricklayers. The measures focused on optimizing working height and reducing carrying distances. A within-subjects (N = 10) controlled field study was used to compare the effects of working with the ergonomic measures with those of working with conventional working methods at the worksite during the course of a full working day. Productivity, work demands, and workload were assessed. No effects were found on productivity, total work time, duration of tasks, duration of carrying, or energetic or biomechanical workload. However, the duration and frequency of working between knee and hip height during a working day increased by 25% and 15%, respectively, due to the ergonomic measures. During the finishing task, the duration and frequency of working below knee level decreased significantly by 4 min and 71 times, respectively. The limited impact of the ergonomic measures argues for additional measures to reduce the risk of low back complaints. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Changes in work situation and work ability in young female and male workers. A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Boström, Maria; Sluiter, Judith K; Hagberg, Mats

2012-08-24

Good work ability is very important in young workers, but knowledge of work situations that influence work ability in this group is poor. The aim of this study was to assess whether changes in self-reported work factors are associated with self-reported work ability among young female and male workers. A sample of 1,311 (718 women and 593 men) was selected from a Swedish cohort of workers aged 21-25 years. At baseline and at 1-year follow-up, participants completed a self-administrated questionnaire including ratings of physical and psychosocial work factors and current work ability. Prevalence ratios were calculated to assess univariate and multivariate associations between changes in work factors and changes in work ability. Decreased job control (PR 1.7, 95% CI 1.49-2.12) and increased negative influence of job demands on private life (PR 1.5, 95% CI 1.25-1.69) were associated with reduced work ability for both female and male workers in the multivariate analyses. Among female workers, an association was found between improved work ability and increased social support at work (PR 2.4, CI 1.43-3.95). For male workers, increased job control (PR 2.3, 95% CI 1.21-4.54) and decreased negative influence of job demands on private life (PR 2.1, 95% CI 1.10-3.87) were associated with improved work ability in the multivariate analyses. Decreased job control and increased negative influence of job demands on private life over time seem to be the most important work factors associated with reduced work ability among young workers of both sexes. Increased social support at work, increased job control, and decreased negative influence of job demands on private life were also found to be the main work factors associated with improved work ability, although with possible gender differences.

Physical occupational exposures and health expectancies in a French occupational cohort

PubMed Central

Head, Jenny; Stenholm, Sari; Singh Chungkham, Holendro; Goldberg, Marcel; Zins, Marie

2017-01-01

Objectives To examine the relationships of strenuous and hazardous working conditions and rotating shifts that involve night working with life expectancy in good perceived health and life expectancy without chronic disease. Methods The sample contained male gas and electricity workers from the French GAZEL cohort (n=13 393). Six measures of physical working conditions were examined: Self-reports from 1989 and 1990 of ergonomic strain, physical danger, rotating shifts that involve night working and perceived physical strain; company records of workplace injuries and a job-exposure matrix of chemical exposures. Partial healthy life expectancies (age 50–75) relating to (1) self-rated health and (2) chronic health conditions, obtained from annual questionnaires (1989–2014) and company records, were estimated using multistate life tables. The analyses were adjusted for social class and occupational grade. Results Participants with physically strenuous jobs and who had experienced industrial injuries had shorter partial life expectancy. More physically demanding and dangerous work was associated with fewer years of life spent in good self-rated health and without chronic conditions, with the exception of shift work including nights, where the gradient was reversed. Conclusions Strenuous and hazardous work may contribute to lost years of good health in later life, which has implications for individuals' quality of life as well as healthcare use and labour market participation. PMID:27655775

Updating and prospective validation of a prognostic model for high sickness absence.

PubMed

Roelen, C A M; Heymans, M W; Twisk, J W R; van Rhenen, W; Pallesen, S; Bjorvatn, B; Moen, B E; Magerøy, N

2015-01-01

To further develop and validate a Dutch prognostic model for high sickness absence (SA). Three-wave longitudinal cohort study of 2,059 Norwegian nurses. The Dutch prognostic model was used to predict high SA among Norwegian nurses at wave 2. Subsequently, the model was updated by adding person-related (age, gender, marital status, children at home, and coping strategies), health-related (BMI, physical activity, smoking, and caffeine and alcohol intake), and work-related (job satisfaction, job demands, decision latitude, social support at work, and both work-to-family and family-to-work spillover) variables. The updated model was then prospectively validated for predictions at wave 3. 1,557 (77 %) nurses had complete data at wave 2 and 1,342 (65 %) at wave 3. The risk of high SA was under-estimated by the Dutch model, but discrimination between high-risk and low-risk nurses was fair after re-calibration to the Norwegian data. Gender, marital status, BMI, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, job satisfaction, job demands, decision latitude, support at the workplace, and work-to-family spillover were identified as potential predictors of high SA. However, these predictors did not improve the model's discriminative ability, which remained fair at wave 3. The prognostic model correctly identifies 73 % of Norwegian nurses at risk of high SA, although additional predictors are needed before the model can be used to screen working populations for risk of high SA.

Job strain, effort-reward imbalance and employee well-being: a large-scale cross-sectional study.

PubMed

de Jonge, J; Bosma, H; Peter, R; Siegrist, J

2000-05-01

This study investigated the effects of the Job Demand-Control (JD-C) Model and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model on employee well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted comprising a large representative sample of 11,636 employed Dutch men and women. Logistic regression analyses were used. Controlling for job sector, demographic characteristics (including educational level) and managerial position, employees reporting high job demands (i.e. psychological and physical demands) and low job control had elevated risks of emotional exhaustion, psychosomatic and physical health complaints and job dissatisfaction (odds ratios ranged from 2.89 to 10.94). Odds ratios were generally higher in employees reporting both high (psychological and physical) efforts and low rewards (i.e. poor salary, job insecurity and low work support): they ranged from 3.23 to 15.43. Furthermore, overcommitted people had higher risks of poor well-being due to a high effort-low reward mismatch (ORs: 3.57-20.81) than their less committed counterparts (ORs: 3.01-12.71). Finally, high efforts and low occupational rewards were stronger predictors of poor well-being than low job control when both job stress models were simultaneously adjusted. In conclusion, our findings show independent cumulative effects of both the JD-C Model and the ERI Model on employee well-being and are not significantly different in men and women as well as in young and old people. In particular, high (psychological and physical) efforts and low rewards adversely affected employee well-being. Preliminary findings also indicate excess risks of poor well-being in overcommitted persons suffering from high cost--low gain conditions at work.

Occupational factors and subsequent major depressive and generalized anxiety disorders in the prospective French national SIP study.

PubMed

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Malard, Lucile; Chastang, Jean-François

2015-02-28

The literature has been extensive on the associations between psychosocial work factors and mental health. Nevertheless, the studies using prospective design, various concepts and more than one measurement point in time for these factors and diagnostic interview to assess mental disorders remain seldom in the literature. This study is an attempt to fill the gap in this topic. The study was based on a national representative sample of 4717 workers of the French working population (SIP survey), interviewed in 2006 and reinterviewed again in 2010 and free of mental disorders at baseline. Psychosocial work factors, measured in both 2006 and 2010, included: psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, reward, emotional demands, role conflict, ethical conflict, tensions with the public, job insecurity and work-life imbalance. Other occupational factors related to working time/hours and physical work environment were also studied. Major depressive (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) were measured using a standardised diagnostic interview (MINI). Covariates were age, occupation, marital status, having a child under 3 y, social support outside work and stressful life events. Multivariate analyses were performed using weighted logistic regression models. Using models taking all occupational factors into account simultaneously, low reward and job insecurity predicted MDD. Psychological demands, low reward, emotional demands and job insecurity were predictive of GAD. The more frequent the exposure to job insecurity, the higher the risk of MDD and GAD, and the more frequent the exposure to psychological demands and low reward, the higher the risk of GAD. No effect was observed for repeated exposure to occupational factors. Classical and emergent psychosocial work factors were predictive factors of depression and anxiety with dose-response associations in terms of frequency of exposure. More attention may be needed on emergent psychosocial work factors and frequent exposure to these factors.

Physical activities at work and risk of musculoskeletal pain and its consequences: protocol for a study with objective field measures among blue-collar workers.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Korshøj, Mette; Lagersted-Olsen, Julie; Villumsen, Morten; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Skotte, Jørgen; Søgaard, Karen; Madeleine, Pascal; Thomsen, Birthe Lykke; Holtermann, Andreas

2013-07-20

Among blue-collar workers, high physical work demands are generally considered to be the main cause of musculoskeletal pain and work disability. However, current available research on this topic has been criticised for using self-reported data, cross-sectional design, insufficient adjustment for potential confounders, and inadequate follow-up on the recurrent and fluctuating pattern of musculoskeletal pain. Recent technological advances have provided possibilities for objective diurnal field measurements of physical activities and frequent follow-up on musculoskeletal pain.The main aim of this paper is to describe the background, design, methods, limitations and perspectives of the Danish Physical Activity cohort with Objective measurements (DPhacto) investigating the association between objectively measured physical activities capturing work and leisure time and frequent measurements of musculoskeletal pain among blue-collar workers. Approximately 2000 blue-collar workers are invited for the study and asked to respond to a baseline questionnaire, participate in physical tests (i.e. muscle strength, aerobic fitness, back muscle endurance and flexibility), to wear accelerometers and a heart rate monitor for four consecutive days, and finally respond to monthly text messages regarding musculoskeletal pain and quarterly questionnaires regarding the consequences of musculoskeletal pain on work activities, social activities and work ability for a one-year follow-up period. This study will provide novel information on the association between physical activities at work and musculoskeletal pain. The study will provide valid and precise documentation about the relation between physical work activities and musculoskeletal pain and its consequences among blue-collar workers.

Physical activities at work and risk of musculoskeletal pain and its consequences: protocol for a study with objective field measures among blue-collar workers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Among blue-collar workers, high physical work demands are generally considered to be the main cause of musculoskeletal pain and work disability. However, current available research on this topic has been criticised for using self-reported data, cross-sectional design, insufficient adjustment for potential confounders, and inadequate follow-up on the recurrent and fluctuating pattern of musculoskeletal pain. Recent technological advances have provided possibilities for objective diurnal field measurements of physical activities and frequent follow-up on musculoskeletal pain. The main aim of this paper is to describe the background, design, methods, limitations and perspectives of the Danish Physical Activity cohort with Objective measurements (DPhacto) investigating the association between objectively measured physical activities capturing work and leisure time and frequent measurements of musculoskeletal pain among blue-collar workers. Methods/design Approximately 2000 blue-collar workers are invited for the study and asked to respond to a baseline questionnaire, participate in physical tests (i.e. muscle strength, aerobic fitness, back muscle endurance and flexibility), to wear accelerometers and a heart rate monitor for four consecutive days, and finally respond to monthly text messages regarding musculoskeletal pain and quarterly questionnaires regarding the consequences of musculoskeletal pain on work activities, social activities and work ability for a one-year follow-up period. Discussion This study will provide novel information on the association between physical activities at work and musculoskeletal pain. The study will provide valid and precise documentation about the relation between physical work activities and musculoskeletal pain and its consequences among blue-collar workers. PMID:23870666

20 CFR 416.945 - Your residual functional capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Your residual functional capacity. 416.945 Section 416.945 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE... disorder may be fully capable of the physical demands consistent with those of sustained medium work...

20 CFR 416.945 - Your residual functional capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Your residual functional capacity. 416.945 Section 416.945 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE... disorder may be fully capable of the physical demands consistent with those of sustained medium work...

OCCUPATIONS IN THE CARE AND REHABILITATION OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BOSS, MILTON R.; GREGG, RANDOLPH M.

TWENTY-SEVEN FULL TIME OCCUPATIONS INVOLVING DIAGNOSIS, CARE, AND REHABILITATION OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED ARE DISCUSSED. FOR EACH, AN OCCUPATIONAL DEFINITION, THE NEEDED QUALIFICATIONS, AND SOME INDICATION OF THE NECESSARY WORKER TRAIT REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS APTITUDES, INTERESTS, TEMPERAMENT, AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS ARE…

Job Stress Reactivity and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-07

34 (which is analogous to "waste thermal warmth in a power plant "), they propose that increased processing demands (either physical or mental) placed...El El Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., Ibuprofen, Naproxen , Naprosyn) El El Oral steroids El El Local steroid injections El El

Physical activity barriers and facilitators among working mothers and fathers

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The transition to parenthood is consistently associated with declines in physical activity. In particular, working parents are at risk for inactivity, but research exploring physical activity barriers and facilitators in this population has been scarce. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perceptions of physical activity among working parents. Methods Working mothers (n = 13) and fathers (n = 12) were recruited to participate in one of four focus group sessions and discuss physical activity barriers and facilitators. Data were analyzed using immersion/crystallization in NVivo 10. Results Major themes for barriers included family responsibilities, guilt, lack of support, scheduling constraints, and work. Major themes for facilitators included being active with children or during children’s activities, being a role model for children, making time/prioritizing, benefits to health and family, and having support available. Several gender differences emerged within each theme, but overall both mothers and fathers reported their priorities had shifted to focus on family after becoming parents, and those who were fitting in physical activity had developed strategies that allowed them to balance their household and occupational responsibilities. Conclusions The results of this study suggest working mothers and fathers report similar physical activity barriers and facilitators and would benefit from interventions that teach strategies for overcoming barriers and prioritizing physical activity amidst the demands of parenthood. Future interventions might consider targeting mothers and fathers in tandem to create an optimally supportive environment in the home. PMID:24974148

Physical demands during the hauling of fishing nets for artisan fishing using rafts in beach of Ponta Negra, Natal--Brasil.

PubMed

Jaeschke, Anelena; Saldanha, Maria Christine Werba

2012-01-01

The current article aims to analyse the activity and the repercussions in the health of the artisan fishermen who use rafts in the urban Beach of Ponta Negra in Natal - RN, with emphasis on the physical demands at the step of hauling the nets from the ocean. It has been taken as a reference the methodology of Work Ergonomic Analysis-WEA. 21 fishermen participated in the study (50% of the population). It was used applying observational techniques and methodologies (open and sistematic observations and simulations) interactional ( social and economic questionnaire, conversational actions, verbalizations, self confrontations and collective analysis) and health assessment (static postural assessment, movement flexibility of flexo extension of the shoulder and the ischiotibial muscle, lumbar region and hang grip. Applying the diagram of painful areas and the Nordic Questionnaire of mucleskeletal symptoms). The results were submeted to restitutions and validations with the raftmen. The hauling of the nets represents a high muscleskeletal risk, joining physical effort, adopting forced postures with the rotation of the spine and movement repetition, mainly flexo extension of vertebral spine, aggravated by the demand of strength fo the stabilizing muscles of the human body to keep the poise. The impacts of the activity of the fisherman of Ponta Negra, related to postures and strength demand were observed in the postural assessment and are related to the activity.

Education-to-job mismatch and the risk of work injury.

PubMed

Premji, Stephanie; Smith, Peter M

2013-04-01

To examine the association between education-to-job mismatch and work injury. Cross-sectional data from the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Surveys (n=63,462) were used to examine the relationship between having an educational level that is incongruent with occupational skills requirements and the risk of sustaining a work injury requiring medical attention or a work-related repetitive movement injury (RMI). The effect on injury of the interaction of overeducation with recent immigrant status was also examined. Models were stratified by sex and adjusted for possible confounders. Occupational physical demands were conceptualised as a potential mediating variable. After adjustment for covariates, over-education was associated with work injury and RMI for both sexes. Adjustment for occupational demands attenuated the impact on work injury but did not eliminate the effect on RMI among men. The interaction of over-education and recent immigrant status resulted among men in a fourfold increase in the odds of work injury compared with non-recent immigrants who were not over-educated. After adjustment for occupational demands, over-educated recent immigrant men still had more than a twofold increase in the odds of injury. The risk of sustaining a work injury is higher among those whose education exceeds that of job requirements. These findings highlight the need to address barriers to suitable employment, particularly among recent immigrants.

Isokinetic and isometric lifting capacity of Chinese in relation to the physical demand of job.

PubMed

Luk, K D K; Lu, W W; Kwan, W W; Hu, Y; Wong, Y W; Law, K K P; Leong, J C Y

2003-03-01

The aim of the study was to formulate normative data for the lifting capacities of a normal Chinese population, in order to establish a basic foundation for further studies and to investigate the relationship between individual attributes including age, gender, height, weight, job physical demand and each type of lifting capacity. Isokinetic and isometric lifting strength at low, waist and shoulder assessment levels were measured using the LIDO Workset II based on a sample of 93 normal Chinese adults (63 men and 30 women) between the ages of 21-51. The 50th percentile score for adult Chinese female's lifting strength was 17.71% lower than the American female while the adult Chinese male's lifting strength was 14.94% lower than the American male. Lifting forces were higher in the 20-40 year age group. The isometric work mode had considerable impact on the lifting capacities, with shoulder level having the highest lifting capacities. The gender and body weight had a significant positive correlation to lifting capacity while job physical demand had a moderate correlation. Age and body heights were weakly correlated to lifting capacity. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Physical working conditions in young cattle production in Sweden.

PubMed

Bostad, E; Swensson, C; Pinzke, S

2013-01-01

This study investigated physical work environment conditions and sought to identify risk factors in terms of main potential hazards, exposure to physical strain, and the 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) through two postal surveys of Swedish farmers rearing red veal calves (8 to 11 months slaughter age) during April-June 2008 and young bulls (12 to 24 months slaughter age) during March-May 2009. Among 155 red veal producers, the response rate was 45% (n = 59), while among 241 young bull producers finishing 100 or more bulls per year the response rate was 42% (n = 101). A questionnaire was used to obtain general facts about the farm, work time, and frequency of predefined daily and non-daily work tasks. Perceived physical exertion in relation to each work task was assessed by the farmers using the Borg CR-10 scale and further analyzed according to duration and repetitiveness in a physical work strain (PWS) index. The average physical work strain during the predefined work tasks in red veal and young bull finishing was estimated at 3 (moderate strain) on the CR-10 scale. Up to 42% of the surveyed farmers experienced stress and worry about beef production and high levels of potential hazards. High daily work pace and an uncomfortable work climate were other problematic factors. Highly repetitive tasks and physically demanding animal handling were risk factors that increased PWS significantly The 12-month prevalence of MSD was 51% among red veal producers and 65% among young bull producers. Work-related injuries were reported by 20% and 39% of respondents on red veal and young bull farms, respectively, of which 96% and 89% of the cases were related to working with animals.

Job demand and control interventions: a stakeholder-centered best-evidence synthesis of systematic reviews on workplace disability.

PubMed

Williams-Whitt, K; White, M I; Wagner, S L; Schultz, I Z; Koehn, C; Dionne, C E; Koehoorn, M; Harder, H; Pasca, R; Warje, O; Hsu, V; McGuire, L; Schulz, W; Kube, D; Hook, A; Wright, M D

2015-04-01

Physical and psychological job demands in combination with the degree of control a worker has over task completion, play an important role in reducing stress. Occupational stress is an important, modifiable factor affecting work disability. However, the effectiveness of reducing job demands or increasing job control remains unclear, particularly for outcomes of interest to employers, such as absenteeism or productivity. This systematic review reports on job demand and control interventions that impact absenteeism, productivity and financial outcomes. A stakeholder-centered best-evidence synthesis was conducted with researcher and stakeholder collaboration throughout. Databases and grey literature were searched for systematic reviews between 2000 and 2012: Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, TRIP, health-evidence.ca, Rehab+, National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), and Institute for Work and Health. Articles were assessed independently by two researchers for inclusion criteria and methodological quality. Differences were resolved through consensus. The search resulted in 3363 unique titles. After review of abstracts, 115 articles were retained for full-text review. 11 articles finally met the inclusion criteria and are summarized in this synthesis. The best level of evidence we found indicates that multimodal job demand reductions for either at-work or off-work workers will reduce disability-related absenteeism. In general, the impacts of interventions that aim to reduce job demands or increase job control can be positive for the organization in terms of reducing absenteeism, increasing productivity and cost-effectiveness. However, more high quality research is needed to further assess the relationships and quantify effect sizes for the interventions and outcomes reviewed in this study.

Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy: Suggested Readings [and] Physical Therapy: Supply/Demand--Some Facts [and] Occupational Therapy: Supply and Demand--Some Facts. Information on Personnel Supply and Demand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, Reston, VA.

Brought together are two fact sheets on the supply of and demand for physical therapists and occupational therapists. The fact sheets cite statistical data from the National Easter Seal Society, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Occupational Therapy Association. The cited facts focus on the need to recruit and retain…

Task demands and the pressures of everyday life: associations between cardiovascular reactivity and work blood pressure and heart rate.

PubMed

Steptoe, A; Cropley, M; Joekes, K

2000-01-01

Associations between cardiovascular stress reactivity and blood pressure and heart rate recorded in everyday life were hypothesized to depend on the stressfulness of the ambulatory monitoring period relative to standardized tasks and on activity levels at the time of measurement. One hundred two female and 60 male school teachers carried out high- and low-demand tasks under standardized conditions and ambulatory monitoring during the working day. Stress ratings during the day were close to those recorded during the low-demand task. Reactions to the low-demand task were significant predictors of ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate independent of baseline, age, gender, and body mass. Associations were more consistent for ambulatory recordings taken when participants were seated than when they were standing and when the ambulatory monitoring day was considered to be as stressful as usual or more stressful than usual, and not less stressful than usual. Laboratory-field associations of cardiovascular activity depend in part on the congruence of stressfulness and physical activity level in the 2 situations.

The Preferred Work Paradigm for Generation Y in the Hotel Industry: A Case Study of the International Tourism and Hospitality International Programme, Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhevabanchachai, Nate-tra; Muangasame, Kaewta

2013-01-01

It is well known that hospitality work is physically demanding and involves mental stress and, at times, an uncompetitive compensation package. This has resulted in a high employee turnover rate in recent years. Staff retention is thus a challenge, especially for employees belonging to Generation Y (Gen Y). The situation in Thailand is not…

[The role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers].

PubMed

Bugajska, Joanna; Zołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota; Jedryka-Góral, Anna

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers. It should be stressed that over a decade these disorders have been the subject of studies because of complaints reported not only by workers performing heavy physical work or working in awkward, forced body posture. It has also been acknowledged that stress at work caused by various psychosocial work factors can significantly influence their development. One of the models, most popular nowadays, was used in the study. It takes into account various risk factors in the etiology of cervical spine disorders. Based on this model it was shown that certain psychosocial and cultural variables (e.g., work demands and control, individual variables, individual values, work group's culture) may constitute occupational stressors and, when combined with physical load factors, may lead to stress and musculoskeletal disorders. It was also indicated that such psychosocial work factors as excessive work demands (quantitative or qualitative), inadequate control at work or lack of social support are the most frequent sources of work-related stress. The article presents the results of some prospective studies in which the role of these factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders has been considered. Apart from work properties (factors), the role of other psychological variables was shown; these include: work involvement, perfectionism, negative affectivity or work style, which in numerous studies turned out to be important risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Finally, potential mechanisms underlying the relationships between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders were indicated. However, it was stressed that the majority of them still require to be confirmed in future descriptive or experimental studies.

Psychological factors at work and musculoskeletal disorders: a one year prospective study.

PubMed

Bugajska, Joanna; Zołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota; Jędryka-Góral, Anna; Gasik, Robert; Hildt-Ciupińska, Katarzyna; Malińska, Marzena; Bedyńska, Sylwia

2013-12-01

The etiology of musculoskeletal disorders is complex, with physical and psychosocial working conditions playing an important role. This study aimed to determine the relationship between psychosocial work conditions, such as psychological job demands, decision latitude, social support and job insecurity and musculoskeletal complains (MSCs) and (repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) in a 1-year prospective study. The job content questionnaire, the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and provocation tests were used to study 725 employees aged 20-70 years. Pain in the lower back (58 % of subjects), neck (57 %), wrists/hands (47 %) and upper back (44 %) was most frequent. The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) (33.6 %), rotator cuff tendinitis (15.4 %), Guyon's canal syndrome (13.4 %), lateral epicondylitis (7.6 %), medial epicondylitis (5.3 %), tendinitis of forearm-wrist extensors (7.8 %) and tendinitis of forearm-wrist flexors (7.3 %) were the most frequent RSIs. Logistic analysis showed that increased psychological job demands statistically significantly increased the probability of lateral and medial epicondylitis, and increased control (decision latitude) statistically significantly decreased the risk of CTS. There was no relationship between job insecurity, social support and the studied RSIs. Psychosocial factors at work predict prevalence of MSCs and RSIs, irrespectively of demographic factors, e.g., age or gender, and organizational and physical factors.

Why are they leaving? Causes of actual turnover in the Danish eldercare services.

PubMed

Clausen, Thomas; Tufte, Pernille; Borg, Vilhelm

2014-07-01

To investigate reasons for actual turnover among eldercare staff and to investigate changes in job design that could prevent turnover. Many Western countries have difficulties in recruiting healthcare staff to provide care for an ageing population. Knowledge on the causes of turnover among healthcare staff is therefore important. In a prospective cohort study (n = 7025) baseline characteristics were compared for employees who respectively quit, retired and worked in eldercare at follow-up. Additionally, a survey was conducted among those employees who left their jobs during follow-up. Employees who quit their jobs (n = 461) primarily stated that psychosocial work conditions caused them to quit, whereas retirees (n = 265) primarily stated reasons related to health and physical job demands. Improvements in the time available for the contact with the elderly, increased skill discretion and improved social relations could prompt employees to reconsider quitting or retiring. Work in eldercare has some 'core' aspects that appear desirable to employees who quit or retired. Building on those aspects offers a strategy for enhanced recruitment potential. To reduce turnover managers should improve psychosocial work conditions in eldercare and ensure that physical demands do not exceed the capacities of employees. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychometric properties of the 25-item Work Limitations Questionnaire in Japan: factor structure, validity, and reliability in information and communication technology company employees.

PubMed

Kono, Yuko; Matsushima, Eisuke; Uji, Masayo

2014-02-01

The 25-item Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ-25) measures presenteeism but has not been sufficiently validated in a Japanese population. A total of 451 employees from four information technology companies in Tokyo completed the WLQ-25 and questionnaires of other variables on two occasions, 2 weeks apart. The WLQ-25 yielded a two-factor structure: Cognitive Demand and Physical Demand. These subscales showed good internal consistency, and both were associated with adverse working conditions, greater perceived job strain, lower skill use, poorer workplace social support, and less satisfactory psychological adjustment. Intraclass correlation coefficients of the two WLQ-25 subscales between time 1 and time 2 were 0.78 and 0.55, respectively. This study suggests acceptable psychometric properties of the WLQ-25 in Japan.

From canteen to lunch box: ergonomic demands in distribution of portion-packed hot food.

PubMed

Dahlberg, Raymond; Bildt, Carina; Karlqvist, Lena

2003-01-01

The present case-study, which is rather small in number of subjects but has a broad perspective, is part of a larger investigation designed to initiate development processes in working life in one specific region in Sweden. This study may serve as an example of ergonomic fieldwork with a gender perspective. The overall aim was to examine the physical and psychosocial working conditions among a group of female hot food distributors, and to relate these conditions to other traditionally heavy work within the same working unit, as well as to suggest improvements. The study group consisted of ten female municipal employees in a provincial town. Structured interviews about the psychosocial working conditions, measurements of heart rate, ratings of self-reported perceived exertion and observations of one working day were performed. The overall impression from the study was that the food distributors in several aspects had a very difficult working situation that ought to be improved. The food distributors reported high psychological demands and low decision latitude, time pressure and dissatisfaction with not being able to live up to the pensioners' and the employer's expectations. They also had a high heart rate increase during work, which may be a risk factor for impaired health. Several short-term and long-term solutions were suggested to reduce and redistribute the total workload. The employer has attended to some suggested short-term solutions and the follow-up study showed that the working conditions had been improved. A reduction of cardiovascular load, as well as self-rated physical exertion, was noted and the work was perceived as substantially less stressful.

Low back pain among personal care workers in an old age home: work-related and individual factors.

PubMed

Yeung, Simon S; Yuan, Jun

2011-08-01

This cross-sectional study explored the work-related and individual factors that contributed to the occurrence of low back pain and affected activities of 36 personal care workers at an old age home in Hong Kong. The study was divided into four parts: (1) a questionnaire documenting workload exposure factors; (2) a musculoskeletal symptoms survey documenting the prevalence of low back pain in this group of workers; (3) a worksite evaluation focusing on personal care workers' work postures and the work environment; and (4) an evaluation of physical fitness and lifting capacities of personal care workers. Univariate followed by multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors associated with low back pain that affected work activities. The results revealed that low back pain was associated with the perceived physical demands of cleaning tasks (odds ratio [OR] = 7.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35-39.35, p < .05), perceived demands of awkward sustained back (OR = 4.46, CI = 0.86-22.97, p = .074) and neck (OR = 0.18, CI = 0.04-0.81, p < .05) postures, and thermal stress at work (OR = 49.80, CI = 0.70-3541.79, p = .072). The results of the current study indicated that the work environment contributed to low back pain at work. Workers perceived that exertion in workplaces has a role in assessing workplace risk. To avoid progression of low back pain in the workplace, work adjustment or modification should be considered when workers report high levels of perceived exertion at work. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Influence of physical and psychosocial work environment throughout life and physical and cognitive capacity in midlife on labor market attachment among older workers: study protocol for a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Sundstrup, Emil; Hansen, Åse Marie; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Poulsen, Otto Melchior; Clausen, Thomas; Rugulies, Reiner; Møller, Anne; Andersen, Lars Louis

2016-07-22

As average life span increases, elderly will account for an increasing proportion of the total population in most parts of the world. Thus, initiatives to retain older workers at the labor market are becoming increasingly important. This study will investigate the influence of physical and psychosocial work environment throughout working life and physical and cognitive capacity in midlife on labor market attachment among older workers. Approximately 5000 participants (aged 50-60 years) from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) will be followed prospectively in a national register (DREAM), containing information on a week-to-week basis about social transfer payments for about 5 million Danish residents. Using Cox regression, we will model the risk of long-term sickness absence, disability pension, early retirement and unemployment within a 4 to 6 year period from the baseline measurement as a function of the following predictors: 1) physical work demands throughout working life, 2) psychosocial working conditions throughout working life, 3) physical capacity in midlife, 4) cognitive capacity in midlife. Estimates will be adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle, socioeconomic position, chronic disease and long-term sickness absence prior to baseline. The project will generate new knowledge on risk factors for loss of labor market attachment. The results will potentially contribute in identifying factors that could be targeted in future interventions for maintaining a longer and healthier working life among older workers.

Musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risk factors among workers of the aircraft maintenance industry.

PubMed

Nogueira, Helen Cristina; Diniz, Ana Carolina Parise; Barbieri, Dechristian França; Padula, Rosimeire Simprini; Carregaro, Rodrigo Luiz; de Oliveira, Ana Beatriz

2012-01-01

During the recent decades Brazil has experienced an exponential growth in the aviation sector resulting in an increasing workforce. The aircraft maintenance industry stands out, where the workers have to handle different kind of objects. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychosocial indicators as well as musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among aircraft maintenance workers. One hundred and one employees were evaluated (32.69 ± 8.25 yr, 79.8 ± 13.4 kg, and 1.75 ± 0.07 m). Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and a standardized physical examination. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were applied to evaluate psychosocial indicators. Results of the NMQ indicate the lower back as the most affected body region. On the other hand, the physical examination has shown clinical diagnosis of shoulder disorders. Neck, upper back and ankle/foot were also reported as painful sites. Most of workers have active work-demand profile and high work engagement levels. We suggest that musculoskeletal symptoms may be related to high biomechanical demand of the tasks performed by workers, what must be further investigated.

Task frequency as a function of age for the powerline technician trade.

PubMed

Parkhouse, Wade; Gall, Brent

2004-05-15

It is traditionally believed that worker productivity declines with age. The greatest contributor to this stereotype, particularly in physically demanding jobs, is that older workers can no longer maintain their sustained level of work due to the age-associated decline in physical capacity. The objective of this study was to determine the change in the frequency of task performance as a function of age in the power line technician (PLT) trade. The task requirements of the PLT occupation were determined through the use of a detailed job demands analysis (JDA) and the frequency at which these tasks were performed was acquired through a survey derived from the JDA. The results of the survey were assessed as a function of age. Older lineworkers (> or = 50 years) were found to spend more time working on the ground whereas the younger PLTs (< or = 39 years) more frequently performed the climbing tasks and the corresponding work on the poles and towers. In contrast the older PLTs performed all pushing/pulling tasks at a greater or equal frequency to that of the younger lineworkers. Despite these differences the frequency of task performance is similar across the age groups studied.

Electrochemical evaluation for corrosion resistance of bacterial exopolysaccharides on low carbon steel

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corrosion is a global issue that affects safety and economics. There is an increasing demand for bio-based polymers for industrial applications and production of polymers by microorganisms is especially attractive. This work reports on the electrochemical and physical properties of 29 strains or fr...

Fatigue in seafarers working in the offshore oil and gas re-supply industry: effects of safety climate, psychosocial work environment and shift arrangement.

PubMed

Hystad, Sigurd W; Saus, Evelyn-Rose; Sætrevik, Bjørn; Eid, Jarle

2013-01-01

This study examined the influence of safety climate and psychosocial work environment on the reported fatigue of seafarers working in the offshore oil and gas re-supply industry (n = 402). We found that seafarers who reported high psychological demands and perceived the organisational-level safety climate negatively,reported significantly more mental fatigue, physical fatigue, and lack of energy. In addition, seafarers who reported having high levels of job control reported being significantly less mentally fatigued. We also found some combined effects of safety climate and shift arrangement. Organisational-level safety climate did not influence the levels of physical fatigue in seafarers working on the night shift. On the contrary, seafarers working during the days reported to be more physically fatigued when they perceived the organisational-level climate to be negative compared with the positive. The opposite effect was found for group-level safety climate: seafarers working during the nights reported to be more physically fatigued when they perceived the group-level climate to be negative compared with the positive. The results from this study point to the importance of taking into consideration aspects of the psychosocial work environment and safety climate,and their potential impact on fatigue and safety in the maritime organisations.

Working Conditions and Mental Health of Nursing Staff in Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Mawn, Barbara; Gore, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Nursing staff in nursing homes suffer from poor mental health, probably associated with stressful working conditions. Working conditions may distribute differently among nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses due to their different levels in the organizational hierarchy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between working conditions and mental health among different nursing groups, and examine the potential moderating effect of job group on this association. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,129 nursing staff in 15 for-profit non-unionized nursing homes. Working conditions included both physical and psychosocial domains. Multivariate linear regression modeling found that mental health was associated with different working conditions in different nursing groups: physical safety (β = 2.37, p < 0.05) and work-family conflict (β = –2.44, p < 0.01) in NAs; work-family conflict (β = –4.17, p < 0.01) in LPNs; and physical demands (β = 10.54, p < 0.05) in RNs. Job group did not moderate the association between working conditions and mental health. Future workplace interventions to improve mental health should reach to nursing staff at different levels and consider tailored working condition interventions in different nursing groups. PMID:27104634

Working Conditions and Mental Health of Nursing Staff in Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Mawn, Barbara; Gore, Rebecca

2016-07-01

Nursing staff in nursing homes suffer from poor mental health, probably associated with stressful working conditions. Working conditions may distribute differently among nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses due to their different levels in the organizational hierarchy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between working conditions and mental health among different nursing groups, and examine the potential moderating effect of job group on this association. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,129 nursing staff in 15 for-profit non-unionized nursing homes. Working conditions included both physical and psychosocial domains. Multivariate linear regression modeling found that mental health was associated with different working conditions in different nursing groups: physical safety (β = 2.37, p < 0.05) and work-family conflict (β = -2.44, p < 0.01) in NAs; work-family conflict (β = -4.17, p < 0.01) in LPNs; and physical demands (β = 10.54, p < 0.05) in RNs. Job group did not moderate the association between working conditions and mental health. Future workplace interventions to improve mental health should reach to nursing staff at different levels and consider tailored working condition interventions in different nursing groups.

Physical Demand but Not Dexterity Is Associated with Motor Flexibility during Rapid Reaching in Healthy Young Adults

PubMed Central

Greve, Christian; Hortobàgyi, Tibor; Bongers, Raoul M.

2015-01-01

Healthy humans are able to place light and heavy objects in small and large target locations with remarkable accuracy. Here we examine how dexterity demand and physical demand affect flexibility in joint coordination and end-effector kinematics when healthy young adults perform an upper extremity reaching task. We manipulated dexterity demand by changing target size and physical demand by increasing external resistance to reaching. Uncontrolled manifold analysis was used to decompose variability in joint coordination patterns into variability stabilizing the end-effector and variability de-stabilizing the end-effector during reaching. Our results demonstrate a proportional increase in stabilizing and de-stabilizing variability without a change in the ratio of the two variability components as physical demands increase. We interpret this finding in the context of previous studies showing that sensorimotor noise increases with increasing physical demands. We propose that the larger de-stabilizing variability as a function of physical demand originated from larger sensorimotor noise in the neuromuscular system. The larger stabilizing variability with larger physical demands is a strategy employed by the neuromuscular system to counter the de-stabilizing variability so that performance stability is maintained. Our findings have practical implications for improving the effectiveness of movement therapy in a wide range of patient groups, maintaining upper extremity function in old adults, and for maximizing athletic performance. PMID:25970465

Effects of two hospital bed design features on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation: a repeated measures experimental study.

PubMed

Kim, Sunwook; Barker, Linsey M; Jia, Bochen; Agnew, Michael J; Nussbaum, Maury A

2009-03-01

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are prevalent among healthcare workers worldwide. While existing research has focused on patient-handling techniques during activities which require direct patient contact (e.g., patient transfer), nursing tasks also involve other patient-handling activities, such as engaging bed brakes and transporting patients in beds, which could render healthcare workers at risk of developing WMSDs. Effectiveness of hospital bed design features (brake pedal location and steering-assistance) was evaluated in terms of physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Two laboratory-based studies were conducted. In simulated brake engagement tasks, three brake pedal locations (head-end vs. foot-end vs. side of a bed) and two hands conditions (hands-free vs. hands-occupied) were manipulated. Additionally, both in-room and corridor patient transportation tasks were simulated, in which activation of steering-assistance features (5th wheel and/or front wheel caster lock) and two patient masses were manipulated. Nine novice participants were recruited from the local student population and community for each study. During brake engagement, trunk flexion angle, task completion time, and questionnaires were used to quantify postural comfort and usability. For patient transportation, dependent measures were hand forces and questionnaire responses. Brake pedal locations and steering-assistance features in hospital beds had significant effects on physical demands and usability during brake engagement and patient transportation tasks. Specifically, a brake pedal at the head-end of a bed increased trunk flexion by 74-224% and completion time by 53-74%, compared to other pedal locations. Participants reported greater overall perceived difficulty and less postural comfort with the brake pedal at the head-end. During in-room transportation, participants generally reported "Neither Low nor High" physical demands with the 5th wheel activated, compared to "Moderately High" physical demands when the 5th wheel was deactivated. Corridor transportation was similarly reported to be easier when a steering-assistance feature (the 5th wheel or front caster lock) was activated. Braking and steering-assistance features of hospital beds can have important effects on task efficiency and physical demands placed on healthcare workers. Selection of specific designs may thus be able to improve productivity and contribute to a reduction in WMSDs risk among healthcare workers.

Working conditions, self-perceived stress, anxiety, depression and quality of life: A structural equation modelling approach

PubMed Central

Rusli, Bin Nordin; Edimansyah, Bin Abdin; Naing, Lin

2008-01-01

Background The relationships between working conditions [job demand, job control and social support]; stress, anxiety, and depression; and perceived quality of life factors [physical health, psychological wellbeing, social relationships and environmental conditions] were assessed using a sample of 698 male automotive assembly workers in Malaysia. Methods The validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. A structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was applied to test the structural relationships of the model using AMOS version 6.0, with the maximum likelihood ratio as the method of estimation. Results The results of the SEM supported the hypothesized structural model (χ2 = 22.801, df = 19, p = 0.246). The final model shows that social support (JCQ) was directly related to all 4 factors of the WHOQOL-BREF and inversely related to depression and stress (DASS). Job demand (JCQ) was directly related to stress (DASS) and inversely related to the environmental conditions (WHOQOL-BREF). Job control (JCQ) was directly related to social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Stress (DASS) was directly related to anxiety and depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health, environment conditions and social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Anxiety (DASS) was directly related to depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health (WHOQOL-BREF). Depression (DASS) was inversely related to the psychological wellbeing (WHOQOL-BREF). Finally, stress, anxiety and depression (DASS) mediate the relationships between job demand and social support (JCQ) to the 4 factors of WHOQOL-BREF. Conclusion These findings suggest that higher social support increases the self-reported quality of life of these workers. Higher job control increases the social relationships, whilst higher job demand increases the self-perceived stress and decreases the self-perceived quality of life related to environmental factors. The mediating role of depression, anxiety and stress on the relationship between working conditions and perceived quality of life in automotive workers should be taken into account in managing stress amongst these workers. PMID:18254966

Working conditions, self-perceived stress, anxiety, depression and quality of life: a structural equation modelling approach.

PubMed

Rusli, Bin Nordin; Edimansyah, Bin Abdin; Naing, Lin

2008-02-06

The relationships between working conditions [job demand, job control and social support]; stress, anxiety, and depression; and perceived quality of life factors [physical health, psychological wellbeing, social relationships and environmental conditions] were assessed using a sample of 698 male automotive assembly workers in Malaysia. The validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. A structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was applied to test the structural relationships of the model using AMOS version 6.0, with the maximum likelihood ratio as the method of estimation. The results of the SEM supported the hypothesized structural model (chi2 = 22.801, df = 19, p = 0.246). The final model shows that social support (JCQ) was directly related to all 4 factors of the WHOQOL-BREF and inversely related to depression and stress (DASS). Job demand (JCQ) was directly related to stress (DASS) and inversely related to the environmental conditions (WHOQOL-BREF). Job control (JCQ) was directly related to social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Stress (DASS) was directly related to anxiety and depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health, environment conditions and social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Anxiety (DASS) was directly related to depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health (WHOQOL-BREF). Depression (DASS) was inversely related to the psychological wellbeing (WHOQOL-BREF). Finally, stress, anxiety and depression (DASS) mediate the relationships between job demand and social support (JCQ) to the 4 factors of WHOQOL-BREF. These findings suggest that higher social support increases the self-reported quality of life of these workers. Higher job control increases the social relationships, whilst higher job demand increases the self-perceived stress and decreases the self-perceived quality of life related to environmental factors. The mediating role of depression, anxiety and stress on the relationship between working conditions and perceived quality of life in automotive workers should be taken into account in managing stress amongst these workers.

The level of leisure time physical activity is associated with work ability-a cross sectional and prospective study of health care workers.

PubMed

Arvidson, Elin; Börjesson, Mats; Ahlborg, Gunnar; Lindegård, Agneta; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

2013-09-17

With increasing age, physical capacity decreases, while the need and time for recovery increases. At the same time, the demands of work usually do not change with age. In the near future, an aging and physically changing workforce risks reduced work ability. Therefore, the impact of different factors, such as physical activity, on work ability is of interest. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between physical activity and work ability using both cross sectional and prospective analyses. This study was based on an extensive questionnaire survey. The number of participants included in the analysis at baseline in 2004 was 2.783, of whom 2.597 were also included in the follow-up in 2006. The primary outcome measure was the Work Ability Index (WAI), and the level of physical activity was measured using a single-item question. In the cross-sectional analysis we calculated the level of physical activity and the prevalence of poor or moderate work ability as reported by the participants. In the prospective analysis we calculated different levels of physical activity and the prevalence of positive changes in WAI-category from baseline to follow-up. In both the cross sectional and the prospective analyses the prevalence ratio was calculated using Generalized Linear Models. The cross-sectional analysis showed that with an increased level of physical activity, the reporting of poor or moderate work ability decreased. In the prospective analysis, participants reporting a higher level of physical activity were more likely to have made an improvement in WAI from 2004 to 2006. The level of physical activity seems to be related to work ability. Assessment of physical activity may also be useful as a predictive tool, potentially making it possible to prevent poor work ability and improve future work ability. For employers, the main implications of this study are the importance of promoting and facilitating the employees' engagement in physical activity, and the importance of the employees' maintaining a physically active lifestyle.

Psychosocial work factors and shoulder pain in hotel room cleaners.

PubMed

Burgel, Barbara J; White, Mary C; Gillen, Marion; Krause, Niklas

2010-07-01

Hotel room cleaners have physically demanding jobs that place them at high risk for shoulder pain. Psychosocial work factors may also play a role in shoulder pain, but their independent role has not been studied in this group. Seventy-four percent (941 of 1,276) of hotel room cleaners from five Las Vegas hotels completed a 29-page survey assessing health status, working conditions, and psychosocial work factors. For this study, 493 of the 941 (52%) with complete data for 21 variables were included in multivariate logistic regression analyses. Fifty-six percent reported shoulder pain in the prior four weeks. Room cleaners with effort-reward imbalance (ERI) were three times as likely to report shoulder pain (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.95-4.59, P = 0.000) even after adjustment for physical workload and other factors. After adjustment for physical workload, job strain and iso-strain were not significantly associated with shoulder pain. ERI is independently associated with shoulder pain in hotel room cleaners even after adjustment for physical workload and other risk factors. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

High occupational physical activity and risk of ischaemic heart disease in women: the interplay with physical activity during leisure time.

PubMed

Allesøe, Karen; Holtermann, Andreas; Aadahl, Mette; Thomsen, Jane F; Hundrup, Yrsa A; Søgaard, Karen

2015-12-01

Recent studies indicate that physically demanding work is a risk factor for heart disease among men, especially those with low or moderate physical activity during leisure time. Among women, present evidence is inconclusive. The design was a prospective cohort study. This investigation in the Danish Nurse Cohort Study included 12,093 female nurses aged 45-64 years, who answered a self-report questionnaire on physical activity at work and during leisure time, known risk factors for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and occupational factors at baseline in 1993. Information on the 15-year incidence of IHD was obtained by individual linkage in the National Register of Hospital Discharges to 2008. During follow-up 580 participants were hospitalised with IHD. A significant interaction between occupational and leisure time physical activity was found with the lowest risk of IHD among nurses with the combination of moderate physical activity at work and vigorous physical activity during leisure time. Compared to this group high physical activity at work was associated with a higher risk of IHD at all levels of physical activity during leisure time increasing from hazard ratio 1.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-2.80) among nurses with vigorous physical activity during leisure time to 2.65 (95% CI 1.44-4.88) among nurses being sedentary during leisure time. This study among Danish nurses suggests that high physical activity at work is a risk factor for IHD among women. Vigorous physical activity during leisure time lowered but did not completely counteract the adverse effect of occupational physical activity on risk of IHD. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Becoming a disability pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis in Norway 1971-1990.

PubMed

Holte, H H; Tambs, K; Bjerkedal, T

2001-01-01

Physically demanding occupations have been associated with becoming a disability pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis (DPRA), but not with the disease of RA. The association with becoming DPRA probably reflects that patients with RA have difficulties in maintaining employment in a physically demanding occupation. However, the attitudes of the employers concerning employment of persons with RA might vary. For example, the patient's age may influence the strength of the association between a physically demanding occupation and becoming DPRA. We assessed whether the association between the predictors and becoming DPRA was stronger for the youngest or the oldest age group. The study was prospective with data on persons in Norway 30-56 years old either in the census of 1970 or 1980. All new cases of DPRA during the 2 followup periods 1971-80 and 1981-90 were identified and analyzed by logistic regression. For women the predictors employment, low level of education, and period ( 1981-90 compared to 1971-80) were more strongly associated with becoming DPRA for the youngest compared to the oldest persons, while manual work and part time work were not predictors of becoming DPRA. For men, all the predictors in the study were more strongly associated with becoming DPRA for the youngest compared to the oldest age group. The higher risk of becoming DPRA was associated with most predictors for persons aged 30-39 years than the group aged 50-56 years. Our results appear to indicate that the consequences of having RA in the labor market are greater for the youngest age group.

Time to call it quits? The safety and health of older workers.

PubMed

Bohle, Philip; Pitts, Claudia; Quinlan, Michael

2010-01-01

The workforces of many countries are aging, creating pressure for older workers to retire later despite greater vulnerability to various occupational safety and health (OSH) risks. Some specific risks to older workers arise from age-related physical or psychological changes, while others reflect exposures to poor work organization or employment conditions. This article reviews evidence on the nature of the OSH risks faced by older workers, focusing on work ability, contingent work, and working hours. Work ability, the capacity to meet the physical, mental, and social demands of a job, has been linked to positive health outcomes for older workers. However, work characteristics seem to be more critical than workers' individual capacities. Contingent work is generally associated with poorer OSH outcomes, and older workers are more likely to be contingent, with special implications for their safety and health. There has been limited research on age and working hours, but risks for many physical and mental health problems are known to increase with shift work experience, and physiological and psychosocial changes associated with age may also increase injury risks. The authors discuss organizational practices and regulatory policies to protect and enhance the OSH of older workers.

Psychosocial working conditions and weight gain among employees.

PubMed

Lallukka, T; Laaksonen, M; Martikainen, P; Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, S; Lahelma, E

2005-08-01

To study the associations between psychosocial working conditions and weight gain. Data from postal questionnaires (response rate 67%) sent to 40- to 60-y-old women (n=7093) and men (n=1799) employed by the City of Helsinki in 2000-2002 were analysed. Weight gain during the previous 12 months was the outcome variable in logistic regression analyses. Independent variables included Karasek's job demands and job control, work fatigue, working overtime, work-related mental strain, social support and the work-home interface. The final models were adjusted for age, education, marital status, physical strain and body mass index. In the previous 12 months, 25% of women and 19% of men reported weight gain. Work fatigue and working overtime were associated with weight gain in both sexes. Women who were dissatisfied with combining paid work and family life were more likely to have gained weight. Men with low job demands were less likely to have gained weight. All of these associations were independent of each other. Few work-related factors were associated with weight gain. However, our study suggests that work fatigue and working overtime are potential risk factors for weight gain. These findings need to be confirmed in prospective studies.

Physical occupational exposures and health expectancies in a French occupational cohort.

PubMed

Platts, Loretta G; Head, Jenny; Stenholm, Sari; Singh Chungkham, Holendro; Goldberg, Marcel; Zins, Marie

2017-03-01

To examine the relationships of strenuous and hazardous working conditions and rotating shifts that involve night working with life expectancy in good perceived health and life expectancy without chronic disease. The sample contained male gas and electricity workers from the French GAZEL cohort (n=13 393). Six measures of physical working conditions were examined: Self-reports from 1989 and 1990 of ergonomic strain, physical danger, rotating shifts that involve night working and perceived physical strain; company records of workplace injuries and a job-exposure matrix of chemical exposures. Partial healthy life expectancies (age 50-75) relating to (1) self-rated health and (2) chronic health conditions, obtained from annual questionnaires (1989-2014) and company records, were estimated using multistate life tables. The analyses were adjusted for social class and occupational grade. Participants with physically strenuous jobs and who had experienced industrial injuries had shorter partial life expectancy. More physically demanding and dangerous work was associated with fewer years of life spent in good self-rated health and without chronic conditions, with the exception of shift work including nights, where the gradient was reversed. Strenuous and hazardous work may contribute to lost years of good health in later life, which has implications for individuals' quality of life as well as healthcare use and labour market participation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Development of Physical Demand Profiles for Four Airman Career Ladders. Interim Report for Period 1 July 1972-1 November 1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koym, Kenneth G.

The document investigates certain physical characteristics of airman occupations in terms of the dexterity, muscular coordination, and sensory discrimination required. It examines the feasibility of estimating physical demands in jobs using incumbent ratings and compares physical demand profiles for four career ladders: (1) avionic instrument…

Tools for the Future of Nuclear Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geesaman, Donald

2014-03-01

The challenges of Nuclear Physics, especially in understanding strongly interacting matter in all its forms in the history of the universe, place ever higher demands on the tools of the field, including the workhorse, accelerators. These demands are not just higher energy and higher luminosity. To recreate the matter that fleetingly was formed in the origin of the heavy elements, we need higher power heavy-ion accelerators and creative techniques to harvest the isotopes. We also need high-current low-energy accelerators deep underground to detect the very slow rate reactions in stellar burning. To explore the three dimensional distributions of high-momentum quarks in hadrons and to search for gluonic excitations we need high-current CW electron accelerators. Understanding the gluonic structure of nuclei and the three dimensional distributions of partons at lower x, we need high-luminosity electron-ion colliders that also have the capabilities to prepare, preserve and manipulate the polarization of both beams. A search for the critical point in the QCD phase diagram demands high luminosity beams over a broad range of species and energy. With advances in cavity design and construction, beam manipulation and cooling, and ion sources and targets, the Nuclear Physics community, in the U.S. and internationally has a coordinated vision to deliver this exciting science. This work is supported by DOE, Office of Nuclear Physics, under contract DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Job strain (demands and control model) as a predictor of cardiovascular risk factors among petrochemical personnel

PubMed Central

Habibi, Ehsanollah; Poorabdian, Siamak; Shakerian, Mahnaz

2015-01-01

Background: One of the practical models for the assessment of stressful working conditions due to job strain is job demand and control model, which explains how physical and psychological adverse consequences, including cardiovascular risk factors can be established due to high work demands (the amount of workload, in addition to time limitations to complete that work) and low control of the worker on his/her work (lack of decision making) in the workplace. The aim of this study was to investigate how certain cardiovascular risk factors (including body mass index [BMI], heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking) and the job demand and job control are related to each other. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 500 workers of the petrochemical industry in south of Iran, 2009. The study population was selected using simple random statistical method. They completed job demand and control questionnaire. The cardiovascular risk factors data was extracted from the workers hygiene profiles. Chi-square (χ2) test and hypothesis test (η) were used to assess the possible relationship between different quantified variables, individual demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: The results of this study revealed that a significant relationship can be found between job demand control model and cardiovascular risk factors. Chi-square test result for the heart rate showed the highest (χ2 = 145.078) relationship, the corresponding results for smoking and BMI were χ2 = 85.652 and χ2 = 30.941, respectively. Subsequently, hypothesis testing results for cholesterol and hypertension was 0.469 and 0.684, respectively. Discussion: Job strain is likely to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular risk factors among male staff in a petrochemical company in Iran. The parameters illustrated in the Job demands and control model can act as acceptable predictors for the probability of job stress occurrence followed by showing a high trend of CVD risk factors. PMID:25861661

A Meta-Analysis on Antecedents and Outcomes of Detachment from Work.

PubMed

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2016-01-01

Detachment from work has been proposed as an important non-work experience helping employees to recover from work demands. This meta-analysis (86 publications, k = 91 independent study samples, N = 38,124 employees) examined core antecedents and outcomes of detachment in employee samples. With regard to outcomes, results indicated average positive correlations between detachment and self-reported mental (i.e., less exhaustion, higher life satisfaction, more well-being, better sleep) and physical (i.e., lower physical discomfort) health, state well-being (i.e., less fatigue, higher positive affect, more intensive state of recovery), and task performance (small to medium sized effects). However, average relationships between detachment and physiological stress indicators and work motivation were not significant while associations with contextual performance and creativity were significant, but negative. Concerning work characteristics, as expected, job demands were negatively related and job resources were positively related to detachment (small sized effects). Further, analyses revealed that person characteristics such as negative affectivity/neuroticism (small sized effect) and heavy work investment (medium sized effect) were negatively related to detachment whereas detachment and demographic variables (i.e., age and gender) were not related. Moreover, we found a medium sized average negative relationship between engagement in work-related activities during non-work time and detachment. For most of the examined relationships heterogeneity of effect sizes was moderate to high. We identified study design, samples' gender distribution, and affective valence of work-related thoughts as moderators for some of these aforementioned relationships. The results of this meta-analysis point to detachment as a non-work (recovery) experience that is influenced by work-related and personal characteristics which in turn is relevant for a range of employee outcomes.

A Meta-Analysis on Antecedents and Outcomes of Detachment from Work

PubMed Central

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2017-01-01

Detachment from work has been proposed as an important non-work experience helping employees to recover from work demands. This meta-analysis (86 publications, k = 91 independent study samples, N = 38,124 employees) examined core antecedents and outcomes of detachment in employee samples. With regard to outcomes, results indicated average positive correlations between detachment and self-reported mental (i.e., less exhaustion, higher life satisfaction, more well-being, better sleep) and physical (i.e., lower physical discomfort) health, state well-being (i.e., less fatigue, higher positive affect, more intensive state of recovery), and task performance (small to medium sized effects). However, average relationships between detachment and physiological stress indicators and work motivation were not significant while associations with contextual performance and creativity were significant, but negative. Concerning work characteristics, as expected, job demands were negatively related and job resources were positively related to detachment (small sized effects). Further, analyses revealed that person characteristics such as negative affectivity/neuroticism (small sized effect) and heavy work investment (medium sized effect) were negatively related to detachment whereas detachment and demographic variables (i.e., age and gender) were not related. Moreover, we found a medium sized average negative relationship between engagement in work-related activities during non-work time and detachment. For most of the examined relationships heterogeneity of effect sizes was moderate to high. We identified study design, samples' gender distribution, and affective valence of work-related thoughts as moderators for some of these aforementioned relationships. The results of this meta-analysis point to detachment as a non-work (recovery) experience that is influenced by work-related and personal characteristics which in turn is relevant for a range of employee outcomes. PMID:28133454

Supporting work for people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Doogan, Catherine; Playford, E Diane

2014-05-01

People with multiple sclerosis experience some of the highest rates of unemployment among groups of individuals with severe and chronic disabilities. While unpredictable relapses, physical and cognitive symptoms all may play a role in job loss, it is more likely that job loss can be attributed to a complex interaction between disease-related factors and contextual factors, such as the working environment, and employer attitudes. This interaction leads to the concept of work instability, that is, the mismatch between work demands and the individual's capacity to meet these demands. Vocational rehabilitation services aim to provide people with multiple sclerosis vocational assessment, rehabilitation and support to enable them to find, regain or remain in work and access other occupational and educational opportunities. Such services consist of a multidisciplinary team with the ability to provide education around disclosure, and work-place accommodations, offer emotional support, maintain work performance, liaise with employers, and support to re-enter the workplace. Helpful interventions include early disclosure, proper workplace accommodation, education of employers, and government-funded initiatives to support disabled employees. Future research needs to agree on methods of recording outcomes and evaluate specific vocational rehabilitation interventions.

Work-family conflict and well-being in university employees.

PubMed

Winefield, Helen R; Boyd, Carolyn; Winefield, Anthony H

2014-01-01

This is one of the first reported studies to have reviewed the role of work-family conflict in university employees, both academic and nonacademic. The goal of this research was to examine the role of work-family conflict as a mediator of relationships between features of the work environment and worker well-being and organizational outcomes. A sample of 3,326 Australian university workers responded to an online survey. Work-family conflict added substantially to the explained variance in physical symptoms and psychological strain after taking account of job demands and control, and to a lesser extent to the variance in job performance. However, it had no extra impact on organizational commitment, which was most strongly predicted by job autonomy. Despite differing in workloads and work-family conflict, academic ("faculty") and nonacademic staff demonstrated similar predictors of worker and organizational outcomes. Results suggest two pathways through which management policies may be effective in improving worker well-being and productivity: improving job autonomy has mainly direct effects, while reducing job demands is mediated by consequent reductions in work-family conflict.

Physical and psychosocial working conditions as explanations for occupational class inequalities in self-rated health.

PubMed

Kaikkonen, Risto; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lallukka, Tea; Lahelma, Eero

2009-10-01

Socio-economic health inequalities are well documented, but efforts to explain health inequalities are less. However, previous studies suggest that working conditions provide potential explanations for inequalities in health. Cross-sectional questionnaire survey data, collected from municipal employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40-60 years (n = 8960, response rate 67%) in 2000-02, were examined using binomial regression analysis. Socio-economic position was measured by six occupational social classes ranging from top managers to manual workers, and the outcome was self-rated health (SRH). Key physical and psychosocial working conditions and work arrangements were included as explanatory factors for inequalities in health. Occupational class inequalities in SRH were clear among women [prevalence ratio (PR) 1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.54-2.32] and men (PR 1.78, 95% CI 1.40-2.25). Heavy physical workload explained a half of the health inequalities among women and almost one-third among men. Physical and chemical exposures at work explained one-fifth of the health inequalities among women and a half among men. Job control explained 24% of the men's and 40% of women's inequalities, whereas job demands widened the inequalities by 13-14%. The effects of shift work and working hours were negligible. In the fully adjusted model, 60% of the women's and 32% of the men's inequalities in SRH were explained. Physical working conditions explained a large part and job control, a somewhat smaller part of socio-economic inequalities in SRH. Improving physical working conditions and increasing job control provide potential routes to reduced inequalities in health among employees.

Effects of physical activity at work and life-style on sleep in workers from an Amazonian Extractivist Reserve.

PubMed

Martins, Andressa Juliane; Vasconcelos, Suleima Pedroza; Skene, Debra Jean; Lowden, Arne; de Castro Moreno, Claudia Roberta

2016-01-01

Physical activity has been recommended as a strategy for improving sleep. Nevertheless, physical effort at work might not be not the ideal type of activity to promote sleep quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of type of job (low vs. high physical effort) and life-style on sleep of workers from an Amazonian Extractivist Reserve, Brazil. A cross-sectional study of 148 low physical activity (factory workers) and 340 high physical activity (rubber tappers) was conducted between September and November 2011. The workers filled out questionnaires collecting data on demographics (sex, age, occupation, marital status and children), health (reported morbidities, sleep disturbances, musculoskeletal pain and body mass index) and life-style (smoking, alcohol use and practice of leisure-time physical activity). Logistic regression models were applied with the presence of sleep disturbances as the primary outcome variable. The prevalence of sleep disturbances among factory workers and rubber tappers was 15.5% and 27.9%, respectively. The following independent variables of the analysis were selected based on a univariate model (p<0.20): sex, age, marital status, work type, smoking, morbidities and musculoskeletal pain. The predictors for sleep disturbances were type of job (high physical effort); sex (female); age (>40 years), and having musculoskeletal pain (≥5 symptoms). Rubber tapper work, owing to greater physical effort, pain and musculoskeletal fatigue, was associated with sleep disturbances. Being female and older than 40 years were also predictors of poor sleep. In short, these findings suggest that demanding physical exertion at work may not improve sleep quality.

Feasibility of MOS Task Analysis and Redesign to Reduce Physical Demands in the U.S. Army

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

developed to study perchery workers (Scott & Lamb , 1996). Another posture analysis technique is called postural targeting (Corlett, et al., 1979). A...method which had been successfully applied to a variety of situations (Lee & Chiou, 1995; Scott & Lamb , 1996). Some modifications were made in the...Scott, G.B., & Lamb , N.R. (1996). Working practices in a perchery system, using the Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS). Applied Ergonomics

Barriers and enablers to returning to work from long-term sickness absence: Part I-A quantitative perspective.

PubMed

Board, Belinda J; Brown, Jennifer

2011-04-01

Long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in the United Kingdom labor market has become a major health issue in recent years. In contrast to short-term sickness absence, rates for LTSA have been on the increase. This paper, part 1 of a two-part paper, identifies individual domain barriers to returning to work (RTW) from LTSA across the work disability timeline in the UK labor market. This is a retrospective cohort study of 6,246 workers from an occupationally diverse Police Force within the UK using a large administrative database. A series of chi-squared analyses were conducted to analyze the between and within group associations. Next, multiple logistic regression analyses using the Enter method were performed to develop a predictive model for RTW and Absence Phase. Findings substantiated the presence of individual domain barriers to RTW and predictors of RTW outcome and established the absence phase specificity of a number of risk factors of prolonged work disability. In particular, injury/illness especially mental ill health (MIH), physical job demands, sex, and number of episodes of LTSA are significant individual domain barriers to RTW and represent important risk factors for prolonged work disability. Duration of work disability is associated with medical diagnosis, especially MIH, physical job demands, sex, and number of LTSA episodes. Findings also support the importance of using the outcome measure of absence phase of risk factors in addition to RTW outcome. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Changes in psychosocial work conditions in Taiwanese employees by gender and age from 2001 to 2010.

PubMed

Cheng, Yawen; Chen, I-Shin; Burr, Hermann; Chen, Chiou-Jong; Chiang, Tung-Liang

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine changes in working hours, shift work, psychological and physical job demands, job control and job insecurity in Taiwanese employees by gender and age during the period of 2001 to 2010. The study subjects were 36,750 men and 27,549 women, aged 25-64, from 4 rounds of cross-sectional surveys of representative employees. Psychosocial work conditions were assessed by a validated questionnaire. Regression analyses with adjustment of education and employment grade showed that from 2001 to 2010, the proportions of workers with long working hours (>48 hours/week) (OR=1.4 in men and 1.5 in women) and workers with short working hours (<40 hours/week) (OR=1.3 in both genders) both increased over time, indicating an increasing polarization in the distribution of working hours. Furthermore, the proportions of nonstandard work shifts (OR=1.7 in men and 2.1 in women) and work with high physical demands (OR=1.5 for both gender) increased. There were signs of decreasing levels of job control from 2001 to 2007, which seemed to be more apparent in younger workers than in older workers. However, a slight recovery in decision latitude and opportunity for learning was noticed in later years. The trend in job insecurity was not linear, with the highest prevalence found in 2004. Our findings suggested that certain aspects of psychosocial work environment had deteriorated in Taiwan. There is a need to raise public awareness about the changing patterns of psychosocial health risks at work as well as their causes and their potential impacts on worker well-being.

Observed use of voluntary controls to reduce physical exposures among sheet metal workers of the mechanical trade

PubMed Central

Dale, Ann Marie; Miller, Kim; Gardner, Bethany T.; Hwang, Ching-Ting; Evanoff, Bradley; Welch, Laura

2015-01-01

Introduction Little is known about the transfer into the workplace of interventions designed to reduce the physical demands of sheet metal workers. Methods We reviewed videos from a case series of 15 sheet metal worksite assessments performed in 2007–2009 to score postures and physical loads, and to observe the use of recommended interventions to reduce physical exposures in sheet metal activities made by a NIOSH stakeholder meeting in 2002. Results Workers showed consistent use of material handling devices, but we observed few uses of recommended interventions to reduce exposures during overhead work. Workers spent large proportions of time in awkward shoulder elevation and low back rotation postures. Conclusions In addition to the development of new technologies and system designs, increased adoption of existing tools and practices could reduce time spent in awkward postures and other risks for musculoskeletal disorders in sheet metal work. PMID:26360196

[Changes in the forms of industrial production and their effects on workers' health].

PubMed

Fernandes, Rita de Cássia Pereira; Assunção, Ada Avila; Carvalho, Fernando Martins

2010-06-01

This study aimed to identify determinants of health in workers of plastic industries. Production organization, machinery from maintenance and productive areas, and workers' characteristics of 14 plastic industries from Greater Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, were described. Data were collected about development policy of each company; marketing, operational procedures; production and quality requirements, and formal rules of work organization. High strain management techniques for production time reduction have been implemented. The increase of work rhythm, reduction of break time, and a situation of high cognitive demand impose to workers anomalous body positioning for performing tasks that imply repetitive movements. Physical and psychosocial demands (repetitive work, lower control of the worker on his own tasks, time pressure and job dissatisfaction) compose a complex of conditions adverse to workers' health. Changes in production management, personnel and business impose new strains into the development of task by the workers and bringing in new risk factors to workers' health.

20 CFR 416.960 - When we will consider your vocational background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... past 15 years, that was substantial gainful activity, and that lasted long enough for you to learn to... in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. (b) Past relevant work. We will first compare our assessment of your residual functional capacity with the physical and mental demands of your past relevant...

MICRO-U 70.1: Training Model of an Instructional Institution, Users Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Colby H.

MICRO-U is a student demand driven deterministic model. Student enrollment, by degree program, is used to develop an Instructional Work Load Matrix. Linear equations using Weekly Student Contact Hours (WSCH), Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students, FTE faculty, and number of disciplines determine library, central administration, and physical plant…

Putting Tasks to the Test: Human Capital, Job Tasks and Wages. NBER Working Paper No. 15116

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autor, David H.; Handel, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Employing original, representative survey data, we document that cognitive, interpersonal and physical job task demands can be measured with high validity using standard interview techniques. Job tasks vary substantially within and between occupations, are significantly related to workers' characteristics, and are robustly predictive of wage…

Combined Task and Physical Demands Analyses towards a Comprehensive Human Work Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

new equipment or modifying tasks and providing training (van der Molen, Sluiter, Hulshof , Vink, & Frings-Dresen, 2005). List the Job Duties (the...00 1/SV, Defence Research and Development Canada. van der Molen, H. F., Sluiter, J. K., Hulshof , C. T. J. , Vink, P., & Frings-Dresen, M. H. W

Sex inequalities in physical and mental functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese civil servants: role of job demand, control and work hours.

PubMed

Sekine, Michikazu; Tatsuse, Takashi; Kagamimori, Sadanobu; Chandola, Tarani; Cable, Noriko; Marmot, Michael; Martikainen, Pekka; Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero

2011-08-01

In general, women report more physical and mental symptoms than men. International comparisons of countries with different welfare state regimes may provide further understanding of the social determinants of sex inequalities in health. This study aims to evaluate (1) whether there are sex inequalities in health functioning as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36), and (2) whether work characteristics contribute to the sex inequalities in health among employees from Britain, Finland, and Japan, representing liberal, social democratic, and conservative welfare state regimes, respectively. The participants were 7340 (5122 men and 2218 women) British employees, 2297 (1638 men and 659 women) Japanese employees, and 8164 (1649 men and 6515 women) Finnish employees. All the participants were civil servants aged 40-60 years. We found that more women than men tended to have disadvantaged work characteristics (i.e. low employment grade, low job control, high job demands, and long work hours) but such sex differences were relatively smaller among employees from Finland, where more gender equal policies exist than Britain and Japan. The age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of women for poor physical functioning was the largest for British women (OR = 2.08), followed by for Japanese women (OR = 1.72), and then for Finnish women (OR = 1.51). The age-adjusted OR of women for poor mental functioning was the largest for Japanese women (OR = 1.91), followed by for British women (OR = 1.45), and then for Finnish women (OR = 1.07). Thus, sex differences in physical and mental health was the smallest in the Finnish population. The larger the sex differences in work characteristics, the larger the sex differences in health and the reduction in the sex differences in health after adjustment for work characteristics. These results suggest that egalitarian and gender equal policies may contribute to smaller sex differences in health, through smaller differences in disadvantaged work characteristics between men and women. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Job task characteristics of Australian emergency services volunteers during search and rescue operations.

PubMed

Silk, Aaron; Lenton, Gavin; Savage, Robbie; Aisbett, Brad

2018-02-01

Search and rescue operations are necessary in locating, assisting and recovering individuals lost or in distress. In Australia, land-based search and rescue roles require a range of physically demanding tasks undertaken in dynamic and challenging environments. The aim of the current research was to identify and characterise the physically demanding tasks inherent to search and rescue operation personnel within Australia. These aims were met through a subjective job task analysis approach. In total, 11 criterion tasks were identified by personnel. These tasks were the most physically demanding, frequently occurring and operationally important tasks to these specialist roles. Muscular strength was the dominant fitness component for 7 of the 11 tasks. In addition to the discrete criterion tasks, an operational scenario was established. With the tasks and operational scenario identified, objective task analysis procedures can be undertaken so that practitioners can implement evidence-based strategies, such as physical selection procedures and task-based physical training programs, commensurate with the physical demands of search and rescue job roles. Practitioner Summary: The identification of physically demanding tasks amongst specialist emergency service roles predicates health and safety strategies which can be incorporated into organisations. Knowledge of physical task parameters allows employers to mitigate injury risk through the implementation of strategies modelled on the precise physical demands of the role.

Long work hours and physical fitness: 30-year risk of ischaemic heart disease and all-cause mortality among middle-aged Caucasian men.

PubMed

Holtermann, Andreas; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Burr, Hermann; Søgaard, Karen; Gyntelberg, Finn; Suadicani, Poul

2010-10-01

No previous long-term studies have examined if workers with low physical fitness have an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality due to long work hours. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis. The study comprised 30-year follow-up of a cohort of 5249 gainfully employed men aged 40-59years in the Copenhagen Male Study. 274 men with cardiovascular disease were excluded from the follow-up. Physical fitness (maximal oxygen consumption, Vo(2)max) was estimated using the Åstrand bicycle ergometer test, and number of work hours was obtained from questionnaire items; 4943 men were eligible for the incidence study. 587 men (11.9%) died because of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Cox analyses adjusted for age, blood pressure, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, physical work demands, and social class, showed that working more than 45h/week was associated with an increased risk of IHD mortality in the least fit (Vo(2)max range 15-26; HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.10 to 4.73), but not intermediate (Vo(2)max range 27-38; HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.51) and most fit men (Vo(2)max range 39-78; HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.41 to 2.02) referencing men working less than 40h/week. The findings indicate that men with low physical fitness are at increased risk for IHD mortality from working long hours. Men working long hours should be physically fit.

Work limitations among working persons with rheumatoid arthritis: results, reliability, and validity of the work limitations questionnaire in 836 patients.

PubMed

Walker, Nancy; Michaud, Kaleb; Wolfe, Frederick

2005-06-01

To describe workplace limitations and the validity and reliability of the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 836 employed persons with RA reported clinical and work related measures and completed the WLQ, a 25 item questionnaire that assesses the impact of chronic health conditions on job performance and productivity. Limitations are categorized into 4 domains: physical demands (PDS), mental demands (MDS), time management demands (TMS), and output demands (ODS), which are then used to calculate the WLQ index. Of the 836 completed WLQ, about 10% (85) could not be scored, as more than half the items in each domain were not applicable to the patient's job. Demographic and clinical variables were associated with missing WLQ scores including older age (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.1), male sex (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0). Work limitations were present in all work domains: PDS (27.5%), MDS (15.7%), ODS (19.4%), and TMS (28.6%), resulting in a mean WLQ index of 5.9 (SD 5.6), which corresponds to a 4.9% decrease in productivity and a 5.1% increase in work hours to compensate for productivity loss. The WLQ index was inversely associated with Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) Mental Component Score (MCS; r = -0.60) and Physical Component Score (PCS; r = -0.49). Fatigue (0.5), pain (0.46), and HAQ (0.56) were also significantly associated with the WLQ index. Weaker associations were seen with days unable to perform (0.29), days activities cut down (0.38), and annual income (-0.10). The WLQ is a reliable tool for assessing work productivity. However, persons with RA tend to select jobs that they can do with their RA limitations, with the result that the WLQ does not detect functional limitations as well as the HAQ and SF-36. The WLQ provides special information that is not available using conventional measures of assessment, and can provide helpful knowledge about individual patient problems in the workplace. Whether this information will have greater predictive ability and clinical relevance compared with surrogate measures such as the HAQ and SF-36 has not been determined, but should be the subject of future studies.

High job control enhances vagal recovery in media work.

PubMed

Lindholm, Harri; Sinisalo, Juha; Ahlberg, Jari; Jahkola, Antti; Partinen, Markku; Hublin, Christer; Savolainen, Aslak

2009-12-01

Job strain has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. In modern media work, time pressures, rapidly changing situations, computer work and irregular working hours are common. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been widely used to monitor sympathovagal balance. Autonomic imbalance may play an additive role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. To study the effects of work demands and job control on the autonomic nervous system recovery among the media personnel. From the cross-sectional postal survey of the employees in Finnish Broadcasting Company (n = 874), three age cohorts (n = 132) were randomly selected for an analysis of HRV in 24 h electrocardiography recordings. In the middle-aged group, those who experienced high job control had significantly better vagal recovery than those with low or moderate control (P < 0.01). Among young and ageing employees, job control did not associate with autonomic recovery. High job control over work rather than low demands seemed to enhance autonomic recovery in middle-aged media workers. This was independent of poor health habits such as smoking, physical inactivity or alcohol consumption.

Psychosocial benefits of workplace physical exercise: cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jakobsen, Markus D; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Andersen, Lars L

2017-10-10

While benefits of workplace physical exercise on physical health is well known, little is known about the psychosocial effects of such initiatives. This study evaluates the effect of workplace versus home-based physical exercise on psychosocial factors among healthcare workers. A total of 200 female healthcare workers (Age: 42.0, BMI: 24.1) from 18 departments at three hospitals were cluster-randomized to 10 weeks of: 1) home-based physical exercise (HOME) performed alone during leisure time for 10 min 5 days per week or 2) workplace physical exercise (WORK) performed in groups during working hours for 10 min 5 days per week and up to 5 group-based coaching sessions on motivation for regular physical exercise. Vitality and mental health (SF-36, scale 0-100), psychosocial work environment (COPSOQ, scale 0-100), work- and leisure disability (DASH, 0-100), control- (Bournemouth, scale 0-10) and concern about pain (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, scale 0-10) were assessed at baseline and at 10-week follow-up. Vitality as well as control and concern about pain improved more following WORK than HOME (all p < 0.05) in spite of increased work pace (p < 0.05). Work- and leisure disability, emotional demands, influence at work, sense of community, social support and mental health remained unchanged. Between-group differences at follow-up (WORK vs. HOME) were 7 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3 to 10] for vitality, -0.8 [95% CI -1.3 to -0.3] for control of pain and -0.9 [95% CI -1.4 to -0.5] for concern about pain, respectively. Performing physical exercise together with colleagues during working hours was more effective than home-based exercise in improving vitality and concern and control of pain among healthcare workers. These benefits occurred in spite of increased work pace. NCT01921764 at ClinicalTrials.gov . Registered 10 August 2013.

Physical demand of seven closed agility drills.

PubMed

Atkinson, Mark; Rosalie, Simon; Netto, Kevin

2016-11-01

The present study aimed to quantify the demand of seven generic, closed agility drills. Twenty males with experience in invasion sports volunteered to participate in this study. They performed seven, closed agility drills over a standardised 30-m distance. Physical demand measures of peak velocity, total foot contacts, peak impacts, completion time, and maximum heart rate were obtained via the use of wearable sensor technologies. A subjective rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was also obtained. All measures, with the exception of maximum heart rates and RPE were able to delineate drills in terms of physical and physiological demand. The findings of this study exemplify the differences in demand of agility-type movements. Drill demand was dictated by the type of agility movement initiated with the increase in repetitiveness of a given movement type also contributing to increased demand. Findings from this study suggest agility drills can be manipulated to vary physical and physiological demand. This allows for the optimal application of training principles such as overload, progression, and periodisation.

A Conceptual Foundation for Measures of Physical Function and Behavioral Health Function for Social Security Work Disability Evaluation

PubMed Central

Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; Haley, Stephen M.; Jette, Alan M.; Eisen, Susan V.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Meterko, Mark; McDonough, Christine M.; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane E.; Rasch, Elizabeth K.

2014-01-01

Physical and mental impairments represent the two largest health condition categories for which workers receive Social Security disability benefits. Comprehensive assessment of physical and mental impairments should include aspects beyond medical conditions such as a person’s underlying capabilities as well as activity demands relevant to the context of work. The objective of this paper is to describe the initial conceptual stages of developing new measurement instruments of behavioral health and physical functioning relevant for Social Security work disability evaluation purposes. To outline a clear conceptualization of the constructs to be measured, two content models were developed using structured and informal qualitative approaches. We performed a structured literature review focusing on work disability and incorporating aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) as a unifying taxonomy for framework development. Expert interviews provided advice and consultation to enhance face validity of the resulting content models. The content model for work-related behavioral health function identifies five major domains (1) Behavior Control, (2) Basic Interactions, (3) Temperament and Personality, (4) Adaptability, and (5) Workplace Behaviors. The content model describing physical functioning includes three domains (1) Changing and Maintaining Body Position, (2) Whole Body Mobility, and (3) Carrying, Moving and Handling Objects. These content models informed subsequent measurement properties including item development, measurement scale construction, and provided conceptual coherence guiding future empirical inquiry. The proposed measurement approaches show promise to comprehensively and systematically assess physical and behavioral health functioning relevant to work. PMID:23548543

Validity of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles for Assessing Upper Extremity Work Demands

PubMed Central

Opsteegh, Lonneke; Soer, Remko; Reinders-Messelink, Heleen A.; Reneman, Michiel F.; van der Sluis, Corry K.

2010-01-01

Objectives The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) is used in vocational rehabilitation to guide decisions about the ability of a person with activity limitations to perform activities at work. The DOT has categorized physical work demands in five categories. The validity of this categorization is unknown. Aim of this study was to investigate whether the DOT could be used validly to guide decisions for patients with injuries to the upper extremities. Four hypotheses were tested. Methods A database including 701 healthy workers was used. All subjects filled out the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, from which an Upper Extremity Work Demands score (UEWD) was derived. First, relation between the DOT-categories and UEWD-score was analysed using Spearman correlations. Second, variance of the UEWD-score in occupational groups was tested by visually inspecting boxplots and assessing kurtosis of the distribution. Third, it was investigated whether occupations classified in one DOT-category, could significantly differ on UEWD-scores. Fourth, it was investigated whether occupations in different DOT-categories could have similar UEWD-scores using Mann Whitney U-tests (MWU). Results Relation between the DOT-categories and the UEWD-score was weak (rsp = 0.40; p<.01). Overlap between categories was found. Kurtosis exceeded ±1.0 in 3 occupational groups, indicating large variance. UEWD-scores were significantly different within one DOT-category (MWU = 1.500; p<.001). UEWD scores between DOT-categories were not significantly different (MWU = 203.000; p = .49). Conclusion All four hypotheses could not be rejected. The DOT appears to be invalid for assessing upper extremity work demands. PMID:21151934

Interest of the Ergo-Kit(®) for the clinical practice of the occupational physician. A study of 149 patients recruited in a rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Caron, J; Ronzi, Y; Bodin, J; Richard, I; Bontoux, L; Roquelaure, Y; Petit, A

2015-10-01

Functional capacity evaluation is commonly used to assess the abilities of patients to perform some tasks. Ergo-Kit(®) is a validated tool assessing both functional capacities of patients and workplace demands. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relevance of the Ergo-Kit(®) data for occupational physicians during the return-to-work process. A retrospective and monocenter study was conducted on all patients included in a rehabilitation program and assessed with the Ergo-Kit(®) tool between 2005 and 2014. Workplace demands and patients' functional capacities were evaluated and confronted. Self-beliefs and perceived disability were also assessed and compared to the functional capacity evaluation. One hundred and forty-nine working-age patients (85 men, 64 women; 39±12 years) suffering from musculoskeletal disorders or other diseases were included. Main causes of mismatch between workplace demands and functional capacities were manual handling of loads, postures with arms away from the body and repetitive motions at work; sitting posture was correlated with a lesser physical workload; and Oswestry score was correlated with functional capacities evaluated by the Ergo-Kit(®). Ergo-Kit(®) is a relevant tool to assess the multidimensional aspects of workplace demands and functional capacities. It could be very helpful for occupational physicians to manage return-to-work. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning of Japanese civil servants: explanations from work and family characteristics.

PubMed

Sekine, Michikazu; Chandola, Tarani; Martikainen, Pekka; Marmot, Michael; Kagamimori, Sadanobu

2006-07-01

Poor physical and mental functioning is more common among people of low socioeconomic status (SES) and those with disadvantaged work and family characteristics. This study aims to clarify whether the SES inequalities in functioning can be explained by the SES differences in work and family characteristics. The subjects were 3787 male and female civil servants, aged 20-65, working in a local government on the west coast of Japan. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine (1) whether there were employment-grade (SES) differences in poor physical and mental functioning as measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and (2) whether these SES differences were explained by work and family characteristics. In general, low control at work, high demands, low social support, short and long work hours, shift work, being unmarried, high family-to-work conflict and high work-to-family conflict were independently associated with poor physical and mental functioning in both men and women. In men, the age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of low-grade employees for poor physical functioning was 1.93 (95% confidence interval: 1.38-2.69) in comparison to high-grade employees. The grade difference was mildly attenuated, when adjusted for work and family characteristics (OR = 1.72)(1.20-2.47). The age-adjusted OR of the low-grade employees for poor mental functioning was 1.88 (1.29-2.74). The grade difference was attenuated and no longer significant when adjusted for work and family characteristics (OR = 1.51)(0.99-2.31). Among women, there were no significant grade-differences in poor physical and mental functioning. Although longitudinal research is necessary to clarify the causal nature of these associations, improvements in SES differences in work and family characteristics may be important for reducing SES inequalities in physical and mental functioning among Japanese men. The different patterns of SES inequalities in health between men and women deserve further research.

WORK POTENTIAL OF THE HANDICAPPED—The Physician's Role in Evaluating It

PubMed Central

Montero, Jose C.

1960-01-01

Even a severe physical defect may not be a handicap on some jobs; even a mild one may be a handicap on others. Physicians considering the employability of a disabled person must not only appraise the person but also must analyze the job. Job analysis must take into consideration the degree of exertion necessary, the emotional demands, working conditions (including accessibility of the place of work, of toilet facilities and the like) and job hazards. Appraisal of the person must include a medical examination, a review of the work history, consideration of socio-economic background, and psychological testing. PMID:14423720

Testing and extending the triple match principle in the nursing profession: a generational perspective on job demands, job resources and strain at work.

PubMed

Lavoie-Tremblay, Melanie; Trépanier, Sarah-Geneviève; Fernet, Claude; Bonneville-Roussy, Arielle

2014-02-01

The Triple Match Principle offers insight into the interactive interplay between job demands and job resources in the prediction of work-related strain. The aim of this article was to examine the interplay among job demands, job resources and strain in the nursing profession (the Triple Match Principle) and to gain insight into potential generational differences by investigating generation as a moderator of that interplay. No research has been done to evaluate generational differences in the Triple Match Principle. In a context of nursing shortages, it seems important to examine the relevance of the Triple Match Principle with respect to different generations of nurses. Cross-sectional study. A total of 1254 public healthcare sector nurses in Quebec, Canada, completed a questionnaire in the autumn of 2010. The questionnaire was used to assess cognitive, emotional and physical job demands and resources; psychological distress; psychosomatic complaints; and turnover intention. The results supported the Triple Match Principle and showed that job resources were more likely to buffer the effect of job demands on strain as the degree of match in qualitative dimension among demands, resources and strain increased (33·3% of triple-match interactions, 22·22% of double-match interactions and 16·67% non-match interactions were significant). Moreover, generation played a key role in this interplay, as it increased the number of significant qualitative interactions among job demands, job resources and strain. The results underscore the necessity of providing adequate job resources tailored to the specific job demands nurses face, to counteract the negative effects of those demands. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Utilizing role theory to help employed parents cope with children's chronic illness.

PubMed

Major, Debra A

2003-02-01

Role theory is utilized to detail a six-step process for developing balanced coping through role negotiation. As applied in this paper, the role theory framework provides health educators with a useful tool for helping employed parents cope with a child's chronic illness. The emphasis is on partnering with parents or primary caregivers to identify, understand and manage the multiple role demands of working parents with chronically ill children. Role theory suggests ways health educators can support balanced coping by educating families about the demands of a child's illness, and helping to reduce those demands, helping to increase family resources, supporting parents and facilitating role negotiation. The ultimate goal is the development of balanced coping strategies that (1) meet the medical and emotional needs of the ill child, (2) allow parents to maintain their physical and mental health, and (3) enable parents to meet the demands of their other roles (e.g. paid employment).

Job stress and job satisfaction: home care workers in a consumer-directed model of care.

PubMed

Delp, Linda; Wallace, Steven P; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Muntaner, Carles

2010-08-01

To investigate determinants of job satisfaction among home care workers in a consumer-directed model. Analysis of data collected from telephone interviews with 1,614 Los Angeles home care workers on the state payroll in 2003. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the odds of job satisfaction using job stress model domains of demands, control, and support. Abuse from consumers, unpaid overtime hours, and caring for more than one consumer as well as work-health demands predict less satisfaction. Some physical and emotional demands of the dyadic care relationship are unexpectedly associated with greater job satisfaction. Social support and control, indicated by job security and union involvement, have a direct positive effect on job satisfaction. Policies that enhance the relational component of care may improve workers' ability to transform the demands of their job into dignified and satisfying labor. Adequate benefits and sufficient authorized hours of care can minimize the stress of unpaid overtime work, caring for multiple consumers, job insecurity, and the financial constraints to seeking health care. Results have implications for the structure of consumer-directed models of care and efforts to retain long-term care workers.

Can fitness and movement quality prevent back injury in elite task force police officers? A 5-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

McGill, Stuart; Frost, David; Lam, Thomas; Finlay, Tim; Darby, Kevin; Cannon, Jordan

2015-01-01

Elite police work has bursts of intense physically demanding work requiring high levels of fitness, or capacity, and movement competency; which are assumed to increase one's injury resilience. The purpose of this study was to follow members of an elite police force (N = 53) to test whether back injuries (N = 14) could be predicted from measures of fitness and movement quality. Measures of torso endurance, relative and absolute strength, hip ROM and movement quality using the Functional Movement Screen(TM) and other dynamic movement tests were obtained from every officer at baseline. When variables were grouped and considered holistically, rather than individually, back injury could be predicted. Seven variables best predicted those who would suffer a back injury (64% sensitivity and 95% specificity for an overall concordance of 87%). Overall, the ability to predict back injury was not high, suggesting that there is more complexity to this relationship than is explained with the variables tested here. Practitioner Summary: Members of elite police forces have exposure to intense physically demanding work. Increased levels of fitness and movement competency have been assumed to increase injury resilience. However, complexity in the interactions between exposure, movement competency, training, fitness and injury may occlude the true relationship between these variables.

Long working hours and physical activity.

PubMed

Angrave, David; Charlwood, Andy; Wooden, Mark

2015-08-01

It is widely believed that persons employed in jobs demanding long working hours are at greater risk of physical inactivity than other workers, primarily because they have less leisure time available to undertake physical activity. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis using prospective data obtained from a nationally representative sample of employed persons. Longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (93,367 observations from 17,893 individuals) were used to estimate conditional fixed effects logistic regression models of the likelihood of moderate or vigorous physical exercise for at least 30 min, at least four times a week. No significant associations between long working hours and the incidence of healthy levels of physical activity were uncovered once other exogenous influences on activity levels were controlled for. The odds of men or women who usually work 60 or more hours per week exercising at healthy levels were 6% and 11% less, respectively, than those of comparable persons working a more standard 35-40 h/week; however, neither estimate was significantly different from 0 at 95% CI. The findings suggest that there is no trade-off between long working hours and physical activity in Australia. It is argued that these findings are broadly consistent with previous research studies from Anglo-Saxon countries (where long working hours are pervasive) that employed large nationally representative samples. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A study of the effectiveness of ergonomically-based functional screening tests and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries.

PubMed

Anderson, Charles; Briggs, Jim

2008-01-01

This paper summarizes a series of studies of the effectiveness of ergonomically based functional screening tests for post offer pre-placement of applicants for physically demanding jobs, and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries. Three predictive validation studies and a meta-analysis of injury rates pre- and post-implementation of physical ability testing at 175 locations are included. The strength and energy expenditure demands of physically-strenuous warehouse jobs in three industries were documented through ergonomic analysis. A battery of strength and endurance tests were developed to assess applicants' abilities to meet the measured physical demands. Predictive validation studies were performed for the jobs in each of the three industries. In each study, new-hires were given the physical ability test battery and then placed on the job. Management was not informed of the results of the tests. Injury experience and work history were then monitored over a two year period in each study. Injury rates and retention were then compared for individuals who passed and individuals who failed the battery. As the battery was implemented in other locations, the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year prior to implementation was compared to the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year after implementation. A meta-analysis of the three predictive validation studies indicated that new-hires who passed the battery had a 47% lower worker compensation injury rate and 21% higher retention. A meta-analysis of the 175 pre/post-implementation studies indicated a 41% reduction in worker compensation injuries associated with implementation of ergonomically based physical ability tests.

Motherhood during residency training: challenges and strategies.

PubMed

Walsh, Allyn; Gold, Michelle; Jensen, Phyllis; Jedrzkiewicz, Michelle

2005-07-01

To determine what factors enable or impede women in a Canadian family medicine residency program from combining motherhood with residency training. To determine how policies can support these women, given that in recent decades the number of female family medicine residents has increased. Qualitative study using in-person interviews. McMaster University Family Medicine Residency Program. Twenty-one of 27 family medicine residents taking maternity leave between 1994 and 1999. Semistructured interviews. The research team reviewed transcripts of audiotaped interviews for emerging themes; consensus was reached on content and meaning. NVIVO software was used for data analysis. Long hours, unpredictable work demands, guilt because absences from work increase workload for colleagues, and residents' high expectations of themselves cause pregnant residents severe stress. This stress continues upon return to work; finding adequate child care is an added stress. Residents report receiving less support from colleagues and supervisors upon return to work; they associate this with no longer being visibly pregnant. Physically demanding training rotations put additional strain on pregnant residents and those newly returned to work. Flexibility in scheduling rotations can help accommodate needs at home. Providing breaks, privacy, and refrigerators at work can help maintain breastfeeding. Allowing residents to remain involved in academic and clinical work during maternity leave helps maintain clinical skills, build new knowledge, and promote peer support. Pregnancy during residency training is common and becoming more common. Training programs can successfully enhance the experience of motherhood during residency by providing flexibility at work to facilitate a healthy balance among the competing demands of family, work, and student life.

Psychosocial working conditions and exhaustion in a working population sample of Swedish middle-aged men and women.

PubMed

Lindeberg, Sara I; Rosvall, Maria; Choi, Bongkyoo; Canivet, Catarina; Isacsson, Sven-Olof; Karasek, Robert; Ostergren, Per-Olof

2011-04-01

Exhaustion is a concept of interest for both occupational health research and stress-disease theory research. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between chronic stressors, in terms of psychosocial working conditions, and exhaustion in a Swedish middle-aged population sample. A vocationally active population sample of the Malmö Shoulder and Neck Study cohort, comprising 2555 men and 2466 women between 45 and 64 years of age, was used. Psychosocial working conditions, assessed by means of the demand-control-support model, were measured longitudinally with a 1-year interval. Exhaustion was assessed by the SF-36 vitality scale and measured at follow-up, yielding a cross-sectional study design. Exhaustion was twice as common in women as in men. High psychological job demands, low job control and low job support were independently associated with exhaustion in both men and women. These associations remained after controlling for a variety of potential confounders and mediators, including socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors, musculoskeletal pain, disease, other work-related factors (including physical workload) and non-work-related factors. High demands in combination with low control (job strain), and job strain combined with low job support (iso-strain), increased the risk for exhaustion. Psychosocial working conditions seem to contribute to exhaustion in middle-aged men and women. Future research should include exploration of exhaustion as a possible mediator between work stress and disease, as well as exploration of other chronic stressors, including non-work-related stressors, regarding their effects on exhaustion in men and women.

Productivity loss at work; health-related and work-related factors.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, Swenne G; Geuskens, Goedele A; Hooftman, Wendela E; Koppes, Lando L J; van den Bossche, Seth N J

2010-09-01

Productivity loss is an increasing problem in an aging working population that is decreasing in numbers. The aim of this study is to identify work-related and health-related characteristics associated with productivity loss, due to either sickness absence or reduced performance at work. In this cross-sectional study, data of the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey of 2007 were used, which includes a national representative sample of 22,759 employees aged 15 to 64 years. Demographic characteristics, health-related and work-related factors were assessed with a questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to study the relationship of work-related and health-related factors with low performance at work and sickness absence in the past 12 months. Poor general health, the number of longstanding health conditions, and most types of longstanding health conditions were associated with productivity loss. Health-related factors were in general stronger associated with sickness absence than with low performance at work. Performance: poor health OR 1.54 CI 1.38-1.71, >1 health conditions OR 1.21 CI 1.09-1.35; sickness absence: poor health OR 2.62 CI 2.33-2.93, >1 health conditions OR 2.47 CI 2.21-2.75. Of the different types of longstanding health conditions, only psychological complaints and to a small extent musculoskeletal symptoms, were associated with low performance (respectively OR 1.54 CI 1.27-1.87; OR 1.09 CI 1.00-1.18). Low performance at work was less likely among employees with high physically demanding work (shift work OR 0.70 CI 0.63-0.76, using force OR 0.78 CI 0.72-0.84, and repetitive movements OR 0.74 CI 0.70-0.79). Psychosocial factors were stronger associated with low performance at work than with sickness absence (performance: job autonomy OR 1.28 CI 1.21-1.37, job demands OR 1.23 CI 1.16-1.31, emotionally demanding work OR 1.73 CI 1.62-1.85; sickness absence: job autonomy ns, job demands OR 1.09 CI 1.03-1.17, emotionally demanding work OR 1.09 CI 1.02-1.16). Except for psychological complaints, workers with a longstanding health condition generally perform well while being at work. Nevertheless, the likelihood of taking sick leave is increased. Among work-related factors, psychosocial work characteristics have the strongest relation with productivity loss, mostly with performance while at work.

Examination of Work Environment Factors Relating to Burnout Syndrome of Early Childhood Educators in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rentzou, Konstantina

2012-01-01

Early childhood education is a profession which requires the professional staff to spend considerable time in intense involvement with other people. The pressure from the demands this profession has can create a sense of physical and emotional exhaustion that often leads to burnout. Thus, previous research has linked perceptions of the work…

Organisational Communication and Its Relationships with Occupational Stress of Primary School Staff in Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Nobile, John

2016-01-01

Occupational stress is an important issue for most occupations and often arises when the demands of the workplace become excessive or aspects of work are unpleasant. If left unmanaged occupational stress can lead to a range of outcomes that can cost organisations dearly, including burnout, physical sickness, absenteeism and turnover. Some aspects…

Skepticism to Success: Meeting Critical Workforce Needs through Innovation and Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Margaret; Maier, Linda; Shepard, Michael

2010-01-01

To meet workforce demand and the needs of working or place-bound students, Whatcom Community College developed an online version of its existing face-to-face Physical Therapist Assistant program which became a model for other lab-based health science degrees. This article describes research studies that support the program's practices and includes…

Work factors as predictors of persistent fatigue: a prospective study of nurses' aides.

PubMed

Eriksen, W

2006-06-01

To identify work factors that predict persistent fatigue in nurses' aides. The sample comprised 5547 Norwegian nurses' aides, not on leave when they completed a mailed questionnaire in 1999. Of these, 4645 (83.7%) completed a second questionnaire 15 months later. The outcome measure was the occurrence of persistent fatigue, defined as having felt "usually fatigued" or "always fatigued" in daytime during the previous 14 days. In respondents without persistent fatigue at baseline, medium and high work demands, heavy smoking, being single, and having long term health problems were associated with increased risk of persistent fatigue at follow up. Medium and high rewards for well done work, medium levels of leadership fairness, and regular physical exercise were associated with reduced risk of persistent fatigue at follow up. In respondents with persistent fatigue at baseline, medium and high levels of positive challenges at work, high support from immediate superior, medium feedback about quality of one's work, and changes of work or work tasks that resulted in less heavy work or lower work pace were associated with increased odds of recovery (no persistent fatigue at follow up). Working in a nursing home and being intensely bothered by long term health problems were associated with reduced odds of recovery. High demands and lack of rewards at work may cause persistent fatigue in nurses' aides. Reduction of demands, adequate feedback, and mental stimulation in the form of support and positive challenges may facilitate recovery in those who have persistent fatigue. Leaders in the health services may be in a position to regulate factors that influence the level of fatigue in nurses' aides.

Joint association of multimorbidity and work ability with risk of long-term sickness absence: a prospective cohort study with register follow-up.

PubMed

Sundstrup, Emil; Jakobsen, Markus Due; Mortensen, Ole Steen; Andersen, Lars Louis

2017-03-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the joint association of multimorbidity and work ability with the risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in the general working population. Methods Cox regression analysis censoring for competing events (statutory retirement, early retirement, disability pension, immigration, or death) was performed to estimate the joint association of chronic diseases and work ability in relation to physical and mental demands of the job with the prospective risk for LTSA (defined as ≥6 consecutive weeks during 2-year follow-up) among 10 427 wage earners from the general working population (2010 Danish Work Environment Cohort Study). Control variables were age, gender, psychosocial work environment, smoking, leisure physical activity, body mass index, job group, and previous LTSA. Results Of the 10 427 respondents, 56.8% had experienced ≥1 chronic disease at baseline. The fully adjusted model showed an association between number of chronic diseases and risk of LTSA. This association was stronger among employees with poor work ability (either physical or mental). Compared to employees with no diseases and good physical work ability, the risk estimate for LTSA was 1.95 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.50-2.52] for employees with ≥3 chronic diseases and good physical work ability, whereas it was 3.60 (95% CI 2.50-5.19) for those with ≥3 chronic diseases and poor physical work ability. Overall, the joint association of chronic disease and work ability with LTSA appears to be additive. Conclusions Poor work ability combined with ≥1 chronic diseases is associated with high risk of long-term sickness absence in the general working population. Initiatives to improve or maintain work ability should be highly prioritized to secure sustainable employability among workers with ≥1 chronic diseases.

Burnout among women: associations with demographic/socio-economic, work, life-style and health factors.

PubMed

Soares, J J F; Grossi, G; Sundin, O

2007-01-01

This study examined the occurrence of low/high burnout among women and the demographic/socio-economic, work, life-style, and health "correlates" of high burnout. The sample consisted of 6.000 randomly selected women from the general population, of which 3.591 participated. The design was cross-sectional. The univariate analyses showed that about 21% of the women had high burnout, and compared to those with low burnout, they were more often younger, divorced, blue-collar workers, lower educated, foreigners, on unemployment/retirement/sick-leave, financially strained, used more medication and cigarettes, reported higher work demands and lower control/social support at work, more somatic problems (e.g. pain) and depression. The regression analysis showed that only age, sick-leave, financial strain, medication, work demands, depression and somatic ailments were independently associated with high burnout. Thus, women with high burnout were apparently faring poorly financially, emotionally and physically. Considering our findings, interventions to alleviate their problems may be necessary. We may have provided new insights into women's burnout experiences, but longitudinal studies are warranted to firmly identify "determinants" of burnout.

When is job rotation perceived useful and easy to use to prevent work-related musculoskeletal complaints?

PubMed

Leider, Priscilla C; Boschman, Julitta S; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; van der Molen, Henk F

2015-11-01

Job rotation is often recommended to optimize physical work demands and prevent work-related musculoskeletal complaints, but little is known about possible facilitators and barriers to its usefulness and ease of use. Following a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews with employers (n = 12) and workers (n = 11) from the construction industry were conducted. Organizational climate, job autonomy, job characteristics and work processes were mentioned as either facilitators or barriers on an organizational level. Worker characteristics, work behavior and attitude were mentioned as either facilitators or barriers on an individual level. Following a structured approach to assess usefulness of job rotation to optimize physical work exposures and identifying barriers to usefulness and ease of use in relevant stakeholder groups is necessary in order to select or develop strategies to overcome these barriers, or to reject job rotation as a useful or easy to use intervention in the given context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Workforce Projections 2010-2020: Annual Supply and Demand Forecasting Models for Physical Therapists Across the United States.

PubMed

Landry, Michel D; Hack, Laurita M; Coulson, Elizabeth; Freburger, Janet; Johnson, Michael P; Katz, Richard; Kerwin, Joanne; Smith, Megan H; Wessman, Henry C Bud; Venskus, Diana G; Sinnott, Patricia L; Goldstein, Marc

2016-01-01

Health human resources continue to emerge as a critical health policy issue across the United States. The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy for modeling future workforce projections to serve as a basis for analyzing annual supply of and demand for physical therapists across the United States into 2020. A traditional stock-and-flow methodology or model was developed and populated with publicly available data to produce estimates of supply and demand for physical therapists by 2020. Supply was determined by adding the estimated number of physical therapists and the approximation of new graduates to the number of physical therapists who immigrated, minus US graduates who never passed the licensure examination, and an estimated attrition rate in any given year. Demand was determined by using projected US population with health care insurance multiplied by a demand ratio in any given year. The difference between projected supply and demand represented a shortage or surplus of physical therapists. Three separate projection models were developed based on best available data in the years 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. Based on these projections, demand for physical therapists in the United States outstrips supply under most assumptions. Workforce projection methodology research is based on assumptions using imperfect data; therefore, the results must be interpreted in terms of overall trends rather than as precise actuarial data-generated absolute numbers from specified forecasting. Outcomes of this projection study provide a foundation for discussion and debate regarding the most effective and efficient ways to influence supply-side variables so as to position physical therapists to meet current and future population demand. Attrition rates or permanent exits out of the profession can have important supply-side effects and appear to have an effect on predicting future shortage or surplus of physical therapists. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Risk factors for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders in the working population

PubMed Central

Roquelaure, Yves; Ha, Catherine; Rouillon, Clarisse; Fouquet, Natacha; Leclerc, Annette; Descatha, Alexis; Touranchet, Annie; Goldberg, Marcel; Imbernon, Ellen

2009-01-01

SUMMARY Objective The study aimed to assess the relative importance of personal and occupational risk factors for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs) in the working population. Methods A total of 3,710 workers (58% of men) participating in a surveillance program of MSDs in a French region in 2002–2005 were included. UEMSDs were diagnosed by 83 trained occupational physicians performing a standardized physical examination. Personal factors and work exposure were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical associations between MSDs, personal and occupational factors were analyzed using logistic regression modeling. Results A total of 472 workers suffered from at least one UEMSD. The risk of UEMSDs increased with age for both genders (P<0.001) (O.R. up to 4.9 in men and 5.0 and in women) and in cases of prior history of UEMSDs (OR 3.1 and 5.0, P<0.001). In men, UEMSDs were associated with obesity (OR 2.2, P=0.014), high level of physical demand (OR 2.0, P<0.001), high repetitiveness of the task (OR 1.5, P=0.027), postures with the arms at or above shoulder level (OR 1.7, P=0.009) or with full elbow flexion (OR 1.6, P=0.006), and high psychological demand (O.R. 1.5, P=0.005). In women, UEMSDs were associated with diabetes mellitus (O.R. 4.9, P=0.001), postures with extreme wrist bending (OR 2.0, P<0.001), use of vibrating hand tools (O.R. 2.2, P=0.025) and low level of decision authority (OR 1.4, P=0.042). Conclusion The study showed that personal and work-related physical and psychosocial factors were strongly associated with clinically-diagnosed UEMSDs. PMID:19790112

Disability pension by occupational class - the impact of work-related factors: The Hordaland Health Study Cohort

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The social gradient in disability pension is well recognized, however mechanisms accounting for the gradient are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between occupational class and subsequent disability pension among middle-aged men and women, and to what extent work-related factors accounted for the association. Methods A subsample (N = 7031) of the population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) conducted in 1997-99, provided self-reported information on health and work-related factors, and were grouped in four strata by Erikson, Goldthorpe and Portocareros occupational class scheme. The authors obtained follow-up data on disability pension by linking the health survey to national registries of benefit (FD-trygd). They employed Cox regression analysis and adjusted for gender, health (medical conditions, mental health, self-perceived health, somatic symptoms) and work-related factors (working hours, years in current occupation, physical demands, job demands, job control). Results A strong gradient in disability pension by occupational class was found. In the fully adjusted model the risk (hazard ratio) ranged from 1.41 (95% CI 0.84 to 2.33) in the routine non-manual class, 1.87 (95% CI 1.07 to 3.27) in the skilled manual class and 2.12 (95% CI 1.14 to 3.95) in the unskilled manual class, employing the administrator and professional class as reference. In the gender and health-adjusted model work-related factors mediated the impact of occupational class on subsequent disability pension with 5% in the routine non-manual class, 26% in the skilled manual class and 24% in the unskilled manual class. The impact of job control and physical demands was modest, and mainly seen among skilled and unskilled manual workers. Conclusions Workers in the skilled and unskilled manual classes had a substantial unexplained risk of disability pension. Work-related factors only had a moderate impact on the disability risk. Literature indicates an accumulation of hazards in the manual classes. This should be taken into account when interpreting the gradient in disability pension. PMID:21619716

Disability pension by occupational class--the impact of work-related factors: the Hordaland Health Study Cohort.

PubMed

Haukenes, Inger; Mykletun, Arnstein; Knudsen, Ann Kristin; Hansen, Hans-Tore; Mæland, John Gunnar

2011-05-30

The social gradient in disability pension is well recognized, however mechanisms accounting for the gradient are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between occupational class and subsequent disability pension among middle-aged men and women, and to what extent work-related factors accounted for the association. A subsample (N = 7031) of the population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) conducted in 1997-99, provided self-reported information on health and work-related factors, and were grouped in four strata by Erikson, Goldthorpe and Portocareros occupational class scheme. The authors obtained follow-up data on disability pension by linking the health survey to national registries of benefit (FD-trygd). They employed Cox regression analysis and adjusted for gender, health (medical conditions, mental health, self-perceived health, somatic symptoms) and work-related factors (working hours, years in current occupation, physical demands, job demands, job control). A strong gradient in disability pension by occupational class was found. In the fully adjusted model the risk (hazard ratio) ranged from 1.41 (95% CI 0.84 to 2.33) in the routine non-manual class, 1.87 (95% CI 1.07 to 3.27) in the skilled manual class and 2.12 (95% CI 1.14 to 3.95) in the unskilled manual class, employing the administrator and professional class as reference. In the gender and health-adjusted model work-related factors mediated the impact of occupational class on subsequent disability pension with 5% in the routine non-manual class, 26% in the skilled manual class and 24% in the unskilled manual class. The impact of job control and physical demands was modest, and mainly seen among skilled and unskilled manual workers. Workers in the skilled and unskilled manual classes had a substantial unexplained risk of disability pension. Work-related factors only had a moderate impact on the disability risk. Literature indicates an accumulation of hazards in the manual classes. This should be taken into account when interpreting the gradient in disability pension.

[Increase of physical activity by improvement of the nutritional status].

PubMed

Torún, B

1989-09-01

Physical activity is affected by nutritional modifications and, in turn, influences growth, cognition, social behavior, work performance and other functions. Studies in preschool children showed that: 1. A decrease in energy intake during four to seven days reduced the time allocated to energy-demanding activities and increased sedentary activities. 2. Children with mild weight deficit were more sedentary than well-nourished counterparts. 3. Children became more active when nutritional status improved. 4. A 10% reduction in energy intake reduced total energy expenditure by 15% without affecting weight gain nor basal metabolism. Studies of men working in non-mechanized agriculture showed that: 1. Dietary improvements led to faster salaried work, reduction of napping time and greater physical activity after work. 2. An increase in energy intake increased total daily energy expenditure, tending to maintain energy balance and relatively stable body weight within the cyclic variations of the agricultural year. 3. Food supplementation did not necessarily improve productivity. Other labor incentives without dietary improvements increased energy expenditure during working hours, which resulted in weight loss. In conclusion, good health and nutrition provide the biological basis for adequate physical activity that may improve cognitive development, social interactions, economic productivity and the quality of life of an individual or a population, but other incentives are required for the optimal expression of that biologic potential.

Learning from physics text: A synthesis of recent research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Patricia A.; Kulikowich, Jonna M.

Learning from physics text is described as a complex interaction of learner, text, and context variables. As a multidimensional procedure, text processing in the domain of physics relies on readers' knowledge and interest, and on readers' ability to monitor or regulate their processing. Certain textual features intended to assist readers in understanding and remembering physics content may actually work to the detriment of those very processes. Inclusion of seductive details and the incorporation of analogies may misdirect readers' attention or may increase processing demands, particularly in those cases when readers' physics knowledge is low. The questioning behaviors of teachers also impact on the task of comprehending physics texts. Finally, within the context of the classroom, the information that teachers dispense or the materials they employ can significantly influence the process of learning from physics text.

Work activities and musculoskeletal discomforts amongst active older Albertans on alternative employment trajectories.

PubMed

Doan, Jon B; Copeland, Jennifer L; Brown, Lesley A; Newman, Jeff T; Hudson, D Shane

2014-01-01

Bridge employment (scheduled paid work after retirement age) may promote successful aging and continued health, as work can be an important component of daily physical activity. Appropriate work demands for older adults are neither well-established nor well-applied, however, and excessive loading or increased perceptions of discomfort may negate the health benefits of work activity. This study examined work status and musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) amongst older Albertans. 1044 Albertans aged 55 years and older participating in an organized 'Games' received a research package. Enclosed in the package were an introductory letter, a return envelope, and modified versions of validated questionnaires examining leisure and work activities, activity frequency, and perceptions of musculoskeletal health. 228 respondents were classified into one of three employment trajectory groups: fully retired, fully employed, or bridge employed. Groups differed in age, and both employed groups more frequently reported MSDs in all body areas. Bridge employed reported increased 'occasional' frequency of musculoskeletal injury risk factors, while both groups reported similar overall ratings of work-related exertion. The increased MSDs reported by bridge employed adults may be the result of irregularity of work activity and soft tissue loading. Detailed examination of work demands and musculoskeletal injuries amongst bridge employed adults could help define safer levels for less regular work activity.

Long-term psychosocial work environment and cardiovascular mortality among Swedish men.

PubMed Central

Johnson, J V; Stewart, W; Hall, E M; Fredlund, P; Theorell, T

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES. This study examined the effect of cumulative exposure to work organization--psychological demands, work control, and social support on prospectively measured cardiovascular disease mortality risk. METHODS. The source population was a national sample of 12517 subjects selected from the Swedish male population by Statistics Sweden in annual surveys between 1977 and 1981. Over a 14-year follow-up period, 521 deaths from cardiovascular disease were identified. A nested case-control design was used. Work environment exposure scores were assigned to cases and controls by linking lifetime job histories with a job exposure matrix. RESULTS. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used in examining cardiovascular mortality risk in relation to work exposure after adjustment for age, year last employed, smoking, exercise, education, social class, nationality, and physical job demands. In the final multi-variable analysis, workers with low work control had a relative risk of 1.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19, 2.82) for cardiovascular mortality. Workers with combined exposure to low control and low support had a relative risk of 2.62 (95% CI=1.22, 5.61). CONCLUSIONS. These results indicate that long-term exposure to low work control is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease mortality. PMID:8604756

State of science: mental workload in ergonomics.

PubMed

Young, Mark S; Brookhuis, Karel A; Wickens, Christopher D; Hancock, Peter A

2015-01-01

Mental workload (MWL) is one of the most widely used concepts in ergonomics and human factors and represents a topic of increasing importance. Since modern technology in many working environments imposes ever more cognitive demands upon operators while physical demands diminish, understanding how MWL impinges on performance is increasingly critical. Yet, MWL is also one of the most nebulous concepts, with numerous definitions and dimensions associated with it. Moreover, MWL research has had a tendency to focus on complex, often safety-critical systems (e.g. transport, process control). Here we provide a general overview of the current state of affairs regarding the understanding, measurement and application of MWL in the design of complex systems over the last three decades. We conclude by discussing contemporary challenges for applied research, such as the interaction between cognitive workload and physical workload, and the quantification of workload 'redlines' which specify when operators are approaching or exceeding their performance tolerances.

Experimental manipulation of psychosocial exposure and questionnaire sensitivity in a simulated manufacturing setting.

PubMed

Ikuma, Laura H; Babski-Reeves, Kari; Nussbaum, Maury A

2009-05-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of experimental manipulations of psychosocial exposures and to evaluate the sensitivity of a psychosocial questionnaire by determining the factors perceived. A 50-item questionnaire was developed from the job content questionnaire (JCQ) and the quality of worklife survey (QWL). The experiment involved simulated work at different physical and psychosocial levels. Forty-eight participants were exposed to two levels of one psychosocial manipulation (job control, job demands, social support, or time pressure). Significantly different questionnaire responses supported the effectiveness of psychosocial manipulations. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors: skill discretion and decision authority, stress level and supervisor support, physical demands, quality of coworker support, and decision-making support. These results suggest that psychosocial factors can be manipulated experimentally, and that questionnaires can distinguish perceptions of these factors. These questionnaires may be used to assess perceptions of psychosocial factors in experimental settings.

Psychosocial work factors, major depressive and generalised anxiety disorders: results from the French national SIP study.

PubMed

Murcia, Marie; Chastang, Jean-François; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2013-04-25

Anxiety and depression are prevalent mental disorders in working populations. The risk factors of these disorders are not completely well known. Developing knowledge on occupational risk factors for mental disorders appears crucial. This study investigates the association between various classical and emergent psychosocial work factors and major depressive and generalised anxiety disorders in the French working population. The study was based on a national random sample of 3765 men and 3944 women of the French working population (SIP 2006 survey). Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) were measured using a standardised diagnostic interview (MINI). Occupational factors included psychosocial work factors as well as biomechanical, physical, and chemical exposures. Adjustment variables included age, occupation, marital status, social support, and life events. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis. Low decision latitude, overcommitment, and emotional demands were found to be risk factors for both MDD-GAD among both genders. Other risk factors were observed: high psychological demands, low reward, ethical conflict, and job insecurity, but differences were found according to gender and outcome. Significant interaction terms were observed suggesting that low decision latitude, high psychological demands, and job insecurity had stronger effects on mental disorders for men than for women. Given the cross-sectional study design, no causal conclusion could be drawn. This study showed significant associations between classical and emergent psychosocial work factors and MDD-GAD. Preventive actions targeting various psychosocial work factors, including emergent factors, may help to reduce mental disorders at the workplace. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of chronic lymphatic filariasis on quantity and quality of productive work among weavers in an endemic village from India.

PubMed

Babu, B V; Swain, B K; Rath, K

2006-05-01

To assess the impact of hydrocele and lymphoedema on the quantity and quality of productive work of weavers. Case-control study in an endemic village in Andhra Pradesh, India. We collected qualitative data on work activities from cases and age- and sex-matched controls through informal discussions and observation. The mean (+/-standard deviation) daily work time of cases was 7.38 h (+/-2.47), significantly less than that of controls (8.17+/-2.41 h). Lost work time was equivalent to around 29 days of work in a year. Gender had significant influence on the mean number of working hours in this occupational group. Most cases could not weave, which is physically demanding, and preferred less strenuous tasks such as spinning, starching, dyeing or sizing. Hard physical labour constitutes 71.5% of total work time among patients and 83.7% in controls. As income also depends on the type of work, cases earn less. Filariasis has an adverse impact on the productivity of weavers, and morbidity management strategies and control programmes need to take this into account.

Work Demands and Work-to-Family and Family-to-Work Conflict: Direct and Indirect Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voydanoff, Patricia

2005-01-01

This article uses a demands-and-resources approach to examine relationships between three types of work demands and work-to-family and family-to-work conflict: time-based demands, strain-based demands, and boundary-spanning demands. The analysis is based on data from 2,155 employed adults living with a family member who were interviewed for the…

Demand-specific work ability, poor health and working conditions in middle-aged full-time employees.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Thielen, Karsten; Nygaard, Else; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-07-01

We investigated the prevalence of reduced demand-specific work ability, its association with age, gender, education, poor health, and working conditions, and the interaction between poor health and working conditions regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from 3381 full-time employees responding to questions about vocational education, job demands and social support (working conditions), musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and major depression (MD) (poor health) and seven questions about difficulty managing different job demands (reduced demand-specific work ability). Reduced demand-specific work ability varied from 9% to 19% among the 46-year old and from 11% to 21% among the 56-year old. Age was associated with two, gender with four, and education with all measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. MSP was associated with four and MD was associated with six measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. We found no interaction between working conditions and poor health regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Quantifying movement demands of AFL football using GPS tracking.

PubMed

Wisbey, Ben; Montgomery, Paul G; Pyne, David B; Rattray, Ben

2010-09-01

Global positioning system (GPS) monitoring of movement patterns is widespread in elite football including the Australian Football League (AFL). However documented analysis of this activity is lacking. We quantified the movement patterns of AFL football and differences between nomadic (midfield), forward and defender playing positions, and determined whether the physical demands have increased over a four season period. Selected premiership games were monitored during the 2005 (n=80 game files), 2006 (n=244), 2007 (n=632) and 2008 (n=793) AFL seasons. Players were fitted with a shoulder harness containing a GPS unit. GPS data were downloaded after games and the following measures extracted: total distance (km), time in various speed zones, maximum speed, number of surges, accelerations, longest continuous efforts and a derived exertion index representing playing intensity. In 2008 nomadic players covered per game 3.4% more total distance (km), had 4.8% less playing time (min), a 17% higher exertion index (per min), and 23% more time running >18kmh(-1) than forwards and defenders (all p<0.05). Physical demands were substantially higher in the 2008 season compared with 2005: an 8.4% increase in mean speed, a 14% increase in intensity (exertion index) and a 9.0% decrease in playing time (all p<0.05). Nomadic players in AFL work substantially harder than forwards and defenders in covering more ground and at higher running intensities. Increases in the physical demands of AFL football were evident between 2005 and 2008. The increasing speed of the game has implications for game authorities, players and coaching staff.

Conceptual foundation for measures of physical function and behavioral health function for Social Security work disability evaluation.

PubMed

Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Haley, Stephen M; Jette, Alan M; Eisen, Susan V; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Meterko, Mark; McDonough, Christine M; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane E; Rasch, Elizabeth K

2013-09-01

Physical and mental impairments represent the 2 largest health condition categories for which workers receive Social Security disability benefits. Comprehensive assessment of physical and mental impairments should include aspects beyond medical conditions such as a person's underlying capabilities as well as activity demands relevant to the context of work. The objective of this article is to describe the initial conceptual stages of developing new measurement instruments of behavioral health and physical functioning relevant for Social Security work disability evaluation purposes. To outline a clear conceptualization of the constructs to be measured, 2 content models were developed using structured and informal qualitative approaches. We performed a structured literature review focusing on work disability and incorporating aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a unifying taxonomy for framework development. Expert interviews provided advice and consultation to enhance face validity of the resulting content models. The content model for work-related behavioral health function identifies 5 major domains: (1) behavior control, (2) basic interactions, (3) temperament and personality, (4) adaptability, and (5) workplace behaviors. The content model describing physical functioning includes 3 domains: (1) changing and maintaining body position, (2) whole-body mobility, and (3) carrying, moving, and handling objects. These content models informed subsequent measurement properties including item development and measurement scale construction, and provided conceptual coherence guiding future empirical inquiry. The proposed measurement approaches show promise to comprehensively and systematically assess physical and behavioral health functioning relevant to work. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical working conditions as covered in European monitoring questionnaires.

PubMed

Tynes, Tore; Aagestad, Cecilie; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Andersen, Lars Louis; Perkio-Makela, Merja; García, Francisco Javier Pinilla; Blanco, Luz Galiana; Vermeylen, Greet; Parent-Thirion, Agnes; Hooftman, Wendela; Houtman, Irene; Liebers, Falk; Burr, Hermann; Formazin, Maren

2017-06-05

The prevalence of workers with demanding physical working conditions in the European work force remains high, and occupational physical exposures are considered important risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), a major burden for both workers and society. Exposures to physical workloads are therefore part of the European nationwide surveys to monitor working conditions and health. An interesting question is to what extent the same domains, dimensions and items referring to the physical workloads are covered in the surveys. The purpose of this paper is to determine 1) which domains and dimensions of the physical workloads are monitored in surveys at the national level and the EU level and 2) the degree of European consensus among these surveys regarding coverage of individual domains and dimensions. Items on physical workloads used in one European wide/Spanish and five other European nationwide work environment surveys were classified into the domains and dimensions they cover, using a taxonomy agreed upon among all participating partners. The taxonomy reveals that there is a modest overlap between the domains covered in the surveys, but when considering dimensions, the results indicate a lower agreement. The phrasing of items and answering categories differs between the surveys. Among the domains, the three domains covered by all surveys are "lifting, holding & carrying of loads/pushing & pulling of loads", "awkward body postures" and "vibrations". The three domains covered less well, that is only by three surveys or less, are "physical work effort", "working sitting", and "mixed exposure". This is the fırst thorough overview to evaluate the coverage of domains and dimensions of self-reported physical workloads in a selection of European nationwide surveys. We hope the overview will provide input to the revisions and updates of the individual countries' surveys in order to enhance coverage of relevant domains and dimensions in all surveys and to increase the informational value of the surveys.

Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education: Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Furze, Jennifer A; Tichenor, Carol Jo; Fisher, Beth E; Jensen, Gail M; Rapport, Mary Jane

2016-07-01

The physical therapy profession continues to respond to the complex and changing landscape of health care to meet the needs of patients and the demands of patient care. Consistent with this evolution is the rapid development and expansion of residency and fellowship postprofessional programs. With the interested number of applicants exceeding the number of residency and fellowship slots available, a "critical period" in the educational process is emerging. The purposes of this perspective article are: (1) to analyze the state of residency and fellowship education within the profession, (2) to identify best practice elements from other health professions that are applicable to physical therapy residency and fellowship education, and (3) to propose a working framework grounded in common domains of competence to be used as a platform for dialogue, consistency, and quality across all residency and fellowship programs. Seven domains of competence are proposed to theoretically ground residency and fellowship programs and facilitate a more consistent approach to curricular development and assessment. Although the recent proliferation of residency and fellowship programs attempts to meet the demand of physical therapists seeking advanced educational opportunities, it is imperative that these programs are consistently delivering high-quality education with a common focus on delivering health care in the context of societal needs. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Production cost structure in US outpatient physical therapy health care.

PubMed

Lubiani, Gregory G; Okunade, Albert A

2013-02-01

This paper investigates the technology cost structure in US physical therapy care. We exploit formal economic theories and a rich national data of providers to tease out implications for operational cost efficiencies. The 2008-2009 dataset comprising over 19 000 bi-weekly, site-specific physical therapy center observations across 28 US states and Occupational Employment Statistics data (Bureau of Labor Statistics) includes measures of output, three labor types (clinical, support, and administrative), and facilities (capital). We discuss findings from the iterative seemingly unrelated regression estimation system model. The generalized translog cost estimates indicate a well-behaved underlying technology structure. We also find the following: (i) factor demands are downwardly sloped; (ii) pair-wise factor relationships largely reflect substitutions; (iii) factor demand for physical therapists is more inelastic compared with that for administrative staff; and (iv) diminishing scale economies exist at the 25%, 50%, and 75% output (patient visits) levels. Our findings advance the timely economic understanding of operations in an increasingly important segment of the medical care sector that has, up-to-now (because of data paucity), been missing from healthcare efficiency analysis. Our work further provides baseline estimates for comparing operational efficiencies in physical therapy care after implementations of the 2010 US healthcare reforms. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cognitive and Physical Demands of Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults: Validation of Expert Panel Ratings.

PubMed

Fong, Tamara G; Gleason, Lauren J; Wong, Bonnie; Habtemariam, Daniel; Jones, Richard N; Schmitt, Eva M; de Rooij, Sophia E; Saczynski, Jane S; Gross, Alden L; Bean, Jonathan F; Brown, Cynthia J; Fick, Donna M; Gruber-Baldini, Ann L; O'Connor, Margaret; Tabloski, Patrica A; Marcantonio, Edward R; Inouye, Sharon K

2015-07-01

Difficulties with performance of functional activities may result from cognitive and/or physical impairments. To date, there has not been a clear delineation of the physical and cognitive demands of activities of daily living. To quantify the relative physical and cognitive demands required to complete typical functional activities in older adults. Expert panel survey. Web-based platform. Eleven experts from 8 academic medical centers and 300 community-dwelling elderly adults age 70 and older scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery from 2 academic medical centers. Sum scores of expert ratings were calculated and then validated against objective data collected from a prospective longitudinal study. Correlation between expert ratings and objective neuropsychologic tests (memory, language, complex attention) and physical measures (gait speed and grip strength) for performance-based tasks. Managing money, self-administering medications, using the telephone, and preparing meals were rated as requiring significantly more cognitive demand, whereas walking and transferring, moderately strenuous activities, and climbing stairs were assessed as more physically demanding. Largely cognitive activities correlated with objective neuropsychologic performance (r = 0.13-0.23, P < .05) and largely physical activities correlated with physical performance (r = 0.15-0.46, P < .05). Quantifying the degree of cognitive and/or physical demand for completing a specific task adds an additional dimension to standard measures of functional assessment. This additional information may significantly influence decisions about rehabilitation, postacute care needs, treatment plans, and caregiver education. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working conditions under multiple exposures: A cross-sectional study of private sector administrative workers.

PubMed

Coelho, Denis A; Tavares, Carla S D; Lourenço, Miguel L; Lima, Tânia M

2015-01-01

Office workers are increasingly exposed to physical and psychosocial risk factors. To assess the association between environmental, physical and organizational working conditions and the physical and psychosocial well-being of a sample of private sector office workers. Musculoskeletal pain was collected from a body map and the Disabilities of the Arms, Shoulders and Hands questionnaire. The short version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire enabled collecting information on six job related satisfaction and dissatisfaction subscales. A checklist for ergonomics in computer work guided the analysis of ergonomic factors and measurements were taken to characterize environmental conditions. Association between exposures and outcomes was calculated using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software. Significant moderate positive association was found between dissatisfaction with job psychological demands and musculoskeletal pain in the upper body (0.40; p= 0.05), as well as between postural ergonomic mismatches and dissatisfaction with job insecurity towards the future (0.42; p= 0.04). A significant moderate negative association (-0,47; p= 0.02) was found as well between satisfaction with job social support and with leadership quality and location of the work station in an open-plan office as opposed to smaller office rooms. The results show how raising awareness of the risk factors encountered in contemporary office work is still necessary to promote widespread improvement of working conditions, from both a physical and a psychosocial perspective.

CNAs Making Meaning of Direct Care

PubMed Central

Pfefferle, Susan G.; Weinberg, Dana Beth

2009-01-01

Using qualitative data from 87 focus groups with CNAs in 16 nursing homes in Massachusetts, this study explores ways CNAs make meaning of their work despite devaluations such as lack of respect from management and residents, and the physical and emotional demands of such low status work. CNAs' meaning-making represents an effort to assert a positive identity rather than accept the stigmatization associated with their work. Assertions of the value help CNAs reconstitute their identities. Assertions of meaning, which depend upon providing good care to residents regardless of financial reward or management respect and support, make CNAs vulnerable to exploitation. PMID:18552321

The effects of shift work on physical and mental health.

PubMed

Vogel, Matthias; Braungardt, Tanja; Meyer, Wolfgang; Schneider, Wolfgang

2012-10-01

Occupational engagement is a pre-requisite for continuous income opportunities. Among the changing social circumstances work-related conditions play an increasingly eminent role in psychological and mental well-being. The public discusses the question of a possible association between the demands of modern work life and the increases of psychological, psychosomatic and cardiovascular disorders. Given the socioeconomic implications of psychiatric and psychosomatic suffering in the general population, there is a need to further elucidate the causes of their increasing incidence. From a medical point of view, any organization of work disrupting the phased circadian rhythms for bio-psycho-social processes and functioning of the individual are interesting against the background of clock genes and certain biological functions that are organized in a circadian fashion. The authors review the influence of shift work as a form of systematic desynchronization of inner clock systems on the endocrine, the physical, and the mental level. The significance of the findings in the field is discussed along with future directions of conclusive research.

Healthy occupational culture for a worker-friendly workplace.

PubMed

Grabovac, Igor; Mustajbegović, Jadranka

2015-03-01

Work has numerous health and wellbeing benefits, but it also involves physical hazards and psychological exertion. Today the scale has tipped toward psychosocial factors. Workers' mental health affects their intellectual, emotional, and social growth, as well as work ability, productivity, and ultimately organisational productivity and competitiveness on the market. Even though companies may have an internal hierarchy that lowers stress at work, there are other formal and informal social processes that can affect (positively or negatively) the cohesion within the work unit. Safety culture of an organisation is a product of individual and group values, opinions, competences, and behavioural patterns that determine how occupational health and safety are implemented. Organisations that nurture positive safety culture understand the importance of health and safety and believe in prevention rather than dealing with consequences. Jobs that are stable, autonomous, and reasonably physically and psychologically demanding are far more likely to lower work-related stress and boost worker satisfaction. In fact, employee empowerment is one of the best ways to achieve good psychosocial health at the workplace.

Not enough time? Individual and environmental implications for workplace physical activity programming among women with and without young children.

PubMed

Tavares, Leonor S; Plotnikoff, Ronald C

2008-03-01

This study sets out to determine the main issues employed women with and without young children voice as influencing their physical activity behaviors, and to identify the environmental dimensions (e.g., physical, social, cultural, organizational, policy) within and outside of the workplace surrounding physical activity promotion that are most pertinent to employed women in Canada. Thirty employed women participated in focus groups, and four senior personnel were interviewed. Worksite observations were carried out and a Workplace Physical Activity Audit Tool was administered. Results indicate that time constraints and demands of personal and work life are barriers to achieving more activity. The issues surrounding family obligations and pressures for women with young children illustrate the main differences between groups. Key environmental factors are addressed and considered for future workplace physical activity programming goals.

US space flight experience. Physical exertion and metabolic demand of extravehicular activity: Past, present, and future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas P.

1989-01-01

A review of physical exertion and metabolic demands of extravehicular activity (EVA) on U.S. astronauts is given. Information is given on EVA during Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions. It is noted that nominal EVA's should not be overstressful from a cardiovascular standpoint; that manual-intensive EVA's such as are planned for the construction phase of the Space Station can and will be demanding from a muscular standpoint, primarily for the upper extremities; that off-nominal unplanned EVA's can be physically demanding both from an endurance and from a muscular standpoint; and that crewmembers should be physically prepared and capable of performing these EVA's at any time during the mission.

Perspectives on a 'Sit Less, Move More' Intervention in Australian Emergency Call Centres.

PubMed

Chau, Josephine Y; Engelen, Lina; Burks-Young, Sarah; Daley, Michelle; Maxwell, Jen-Kui; Milton, Karen; Bauman, Adrian

2016-01-01

Prolonged sitting is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. Workplace programs that aim to reduce sitting time (sit less) and increase physical activity (move more) have targeted desk-based workers in corporate and university settings with promising results. However, little is known about 'move more, sit less' programs for workers in other types of jobs and industries, such as shift workers. This formative research examines the perceptions of a 'sit less, move more' program in an Australian Emergency Call Centre that operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Participants were employees (N = 39, 72% female, 50% aged 36-55 years) recruited from Emergency Services control centres located in New South Wales, Australia. The 'sit less, move more' intervention, consisting of emails, posters and timer lights, was co-designed with the management team and tailored to the control centre environment and work practices, which already included electronic height-adjustable sit-stand workstations for all call centre staff. Participants reported their perceptions and experiences of the intervention in a self-report online questionnaire, and directly to the research team during regular site visits. Questionnaire topics included barriers and facilitators to standing while working, mental wellbeing, effects on work performance, and workplace satisfaction. Field notes and open-ended response data were analysed in an iterative process during and after data collection to identify the main themes. Whilst participants already had sit-stand workstations, use of the desks in the standing position varied and sometimes were contrary to expectations (e.g, less tired standing than sitting; standing when experiencing high call stress). Participants emphasised the "challenging" and "unrelenting" nature of their work. They reported sleep issues ("always tired"), work stress ("non-stop demands"), and feeling mentally and physically drained due to shift work and length of shifts. Overall, participants liked the initiative but acknowledged that their predominantly sitting habits were entrenched and work demands took precedence. This study demonstrates the low acceptability of a 'sit less, move more' program in shift workers in high stress environments like emergency call centres. Work demands take priority and other health concerns, like poor sleep and high stress, may be more salient than the need to sit less and move more during work shifts.

Physical Activity, Physical Exertion, and Miscarriage Risk in Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

PubMed Central

Wong, EY; Ray, R; Gao, DL; Wernli, KJ; Li, W; Fitzgibbons, ED; Camp, JE; Heagerty, PJ; De Roos, AJ; Holt, VL; Thomas, DB; Checkoway, H

2010-01-01

Background Strenuous occupational physical activity and physical demands may be risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes. Methods A retrospective study in the Shanghai, China textile industry study collected women’s self-reported reproductive history. Occupational physical activity assessment linked complete work history data to an industry-specific job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by multivariate logistic regression for the first pregnancy outcome and utilized generalized estimating equations to consider all pregnancies per woman. Results Compared with women employed in sedentary jobs, a reduced risk of miscarriage was found for women working in jobs with either light (OR 0.18, 95%CI: 0.07, 0.50) or medium (OR 0.24, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.66) physical activity during the first pregnancy and over all pregnancies (light OR 0.32, 95%CI: 0.17, 0.61; medium OR 0.43, 95%CI: 0.23, 0.80). Frequent crouching was associated with elevated risk (OR 1.82, 95%CI: 1.14, 2.93; all pregnancies per woman). Conclusions Light/medium occupational physical activity may have reduced miscarriage risk, while specific occupational characteristics such as crouching may have increased risk in this cohort. PMID:20340112

Physically demanding jobs and occupational injury and disability in the U.S. Army.

PubMed

Hollander, Ilyssa E; Bell, Nicole S

2010-10-01

Effective job assignments should take into account physical capabilities to perform required tasks. Failure to do so is likely to result in increased injuries and musculoskeletal disability. To evaluate the association between job demands and health outcomes among U.S. Army soldiers. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis is used to describe associations between job demands, hospitalizations, and disability among 261,096 enlisted Army soldiers in heavily, moderately, and lightly physically demanding occupations (2000-2005) who were followed for up to 5 years. Controlling for gender, race, and age, soldiers in heavily demanding jobs were at increased risk for any-cause injury, on-duty injuries, any-cause hospitalizations, and any-cause disability, but not for musculoskeletal disability. Army job assignments should more accurately match physical capabilities to job demands and/or jobs should be redesigned to reduce injuries. Though musculoskeletal disorders are often the result of acute injury, the demographic and occupational risk patterns differ from acute injury.

Which resources moderate the effects of demanding work schedules on nurses working in residential elder care? A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Peters, Velibor; Houkes, Inge; de Rijk, Angelique E; Bohle, Philip L; Engels, Josephine A; Nijhuis, Frans J N

2016-06-01

Shiftwork is a major job demand for nurses and has been related to various negative consequences. Research suggests that personal and job resources moderate the impact of work schedules on stress, health and well-being. This longitudinal study examined whether the interactions of personal and job resources with work schedule demands predicted work engagement and emotional exhaustion in nursing. This longitudinal study included two waves of data collection with a one year follow-up using self-report questionnaires among 247 nurses working shifts or irregular working hours in residential care for the elderly in the Netherlands. Moderated structural equation modelling was conducted to examine the interactions between personal and job resources and work schedule demands. Two work schedule demands were assessed: type of work schedule (demanding vs. less demanding) and average weekly working hours. Two personal resources, active coping and healthy lifestyle, and two job resources, work schedule control and the work schedule fit with nurses' private life, were assessed. Results showed that the work schedule fit with nurses' private life buffered the relationship between work schedule demands and emotional exhaustion one year later. Furthermore, the work schedule fit with nurses' private life increased work engagement one year later when work schedule demands were high. Work schedule control strengthened the positive relationship between work schedule demands and emotional exhaustion one year later. The personal resources, active coping and healthy lifestyle were no moderators in this model. Nurses suffer less from decreasing work engagement and emotional exhaustion due to work schedule demands when their work schedules fit with their private lives. Work schedule control did not buffer, but strengthened the positive relationship between weekly working hours and emotional exhaustion one year later. Job resources appeared to be more important for nurses' well-being than personal resources. These findings highlight the importance of the fit of a work schedule with nurse's private life, if the work schedule is demanding. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Physical Requirements of the Workplace: Research Considerations for Personnel Selection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Joyce C.

Personnel selection processes for physically demanding jobs often discriminate against women, minorities, and handicapped individuals. Developing and validating job-related performance tests requires the assessment of the physical demands of a job and of the same physical capabilities in individuals. Job analysis is a systematic assessment…

Job Stress and Job Satisfaction: Home Care Workers in a Consumer-Directed Model of Care

PubMed Central

Delp, Linda; Wallace, Steven P; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Muntaner, Carles

2010-01-01

Objective To investigate determinants of job satisfaction among home care workers in a consumer-directed model. Data Sources/Setting Analysis of data collected from telephone interviews with 1,614 Los Angeles home care workers on the state payroll in 2003. Data Collection and Analysis Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the odds of job satisfaction using job stress model domains of demands, control, and support. Principal Findings Abuse from consumers, unpaid overtime hours, and caring for more than one consumer as well as work-health demands predict less satisfaction. Some physical and emotional demands of the dyadic care relationship are unexpectedly associated with greater job satisfaction. Social support and control, indicated by job security and union involvement, have a direct positive effect on job satisfaction. Conclusions Policies that enhance the relational component of care may improve workers' ability to transform the demands of their job into dignified and satisfying labor. Adequate benefits and sufficient authorized hours of care can minimize the stress of unpaid overtime work, caring for multiple consumers, job insecurity, and the financial constraints to seeking health care. Results have implications for the structure of consumer-directed models of care and efforts to retain long-term care workers. PMID:20403063

Evaluation of cardiovascular demands of game play and practice in women's ice hockey.

PubMed

Spiering, Barry A; Wilson, Meredith H; Judelson, Daniel A; Rundell, Kenneth W

2003-05-01

Preparation for the physical demands of competition often involves game simulation during practice. This paradigm is thought to promote physiological adaptations that enhance maximal performance. However, a mismatch between practice intensity and actual competition intensity may not provide adequate training to achieve optimal game-play fitness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of practice in meeting the cardiovascular demands of a women's ice hockey game. Heart rate (HR) data from 11 U.S. National Women's Ice Hockey team members were collected (5-second intervals) during a game and a typical practice session. Data was normalized to individual HRmax determined during Vo(2)max testing. Working time was defined as a game shift or practice-working interval. Mean working HR was greater during the game than the practice, 90 +/- 2% and 76 +/- 3% of HRmax, respectively (p < 0.05). Mean percent session time (game or practice) >90% HRmax was also longer during the game than the practice, 10.5 +/- 4.1% and 5.6 +/- 3.5% (p < 0.05), respectively. Mean session HR, percent time >80% HRmax, and mean resting HR were not different between game and practice (68 +/- 7% vs. 69 +/- 5%, 23.2 +/- 5.3% vs. 26.1 +/- 9.2%, and 59 +/- 8% vs. 56 +/- 5%, respectively). Elite women hockey players experience significantly greater cardiovascular load during game play than during practice. This mismatch in cardiovascular demand may prevent players from achieving "game shape," thus affecting competition play.

Associations of job demands and intelligence with cognitive performance among men in late life.

PubMed

Potter, Guy G; Helms, Michael J; Plassman, Brenda L

2008-05-06

To examine the association of job characteristics and intelligence to cognitive status in members of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council Twins Registry of World War II veterans. Participants (n = 1,036) included individuals with an assessment of intelligence based on Armed Services testing in early adulthood. In late adulthood, these individuals completed the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) and occupational history as part of an epidemiologic study of aging and dementia. Occupational history was coded to produce a matrix of job characteristics. Based on factor analysis, job characteristics were interpreted as reflecting general intellectual demands (GI), human interaction and communication (HC), physical activity (PA), and visual attention (VA). Based on regression analysis of TICS-m score covarying for age, intelligence, and years of education, higher levels of GI and HC were independently associated with higher TICS-m performance, whereas higher PA was independently associated with lower performance. There was an interaction of GI and intelligence, indicating that individuals at the lower range of intellectual aptitude in early adulthood derived greater cognitive benefit from intellectually demanding work. Intellectually demanding work was associated with greater benefit to cognitive performance in later life independent of related factors like education and intelligence. The fact that individuals with lower intellectual aptitude demonstrated a stronger positive association between work and higher cognitive performance during retirement suggests that behavior may enhance intellectual reserve, perhaps even years after peak intellectual activity.

Associations of job demands and intelligence with cognitive performance among men in late life

PubMed Central

Potter, Guy G.; Helms, Michael J.; Plassman, Brenda L.

2013-01-01

Objective To examine the association of job characteristics and intelligence to cognitive status in members of the National Academy of Sciences–National Research Council Twins Registry of World War II veterans. Methods Participants (n = 1,036) included individuals with an assessment of intelligence based on Armed Services testing in early adulthood. In late adulthood, these individuals completed the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) and occupational history as part of an epidemiologic study of aging and dementia. Occupational history was coded to produce a matrix of job characteristics. Based on factor analysis, job characteristics were interpreted as reflecting general intellectual demands (GI), human interaction and communication (HC), physical activity (PA), and visual attention (VA). Results Based on regression analysis of TICS-m score covarying for age, intelligence, and years of education, higher levels of GI and HC were independently associated with higher TICS-m performance, whereas higher PA was independently associated with lower performance. There was an interaction of GI and intelligence, indicating that individuals at the lower range of intellectual aptitude in early adulthood derived greater cognitive benefit from intellectually demanding work. Conclusions Intellectually demanding work was associated with greater benefit to cognitive performance in later life independent of related factors like education and intelligence. The fact that individuals with lower intellectual aptitude demonstrated a stronger positive association between work and higher cognitive performance during retirement suggests that behavior may enhance intellectual reserve, perhaps even years after peak intellectual activity. PMID:18077796

Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity among rural, African American women.

PubMed

Sanderson, Bonnie; Littleton, MaryAnn; Pulley, LeaVonne

2002-01-01

Sixty-one African American women (ages 20-50 years) from a rural community in Alabama participated in six focus groups. Barriers to and enablers of physical activity were identified and grouped into personal, environmental (social and physical), policy, and cultural themes for qualitative analyses. Personal factors included motivation, perceived health, feeling tired, and lack of time; social environmental factors included support from friends, family, and issues related to child care; physical environmental factors included weather, access to facilities, availability of sidewalks or other places to walk; policy factors included personal safety concerns (loose dogs, traffic, etc.) and inflexible work environments. Some, but not all, women perceived cultural differences as a factor affecting physical activity levels. Differences in socioeconomic levels and time demands among women of different cultures were identified as factors that may influence physical activity. Participants provided suggestions for community-based physical activity interventions using an environmental approach.

Intimate Partner Violence in the Canadian Armed Forces: The Role of Family Stress and Its Impact on Well-Being.

PubMed

Skomorovsky, Alla; Hujaleh, Filsan; Wolejszo, Stefan

2015-07-01

Unique demands of military life (e.g., deployment) can have a significant impact on family life. Although most families cope effectively with military life stressors, some may have difficulty adjusting, experiencing marital conflicts, and violence. Evidence suggests that unmanaged occupational demands may create family stress by interfering with efforts to fulfill family duties. This study examined the effects of work-family conflict and marital satisfaction on intimate violence experienced by Canadian Armed Forces members, and the impact of such violence on their psychological well-being (N = 525). Regression analyses showed that both work-family conflict and marital satisfaction were unique and significant predictors of emotional and physical violence experienced by Canadian Armed Forces members. Moreover, bootstrapping analyses demonstrated that marital satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between work-family and family-work conflicts and intimate partner violence. The results point to the importance of examining the interrelationship between family stress and occupational stressors when exploring interpersonal violence and its psychological impact on military personnel. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Work and health in a contemporary society: demands, control, and insecurity.

PubMed

D'Souza, R M; Strazdins, L; Lim, L L-Y; Broom, D H; Rodgers, B

2003-11-01

To examine independent associations of job strain (high demands and low control) and job insecurity with mental and physical health outcomes. Cross sectional general population study conducted in 2000 using a self completed questionnaire. Two adjoining cities in south east Australia. 1188 employed professionals, aged 40-44 years, 55% (n = 655) male. Depression, anxiety, physical, and self rated health (SRH). Adverse job conditions were relatively prevalent as 23% of the sample reported high job strain, while 7.3% and 23% reported high and moderate job insecurity respectively. Associations between job conditions and health persisted after adjustment for gender, education, marital status, employment status, major life events, and negative affectivity (personality). When adjusted for job strain, high job insecurity was independently associated with a greater than threefold increase in odds for poor SRH, depression and anxiety (OR (95% confidence intervals) poor SRH: 3.72 (1.97 to 7.04) depression: 3.49 (1.90 to 6.41), anxiety: 3.29 (1.71 to 6.33)), and a twofold increase for physical health 2.19 (1.21 to 3.95). High job strain also showed significant independent associations with depression: 2.54 (1.34 to.4.75) and anxiety: 3.15 (1.48 to 6.70). In this relatively privileged socioeconomic group, insecure employment and high job strain showed independent, consistent, and strong associations with physical and mental health. These adverse job conditions are on the increase, particularly insecure employment, and the influence of these two work conditions are an important focus for future public health research and their prevalence and impact should be examined in other occupations.

The job satisfaction of physical therapists.

PubMed

Speakman, H G; Pleasant, J M; Sutton, G B

1996-01-01

Ten statements were created for the purpose of measuring job satisfaction in the practise of physiotherapy. The subjects consisted of 96 of the 106 (90%) of the physical therapists licensed with the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, and listed as residing in El Paso, Texas, USA. To indicate their job satisfaction, subjects indicated on a seven-point scale their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement. They then indicated on a different seven-point scale how important they thought each statement was to their job satisfaction. The results indicated that subjects thought that their jobs were challenging in a positive sense; enabled them to use their abilities; and were interesting. They also thought that they had sufficient independence in decision-making; were learning and improving in their work; and were given significant autonomy. The most dissatisfying aspect of their work was the amount of paperwork. In addition, the results suggest that some subjects may feel overworked, and think their jobs may be too physically demanding and mentally stressful. The subjects felt that all the statements had validity and measured important aspects of job satisfaction in physical therapy.

Health-related quality of life association with work-related stress and social support among female and male disabled employees.

PubMed

Tsai, Su-Ying

2016-01-01

Few studies have focused on adverse relations of job strain to health in disabled employees by gender. In this study, the author explores gender differences in work-related stress, social support, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among 106 disabled employees in an electronics manufacturing plant during 2012-2013, using questionnaire data on demographics, perceived work-related stress, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (C-JCQ), and HRQoL. The prevalence of stress related to workload, colleagues, and supervisor were 26.4%, 14.1%, and 8.5%, respectively. Disabled females had higher scores for psychological job demand than male disabled employees (p = .0219). Increasing psychological job demand scores were adversely related to physical function scores (β = -1.6) in males, whereas increasing decision latitude scores were positively related to role-limitation due to physical function (β = 2.3), general health (β = 1.2), vitality (β = 1.3), role-limitation due to emotional health (β = 2.6), and mental health (β = 0.9) scores in females. These results provide a better understanding of the HRQoL in female and male disabled workers, allowing for the development of stress-prevention programs specific for gender in disabled laborers.

Job compensable factors and factor weights derived from job analysis data.

PubMed

Chi, Chia-Fen; Chang, Tin-Chang; Hsia, Ping-Ling; Song, Jen-Chieh

2007-06-01

Government data on 1,039 job titles in Taiwan were analyzed to assess possible relationships between job attributes and compensation. For each job title, 79 specific variables in six major classes (required education and experience, aptitude, interest, work temperament, physical demands, task environment) were coded to derive the statistical predictors of wage for managers, professionals, technical, clerical, service, farm, craft, operatives, and other workers. Of the 79 variables, only 23 significantly related to pay rate were subjected to a factor and multiple regression analysis for predicting monthly wages. Given the heterogeneous nature of collected job titles, a 4-factor solution (occupational knowledge and skills, human relations skills, work schedule hardships, physical hardships) explaining 43.8% of the total variance but predicting only 23.7% of the monthly pay rate was derived. On the other hand, multiple regression with 9 job analysis items (required education, professional training, professional certificate, professional experience, coordinating, leadership and directing, demand on hearing, proportion of shift working indoors, outdoors and others, rotating shift) better predicted pay and explained 32.5% of the variance. A direct comparison of factors and subfactors of job evaluation plans indicated mental effort and responsibility (accountability) had not been measured with the current job analysis data. Cross-validation of job evaluation factors and ratings with the wage rates is required to calibrate both.

Job strain and resting heart rate: a cross-sectional study in a Swedish random working sample.

PubMed

Eriksson, Peter; Schiöler, Linus; Söderberg, Mia; Rosengren, Annika; Torén, Kjell

2016-03-05

Numerous studies have reported an association between stressing work conditions and cardiovascular disease. However, more evidence is needed, and the etiological mechanisms are unknown. Elevated resting heart rate has emerged as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the relation to work-related stress. This study therefore investigated the association between job strain, job control, and job demands and resting heart rate. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected men and women in Västra Götalandsregionen, Sweden (West county of Sweden) (n = 1552). Information about job strain, job demands, job control, heart rate and covariates was collected during the period 2001-2004 as part of the INTERGENE/ADONIX research project. Six different linear regression models were used with adjustments for gender, age, BMI, smoking, education, and physical activity in the fully adjusted model. Job strain was operationalized as the log-transformed ratio of job demands over job control in the statistical analyses. No associations were seen between resting heart rate and job demands. Job strain was associated with elevated resting heart rate in the unadjusted model (linear regression coefficient 1.26, 95 % CI 0.14 to 2.38), but not in any of the extended models. Low job control was associated with elevated resting heart rate after adjustments for gender, age, BMI, and smoking (linear regression coefficient -0.18, 95 % CI -0.30 to -0.02). However, there were no significant associations in the fully adjusted model. Low job control and job strain, but not job demands, were associated with elevated resting heart rate. However, the observed associations were modest and may be explained by confounding effects.

Key demands and characteristics of occupations performed by individuals with spinal cord injury living in Switzerland.

PubMed

Nützi, M; Trezzini, B; Ronca, E; Schwegler, U

2017-08-08

Descriptive qualitative and quantitative study using cross-sectional data from the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI). To determine the key demands and characteristics of occupations performed by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Swiss community. Job titles indicated by SwiSCI participants were linked to occupational titles from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and then frequency-analyzed across sociodemographic and injury-related factors. Subsequently, average O*NET relevance values ranging from 0 to 100 were calculated for the occupations' demands and characteristics, both in general and stratified by injury-related factors. The 1549 study participants indicated a total of 717 job titles and were primarily employed in administrative and management occupations (22.1% and 16.4%, respectively). The participants' occupations predominantly required verbal abilities (average relevance [AR]=68.4) and complex problem solving skills (AR=55.8) and were characterized by conventional work tasks (AR=62.9) and social relationships (AR=58.6). Both the occupations' frequency distribution as well as the average relevance levels of their demands and characteristics differed by SCI severity. Individuals with SCI perform a broad range of occupations that are mainly characterized by cognitive and communicative demands, while physical demands are of minor importance. By informing the development of job matching profiles for vocational guidance, our study facilitates the determination of well-matching jobs for persons with SCI and may contribute to a more sustainable return to work of the affected persons.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 8 August 2017; doi:10.1038/sc.2017.84.

The research on thermal adaptability reinforcement technology for photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Nana; Zhou, Guozhong

2015-10-01

Nowadays, Photovoltaic module contains more high-performance components in smaller space. It is also demanded to work in severe temperature condition for special use, such as aerospace. As temperature rises, the failure rate will increase exponentially which makes reliability significantly reduce. In order to improve thermal adaptability of photovoltaic module, this paper makes a research on reinforcement technologies. Thermoelectric cooler is widely used in aerospace which has harsh working environment. So, theoretical formulas for computing refrigerating efficiency, refrigerating capacity and temperature difference are described in detail. The optimum operating current of three classical working condition is obtained which can be used to guide the design of driven circuit. Taken some equipment enclosure for example, we use thermoelectric cooler to reinforce its thermal adaptability. By building physical model and thermal model with the aid of physical dimension and constraint condition, the model is simulated by Flotherm. The temperature field cloud is shown to verify the effectiveness of reinforcement.

Work environment of Danish shift and day workers.

PubMed

Bøggild, H; Burr, H; Tüchsen, F; Jeppesen, H J

2001-04-01

Both shift work and other work environment factors have been shown to be related to heart disease. This study examined whether shift work is associated with other work environment factors related to heart disease in a random sample of the population. If so, shift work could be acting as a proxy for work environment differences. Data on 5940 employees in the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study from 1990 were reanalyzed. The information included work schedules [permanent day work, irregular workhours (including morning work), 2-shift or fixed evening and 3-shift or fixed night], length of workweek, physical factors (noise, heat, dust, passive smoking, walking, standing and monotonous repetitive tasks), and psychosocial factors (including demands and control dimensions, social support, conflicts and job insecurity). At least 1 group of shift workers had a higher prevalence of nearly every unfavorable work environment factor investigated. Exceptions were dust exposure and quantitative demands. Especially conflicts at work and low decision latitude were higher among all the groups of shift workers, and all-day walking or standing work and part-time jobs were more often found among female shift workers. The 3 different shiftwork groups were exposed to different parts of the work environment, and also men and women in shift work differed in relation to the work environment. Age and social class influenced the relationship, but not in any particular pattern. In a heterogenous population shift work was found to be associated with other work environment factors suspected to cause heart disease.

Determinants of work ability and its predictive value for disability.

PubMed

Alavinia, S M; de Boer, A G E M; van Duivenbooden, J C; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Burdorf, A

2009-01-01

Maintaining the ability of workers to cope with physical and psychosocial demands at work becomes increasingly important in prolonging working life. To analyse the effects of work-related factors and individual characteristics on work ability and to determine the predictive value of work ability on receiving a work-related disability pension. A longitudinal study was conducted among 850 construction workers aged 40 years and older, with average follow-up period of 23 months. Disability was defined as receiving a disability pension, granted to workers unable to continue working in their regular job. Work ability was assessed using the work ability index (WAI). Associations between work-related factors and individual characteristics with work ability at baseline were evaluated using linear regression analysis, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of work ability for disability. Work-related factors were associated with a lower work ability at baseline, but had little prognostic value for disability during follow-up. The hazard ratios for disability among workers with a moderate and poor work ability at baseline were 8 and 32, respectively. All separate scales in the WAI had predictive power for future disability with the highest influence of current work ability in relation to job demands and lowest influence of diseases diagnosed by a physician. A moderate or poor work ability was highly predictive for receiving a disability pension. Preventive measures should facilitate a good balance between work performance and health in order to prevent quitting labour participation.

Work organisation and unintentional sleep: results from the WOLF study

PubMed Central

Akerstedt, T; Knutsson, A; Westerholm, P; Theorell, T; Alfredsson, L; Kecklund, G

2002-01-01

Background: Falling asleep at work is receiving increasing attention as a cause of work accidents. Aims: To investigate which variables (related to work, lifestyle, or background) are related to the tendency to fall asleep unintentionally, either during work hours, or during leisure time. Methods: 5589 individuals (76% response rate) responded to a questionnaire. A multiple logistic regression analysis of the cross sectional data was used to estimate the risk of falling asleep. Results: The prevalence for falling asleep unintentionally at least once a month was 7.0% during work hours and 23.1% during leisure time. The risk of unintentional sleep at work was related to disturbed sleep, having shift work, and higher socioeconomic group. Being older, being a woman, and being a smoker were associated with a reduced risk of unintentionally falling asleep at work. Work demands, decision latitude at work, physical load, sedentary work, solitary work, extra work, and overtime work were not related to falling asleep at work. Removing "disturbed sleep" as a predictor did not change the odds ratios of the other predictors in any significant way. With respect to falling asleep during leisure time, disturbed sleep, snoring, high work demands, being a smoker, not exercising, and higher age (>45 years) became risk indicators. Conclusion: The risk of involuntary sleep at work is increased in connection with disturbed sleep but also with night work, socioeconomic group, low age, being a male, and being a non-smoker. PMID:12205231

Chronic Conditions, Workplace Safety, And Job Demands Contribute To Absenteeism And Job Performance.

PubMed

Jinnett, Kimberly; Schwatka, Natalie; Tenney, Liliana; Brockbank, Claire V S; Newman, Lee S

2017-02-01

An aging workforce, increased prevalence of chronic health conditions, and the potential for longer working lives have both societal and economic implications. We analyzed the combined impact of workplace safety, employee health, and job demands (work task difficulty) on worker absence and job performance. The study sample consisted of 16,926 employees who participated in a worksite wellness program offered by a workers' compensation insurer to their employers-314 large, midsize, and small businesses in Colorado across multiple industries. We found that both workplace safety and employees' chronic health conditions contributed to absenteeism and job performance, but their impact was influenced by the physical and cognitive difficulty of the job. If employers want to reduce health-related productivity losses, they should take an integrated approach to mitigate job-related injuries, promote employee health, and improve the fit between a worker's duties and abilities. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Review on risk factors related to lower back disorders at workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A' Tifah Jaffar, Nur; Nasrull Abdol Rahman, Mohd

2017-08-01

This review examines the evidence of the occurrence of risk exposure on work-related lower back disorders in the workplace. This review also investigates potential interactions between the risk factors in the workplace which include heavy physical work risk factor, static work postures risk factor, frequent bending and twisting risk factor, lifting risk factor, pushing and pulling risk factor, repetitive work risk factor, vibration risk factor, psychological and psychosocial risk factor that may be associated with symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders of lower back. These risk factors can reinforce each other and their influence can also be mediated by cultural or social factors. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching using databases and the searching strategy was used combined keyword for risk factors, work-related lower back disorders, heavy physical work, static work postures, frequent bending and twisting, lifting, pushing and pulling, repetitive work, vibration, psychological and psychosocial risk factor. A total of 67 articles were identified and reviewed. The risk factors identified that related for low back disorder are seven which are heavy physical work, static work postures, frequent bending and twisting, lifting, pushing and pulling, repetitive work, vibration, psychological and psychosocial risk factor and the level of evidence supporting the relationship with lower back disorders also described such as strong, moderate, insufficient, limited and no evidence. This result confirms that, existing of higher physical and psychosocial demand related to reported risk factors of low back disorders. The result also showed that previous reviews had evaluated relationship between risk factors of low back disorders and specific types of musculoskeletal disorders. This review also highlights the scarves evidence regarding some of the frequently reported risk factors for work related lower back disorders.

[Psychosomatic aspects of expert judgement in gastro-intestinal disease (author's transl)].

PubMed

Freyberger, H; Wellmann, W

1980-06-01

Psychosomatic aspects in expert judgement about gastro-intestinal disease are important in regard to 3 particular problems: (1) establishing physical fitness for prison confinement, (2) establishing causal relationships between disease and military service, (3) judging the fitness for work, when annuities are demanded from the state insurance agencies. The point last mentioned is most important nowadays and is discussed therefore in more detail.

Working conditions as risk factors for disability retirement: a longitudinal register linkage study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Early retirement due to disability is a public health and work environment problem that shortens working careers. Transition to disability retirement is based on ill-health, but working conditions are also of relevance. We examined the contributions of work arrangements, physical working conditions and psychosocial working conditions to subsequent disability retirement. Methods The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study cohort on employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland. Information on working conditions was obtained from the baseline surveys conducted in 2000, 2001 and 2002. These data were linked with register data on disability retirement and their main diagnoses obtained from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Follow up by the end of 2008 yielded 525 disability retirement events. The analysed data included 6525 participants and 525 disability retirement events. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated from Cox regression analysis. Results Several working conditions showed own associations with disability retirement before adjustment. After adjustment for all working conditions, the primary risk factors for all-cause disability retirement were physical workload among women (HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.57-2.59) and men (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.18-3.38), and low job control among women (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.29-1.99). In addition, for disability retirement due to musculoskeletal causes, the risk factors were physical workload and low job control. For disability retirement due to mental causes the risk factors were computer work and low job control. Furthermore, occupational class was a risk factor for disability retirement due to all causes and musculoskeletal diseases. Conclusions Among various working conditions, those that are physically demanding and those that imply low job control are potential risk factors for disability retirement. Improving the physical working environment and enhancing control over one’s job is likely to help prevent early retirement due to disability. PMID:22537302

Influence of game format and number of players on heart rate responses and physical demands in small-sided soccer games.

PubMed

Castellano, Julen; Casamichana, David; Dellal, Alexandre

2013-05-01

The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which changing the game format (possession play vs. regulation goals and goalkeepers vs. small goals only) and the number of players (3 vs. 3, 5 vs. 5 and 7 vs. 7) influenced the physiological and physical demands of small-sided games (SSGs) in soccer in semiprofessional players. Fourteen semiprofessional male soccer players were monitored with global positioning system and heart rate devices. Heart rate, player load, distance covered, running speed, and the number of accelerations were recorded for 9 different SSGs. The results show that changes both in game format and the number of players affect the players' physiological and physical demands. Possession play places greater physiological and physical demands on players, although reducing the number of players only increases the physiological load. In the 7 vs. 7 games, changing the game format did not alter the heart rate responses. Finally, in the possession play format, changing the number of players did not produce significant differences in heart rate responses, although physical demands did decrease in line with a reduction in the number of players. These results should help coaches to understand how modifying different aspects of SSGs has a differential effect on the players' physiological and physical demands. Moreover, coaches in semiprofessional and amateur teams have now consistent information to design and optimize their training time in mixing the technical, tactical, and physical aspects.

Influence of job demands and job control on work-life balance among Taiwanese nurses.

PubMed

Ng, Lee-Peng; Chen, I-Chi; Ng, Hui-Fuang; Lin, Bo-Yen; Kuar, Lok-Sin

2017-09-01

This study investigated the extent to which the job demands and job control of nurses were related to their work-life balance. The inability to achieve work-life balance is one of the major reasons for the declining retention rate among nurses. Job demands and job control are two major work domain factors that can have a significant influence on the work-life balance of nurses. The study measured the job demands, job control and work-life balance of 2040 nurses in eight private hospitals in Taiwan in 2013. Job demands and job control significantly predicted all the dimensions of work-life balance. Job demands increased the level of work-life imbalance among nurses. While job control showed positive effects on work/personal life enhancement, it was found to increase both work interference with personal life and personal life interference with work. Reducing the level of job demands (particularly for psychological demands) between family and career development and maintaining a proper level of job control are essential to the work-life balance of nurses. Flexible work practices and team-based management could be considered by nursing management to lessen job demand pressure and to facilitate job engagement and participation among nurses, thus promoting a better balance between work and personal life. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The (cost-)effectiveness of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention on the recovery from neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers

PubMed Central

Bernaards, Claire M; Ariëns, Geertje AM; Hildebrandt, Vincent H

2006-01-01

Background Neck and upper limb symptoms are frequently reported by computer workers. Work style interventions are most commonly used to reduce work-related neck and upper limb symptoms but lifestyle physical activity interventions are becoming more popular to enhance workers health and reduce work-related symptoms. A combined approach targeting work style and lifestyle physical activity seems promising, but little is known on the effectiveness of such combined interventions. Methods/design The RSI@Work study is a randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention to reduce neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers. Computer workers from seven Dutch companies with frequent or long-term neck and upper limb symptoms in the preceding six months and/or the last two weeks are randomised into three groups: (1) work style group, (2) work style and physical activity group, or (3) control group. The work style intervention consists of six group meetings in a six month period that take place at the workplace, during work time, and under the supervision of a specially trained counsellor. The goal of this intervention is to stimulate workplace adjustment and to improve body posture, the number and quality of breaks and coping behaviour with regard to high work demands. In the combined (work style and physical activity) intervention the additional goal is to increase moderate to heavy physical activity. The control group receives usual care. Primary outcome measures are degree of recovery, pain intensity, disability, number of days with neck and upper limb symptoms, and number of months without neck and upper limb symptoms. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and six and 12 months after randomisation. Cost-effectiveness of the group meetings will be assessed using an employer's perspective. Discussion This study will be one of the first to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention in reducing neck and upper limb symptoms of computer workers. The results of the study are expected in 2007. PMID:17062141

Occupational health and safety of merchant seafarers from Kiribati and Tuvalu.

PubMed

Borovnik, Maria

2011-01-01

Intensifying international competition in the shipping industry in response to global pressures makes seafarers' jobs increasingly difficult. Challenging conditions in ship employment are problematic, particularly in a development context where home communities' dependence on seafarers' income is high and social protection is low. Qualitative fieldwork revealed that seafarers from Kiribati and Tuvalu endure exceptionally lengthy work periods at sea to remain competitive. Absence from home while working in constrained and mobile spaces with multinational crews, frequent security controls and speedy turnarounds impacting on sleep deprivation and decreased shore time have implications for physical and emotional health and can become safety matters. Hence, there is a growing need to address mechanisms to protect seafarers from the physical and emotional effects of global demands in the shipping industry.

Understanding and Promoting College Student-Athlete Health: Essential Issues for Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etzel, Edward F.; Watson, Jack C.; Visek, Amanda J.; Maniar, Sameep D.

2006-01-01

Collegiate student athletes are faced with the same developmental challenges and stressors as their nonathlete peers, but they are also expected to deal with the challenges of athletic involvement (e.g., time demands, physical demands, travel schedules). Such additional demands may put athletes at greater risk for experiencing physical and…

Affect Response to Simulated Information Attack during Complex Task Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-02

AND FRUSTRATION ........................ 42 FIGURE 27. TASK LOAD INDEX OF MENTAL DEMAND, TEMPORAL DEMAND, AND PHYSICAL DEMAND...situational awareness, affect, and trait characteristics interact with human performance during cyberspace attacks in the physical and information...Operator state was manipulated using emotional stimulation portrayed through the presentation of video segments. The effect of emotions on

A Survey of Occupational Therapy Practice in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Shi, Yun; Howe, Tsu-Hsin

2016-06-01

There is an increasing demand for rehabilitation services in China as a result of the growing number of people with physical and mental challenges, as well as the growing population of older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the current occupational therapy (OT) resources available in Beijing, China, to serve as the first step in planning the response to increasing demand for OT services from the people of China. Specifically, using the snowball sampling survey method, we explored the work practice, including years of working experience, work setting, weekly work hours, annual income and factors related to job satisfaction among occupational therapists in Beijing, China. A total of 44 occupational therapists currently working in the Beijing area responded to our survey. The results demonstrated that most of the therapists working in Beijing area were young and inexperienced. Despite the fact that the participants had an average age of 31 years old and an average of 8 years' working experience, 61.4% of therapists were under 30 years old and more than half of therapists had less than 5 years of OT experiences. Among those included in the study sample, 50% had earned degrees in OT, and the rest of the OT personnel received OT-related on-the-job training in various forms and lengths of time. A majority of the participants worked in hospital settings with adults or children with physical disabilities and used therapeutic activities and therapeutic exercises. Being an occupational therapist is not a high-paying job. Education satisfaction, work experience and annual income are the factors related to job satisfaction for the participants. The majority of occupational therapists expressed the need to receive more support for clinical-related trainings. We plan to expand this pilot study nationwide to gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the OT workforce in China. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A participatory physical and psychosocial intervention for balancing the demands and resources among industrial workers (PIPPI): study protocol of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gupta, Nidhi; Wåhlin-Jacobsen, Christian Dyrlund; Henriksen, Louise Nøhr; Abildgaard, Johan Simonsen; Nielsen, Karina; Holtermann, Andreas

2015-03-20

Need for recovery and work ability are strongly associated with high employee turnover, well-being and sickness absence. However, scientific knowledge on effective interventions to improve work ability and decrease need for recovery is scarce. Thus, the present study aims to describe the background, design and protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce need for recovery and improve work ability among industrial workers. A two-year cluster randomized controlled design will be utilized, in which controls will also receive the intervention in year two. More than 400 workers from three companies in Denmark will be aimed to be cluster randomized into intervention and control groups with at least 200 workers (at least 9 work teams) in each group. An organizational resources audit and subsequent action planning workshop will be carried out to map the existing resources and act upon initiatives not functioning as intended. Workshops will be conducted to train leaders and health and safety representatives in supporting and facilitating the intervention activities. Group and individual level participatory visual mapping sessions will be carried out allowing team members to discuss current physical and psychosocial work demands and resources, and develop action plans to minimize strain and if possible, optimize the resources. At all levels, the intervention will be integrated into the existing organization of work schedules. An extensive process and effect evaluation on need for recovery and work ability will be carried out via questionnaires, observations, interviews and organizational data assessed at several time points throughout the intervention period. This study primarily aims to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention based on the abovementioned features which may improve the work environment, available resources and health of industrial workers, and hence their need for recovery and work ability.

Job demands and job performance: the mediating effect of psychological and physical strain and the moderating effect of role clarity.

PubMed

Lang, Jessica; Thomas, Jeffrey L; Bliese, Paul D; Adler, Amy B

2007-04-01

The aims of the present study were twofold: First, in differentiating between specific job characteristics, the authors examined the moderating influence of role clarity on the relationship between job demands and psychological and physical strain. Second, in providing a more comprehensive link between job demands and job performance, the authors examined strain as a mediator of that relationship. Participants were 1,418 Army cadets attending a 35-day assessment center. Survey data were collected on Day 26 of the assessment center and performance ratings were assessed throughout the assessment center period by expert evaluators. Role clarity was found to moderate the job demands-strain relationship. Specifically, cadets experiencing high demands reported less physical and psychological strain when they reported high role clarity. Moreover, psychological strain significantly mediated the demands-performance relationship. Implications are discussed from theoretical and applied perspectives. Copyright (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

The Work-Family Interface as a Mediator between Job Demands and Employee Behaviour.

PubMed

Jenkins, Jade S; Heneghan, Camille J; Bailey, Sarah F; Barber, Larissa K

2016-04-01

In this investigation, we draw from the job demands-resource model and conservation of resources theory to examine the relationship between job demands, the work-family interface and worker behaviours. Data collected from an online survey of workers revealed that hindrance demands indirectly increase interpersonal and organizational deviance through work interference with family and family interference with work. Challenge demands indirectly predict interpersonal and organizational deviance through work interference with family. Finally, hindrance demands indirectly decreased individual-directed organizational citizenship behaviours through work-to-family enrichment. Taken together, these results stress the relevance of job demand management and resource drain/acquisition to counterproductive and extra-role behaviours. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Toward a Conceptualization of Perceived Work-Family Fit and Balance: A Demands and Resources Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voydanoff, Patricia

2005-01-01

Using person-environment fit theory, this article formulates a conceptual model that links work, family, and boundary-spanning demands and resources to work and family role performance and quality. Linking mechanisms include 2 dimensions of perceived work-family fit (work demands--family resources fit and family demands--work resources fit) and a…

Faculty Work-Family Issues: Finding the Balance at a Liberal Arts College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amador Kane, Suzanne

2008-03-01

The demands and expectations on science faculty at liberal arts colleges are in many ways distinct from those at research universities. While these differences can work in favor of easing work-family conflicts, there are also unique problems that faculty can confront in a setting of smaller departments and undergraduate-only institutions. I will discuss how these issues play out for junior and senior faculty, with an emphasis on how concrete policy changes can make the workplace a more family-friendly and supportive environment for all faculty, as well as making liberal arts colleges more attractive options for those seeking physics faculty jobs.

Movement and physical demands of school and university rugby union match-play in England

PubMed Central

Read, Dale; Weaving, Daniel; Phibbs, Padraic; Darrall-Jones, Joshua; Roe, Gregory; Weakley, Jonathon; Hendricks, Sharief; Till, Kevin; Jones, Ben

2017-01-01

Background In England, rugby union is a popular sport and is widely played within schools. Despite the large participation numbers, the movement and physical demands of the sport and how they progress by age have not been explored. Method Ninety-six male rugby union players wore microtechnology devices during six rugby union matches within the education pathway to investigate the movement and physical demands of match-play. To quantify the positional differences and progression by age, data were obtained for participants at the under 16 (U16) (n=31 participants), under 18 (U18) (n=34 participants) and university (n=31 participants) levels. Players were further divided in forwards and backs. Data were analysed using magnitude-based inferences. Results For the movement demands, U16 total distance and ‘striding’ was likely higher for forwards than backs, whereas at U18, unclear differences were observed and from university players the inverse was observed (very likely). In all age groups sprint distance was likely to very likely greater for backs than forwards. Forwards had greater physical demands than backs at all age groups. For consecutive age groups, U16 had a likely higher relative distance than U18, and U18 had a likely lower relative distance than university players. Physical demands were similar across age groups for forwards, and greater for backs at older age groups. Conclusion The movement and physical demands of rugby union players participating in schools (U16 and U18), may not be as expected, however, the findings from university players show a similar pattern to the senior game. PMID:28879027

Movement and physical demands of school and university rugby union match-play in England.

PubMed

Read, Dale; Weaving, Daniel; Phibbs, Padraic; Darrall-Jones, Joshua; Roe, Gregory; Weakley, Jonathon; Hendricks, Sharief; Till, Kevin; Jones, Ben

2016-01-01

In England, rugby union is a popular sport and is widely played within schools. Despite the large participation numbers, the movement and physical demands of the sport and how they progress by age have not been explored. Ninety-six male rugby union players wore microtechnology devices during six rugby union matches within the education pathway to investigate the movement and physical demands of match-play. To quantify the positional differences and progression by age, data were obtained for participants at the under 16 (U16) (n=31 participants), under 18 (U18) (n=34 participants) and university (n=31 participants) levels. Players were further divided in forwards and backs. Data were analysed using magnitude-based inferences. For the movement demands, U16 total distance and 'striding' was likely higher for forwards than backs, whereas at U18, unclear differences were observed and from university players the inverse was observed (very likely). In all age groups sprint distance was likely to very likely greater for backs than forwards. Forwards had greater physical demands than backs at all age groups. For consecutive age groups, U16 had a likely higher relative distance than U18, and U18 had a likely lower relative distance than university players. Physical demands were similar across age groups for forwards, and greater for backs at older age groups. The movement and physical demands of rugby union players participating in schools (U16 and U18), may not be as expected, however, the findings from university players show a similar pattern to the senior game.

Number of Players and Relative Pitch Area per Player: Comparing Their Influence on Heart Rate and Physical Demands in Under-12 and Under-13 Football Players.

PubMed

Castellano, Julen; Puente, Asier; Echeazarra, Ibon; Usabiaga, Oidui; Casamichana, David

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study is to analyse the influence of different large-sided games (LSGs) on the physical and physiological variables in under-12s (U12) and -13s (U13) soccer players. The effects of the combination of different number of players per team, 7, 9, and 11 (P7, P9, and P11, respectively) with three relative pitch areas, 100, 200, and 300 m(2) (A100, A200, and A300, respectively), were analysed in this study. The variables analysed were: 1) global indicator such as total distance (TD); work:rest ratio (W:R); player-load (PL) and maximal speed (Vmax); 2) heart rate (HR) mean and time spent in different intensity zones of HR (<75%, 75-84%, 84-90% and >90%), and; 3) five absolute (<8, 8-13, 13-16 and >16 Km h(-1)) and three relative speed categories (<40%, 40-60% and >60% Vmax). The results support the theory that a change in format (player number and pitch dimensions) affects no similarly in the two players categories. Although it can seem that U13 players are more demanded in this kind of LSG, when the work load is assessed from a relative point of view, great pitch dimensions and/or high number of player per team are involved in the training task to the U12 players. The results of this study could alert to the coaches to avoid some types of LSGs for the U12 players such as: P11 played in A100, A200 or A300, P9 played in A200 or A300 and P7 played in A300 due to that U13>U12 in several physical and physiological variables (W:R, time spent in 84-90%HRmax, distance in 8-13 and 13-16 Km h(-1) and time spent in 40-60%Vmax). These results may help youth soccer coaches to plan the progressive introduction of LSGs so that task demands are adapted to the physiological and physical development of participants.

Psychosocial aspects of working with video display terminals (VDTs) and employee physical and mental health.

PubMed

Smith, M J

1997-10-01

Psychosocial aspects of using video display terminals (VDTs) have been recognized as contributors to employees' mental and physical health problems for more than 15 years. Yet, little has been done by employers to change work organization conditions to improve the psychosocial work environment of VDT users. Thus, psychosocial aspects of work are emerging as one of the biggest problems for VDT users in the late 1990s. This paper explores how psychosocial aspects of VDT work are related to job stress, and their consequences for mental and physical health. Using the research literature, it defines various aspects of work organization and job design that have been shown to be related to VDT users' ill-health. Some of the important work design aspects uncovered include a lack of employee skill use, monotonous tasks, high job demands and work pressure, a lack of control over the job, poor supervisory relations, fear of job loss, and unreliable technology. These are the same job stressors that have been defined as problematic for a variety of blue collar jobs in previous research. Work organization improvements for healthier VDT jobs are proposed. These include organizational support, employee participation, improved task content, increased job control, reasonable production standards, career development, enhanced peer socialization, and improved workstation ergonomics. These organizational improvements are derived from a more detailed organizational strategy for job stress reduction. A model of job redesign through proper 'balancing' of work organization features is discussed.

Large-scale multi-agent transportation simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cetin, Nurhan; Nagel, Kai; Raney, Bryan; Voellmy, Andreas

2002-08-01

It is now possible to microsimulate the traffic of whole metropolitan areas with 10 million travelers or more, "micro" meaning that each traveler is resolved individually as a particle. In contrast to physics or chemistry, these particles have internal intelligence; for example, they know where they are going. This means that a transportation simulation project will have, besides the traffic microsimulation, modules which model this intelligent behavior. The most important modules are for route generation and for demand generation. Demand is generated by each individual in the simulation making a plan of activities such as sleeping, eating, working, shopping, etc. If activities are planned at different locations, they obviously generate demand for transportation. This however is not enough since those plans are influenced by congestion which initially is not known. This is solved via a relaxation method, which means iterating back and forth between the activities/routes generation and the traffic simulation.

Role of working conditions in the explanation of occupational inequalities in work injury: findings from the national French SUMER survey.

PubMed

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Lesuffleur, Thomas; Labarthe, Géraldine; Chastang, Jean-François

2018-03-12

Social inequalities in work injury have been observed but explanations are still missing. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the contribution of working conditions in the explanation of social inequalities in work injury in a national representative sample of employees. The study was based on the cross-sectional sample of the national French survey SUMER 2010 including 46,962 employees, 26,883 men and 20,079 women. The number of work injuries within the last 12 months was studied as the outcome. Occupation was used as a marker of social position. Psychosocial work factors included various variables related to the classical job strain model, psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, and other understudied variables related to reward, job insecurity, job promotion, esteem, working time and hours and workplace violence. Occupational exposures of chemical, biological, physical and biomechanical nature were also studied. Weighted age-adjusted Poisson regression analyses were performed. Occupational gradients were observed in the exposure of most psychosocial work factors and occupational exposures. Strong occupational differences in work injury were found, blue-collar workers being more likely to have work injury. Chemical, biological, physical and biomechanical exposures contributed to explain the occupational differences in work injury substantially. Noise, thermic constraints, manual materials handling, postural/articular constraints and vibrations had significant contributions. Psychosocial work factors also contributed to explain the differences especially among women. Prevention policies oriented toward chemical, biological, physical, biomechanical and psychosocial work exposures may contribute to reduce the magnitude of occupational differences in work injury.

Development of Physical Employment Standards for the Royal Australian Navy: Validation of Identified Whole-of-ship Tasks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

to determining individual CS tasks, this partially satisfied Navy’s request to quantify the physical demands of the course in order to draw parity ...will enable comparison between task demands on the course and during on-board duties. These data will be used to determine whether there is parity ...between the physical and physiological demands of the ACSC (or components of it) and CS tasks performed on-board each platform. If parity is drawn

Quantitative muscle strength testing: a comparison of job strength requirements and actual worker strength among military technicians.

PubMed

Pedersen, D M; Clark, J A; Johns, R E; White, G L; Hoffman, S

1989-01-01

In this study the authors investigate the percentage of mismatch between job demands and worker physical capacity in Utah National Guard mechanics. This population had demonstrated a higher incidence of low back trouble than other job descriptions reviewed. The authors utilized onsite still and videotape photography and a computerized biomechanical strength prediction model to assess loads on the lumbosacral spine due to various job tasks. Job demands were then compared to the actual physical capacity of the individual workers based on static strength testing in job-related positions. A load cell on the testing apparatus entered the force generated into a computer which averaged the force of the last three seconds of a five-second lift. It was determined that as much as a 38% mismatch existed within this population for some job tasks which these workers were exposed to. Suggestions for preventing job-related low back cumulative trauma disorders are presented, including: engineering redesign, worker selection programs, work hardening, and others.

An Agent-Based Modeling Framework and Application for the Generic Nuclear Fuel Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gidden, Matthew J.

Key components of a novel methodology and implementation of an agent-based, dynamic nuclear fuel cycle simulator, Cyclus , are presented. The nuclear fuel cycle is a complex, physics-dependent supply chain. To date, existing dynamic simulators have not treated constrained fuel supply, time-dependent, isotopic-quality based demand, or fuel fungibility particularly well. Utilizing an agent-based methodology that incorporates sophisticated graph theory and operations research techniques can overcome these deficiencies. This work describes a simulation kernel and agents that interact with it, highlighting the Dynamic Resource Exchange (DRE), the supply-demand framework at the heart of the kernel. The key agent-DRE interaction mechanisms are described, which enable complex entity interaction through the use of physics and socio-economic models. The translation of an exchange instance to a variant of the Multicommodity Transportation Problem, which can be solved feasibly or optimally, follows. An extensive investigation of solution performance and fidelity is then presented. Finally, recommendations for future users of Cyclus and the DRE are provided.

A comparison of general and ambulance specific stressors: predictors of job satisfaction and health problems in a nationwide one-year follow-up study of Norwegian ambulance personnel.

PubMed

Sterud, Tom; Hem, Erlend; Lau, Bjørn; Ekeberg, Oivind

2011-03-31

To address the relative importance of general job-related stressors, ambulance specific stressors and individual characteristics in relation to job satisfaction and health complaints (emotional exhaustion, psychological distress and musculoskeletal pain) among ambulance personnel. A nationwide prospective questionnaire survey of ambulance personnel in operational duty at two time points (n = 1180 at baseline, T1 and n = 298 at one-year follow up, T2). The questionnaires included the Maslach Burnout Inventory, The Job Satisfaction Scale, Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-10), Job Stress Survey, the Norwegian Ambulance Stress Survey and the Basic Character Inventory. Overall, 42 out of the possible 56 correlations between job stressors at T1 and job satisfaction and health complaints at T2 were statistically significant. Lower job satisfaction at T2 was predicted by frequency of lack of leader support and severity of challenging job tasks. Emotional exhaustion at T2 was predicted by neuroticism, frequency of lack of support from leader, time pressure, and physical demands. Adjusted for T1 levels, emotional exhaustion was predicted by neuroticism (beta = 0.15, p < .05) and time pressure (beta = 0.14, p < 0.01). Psychological distress at T2 was predicted by neuroticism and lack of co-worker support. Adjusted for T1 levels, psychological distress was predicted by neuroticism (beta = 0.12, p < .05). Musculoskeletal pain at T2 was predicted by, higher age, neuroticism, lack of co-worker support and severity of physical demands. Adjusted for T1 levels, musculoskeletal pain was predicted neuroticism, and severity of physical demands (beta = 0.12, p < .05). Low job satisfaction at T2 was predicted by general work-related stressors, whereas health complaints at T2 were predicted by both general work-related stressors and ambulance specific stressors. The personality variable neuroticism predicted increased complaints across all health outcomes.

Comparing Matchplay Characteristics and Physical Demands of Junior and Professional Tennis Athletes in the Era of Big Data

PubMed Central

Kovalchik, Stephanie A.; Reid, Machar

2017-01-01

Differences in the competitive performance characteristics of junior and professional tennis players are not well understood. The present study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of junior and professional matchplay. The study utilized multiple large-scale datasets covering match, point, and shot outcomes over multiple years of competition. Regression analysis was used to identify differences between junior and professional matchplay. Top professional men and women were found to play significantly more matches, sets, and games compared to junior players of an equivalent ranking. Professional players had a greater serve advantage, men winning 4 and women winning 2 additional percentage points on serve compared to juniors. Clutch ability in break point conversion was 6 to 8 percentage points greater for junior players. In general, shots were more powerful and more accurate at the professional level with the largest differences observed for male players on serve. Serving to the center of the court was more than two times more common for junior players on first serve. While male professionals performed 50% more total work in a Grand Slam match than juniors, junior girls performed 50% more work than professional women. Understanding how competitiveness, play demands, and the physical characteristics of shots differ between junior and professional tennis players can help set realistic expectations and developmentally appropriate training for transitioning players. Key points Junior players transitioning to professional level, must adapt to a field of a deeper and higher-quality athletes Junior players rise in the professional ranks, they can expect to compete in more events, matches, sets and games throughout the year The margins differentiating winners and losers of matches at the professional level are significantly narrower than at the junior level Some of the largest differences between junior and professional tennis are in its physical demands PMID:29238248

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers' Job Demands and Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands-resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers' job demands-resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample (n = 397). Exploratory…

Predicting time on prolonged benefits for injured workers with acute back pain.

PubMed

Steenstra, Ivan A; Busse, Jason W; Tolusso, David; Davilmar, Arold; Lee, Hyunmi; Furlan, Andrea D; Amick, Ben; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah

2015-06-01

Some workers with work-related compensated back pain (BP) experience a troubling course of disability. Factors associated with delayed recovery among workers with work-related compensated BP were explored. This is a cohort study of workers with compensated BP in 2005 in Ontario, Canada. Follow up was 2 years. Data was collected from employers, employees and health-care providers by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Exclusion criteria were: (1) no-lost-time claims, (2) >30 days between injury and claim filing, (3) <4 weeks benefits duration, and (4) age >65 years. Using proportional hazard models, we examined the prognostic value of information collected in the first 4 weeks after injury. Outcome measures were time on benefits during the first episode and time until recurrence after the first episode. Of 6,657 workers, 1,442 were still on full benefits after 4 weeks. Our final model containing age, physical demands, opioid prescription, union membership, availability of a return-to-work program, employer doubt about work-relatedness of injury, worker's recovery expectations, participation in a rehabilitation program and communication of functional ability was able to identify prolonged claims to a fair degree [area under the curve (AUC) = .79, 95% confidence interval (CI) .74-.84]. A model containing age, sex, physical demands, opioid prescription and communication of functional ability was less successful at predicting time until recurrence (AUC = .61, 95% CI .57, .65). Factors contained in information currently collected by the WSIB during the first 4 weeks on benefits can predict prolonged claims, but not recurrent claims.

Associations between self-rated health and psychosocial conditions, lifestyle factors and health resources among hospital nurses in Lithuania.

PubMed

Malinauskiene, Vilija; Leisyte, Palmira; Romualdas, Malinauskas; Kirtiklyte, Kristina

2011-11-01

The aim of our study was to investigate the association between self-rated health and psychosocial factors at work and everyday life (job demands, job control, social support, workplace bullying, life-threatening events); health behaviours (smoking, alcohol, being overweight, obesity, low physical activity); mental distress; job satisfaction; and sense of coherence in a representative sample of Lithuanian hospitals' internal medicine department nurses. Recent trends to extend the retirement age in many countries of the European Union challenge future public health. Nurses are exposed to a broad variety of adverse psychosocial factors at work and in every day life that affect their health perception. As the retirement age in Lithuania is to be extended to 65 years for women, research on the associations of poor self-rated health with related factors is important. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the period 2005-2006 using the representative sample of Lithuanian hospitals' internal medicine department nurses. Data were collected from 748 nurses using questionnaire (response rate 53·9%). About 60·4% of nurses rated their health negatively. In the fully adjusted model age, high job demands, low job control, low social support at work, life-threatening events, low physical activity, being overweight, obesity, mental distress, job dissatisfaction and weak sense of coherence were associated with negative self-rated health. Preventive strategies against adverse psychosocial working conditions of nurses should be implemented in the Lithuanian hospitals. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Moving Women from School to Work in Science: Curriculum Demands/adult Identities. And Life Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenhart, Margaret

This article proposes that the organization of some college curriculum programs as well as some workplaces presents special and perhaps unnecessary obstacles to women who might pursue science or engineering. The article begins with a framework for thinking about connections between school and work in various fields. This section reveals important differences in the way college degree programs are organized and in their implications for the transition to work. Some programs, such as in physics, construct a "tight" link between school and work; others, such as in sociology, construct much looser links. The article proceeds by reviewing results of previous ethnographic research about women's actual experiences in college and work. This section suggests that during the period of transition from college to work, women face special cultural demands that interfere with their pursuit of degrees in tight programs. Joining the lessons from the two preceding sections, the argument is made that the tight organization of some college and workplace environments asks more of women than they can give and helps explain why women continue to be under represented in some fields. The argument has testable Implications for the design of curricularprogramsana'workplace environments that might attract more women (and perhaps more minorities and men) to science and engineering.

Guidance strategies for a participatory ergonomic intervention to increase the use of ergonomic measures of workers in construction companies: a study design of a randomised trial.

PubMed

Visser, Steven; van der Molen, Henk F; Sluiter, Judith K; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2014-04-17

More than seven out of 10 Dutch construction workers describe their work as physically demanding. Ergonomic measures can be used to reduce these physically demanding work tasks. To increase the use of ergonomic measures, employers and workers have to get used to other working methods and to maintaining them. To facilitate this behavioural change, participatory ergonomics (PE) interventions could be useful. For this study a protocol of a PE intervention is adapted in such a way that the intervention can be performed by an ergonomics consultant through face-to-face contacts or email contacts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the face-to-face guidance strategy and the e-guidance strategy on the primary outcome measure: use of ergonomic measures by individual construction workers, and on the secondary outcome measures: the work ability, physical functioning and limitations due to physical problems of individual workers. The present study is a randomised intervention trial of six months in 12 companies to establish the effects of a PE intervention guided by four face-to-face contacts (N = 6) or guided by 13 email contacts (N = 6) on the primary and secondary outcome measures at baseline and after six months. Construction companies are randomly assigned to one of the guidance strategies with the help of a computer generated randomisation table. In addition, a process evaluation for both strategies will be performed to determine reach, dose delivered, dose received, precision, competence, satisfaction and behavioural change to find possible barriers and facilitators for both strategies. A cost-benefit analysis will be performed to establish the financial consequences of both strategies. The present study is in accordance with the CONSORT statement. The outcome of this study will help to 1) evaluate the effect of both guidance strategies, and 2) find barriers to and facilitators of both guidance strategies. When these strategies are effective, implementation within occupational health services can take place to guide construction companies (and others) with the implementation of ergonomic measures. [corrected] Trailnumber: ISRCTN73075751, Date of registration: 30 July 2013.

Factors underlying the effect of organisational downsizing on health of employees: longitudinal cohort study

PubMed Central

Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Pentti, Jaana; Ferrie, Jane E

2000-01-01

Objective To explore the underlying mechanisms between organisational downsizing and deterioration of health of employees. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Data were assembled from before downsizing (time 1); during major downsizing affecting some job categories (time 2); and after downsizing (time 3). Contributions of changes in work, support, and health related behaviours between time 1 and time 2 to the relation between downsizing and sickness absence at time 3 were assessed by multilevel modelling. Mean length of follow up was 4.9 years. Setting Raisio, a town in Finland. Subjects 764 municipal employees who remained in employment after downsizing. Main outcome measures Records of absences from work from all causes with medical certificate. Results Downsizing was associated with negative changes in work, impaired support from spouse, and increased prevalence of smoking. Sickness absence rate from all causes was 2.17 (95% confidence interval 1.54 to 3.07) times higher after major downsizing than after minor downsizing. Adjustment for changes in work (for instance, physical demands, job control, and job insecurity) diminished the relation between downsizing and sickness absence by 49%. Adjustments for impaired social support or increased smoking did not alter the relation between downsizing and sickness absence. The findings were unaffected by sex and income. Conclusions The exploration of potential mediating factors provides new information about the possible causal pathways linking organisational downsizing and health. Downsizing results in changes in work, social relationships, and health related behaviours. The observed increase in certificated sickness absence was partially explained by concomitant increases in physical demands and job insecurity and a reduction in job control. A considerable proportion of the increase, however, remained unexplained by the factors measured. PMID:10753148

Kenya Women in Physics: Societal, Cultural, and Professional Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baki, Paul; Wabwile, Ruth L.; Nyamwandha, Cecilia A.; Odongo, Diana A.

2009-04-01

In this paper we give an overview of the challenges Kenyan women physicists face in their educational and career engagements as a result of social-cultural stigma, cultural prejudices, and balancing family and work demands. We also discuss steps being taken in Kenya to address gender inequality in almost all spheres of public and private workplaces and the benefits to a prosperous developing nation of educating the girl child.

Dermatological and respiratory problems in migrant construction workers of Udupi, Karnataka.

PubMed

Banerjee, Mayuri; Kamath, Ramachandra; Tiwari, Rajnarayan R; Nair, Narayana Pillai Sreekumaran

2015-01-01

India being a developing country has tremendous demand of physical infrastructure and construction work as a result there is a raising demand of construction workers. Workers in construction industry are mainly migratory and employed on contract or subcontract basis. These workers face temporary relationship between employer and employee, uncertainty in working hours, contracting and subcontracting system, lack of basic continuous employment, lack basic amenities, and inadequacy in welfare schemes. To estimate the prevalence of respiratory and dermatological symptoms among migratory construction workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Manipal, Karnataka, among 340 male migratory construction workers. A standard modified questionnaire was used as a tool by the interviewer and the physical examination of the workers was done by a physician. The statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.0. Eighty percent of the workers belong to the age group of 18-30 years. The mean age of the workers was 26 ± 8.2 years. Most (43.8%) of the workers are from West Bengal followed by those from Bihar and Jharkhand. The rates of prevalence of respiratory and dermatological symptoms were 33.2% and 36.2%, respectively. The migrant construction workers suffer from a high proportion of respiratory and dermatological problems.

Background, design and conceptual model of the cluster randomized multiple-component workplace study: FRamed Intervention to Decrease Occupational Muscle pain - "FRIDOM".

PubMed

Christensen, Jeanette Reffstrup; Bredahl, Thomas Viskum Gjelstrup; Hadrévi, Jenny; Sjøgaard, Gisela; Søgaard, Karen

2016-10-24

Several RCT studies have aimed to reduce either musculoskeletal disorders, sickness presenteeism, sickness absenteeism or a combination of these among females with high physical work demands. These studies have provided evidence that workplace health promotion (WHP) interventions are effective, but long-term effects are still uncertain. These studies either lack to succeed in maintaining intervention effects or lack to document if effects are maintained past a one-year period. This paper describes the background, design and conceptual model of the FRIDOM (FRamed Intervention to Decrease Occupational Muscle pain) WHP program among health care workers. A job group characterized by having high physical work demands, musculoskeletal disorders, high sickness presenteeism - and absenteeism. FRIDOM aimed to reduce neck and shoulder pain. Secondary aims were to decrease sickness presenteeism, sickness absenteeism and lifestyle-diseases such as other musculoskeletal disorders as well as metabolic-, and cardiovascular disorders - and to maintain participation to regular physical exercise training, after a one year intervention period. The entire concept was tailored to a population of female health care workers. This was done through a multi-component intervention including 1) intelligent physical exercise training (IPET), dietary advice and weight loss (DAW) and cognitive behavioural training (CBT). The FRIDOM program has the potential to provide evidence-based knowledge of the pain reducing effect of a multi component WHP among a female group of employees with a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and in a long term perspective evaluate the effects on sickness presenteeism and absenteeism as well as risk of life-style diseases. NCT02843269 , 06.27.2016 - retrospectively registered.

Perseverative Cognition as an Explanatory Mechanism in the Relation Between Job Demands and Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Van Laethem, Michelle; Beckers, Debby G J; Geurts, Sabine A E; Garefelt, Johanna; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Leineweber, Constanze

2018-04-01

The aim of this longitudinal three-wave study was to examine (i) reciprocal associations among job demands, work-related perseverative cognition (PC), and sleep quality; (ii) PC as a mediator in-between job demands and sleep quality; and (iii) continuous high job demands in relation to sleep quality and work-related PC over time. A representative sample of the Swedish working population was approached in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and 2316 respondents were included in this longitudinal full-panel survey study. Structural equation modelling was performed to analyse the temporal relations between job demands, work-related PC, and sleep quality. Additionally, a subsample (N = 1149) consisting of individuals who reported the same level of exposure to job demands during all three waves (i.e. stable high, stable moderate, or stable low job demands) was examined in relation to PC and sleep quality over time. Analyses showed that job demands, PC, and poor sleep quality were positively and reciprocally related. Work-related PC mediated the normal and reversed, direct across-wave relations between job demands and sleep quality. Individuals with continuous high job demands reported significantly lower sleep quality and higher work-related PC, compared to individuals with continuous moderate/low job demands. This study substantiated reciprocal relations between job demands, work-related PC, and sleep quality and supported work-related PC as an underlying mechanism of the reciprocal job demands-sleep relationship. Moreover, this study showed that chronically high job demands are a risk factor for low sleep quality.

The attribution of work environment in explaining gender differences in long-term sickness absence: results from the prospective DREAM study.

PubMed

Labriola, Merete; Holte, Kari Anne; Christensen, Karl Bang; Feveile, Helene; Alexanderson, Kristina; Lund, Thomas

2011-09-01

To identify differences in risk of long-term sickness absence between female and male employees in Denmark and to examine to what extent differences could be explained by work environment factors. A cohort of 5026 employees (49.1% women, mean age 40.4years; 50.9% men, mean age 40.2years) was interviewed in 2000 regarding gender, age, family status, socio-economic position and psychosocial and physical work environment factors. The participants were followed for 18months in order to assess their incidence of long-term sickness absence exceeding 8 consecutive weeks. 298 workers (5.9%) received sickness absence compensation for 8weeks or more. Women had an excess risk of 37% compared to men, when adjusting for age, family status and socio-economic position. Physical work environment exposures could not explain this difference, whereas differences in psychosocial work environment exposures explained 32% of the differences in risk of long-term sickness absence between men and women, causing the effect of gender to become statistically insignificant. The combined effect of physical and psychosocial factors was similar, explaining 30% of the gender difference. Differences in psychosocial work environments in terms of emotional demands, reward at work, management quality and role conflicts, explained roughly 30% of women's excess long-term sickness absence risk. Assuming women and men had identical working conditions would leave the larger part of the gender difference in long-term sickness absence from work unexplained.

Physiological Implications, Performance Assessment and Risk Mitigation Strategies of Women in Combat-Centric Occupations.

PubMed

Greeves, Julie P

2015-11-01

Women have historically featured in military conflicts, but were not formally integrated into the military until the 20th century; occupations were mainly restricted to clerical or support roles. An increasing number of occupations have been opened to women and the higher physical demands of combat roles present new challenges. Inherent biological differences between sexes require women to work harder when undertaking the same tasks as men. This is reflected, in part, by the greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries of women observed notably during integrated military training. Gender "neutral" occupational standards, based on the physical requirements of the role, will ensure that women are suitably selected to cope with the demands of military tasks with a minimal risk of injury and to operational effectiveness. Initiatives such as reduced running mileage and single-sex training have contributed to a reduction in lower-limb musculoskeletal injuries, but the risk of injury remains higher in women. Nevertheless, women experience substantial gains in aerobic power and strength with appropriate and targeted training, narrowing the gap in physical performance between the sexes. Evidence-based occupational standards and optimal training programs provide short-term solutions for integrating women in support combat, and indeed direct combat roles.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Nursing Assistants Working in Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Szeto, Grace; Lai, Godfrey Kin Bun

2018-01-01

The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMSs) in different body parts for nursing assistants (NAs) working in nursing homes is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of WRMSs in nursing assistants and the factors associated with them. Four hundred and forty NAs from 52 nursing homes, recruited by convenience sampling, participated in this cross-sectional study in 2014–2015. A valid and reliable study questionnaire was used to collect data. The results of our study found that 88.4% of NAs reported at least one body part with WRMSs. These NAs reported more symptoms in the shoulders than lower back. Adverse workstyle (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.08) was the only factor associated with WRMSs after adjustment for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression. This adverse workstyle could be developed because of physical and psychological work demands. Efforts should be directed at integrating “workstyle intervention” into lifestyle physical activity training to this group of healthcare workers. PMID:29401700

Exploring the association between working memory and driving performance in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Vardaki, Sophia; Devos, Hannes; Beratis, Ion; Yannis, George; Papageorgiou, Sokratis G

2016-05-18

The aim of this study was to explore whether varying levels of operational and tactical driving task demand differentially affect drivers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and control drivers in their sign recall. Study participants aged between 50 and 70 years included a group of drivers with PD (n = 10) and a group of age- and sex-matched control drivers (n = 10). Their performance in a sign recall task was measured using a driving simulator. Drivers in the control group performed better than drivers with PD in a sign recall task, but this trend was not statistically significant (P =.43). In addition, regardless of group membership, subjects' performance differed according to varying levels of task demand. Performance in the sign recall task was more likely to drop with increasing task demand (P =.03). This difference was significant when the variation in task demand was associated with a cognitive task; that is, when drivers were required to apply the instructions from working memory. Although the conclusions drawn from this study are tentative, the evidence presented here is encouraging with regard to the use of a driving simulator to examine isolated cognitive functions underlying driving performance in PD. With an understanding of its limitations, such driving simulation in combination with functional assessment batteries measuring physical, visual, and cognitive abilities could comprise one component of a multitiered system to evaluate medical fitness to drive.

The role of motion analysis in elite soccer: contemporary performance measurement techniques and work rate data.

PubMed

Carling, Christopher; Bloomfield, Jonathan; Nelsen, Lee; Reilly, Thomas

2008-01-01

The optimal physical preparation of elite soccer (association football) players has become an indispensable part of the professional game, especially due to the increased physical demands of match-play. The monitoring of players' work rate profiles during competition is now feasible through computer-aided motion analysis. Traditional methods of motion analysis were extremely labour intensive and were largely restricted to university-based research projects. Recent technological developments have meant that sophisticated systems, capable of quickly recording and processing the data of all players' physical contributions throughout an entire match, are now being used in elite club environments. In recognition of the important role that motion analysis now plays as a tool for measuring the physical performance of soccer players, this review critically appraises various motion analysis methods currently employed in elite soccer and explores research conducted using these methods. This review therefore aims to increase the awareness of both practitioners and researchers of the various motion analysis systems available, and identify practical implications of the established body of knowledge, while highlighting areas that require further exploration.

Influence of the number of players and the relative pitch area per player on heart rate and physical demands in youth soccer.

PubMed

Castellano, Julen; Puente, Asier; Echeazarra, Ibon; Casamichana, David

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of different large-sided games on the physical and physiological variables in under-13 soccer players. The effects on heart rate (HR) and physical demands of different number of players (NP) (7, 9, and 11) together with the relative pitch area (RPA) (100, 200, and 300 m) during two 12-minute repetitions were analyzed in this study. The variables analyzed were mean, maximum and different intensity zones of HR; total distance (TD); work:rest ratio (W:R); player load (PL); 5 absolute and 3 relative speed categories. The results support the hypothesis that a change in pitch dimensions affects locomotor activity more than the NP does but also refute the hypothesis that the change in the NP has a greater effect on HR. To be more specific, an increase in the RPA per player (300/200/100 m2) was associated with higher values of the following variables: TD (2,250-2,314/2,003-2,148/1,766-1,845 m), W:R (0.5-0.6/0.4-0.5/0.3 arbitrary unit [AU]), PL (271-306/246-285/229-267 AU), %HRmean (85-88/85-89/81-83%), %HRmax (95-100/97-100/95-98%), and affected the percentage of time spent in both absolute (above 8 km·h(-1)) and relative speed (above 40% Vmax) categories (p ≤ 0.05, effect size: 0.31-0.85). These results may help youth soccer coaches to plan the progressive introduction of large-sided games so that task demands are adapted to the physiological and physical development of participants.

Danish Observational Study of Eldercare work and musculoskeletal disorderS (DOSES): a prospective study at 20 nursing homes in Denmark

PubMed Central

Karstad, Kristina; Jørgensen, Anette F B; Greiner, Birgit A; Burdorf, Alex; Søgaard, Karen; Rugulies, Reiner; Holtermann, Andreas

2018-01-01

Purpose Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), sickness absence and premature retirement are highly prevalent among eldercare workers. We conducted a prospective observational workplace study with the main purpose to investigate longitudinal associations between physical and psychosocial working conditions and occurrence of MSD and its consequences (pain-related interference with daily work activities and sickness absence) among Danish eldercare workers. Participants At 20 Danish nursing homes, a total of 941 eldercare workers employed in day and evening shifts were invited to the study. Of those, 553 participated in the baseline measurements, and 441 completed the total period of 12 months follow-up. Findings to date Data were collected from September 2013 to January 2016. Physical and psychosocial working conditions were assessed with multiple methods (observations, accelerometer measurements and work schedules), and multiple levels of information (nursing home, ward, resident and eldercare worker) were incorporated in the data collection. MSD and the consequences hereof were assessed monthly during a 1-year follow-up. Study participants and non-participants were comparable on most of the 27 sociodemographic, health and working condition characteristics at baseline. The exceptions were higher neck–shoulder pain intensity, less sickness absence, more exposure to negative behaviour from residents and a higher percentage of working day shifts and fewer evening shifts among participants compared with non-participants. Future plans The first publications will report on the associations of physical and psychosocial working conditions with occurrence of MSD and its consequences. In addition, the cohort gives the opportunity to investigate the importance of organisational, management and team factors for distribution of physical work demands and development of MSD among the workers. This will provide important knowledge for future workplace interventions to reduce MSD and sickness absence. PMID:29490965

Work, exercise, and space flight. 1: Operations, environment, and effects of spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, William

1989-01-01

The selection, training, and operations of space flight impose significant physical demands which seem to be adequately met by the existing physical training facilities and informal individual exercise programs. The professional astronaut population has, by selection, better than average health and physical capacity. The essentials of life on earth are adequately met by the spacecraft. However, as the human body adapts to weightlessness, it is compromised for the usual life on earth, but readaptation is rapid. Long term flight without countermeasures will produce major changes in the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems. There is strong theoretical and experimental evidence from 1-g studies and limited in-flight evidence to believe that exercise is a key counter-measure to many of these adaptations.

Prevalence and associated factors of job-related depression in laboratory technicians in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) and Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) Hospitals in Kelantan.

PubMed

Aziah, B D; Rusli, B N; Winn, T; Naing, L; Tengku, M A

2004-06-01

Karasek's job strain model postulates that workers chronically exposed to adverse psychosocial work environment (high strain job)--high psychological job demands and low job control, including poor social support, increased physical demand and hazardous work condition--will eventually develop both physical illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases and psychological disorders such as depression. In order to determine the prevalence and associated factors of job-related depression, a cross-sectional study was conducted among laboratory technicians in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) and Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) Hospitals in Kelantan between September 2001 and February 2002. One hundred and two laboratory technicians in HUSM and 79 laboratory technicians in 7 KKM Hospitals were selected; 84/102 (82.4%) in HUSM and 71/79 (89.9%) in KKM Hospitals responded. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires of the validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) originally developed by Robert Karasek. Results indicated that the prevalence of high job strain in laboratory technicians in HUSM and KKM hospitals was 33.3% (28/84) and 26.8% (19/71), respectively (p>0.05). Significantly higher proportion (59.5%) (50/84) of laboratory technicians in HUSM compared to those in KKM Hospitals (39.4%) (28/71) (p = 0.016) experienced job-related depression. Significant associated factors of job-related depression were low social support (HUSM: adjusted OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.2-18.8; KKM: adjusted OR 14.8, 95%CI 2.4-89.3), high psychological demand (HUSM: adjusted OR 3.0, 95%CI 1.0-8.8), and low decision authority (KKM: adjusted OR 9.7, 95%CI 1.0-91.1). We conclude that strengthening the social support network (supervisors' and coworkers' support), reducing psychological job demand, and increasing decision-making authority of laboratory technicians may go a long way towards reducing job-related depression.

Burnout and Work Demands Predict Reduced Job Satisfaction in Health Professionals Working In a Surgery Clinic

PubMed Central

Mijakoski, Dragan; Karadzinska-Bislimovska, Jovanka; Basarovska, Vera; Stoleski, Sasho; Minov, Jordan

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Burnout syndrome develops in health professionals (HPs) as a result of exposure to chronic emotional and interpersonal workplace stressors. Research demonstrates the links between burnout, work demands, and job satisfaction in hospital HPs. AIMS: To examine the associations between burnout, work demands and job satisfaction, and to demonstrate the mediation effect of emotional exhaustion on the relationship between work demands and job satisfaction in surgery clinic HPs. METHODS: Maslach Burnout Inventory was used for assessment of burnout. Work demands and job satisfaction were measured with Hospital Experience Scale and Job Satisfaction Survey, respectively. In order to examine the role of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and work demands, controlling for age, hospital tenure, and unit tenure, a hierarchical multiple regression models were tested for each job satisfaction factor. RESULTS: Job satisfaction was negatively predicted by emotional exhaustion. Certain types of work demands negatively predicted different factors of job satisfaction. Emotional exhaustion was a significant partial mediator of the relationship between work demands and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate management of work demands, particularly excessive workload, time pressure, and lack of staff can lead to prevention of burnout and reduced job satisfaction in surgery clinic HPs, and contribute to better quality of patient care. PMID:27275216

Are workers who leave a job exposed to similar physical demands as workers who develop clinically meaningful declines in low-back function?

PubMed

Ferguson, Sue A; Marras, William S; Lavender, Steven A; Splittstoesser, Riley E; Yang, Gang

2014-02-01

The objective is to quantify differences in physical exposures for those who stayed on a job (survivor) versus those who left the job (turnover). It has been suggested that high physical job demands lead to greater turnover and that turnover rates may supplement low-back disorder incidence rates in passive surveillance systems. A prospective study with 811 participants was conducted. The physical exposure of distribution center work was quantified using a moment monitor. A total of 68 quantitative physical exposure measures in three categories (load, position, and timing) were examined. Low-back health function was quantified using the lumbar motion monitor at baseline and 6-month follow-up. There were 365 turnover employees within the 6-month follow-up period and 446 "survivors" who remained on the same job, of which 126 survivors had a clinically meaningful decline in low-back functional performance (cases) and 320 survivors did not have a meaningful decline in low-back functional performance (noncases). Of the job exposure measures, 6% were significantly different between turnover and cases compared to 69% between turnover and noncases. Turnover employees had significantly greater exposure compared to noncases. Turnover employees had similar physical job exposures to workers who remained on the job and had a clinically meaningful decline in low-back functional performance. Thus, ergonomists and HR should be aware that high turnover jobs appear to have similar physical exposure as those jobs that put workers at risk for a decline in low-back functional performance.

Burn and cut injuries related to job stress among kitchen workers in Japan.

PubMed

Haruyama, Yasuo; Matsuzuki, Hiroe; Tomita, Shigeru; Muto, Takashi; Haratani, Takashi; Muto, Shigeki; Ito, Akiyoshi

2014-01-01

To clarify the correlation between kitchen work-related burns and cuts and job stress, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted involving 991 kitchen workers among 126 kitchen facilities. The demographics, condition of burns and cuts, job stress with the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), health condition, and work-related and environmental factors were surveyed. Multiple logistic regression models and trend tests were used according to quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) of each sub-scale BJSQ. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, burns/cuts were associated with a higher score category (Q4) of job demands (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.10-6.02/OR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.30-5.69), psychological stress (OR: 4.49, 95% CI: 2.05-9.81/OR: 3.52, 95% CI: 1.84-6.72), and physical stress (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.20-4.98/OR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.16-4.01). The ORs of the burn/cut injures increased from Q1 to Q4 with job demands (p for trend = 0.045/0.003), psychological stress (p for trend<0.001/0.001), and physical stress (p for trend = 0.006/0.005), respectively. These findings suggest that kitchen work-related burns and cuts are more likely to be correlated with job stress, and the higher the job stress score, the higher the frequency of burns and cuts among kitchen workers.

Mastering Resilience in Oncology: Learn to Thrive in the Face of Burnout.

PubMed

Hlubocky, Fay J; Rose, Miko; Epstein, Ronald M

2017-01-01

Oncology clinician burnout has become a noteworthy issue in medical oncology directly affecting the quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, and overall organizational success. Due to the increasing demands on clinical time, productivity, and the evolving medical landscape, the oncology clinician is at significant risk for burnout. Long hours in direct care with seriously ill patients/families, limited control over daily responsibilities, and endless electronic documentation, place considerable professional and personal demands on the oncologist. As a result, the oncology clinician's wellness is adversely impacted. Physical/emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of ineffectiveness evolve as core signs of burnout. Unaddressed burnout may affect cancer clinician relationships with their patients, the quality of care delivered, and the overall physical and emotional health of the clinician. Oncology clinicians should be encouraged to build upon their strengths, thrive in the face of adversity and stress, and learn to positively adapt to the changing cancer care system. Fostering individual resilience is a key protective factor against the development of and managing burnout. Empowering clinicians at both the individual and organizational level with tailored resilience strategies is crucial to ensuring clinician wellness. Resilience interventions may include: burnout education, work-life balance, adjustment of one's relationship to work, mindful practice, and acceptance of the clinical work environment. Health care organizations must act to provide institutional solutions through the implementation of: team-based oncology care, communication skills training, and effective resiliency training programs in order to mitigate the effects of stress and prevent burnout in oncology.

Burn and Cut Injuries Related to Job Stress among Kitchen Workers in Japan

PubMed Central

HARUYAMA, Yasuo; MATSUZUKI, Hiroe; TOMITA, Shigeru; MUTO, Takashi; HARATANI, Takashi; MUTO, Shigeki; ITO, Akiyoshi

2014-01-01

To clarify the correlation between kitchen work-related burns and cuts and job stress, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted involving 991 kitchen workers among 126 kitchen facilities. The demographics, condition of burns and cuts, job stress with the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), health condition, and work-related and environmental factors were surveyed. Multiple logistic regression models and trend tests were used according to quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) of each sub-scale BJSQ. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, burns/cuts were associated with a higher score category (Q4) of job demands (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.10–6.02/OR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.30–5.69), psychological stress (OR: 4.49, 95% CI: 2.05–9.81/OR: 3.52, 95% CI: 1.84–6.72), and physical stress (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.20–4.98/OR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.16–4.01). The ORs of the burn/cut injures increased from Q1 to Q4 with job demands (p for trend = 0.045/0.003), psychological stress (p for trend<0.001/0.001), and physical stress (p for trend = 0.006/0.005), respectively. These findings suggest that kitchen work-related burns and cuts are more likely to be correlated with job stress, and the higher the job stress score, the higher the frequency of burns and cuts among kitchen workers. PMID:24429518

Florida Department of Health workers' response to 2004 hurricanes: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Herberman Mash, Holly B; Fullerton, Carol S; Kowalski-Trakofler, Kathleen; Reissman, Dori B; Scharf, Ted; Shultz, James M; Ursano, Robert J

2013-04-01

Examinations of the demands on public health workers after disaster exposure have been limited. Workers provide emergency care while simultaneously risking injury, damage to personal property, and threats to their own and their family's safety. We examined the disaster management experiences of 4323 Florida Department of Health workers 9 months after their response to 4 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm during a 7-week period in August and September of 2004. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire focused on work performance, mental and physical health, daily functioning, sleep disturbance, physiological arousal, and injury and work demand at the time of the hurricanes, and answered open-ended questions that described their experiences in more detail. A qualitative analysis conducted from the write-in data yielded 4 domains: (1) work/life balance; (2) training for disaster response role; (3) workplace support; and (4) recovery. Study findings highlighted a number of concerns that are important to public health workers who provide emergency care after a disaster and, in particular, multiple disasters such as during the 2004 hurricane season. The findings also yielded important recommendations for emergency public health preparedness.

PACS—Realization of an adaptive concept using pressure actuated cellular structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gramüller, B.; Boblenz, J.; Hühne, C.

2014-10-01

A biologically inspired concept is investigated which can be utilized to develop energy efficient, lightweight and applicational flexible adaptive structures. Building a real life morphing unit is an ambitious task as the numerous works in the particular field show. Summarizing fundamental demands and barriers regarding shape changing structures, the basic challenges of designing morphing structures are listed. The concept of Pressure Actuated Cellular Structures (PACS) is arranged within the recent morphing activities and it is shown that it complies with the underlying demands. Systematically divided into energy-related and structural subcomponents the working principle is illuminated and relationships between basic design parameters are expressed. The analytical background describing the physical mechanisms of PACS is presented in concentrated manner. This work focuses on the procedure of dimensioning, realizing and experimental testing of a single cell and a single row cantilever made of PACS. The experimental outcomes as well as the results from the FEM computations are used for evaluating the analytical methods. The functionality of the basic principle is thus validated and open issues are determined pointing the way ahead.

Staying well and engaged when demands are high: the role of psychological detachment.

PubMed

Sonnentag, Sabine; Binnewies, Carmen; Mojza, Eva J

2010-09-01

The authors of this study examined the relation between job demands and psychological detachment from work during off-job time (i.e., mentally switching off) with psychological well-being and work engagement. They hypothesized that high job demands and low levels of psychological detachment predict poor well-being and low work engagement. They proposed that psychological detachment buffers the negative impact of high job demands on well-being and work engagement. A longitudinal study (12-month time lag) with 309 human service employees showed that high job demands predicted emotional exhaustion, psychosomatic complaints, and low work engagement over time. Psychological detachment from work during off-job time predicted emotional exhaustion and buffered the relation between job demands and an increase in psychosomatic complaints and between job demands and a decrease in work engagement. The findings of this study suggest that psychological detachment from work during off-job time is an important factor that helps to protect employee well-being and work engagement. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Study Quantifies Physical Demands of Yoga in Seniors

MedlinePlus

... Z Study Quantifies Physical Demands of Yoga in Seniors Share: A recent NCCAM-funded study measured the ... performance of seven standing poses commonly taught in senior yoga classes: Chair, Wall Plank, Tree, Warrior II, ...

Job strain, job insecurity, and health: rethinking the relationship.

PubMed

Strazdins, Lyndall; D'Souza, Rennie M; Lim, Lynette L-Y; Broom, Dorothy H; Rodgers, Bryan

2004-10-01

Job strain (high demands and low control) is a widely used measure of work stress. The authors introduce a new way of looking at work stress by combining job strain with job insecurity, a combination increasingly prevalent in contemporary economies, using data from a cross-sectional survey (N = 1,188) of mid-aged Australian managers and professionals. Those reporting both strain and insecurity showed markedly higher odds for mental and physical health problems (depression: odds ratio [OR] 13.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.67-34.01; anxiety: OR 12.88, CI 5.12-32.39; physical health problems: OR 3.97, CI 1.72-9.16; and poor self-rated health: OR 7.12, CI 2.81-18.01). Job strain and insecurity showed synergistic associations with health, and employees experiencing both could be at heightened health risk.

Effect of workplace- versus home-based physical exercise on pain in healthcare workers: study protocol for a single blinded cluster randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The prevalence and consequences of musculoskeletal pain is considerable among healthcare workers, allegedly due to high physical work demands of healthcare work. Previous investigations have shown promising results of physical exercise for relieving pain among different occupational groups, but the question remains whether such physical exercise should be performed at the workplace or conducted as home-based exercise. Performing physical exercise at the workplace together with colleagues may be more motivating for some employees and thus increase adherence. On the other hand, physical exercise performed during working hours at the workplace may be costly for the employers in terms of time spend. Thus, it seems relevant to compare the efficacy of workplace- versus home-based training on musculoskeletal pain. This study is intended to investigate the effect of workplace-based versus home-based physical exercise on musculoskeletal pain among healthcare workers. Methods/Design This study was designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial performed at 3 hospitals in Copenhagen, Denmark. Clusters are hospital departments and hospital units. Cluster randomization was chosen to increase adherence and avoid contamination between interventions. Two hundred healthcare workers from 18 departments located at three different hospitals is allocated to 10 weeks of 1) workplace based physical exercise performed during working hours (using kettlebells, elastic bands and exercise balls) for 5 × 10 minutes per week and up to 5 group-based coaching sessions, or 2) home based physical exercise performed during leisure time (using elastic bands and body weight exercises) for 5 × 10 minutes per week. Both intervention groups will also receive ergonomic instructions on patient handling and use of lifting aides etc. Inclusion criteria are female healthcare workers working at a hospital. Average pain intensity (VAS scale 0-10) of the back, neck and shoulder (primary outcome) and physical exertion during work, social capital and work ability (secondary outcomes) is assessed at baseline and 10-week follow-up. Further, postural balance and mechanical muscle function is assessed during clinical examination at baseline and follow-up. Discussion This cluster randomized trial will investigate the change in self-rated average pain intensity in the back, neck and shoulder after either 10 weeks of physical exercise at the workplace or at home. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01921764). PMID:24708570

Effect of workplace- versus home-based physical exercise on pain in healthcare workers: study protocol for a single blinded cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jakobsen, Markus D; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Kristensen, Anne Zoëga; Jay, Kenneth; Stelter, Reinhard; Lavendt, Ebbe; Aagaard, Per; Andersen, Lars L

2014-04-07

The prevalence and consequences of musculoskeletal pain is considerable among healthcare workers, allegedly due to high physical work demands of healthcare work. Previous investigations have shown promising results of physical exercise for relieving pain among different occupational groups, but the question remains whether such physical exercise should be performed at the workplace or conducted as home-based exercise. Performing physical exercise at the workplace together with colleagues may be more motivating for some employees and thus increase adherence. On the other hand, physical exercise performed during working hours at the workplace may be costly for the employers in terms of time spend. Thus, it seems relevant to compare the efficacy of workplace- versus home-based training on musculoskeletal pain. This study is intended to investigate the effect of workplace-based versus home-based physical exercise on musculoskeletal pain among healthcare workers. This study was designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial performed at 3 hospitals in Copenhagen, Denmark. Clusters are hospital departments and hospital units. Cluster randomization was chosen to increase adherence and avoid contamination between interventions. Two hundred healthcare workers from 18 departments located at three different hospitals is allocated to 10 weeks of 1) workplace based physical exercise performed during working hours (using kettlebells, elastic bands and exercise balls) for 5 × 10 minutes per week and up to 5 group-based coaching sessions, or 2) home based physical exercise performed during leisure time (using elastic bands and body weight exercises) for 5 × 10 minutes per week. Both intervention groups will also receive ergonomic instructions on patient handling and use of lifting aides etc. Inclusion criteria are female healthcare workers working at a hospital. Average pain intensity (VAS scale 0-10) of the back, neck and shoulder (primary outcome) and physical exertion during work, social capital and work ability (secondary outcomes) is assessed at baseline and 10-week follow-up. Further, postural balance and mechanical muscle function is assessed during clinical examination at baseline and follow-up. This cluster randomized trial will investigate the change in self-rated average pain intensity in the back, neck and shoulder after either 10 weeks of physical exercise at the workplace or at home. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01921764).

Physical plausibility of cold star models satisfying Karmarkar conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuloria, Pratibha; Pant, Neeraj

2017-11-01

In the present article, we have obtained a new well behaved solution to Einstein's field equations in the background of Karmarkar spacetime. The solution has been used for stellar modelling within the demand of current observational evidences. All the physical parameters are well behaved inside the stellar interior and our model satisfies all the required conditions to be physically realizable. The obtained compactness parameter is within the Buchdahl limit, i.e. 2M/R ≤ 8/9 . The TOV equation is well maintained inside the fluid spheres. The stability of the models has been further confirmed by using Herrera's cracking method. The models proposed in the present work are compatible with observational data of compact objects 4U1608-52 and PSRJ1903+327. The necessary graphs have been shown to authenticate the physical viability of our models.

Culture Matters: The Pivotal Role of Culture for Women’s Careers in Academic Medicine

PubMed Central

Speck, Rebecca M.; Dupuis Sammel, Mary; Scott, Patricia; Conant, Emily F.; Tuton, Lucy Wolf; Abbuhl, Stephanie B.; Grisso, Jeane Ann

2014-01-01

Purpose Women in academic medicine are not achieving the same career advancement as men, and face unique challenges in managing work and family alongside intense work demands. The purpose of this study was to investigate how a supportive department/division culture buffered women from the impact of work demands on work-to-family conflict. Method As part of a larger intervention trial, the authors collected baseline survey data from 133 women assistant professors at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in 2010. Validated measures of work demands, work-to-family conflict, and a department/division culture were employed. Pearson correlations and general linear mixed modeling were used to analyze the data. Authors investigated whether work culture moderated the association between work demands and work-to-family conflict. Results Heavy work demands were associated with increased levels of work-to-family conflict. There were significant interactions between work demands, work-to-family conflict, and department/division culture. A culture conducive to women’s academic success significantly moderated the effect of work hours on time-based work-to-family conflict and significantly moderated the effect of work overload on strain-based work-to-family conflict. At equivalent levels of work demands, women in more supportive cultures experienced lower levels of work-to-family conflict. Conclusions The culture of the department/division plays a crucial role in women’s work-to-family conflict and can exacerbate or alleviate the impact of extremely high work demands. This finding leads to important insights about strategies for more effectively supporting the careers of women assistant professors. PMID:24556773