Relationship between job stress level and coping strategies used by Hong Kong nurses working in an acute surgical unit.

PubMed

Wang, Wenru; Kong, Amelia Wai Man; Chair, Sek Ying

2011-11-01

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between job stress and coping strategies of Hong Kong nurses working in an acute surgical unit. This is a descriptive correlational study. Data were collected from 98 Hong Kong surgical nurses using the Nursing Stress Scale and the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Results showed that workload (M = 15.36), lack of support (M = 13.32), and inadequate preparation (M = 12.33) are the most common stressors for Hong Kong surgical nurses. The most frequent strategies used by nurses to cope with stress can be characterized as evasive (M = 19.23), confrontive (M = 17.46), and optimistic (M = 15.81), all of which are also rated as the most effective strategies in reducing stress levels. Only the confrontive, optimistic, supportant, and emotive coping strategies reveal significant correlations (p < .05) with the stress levels of nurses, whereas the evasive, fatalistic, palliative, and self-reliant strategies showed no significant correlation with stress levels (p > .05). Recognizing the impacts of job-related stress and making use of effective coping methods play a vital role in reducing nurse's stress. A change in leadership styles from the managerial level and reallocation of manpower may help reduce job stress. The use of confrontive and optimistic coping strategies in reducing job-related stress for surgical nurses should be advocated and promoted in their daily work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Cushioning Variables in the Workplace and in the Family on the Probability of Suffering Stress.

PubMed

Gonzalo, David Cárdenas

2016-09-01

Stress at work and in the family is a very common issue in our society that generates many health-related problems. During recent years, numerous studies have sought to define the term stress, raising many contradictions that various authors have studied. Other authors have attempted to establish some criteria, in subjective and not very quantitative ways, in an attempt to reduce and even to eliminate stressors and their effects at work and in the family context. The purpose of this study was to quantify so-called cushioning variables, such as control, social support, home/work life conciliation, and even sports and leisure activities, with the purpose of, as much as possible, reducing the negative effects of stress, which seriously affects the health of workers. The study employs data from the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey, in which nearly 44,000 interviewees from 34 countries in the European Union participated. We constructed a probabilistic model based on a Bayesian network, using variables from both the workplace and the family, the aforementioned cushioning variables, as well as the variable stress. If action is taken on the above variables, then the probabilities of suffering high levels of stress may be reduced. Such action may improve the quality of life of people at work and in the family.

Mental Health Nurse's Exposure to Workplace Violence Leads to Job Stress, Which Leads to Reduced Professional Quality of Life.

PubMed

Itzhaki, Michal; Bluvstein, Irit; Peles Bortz, Anat; Kostistky, Hava; Bar Noy, Dor; Filshtinsky, Vivian; Theilla, Miriam

2018-01-01

Professional quality of life (ProQOL) reflects how individuals feel about their work as helpers. Psychiatric ward nurses cope with significant psychological and physical challenges, including exposure to verbal and physical violence. This study was based on two aspects of ProQOL, the positive compassion satisfaction, and the negative compassion fatigue, with the aim of investigating the relation of ProQOL to job stress and violence exposure at a large mental health center. Data were collected from 114 mental health nurses (49/63 M/F) who completed a self-administered questionnaire examining violence exposure, ProQOL, and job stress. The results showed that during the last year, almost all nurses (88.6%) experienced verbal violence, and more than half (56.1%) experienced physical violence. Only 2.6% experienced no violence. ProQOL was not associated with violence exposure but was reduced by work stress and by previous exposure to violence; nurses who perceived their work as more stressful had lower satisfaction from their work. In conclusion, although most mental health nurses are exposed to physical and verbal violence, their ProQOL is more related to job stress than to workplace violence (WPV). Hospital managements should conduct work stress reduction intervention programs and promote strategizes to reduce WPV. Further exploration of (a) factors affecting ProQOL and (b) the effect of violence coping workshops on ProQOL is warranted.

The recognition of occupational diseases attributed to heavy workloads: experiences in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

PubMed

Cheng, Yawen; Park, Jungsun; Kim, Yangho; Kawakami, Norito

2012-10-01

Health problems caused by long working hours and work stress have gained growing concerns in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In all the three countries, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and mental disorders attributed to heavy workloads or stressful work events are considered compensable occupational diseases by workers' compensation systems. This study compared the trends of such cases and correlated the trends with changes in working hours during the period from 1980 to 2010. Data on occupational diseases were obtained from official statistics of the workers' compensation systems. Information on working hours was obtained from official statistics and national surveys of employees. While occupational cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and mental disorders attributed to work stress were increasingly compensated in all the three countries, the averaged working hours and the percentage of employees with long working hours had been in decline discordantly. Findings of this study suggested that reducing working hours alone is unlikely to reduce the problems of work stress. There is an urgent need to monitor and regulate a wider range of psychosocial work hazards. Especially, precarious employment and its associated health risks should be targeted for effective prevention of stress-related health problems in the workplace.

Evaluation of Stress and a Stress-Reduction Program Among Radiologic Technologists.

PubMed

Reingold, Lynn

2015-01-01

To investigate stress levels and causes of stress among radiologic technologists and determine whether an intervention could reduce stress in a selected radiologic technologist population. Demographic characteristics and data on preintervention stress sources and levels were collected through Internet-based questionnaires. A 6-week, self-administered, mindfulness-based stress-reduction program was conducted as a pilot intervention with 42 radiologic technologists from the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Data also were collected postintervention. Identified sources of stress were compared with findings from previous studies. Some radiologic technologists experienced improvement in their perceptions of stress after the intervention. Sources of stress for radiologic technologists were similar to those shown in earlier research, including inconsistent management, poor management communication, conflicting demands, long work hours, excessive workloads, lack of work breaks, and time pressures. The mindfulness-based stress-reduction program is an example of an inexpensive method that could improve personal well-being, reduce work errors, improve relationships in the workplace, and increase job satisfaction. More research is needed to determine the best type of intervention for stress reduction in a larger radiologic technologist population.

Is occupational stress associated with work engagement ?

PubMed

Padula, Rosimeire Simprini; Chiavegato, Luciana Dias; Cabral, Cristina Maria Nunes; Almeid, Talita; Ortiz, Thais; Carregaro, Rodrigo Luiz

2012-01-01

The occupational stress is associated with dissatisfaction, excessive demand at work and personal factors. Those factors can reduce work performance and can predispose workers to various diseases. Workers' health may be protected if there is encouragement to face challenges, which may lessen the impact on psychological and somatic stress and thus have greater personal and professional satisfaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between occupational stress and work engagement. Participated in this study 457 male and female workers of a metallurgical industry. Subjects answered personal data, and the Job Stress Scale and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were applied. Results showed an association between occupational stress and work engagement (P=0,001). The way the individual deals with his frustrations, or rather the work engagement, is associated with the occupational stress.

Occupational stress in human computer interaction.

PubMed

Smith, M J; Conway, F T; Karsh, B T

1999-04-01

There have been a variety of research approaches that have examined the stress issues related to human computer interaction including laboratory studies, cross-sectional surveys, longitudinal case studies and intervention studies. A critical review of these studies indicates that there are important physiological, biochemical, somatic and psychological indicators of stress that are related to work activities where human computer interaction occurs. Many of the stressors of human computer interaction at work are similar to those stressors that have historically been observed in other automated jobs. These include high workload, high work pressure, diminished job control, inadequate employee training to use new technology, monotonous tasks, por supervisory relations, and fear for job security. New stressors have emerged that can be tied primarily to human computer interaction. These include technology breakdowns, technology slowdowns, and electronic performance monitoring. The effects of the stress of human computer interaction in the workplace are increased physiological arousal; somatic complaints, especially of the musculoskeletal system; mood disturbances, particularly anxiety, fear and anger; and diminished quality of working life, such as reduced job satisfaction. Interventions to reduce the stress of computer technology have included improved technology implementation approaches and increased employee participation in implementation. Recommendations for ways to reduce the stress of human computer interaction at work are presented. These include proper ergonomic conditions, increased organizational support, improved job content, proper workload to decrease work pressure, and enhanced opportunities for social support. A model approach to the design of human computer interaction at work that focuses on the system "balance" is proposed.

Effects of welding technology on welding stress based on the finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Jianke; Jin, Jun

2017-01-01

Finite element method is used to simulate the welding process under four different conditions of welding flat butt joints. Welding seams are simulated with birth and death elements. The size and distribution of welding residual stress is obtained in the four kinds of welding conditions by Q345 manganese steel plate butt joint of the work piece. The results shown that when using two-layers welding,the longitudinal and transverse residual stress were reduced;When welding from Middle to both sides,the residual stress distribution will change,and the residual stress in the middle of the work piece was reduced.

The effect of Reiki on work-related stress of the registered nurse.

PubMed

Cuneo, Charlotte L; Curtis Cooper, Maureen R; Drew, Carolyn S; Naoum-Heffernan, Christine; Sherman, Tricia; Walz, Kathleen; Weinberg, Janice

2011-03-01

The Reiki Master Teacher group at a large academic, urban medical center studied the effects of Reiki on work-related stress in Registered Nurse Reiki I class participants. Research suggests that work-related stress is an influential factor in nursing burn out and retention. Reiki, an ancient form of Oriental "energy work" or healing, has been found to decrease stress. The Perceived Stress Scale tool was administered prior to the Reiki I class and after three weeks of practicing self-Reiki. Seventeen participants returned follow-up data. Results indicated that practicing Reiki more often resulted in reduced perceived stress levels. Data from this small pilot study supports educating nurses about Reiki practice to decrease work-related stress.

Parental stress in mothers of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Maysa Ferreira Martins; Sousa, Ana Luiza Lima; Vandenberghe, Luc; Porto, Celmo Celeno

2014-01-01

Objectives to evaluate parental stress of mothers of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy; to verify whether parental stress undergoes variations according to the level of motor compromise, the child's phase of life, and sociodemographic variables. Method a cross-sectional, descriptive study, with 223 mothers of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Results 45.3% of the mothers presented high levels of stress; there were differences in stress between mothers of children with mild and severe motor impairment; mothers of older children were more stressed than mothers of younger children and of adolescents; paid work and leisure activities reduced the stress. Conclusion mothers of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, whose children present mild to severe motor impairment are vulnerable to parental stress. Paid work and leisure activities were the factors that contributed most to reducing the stress. PMID:25029055

Work stress, poor recovery and burnout in teachers.

PubMed

Gluschkoff, K; Elovainio, M; Kinnunen, U; Mullola, S; Hintsanen, M; Keltikangas-Järvinen, L; Hintsa, T

2016-10-01

Both work stress and poor recovery have been shown to contribute to the development of burnout. However, the role of recovery as a mediating mechanism that links work stress to burnout has not been sufficiently addressed in research. To examine recovery as a mediator in the relationship between work stress and burnout among teachers. A cross-sectional study of Finnish primary school teachers, in whom burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey and work stress was conceptualized using the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. Recovery was measured with the Recovery Experience Questionnaire and the Jenkins Sleep Problems Scale. Multiple linear regression analyses and bootstrap mediation analyses adjusted for age, gender and total working hours were performed. Among the 76 study subjects, high ERI was associated with burnout and its dimensions of exhaustion, cynicism and reduced professional efficacy. Poor recovery experiences, in terms of low relaxation during leisure time, partially mediated the relationship between ERI and reduced professional efficacy. Sleep problems, in the form of non-restorative sleep, partially mediated the relationship between ERI and both burnout and exhaustion. Supporting a balance between effort and reward at work may enhance leisure time recovery and improve sleep quality, as well as help to reduce burnout rates. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improvement of the Work Environment and Work-Related Stress: A Cross-Sectional Multilevel Study of a Nationally Representative Sample of Japanese Workers.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Tabuchi, Takahiro; Kawakami, Norito

2017-03-01

This cross-sectional multilevel study aimed to investigate the relationship between improvement of the work environment and work-related stress in a nationally representative sample in Japan. The study was based on a national survey that randomly sampled 1745 worksites and 17,500 nested employees. The survey asked the worksites whether improvements of the work environment were conducted; and it asked the employees to report the number of work-related stresses they experienced. Multilevel multinominal logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. Improvement of the work environment was not significantly associated with any level of work-related stress. Among men, it was significantly and negatively associated with the severe level of work-related stress. The association was not significant among women. Improvements to work environments may be associated with reduced work-related stress among men nationwide in Japan.

Stress-Preventive Management Competencies, Psychosocial Work Environments, and Affective Well-Being: A Multilevel, Multisource Investigation.

PubMed

Toderi, Stefano; Balducci, Cristian

2018-02-26

The Management Competencies for Preventing and Reducing Stress at Work framework represents one of the few tailored models of leadership for work stress prevention purposes, but it has never been empirically evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether supervisors' stress-preventive management competencies, as measured by the Stress Management Competencies Indicator Tool (SMCIT), are related to employees' affective well-being through psychosocial work environmental factors. To this end, multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) was developed and tested, including data provided by both supervisors and employees. Supervisors ( n = 84) self-assessed their stress-preventive management competencies (i.e., being respectful and responsible, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning and managing difficult situations, and managing the individual within the team) with a previously validated reduced version of the SMCIT. The supervised employees ( n = 584) rated job content (e.g., job demands) and work context (e.g., role clarity) psychosocial factors and their job-related affective well-being. Supervisors' job-related affective well-being was also included in the tested model. The results revealed that the stress-preventive competencies factor was related to employees' affective well-being through the psychosocial work environment only when the latter was operationalized by means of contextual work factors. Supervisors' affective well-being was related to their stress-preventive competencies, but it was not related to employees' affective well-being. We discuss the implications of the results obtained.

Mental Health Nurse’s Exposure to Workplace Violence Leads to Job Stress, Which Leads to Reduced Professional Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Itzhaki, Michal; Bluvstein, Irit; Peles Bortz, Anat; Kostistky, Hava; Bar Noy, Dor; Filshtinsky, Vivian; Theilla, Miriam

2018-01-01

Professional quality of life (ProQOL) reflects how individuals feel about their work as helpers. Psychiatric ward nurses cope with significant psychological and physical challenges, including exposure to verbal and physical violence. This study was based on two aspects of ProQOL, the positive compassion satisfaction, and the negative compassion fatigue, with the aim of investigating the relation of ProQOL to job stress and violence exposure at a large mental health center. Data were collected from 114 mental health nurses (49/63 M/F) who completed a self-administered questionnaire examining violence exposure, ProQOL, and job stress. The results showed that during the last year, almost all nurses (88.6%) experienced verbal violence, and more than half (56.1%) experienced physical violence. Only 2.6% experienced no violence. ProQOL was not associated with violence exposure but was reduced by work stress and by previous exposure to violence; nurses who perceived their work as more stressful had lower satisfaction from their work. In conclusion, although most mental health nurses are exposed to physical and verbal violence, their ProQOL is more related to job stress than to workplace violence (WPV). Hospital managements should conduct work stress reduction intervention programs and promote strategizes to reduce WPV. Further exploration of (a) factors affecting ProQOL and (b) the effect of violence coping workshops on ProQOL is warranted. PMID:29535652

Statistical modeling implicates neuroanatomical circuit mediating stress relief by ‘comfort’ food

PubMed Central

Ulrich-Lai, Yvonne M.; Christiansen, Anne M.; Wang, Xia; Song, Seongho; Herman, James P.

2015-01-01

A history of eating highly-palatable foods reduces physiological and emotional responses to stress. For instance, we have previously shown that limited sucrose intake (4 ml of 30% sucrose twice daily for 14 days) reduces hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to stress. However, the neural mechanisms underlying stress relief by such ‘comfort’ foods are unclear, and could reveal an endogenous brain pathway for stress mitigation. As such, the present work assessed the expression of several proteins related to neuronal activation and/or plasticity in multiple stress- and reward-regulatory brain regions of rats after limited sucrose (vs. water control) intake. These data were then subjected to a series of statistical analyses, including Bayesian modeling, to identify the most likely neurocircuit mediating stress relief by sucrose. The analyses suggest that sucrose reduces HPA activation by dampening an excitatory basolateral amygdala - medial amygdala circuit, while also potentiating an inhibitory bed nucleus of the stria terminalis principle subdivision-mediated circuit, resulting in reduced HPA activation after stress. Collectively, the results support the hypothesis that sucrose limits stress responses via plastic changes to the structure and function of stress-regulatory neural circuits. The work also illustrates that advanced statistical methods are useful approaches to identify potentially novel and important underlying relationships in biological data sets. PMID:26246177

Statistical modeling implicates neuroanatomical circuit mediating stress relief by 'comfort' food.

PubMed

Ulrich-Lai, Yvonne M; Christiansen, Anne M; Wang, Xia; Song, Seongho; Herman, James P

2016-07-01

A history of eating highly palatable foods reduces physiological and emotional responses to stress. For instance, we have previously shown that limited sucrose intake (4 ml of 30 % sucrose twice daily for 14 days) reduces hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to stress. However, the neural mechanisms underlying stress relief by such 'comfort' foods are unclear, and could reveal an endogenous brain pathway for stress mitigation. As such, the present work assessed the expression of several proteins related to neuronal activation and/or plasticity in multiple stress- and reward-regulatory brain regions of rats after limited sucrose (vs. water control) intake. These data were then subjected to a series of statistical analyses, including Bayesian modeling, to identify the most likely neurocircuit mediating stress relief by sucrose. The analyses suggest that sucrose reduces HPA activation by dampening an excitatory basolateral amygdala-medial amygdala circuit, while also potentiating an inhibitory bed nucleus of the stria terminalis principle subdivision-mediated circuit, resulting in reduced HPA activation after stress. Collectively, the results support the hypothesis that sucrose limits stress responses via plastic changes to the structure and function of stress-regulatory neural circuits. The work also illustrates that advanced statistical methods are useful approaches to identify potentially novel and important underlying relationships in biological datasets.

Nurses and stress: recognizing causes and seeking solutions.

PubMed

Happell, Brenda; Dwyer, Trudy; Reid-Searl, Kerry; Burke, Karena J; Caperchione, Cristina M; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J

2013-05-01

To identify, from the perspectives of nurses, occupational stressors and ways in which they may be reduced. Nurses commonly experience high levels of occupational stress, with negative consequences for their physical and psychological health, health-care organisations and community. There is minimal research on reducing occupational stress. Six focus groups were conducted with 38 registered nurses using a qualitative exploratory approach. Participants were asked to identify sources of occupational stress and possible workplace initiatives to reduce stress. Sources of occupational stress were: high workloads, unavailability of doctors, unsupportive management, human resource issues, interpersonal issues, patients' relatives, shift work, car parking, handover procedures, no common area for nurses, not progressing at work and patient mental health. Suggestions for reduction included: workload modification, non-ward-based initiatives, changing shift hours, forwarding suggestions for change, music, special events, organisational development, ensuring nurses get breaks, massage therapists, acknowledgement from management and leadership within wards. The findings highlight the need to understand local perspectives and the importance of involving nurses in identifying initiatives to reduce occupational stress. Health-care environments can be enhanced through local understanding of the occupational stressors and productively engaging nurses in developing stress reduction initiatives. Nurse managers must facilitate such processes. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The impact of reduced worktime on sleep and perceived stress - a group randomized intervention study using diary data.

PubMed

Schiller, Helena; Lekander, Mats; Rajaleid, Kristiina; Hellgren, Carina; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Barck-Holst, Peter; Kecklund, Göran

2017-03-01

Objective Insufficient time for recovery between workdays may cause fatigue and disturbed sleep. This study evaluated the impact of an intervention that reduced weekly working hours by 25% on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress for employees within the public sector. Method Participating workplaces (N=33) were randomized into intervention and control groups. Participants (N=580, 76% women) worked full-time at baseline. The intervention group (N=354) reduced worktime to 75% with preserved salary during 18 months. Data were collected at baseline and after 9 and 18 months follow-up. Sleep quality, sleep duration, sleepiness, perceived stress,and worries and stress at bedtime were measured with diary during one week per data collection. Result A multilevel mixed model showed that compared with the control group, at the 18-month follow-up, the intervention group had improved sleep quality and sleep duration (+23 minutes) and displayed reduced levels of sleepiness, perceived stress, and worries and stress at bedtime on workdays (P<0.002). The same effects were shown for days off (P<0.006), except for sleep length. Effect sizes were small (Cohen's f2<0.08). Adding gender, age, having children living at home, and baseline values of sleep quality and worries and stress at bedtime as additional between-group factors did not influence the results. Conclusion A 25% reduction of weekly work hours with retained salary resulted in beneficial effects on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress both on workdays and days off. These effects were maintained over an 18-month period. This randomized intervention thus indicates that reduced worktime may improve recovery and perceived stress.

Conflict management style, supportive work environments and the experience of work stress in emergency nurses.

PubMed

Johansen, Mary L; Cadmus, Edna

2016-03-01

To examine the conflict management style that emergency department (ED) nurses use to resolve conflict and to determine whether their style of managing conflict and a supportive work environment affects their experience of work stress. Conflict is a common stressor that is encountered as nurses strive to achieve patient satisfaction goals while delivering quality care. How a nurse perceives support may impact work stress levels and how they deal with conflict. A correlational design examined the relationship between supportive work environment, and conflict management style and work stress in a sample of 222 ED nurses using the expanded nurse work stress scale; the survey of perceived organisational support; and the Rahim organisational conflict inventory-II. Twenty seven percent of nurses reported elevated levels of work stress. A supportive work environment and avoidant conflict management style were significant predictors of work stress. Findings suggest that ED nurses' perception of a supportive work environment and their approach to resolving conflict may be related to their experience of work stress. Providing opportunities for ED nurses in skills training in constructive conflict resolution may help to reduce work stress and to improve the quality of patient care. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reducing social inequalities in health: work-related strategies.

PubMed

Siegrist, Johannes

2002-01-01

Despite reduced health risks in terms of physical and chemical hazards current trends in occupational life continue to contribute to ill health and disease among economically active people. Stress at work plays a crucial role in this respect, as evidenced by recent scientific progress. This paper discusses two leading theoretical models of work-related stress, the demand-control model and the model of effort-reward imbalance, and it summarizes available evidence on adverse health effects. As work stress in terms of these models is more prevalent among lower socioeconomic status groups, these conditions contribute to the explanation of socially graded risks of morbidity and mortality in midlife. Implications of this new knowledge for the design and implementation of worksite health-promotion measures are elaborated. In conclusion, it is argued that workplace strategies deserve high priority on any agenda that aims at reducing social inequalities in health.

Work and family stress is associated with menstrual disorders but not with fibrocystic changes: cross-sectional findings in Chinese working women.

PubMed

Zhou, Mei; Wege, Natalia; Gu, Huakang; Shang, Li; Li, Jian; Siegrist, Johannes

2010-01-01

To explore the separate and combined effects of work and family stress on menstrual disorders and fibrocystic changes in Chinese working women. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study of 1,642 female railway workers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire and Family Stress Scale were used to measure work stress and family stress, respectively; the menstrual and breast conditions were evaluated by gynecologic interview and a medical examination. Multivariate log-binomial regression was performed to analyze the associations. Menstrual disorders were found in 59.3% of female workers, and 54.8% had fibrocystic changes. The risk of menstrual disorders was significantly elevated with respect to work and family stress. The highest risk was found in the group with combined exposure to both work and family stress (RR with 95% CI 1.33 (1.18-1.49)). No significant association between stress and fibrocystic changes was observed. Menstrual disorders were associated with stress from work and family life, but not fibrocystic changes, in working women. Tailored intervention measures reducing the burden of stressful psychosocial work and family environment are needed to improve women's reproductive well-being.

Mindfulness as a personal resource to reduce work stress in the job demands-resources model.

PubMed

Grover, Steven L; Teo, Stephen T T; Pick, David; Roche, Maree

2017-10-01

Based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this study examines the different ways that the personal resource of mindfulness reduces stress. Structural equation modeling based on data from 415 Australian nurses shows that mindfulness relates directly and negatively to work stress and perceptions of emotional demands as well as buffering the relation of emotional demands on psychological stress. This study contributes to the literature by employing empirical analysis to the task of unravelling how personal resources function within the JD-R model. It also introduces mindfulness as a personal resource in the JD-R model. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nursing stress and patient care: real-time investigation of the effect of nursing tasks and demands on psychological stress, physiological stress, and job performance: study protocol.

PubMed

Farquharson, Barbara; Bell, Cheryl; Johnston, Derek; Jones, Martyn; Schofield, Pat; Allan, Julia; Ricketts, Ian; Morrison, Kenny; Johnston, Marie

2013-10-01

To examine the effects of nursing tasks (including their physiological and psychological demands, and the moderating effects of reward and control) on distress and job performance in real time. Nurses working in hospital settings report high levels of occupational stress. Stress in nurses has been linked to reduced physical and psychological health, reduced job satisfaction, increased sickness absence, increased staff turnover, and poorer job performance. In this study, we will investigate theoretical models of stress and use multiple methods, including real-time data collection, to assess the relationship between stress and different nursing tasks in general medical and surgical ward nurses. A real-time, repeated measures design. During 2011/2012, 100 nurses from a large general teaching hospital in Scotland will: (a) complete self-reports of mood; (b) have their heart rate and activity monitored over two shifts to obtain physiological indices of stress and energy expenditure; (c) provide perceptions of the determinants of stress in complex ward environments; and (d) describe their main activities. All measures will be taken repeatedly in real time over two working shifts. Data obtained in this study will be analysed to examine the relationships between nursing tasks, self-reported and physiological measures of stress and to assess the effect of occupational stress on multiple work outcomes. The results will inform theoretical understanding of nurse stress and its determinants and suggest possible targets for intervention to reduce stress and associated harmful consequences. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Work stress prevention needs of employees and supervisors.

PubMed

Havermans, Bo M; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Hoek, Rianne J A; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J; Boot, Cécile R L

2018-05-21

Work stress prevention can reduce health risks for individuals, as well as organisational and societal costs. The success of work stress interventions depends on proper implementation. Failure to take into account the needs of employees and supervisors can hinder intervention implementation. This study aimed to explore employee and supervisor needs regarding organisational work stress prevention. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with employees (n = 7) and supervisors (n = 8) from different sectors, such as the finance, health care, and services industry. The interviews focused on respondents' needs regarding the prevention of work stress within an organisational setting. Performing thematic analysis, topics and themes were extracted from the verbatim transcribed interviews using Atlas.ti. Both employees and supervisors reported a need for: 1) communication about work stress, 2) attention for determinants of work stress, 3) supportive circumstances (prerequisites) for work stress prevention, 4) involvement of various stakeholders in work stress prevention, and 5) availability of work stress prevention measures. Both employees and supervisors expressed the need for supervisors to communicate about work stress. Employees and supervisors reported similar psychosocial work factors that should be targeted for prevention (e.g., social support and autonomy). There was greater variety in the sub-themes within communication about work stress and supportive circumstances for work stress prevention in supervisor responses, and greater variety in the sub-themes within availability of work stress prevention measures in employee responses. Both employees and supervisors were explicit about who should take part in communication about work stress, what prerequisites for work stress prevention should exist, and which stakeholders should be involved. These results can inform work stress prevention practice, supporting selection and implementation of interventions. This study was registered in the Netherlands National Trial Register, trial code: NTR5527 .

Personality, organizational stress, and attitudes toward work as prospective predictors of professional burnout in hospital nurses

PubMed Central

Hudek-Knežević, Jasna; Kalebić Maglica, Barbara; Krapić, Nada

2011-01-01

Aim To examine to what extent personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness), organizational stress, and attitudes toward work and interactions between personality and either organizational stress or attitudes toward work prospectively predict 3 components of burnout. Methods The study was carried out on 118 hospital nurses. Data were analyzed by a set of hierarchical regression analyses, in which personality traits, measures of organizational stress, and attitudes toward work, as well as interactions between personality and either organizational stress or attitudes toward work were included as predictors, while 3 indices of burnout were measured 4 years later as criteria variables. Results Personality traits proved to be significant but weak prospective predictors of burnout and as a group predicted only reduced professional efficacy (R2 = 0.10), with agreeableness being a single negative predictor. Organizational stress was positive, affective-normative commitment negative predictor, while continuance commitment was not related to any dimension of burnout. We found interactions between neuroticism as well as conscientiousness and organizational stress, measured as role conflict and work overload, on reduced professional efficacy (βNRCWO = -0.30; ßcRCWO = -0.26). We also found interactions between neuroticism and affective normative commitment (β = 0.24) and between openness and continuance commitment on reduced professional efficacy (β = -0.23), as well as interactions between conscientiousness and continuance commitment on exhaustion. Conclusion Although contextual variables were strong prospective predictors and personality traits weak predictors of burnout, the results suggested the importance of the interaction between personality and contextual variables in predicting burnout. PMID:21853549

Stressors, Appraisal of Stressors, Experienced Stress and Cardiac Response: A Real-Time, Real-Life Investigation of Work Stress in Nurses.

PubMed

Johnston, Derek; Bell, Cheryl; Jones, Martyn; Farquharson, Barbara; Allan, Julia; Schofield, Patricia; Ricketts, Ian; Johnston, Marie

2016-04-01

Stress in health care professionals may reflect both the work and appraisal of work and impacts on the individuals, their patients, colleagues and managers. The purpose of the present study is to examine physiological and psychological effects of stressors (tasks) and theory-based perceptions of work stressors within and between nurses in real time. During two work shifts, 100 nurses rated experienced stress, affect, fatigue, theory-based measures of work stress and nursing tasks on electronic diaries every 90 min, whereas heart rate and activity were measured continuously. Heart rate was associated with both demand and effort. Experienced stress was related to demand, control, effort and reward. Effort and reward interacted as predicted (but only within people). Results were unchanged when allowance was made for work tasks. Real-time appraisals were more important than actual tasks in predicting both psychological and physiological correlates of stress. At times when effort was high, perceived reward reduced stress.

Work-related stress management between workplace and occupational health care.

PubMed

Kinnunen-Amoroso, Maritta; Liira, Juha

2016-06-13

Work-related stress has been evaluated as one of the most important health risks in Europe. Prevention of work related stress and interventions to reduce risk factors for stress in the workplace are conducted together by the enterprise and occupational health services. The aim of the study was to examine the experiences of Finnish occupational physicians on the stress management with enterprises. From the Finnish Association of Occupational Health Physicians membership list 207 physicians responded to self-administered anonymous questionnaire. The data were analysed using SPSS 17.0. The client enterprises contacted occupational health services frequently about work-related stress. Collaboration between occupational health and enterprises was strongest in companies' own occupational health services and generally with most experienced physicians. Occupational health services and enterprises shared responsibility for managing work-related stress. Professional experience and close contact with organisation management favours successful stress management between occupational health and enterprises.

Association between psychosomatic symptoms and work stress among Taiwan police officers.

PubMed

Chueh, Ke-Hsin; Yen, Cheng-Fang; Lu, Luo; Yang, Mei-Sang

2011-04-01

The aim of the study was to explore the association between the severity of psychosomatic symptoms and perceived work stress among male police officers in southern Taiwan. By stratified random sampling, a total of 698 male police officers were recruited into this study (the response rate was 73.4%; 512 of 698). A structured self-administered questionnaire on demographic and working characteristics, the severity of psychosomatic symptoms, perceived work stress, and social support was used to collect data anonymously. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that (1) the police officers who perceived high-work stress reported more severe psychosomatic symptoms than those who perceived low-work stress; and (2) perceived social support had a moderating effect on the association between severity of psychosomatic symptoms and perceived work stress. Perceived work stress is an indicator of psychosomatic symptoms in police officers. Strategies for reducing psychosomatic symptoms of police officers include police administrators taking into account the level of work stress as well as more attention being paid to the resources of social support. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.

Burnout among physicians.

PubMed

Romani, Maya; Ashkar, Khalil

2014-01-01

Burnout is a common syndrome seen in healthcare workers, particularly physicians who are exposed to a high level of stress at work; it includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Burnout among physicians has garnered significant attention because of the negative impact it renders on patient care and medical personnel. Physicians who had high burnout levels reportedly committed more medical errors. Stress management programs that range from relaxation to cognitive-behavioral and patient-centered therapy have been found to be of utmost significance when it comes to preventing and treating burnout. However, evidence is insufficient to support that stress management programs can help reducing job-related stress beyond the intervention period, and similarly mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions efficiently reduce psychological distress and negative vibes, and encourage empathy while significantly enhancing physicians' quality of life. On the other hand, a few small studies have suggested that Balint sessions can have a promising positive effect in preventing burnout; moreover exercises can reduce anxiety levels and exhaustion symptoms while improving the mental and physical well-being of healthcare workers. Occupational interventions in the work settings can also improve the emotional and work-induced exhaustion. Combining both individual and organizational interventions can have a good impact in reducing burnout scores among physicians; therefore, multidisciplinary actions that include changes in the work environmental factors along with stress management programs that teach people how to cope better with stressful events showed promising solutions to manage burnout. However, until now there have been no rigorous studies to prove this. More interventional research targeting medical students, residents, and practicing physicians are needed in order to improve psychological well-being, professional careers, as well as the quality of care provided to patients.

A new methodological approach to assess cardiac work by pressure-volume and stress-length relations in patients with aortic valve stenosis and dilated cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Alter, P; Rupp, H; Rominger, M B; Klose, K J; Maisch, B

2008-01-01

In experimental animals, cardiac work is derived from pressure-volume area and analyzed further using stress-length relations. Lack of methods for determining accurately myocardial mass has until now prevented the use of stress-length relations in patients. We hypothesized, therefore, that not only pressure-volume loops but also stress-length diagrams can be derived from cardiac volume and cardiac mass as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and invasively measured pressure. Left ventricular (LV) volume and myocardial mass were assessed in seven patients with aortic valve stenosis (AS), eight with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and eight controls using electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated CMR. LV pressure was measured invasively. Pressure-volume curves were calculated based on ECG triggering. Stroke work was assessed as area within the pressure-volume loop. LV wall stress was calculated using a thick-wall sphere model. Similarly, stress-length loops were calculated to quantify stress-length-based work. Taking the LV geometry into account, the normalization with regard to ventricular circumference resulted in "myocardial work." Patients with AS (valve area 0.73+/-0.18 cm(2)) exhibited an increased LV myocardial mass when compared with controls (P<0.05). LV wall stress was increased in DCM but not in AS. Stroke work of AS was unchanged when compared with controls (0.539+/-0.272 vs 0.621+/-0.138 Nm, not significant), whereas DCM exhibited a significant depression (0.367+/-0.157 Nm, P<0.05). Myocardial work was significantly reduced in both AS and DCM when compared with controls (129.8+/-69.6, 200.6+/-80.1, 332.2+/-89.6 Nm/m(2), P<0.05), also after normalization (7.40+/-5.07, 6.27+/-3.20, 14.6+/-4.07 Nm/m(2), P<0.001). It is feasible to obtain LV pressure-volume and stress-length diagrams in patients based on the present novel methodological approach of using CMR and invasive pressure measurement. Myocardial work was reduced in patients with DCM and noteworthy also in AS, while stroke work was reduced in DCM only. Most likely, deterioration of myocardial work is crucial for the prognosis. It is suggested to include these basic physiological procedures in the clinical assessment of the pump function of the heart.

[A study of work stress and professional commitment in outpatient department nurses].

PubMed

Tsai, Ming-Hsiu; Liu, Meng-Fen; Chen, Yu-Ju; Liu, Cheng-Ching

2012-06-01

Nurses working in outpatient departments face tremendous pressure from multiple sources. The effect of nurse professional commitment on continued professional development is an issue worth exploring further. This study explored relationships among nurses' personal attributes, work stress and professional commitment. The Lazarus cognitive appraisal model framed the research plan design. Tools used included stress level and professional commitment scales for healthcare professionals. Of 180 questionnaires sent to outpatient department nurses nurses, 171 (95%) were returned and used in analysis. SPSS 12.0 for windows software was used for statistical analysis. We found a significant negative correlation between work stress and professional commitment and no significant relationship between level of education and either ability to handle work stress or professional commitment. Years of work experience, age and position all correlated positively with ability to handle work stress. Years of work experience correlated positively with professional commitment. This study suggests that nurses experience the highest work stress levels during their first five years of work. Findings show that providing nurses a clear career development path, in addition to attractive incentives and a reasonable workload, is essential to reducing work stress, bolstering professional commitment and increasing retention.

Are Educational Psychologists Stressed? A Pilot Study of Educational Psychologists' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersch, Irvine; Teuma, Anna

2005-01-01

This paper describes an exploratory pilot research project, aimed at investigating occupational stress amongst educational psychologists. It investigated three areas: educational psychologists' perceptions of their own stress levels, sources of stress and possible work conditions, which may reduce stress levels. Data was collected via…

Working Memory Impairments in Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: The Roles of Anxiety and Stress Physiology.

PubMed

Sanders, Ashley F P; Hobbs, Diana A; Stephenson, David D; Laird, Robert D; Beaton, Elliott A

2017-04-01

Stress and anxiety have a negative impact on working memory systems by competing for executive resources and attention. Broad memory deficits, anxiety, and elevated stress have been reported in individuals with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). We investigated anxiety and physiological stress reactivity in relation to visuospatial working memory impairments in 20 children with 22q11.2DS and 32 typically developing (TD) children ages 7 to 16. Children with 22q11.2DS demonstrated poorer working memory, reduced post-stress respiratory sinus arrhythmia recovery, and overall increased levels of cortisol in comparison to TD children. Anxiety, but not physiological stress responsivity, mediated the relationship between 22q11.2DS diagnosis and visuospatial working memory impairment. Findings indicate that anxiety exacerbates impaired working memory in children with 22q11.2DS.

["Burnout"--is it a disease or rather a consequence of (work-) stress?].

PubMed

Koehler, U; Koehler, Y L

2014-08-01

Burnout is a work related health impairment comprising three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. Not least because of the highly frequented term "burnout" within the German speaking area, there is a rising interest in the connection of work related stress and psychological and somatic complaints. Burnout is not a disease in the proper sense but a physiological construct. Coherence between work related stress and the development of psychological and somatic diseases has been proven by many studies. However burnout requires a differential diagnostic categorisation. Therapeutic procedures and prevention measures should be initiated based on the forms and categorisation of work related stress. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Work stress, burnout, and perceived quality of care: a cross-sectional study among hospital pediatricians.

PubMed

Weigl, M; Schneider, A; Hoffmann, F; Angerer, P

2015-09-01

Poor hospital work environments affect physicians' work stress. With a focus on hospital pediatricians, we sought to investigate associations between work stress, burnout, and quality of care. A cross-sectional study was conducted in N = 96 pediatricians of a German academic children's hospital (response rate = 73.8 %). All variables were assessed with standardized questionnaires. Multivariate regression analyses were applied to investigate associations after adjusting for potential confounders. Critically high work stress (effort/reward ratio, ERR > 1.0) was reported by N = 25 (28.4 %) participants. Pediatricians in inpatient wards had significantly more work stress than their colleagues in intensive care units and outpatient wards; 10.2 % of surveyed pediatricians reported critically high burnout. Again, inpatient ward staff reported significantly increased emotional exhaustion. After controlling for several confounders, we found that pediatricians with high work stress and emotional exhaustion reported reduced quality of care. Mediation analyses revealed that especially pediatricians' emotional exhaustion partially mediated the effect of work stress on quality of care. Results demonstrate close relationships between increased work stress and burnout as well as diminished quality of care. High work stress environments in pediatric care influence mental health of pediatricians as well as quality of patient care. • The quality of pediatricians' work environment in the hospital is associated with their work stress and burnout. • The consequences of pediatricians' work life for the quality of care need to be addressed in order to inform interventions to improve work life and care quality. • Our study shows associations between increased work stress and burnout with mitigated quality of care. • Beyond indirect effects of work stress through emotional exhaustion on quality of care we also observed direct detrimental effects of pediatricians' work stress on mitigated care quality.

Evaluation of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for life and a cognitive behavioural therapy stress-management workshop to improve healthcare staff stress: study protocol for two randomised controlled trials.

PubMed

Strauss, Clara; Gu, Jenny; Pitman, Nikki; Chapman, Cavita; Kuyken, Willem; Whittington, Adrian

2018-04-02

Healthcare workers experience higher levels of work-related stress and higher rates of sickness absence than workers in other sectors. Psychological approaches have potential in providing healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise stress and to manage stress effectively. The strongest evidence for effectiveness in reducing stress in the workplace is for stress-management courses based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). However, research examining effects of these interventions on sickness absence (an objective indicator of stress) and compassion for others (an indicator of patient care) is limited, as is research on brief CBT stress-management courses (which may be more widely accessible) and on MBIs adapted for workplace settings. This protocol is for two randomised controlled trials with participant preference between the two trials and 1:1 allocation to intervention or wait-list within the preferred choice. The first trial is examining a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and the second trial an 8-session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) course, with both trials comparing intervention to wait-list. The primary outcome for both trials is stress post-intervention with secondary outcomes being sickness absence, compassion for others, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, wellbeing, work-related burnout, self-compassion, presenteeism, and mindfulness (MBCT-L only). Both trials aim to recruit 234 staff working in the National Health Service in the UK. This trial will examine whether a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and an 8-session MBCT-L course are effective at reducing healthcare staff stress and other mental health outcomes compared to wait-list, and, whether these interventions are effective at reducing sickness absence and presenteeism and at enhancing wellbeing, self-compassion, mindfulness and compassion for others. Findings will help inform approaches offered to reduce healthcare staff stress and other key variables. A note of caution is that individual-level approaches should only be part of the solution to reducing healthcare staff stress within a broader focus on organisational-level interventions and support. ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN11723441 . Registered on 16 June 2017. Protocol Version 1: 24 April 2017. Trial Sponsor: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (ResearchGovernance@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk).

[Stress in the nursing team of an emergency medical service].

PubMed

Panizzon, Cristiane; Luz, Anna Maria Hecker; Fensterseifer, Lísia Maria

2008-09-01

This exploratory study aimed at determining stress levels and stressors, verifying the association between stress and studied variables, and identifying the predictive stress factors in an emergency nursing team. Data were collected using a social-demographic questionnaire and a scale of labor pressure sources applied with 98 workers. Chi-square test and Spearman correlation test results showed a high stress level, and identified work load as the main stressor. All pressure sources at work had a positive significant correlation with stress leve, and the following predictors were identified: work load, problems related to the client, and organizational processes and structure. The results indicate the need of management changes in the emergency unit in order to reduce the stress of the nursing team.

Stress management standards: a warning indicator for employee health.

PubMed

Kazi, A; Haslam, C O

2013-07-01

Psychological stress is a major cause of lost working days in the UK. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has developed management standards (MS) to help organizations to assess work-related stress. To investigate the relationships between the MS indicator tool and employee health, job attitudes, work performance and environmental outcomes. The first phase involved a survey employing the MS indicator tool, General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), job attitudes, work performance and environmental measures in a call centre from a large utility company. The second phase comprised six focus groups to investigate what employees believed contributed to their perceived stress. Three hundred and four call centre employees responded with a response rate of 85%. Significant negative correlations were found between GHQ-12 and two MS dimensions; demands (Rho = -0.211, P < 0.001) and relationships (Rho= -0.134, P < 0.05). Other dimensions showed no significant relationship with GHQ-12. Higher levels of stress were associated with reduced job performance, job motivation and increased intention to quit but low stress levels were associated with reduced job satisfaction. Lack of management support, recognition and development opportunities were identified as sources of stress. The findings support the utility of the MS as a measure of employee attitudes and performance.

Technostress and the Reference Librarian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupersmith, John

1992-01-01

Defines "technostress" as the stress experienced by reference librarians who must constantly deal with the demands of new information technology and the changes they produce in the work place. Discussion includes suggested ways in which both organizations and individuals can work to reduce stress. (27 references) (LAE)

Helping Teachers to Help Children Cope with Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, A. Michael; Deck, Mary D.

1984-01-01

Offers some ways counselors can work with teachers in an inservice format to help students cope with stress. The two-session workshop focuses on understanding causes of childhood stress and what teachers can do in their classrooms to reduce unnecessary stress. Includes suggested resources. (JAC)

Stress in doctors and dentists who teach.

PubMed

Rutter, Harry; Herzberg, Joe; Paice, Elisabeth

2002-06-01

To explore the relationship between a teaching role and stress in doctors and dentists who teach. Medline, PubMed, BIDS database for social sciences literature, and the ERIC database for educational literature were searched using the key words 'stress' or 'burnout' with the terms doctor, physician, dentist, teacher, lecturer, academic staff, and university staff. Other books and journals known to the authors were also used. Many studies have shown high levels of stress in doctors, dentists, teachers, and lecturers. A large number of factors are implicated, including low autonomy, work overload, and lack of congruence between power and responsibility. Doctors and dentists who take on a teaching role in addition to their clinical role may increase their levels of stress, but there is also evidence that this dual role may reduce job-related stress. Working as a doctor or dentist may entail higher levels of stress than are experienced by the general population. In some situations adding in the role of teacher reduces this stress, but more research is needed to explain this finding.

Is work stress in palliative care nurses a cause for concern? A literature review.

PubMed

Peters, Louise; Cant, Robyn; Sellick, Kenneth; O'Connor, Margaret; Lee, Susan; Burney, Sue; Karimi, Leila

2012-11-01

Palliative care nurses are at risk of work stress because their role involves exposure to frequent deaths and family grieving. Little is known about their degree of stress or whether they suffer stress or burnout more than nurses in other disciplines. The aim of this paper is to critically examine the current literature concerning stress and burnout in palliative care nurses. Sixteen papers were included in the review. Although work demands were a common cause of stress in the studies reported, there was no strong evidence that palliative care or hospice nurses experienced higher levels of stress than nurses in other disciplines. Common causes of stress were the work environment, role conflict, and issues with patients and their families. Constructive coping styles appeared to help nurses to manage stress. Managers have a key role in providing education and training for palliative care nurses to support their personal development and to help reduce vulnerability to and the impact of stress in the workplace.

[Occupational stress effects on work ability in chemistry workers].

PubMed

Yang, Huifang; Wang, Mianzhen; Wang, Zhiming; Lan, Yajia

2004-03-01

Investigating the status of work ability and occupational stress in 1030 chemistry workers at levels of chemical materials and explore their relationship and influence factors (481 workers of study group, 549 workers of control group). Work ability and occupational stress were measured with the work ability index (WAI) and occupational stress questionnaire (OSQ). The risk factors of work ability decline were evaluated. WAI and OSQ scores scores are significantly different between study group and control group (P < 0.01), and work ability correlated inversely with occupational stress (P < 0.01). The WAI scores are reducing with a higher of the OSQ. The work ability of chemistry-workers became lower with the increasing of age. Variables that influence work ability included the factors of disorder of musculoskeletal function (OR = 2.884), assessment of the current health (OR = 2.651), the diseases (OR = 2.498), emotion status (OR = 2.407), physical load (OR = 1.254) and lack of exercise (OR = 1.956). The stress levels and stress factors had affected work ability in chemistry-workers, and it was suggested that the findings could be helpful for the measures protecting and promoting of work ability on the health of workers.

Relationships of protective factors to stress and symptoms of illness.

PubMed

Dolbier, Christyn L; Smith, Shanna E; Steinhardt, Mary A

2007-01-01

To examine relationships of work and individual protective factors to health outcomes. Participants from 2 corporate samples completed measures of supervisor support, hardiness, coping, global stress, and symptoms of illness. Regression analyses indicated that higher scores on hardiness and approach coping and being male predicted lower scores on stress and symptoms of illness. Additionally, supervisor support predicted fewer symptoms of illness but did not have a spillover effect onto stress. Interventions that enhance individual protective factors primarily and work protective factors secondarily may be most effective in reducing stress and illness among employees.

Improving Managers' Psychophysical Well-Being: Effectiveness of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Biofeedback.

PubMed

Munafò, Marianna; Patron, Elisabetta; Palomba, Daniela

2016-06-01

High work stress has been consistently associated with disturbed autonomic balance, specifically, lowered vagal cardiac control and increased sympathetic activity, which may lead to increased cardiovascular risk. Stress management procedures have been proposed to reduce autonomic dysfunctions related to work stress in different categories of workers exposed to heightened work demands, while a limited number of studies addressed this issue in managers. The present study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) biofeedback (BF) intervention on psychological and physiological outcomes, in managers with high-level work responsibilities. Thirty-one managers leading outstanding private or public companies were randomly assigned to either a RSA-BF training (RSA-BF; N = 16) or a control group (N = 15). The RSA-BF training consisted of five weekly 45 min sessions, designed to increase RSA, whereas controls had to provide a daily stress diary once a week. After the training, managers in both groups reported reduced heart rate at rest, lower anxiety levels and improvement in health-related quality of life. More importantly, managers in the RSA-BF group showed increased vagal control (as indexed by increased RSA), decreased sympathetic arousal (as indexed by reduced skin conductance and systolic blood pressure) and lower emotional interferences, compared to managers in the control group. Results from this study showed that RSA-BF training was effective in improving cardiac autonomic balance at rest. Moreover, findings from this study underline the effectiveness of biofeedback in reducing psychophysiological negative outcomes associated with stress in managers.

[Relationship between occupational stress and working ability of workers in a petroleum processing enterprise in high altitude area].

PubMed

Ma, X M; Kang, H L; Shi, C B; Li, Y; Wu, Y F; Liu, Z H; Wang, G; Lei, H Y

2017-12-20

Objective: To investigate the relationship between occupational stress and working ability of workers in a petroleum processing enterprise in a high altitude area. Methods: A total of 728 workers in a petroleum processing enterprise at an altitude of 2850 m were subjected to a survey using Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) , Work Ability Index (WAI) Scale, Occupational Role Questionnaire (ORQ) , Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) , and Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ) from May 2014 to August 2016. Results: Of the 728 workers, 55 (7.6%) had a poor working ability, moderate in 262 (35.9%) , and good in 411 (56.5%). There were significant differences in WAI between the workers with different types of work, sexes, ages, and working years ( P <0.05). There was a significant difference in WAI between different occupational stress groups ( P <0.05). WAI was negatively correlated with ORQ score and PSQ score ( r (s)=-0.387, P <0.05; r (s)=-0.467, P <0.05) and positively correlated with PRQ score ( r (s)=0.343, P <0.05). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that high ORQ score and PSQ score were the inhibitory factors for high WAI ( B =-0.058; B =-0.082) and high PRQ score was a contributing factor for high WAI ( B =0.029) . Conclusion: Occupational stress is an influencing factor for the working ability of workers in the petroleum processing enterprise in the high altitude area. Hypoxia in high altitude area may further reduce the working ability. In order to reduce occupational stress and improve work ability, it should be considered to strengthen skills training, improve the working environment, and pay attention to mental health.

Relationship of Child Abuse to the Workplace: Employer-Based Strategies for Prevention. Prevention Focus Working Paper No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coolson, Peter

This background paper examines the relationship between child abuse and the workplace and discusses employer-based strategies that can reduce the stress levels of working parents and provide a buffer against problems of child abuse and neglect. Part 1, "Child Abuse and the World of Work," discusses the kinds of stress experienced by…

Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation

MedlinePlus

... REDUCE FINANCIAL STRESS If you’re unable to work during this time, you may experience stress related to your job status or financial situation. 2 Toll-Free: 1-877-SAMHSA-7 ... you are away from work. ƒ Contact the U.S. Department of Labor toll- free ...

Women in Higher Education: Exploring Stressful Workplace Factors and Coping Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersh, Renique

2018-01-01

For women administrators in higher education, workplace factors like managing multiple roles; work bleeding into personal life; issues with leadership; discrimination and marginalization; and role insufficiency (i.e., ambiguity in work roles and reduced sense of control) contribute to increased workplace stress. Individual coping responses are…

Disruptive staff interactions: a serious source of inter-provider conflict and stress in health care settings.

PubMed

Stecker, Mona; Stecker, Mark M

2014-07-01

This study sought to explore the prevalence of workplace stress, gender differences, and the relationship of workplace incivility to the experience of stress. Effects of stress on performance have been explored for many years. Work stress has been at the root of many physical and psychological problems and has even been linked to medical errors and suboptimal patient outcomes. In this study, 617 respondents completed a Provider Conflict Questionnaire (PCQ) as well as a ten-item stress survey. Work was the main stressor according to 78.2% of respondents. The stress index was moderately high, ranging between 10 and 48 (mean = 25.5). Females demonstrated a higher stress index. Disruptive behavior showed a significant positive correlation with increased stress. This study concludes that employees of institutions with less disruptive behavior exhibited lower stress levels. This finding is important in improving employee satisfaction and reducing medical errors. It is difficult to retain experienced nurses, and stress is a significant contributor to job dissatisfaction. Moreover, workplace conflict and its correlation to increased stress levels must be managed as a strategy to reduce medical errors and increase job satisfaction.

Solving a methodological challenge in work stress evaluation with the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit (StART): a study protocol.

PubMed

Guglielmi, Dina; Simbula, Silvia; Vignoli, Michela; Bruni, Ilaria; Depolo, Marco; Bonfiglioli, Roberta; Tabanelli, Maria Carla; Violante, Francesco Saverio

2013-06-22

Stress evaluation is a field of strong interest and challenging due to several methodological aspects in the evaluation process. The aim of this study is to propose a study protocol to test a new method (i.e., the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit) to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. This method addresses several methodological issues (e.g., subjective vs. objective, qualitative vs quantitative data) by assessing work-related stressors using different kinds of data: i) organisational archival data (organisational indicators sheet); ii) qualitative data (focus group); iii) worker perception (questionnaire); and iv) observational data (observational checklist) using mixed methods research. In addition, it allows positive and negative aspects of work to be considered conjointly, using an approach that considers at the same time job demands and job resources. The integration of these sources of data can reduce the theoretical and methodological bias related to stress research in the work setting, allows researchers and professionals to obtain a reliable description of workers' stress, providing a more articulate vision of psychosocial risks, and allows a large amount of data to be collected. Finally, the implementation of the method ensures in the long term a primary prevention for psychosocial risk management in that it aims to reduce or modify the intensity, frequency or duration of organisational demands.

Solving a methodological challenge in work stress evaluation with the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit (StART): a study protocol

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Stress evaluation is a field of strong interest and challenging due to several methodological aspects in the evaluation process. The aim of this study is to propose a study protocol to test a new method (i.e., the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit) to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. Design This method addresses several methodological issues (e.g., subjective vs. objective, qualitative vs quantitative data) by assessing work-related stressors using different kinds of data: i) organisational archival data (organisational indicators sheet); ii) qualitative data (focus group); iii) worker perception (questionnaire); and iv) observational data (observational checklist) using mixed methods research. In addition, it allows positive and negative aspects of work to be considered conjointly, using an approach that considers at the same time job demands and job resources. Discussion The integration of these sources of data can reduce the theoretical and methodological bias related to stress research in the work setting, allows researchers and professionals to obtain a reliable description of workers’ stress, providing a more articulate vision of psychosocial risks, and allows a large amount of data to be collected. Finally, the implementation of the method ensures in the long term a primary prevention for psychosocial risk management in that it aims to reduce or modify the intensity, frequency or duration of organisational demands. PMID:23799950

The five-factor model of personality, work stress and professional quality of life in neonatal intensive care unit nurses.

PubMed

Barr, Peter

2018-06-01

The study aim was to determine the direct and indirect relations of the five-factor model of personality traits and work stress with professional quality of life in neonatal nurses. Neonatal intensive care nursing has positive and negative effects on neonatal nurses' psychological well-being. Although individual and situational factors interact to influence professional quality of life, there have been few studies of these relationships in neonatal nurses. A cross-sectional study conducted in 2016. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure professional quality of life (burnout, secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction), five-factor model of personality traits (neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and openness) and work stress (role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload). One hundred and forty (34%) of 405 eligible neonatal nurses provided the data. After controlling for work stress, neuroticism and agreeableness were related to burnout, neuroticism was related to secondary traumatic stress, and extraversion was related to compassion satisfaction. Work stress controlled for personality traits was related to burnout and secondary traumatic stress, but not to compassion satisfaction. Neuroticism moderated the effect of work stress on secondary traumatic stress and agreeableness and openness moderated the effect of work stress on compassion satisfaction. Work stress mediated the effect of neuroticism and extraversion on burnout and the effects of extraversion and conscientiousness on compassion satisfaction. Strategies to reduce work stress may not lessen burnout and secondary traumatic stress or increase compassion satisfaction in neonatal nurses who are prone to high neuroticism, low agreeableness and low extraversion. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reading Teacher Burnout and Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingsworth, Paul M.

1990-01-01

Considers causes for stress and burnout in the reading teacher's profession. Suggests ways for reading teachers to reduce stress. Identifies two categories of problems: (1) work overload, excessive paperwork, and repetitive tasks; and (2) isolation from other teaching which leads to loneliness. (KEH)

Relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress among Japanese schoolteachers.

PubMed

Nakada, Akihiro; Iwasaki, Shinichi; Kanchika, Masaru; Nakao, Takehisa; Deguchi, Yasuhiko; Konishi, Akihito; Ishimoto, Hideyuki; Inoue, Koki

2016-10-08

Japanese teachers are mentally and physically burdened with various work stressors. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress including role problems among Japanese schoolteachers. This study included 1,006 teachers working in public schools in a Japanese city. The Japanese version of Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, and the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate occupational stress and three measures of social support. Subjects with SDS scores of more than 50 were categorized into the "depressive group." We examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress using multiple logistic regression analyses. A total of 202 (20.1%) teachers belonged to the depressive group. We found that high role ambiguity, high role conflict, high quantitative workload, and low social support from family or friends were significantly related to depressive symptoms. To moderate role ambiguity and role conflict experienced by teachers, it is necessary to clarify the priority order of teachers' work. Furthermore, it is necessary to reduce workload by focusing on the content of teachers' work and the setting of education itself. Focusing on these elements will reduce teachers' depressive symptoms.

The impact of employee level and work stress on mental health and GP service use: an analysis of a sample of Australian government employees.

PubMed

Parslow, Ruth A; Jorm, Anthony F; Christensen, Helen; Broom, Dorothy H; Strazdins, Lyndall; D' Souza, Rennie M

2004-09-30

This study sought to identify the extent to which employee level and work stressors were associated with mental health problems experienced by Australian government employees, and with their use of primary care services. 806 government employees aged between 40 and 44 years were surveyed as part of an epidemiological study conducted in Australia. Data collected from participants included sociodemographic attributes, physical health, psychological measures and work stressors relating to job control, job demands, job security and skills discretion at work. For 88% of these participants, information on visits made to general practitioners (GPs) for the six months before and after their survey interview was obtained from health insurance records. When work stress and personal factors were taken into account, men at more junior levels reported better mental health, more positive affect and used fewer GP services. Women at middle-management levels obtained less GP care than their more senior counterparts. Both men and women who reported higher levels of work stress were found to have poorer mental health and well-being. The impact of such stressors on GP service use, however, differed for men and women. Measures of work stress and not employee level affect the mental health and well-being of government employees. For governments with responsibility for funding health care services, reducing work stress experienced by their own employees offers potential benefits by improving the health of their workforce and reducing outlays for such services.

Short-term exposure to enriched environment rescues chronic stress-induced impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity, anxiety, and memory deficits.

PubMed

Bhagya, Venkanna Rao; Srikumar, Bettadapura N; Veena, Jayagopalan; Shankaranarayana Rao, Byrathnahalli S

2017-08-01

Exposure to prolonged stress results in structural and functional alterations in the hippocampus including reduced long-term potentiation (LTP), neurogenesis, spatial learning and working memory impairments, and enhanced anxiety-like behavior. On the other hand, enriched environment (EE) has beneficial effects on hippocampal structure and function, such as improved memory, increased hippocampal neurogenesis, and progressive synaptic plasticity. It is unclear whether exposure to short-term EE for 10 days can overcome restraint stress-induced cognitive deficits and impaired hippocampal plasticity. Consequently, the present study explored the beneficial effects of short-term EE on chronic stress-induced impaired LTP, working memory, and anxiety-like behavior. Male Wistar rats were subjected to chronic restraint stress (6 hr/day) over a period of 21 days, and then they were exposed to EE (6 hr/day) for 10 days. Restraint stress reduced hippocampal CA1-LTP, increased anxiety-like symptoms in elevated plus maze, and impaired working memory in T-maze task. Remarkably, EE facilitated hippocampal LTP, improved working memory performance, and completely overcame the effect of chronic stress on anxiety behavior. In conclusion, exposure to EE can bring out positive effects on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and thereby elicit its beneficial effects on cognitive functions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Workplace stress, lifestyle and social factors as correlates of back pain: a representative study of the German working population.

PubMed

Schneider, Sven; Schmitt, Holger; Zoller, Silke; Schiltenwolf, Marcus

2005-05-01

To investigate the prevalence of back pain in the German working population and the relationship between back pain and workplace stresses, lifestyle and social factors. The first National Health Survey of the Federal Republic of Germany was carried out between October 1997 and March 1999. It comprised a representative epidemiological cross-sectional study of the working population, with a total sample of 3,488 persons between the ages of 18 and 69 years. The participants took part in a medical examination and answered a self-rating questionnaire. The relationship between subjective back pain and workplace stresses and social and lifestyle factors was investigated with bivariate tests and multiple logistical regression analyses. The 7-day prevalence for back pain in the German working population was found to be 34%, and the 1-year prevalence was 60%. The odds ratios were significantly higher in women, persons of lower socioeconomic status, married and depressed persons and non-athletes. Carrying heavy loads or maintaining a single working posture were the most significant work-related correlates of back pain, for members of both the female and male working population, while environmental stress and psychological stress correlated significantly with back pain in men only. This study reports the first representative epidemiological prevalence data for back pain, and its correlates and potential risk factors, for the German working population. To reduce the negative impact of back pain the most promising behavioural and conditional prevention measures in the workplace would be to reduce carrying stress and to vary working posture. In addition, a more active, athletic lifestyle, plus the avoidance of being overweight, should provide an additional protective or preventive effect.

Influence of occupational stress on mental health among Chinese off-shore oil workers.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Qing; Wong, Tze-Wai; Yu, Tak-Sun

2009-09-01

To explore the influence of occupational stress on mental health in off-shore oil production. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 561 Chinese off-shore oil workers. The workers were invited to fill in a self-administered questionnaire exploring their socio-demographic characteristics, occupational stress levels, and 12-item general health questionnaire. A hierarchical multiple regression procedure was used to assess the effects of occupational stress on mental health. After controlling for age, educational level, marital status and years of off-shore work, poor mental health was found to have a significant positive association with seven of the nine identified sources of occupational stress. They were: conflict between job and family/social life, poor development of career and achievement at work, safety problems at work, management problems and poor relationship with others at work, poor physical environment of the work place, uncomfortable ergonomic factors at work, and poor organizational structure at work. All of these occupational stress sources together explained 19.9% of the total variance. The results confirmed that occupational stress was a major risk factor for poor mental health among Chinese off-shore oil workers. Reducing or eliminating occupational stressors at work would benefit workers' mental health.

Log in and breathe out: efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an online sleep training for teachers affected by work-related strain--study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Thiart, Hanne; Lehr, Dirk; Ebert, David Daniel; Sieland, Bernhard; Berking, Matthias; Riper, Heleen

2013-06-11

Insomnia and work-related stress often co-occur. Both are associated with personal distress and diminished general functioning, as well as substantial socio-economic costs due to, for example, reduced productivity at the work place and absenteeism. Insomnia complaints by people experiencing work-related stress are correlated with a deficient cognitive detachment from work. Diffuse boundaries between work and private life can additionally complicate the use of recreational activities that facilitate cognitive detachment.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is effective but rarely implemented. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia could potentially reduce this deficit given its demonstrated effectiveness. Less is known, however, about the efficacy of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in populations affected by high work stress. Thus, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a newly developed, guided online training which is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia and tailored to teachers affected by occupational stress. In a two-arm randomized controlled trial (N = 128), the effects of a guided online sleep training will be compared to a waitlist-control condition. German teachers with significant clinical insomnia complaints (Insomnia Severity Index ≥ 15) and work-related rumination (Irritation Scale, subscale Cognitive Irritation ≥ 15) will be included in the study. The primary outcome measure will be insomnia severity. Additionally, an economic evaluation from a societal perspective will be conducted. Data from the intention-to-treat sample will be analyzed two and six months after randomization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate an online sleep training tailored to a specific population with work stress, that is, teachers. If this type of intervention is effective, it could reduce the paucity of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and augment the support for teachers in coping with their insomnia problems. German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS): DRKS00004700.

Normative data on the diurnal pattern of the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale ratings and its relation to age, sex, work, stress, sleep quality and sickness absence/illness in a large sample of daytime workers.

PubMed

Åkerstedt, Torbjorn; Hallvig, David; Kecklund, Göran

2017-10-01

Self-rated sleepiness responds to sleep loss, time of day and work schedules. There is, however, a lack of a normative reference showing the diurnal pattern during a normal working day, compared with a day off, as well as differences depending on stress, sleep quality, sex, age and being sick listed. The present study sought to provide such data for the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. Participants were 431 individuals working in medium-sized public service units. Sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, scale 1-9) was rated at six times a day for a working week and 2 days off (>90.000 ratings). The results show a clear circadian pattern, with high values during the morning (4.5 at 07:00 hours) and evening (6.0 at 22:00 hours), and with low values (3-4) during the 10:00-16:00 hours span. Women had significantly higher (0.5 units) Karolinska Sleepiness Scale values than men, as did younger individuals (0.3 units), those with stress (1.3 units above the low-stress group) and those with poor sleep quality (1.0 units above those with qood sleep quality). Days off showed reduced sleepiness (0.7 units), while being sick listed was associated with an increased sleepiness (0.8 units). Multiple regression analysis of mean sleepiness during the working week yielded mean daytime stress, mean sleep quality, age, and sex as predictors (not sleep duration). Improved sleep quality accounted for the reduced sleepiness during days off, but reduced stress was a second factor. Similar results were obtained in a longitudinal mixed-model regression analysis across the 7 days of the week. The percentage of ratings at Karolinska Sleepiness Scale risk levels (8 + 9) was 6.6%, but most of these were obtained at 22:00 hours. It was concluded that sleepiness ratings are strongly associated with time of day, sleep quality, stress, work day/day off, being ill, age, and sex. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

[Analysis of work-related fatigue characteristics and its influencing factors in scientific and technical personnel].

PubMed

Yang, Ting; Zhou, Dinglun; Song, Mingying; Lan, Yajia

2015-02-01

To investigate the current status and characteristics of work-related fatigue among scientific and technical personnel and its associated factors, and to provide a scientific basis for further interventions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the staff from a single scientific institution, using a self-administered questionnaire. Basic information of participants, Fatigue Scale-14, and Job Content Questionnaire were collected. The prevalence of work-related fatigue among the scientific and technical personnel was 54.6%; work-related fatigue was positively correlated with occupational stress (rs = 0.384, P < 0.05). Significant differences in the scores, proportions, and types of fatigue were found between different types of occupational stress. The associated factors of work-related fatigue included occupational stress profiles, social support, and educational status. A higher risk of work-related fatigue was found in the staff under high stress, compared with those under low stress (OR = 8.5, 95%CI = 3.9∼18.7). Social support served as a protective factor for work-related fatigue, while a higher level of education was correlated with more severe work-related fatigue. Work-related fatigue is common and serious among scientific and technical personnel, especially in those under high stress. Effective interventions according to occupational stress are of great importance to reduce work-related fatigue.

Behind the Brotherhood: Rewards and Challenges for Wives of Firefighters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regehr, Cheryl; Dimitropoulos, Gina; Bright, Elaine; George, Sharon; Henderson, Joscelyn

2005-01-01

Support of family is paramount to reducing the impact of highly stressful work on firefighters. Yet the degree of stress encountered by the family members, particularly spouses, resulting from ongoing job demands and exposure to traumatic situations is unclear. This qualitative study examined the effects of emergency service work on spouses of…

Exploring and reducing stress in young restaurant workers: results of a randomized field trial.

PubMed

Petree, Robyn D; Broome, Kirk M; Bennett, Joel B

2012-01-01

Young adult restaurant workers face the dual stressors of work adjustment and managing personal responsibilities. We assessed a new psychosocial/health promotion training designed to reduce these stressors in the context of restaurant work. DESIGN . A cluster-randomized trial of a training program, with surveys administered approximately 2 weeks before training and both 6 and 12 months after training. A national restaurant chain. A total of 947 restaurant workers in 28 restaurants. Personal stress, exposure to problem coworkers, and personal and job characteristics. Team Resilience (TR) is an interactive program for stress management, teamwork, and work-life balance. TR focuses on "five Cs" of resilience: compassion, commitment, centering, community, and confidence. ANALYSIS . Mixed-model (multilevel) analysis of covariances. Compared with workers in control stores, workers in TR-trained stores showed significant reductions over time in exposure to problem coworkers (F[2, 80.60]  =  4.48; p  =  .01) and in personal stress (F[2, 75.28]  =  6.12; p  =  .003). The TR program may help young workers who face the challenges of emerging adulthood and work-life balance.

Yoga and Teacher Stress: An Examination of a Workplace-Based Yoga Practice on the Perceived Stress of Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hester, Nichole North

2017-01-01

Teachers report five identified groupings of work related stressors cause their jobs to be stressful. Teacher stress has negative effects on teachers personally, professionally, and on the students they teach. Research has shown participation in yoga classes may reduce the negative effects of stress in many populations. This mixed methods study…

Finite element analysis of chip formation usingale method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaprakash, V.

2017-05-01

In recent times, many studies made in FEM on plain isotropic metal plate formulation. The stress analysis plays the significant role in the stability of structural safety and system. The stress and distortion estimation is very helpful for designing and manufacturing product well. Usually the residual stress and plastic strain determine the fatigue life of structure, it also plays the significant role in designing and choosing material. When the load magnitude increases the crack starts to form, decreasing the work load and the residual stress reduces the damage of the metal. The manufacturing process is a key parameter in process and forming the part of any system. However, machining operation involves complex thing like hot development, material property and other estimates based on transition of the plastic strain and residual stress. The reduction of residual stress plays the complexity role in the finite element study. This paper deals with the manufacturing process with less residual stress and strain. The results shows that, by applying the ALE method in machining we can reduce the load on the work piece hence the life type of the work piece can be increased. We also investigate the cutting tool wear and there efficiency since it is a essential machine member in fabrication technology. ABAQUS platform used to solve the machining operation

Perceived stress, disturbed sleep, and cognitive impairments in patients with work-related stress complaints: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Eskildsen, Anita; Fentz, Hanne Nørr; Andersen, Lars Peter; Pedersen, Anders Degn; Kristensen, Simon Bang; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2017-07-01

Patients on sick leave due to work-related stress often present with cognitive impairments as well as sleep disturbances. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the role of perceived stress and sleep disturbances in the longitudinal development in cognitive impairments in a group of patients with prolonged work-related stress (N = 60) during a period of 12 months following initial professional care-seeking. Objective cognitive impairments (neuropsychological tests) were measured on two occasions - at initial professional care-seeking and at 12-month follow-up. Questionnaires on perceived stress, sleep disturbances, and cognitive complaints were completed seven times during the 12 months which facilitated multilevel analysis with segregation of within-person (change) and between-person (baseline level) components of the time-varying predictors (perceived stress and sleep disturbances). Change in perceived stress was associated with concurrent and subsequent change in self-reported cognitive complaints over the period of 12 months and to a lesser extent the change in performance on neuropsychological tests of processing speed from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Change in sleep disturbances was also associated with concurrent and subsequent change in self-reported cognitive complaints over the 12 months but not with change on neuropsychological test performance. Although the mechanism behind the improvement in cognitive impairments in patients with work-related stress should be further explored in future studies, the results could suggest that improvement in cognitive impairments is partly mediated by decreasing levels of perceived stress and, to a lesser extent, decreasing levels of sleep disturbances. Lay summary This study examines the role of perceived stress and sleep disturbances in respect to the development of cognitive impairments (e.g. memory and concentration) in a group of patients with work-related stress. We found that change in cognitive impairments seems to be partly explained by change in perceived stress and, to a lesser extent, sleep disturbances over time. This could suggest that cognitive impairments can be reduced by stress management interventions which aim to reduce perceived stress and sleep disturbances but future studies are needed to confirm this interpretation.

The Role Communication Plays in Developing and Reducing Organizational Stress and Burnout.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Pamela R.; Indvik, Julie

1990-01-01

Surveys research on the connection between communication and stress, with particular application to the workplace. Reviews how message behaviors involving uncertainty, perceived control, and emotion can contribute to or ameliorate work stress and burnout. Discusses communication behaviors such as communication overload, participatory…

A web-based approach to managing stress and mood disorders in the workforce.

PubMed

Billings, Douglas W; Cook, Royer F; Hendrickson, April; Dove, David C

2008-08-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based multimedia health promotion program for the workplace, designed to help reduce stress and to prevent depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Using a randomized controlled trial design, 309 working adults were randomly assigned to the web-based condition or to a wait-list control condition. All participants were assessed on multiple self-reported outcomes at pretest and posttest. Relative to controls, the web-based group reduced their stress, increased their knowledge of depression and anxiety, developed more positive attitudes toward treatment, and adopted a more healthy approach to alcohol consumption. We found that a brief and easily adaptable web-based stress management program can simultaneously reduce worker stress and address stigmatized behavioral health problems by embedding this prevention material into a more positive stress management framework.

Job stress, recognition, job performance and intention to stay at work among Jordanian hospital nurses.

PubMed

AbuAlRub, Raeda Fawzi; Al-Zaru, Ibtisam Moawiah

2008-04-01

To investigate: (1) relationships between job stress, recognition of nurses' performance, job performance and intention to stay among hospital nurses; and (2) the buffering effect of recognition of staff performance on the 'stress-intention to stay at work' relationship. Workplace stress tremendously affects today's workforce. Recognition of nurses' performance needs further investigation to determine if it enhances the level of intention to stay at work and if it can buffer the negative effects of stress on nurses' intention to stay at work. The sample of the present study was a convenience one. It consisted of 206 Jordanian staff nurses who completed a structured questionnaire. The findings of the study indicated a direct and a buffering effect of recognition of nurses' performance on job stress and the level of intention to stay at work. The results of the study indicated the importance of recognition for outstanding performance as well as achievements. Implications for nursing management The results of this study support the need to focus on the implementation of recognition strategies in the workplace to reduce job stress and enhance retention.

Interventions: Employees' Perceptions of What Reduces Stress

PubMed Central

Boyd, Carolyn M.; Provis, Chris

2017-01-01

Objective To build upon research evaluating stress interventions, this qualitative study tests the framework of the extended Job Demands-Resources model to investigate employees' perceptions of the stress-reduction measures implemented at 13 Australian universities. Methods In a cross-sectional survey design, tenured and contract staff indicated whether their overall level of stress had changed during the previous three-four years, and, if so, they described the major causes. A total of 462 staff reported that their level of stress had decreased; the study examines commentary from 115 academic and 304 nonacademic staff who provided details of what they perceived to be effective in reducing stress. Results Thematic analyses show that the key perceived causes were changes in job or work role, new heads of departments or supervisors, and the use of organizational strategies to reduce or manage stress. A higher percentage of academic staff reported reduced stress due to using protective coping strategies or their increased recognition and/or success, whereas a higher percentage of nonacademic staff reported reduced stress due to increases in staffing resources and/or systems. Conclusion These results identify the importance of implementing multilevel strategies to enhance employees' well-being. Nonacademic staff, in particular, specified a variety of organizational stress-reduction interventions. PMID:29318146

Fight the Stress of Urban Education with the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creedon, Dennis W.

2011-01-01

Stress is a major health problem in urban neighborhoods, but integrating the arts into education can help children deal with stress. Stress reduces or eliminates a child's ability to learn by increasing the production of cortisol in the brain, while working in the arts has been shown to produce endorphin, which counteracts the effects of cortisol.…

Work site stress management: national survey results.

PubMed

Fielding, J E

1989-12-01

The National Survey of Work Site Health Promotion Activities established baseline data on the frequency of nine types of health promotion activity at private work sites with more than 50 employees in the United States. Stress management activities were provided at 26.6% of work sites. Types of activities at those work sites with some stress management activity included group counseling (58.5%), individual counseling (39.3%), follow-up counseling (25.9%), special events (11.5%), providing information about stress (80.7%), providing a place to relax (64.8%), and making organizational changes to reduce employee stress (81.2%). Frequency of activities varied by industry type and by region of the country. Incidence of most types of activities did not increase as work site size increased, although the likelihood of having any of these activities did increase with work site size. Stress management activities were more likely to be present at work sites with a medical staff or health educator. An increase in output, productivity, or quality was the most frequently cited benefit (46.5%). Negative effects were reported at 2.6% of the work sites. Other health promotion activities found at the work sites surveyed included smoking cessation (61.8%), treatment and control of high blood pressure (36.7%), and weight control (34.7%). Employee Assistance Programs were responsible for stress management at 62% of the work sites with an Employee Assistance Program.

[Work-related Stress and the Allostatic Load Index - A Systematic Review].

PubMed

Mauss, D; Li, J; Schmidt, B; Angerer, P; Jarczok, M N

2017-12-01

Work-related stress is a growing social challenge and has been associated with reduced employee health, well-being, and productivity. One tool to measure the stress-related wear and tear of the body is the Allostatic Load Index (ALI). This review summarizes recent evidence on the association between work-related stress and ALI in working adults. A systematic literature search following the PRISMA-Statement was conducted in 21 databases including Medline, PubPsych, MedPilot, and Cochrane Register. Publications addressing work related-stress and medical parameters using ALI were considered. Data on study population, analytic techniques, and results were tabulated. Methodological quality was evaluated using a standardized checklist. 9 articles were identified with a total of 3 532 employees from 5 countries reporting cross-sectional data from the years 2003-2013. Overall, 7 studies reported a positive and significant association between work-related stress and ALI, while 2 studies showed no or an insignificant association. Substantial heterogeneity was observed in methods applied and study quality. This systematic review provides evidence that work-related stress is associated with ALI in cross-sectional studies. This association needs to be demonstrated by future studies using longitudinal data on working populations. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The reduction of occupational stress among elderly lawyers: the creation of a functional niche.

PubMed

Meltzer, M W

1981-01-01

The question of how older lawyers function in the context of what is generally a high stress occupation is examined from data drawn from a random stratified sample of 130 members of the legal profession. It is shown that elderly lawyers are able to reduce work stress (largely deriving from volume, responsibility, clients, and trials) by control over the quantity and focus of their work, as well as through client selection. Elderly lawyers are able to create a relatively stress free work role, which is in fact a functional niche for them within the profession. The result is high job satisfaction and low rates of retirement among elderly practitioners. Two factors: work role compensation and work role autonomy, are isolated from the legal data and proposed as important variables in a general theory of retirement behavior.

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.

The effects of compensatory workplace exercises to reduce work-related stress and musculoskeletal pain1

PubMed Central

de Freitas-Swerts, Fabiana Cristina Taubert; Robazzi, Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: to assess the effect of a compensatory workplace exercise program on workers with the purpose of reducing work-related stress and musculoskeletal pain. METHOD: quasi-experimental research with quantitative analysis of the data, involving 30 administrative workers from a Higher Education Public Institution. For data collection, questionnaires were used to characterize the workers, as well as the Workplace Stress Scale and the Corlett Diagram. The research took place in three stages: first: pre-test with the application of the questionnaires to the subjects; second: Workplace Exercise taking place twice a week, for 15 minutes, during a period of 10 weeks; third: post-test in which the subjects answered the questionnaires again. For data analysis, the descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistics were used through the Wilcoxon Test. RESULTS: work-related stress was present in the assessed workers, but there was no statistically significant reduction in the scores after undergoing Workplace Exercise. However, there was a statistically significant pain reduction in the neck, cervical, upper, middle and lower back, right thigh, left leg, right ankle and feet. CONCLUSION: the Workplace Exercise promoted a significant pain reduction in the spine, but did not result in a significant reduction in the levels of work-related stress. PMID:25296147

Relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress among Japanese schoolteachers

PubMed Central

NAKADA, Akihiro; IWASAKI, Shinichi; KANCHIKA, Masaru; NAKAO, Takehisa; DEGUCHI, Yasuhiko; KONISHI, Akihito; ISHIMOTO, Hideyuki; INOUE, Koki

2016-01-01

Japanese teachers are mentally and physically burdened with various work stressors. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress including role problems among Japanese schoolteachers. This study included 1,006 teachers working in public schools in a Japanese city. The Japanese version of Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, and the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate occupational stress and three measures of social support. Subjects with SDS scores of more than 50 were categorized into the “depressive group.” We examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived individual level occupational stress using multiple logistic regression analyses. A total of 202 (20.1%) teachers belonged to the depressive group. We found that high role ambiguity, high role conflict, high quantitative workload, and low social support from family or friends were significantly related to depressive symptoms. To moderate role ambiguity and role conflict experienced by teachers, it is necessary to clarify the priority order of teachers’ work. Furthermore, it is necessary to reduce workload by focusing on the content of teachers’ work and the setting of education itself. Focusing on these elements will reduce teachers’ depressive symptoms. PMID:27021060

Thermally induced stresses in cross-ply composite tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyer, M. W.; Cooper, D. E.; Tompkins, S. S.

1986-01-01

An approximate solution for determining stresses in cross-ply composite tubes subjected to a circumferential temperature gradient is presented. The solution is based on the principle of complementary virtual work (PCVW) in conjunction with a Ritz approximation on the stress field and accounts for the temperature dependence of material properties. The PCVW method is compared with a planar elasticity solution using temperature-independent material properties and a Navier approach. The net effect of including temperature-dependent material properties is that the peak absolute values of the stresses are reduced. The dependence of the stresses on the circumferential location is also reduced in comparison with the case of temperature-independent properties.

Exogenous daytime melatonin modulates response of adolescent mice in a repeated unpredictable stress paradigm.

PubMed

Onaolapo, Adejoke Yetunde; Adebayo, Ajibola Nurudeen; Onaolapo, Olakunle James

2017-02-01

The immediate and short-term behavioural and physiological implications of exposure to stressful scenarios in the adolescent period are largely unknown; however, increases in occurrence of stress-related physiological and psychological disorders during puberty highlight the need to study substances that may modulate stress reactivity during a crucial stage of maturation. Seven groups of mice (12-15 g each) were administered distilled water (DW) (non-stressed and stressed controls), sertraline (10 mg/kg), diazepam (2 mg/kg) or one of three doses of melatonin (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg). Mice were exposed to 30 min of chronic mild stress (25 min of cage shaking, cage tilting, handling and 5 min of forced swimming in tepid warm water at 25 °C, in a random order) after administration of DW or drugs, daily for 21 days. Behavioural assessments were conducted on day 1 and day 21 (after which mice were sacrificed, blood taken for estimation of corticosterone levels and brain homogenates used for estimation of antioxidant activities). Administration of melatonin resulted in an increase in horizontal locomotion and self-grooming, while rearing showed a time-dependent increase, compared to non-stress and stress controls. Working memory improved with increasing doses of melatonin (compared to controls and diazepam); in comparison to setraline however, working memory decreased. A dose-related anxiolytic effect is seen when melatonin is compared to non-stressed and stressed controls. Melatonin administration reduced the systemic/oxidant response to repeated stress. Administration of melatonin in repeatedly stressed adolescent mice was associated with improved central excitation, enhancement of working memory, anxiolysis and reduced systemic response to stress.

Pull the plug on stress.

PubMed

Cryer, Bruce; McCraty, Rollin; Childre, Doc

2003-07-01

Stress is rampant, stress is growing, and stress hurts the bottom line. A 1999 study of 46,000 workers revealed that health care costs are 147% higher for those who are stressed or depressed, independent of other health issues. But what exactly is stress? It usually refers to our internal reaction to negative, threatening, or worrisome situations--a looming performance report, say, or interactions with a dismissive colleague. Accumulated over time, negative stress can depress you, burn you out, make you sick, or even kill you--because it's both an emotional and a physiological habit. Of course, many companies understand the negative impact of cumulative stress and offer programs to help employees counteract it. The problem is that employees in the greatest need of help often don't seek it. Since 1991, the authors have studied the physiological impact of stress on performance, at both the individual and organizational levels. Their goal largely has been to decode the underlying mechanics of stress. They've sought not only to understand how stress works on a person's mind, heart, and other bodily systems but also to discover the precise emotional, mental, and physiological levers that can counteract it. After working with more than 50,000 workers and managers in more than 100 organizations, the authors have found that learning to manage stress is easier than most people think. They have devised a scientifically based system of tools, techniques, and technologies that organizations can use to reduce employee stress and boost overall health and performance. In this article, they use the story of someone they call Nigel, a senior executive with whom they've worked, to describe how these techniques reduce stress in the real world.

Burnout Stress Syndrome in Child Protection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verstraete, Patricia A.

1994-01-01

Burnout stress syndrome is a complex concept reflecting a failure in both the individual's defense mechanism and in the work environment. Since child protection agencies cannot afford the costs of staff burnout, time and money spent by the organization to reduce employee stress is an investment in better service delivery. (TJQ)

Managing Time and Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffstutter, Sandra; Smith, Stuart C.

Chapter 14 of a revised volume on school leadership, this chapter offers many practical suggestions for managing time and reducing stress. The primary challenge is to unblock the route to effective time/stress management by recognizing unproductive values and attitudes (such as overreliance on the Protestant work ethic or the appearance of…

Occupational stress and coping strategies among emergency department nurses of China.

PubMed

Lu, Dong-Mei; Sun, Ning; Hong, Su; Fan, Yu-ying; Kong, Fan-ying; Li, Qiu-jie

2015-08-01

Emergency department(ED) nurses work in a rapidly changing environment with patients that have wide variety of conditions. Occupational stress in emergency department nurses is a common problem. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between coping strategies and occupational stress among ED nurses in China. A correlational, cross-sectional design was adopted. Two questionnaires were given to a random sample of 127 ED nurses registered at the Heilongjiang Nurses' Association. Data were collected from the nurses that worked in the ED of five general hospitals in Harbin China. Occupational stress and coping strategies were measured by two questionnaires. A multiple regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between stress and coping strategies. The stressors of ED nurses mainly come from the ED specialty of nursing (2.97±0.55), workload and time distribution (2.97±0.58). The mean score of positive coping strategies was 2.19±0.35, higher than the norm (1.78±0.52). The mean score of negative coping strategies was 1.20±0.61, lower than the norm (1.59±0.66), both had significant statistical difference (P<0.001). Too much documents work, criticism, instrument equipment shortage, night shift, rank of professional were the influence factors about occupational stress to positive coping styles. Too much documents work, and medical insurance for ED nurses were the influential factors on occupational stress to negative coping styles. This study identified several factors associated with occupational stress in ED nurses. These results could be used to guide nurse managers of ED nurses to reduce work stress. The managers could pay more attention to the ED nurse's coping strategies which can further influence their health state and quality of nursing care. Reducing occupational stress and enhancing coping strategies are vital not only for encouraging nurses but also for the future of nursing development. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The longitudinal relationship of work stress with peak expiratory flow: a cohort study.

PubMed

Loerbroks, Adrian; Karrasch, Stefan; Lunau, Thorsten

2017-10-01

Research has suggested that psychological stress is associated with reduced lung function and with the development of respiratory disease. Among the major potential sources of stress in adulthood are working conditions. We aimed to examine the relationship of work stress with lung function. We drew on 4-year prospective data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The analyzed sample comprised 2627 workers aged 50 years or older who were anamnestically free of respiratory disease. Work stress at baseline was operationalized by abbreviated instruments measuring the well-established effort-reward imbalance model (seven items) and the control component of the job-demand control (two items). Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was determined at baseline and at follow-up. Continuous and categorized (i.e., by the tertile) work stress variables were employed in multivariable linear regression models to predict PEF change. Work stress did not show statistically significant associations with PEF change. For instance, the unstandardized regression coefficient for PEF decline according to high versus low effort-reward imbalance was -1.41 (95% confidence interval = -3.75, 0.94). Our study is the first to examine prospective relationships between work stress and PEF. Overall, we did not observe meaningful associations. Future studies should consider a broader spectrum of spirometric parameters and should expand research to younger and possibly less-selected working populations (i.e., aged <50 years).

Factors associated with intern fatigue.

PubMed

Friesen, Lindsay D; Vidyarthi, Arpana R; Baron, Robert B; Katz, Patricia P

2008-12-01

Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences.

Stress Prevention@Work: a study protocol for the evaluation of a multifaceted integral stress prevention strategy to prevent employee stress in a healthcare organization: a cluster controlled trial.

PubMed

Hoek, Rianne J A; Havermans, Bo M; Houtman, Irene L D; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Heerkens, Yvonne F; Zijlstra-Vlasveld, Moniek C; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J; Boot, Cécile R L

2017-07-17

Adequate implementation of work-related stress management interventions can reduce or prevent work-related stress and sick leave in organizations. We developed a multifaceted integral stress-prevention strategy for organizations from several sectors that includes a digital platform and collaborative learning network. The digital platform contains a stepwise protocol to implement work-related stress-management interventions. It includes stress screeners, interventions and intervention providers to facilitate access to and the selection of matching work-related stress-management interventions. The collaborative learning network, including stakeholders from various organizations, plans meetings focussing on an exchange of experiences and good practices among organizations for the implementation of stress prevention measures. This paper describes the design of an integral stress-prevention strategy, Stress Prevention@Work, and the protocol for the evaluation of: 1) the effects of the strategy on perceived stress and work-related outcomes, and 2) the barriers and facilitators for implementation of the strategy. The effectiveness of Stress Prevention@Work will be evaluated in a cluster controlled trial, in a large healthcare organization in the Netherlands, at six and 12 months. An independent researcher will match teams on working conditions and size and allocate the teams to the intervention or control group. Teams in the intervention group will be offered Stress Prevention@Work. For each intervention team, one employee is responsible for applying the strategy within his/her team using the digital platform and visiting the collaborative learning network. Using a waiting list design, the control group will be given access to the strategy after 12 months. The primary outcome is the employees' perceived stress measured by the stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Secondary outcome measures are job demands, job resources and the number of preventive stress measures implemented at the team level. Alongside the trial, a process evaluation, including barriers and facilitators of the implementation of Stress Prevention@Work, will be conducted in one healthcare organisation. If Stress Prevention@Work is found to be effective in one healthcare organisation, further implementation on a broader scale might lead to increased productivity and decreased stress and sick leave in other organizations. Results are expected in 2018. NTR5527 . Registered 7 Dec 2015.

Work stress and health risk behavior.

PubMed

Siegrist, Johannes; Rödel, Andreas

2006-12-01

This contribution discusses current knowledge of associations between psychosocial stress at work and health risk behavior, in particular cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight, by reviewing findings from major studies in the field published between 1989 and 2006. Psychosocial stress at work is measured by the demand-control model and the effort-reward imbalance model. Health risk behavior was analyzed in the broader context of a health-related Western lifestyle with socially and economically patterned practices of consumption. Overall, the review, based on 46 studies, only modestly supports the hypothesis of a consistent association between work stress and health risk behavior. The relatively strongest relationships have been found with regard to heavy alcohol consumption among men, overweight, and the co-manifestation of several risks. Suggestions for further research are given, and the need to reduce stressful experience in the framework of worksite health promotion programs is emphasized.

Shift Work and Occupational Stress in Police Officers

PubMed Central

Ma, Claudia C.; Andrew, Michael E.; Fekedulegn, Desta; Gu, Ja K.; Hartley, Tara A.; Charles, Luenda E.; Violanti, John M.; Burchfiel, Cecil M.

2014-01-01

Background Shift work has been associated with occupational stress in health providers and in those working in some industrial companies. The association is not well established in the law enforcement workforce. Our objective was to examine the association between shift work and police work-related stress. Methods The number of stressful events that occurred in the previous month and year was obtained using the Spielberger Police Stress Survey among 365 police officers aged 27–66 years. Work hours were derived from daily payroll records. A dominant shift (day, afternoon, or night) was defined for each participant as the shift with the largest percentage of total time a participant worked (starting time from 4:00 AM to 11:59 AM, from 12 PM to 7:59 PM, and from 8:00 PM to 3:59 AM for day, afternoon, and night shift, respectively) in the previous month or year. Analysis of variance and covariance were used to examine the number of total and subscale (administrative/professional pressure, physical/psychological danger, or organizational support) stressful events across the shift. Results During the previous month and year, officers working the afternoon and night shifts reported more stressful events than day shift officers for total stress, administrative/professional pressure, and physical/psychological danger (p < 0.05). These differences were independent of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and police rank. The frequency of these stressful events did not differ significantly between officers working the afternoon and night shifts. Conclusion Non–day shift workers may be exposed to more stressful events in this cohort. Interventions to reduce or manage police stress that are tailored by shift may be considered. PMID:25830066

The effects of perceived stress and ways of coping in a sample of Portuguese health workers.

PubMed

Laranjeira, Carlos A

2012-06-01

The goal of this study is to clarify the association between perceived stress in work and the types of coping strategies used by Portuguese nurses. The healthcare work environment as a source of overwork and stress has been implicated in today's nursing shortage. Staff nurses play a pivotal role in creating work environments, but little is known about the nature of Portuguese nurses' work. A descriptive correlational design and a cross-sectional approach were used for this study. A total of 102 registered nurses, in three Portuguese hospitals, were selected. The Perceived Stress Scale and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire were used to measure job stress and coping strategies, respectively. High levels of stress were reported by 52·2% of respondents. The results showed that the main stressful factors for nurses are patient death and dying (32·8%), followed by emergency situations (22·8%) and low supportive relationships (18·0%). The most frequently used coping strategy was self-controlling, followed by planful problem-solving and seeking social support. Pearson's correlation tests indicated that the total score of the Perceived Stress Scale significantly negatively correlated with the subscales of the use of coping strategies of seeking social support, self-controlling, planful problem-solving, distancing and escape-avoidance, indicating that those who were more distressed showed lower levels in mentioned coping subscales. Stress in nursing can be best reduced through the application of the control cycle approach and risk assessment/risk management techniques. Stress management of nurses may improve their productivity and quality of life. A change in leadership styles from the managerial level and reallocation of personnel may help reduce job stress. It is important for clinical practitioners to understand theoretical research concerning human stress responses, appraisal and coping to apply knowledge in practice when dealing with a client who has experienced a crisis. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of Work-Related Stress on Work Ability Index among Iranian Workers.

PubMed

Gharibi, Vahid; Mokarami, Hamidreza; Taban, Abrahim; Yazdani Aval, Mohsen; Samimi, Kazem; Salesi, Mahmood

2016-03-01

Work Ability Index (WAI) is a well-known and valid self-report tool that has been widely used in various studies to identify and avoid early retirement and work-related disability. Nevertheless, very few studies have been carried out to evaluate work ability in Iran. We aimed to investigate the WAI and the effect of work-related stress on it among Iranian workers. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytic study was carried out among 449 workers from five working sectors in three big cities of Iran. Work ability and work-related stress were measured using the Persian version of WAI and the Persian version of Health and Safety Executive Stress Indicator Tool. More than a third of the workers surveyed (34.70%) did not have an appropriate level of work ability (WAI < 37). There was a significant correlation between subscales of work-related stress and the mean score of WAI. Furthermore, the variables of body mass index, sleep quality, exercise activity, job tenure, and three subscales of work-related stress including demands, supervisor support, and role were significant predictors of WAI. According to the results of this study, the interventional programs must be focused on improving supervisors support, eliminating ambiguity and conflicts in the role of workers in their job and organization, reducing job demands, improving sleep quality, and increasing exercise activity.

Water Replacement Schedules in Heat Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Londeree, Ben R.; and others

1969-01-01

Although early ingestion of cold water appears to lead to greater relief from heat stress during physical exertion than late ingestion, this difference is reduced toward the end of an hour's work in high heat and humidity. (CK)

A Qualitative Study of HR/OHS Stress Interventions in Australian Universities.

PubMed

Pignata, Silvia; Winefield, Anthony H; Boyd, Carolyn M; Provis, Chris

2018-01-09

To enhance the understanding of psychosocial factors and extend research on work stress interventions, we investigated the key human resource (HR)/occupational health and safety (OHS) stress interventions implemented at five Australian universities over a three-year period. Five senior HR Directors completed an online survey to identify the intervention strategies taken at their university in order to reduce stress and enhance employee well-being and morale. We also explored the types of individual-, organization-, and individual/organization-directed interventions that were implemented, and the strategies that were prioritized at each university. Across universities, the dominant interventions were strategies that aimed to balance the social exchange in the work contract between employee-organization with an emphasis on initiatives to: enhance training, career development and promotional opportunities; improve remuneration and recognition practices; and to enhance the fairness of organizational policies and procedures. Strategies to improve work-life balance were also prominent. The interventions implemented were predominantly proactive (primary) strategies focused at the organizational level and aimed at eliminating or reducing or altering work stressors. The findings contribute to the improved management of people at work by identifying university-specific HR/OHS initiatives, specifically leadership development and management skills programs which were identified as priorities at three universities.

A Qualitative Study of HR/OHS Stress Interventions in Australian Universities

PubMed Central

Winefield, Anthony H.; Boyd, Carolyn M.

2018-01-01

To enhance the understanding of psychosocial factors and extend research on work stress interventions, we investigated the key human resource (HR)/occupational health and safety (OHS) stress interventions implemented at five Australian universities over a three-year period. Five senior HR Directors completed an online survey to identify the intervention strategies taken at their university in order to reduce stress and enhance employee well-being and morale. We also explored the types of individual-, organization-, and individual/organization-directed interventions that were implemented, and the strategies that were prioritized at each university. Across universities, the dominant interventions were strategies that aimed to balance the social exchange in the work contract between employee-organization with an emphasis on initiatives to: enhance training, career development and promotional opportunities; improve remuneration and recognition practices; and to enhance the fairness of organizational policies and procedures. Strategies to improve work-life balance were also prominent. The interventions implemented were predominantly proactive (primary) strategies focused at the organizational level and aimed at eliminating or reducing or altering work stressors. The findings contribute to the improved management of people at work by identifying university-specific HR/OHS initiatives, specifically leadership development and management skills programs which were identified as priorities at three universities. PMID:29315278

Design of a randomized controlled trial on the effect on return to work with coaching plus light therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy for workers with work-related chronic stress.

PubMed

Schoutens, Antonius M C; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2016-07-19

Work-related chronic stress is a common problem among workers. The core complaint is that the employee feels exhausted, which has an effect on the well-being and functioning of the employee, and an impact on the employer and society. The employee's absence is costly due to lost productivity and medical expenses. The usual form of care for work-related chronic stress is coaching, using a cognitive-behavioural approach whose primary aim is to reduce symptoms and improve functioning. Light therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy are used for the treatment of several mental and physical disorders. The objective of this study is to determine whether coaching combined with light therapy plus pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is an effective treatment for reducing absenteeism, fatigue and stress, and improving quality of life compared to coaching alone. The randomized placebo-controlled trial consists of three arms. The population consists of 90 participants with work-related chronic stress complaints. The research groups are: (i) intervention group; (ii) placebo group; and (iii) control group. Participants in the intervention group will be treated with light therapy/pulsed electromagnetic field therapy for 12 weeks, twice a week for 40 min, and coaching (once a fortnight for 50 min). The placebo group receives the same treatment but with the light and pulsed electromagnetic field switched to placebo settings. The control group receives only coaching for 12 weeks, a course of six sessions, once a fortnight for 50 min. The primary outcome is the level of return to work. Secondary outcomes are fatigue, stress and quality of life. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 and 24 weeks after start of treatment. This study will provide information about the effectiveness of coaching and light therapy plus pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on return to work, and secondly on fatigue, stress and quality of life in people with work-related chronic stress. NTR4794 , registration date 18-sept-2014.

Myocardial mechanics, energetics, and hemodynamics during intraaortic balloon and transvalvular axial flow hemopump support with a bovine model of ischemic cardiac dysfunction.

PubMed

Marks, J D; Pantalos, G M; Long, J W; Kinoshita, M; Everett, S D; Olsen, D B

1999-01-01

Unlike the mechanisms of intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) support, the mechanisms by which transvalvular axial flow Hemopump (HP) support benefit dysfunctional myocardium are less clearly understood. To help elucidate these mechanisms, hemodynamic, metabolic, and mechanical indexes of left ventricular function were measured during conditions of control, ischemic dysfunction, IABP support, and HP support. A large animal (calf) model of left ventricular dysfunction was created with multiple coronary ligations. Peak intraventricular pressure increased with HP support and decreased with IABP support. Intramyocardial pressure (an indicator of intramyocardial stress), time rate of pressure change (an indicator of contractility), and left ventricular myocardial oxygen consumption decreased with IABP and HP support. Left ventricular work decreased with HP support and increased with IABP support. During HP support, indexes of wall stress, work, and contractility, all primary determinants of oxygen consumption, were reduced. During IABP support, indexes of wall stress and contractility were reduced and external work increased. These changes were attributed primarily to changes in ventricular preload, and geometry for HP support, and to a reduction in afterload for IABP support. These findings support the hypothesis that both HP and IABP support reduce intramyocardial stress development and the corresponding oxygen consumption, although via different mechanisms.

Do Health Promotion Behaviors Affect Levels of Job Satisfaction and Job Stress for Nurses in an Acute Care Hospital?

PubMed

Williams, Heather L; Costley, Teresa; Bellury, Lanell M; Moobed, Jasmine

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between nurse-reported health-promoting behaviors (HPBs), job stress, and job satisfaction in a hospital setting. Job stress and satisfaction are key components of the nursing work environment; however, evidence of the relationship between HPB and job stress and satisfaction is lacking. A cross-sectional, 144-item survey was administered to nurses working in an acute care, community hospital in the southeastern United States. Higher levels of HPB were associated with lower job stress and higher job satisfaction. Total HPB was associated with the competence subscale of job stress. Lower job stress was significantly associated with HPB subscales: spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. Nursing organizations can implement interventions that support HPB for nurses to reduce job stress and improve satisfaction.

Log in and breathe out: efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an online sleep training for teachers affected by work-related strain - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Insomnia and work-related stress often co-occur. Both are associated with personal distress and diminished general functioning, as well as substantial socio-economic costs due to, for example, reduced productivity at the work place and absenteeism. Insomnia complaints by people experiencing work-related stress are correlated with a deficient cognitive detachment from work. Diffuse boundaries between work and private life can additionally complicate the use of recreational activities that facilitate cognitive detachment. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is effective but rarely implemented. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia could potentially reduce this deficit given its demonstrated effectiveness. Less is known, however, about the efficacy of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in populations affected by high work stress. Thus, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a newly developed, guided online training which is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia and tailored to teachers affected by occupational stress. Methods/Design In a two-arm randomized controlled trial (N = 128), the effects of a guided online sleep training will be compared to a waitlist-control condition. German teachers with significant clinical insomnia complaints (Insomnia Severity Index ≥15) and work-related rumination (Irritation Scale, subscale Cognitive Irritation ≥15) will be included in the study. The primary outcome measure will be insomnia severity. Additionally, an economic evaluation from a societal perspective will be conducted. Data from the intention-to-treat sample will be analyzed two and six months after randomization. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate an online sleep training tailored to a specific population with work stress, that is, teachers. If this type of intervention is effective, it could reduce the paucity of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and augment the support for teachers in coping with their insomnia problems. Trial registration German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS): DRKS00004700 PMID:23759035

Work-related stress is associated with impaired neuropsychological test performance: a clinical cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Eskildsen, Anita; Andersen, Lars Peter; Pedersen, Anders Degn; Vandborg, Sanne Kjær; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2015-01-01

Patients on sick leave due to work-related stress often complain about impaired concentration and memory. However, it is undetermined how widespread these impairments are, and which cognitive domains are most long-term stress sensitive. Previous studies show inconsistent results and are difficult to synthesize. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether patients with work-related stress complaints have cognitive impairments compared to a matched control group without stress. Our secondary aim was to examine whether the level of self-reported perceived stress is associated with neuropsychological test performance. We used a broad neuropsychological test battery to assess 59 outpatients with work-related stress complaints (without major depression) and 59 healthy controls. We matched the patients and controls pairwise by sex, age and educational level. Compared to controls, patients generally showed mildly reduced performance across all the measured domains of the neuropsychological test battery. However, only three comparisons reached statistical significance (p < 0.05). Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were generally small to medium. The most pronounced differences between patients and controls were seen on tests of prospective memory, speed and complex working memory. There were no statistical significant associations between self-reported perceived stress level and neuropsychological test performance. In conclusion, we recommend that cognitive functions should be considered when evaluating patients with work-related stress complaints, especially when given advice regarding return to work. Since this study had a cross-sectional design, it is still uncertain whether the impairments are permanent. Further study is required to establish causal links between work-related stress and cognitive deficits.

Work stress and reduced health in young physicians: prospective evidence from Swiss residents.

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Klaghofer, Richard; Stamm, Martina; Siegrist, Johannes; Buddeberg, Claus

2008-10-01

Job stress, investigated by the effort-reward model in various working environments in different countries, has been widely reported, yet studies addressing physicians are lacking. The present study investigated the perceived job stress, its association with the amount of working hours, and its impact on young physicians' self-reported health and their satisfaction with life during residency. In a prospective study design, a cohort of Swiss medical school graduates was followed up, beginning in 2001. In their second and fourth years of residency, 433 physicians assessed their effort-reward imbalance, overcommitment, physical and mental well-being and satisfaction in life. Taking the longitudinal design into account, four categories of stressed residents were defined: (1) subjects not reporting high work stress at either measurement, (2) subjects reporting high work stress in the second but not in the fourth year of residency, (3) subjects with onset of high work stress in fourth year and (4) residents reporting high work stress at both measurements. All components of the perceived stress at work were significantly correlated with the amount of working hours, effort showing the highest correlation. While two-thirds of the participants do not report high work stress, assessed by the extrinsic part of the effort-reward imbalance model (the ratio between effort and reward) and 12% show a decrease of stress over time, there are 15% with an increase of stress over time, and 10% with persistently high stress experience. In terms of the intrinsic stress component (overcommitment), 71% show low values, 12% show a decrease, 9% an increase and 8% constantly high values. The groups with constant and increasing extrinsic and intrinsic stress experience exhibit significantly worse health and life satisfaction compared to the remaining groups, after controlling for gender and baseline health. Stress at work in young physicians, especially when being experienced over a longer period in postgraduate training, has to be a matter of concern because of its negative impact on health and life satisfaction and the risk of developing symptoms of burnout in the long run.

DefenseLink Feature: Travels with Gates

Science.gov Websites

who return from combat with post traumatic stress syndrome. FORT BLISS, Texas, May 1, 2008 - The Defense Department is working to reduce stress on the force and improve quality of life for the troops stress will no longer be seen as an obstacle to getting a government security clearance, Defense

Associations among self-perceived work and life stress, trouble sleeping, physical activity, and body weight among Canadian adults.

PubMed

Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

2017-03-01

We investigated the associations among self-perceived work and life stress, trouble sleeping, physical activity and body weight among Canadian adults, and tested whether trouble sleeping and physical activity moderated the relationship between work/life stress and body weight, and whether work/life stress and physical activity moderated the relationship between trouble sleeping and body weight. Data on 13,926 Canadian adults aged 20years and older were derived from the nationally representative 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey. After adjusting for age, sex, education level, household income, marital status and job insecurity, self-perceived work and life stress and trouble sleeping were associated with a higher BMI. The associations of work and life stress with higher BMI were independent of trouble sleeping and physical activity in addition to other covariates, while that of trouble sleeping and higher BMI was independent of work and life stress. Results further indicated that trouble sleeping among inactive participants was related to a higher BMI; however, this relationship was almost null for adults who self-reported being physically active for about 8h/week. These findings suggest that work and life stress are both associated with excess weight in adults, regardless of physical activity level, while the link of trouble sleeping with BMI varies by physical activity level. Future research is necessary to determine whether reducing work and life stress and improving sleep habits would benefit the prevention of weight gain and obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention in physical therapists.

PubMed

Lee, Byoung-Kwon; Seo, Dong-Kwon; Lee, Jang-Tae; Lee, A-Ram; Jeon, Ha-Neul; Han, Dong-Uk

2016-08-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to provide basic data for solutions to reduce the turnover rate of physical therapists. It should help create efficient personnel and organization management by exploring the impact of the work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention and analyzing the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A survey was conducted with 236 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas. For the analysis on the collected data, correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0 program and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. [Results] The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between turnover intention and work-related stress but a statistically significant negative correlation respectively between turnover intention and work environment. Work-related stress (β=0.415) had a significant positive impact on turnover intention and work environment (β=-0.387) had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. [Conclusion] To increase satisfaction level with the profession as well as the workplace for physical therapists, improvement of the work environment was the most necessary primary improvement.

Impact of work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention in physical therapists

PubMed Central

Lee, Byoung-kwon; Seo, Dong-kwon; Lee, Jang-Tae; Lee, A-Ram; Jeon, Ha-Neul; Han, Dong-Uk

2016-01-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to provide basic data for solutions to reduce the turnover rate of physical therapists. It should help create efficient personnel and organization management by exploring the impact of the work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention and analyzing the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A survey was conducted with 236 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas. For the analysis on the collected data, correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0 program and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. [Results] The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between turnover intention and work-related stress but a statistically significant negative correlation respectively between turnover intention and work environment. Work-related stress (β=0.415) had a significant positive impact on turnover intention and work environment (β=−0.387) had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. [Conclusion] To increase satisfaction level with the profession as well as the workplace for physical therapists, improvement of the work environment was the most necessary primary improvement. PMID:27630432

Psychosocial work stress, leisure time physical exercise and the risk of chronic pain in the neck/shoulders: Longitudinal data from the Norwegian HUNT Study.

PubMed

Fanavoll, Rannveig; Nilsen, Tom Ivar Lund; Holtermann, Andreas; Mork, Paul Jarle

2016-01-01

To prospectively investigate if the risk of chronic neck/shoulder pain is associated with work stress and job control, and to assess if physical exercise modifies these associations. The study population comprised 29 496 vocationally active women and men in the Norwegian Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT Study) without chronic pain at baseline in 1984-1986. Chronic neck/shoulder pain was assessed during a follow-up in 1995-1997. A generalized linear model (Poisson regression) was used to calculate adjusted relative risks (RRs). Work stress was dosedependently associated with the risk of neck/shoulder pain (ptrend < 0.001 in both sexes). The women and men who perceived their work as stressful "almost all the time" had multi-adjusted RRs = 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.47) and 1.71 (95% CI: 1.46-2), respectively, referencing those with no stressful work. Work stress interacted with sex (p < 0.001). Poor job control was not associated with the risk of neck/shoulder pain among the women (RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.92-1.19) nor the men (RR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.95-1.26). Combined analyses showed an inverse dose-dependent association between hours of physical exercise/week and the risk of neck/shoulder pain in the men with no stressful work (ptrend = 0.05) and among the men who perceived their work as "rarely stressful" (ptrend < 0.02). This effect was not statistically significant among the women or among men with more frequent exposure to work stress. Work stress is an independent predictor of chronic neck/shoulder pain and the effect is stronger in men than in women. Physical exercise does not substantially reduce the risk among the persons with frequent exposure to work stress. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Stress and burnout among healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore.

PubMed

Yang, Suyi; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2015-06-01

International literature suggests that the experience of high levels of stress by healthcare professionals has been associated with decreased work efficiency and high rates of staff turnover. The aims of this study are to identify the extent of stress and burnout experienced by healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore and to identify demographic characteristics and work situations associated with this stress and burnout. A total of 220 Singaporean mental health professionals completed a cross-sectional survey, which included measures of stress, burnout (exhaustion and disengagement), participants' demographic details, and working situation. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were used to examine between-group differences in the dependent variables (stress and burnout). Analyses revealed that healthcare professionals below the age of 25, those with less than five years experience, and those with the lowest annual income, reported the highest levels of stress and burnout. No significant differences were found with other demographic or work situation variables. Findings suggest that healthcare professionals working in a mental health setting in Singapore are experiencing relatively high levels of stress and burnout. It is important that clinicians, administrators and policy makers take proactive steps to develop programs aimed at reducing stress and burnout for healthcare professionals. These programs are likely to also increase the well-being and resilience of healthcare professionals and improve the quality of mental health services in Singapore. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Work and Organizational Interventions to Prevent Work-related Stress in Brindisi, Italy.

PubMed

d'Ettorre, Gabriele; Greco, Mariarita

2015-03-01

Organizational changes that involve healthcare hospital departments and care services of health districts, and ongoing technological innovations and developments in society increasingly expose healthcare workers (HCWs) to work-related stress (WRS). Minimizing occupational exposure to stress requires effective risk stress assessment and management programs. The authors conducted an integrated analysis of stress sentinel indicators, an integrated analysis of objective stress factors of occupational context and content areas, and an integrated analysis between nurses and physicians of hospital departments and care services of health districts in accordance with a multidimensional validated tool developed in Italy by the National Network for the Prevention of Work-Related Psychosocial Disorders. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to detect and analyze in different work settings the level of WRS resulting from organizational changes implemented by hospital healthcare departments and care services of health districts in a sample of their employees. The findings of the study showed that hospital HCWs seemed to incur a medium level risk of WRS that was principally the result of work context factors. The implementation of improvement interventions focused on team development, safety training programs, and adopting an ethics code for HCWs, and it effectively and significantly reduced the level of WRS risk in the workplace. In this study HCW resulted to be exposed to occupational stress factors susceptible to reduction. Stress management programs aimed to improve work context factors associated with occupational stress are required to minimize the impact of WRS on workers.

Stress ratings and health promotion practices among RNs: a case for action.

PubMed

Tucker, Sharon J; Weymiller, Audrey J; Cutshall, Susanne M; Rhudy, Lori M; Lohse, Christine M

2012-05-01

: The objective of this study was to investigate associations between RN perceptions of their stress levels, health-promoting behaviors, and associated demographic variables. : Stress and burnout are occupational hazards resulting in absenteeism, illness, and staff turnover, factors important to nurse administrators. Personal health behaviors among nurses have been linked to less stress and the delivery of health-promotion teaching. : An electronic survey with 2 standardized measures and demographic questions was completed by 2,247 staff nurses from a large Midwestern academic medical center. : Stress levels were inversely correlated with overall health-promoting behavior scores. Outside caregiver responsibilities were associated with higher stress and lower health-promoting behaviors scores. : Findings support work-site interventions that promote nurses' health and wellness, reduce work and home stress, and influence positive patient care and outcomes.

Acute and past subjective stress influence working memory and related neural substrates.

PubMed

Luettgau, Lennart; Schlagenhauf, Florian; Sjoerds, Zsuzsika

2018-05-28

Stress has been proposed to affect cognitive control capacities, including working memory (WM) maintenance. This effect may depend on variability in stress reactivity and past subjective stress. However, as most studies employed between-subjects designs, evidence for within-subject stress effects remains scarce. To understand the role of intra-individual stress effects on WM, we adopted a within-subject design to study how acute stress, variability in stress reactivity, and past subjective stress influence behavioral and neural WM mechanisms. Thirty-four healthy males performed a WM task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a control versus acute stress condition following the Trier Social Stress Test, a validated psychosocial stressor method. We tested for stress effects on WM performance and related neural activation by associating them with individual acute stress responsivity and past subjective stress experience using retrospective self-report questionnaires. We found no evidence of an effect of acute stress or related stress-reactivity on intra-individual WM performance. However, past subjective stress negatively influenced acute stress-induced changes to WM. On the neural level, acute stress reduced WM-related activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). The observed negative influence of inter-individual variability in past subjective stress experience on changes in WM performance, suggests that past subjective stress might induce vulnerability for impairing effects of acute stress on cognitive functioning. Because acute stress reduced WM-related dlPFC activation while WM performance remained unaffected, acute stress might boost neural processing efficiency in this group of high performing healthy individuals. Our study suggests that measures of past subjective stress should be considered when studying and interpreting the effects of acute stress on cognition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An intervention that reduces stress in people who combine work with informal care: randomized controlled trial results.

PubMed

Boezeman, Edwin J; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Sluiter, Judith K

2018-06-01

The aim of the research was to examine whether a role-focused self-help course intervention would decrease caregiver stress and distress, and functioning problems, among people who suffer stress because they combine paid work with informal care. A pre-registered (NTR 5528) randomized controlled design was applied (intervention vs. wait list control). Participants (n = 128) were people who had paid work and were suffering stress due to their involvement in informal care activities. Participants allocated to the intervention group (n = 65) received the role-focused self-help course. Control group members (n = 63) received this intervention after all measurements. Prior to the random allocation (pre-test), and 1 month (post-test 1) and 2 months (post-test 2) after allocation, all participants completed a questionnaire that measured their caregiver stress (primary outcome), distress, work functioning, negative care-to-work interference and negative care-to-social and personal life interference. Mixed model ANOVAs were used to test the effectiveness of the intervention. Two months after allocation, the intervention group participants had lower levels of caregiver stress and distress compared with the control group participants. The intervention did not directly resolve impaired work functioning or interference of care with work and social/personal life. The intervention decreases caregiver stress and distress in people who suffer stress because they combine paid work with informal caring. The intervention (Dutch version) can be downloaded at no cost from www.amc.nl/mantelzorgstress.

Avoid Workplace Injury through Ergonomics | Poster

Cancer.gov

Ergonomics is “the scientific study of people at work,” with the goal of reducing stress and eliminating injuries associated with overused muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that working ergonomically reduces muscle fatigue, increases

Factors Associated with Intern Fatigue

PubMed Central

Vidyarthi, Arpana R.; Baron, Robert B.; Katz, Patricia P.

2008-01-01

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. DESIGN Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. SUBJECTS Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. MEASUREMENTS Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. RESULTS Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. CONCLUSIONS Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences. PMID:18807096

Chronic work stress and decreased vagal tone impairs decision making and reaction time in jockeys.

PubMed

Landolt, Kathleen; Maruff, Paul; Horan, Ben; Kingsley, Michael; Kinsella, Glynda; O'Halloran, Paul D; Hale, Matthew W; Wright, Bradley J

2017-10-01

The inverse relationship between acute stress and decision-making is well documented, but few studies have investigated the impact of chronic stress. Jockeys work exhaustive schedules and have extremely dangerous occupations, with safe performance requiring quick reaction time and accurate decision-making. We used the effort reward imbalance (ERI) occupational stress model to assess the relationship of work stress with indices of stress physiology and decision-making and reaction time. Jockeys (N=32) completed computerised cognitive tasks (Cogstate) on two occasions; September and November (naturally occurring lower and higher stress periods), either side of an acute stress test. Higher ERI was correlated with the cortisol awakening responses (high stress r=-0.37; low stress r=0.36), and with decrements in decision-making comparable to having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 in the high stress period (p<0.001) The LF/HF ratio of heart rate variability impacted the association of ERI with decision-making. Potentially, this may be attributed to a 'tipping point' whereby the higher ERI reported by jockeys in the high stress period decreases vagal tone, which may contribute to reduced decision-making abilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of work-related stress in mainland Chinese nurses.

PubMed

Zeng, Yingchun

2009-03-01

The aim of this review was to identify the specific work-related stressors of mainland Chinese nurses and to present the current state of stress research in order to discuss directions for further research. A literature search from January 2000 to June 2007 was conducted among three electronic databases. The specific stressors among Chinese nurses were effort-reward imbalance, the poor image of nursing in the community, and managerial issues. The studies were limited to either descriptive or correlation designs, a variety of stress scales were used to investigate the nurses' work-related stressors, and there were no published studies reporting stress management interventions for Chinese nurses. This review highlights that further stress research targeted to Chinese nurses needs more prospective and longitudinal studies and has to develop a consistent instrument to measure stressors. The priority issue is the initiation of stress management interventions to improve nurses' coping skills, while the long-term goal is to reduce the level of stress or eliminate the stressors through individual, organizational, and societal interventions.

[Occupational stress among female police officers].

PubMed

Bezerra, Claudia de Magalhães; Minayo, Maria Cecília de Souza; Constantino, Patrícia

2013-03-01

The scope of this study is occupational stress among female police officers in Rio de Janeiro. A qualitative approach was initially used (interviews, focal groups and observations) to establish their perceptions regarding gender differences in the performance of police work, the relationship between occupational stress and health issues and the strategies used to mitigate this type of stress. A total of 42 participants including female officers and staff and operational and health professionals were involved. The participants link stress to their daily work, cite a number of symptoms and show how family relationships are affected. Stress originates primarily from work management and organizational issues. Gender discrimination and harassment are also perceived as stressors. Psychic suffering is greater among officers in commanding roles, and operational activities are perceived as more stressful due to the risks involved. Physical exercise is seen as the most effective strategy to mitigate the consequences of stress. The conclusions drawn are that, there is a need for organizational and managerial change from the perspective of gender and investment in preventive measures that can reduce the consequences of stress within the Rio de Janeiro police force.

Noninvasive Assessment of Preload Reserve Enhances Risk Stratification of Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Kensuke; Onishi, Akira; Yamada, Hirotsugu; Kusunose, Kenya; Suto, Makiko; Hatani, Yutaka; Matsuzoe, Hiroki; Tatsumi, Kazuhiro; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Hirata, Ken-Ichi

2018-05-01

The leg-positive pressure maneuver can safely and noninvasively apply preload stress without increase in total body fluid volume. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preload stress could be useful for risk stratification of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. For this study, 120 consecutive patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction were prospectively recruited. The stroke work index was estimated as product of stroke volume index and mean blood pressure, and the E/e' ratio was calculated to estimate ventricular filling pressure. The echocardiographic parameters were obtained both at rest and during leg-positive pressure stress. During the median follow-up period of 20 months, 30 patients developed adverse cardiovascular events. During preload stress, stroke work index increased significantly (from 3280±1371 to 3857±1581 mm Hg·mL/m 2 ; P <0.001) along with minimal changes in ventricular filling pressure (E/e', from 16±10 to 17±9; P <0.05) in patients without cardiovascular events. However, patients with cardiovascular events showed impairment of Frank-Starling mechanism (stroke work index, from 2863±969 to 2903±1084 mm Hg·mL/m 2 ; P =0.70) and a serious increase in E/e' ratio (from 19±11 to 25±14; P <0.001). Both the patients without contractile reserve and those without diastolic reserve exhibited worse event-free survival than the others ( P <0.001). In a Cox proportional-hazards analysis, the changes in stroke work index (hazard ratio: 0.44 per 500 mm Hg·mL/m 2 increase; P =0.001) and in E/e' (hazard ratio: 2.58 per 5-U increase; P <0.001) were predictors of cardiovascular events. Contractile reserve and diastolic reserve during leg-positive pressure stress are important determinants of cardiovascular outcomes for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Effects of Yoga on Stress, Stress Adaption, and Heart Rate Variability Among Mental Health Professionals--A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lin, Shu-Ling; Huang, Ching-Ya; Shiu, Shau-Ping; Yeh, Shu-Hui

2015-08-01

Mental health professionals experiencing work-related stress may experience burn out, leading to a negative impact on their organization and patients. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of yoga classes on work-related stress, stress adaptation, and autonomic nerve activity among mental health professionals. A randomized controlled trial was used, which compared the outcomes between the experimental (e.g., yoga program) and the control groups (e.g., no yoga exercise) for 12 weeks. Work-related stress and stress adaptation were assessed before and after the program. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured at baseline, midpoint through the weekly yoga classes (6 weeks), and postintervention (after 12 weeks of yoga classes). The results showed that the mental health professionals in the yoga group experienced a significant reduction in work-related stress (t = -6.225, p < .001), and a significant enhancement of stress adaptation (t = 2.128, p = .042). Participants in the control group revealed no significant changes. Comparing the mean differences in pre- and posttest scores between yoga and control groups, we found the yoga group significantly decreased work-related stress (t = -3.216, p = .002), but there was no significant change in stress adaptation (p = .084). While controlling for the pretest scores of work-related stress, participants in yoga, but not the control group, revealed a significant increase in autonomic nerve activity at midpoint (6 weeks) test (t = -2.799, p = .007), and at posttest (12 weeks; t = -2.099, p = .040). Because mental health professionals experienced a reduction in work-related stress and an increase in autonomic nerve activity in a weekly yoga program for 12 weeks, clinicians, administrators, and educators should offer yoga classes as a strategy to help health professionals reduce their work-related stress and balance autonomic nerve activities. © 2015 The Authors. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing.

Health problems and stress in Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing employees.

PubMed

Padma, V; Anand, N N; Gurukul, S M G Swaminatha; Javid, S M A Syed Mohammed; Prasad, Arun; Arun, S

2015-04-01

Stress is high in software profession because of their nature of work, target, achievements, night shift, over work load. 1. To study the demographic profile of the employees. 2. To access the level of job stress and quality of life of the respondents. 3. To study in detail the health problems of the employees. All employees working in IT and BPO industry for more than two years were included into the study. A detailed questionnaire of around 1000 IT and BPO employees including their personal details, stress score by Holmes and Rahe to assess the level of stress and master health checkup profile were taken and the results were analysed. Around 56% had musculoskeletal symptoms. 22% had newly diagnosed hypertension,10% had diabetes, 36% had dyslipidemia, 54% had depression, anxiety and insomnia, 40% had obesity. The stress score was higher in employees who developed diabetes, hypertension and depression. Early diagnosis of stress induced health problems can be made out by stress scores, intense lifestyle modification, diet advice along with psychological counselling would reduce the incidence of health problems in IT sector and improve the quality of work force.

Health problems and stress in Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing employees

PubMed Central

Padma, V.; Anand, N. N.; Gurukul, S. M. G. Swaminatha; Javid, S. M. A. Syed Mohammed; Prasad, Arun; Arun, S.

2015-01-01

Stress is high in software profession because of their nature of work, target, achievements, night shift, over work load. 1. To study the demographic profile of the employees. 2. To access the level of job stress and quality of life of the respondents. 3. To study in detail the health problems of the employees. All employees working in IT and BPO industry for more than two years were included into the study. A detailed questionnaire of around 1000 IT and BPO employees including their personal details, stress score by Holmes and Rahe to assess the level of stress and master health checkup profile were taken and the results were analysed. Around 56% had musculoskeletal symptoms. 22% had newly diagnosed hypertension,10% had diabetes, 36% had dyslipidemia, 54% had depression, anxiety and insomnia, 40% had obesity. The stress score was higher in employees who developed diabetes, hypertension and depression. Early diagnosis of stress induced health problems can be made out by stress scores, intense lifestyle modification, diet advice along with psychological counselling would reduce the incidence of health problems in IT sector and improve the quality of work force. PMID:26015763

Psychosocial safety climate: a multilevel theory of work stress in the health and community service sector.

PubMed

Dollard, M F; McTernan, W

2011-12-01

Work stress is widely thought to be a significant problem in the health and community services sector. We reviewed evidence from a range of different data sources that confirms this belief. High levels of psychosocial risk factors, psychological health problems and workers compensation claims for stress are found in the sector. We propose a multilevel theoretical model of work stress to account for the results. Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) refers to a climate for psychological health and safety. It reflects the balance of concern by management about psychological health v. productivity. By extending the health erosion and motivational paths of the Job Demands-Resources model we propose that PSC within work organisations predicts work conditions and in turn psychological health and engagement. Over and above this, however, we expect that the external environment of the sector particularly government policies, driven by economic rationalist ideology, is increasing work pressure and exhaustion. These conditions are likely to lead to a reduced quality of service, errors and mistakes.

[Appraisal of occupational stress and its influential factors in nurses].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-wei; Wang, Zhi-ming; Wang, Mian-zhen; Lan, Ya-jia

2004-04-01

To assess the occupational stress and its influential factors in nurses. A test of occupational stress, its influential factors, work ability were carried out for 248 nurses and 319 controls with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) and work ability index (WAI). The scores of personal cope resource (131.266 +/- 17.176) and work ability index (32.581 +/- 3.158) in nurse group were significantly higher than those in control group (126.931 +/- 19.108, 31.840 +/- 4.069) (P < 0.05). The main occupational stressors scores (role insufficiency, role clash, and responsibility) in nurses were higher than those in controls (P < 0.05). The stress response of interpersonal relationship in nurses was also higher. The items of personal cope resource, such as recreation, self-care and social support of nurses were superior to those of controls (P < 0.05). Stress response was positively correlated with occupational role (r = 0.512, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with the personal cope resource (r = -0.475, P < 0.01). The primary influential factors of personal stress were recreation, social support, rational conduct, role insufficiency, role clash, responsibility, and poor work environment. To strengthen social support, to improve work condition for nurses, so as to reduce the occupational stress and to enhance the work ability of nurses are important task in occupational health field.

Dimensions of control as related to work organization, stress, and health.

PubMed

Aronsson, G

1989-01-01

The aim of this article is to examine how increased worker control-on the individual as well as on collective level-may be a means to reduce the risk of work environment-related stress and diseases. Control is also an important element in socialization processes and in work reform activities directed to a democratization of working life. The concept of control connects a number of research perspectives. It deals with the individual and the collective level, as well as the relationship between them, and it may be a bridge between a social psychological and a psychobiological perspective. In this article, the author considers the control concept primarily from a stress perspective, but also examines how production techniques, legislation, and management strategies create the structure of control at work.

Reducing Stress of Farm Men and Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keating, Norah C.

1987-01-01

Questioned 753 farm men and women to identify factors associated with stress in farm families. Results suggest that high mastery provides the best buffer against stress for both farm men and women. The task of family life educators is to help farm families augment their personal and social resources while managing high financial and work demands.…

Reducing Stress in Young Children's Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCracken, Janet Brown, Ed.

Few adults deliberately set out to cause children stress or to teach them how to deal with it, yet adults do just that with every word, action, and reaction. This book collects work in the field of human development on how adults can help children learn to cope with stress. Each of the 30 chapters previously appeared in "Young Children,"…

[Work-related behaviour and experience patterns and mental health: a study in psychotherapy trainees].

PubMed

Grundmann, Johanna; Sude, Kerstin; Löwe, Bernd; Wingenfeld, Katja

2013-03-01

In view of the fact that many reports have been published that emphasize the difficult conditions of the German psychotherapy training, the aim of this study was to investigate psychotherapy trainees´ work stress as well as work-related psychosocial risks and resources. Variables of interest were work-related behaviour and experience patterns (AVEM), effort-reward-imbalance, chronic stress and health-related quality of life. 321 participants completed an online survey. The distribution of work-related behaviour and experience patterns as well as the results regarding work overload and mental health are evidence of psychotherapy trainees' strain. AVEM-risk patterns are associated with effort-reward-imbalance, chronic stress and reduced mental health. These results clearly support claims for a modification of the psychotherapy training in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Shear stress reduces protease activated receptor-1 expression in human endothelial cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, K. T.; Eskin, S. G.; Patterson, C.; Runge, M. S.; McIntire, L. V.

2001-01-01

Shear stress has been shown to regulate several genes involved in the thrombotic and proliferative functions of endothelial cells. Thrombin receptor (protease-activated receptor-1: PAR-1) increases at sites of vascular injury, which suggests an important role for PAR-1 in vascular diseases. However, the effect of shear stress on PAR-1 expression has not been previously studied. This work investigates effects of shear stress on PAR-1 gene expression in both human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs). Cells were exposed to different shear stresses using a parallel plate flow system. Northern blot and flow cytometry analysis showed that shear stress down-regulated PAR-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in both HUVECs and HMECs but with different thresholds. Furthermore, shear-reduced PAR-1 mRNA was due to a decrease of transcription rate, not increased mRNA degradation. Postshear stress release of endothelin-1 in response to thrombin was reduced in HUVECs and HMECs. Moreover, inhibitors of potential signaling pathways applied during shear stress indicated mediation of the shear-decreased PAR-1 expression by protein kinases. In conclusion, shear stress exposure reduces PAR-1 gene expression in HMECs and HUVECs through a mechanism dependent in part on protein kinases, leading to altered endothelial cell functional responses to thrombin.

Herbal Extracts That Reduce Ocular Oxidative Stress May Enhance Attentive Performance in Humans.

PubMed

Cho, Hohyun; Kwon, Moonyoung; Jang, Hyojung; Lee, Jee-Bum; Yoon, Kyung Chul; Jun, Sung Chan

2016-01-01

We used herbal extracts in this study to investigate the effects of blue-light-induced oxidative stress on subjects' attentive performance, which is also associated with work performance. We employed an attention network test (ANT) to measure the subjects' work performance indirectly and used herbal extracts to reduce ocular oxidative stress. Thirty-two subjects participated in either an experimental group (wearing glasses containing herbal extracts) or a control group (wearing glasses without herbal extracts). During the ANT experiment, we collected electroencephalography (EEG) and electrooculography (EOG) data and measured button responses. In addition, electrocardiogram (ECG) data were collected before and after the experiments. The EOG results showed that the experimental group exhibited a reduced number of eye blinks per second during the experiment and faster button responses with a smaller variation than did the control group; this group also showed relatively more sustained tension in their ECG results. In the EEG analysis, the experimental group had significantly greater cognitive processing, with larger P300 and parietal 2-6 Hz activity, an orienting effect with neural processing of frontal area, high beta activity in the occipital area, and an alpha and beta recovery process after the button response. We concluded that reducing blue-light-induced oxidative stress with herbal extracts may be associated with reducing the number of eye blinks and enhancing attentive performance.

Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Stress Management Program to Reduce Work-Related Stress in a Medium-Sized Enterprise

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive workplace stress management program consisting of participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) and individual management. Methods A comprehensive workplace stress management program was conducted in a medium-sized enterprise. The baseline survey was conducted in September 2011, using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) and Worker’s Stress Response Inventory (WSRI). After implementing both organizational and individual level interventions, the follow up evaluation was conducted in November 2011. Results Most of the workers participated in the organizational level PAOT and made Team-based improvement plans. Based on the stress survey, 24 workers were interviewed by a researcher. After the organizational and individual level interventions, there was a reduction of several adverse psychosocial factors and stress responses. In the case of blue-collar workers, psychosocial factors such as the physical environment, job demands, organizational system, lack of rewards, and occupational climate were significantly improved; in the case of white-collar workers, the occupational climate was improved. Conclusions In light of these results, we concluded that the comprehensive stress management program was effective in reducing work-related stress in a short-term period. A persistent long-term follow up is necessary to determine whether the observed effects are maintained over time. Both team-based improvement activities and individual interviews have to be sustainable and complementary to each other under the long-term plan. PMID:24524591

Protocol: a multi-level intervention program to reduce stress in 9-1-1 telecommunicators.

PubMed

Meischke, Hendrika; Lilly, Michelle; Beaton, Randal; Calhoun, Rebecca; Tu, Ann; Stangenes, Scott; Painter, Ian; Revere, Debra; Baseman, Janet

2018-05-02

Nationwide, emergency response systems depend on 9-1-1 telecommunicators to prioritize, triage, and dispatch assistance to those in distress. 9-1-1 call center telecommunicators (TCs) are challenged by acute and chronic workplace stressors: tense interactions with citizen callers in crisis; overtime; shift-work; ever-changing technologies; and negative work culture, including co-worker conflict. This workforce is also subject to routine exposures to secondary traumatization while handling calls involving emergency situations and while making time urgent, high stake decisions over the phone. Our study aims to test the effectiveness of a multi-part intervention to reduce stress in 9-1-1 TCs through an online mindfulness training and a toolkit containing workplace stressor reduction resources. The study employs a randomized controlled trial design with three data collection points. The multi-part intervention includes an individual-level online mindfulness training and a call center-level organizational stress reduction toolkit. 160 TCs will be recruited from 9-1-1 call centers, complete a baseline survey at enrollment, and are randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. Intervention group participants will start a 7-week online mindfulness training developed in-house and tailored to 9-1-1 TCs and their call center environment; control participants will be "waitlisted" and start the training after the study period ends. Following the intervention group's completion of the mindfulness training, all participants complete a second survey. Next, the online toolkit with call-center wide stress reduction resources is made available to managers of all participating call centers. After 3 months, a third survey will be completed by all participants. The primary outcome is 9-1-1 TCs' self-reported symptoms of stress at three time points as measured by the C-SOSI (Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory). Secondary outcomes will include: perceptions of social work environment (measured by metrics of social support and network conflict); mindfulness; and perceptions of social work environment and mindfulness as mediators of stress reduction. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an online mindfulness training and call center-wide stress reduction toolkit in reducing self-reported stress in 9-1-1 TCs. The results of this study will add to the growing body of research on worksite stress reduction programs. ClinicalTrials.gov Registration Number: NCT02961621 Registered on November 7, 2016 (retrospectively registered).

Nature Contacts: Employee Wellness in Healthcare.

PubMed

Trau, Deborah; Keenan, Kimberly A; Goforth, Meggan; Large, Vernon

2016-04-01

This study was designed to ascertain the amount of outdoor, indoor, and indirect nature contact exposures hospital employees have in a workweek. Hospital employees have been found particularly vulnerable to work-related stress. Increasing the nature contact exposure for hospital employees can reduce perceived stress; stress-related health behaviors; and stress-related health outcomes from outdoor, indoor, and indirect exposures to nature. Staff on the fourth floor postsurgical unit of a large hospital (N = 42) were ask to participate in an employee questionnaire "nature contact questionnaire". This 16-item nature environment questionnaire measures the amount and types of nature contact exposures employees have during a workweek. Majority of employees reported few, if any, nature contact exposures, specifically in the area of outdoor nature contacts with limited indoor and indirect contacts. These results indicated that employees on the fourth floor postsurgical floor have limited ability to reduce stress through nature contact exposures which could impact their perceived levels of work stress and stress-related behaviors and health outcomes. Nature contact exposures are both a relatively easy and an inexpensive way to improve employee stress. These findings indicate limitations to employees' exposure to nature contacts. Healthcare environments would benefit from a concerted effort to provide increased outdoor, indoor, and indirect nature contact exposures for employees. © The Author(s) 2015.

Influence of stationary and non-stationary conditions on drying time and mechanical properties of a porcelain slab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammouda, Imen; Mihoubi, Daoued

2017-12-01

This work deals with a numerical study of the response of a porcelain slab when subjected to convective drying in stationary and non-stationary conditions. The used model describes heat, mass, and momentum transfers is applied to an unsaturated viscoelastic medium described by a Maxwell model. The numerical code allows us to determine the effect of the surrounding air temperature on drying kinetics and on mechanical stress intensities. Von Mises stresses are analysed in order to foresee an eventual damage that may occur during drying. Simulation results for several temperatures in the range of [30 °C, 90 °C] shows that for the temperature from 30 °C to 60 °C, Von Mises stresses are always lower than the yield strength. But above 70 °C, Von Mises stresses are higher than the ultimate strength, and consequently there is a risk of crack at the end of the constant drying rate period. The idea proposed in this work is to integrate a reducing temperature phase when the predicted Von Mises stress intensity exceeds the admissible stress. Simulation results shows that a non-stationary convective drying (90-60 °C) allows us to optimize costs and quality by reducing the drying time and maintaining Von Mises stress values under the admissible stress.

A numerical investigation into the influence of the properties of cobalt chrome cellular structures on the load transfer to the periprosthetic femur following total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Hazlehurst, Kevin Brian; Wang, Chang Jiang; Stanford, Mark

2014-04-01

Stress shielding of the periprosthetic femur following total hip arthroplasty is a problem that can promote the premature loosening of femoral stems. In order to reduce the need for revision surgery it is thought that more flexible implant designs need to be considered. In this work, the mechanical properties of laser melted square pore cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures have been incorporated into the design of a traditional monoblock femoral stem. The influence of incorporating the properties of cellular structures on the load transfer to the periprosthetic femur was investigated using a three dimensional finite element model. Eleven different stiffness configurations were investigated by using fully porous and functionally graded approaches. This investigation confirms that the periprosthetic stress values depend on the stiffness configuration of the stem. The numerical results showed that stress shielding is reduced in the periprosthetic Gruen zones when the mechanical properties of cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures are used. This work identifies that monoblock femoral stems manufactured using a laser melting process, which are designed for reduced stiffness, have the potential to contribute towards reducing stress shielding. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress reduction at the work-family interface: positive parenting and self-efficacy as mechanisms of change in Workplace Triple P.

PubMed

Hartung, Doreen; Hahlweg, Kurt

2011-01-01

Workplace Triple P (WPTP) is a group-based parenting skills training specifically designed to meet the needs of employed parents. Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the training's efficacy. This study examined possible mechanisms of change that account for the stress reduction effects of this parenting skills training at the work-family interface. It was hypothesized that reductions in dysfunctional parenting (DP) behavior and increases in parental self-efficacy would mediate the stress-reducing effects of WPTP. The mediator effects were analyzed in a German pre- and postcompleter sample (N = 97 parents; 74 mothers and 23 fathers; treatment condition: n = 42 parents; waitlist-control condition n = 55 parents). The results indicate that individual stress- (IS) level reductions were mediated by decreased levels of DP. In addition, changes in IS levels mediated the effects of the training on work-related stress. The discussion focuses on the importance of understanding mechanisms of change to effectively implement interventions at the work-family interface.

Effect of the clinical support nurse role on work-related stress for nurses on an inpatient pediatric oncology unit.

PubMed

Chang, Ann; Kicis, Jennifer; Sangha, Gurjit

2007-01-01

High patient acuity, heavy workload, and patient deaths can all contribute to work-related stress for pediatric oncology nurses. A new leadership role, the clinical support nurse (CSN), was recently initiated on the oncology unit of a large Canadian pediatric hospital to support frontline staff and reduce some of the stresses related to clinical activity. The CSN assists nurses with complex patient care procedures, provides hands-on education at the bedside, and supports staff in managing challenging family situations. This study explores the effect of the CSN role on the nurses' work-related stress using the Stressor Scale for Pediatric Oncology Nurses. A total of 58 nurses participated in this study for a response rate of 86%. The results show that the intensity of work-related stress experienced by nurses in this study is significantly less (P < .001) on shifts staffed with a CSN compared with shifts without a CSN.

Effectiveness of a workplace-based intervention program to promote mental health among employees in privately owned enterprises in China.

PubMed

Sun, Jing; Buys, Nicholas; Wang, Xinchao

2013-12-01

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a workplace-based intervention program to improve mental health, work ability, and work productivity in privately owned enterprises in China. A prospective cohort intervention study design was employed in which the intervention program was implemented for 30 months (from July 2009 to December 2012). Nine privately owned retail enterprises in China participated in the intervention study. Researchers administered a self-report survey to 2768 employees. The research team measured participants' job stress, resilience, work ability, absenteeism, depression, and work performance. A comprehensive Health Promotion Enterprise Program was implemented that entailed the following components: policies to support a healthy work environment, psychosocial interventions to promote mental health, provision of health services to people with mental illness, and professional skills training to deal with stress and build resilience. Analysis of variance was used to examine preintervention versus postintervention differences in stress, resilience, and work ability. Logistic regression was used to examine absenteeism related to depression. The results suggest that the intervention program was effective at improving participants' ability to work, their sense of control over their jobs, and, in particular, their ability to meet the mental demands of work. The intervention program also reduced participants' job stress levels and reduced the probability of absenteeism related to depression. The intervention programs incorporating both individual-level and organizational-level factors to promote mental health were effective and have implications for both practice and policy regarding enterprises taking more responsibility for the provision of mental health services to their employees.

Special wrench for B-nuts reduces torque stress in tubing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, J. A.

1970-01-01

Gear-driven torque wrench with bearing support is used to tighten B-nut connection of partially supported fluid line with minimum stress to adjacent tubing and fittings. Wrench is useful for working with weak or brittle lines such as glass tubing.

Stress and coping in Singaporean nurses: a literature review.

PubMed

Lim, Joanne; Bogossian, Fiona; Ahern, Kathy

2010-06-01

Stress is ubiquitous in the nursing profession and is also prevalent in Asian countries, particularly the "four tigers of Asia": Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. Based on the theoretical framework of Lazarus and Folkman (1984), the present review of the nursing literature aims to identify sources and effects of stress in Singaporean nurses and the coping strategies they use. Nurses reported major stressors including shortage of staff, high work demands and conflict at work. Common coping strategies included problem orientation, social support and relaxation techniques. Several studies reported nurses' intent to leave the profession. Recommendations to minimize the impact of stress include in-service programs to facilitate a problem-solving approach to resolving work-related issues such as conflict. Relaxation therapy and debriefing sessions may also help in reducing negative effects of work stressors. Finally, nurses' emotional coping can be enhanced by strengthening sources of social support, particularly from family.

Effect of the National Stress Check Program on mental health among workers in Japan: A 1-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Imamura, Kotaro; Asai, Yumi; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Inoue, Akiomi; Hiro, Hisanori; Odagiri, Yuko; Yoshikawa, Toru; Yoshikawa, Etsuko; Kawakami, Norito

2018-04-18

This retrospective cohort study evaluated the impact of the Stress Check Program, a recently introduced national policy and program aimed at reducing psychological distress among Japanese workers. A baseline survey was conducted from November 2015 to February 2016, the period when Japan began enforcing the Stress Check Program. A one-year follow-up survey was conducted in December 2016. In the follow-up survey, two exposure variables were collected: having taken the annual stress survey, and experiencing an improvement in the psychosocial work environment. Psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) at baseline and 1-year follow-up. The two exposure variables were used to define four groups: "Neither", "Stress survey (SS) only", "Psychosocial work environment improvement (WI) only", and "Both". BJSQ results were analyzed using repeated measures general linear modeling (GLM). The study included 2,492 participants: 1,342 in the "Neither" group, 1,009 in the "SS only" group, 76 in the "WI only" group, and 65 in the "Both" group. Overall time-group interaction effects were not significant. The "Both" group showed significantly greater improvements in psychological distress than the "Neither" group (p = 0.02) at the 1-year follow-up, although the effect size was small (d = -0.14). Combination of the annual stress survey and improvement in psychosocial work environment may have been effective in reducing psychological distress in workers, although the effect size was small.

Occupational stress, coping and mental health in Jamaican police officers.

PubMed

Nelson, K V; Smith, A P

2016-08-01

Police are exposed to a wide range of stressors and this is especially true in developing countries such as Jamaica. Exposure to psychosocial stressors and use of maladaptive coping styles can result in mental ill-health. To examine the relationship between work characteristics, coping and mental health in Jamaican police officers and to test whether work characteristics are indirectly associated with mental health outcomes through perceived job stress and job satisfaction. Police officers from the Jamaican police force completed a questionnaire using a cross-sectional design. We analysed the data using hierarchical regression. The study group consisted of 134 police officers; the response rate was 94%. Negative work characteristics, lower levels of positive work factors and work support and emotion-focused coping styles were associated with increased levels of depression (F(8, 125) = 7.465, P < 0.001). Subjective feelings of anxiety were positively associated with negative work characteristics and emotion-focused coping (F(8, 125) = 7.586, P < 0.001). The relationship between work characteristics and mental health outcomes was mediated by perceived stress. Job satisfaction mediated the relationship between positive work characteristics and depression. Stress management and intervention programmes should address modifiable work conditions, monitor stress levels and reduce maladaptive coping. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.

Acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeonkyeong; Ahn, Hyunmi; Miller, Arlene; Park, Chang Gi; Kim, Sun Jung

2012-01-01

The purposes of this study were to identify the relationships among acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea and to determine whether work-related psychosocial factors mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and depression. A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample of 200 Korean-Chinese full-time migrant workers was recruited, and 170 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Acculturative stress was assessed by Sandh and Asrabadi's Acculturative Stress Scale. Work-related psychosocial factors were assessed by job demand, insufficient job control and interpersonal conflict measures from the Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Self-administered or face-to-face surveys were conducted by trained data collectors. Multiple regression and path analysis were used. Roughly 30% of the sample met the criteria for depression. Female workers had significantly higher depression scores than male workers. Acculturative stress and work-related psychosocial factors significantly predicted 26.3% of the variance in depression. A path model revealed the mediating effect of job demand on the relationship between acculturative stress and depression. Our results indicate that work-related psychosocial factors are salient factors that lead to depression among Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea. The results suggest that occupational health-care professionals should promote the prevention and management of depression in this population and highlight the importance of acculturation context in the development of interventions designed to reduce work-related stress.

"Yes, I Can": the protective role of personal self-efficacy in hindering counterproductive work behavior under stressful conditions.

PubMed

Fida, Roberta; Paciello, Marinella; Tramontano, Carlo; Barbaranelli, Claudio; Farnese, Maria Luisa

2015-01-01

Within the stressor-emotion model, counterproductive work behavior (CWB) is considered a possible result of stress. It is well-known that self-efficacy mitigates the detrimental effects of stress and the stressor-strain relation. We aim to extend the stressor-emotion model of CWB by examining the additive and moderating role of work and regulatory emotional self-efficacy dimensions. A structural equation model and a set of hierarchical regressions were conducted on a convenience sample of 1147 Italian workers. Individuals who believed in their capabilities to manage work activities had a lower propensity to act counterproductively. Workers who believed in their capabilities to cope with negative feelings had a lower propensity to react with negative emotions under stressful conditions. Finally, results showed that self-efficacy moderates at least some of the relationships between stressors and negative emotions, and also between stressors and CWB, but did not moderate the relationship between negative emotions and these types of conduct. Self-efficacy beliefs proved to be a protective factor that can reduce the impact of stressful working conditions.

Stress amongst nurses working in a healthcare telephone-advice service: relationship with job satisfaction, intention to leave, sickness absence, and performance.

PubMed

Farquharson, Barbara; Allan, Julia; Johnston, Derek; Johnston, Marie; Choudhary, Carolyn; Jones, Martyn

2012-07-01

This paper is a report of a study, which assessed levels of stress amongst nurses working in a healthcare telephone-advice service. We explored whether stress related to performance, sickness absence, and intention to leave. Nurses report high levels of stress, as do call-centre workers. The emergence of telephone health advice services means many nurses now work in call-centres, doing work that differs markedly from traditional nursing roles. Stress associated with these roles could have implications for nurses, patients, and service provision. This paper reports cross-sectional survey results. The design of the overall study included longitudinal elements. A comprehensive study of stress was conducted amongst nurses working for a telephone-advice service in Scotland (2008-2010). All nurse-advisors were approached by letter and invited to participate. A total of 152 participants (33%) completed a questionnaire including General Health Questionnaire-12, Work Family Conflict Questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale and a measure of intention to leave the telephone-advice service and rated the perceived stress of 2 working shifts. Nurses' employers provided data on sickness absence and performance. Overall levels of psychological distress were similar to those found amongst Scottish women generally. In multiple regression, work-family conflict was identified as a significant predictor of job satisfaction and intention to leave, and significantly related to sickness absence. There were significant correlations between General Health Questionnaire scores and perceived stress of shifts and some performance measures. Work-family conflict is a significant predictor of job satisfaction, intention to leave, and sickness absence amongst telephone helpline nurses. Minimizing the impact of nurses' work on their home lives might reduce turnover and sickness absence. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Workplace Stress and Working from Home Influence Depressive Symptoms Among Employed Women with Young Children.

PubMed

Shepherd-Banigan, Megan; Bell, Janice F; Basu, Anirban; Booth-LaForce, Cathryn; Harris, Jeffrey R

2016-02-01

Poor balance between work and family can be a major stressor for women with young children and have a negative impact on emotional well-being. Family-friendly workplace attributes may reduce stress and depressive symptoms among this population. However, few studies have analyzed the role of specific workplace attributes on mental health outcomes among women with young children because available data are limited. This study examines the impact of workplace attributes on changes in depressive symptoms among working women with young children between 6 and 24 months of age. This study uses data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) collected between 1991 and 1993 to examine the effects of work intensity, work schedule (night/day/variable), schedule flexibility, working from home, and work stress on changes in depressive symptoms among a national US sample of 570 women who returned to work within 6 months after childbirth. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D score. Treatment effects were estimated using fixed effects regression models. Working from home and work stress predicted within-individual changes in depressive symptoms between 6 and 24 months postchildbirth. Women who worked from home reported a statistically significant decrease in depression scores over time (β = -1.36, SE = 0.51, p = 0.002). Women who reported a one-unit increase in job concerns experienced, on average, a 2-point increase in depression scores over time (β = 1.73, SE = 0.37, p < 0.01). Work intensity, work schedule, and schedule flexibility were not associated with changes in depressive symptoms. This study is one of the few to use longitudinal data and causal-inference techniques to examine whether specific workplace attributes influence depressive symptoms among women with young children. Reducing stress in the workplace and allowing women to work from home may improve mental health among women who transition back to work soon after childbirth.

[Chronic fatigue and strategies of coping with occupational stress in police officers].

PubMed

Stepka, Ewa; Basińska, Małgorzata Anna

2014-01-01

Work as one of the most important activities in human life is related to stressful and difficult situations. Police officers make one of the many occupational groups that are particularly threatened by contact with a number of stressors. Therefore, their strategies of coping with stress are particularly important, because they play an important role in their functioning at work. The nature of the service as well as shift work and psychological costs incurred by police officers contribute to the emergence of chronic fatigue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of chronic fatigue in police officers and its relationship with the strategies of coping with occupational stress. A group of 61 police officers was examined. The following research methods were used: 1) Latack Coping Scale examining stress coping strategies at work (positive thinking, direct action, avoidance/resignation, seeking help, alcohol or stimulants use); 2) Mood Assessment Questionnaire CIS-20R examining the level of chronic fatigue and its components (subjective feeling of fatigue, impaired attention and concentration, reduced motivation, reduced activity); 3) Personal questionnaire providing socio-demographic data. It was found that the level of chronic fatigue in the group of the examined police officers was high (sten 8th). The most often used strategies of coping with stress were direct action and positive thinking, and the least often used strategy was the use of alcohol and stimulants. A significant negative correlation between the general level of chronic fatigue and the avoidance/resignation strategy was found. The results indicate that chronic fatigue is a problem affecting police officers and it is related to the stress coping strategies used.

Spalling of a Thin Si Layer by Electrodeposit-Assisted Stripping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Youngim; Yang, Changyol; Yoon, Sang-Hwa; Um, Han-Don; Lee, Jung-Ho; Yoo, Bongyoung

2013-11-01

A major goal in solar cell research is to reduce the cost of the final module. Reducing the thickness of the crystalline silicon substrate to several tens of micrometers can reduce material costs. In this work, we describe the electrodeposition of a Ni-P alloy, which induces high stress in the silicon substrate at room temperature. The induced stress enables lift-off of the thin-film silicon substrate. After lift-off of the thin Si film, the mother substrate can be reused, reducing material costs. Moreover, the low-temperature process expected to be improved Si substrate quality.

Work-related stress in midlife is associated with higher number of mobility limitation in older age-results from the FLAME study.

PubMed

Kulmala, Jenni; Hinrichs, Timo; Törmäkangas, Timo; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; von Bonsdorff, Monika E; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Klockars, Matti; Seitsamo, Jorma; Ilmarinen, Juhani; Rantanen, Taina

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate whether work-related stress symptoms in midlife are associated with a number of mobility limitations during three decades from midlife to late life. Data for the study come from the Finnish Longitudinal Study of Municipal Employees (FLAME). The study includes a total of 5429 public sector employees aged 44-58 years at baseline who had information available on work-related stress symptoms in 1981 and 1985 and mobility limitation score during the subsequent 28-year follow-up. Four midlife work-related stress profiles were identified: negative reactions to work and depressiveness, perceived decrease in cognition, sleep disturbances, and somatic symptoms. People with a high number of stress symptoms in 1981 and 1985 were categorized as having constant stress. The number of self-reported mobility limitations was computed based on an eight-item list of mobility tasks presented to the participants in 1992, 1997, and 2009. Data were analyzed using joint Poisson regression models. The study showed that depending on the stress profile, persons suffering from constant stress in midlife had a higher risk of 30-70 % for having one more mobility limitation during the following 28 years compared to persons without stress after adjusting for mortality, several lifestyle factors, and chronic conditions. A less pronounced risk increase (20-40 %) was observed for persons with occasional symptoms. The study suggests that effective interventions aiming to reduce work-related stress should focus on both primary and secondary prevention.

75 FR 2067 - Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca S.A. Model Arriel 1B, 1D, and 1D1 Turboshaft Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... originated at the pinion teeth root due to increased vibratory stresses. This increase in vibratory stresses... reduce the level of vibratory stresses and improve tooth resistance, Turbom[eacute]ca modification... estimate that it would take about 6 work-hours per product to comply with this AD. The average labor rate...

Work life and mental wellbeing of single and non-single working mothers in Scandinavia.

PubMed

Bull, Torill; Mittelmark, Maurice B

2009-08-01

This study examined levels and predictors of mental wellbeing in Scandinavian working single and non-single mothers, with a special focus on financial stress, job characteristics and work-family conflict. The European Social Survey Round 2 (2005) provided questionnaire data from 73 single and 432 non-single working mothers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Respondents answered questions about the outcome variables life satisfaction, happiness, and positive affect, and predictor variables financial stress, job characteristics, work-family conflict, and social support. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess the relationships between predictor variables and mental wellbeing outcomes. Single working mothers scored significantly lower on life satisfaction and happiness, but not on positive affect, than did non-single mothers. Financial stress was higher in the single mother group. There were no significant differences in levels of enriching or stressful job characteristics, or in levels of social support. While financial stress and work-family conflict were important predictors in both groups, the relationship between financial stress and wellbeing was far stronger in the single mother group. Confidant support was a significant predictor only in the single mother group, and social participation only in the non-single mothers group. This study suggests that the Scandinavian welfare democracies have not yet been successful in relieving the financial pressure experienced by single working mothers. Development of efficient financial support systems should be prioritized. Ways to reduce work-family conflict in both single and non-single mothers in Scandinavia should also be given increased attention.

The relationship between job satisfaction, work stress, work-family conflict, and turnover intention among physicians in Guangdong, China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lu, Yong; Hu, Xiao-Min; Huang, Xiao-Liang; Zhuang, Xiao-Dong; Guo, Pi; Feng, Li-Fen; Hu, Wei; Chen, Long; Zou, Huachun; Hao, Yuan-Tao

2017-05-12

To investigate the relationship between job satisfaction, work stress, work-family conflict and turnover intention, and explore factors associated with turnover intention, among physicians in Guangdong Province, China. From August to October 2013, physicians completed questionnaires and scales with regard to their job satisfaction, work stress, work-family conflict, and turnover intention. Binary logistic regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used in data analysis. A total of 3963 physicians were approached, with 3563 completing the questionnaire. The mean score of the overall perception of turnover intention of physicians who worked in Guangdong was 2.71 on a scale ranging from 1 to 6. Hours worked per week, working in an urban/rural area, type of institution, and age significantly impacted on turnover intention. Turnover intention was directly and negatively related to job satisfaction, and it was directly, indirectly and positively related to work stress and work-family conflict. Job satisfaction, work stress, work-family conflict, hours worked per week, working in an urban/rural area, types of institution and age are influencing factors of turnover intention. Reducing working hours, raising salary, providing more opportunities for career development and training, supporting and encouraging physicians by senior managers could potentially contribute to the reduction in turnover intention. © 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.

Job-related resources and the pressures of working life.

PubMed

Schieman, Scott

2013-03-01

Data from a 2011 representative sample of Canadian workers are used to test the resource versus the stress of higher status hypotheses. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R), the resource hypothesis predicts that job-related resources reduce job pressure. The stress of higher status hypothesis predicts that job-related resources increase job pressure. Findings tend to favor the resource hypothesis for job autonomy and schedule control, while supporting the stress of higher status for job authority and challenging work. These findings help elaborate on the "resource" concept in the JD-R model and identify unique ways that such resources might contribute to the pressures of working life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health Benefits of Leisure. Research Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegenthaler, K. L.

1997-01-01

Research indicates that leisure participation enhances health at various levels, reducing stress and promoting better physical and mental health. Participation in personally meaningful leisure activities serves as a buffer to life's stressful events. Leisure professionals must work to promote leisure as a priority in people's lives. (SM)

Influence of gender, working field and psychosocial factors on the vulnerability for burnout in mental hospital staff: results of an Austrian cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Schadenhofer, Petra; Kundi, Michael; Abrahamian, Heidemarie; Stummer, Harald; Kautzky-Willer, Alexandra

2018-03-01

According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), hospitals represent a work environment with high job strain. Prolonged perceived occupational stress may result in symptoms of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). Understanding which factors may reduce vulnerability for burnout is an important requirement for well-targeted occupational stress prevention in mental hospital staff. To identify the influence of gender, age, working field, family structure, education, voluntarily occupational training during holidays and length of stay on job on occupational stress perception. In a cross-sectional design, 491 employees (311 female, 180 male) of an Austrian mental health centre participated in the study. The extent of perceived occupational stress was assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) with the scales for emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Participants were divided according to their working field in those working with/without patients. Prevalence of emotional exhaustion was higher in women working with patients compared to men working with patients (25% vs. 18%, p = 0.003). Age above 45 years was significantly associated with decreased vulnerability for burnout in men (EE p = 0.040, DP p = 0.010, PA p = 0.007), but not in women. A lower level of education had a significant impact on depersonalisation in both sexes (p = 0.001 for men, p = 0.048 for women). Length of stay on job showed a significant influence on emotional exhaustion. No significant relationship was found between family structure and vulnerability for burnout. Gender had a differential effect on perceived occupational stress indicating a need for gender-tailored preventive strategies. Age, working field, education, voluntarily occupational training during holidays and length of stay on job affect vulnerability for burnout in mental hospital staff. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

The relationship between job satisfaction, work stress, work–family conflict, and turnover intention among physicians in Guangdong, China: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Lu, Yong; Hu, Xiao-Min; Huang, Xiao-Liang; Zhuang, Xiao-Dong; Guo, Pi; Feng, Li-Fen; Hu, Wei; Chen, Long; Zou, Huachun; Hao, Yuan-Tao

2017-01-01

Objective To investigate the relationship between job satisfaction, work stress, work–family conflict and turnover intention, and explore factors associated with turnover intention, among physicians in Guangdong Province, China. Methods From August to October 2013, physicians completed questionnaires and scales with regard to their job satisfaction, work stress, work–family conflict, and turnover intention. Binary logistic regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used in data analysis. Results A total of 3963 physicians were approached, with 3563 completing the questionnaire. The mean score of the overall perception of turnover intention of physicians who worked in Guangdong was 2.71 on a scale ranging from 1 to 6. Hours worked per week, working in an urban/rural area, type of institution, and age significantly impacted on turnover intention. Turnover intention was directly and negatively related to job satisfaction, and it was directly, indirectly and positively related to work stress and work–family conflict. Conclusion Job satisfaction, work stress, work–family conflict, hours worked per week, working in an urban/rural area, types of institution and age are influencing factors of turnover intention. Reducing working hours, raising salary, providing more opportunities for career development and training, supporting and encouraging physicians by senior managers could potentially contribute to the reduction in turnover intention. PMID:28501813

Factors influencing work productivity and intent to stay in nursing.

PubMed

Letvak, Susan; Buck, Raymond

2008-01-01

The researchers document the individual and workplace characteristics associated with decreased work productivity and intent to stay in nursing for nurses employed in direct patient care in the hospital setting. Factors associated with decreased work productivity were age, total years worked as a RN, quality of care provided, job stress score, having had a job injury, and having a health problem. Nurse leaders must place additional efforts on changes needed to improve the hospital workplace environment to decrease job stress, improve RNs' ability to provide quality care, and to assure the health and safety of nurses. Reducing job stress and providing adequate staffing so quality of care can be provided will enhance job satisfaction which will also encourage RNs to stay at the bedside. Improved work environments may delay older RNs' retirement from the workforce.

Visual and psychological stress during computer work in healthy, young females-physiological responses.

PubMed

Mork, Randi; Falkenberg, Helle K; Fostervold, Knut Inge; Thorud, Hanne Mari S

2018-05-30

Among computer workers, visual complaints, and neck pain are highly prevalent. This study explores how occupational simulated stressors during computer work, like glare and psychosocial stress, affect physiological responses in young females with normal vision. The study was a within-subject laboratory experiment with a counterbalanced, repeated design. Forty-three females performed four 10-min computer-work sessions with different stress exposures: (1) minimal stress; (2) visual stress (direct glare); (3) psychological stress; and (4) combined visual and psychological stress. Muscle activity and muscle blood flow in trapezius, muscle blood flow in orbicularis oculi, heart rate, blood pressure, blink rate and postural angles were continuously recorded. Immediately after each computer-work session, fixation disparity was measured and a questionnaire regarding perceived workstation lighting and stress was completed. Exposure to direct glare resulted in increased trapezius muscle blood flow, increased blink rate, and forward bending of the head. Psychological stress induced a transient increase in trapezius muscle activity and a more forward-bent posture. Bending forward towards the computer screen was correlated with higher productivity (reading speed), indicating a concentration or stress response. Forward bent posture was also associated with changes in fixation disparity. Furthermore, during computer work per se, trapezius muscle activity and blood flow, orbicularis oculi muscle blood flow, and heart rate were increased compared to rest. Exposure to glare and psychological stress during computer work were shown to influence the trapezius muscle, posture, and blink rate in young, healthy females with normal binocular vision, but in different ways. Accordingly, both visual and psychological factors must be taken into account when optimizing computer workstations to reduce physiological responses that may cause excessive eyestrain and musculoskeletal load.

Occupational Heat Stress Profiles in Selected Workplaces in India.

PubMed

Venugopal, Vidhya; Chinnadurai, Jeremiah S; Lucas, Rebekah A I; Kjellstrom, Tord

2015-12-29

Health and productivity impacts from occupational heat stress have significant ramifications for the large workforce of India. This study profiled occupational heat stress impacts on the health and productivity of workers in select organized and unorganized Indian work sectors. During hotter and cooler seasons, Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGT) were used to quantify the risk of heat stress, according to International workplace guidelines. Questionnaires assessed workers' perceived health and productivity impacts from heat stress. A total of 442 workers from 18 Indian workplaces participated (22% and 78% from the organized and unorganized sector, respectively). Overall 82% and 42% of workers were exposed to higher than recommended WBGT during hotter and cooler periods, respectively. Workers with heavy workloads reported more heat-related health issues (chi square = 23.67, p ≤ 0.001) and reduced productivity (chi square = 15.82, p ≤ 0.001), especially the outdoor workers. Heat-rashes, dehydration, heat-syncope and urinogenital symptoms were self-reported health issues. Cited reasons for productivity losses were: extended-work hours due to fatigue/exhaustion, sickness/hospitalization and wages lost. Reducing workplace heat stress will benefit industries and workers via improving worker health and productivity. Adaptation and mitigation measures to tackle heat stress are imperative to protect the present and future workforce as climate change progresses.

Occupational Heat Stress Profiles in Selected Workplaces in India

PubMed Central

Venugopal, Vidhya; Chinnadurai, Jeremiah S.; Lucas, Rebekah A. I.; Kjellstrom, Tord

2015-01-01

Health and productivity impacts from occupational heat stress have significant ramifications for the large workforce of India. This study profiled occupational heat stress impacts on the health and productivity of workers in select organized and unorganized Indian work sectors. During hotter and cooler seasons, Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGT) were used to quantify the risk of heat stress, according to International workplace guidelines. Questionnaires assessed workers’ perceived health and productivity impacts from heat stress. A total of 442 workers from 18 Indian workplaces participated (22% and 78% from the organized and unorganized sector, respectively). Overall 82% and 42% of workers were exposed to higher than recommended WBGT during hotter and cooler periods, respectively. Workers with heavy workloads reported more heat-related health issues (chi square = 23.67, p ≤ 0.001) and reduced productivity (chi square = 15.82, p ≤ 0.001), especially the outdoor workers. Heat-rashes, dehydration, heat-syncope and urinogenital symptoms were self-reported health issues. Cited reasons for productivity losses were: extended-work hours due to fatigue/exhaustion, sickness/hospitalization and wages lost. Reducing workplace heat stress will benefit industries and workers via improving worker health and productivity. Adaptation and mitigation measures to tackle heat stress are imperative to protect the present and future workforce as climate change progresses. PMID:26729144

Evaluation of a Training Program to Reduce Stressful Trunk Postures in the Nursing Professions: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Kozak, Agnessa; Freitag, Sonja; Nienhaus, Albert

2017-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate metrologically the effectiveness of a training program on the reduction of stressful trunk postures in geriatric nursing professions. A training program, consisting of instruction on body postures in nursing, practical ergonomic work methods at the bedside or in the bathroom, reorganization of work equipment, and physical exercises, was conducted in 12 wards of 6 nursing homes in Germany. The Computer-Assisted Recording and Long-Term Analysis of Musculoskeletal Loads (CUELA) measurement system was used to evaluate all movements and trunk postures adopted during work before and 6 months after the training program. In total, 23 shifts were measured. All measurements were supported by video recordings. A specific software program (WIDAAN 2.75) was used to synchronize the measurement data and video footage. The median proportion of time spent in sagittal inclinations at an angle of >20° was significantly reduced (by 29%) 6 months after the intervention [from 35.4% interquartile range (27.6-43.1) to 25.3% (20.7-34.1); P < 0.001]. Very pronounced inclinations exceeding 60° [2.5% (1.1-4.6) to 1.0% (0.8-1.7); P = 0.002] and static inclinations of over 20° for >4 s [4.4% (3.0-6.7) to 3.6% (2.5-4.5); P < 0.001] were significantly reduced, by 60% and 22%, respectively. Video analysis showed that in 49% of care situations, ergonomic measures were implemented properly, either at the bedside or in the bathroom. Stressful trunk postures could be significantly reduced by raising awareness of the physical strains that frequently occur during a shift, by changes in work practices and by redesigning the work environment. Workplace interventions aimed at preventing or reducing low back pain in nursing personnel would probably benefit from sensitizing employees to their postures during work. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

A Review of Back Injury Cases Notified to the Ministry of Manpower from 2011 to 2012.

PubMed

Wong, Shiu Hong; Choy, Kenneth Ky

2015-07-01

In Singapore, the notification of workplace accidents and occupational diseases is a legal requirement under the Workplace Safety and Health (Incident Reporting) Regulations. This review is to identify back injury cases with physical work stresses and propose recommendations for preventive measures. Cases involving back injuries notified to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 were reviewed. Using predefined criteria, cases with physical work stresses were identified and the associated variables analysed. A total of 1124 notifications involving back injuries were received from 2011 to 2012; 579 cases (52%) were identified to have physical work stresses, of which 447 cases (77%) were males and 375 (64%) of them were between the ages of 21 to 40 years. The commonest physical work stresses were carrying (35%), awkward postures (22%) and lifting (20%). Majority of the cases came from the following sectors: construction (14%), accommodation and food services (12%), transport and storage (12%), manufacturing (10%) and wholesale and retail trade (10%). We identified the main physical work stresses in the back injury cases as carrying, awkward postures and lifting. The common industries involved were construction, accommodation and food services, and transport and storage sectors. This is useful for programmes aimed at reducing physical work stresses which can lead to improved work and health outcomes for our workers.

Chronic Stress Impairs Prefrontal Cortex-Dependent Response Inhibition and Spatial Working Memory

PubMed Central

Mika, Agnieszka; Mazur, Gabriel J.; Hoffman, Ann N.; Talboom, Joshua S.; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A.; Sanabria, Federico; Conrad, Cheryl D.

2012-01-01

Chronic stress leads to neurochemical and structural alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that correspond to deficits in PFC-mediated behaviors. The present study examined the effects of chronic restraint stress on response inhibition (using a response-withholding task, fixed-minimum interval schedule of reinforcement, or FMI), and working memory (using a radial arm water maze, RAWM). Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were first trained on the RAWM and subsequently trained on FMI. Following acquisition of FMI, rats were assigned to a restraint stress (6h/d/28d in wire mesh restrainers) or control condition. Immediately after chronic stress, rats were tested on FMI and subsequently on RAWM. FMI results suggest that chronic stress reduces response inhibition capacity and motivation to initiate the task on selective conditions when food reward was not obtained on the preceding trial. RAWM results suggest that chronic stress produces transient deficits in working memory without altering previously consolidated reference memory. Behavioral measures from FMI failed to correlate with metrics from RAWM except for one in which changes in FMI timing precision negatively correlated with changes in RAWM working memory errors for the controls, a finding that was not observed following chronic stress. Fisher’s r to z transformation revealed no significant differences between control and stress with correlation coefficients. These findings are the first to show that chronic stress impairs both response inhibition and working memory, two behaviors that have never been direct compared within the same animals following chronic stress, using FMI, an appetitive task, and RAWM, a non-appetitive task. PMID:22905921

Effect of aerobic fitness on the physiological stress responses at work.

PubMed

Ritvanen, Tiina; Louhevaara, Veikko; Helin, Pertti; Halonen, Toivo; Hänninen, Osmo

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of aerobic fitness on physiological stress responses experienced by teachers during working hours. Twenty-six healthy female and male teachers aged 33-62 years participated in the study. The ratings of perceived stress visual analogue scale (VAS), and the measurement of physiological responses (norepinephrine, epinephrine, cortisol, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and trapezius muscle activity by electromyography (EMG), were determined. Predicted maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2)max) was measured using the submaximal bicycle ergometer test. The predicted VO(2)max was standardized for age using residuals of linear regression analyses. Static EMG activity, HR and VAS were associated with aerobic fitness in teachers. The results suggest that a higher level of aerobic fitness may reduce muscle tension, HR and perceived work stress in teachers.

Relationship between occupational stress and depression among psychiatric nurses in Japan.

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Kaori; Sugawara, Norio; Yasui-Furukori, Norio; Danjo, Kazuma; Furukori, Hanako; Sato, Yasushi; Tomita, Tetsu; Fujii, Akira; Nakagam, Taku; Sasaki, Masahide; Nakamura, Kazuhiko

2016-01-01

Psychiatric nursing is a stressful area of nursing practice. The purpose of this study was to examine occupational stress among psychiatric nurses in Japan. In this cross-sectional study, 238 psychiatric nurses were recruited from 7 hospitals. Data regarding the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Health Practice Index (HPI) were obtained via self-report questionnaires. After adjusting for all the variables, CES-D scores were associated with job stress, but social support reduced the effect of stress on depression among psychiatric nurses. However, the interpretation of these results was hampered by the lack of data concerning important occupational factors, such as working position, personal income, and working hours. Further longitudinal investigation into the factors associated with depression may yield useful information for administrative and psychological interventions.

[Stress and Burnout Risk in Nursery School Teachers: Results from a Survey].

PubMed

Jungbauer, J; Ehlen, S

2015-06-01

This article presents results from a study of 834 nursery school teachers in Germany, investigating working conditions, stress, and stress-related health problems. In order to evaluate the extent of mental and psychosomatic troubles, as well as the risk of burnout, we used the standardised questionnaire "Burnout Screening Scales" (BOSS I). Data analysis yielded a high percentage of nursery school teachers who reported a remarkably high stress level; nearly 20% can be considered as a high-risk group for burnout. Poor staff conditions in many nurseries turned out to be the crucial stress source, along with large groups, insufficient teacher-child ratio, time pressure and multitasking. In the concluding discussion of the study results, we consider possible measures to reduce stress and to improve working conditions for nursery school teachers. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Effects of a father-based in-home intervention on perceived stress and family dynamics in parents of children with autism.

PubMed

Bendixen, Roxanna M; Elder, Jennifer H; Donaldson, Susan; Kairalla, John A; Valcante, Greg; Ferdig, Richard E

2011-01-01

Parents of children with autism report high rates of stress. Parental differences in stress are inconsistent, with most research indicating that mothers report higher levels of stress than fathers. We explored parental differences before and after an in-home training program. Fathers were taught an intervention designed to improve their child's social reciprocity and communication; they then trained mothers. Stress was assessed with the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, and family dynamics was assessed with the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II. Both mothers and fathers reported high preintervention levels of stress. After intervention, fathers' stress was reduced, but not significantly, possibly because of the variability in fathers' scores; mothers' stress scores were significantly reduced. Parenting styles were significantly different before and after intervention. Interdisciplinary teams, including occupational therapists, nurses, and special educators, can work.together to have a positive impact on the lives of families of children with autism.

Mindfulness, Authentic Functioning, and Work Engagement: A Growth Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leroy, Hannes; Anseel, Frederik; Dimitrova, Nicoletta G.; Sels, Luc

2013-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that mindfulness helps reduce symptoms of work stress but research has yet to clarify "whether" and "how" mindfulness is linked to work engagement. Using self-determination theory we hypothesize that mindfulness is positively related to work engagement and that this relationship can be better understood through…

Work-related discrimination and change in self-stigma among people with mental illness during supported employment.

PubMed

Rüsch, Nicolas; Nordt, Carlos; Kawohl, Wolfram; Brantschen, Elisabeth; Bärtsch, Bettina; Müller, Mario; Corrigan, Patrick W; Rössler, Wulf

2014-12-01

The relationship of work-related discrimination to the change in self-stigma and stigma stress was assessed among supported employment participants in Switzerland. Self-stigma and the cognitive appraisal of mental illness stigma as a stressor were measured at baseline among supported employment participants (N=116). These variables and work-related discrimination in the past year were assessed one year later (N=96). Compared with participants who did not find employment (N=30), those who worked without experiencing discrimination (N=25) had lower levels of self-stigma and stigma stress at one year. Among those who worked and reported work-related discrimination (N=38), these measures did not decrease significantly. Experiencing discrimination at work may determine whether employment has positive effects in terms of self-stigma and stigma stress among individuals with mental illness. Interventions to reduce discrimination in work settings and to improve coping resources of these individuals could augment the positive effects of supported employment.

Organizational Stress as Moderator of Relationship Between Mental Health Provider Adaptability and Organizational Commitment.

PubMed

Green, Amy E; Dishop, Christopher R; Aarons, Gregory A

2016-10-01

Community mental health providers often operate within stressful work environments and are at high risk of emotional exhaustion, which can negatively affect job performance and client satisfaction with services. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between organizational stress, provider adaptability, and organizational commitment. Variables were analyzed with moderated multilevel regression in a sample of 311 mental health providers from 49 community mental health programs. Stressful organizational climate, characterized by high levels of emotional exhaustion, role conflict, and role overload, was negatively related to organizational commitment. Organizational stress moderated the relationship between provider adaptability and organizational commitment, such that those who were more adaptable had greater levels of organizational commitment when organizational stress was low but were less committed than those who were less adaptable when organizational stress was high. Providers higher in adaptability may perceive their organization as a greater fit when the work environment is less stressful; however, highly adaptable providers may also exercise choice that manifests in lower commitment to staying in an overly stressful work environment. Service systems and organizational contexts are becoming increasingly demanding and stressful for direct mental health service providers. Therefore, community mental health organizations should assess and understand their organizational climate and intervene with empirically based organizational strategies when necessary to reduce stressful climates and maintain adaptable employees.

Work-related social support modulates effects of early life stress on limbic reactivity during stress.

PubMed

Leicht-Deobald, Ulrich; Bruch, Heike; Bönke, Luisa; Stevense, Amie; Fan, Yan; Bajbouj, Malek; Grimm, Simone

2017-12-15

Early life stress (ELS) affects stress- reactivity via limbic brain regions implicated such as hippocampus and amygdala. Social support is a major protective factor against ELS effects, while subjects with ELS experience reportedly perceive less of it in their daily life. The workplace, where most adults spend a substantial amount of time in their daily lives, might serve as a major resource for social support. Since previous data demonstrated that social support attenuates stress reactivity, we here used a psychosocial stress task to test the hypothesis that work-related social support modulates the effects of ELS. Results show decreased amygdala reactivity during stress in ELS subjects who report high levels of work- related social support, thereby indicating a signature for reduced stress reactivity. However, this effect was only observable on the neural, but not on the behavioral level, since social support had no buffering effect regarding the subjective experience of stress in daily life as well as regarding feelings of uncontrollability induced by the stress task. Accordingly, our data suggest that subjects with ELS experiences might benefit from interventions targeted at lowering their subjective stress levels by helping them to better perceive the availability of social support in their daily lives.

The HSE Management Standards Indicator Tool: concurrent and construct validity.

PubMed

Marcatto, F; Colautti, L; Larese Filon, F; Luis, O; Ferrante, D

2014-07-01

The Health & Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool (HSE-MS IT) is a questionnaire commonly used to assess work-related stress risks at an organizational level. A critical factor in determining whether this instrument is actually useful is that higher levels of stress risk in the work-design domains should predict higher levels of stress and stress-related outcomes in workers. Only a few studies, however, have addressed this issue. To test both the concurrent and construct validity of the HSE-MS IT, by relating it with another widely used instrument, the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and by examining its relationships with a set of work-related stress outcomes. An anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to a sample of employees in an Italian municipality. The questionnaire included the HSE-MS IT, self-reported measures of job satisfaction, job motivation and stress at work, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the reduced form of the JCQ. A total of 760 out of 779 employees completed the questionnaire. Results showed moderate to strong correlation among the corresponding HSE-MS IT and JCQ scales. Hierarchical regression highlighted the specific contribution of each of the HSE-MS IT scales in predicting three relevant work-related stress outcomes (self-reported stress, job satisfaction and job motivation), after controlling for gender, age and life satisfaction. Our findings consolidated the HSE-MS IT validity and showed the specific sensitivity of its scales to assess different aspects of work-related distress, including self-perception of stress at work. These results can have practical implications for the occupational well-being of employees. © 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.

Stress management for the radiologic technologist.

PubMed

Romano, Jeannine M

2012-01-01

Changes in technology in the radiology department and an emphasis on multitasking can lead to stress and burnout, along with the potential for medical errors. A shift in viewpoint and exercises in self-evaluation can help radiologic technologists learn to manage change in a positive manner. Learning to approach change through a series of transitions and positive steps can reduce stress at work and at home.

Testing and Evaluation of a Predeployment Stress Inoculation Training Program (PreSTINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

PreSTINT training to reduce the risk of PTSD and other psychological distress symptoms. Multivariate analyses assessed differences between experimental...the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other post-deployment psychological distress symptoms. Participants reported their stress...Employment or Research Opportunities Jessica Kelley Morgan, MS, a doctoral student in psychology , worked as an intern on this grant. During the last 16

The influence of perceived stress and musculoskeletal pain on work performance and work ability in Swedish health care workers.

PubMed

Lindegård, A; Larsman, P; Hadzibajramovic, E; Ahlborg, G

2014-05-01

To evaluate the influence of perceived stress and musculoskeletal ache/pain, separately and in combination, at baseline, on self-rated work ability and work performance at two-year follow-up. Survey data were collected with a 2-year interval. Health care workers participating at both waves were included. Inclusion criteria were good self-reported work ability and unchanged self-rated work performance at baseline, resulting in 770 participants; 617 women and 153 men. Musculoskeletal pain was assessed using the question "How often do you experience pain in joints and muscles, including the neck and low back?", perceived stress with a modified version of a single item from the QPS-Nordic questionnaire, work performance by the question "Have your work performance changed during the preceding 12 months?" and work ability by a single item from the work ability index. Associations between baseline data and the two outcomes at follow-up were analysed by means of the log binomial model and expressed as risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A combination of frequent musculoskeletal pain and perceived stress constituted the highest risk for reporting decreased work performance (RR 1.7; CI 1.28-2.32) and reduced work ability (RR 1.7; CI 1.27-2.30) at follow-up. Separately, frequent pain, but not stress, was clearly associated with both outcomes. The results imply that proactive workplace interventions in order to maintain high work performance and good work ability should include measures to promote musculoskeletal well-being for the employees and measures, both individual and organizational, to minimize the risk of persistent stress reactions.

Job stress: its relationship to hospital pharmacists' insomnia and work outcomes.

PubMed

Yeh, Ying-Chen; Lin, Blossom Yen-Ju; Lin, Wen-Hung; Wan, Thomas T H

2010-06-01

Research must examine the nature of the work environment in order to achieve insight into the causes and effects of factors relevant to reducing job-related stress and improving the quality of work. This study aims to describe the job stressors of hospital pharmacists and to explore their effects on hospital pharmacists' insomnia and work-related outcomes. The study employed a cross-sectional, mailed survey. Structured questionnaires were distributed by postal mail to hospital pharmacists between February and April 2005. The individual hospital pharmacist is the unit of analysis. Descriptive analyses and structural equation modeling were performed on the survey responses from the 247 hospital pharmacists who responded. The top ten stress burdens occur in the areas of dispensing, pharmacy management, and hospital rules. The study findings confirmed the proposed hypotheses: that a hospital pharmacist's job stressors are related to his or her insomnia, intention to reduce working hours, intention to change job content, and intention to quit employment. The study also found associations between hospital pharmacists' social supports, gender, age, and monthly income and their insomnia and work outcomes. Hygienic job stressors based on Herzberg's two-factor motivation theory were examined in this study. These stressors were verified to be related to hospital pharmacists' insomnia and work outcomes. Hospital administrators could consider ways to improve the influences on hospital pharmacists' health.

Longitudinal Associations between Maternal Work Stress, Negative Work-Family Spillover, and Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Goodman, W. Benjamin; Crouter, Ann C.

2009-01-01

The current study examined associations over an 18-month period between maternal work stressors, negative work-family spillover, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 414 employed mothers with young children living in six predominantly nonmetropolitan counties in the Eastern United States. Results from a one-group mediation model revealed that a less flexible work environment and greater work pressure predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms, and further, that these associations were mediated by perceptions of negative work-family spillover. Additionally, results from a two-group mediation model suggested that work pressure predicted greater perceptions of spillover only for mothers employed full-time. Findings suggest the need for policies that reduce levels of work stress and help mothers manage their work and family responsibilities. PMID:20161088

Longitudinal Associations between Maternal Work Stress, Negative Work-Family Spillover, and Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Goodman, W Benjamin; Crouter, Ann C

2009-07-01

The current study examined associations over an 18-month period between maternal work stressors, negative work-family spillover, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 414 employed mothers with young children living in six predominantly nonmetropolitan counties in the Eastern United States. Results from a one-group mediation model revealed that a less flexible work environment and greater work pressure predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms, and further, that these associations were mediated by perceptions of negative work-family spillover. Additionally, results from a two-group mediation model suggested that work pressure predicted greater perceptions of spillover only for mothers employed full-time. Findings suggest the need for policies that reduce levels of work stress and help mothers manage their work and family responsibilities.

Mindfulness as a Coping Mechanism for Employment Uncertainty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Sharona J.; Blustein, David L.

2008-01-01

Mindfulness-based stress interventions are well suited to reduce the anxiety of clients living with employment uncertainty. With the advent of globalization, increased job flux, and at-will employment policies, feelings of insecurity are becoming more prevalent, contributing to work-related stress (D. L. Blustein, 2006), which in turn is…

Correlations among Stress, Physical Activity and Nutrition: School Employee Health Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillan, Wynn; Naquin, Millie; Zannis, Marie; Bowers, Ashley; Brewer, Julie; Russell, Sarah

2013-01-01

Employee health promotion programs increase work productivity and effectively reduce employer costs related to health care and absenteeism, and enhance worker productivity. Components of an effective worksite health program include stress management, exercise and nutrition and/or weight management classes or counseling. Few studies have documented…

A study of relationship between job stress, quality of working life and turnover intention among hospital employees.

PubMed

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad; Ferlie, Ewan; Rosenberg, Duska

2011-11-01

Job stress is a serious threat to the quality of working life (QWL) of health-care employees and can cause hostility, aggression, absenteeism and turnover, as well as reduced productivity. In addition, job stress among employees affects the quality of health-care services. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relationships between job stress and QWL of employees, and their impact on turnover intention at Isfahan hospitals, Iran. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from hospital employees. Overall, 26% of employees graded their job stress high. The major sources of stress were inadequate pay, inequality at work, too much work, staff shortage, lack of recognition and promotion prospects, time pressure, lack of job security and lack of management support. An inverse relationship was found between job stress and QWL among hospital employees. The most important predictor of QWL was disturbance handling, followed by job proud, job security and job stress. Finally, while QWL was negatively associated with turnover intentions, job stress was positively related to employees' intention to quit. Since job stress has a strong correlation with employee QWL and turnover intention, it is very important to apply the right human resources policies to increase employees' QWL and decrease subsequent turnover. This study invites further research to explore, implement and evaluate intervention strategies for prevention of occupational stress and improvement in QWL.

A mindfulness training program based on brief practices (M-PBI) to reduce stress in the workplace: a randomised controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Arredondo, M; Sabaté, M; Valveny, N; Langa, M; Dosantos, R; Moreno, J; Botella, L

2017-01-01

Work stress is a major contributor to absenteeism and reduced work productivity. A randomised and controlled study in employee-volunteers (with Perceived Stress Scale [PSS-14]>22) was performed to assess a mindfulness program based on brief integrated mindfulness practices (M-PBI) with the aim of reducing stress in the workplace. The PSS-14 of the employees before and after 8-weeks M-PBI program, as well as after a 20-week follow-up, was assessed (primary endpoint). The employees also carried the following questionnaires (secondary endpoints): Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Experiences Questionnaire-Decentering (EQ-D), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was measured during each session in a subgroup of employees (n = 10) of the interventional group randomly selected. A total of 40 employees (77.5% female median [SD] age of 36.6 [5.6] years) took part in this study: 21 and 19 in the intervention and control group, respectively. No differences in baseline characteristics were encountered between the groups. Results show a significant decrease in stress and increase in mindfulness over time in the intervention group (PSS-14 and FFMQ; p < 0.05 both). Additionally, an improvement in decentering (EQ-D), self-compassion (SCS) and burnout (MBI-GS) were also observed compared to the control group (p < 0.05 in all). HRV measurement also showed an improvement. In conclusion, a brief practices, 8-weeks M-BIP program is an effective tool to quickly reduce stress and improve well-being in a workplace.

The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing the Adverse Effects of Childhood Stress and Trauma

PubMed Central

Ortiz, Robin; Sibinga, Erica M.

2017-01-01

Research suggests that many children are exposed to adverse experiences in childhood. Such adverse childhood exposures may result in stress and trauma, which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality into adulthood. In general populations and trauma-exposed adults, mindfulness interventions have demonstrated reduced depression and anxiety, reduced trauma-related symptoms, enhanced coping and mood, and improved quality of life. Studies in children and youth also demonstrate that mindfulness interventions improve mental, behavioral, and physical outcomes. Taken together, this research suggests that high-quality, structured mindfulness instruction may mitigate the negative effects of stress and trauma related to adverse childhood exposures, improving short- and long-term outcomes, and potentially reducing poor health outcomes in adulthood. Future work is needed to optimize implementation of youth-based mindfulness programs and to study long-term outcomes into adulthood. PMID:28264496

Eliciting Unstated Requirements at Scale

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-23

decide about food and snacks while working in my room 12 Attractive Furnishings put me in an energetic mood, enabling me to get more work done in my...me choices as I decide about food and snacks while working in my room 10 Good Room Service Selection keeps my stress level down and reduces

Acceptance and mindfulness-based stress management for support staff caring for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

McConachie, Douglas Alexander James; McKenzie, Karen; Morris, Paul Graham; Walley, Robert M

2014-06-01

Support staff working with individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and challenging behaviour experience high levels of work-related stress. Preliminary theoretical and experimental research has highlighted the potential suitability of acceptance and mindfulness approaches for addressing support staff stress. This study examines the effectiveness of an acceptance and mindfulness-based stress management workshop on the levels of psychological distress and well-being of support staff working with individuals with ID and challenging behaviour. Support staff (n=120) were randomly assigned to a workshop intervention condition (n=66) or to a waiting list control condition (n=54). Measurements were completed at three time points (pre-, post and 6 week follow-up) for: psychological distress, well-being, perceived work stressors, thought suppression, and emotional avoidance/psychological inflexibility. The intervention led to significantly greater reductions in distress in the intervention group than in the control group. This was largely maintained at 6 week follow-up. This effect was more pronounced amongst a subsample that had shown higher levels of psychological distress at baseline. Thought suppression was found to reduce significantly in the intervention group between post intervention and follow-up, although no significant change was found in well-being or experiential avoidance/psychological inflexibility. Overall, results demonstrated support for the effectiveness of an acceptance and mindfulness-based intervention in reducing distress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overexpression of an Arabidopsis heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein gene, AtRNP1, affects plant growth and reduces plant tolerance to drought and salt stresses

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

Wang, Zhenyu, E-mail: wzy72609@163.com; Zhao, Xiuyang, E-mail: xiuzh@psb.vib-ugent.be; Wang, Bing, E-mail: wangbing@ibcas.ac.cn

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) participate in diverse regulations of plant growth and environmental stress responses. In this work, an Arabidopsis hnRNP of unknown function, AtRNP1, was investigated. We found that AtRNP1 gene is highly expressed in rosette and cauline leaves, and slightly induced under drought, salt, osmotic and ABA stresses. AtRNP1 protein is localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm. We performed homologous overexpression of AtRNP1 and found that the transgenic plants showed shortened root length and plant height, and accelerated flowering. In addition, the transgenic plants also showed reduced tolerance to drought, salt, osmotic and ABA stresses. Further studiesmore » revealed that under both normal and stress conditions, the proline contents in the transgenic plants are markedly decreased, associated with reduced expression levels of a proline synthase gene and several stress-responsive genes. These results suggested that the overexpression of AtRNP1 negatively affects plant growth and abiotic stress tolerance. - Highlights: • AtRNP1 is a widely expressed gene and its expression is slightly induced under abiotic stresses. • AtRNP1 protein is localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm. • Overexpression of AtRNP1 affects plant growth. • Overexpression of AtRNP1 reduces plant tolerance to drought and salt stresses. • AtRNP1 overexpression plants show decreased proline accumulation and stress-responsive gene expressions.« less

Examining the sources of occupational stress in an emergency department.

PubMed

Basu, S; Yap, C; Mason, S

2016-12-01

Previous work has established that health care staff, in particular emergency department (ED) personnel, experience significant occupational stress but the underlying stressors have not been well quantified. Such data inform interventions that can reduce cases of occupational mental illness, burnout, staff turnover and early retirement associated with cumulative stress. To develop, implement and evaluate a questionnaire examining the origins of occupational stress in the ED. A questionnaire co-designed by an occupational health practitioner and ED management administered to nursing, medical and support staff in the ED of a large English teaching hospital in 2015. The questionnaire assessed participants' demographic characteristics and perceptions of stress across three dimensions (demand-control-support, effort-reward and organizational justice). Work-related stressors in ED staff were compared with those of an unmatched control group from the acute ear, nose and throat (ENT) and neurology directorate. A total of 104 (59%) ED staff returned questionnaires compared to 72 staff (67%) from the acute ENT/neurology directorate. The ED respondents indicated lower levels of job autonomy, management support and involvement in organizational change, but not work demand. High levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice were reported by both groups. Our findings suggest that internal ED interventions to improve workers' job control, increase support from management and involvement in organizational change may reduce work stress. The high levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice reported by both groups may indicate that wider interventions beyond the ED are also needed to address these issues. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stress Factors among Nurses at the Primary and Secondary Level of Public Sector Health Care: The Case of Slovenia.

PubMed

Starc, Jasmina

2018-02-15

Working in nursing is mentally and physically demanding and is one of the most stressful professions. To determine the basic causes of stress and examine the symptoms of stress among healthcare professionals at the primary and secondary level of health care. The research was based on the descriptive and causal non-experimental method of empirical research. The independent samples t-test was used. The survey results have shown that those employed in nursing are exposed to stressful situations on a daily basis, most often involving psychological or physical violence in the workplace (M = 4.2), dealing with death (M = 3.9), lack of personnel (M = 3.9) and a high frequency of patients (M = 3.8). The following stress factors cause women greater stress than they do men: relationships among co-workers (t = 2.745; p = 0.006), psychological or physical violence in the workplace (t = 3.492; p = 0.001), and working with difficult patients (t = 2.427; p = 0.017). To manage risks, employees and employers must work together and establish a suitable safety and organisational culture, which would enable them to manage and reduce stress.

[Appraisal of occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status groups].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-Wei; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Jin, Tai-Yi

2006-05-01

This study was conducted to assess occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status group. A test of occupational stress in different gender, age, work duration, educational level and marital status group, was carried out with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) for 4278 participants. The results of gender show that there are heavier occupational role, stronger interpersonal and physical strain in male than that in female, and the differences are statistically significant (P < 0.01). The score of recreation in the male is higher than that in female, but the score of self-care in the female is higher than that in male, and the differences are statistically significant (P < 0.01). Difference in the scores of occupational role, personal resource among various age groups is significant (P < 0.01). Vocational, interpersonal strain scores among various age groups is significant (P < 0.05). The results of educational level analyses suggest that the difference in the scores of occupational stress and strain among various educational levels show statistically significant (P < 0.05), whereas there are no statistic significance of coping resources among the groups (P > 0.05). The occupational stress so as to improve the work ability of different groups. Different measure should be taken to reduce the occupational stress so as to improve the work ability of different groups.

Stress in Spanish police force depending on occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift.

PubMed

Luceño-Moreno, Lourdes; García-Albuerne, Yolanda; Talavera-Velasco, Beatriz; Martín-García, Jesús

2016-11-01

In the police force, some variables such as occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift are associated with stress in workers. The aim of this paper was to determine possible differences in the perception of occupational stress at work depending on rank, sex, age and work-shift of police agents in the Community of Madrid, Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 24 municipalities of the Community of Madrid. A total number of 565 police agents participated. The ranks of the police agents were: constable, corporal, sergeant and police chief. Occupational stress (psychosocial risk factors at work) was assessed with the DECORE Questionnaire. All police agents perceived psychosocial risk factors adversely; especially agents of lesser rank perceived less control, fewer rewards and scarce support. There were significant differences in the perception of insufficient rewards between constables and other categories; and between constables and corporals in the perception of insufficient organisational support. No significant differences were found in the perception of psychosocial risk factors in relation to the rest of variables. The police rank should be taken into account for the development of preventive measures to reduce stress.

Stress and psychiatric disorder in healthcare professionals and hospital staff.

PubMed

Weinberg, A; Creed, F

2000-02-12

Previous studies of stress in healthcare staff have indicated a probable high prevalence of distress. Whether this distress can be attributed to the stressful nature of the work situation is not clear. No previous study has used a detailed interview method to ascertain the link between stress in and outside of work and anxiety and depressive disorders. Doctors, nurses, and administrative and ancillary staff were screened using the general health questionnaire (GHQ). High scorers (GHQ>4) and matched individuals with low GHQ scores were interviewed by means of the clinical interview schedule to ascertain definite anxiety and depressive disorders (cases). Cases and controls, matched for age, sex, and occupational group were interviewed with the life events and difficulties schedule classification and an objective measure of work stress to find out the amount of stress at work and outside of work. Sociodemographic and stress variables were entered into a logistic-regression analysis to find out the variables associated with anxiety and depressive disorders. 64 cases and 64 controls were matched. Cases and controls did not differ on demographic variables but cases were less likely to have a confidant (odds ratio 0.09 [95% CI 0.01-0.79]) and more likely to have had a previous episode of psychiatric disorder (3.07 [1.10-8.57]). Cases and controls worked similar hours and had similar responsibility but cases had a greater number of objective stressful situations both in and out of work (severe event or substantial difficulty in and out of work-45 cases vs 18 controls 6.05 [2.81-13.00], p<0.001; severe chronic difficulty outside of work-27 vs 8, 5.12 [2.09-12.46], p<0.001). Cases had significantly more objective work problems than controls (median 6 vs 4, z=3.81, p<0.001). The logistic-regression analyses indicated that even after the effects of personal vulnerability to psychiatric disorder and ongoing social stress outside of work had been taken into account, stressful situations at work contributed to anxiety and depressive disorders. Both stress at work and outside of work contribute to the anxiety and depressive disorders experienced by healthcare staff. Our findings suggest that the best way to decrease the prevalence of these disorders is individual treatment, which may focus on personal difficulties outside of work, combined with organisational attempts to reduce work stress. The latter may involve more assistance for staff who have a conflict between their managerial role and clinical role.

Inhibiting the Physiological Stress Effects of a Sustained Attention Task on Shoulder Muscle Activity.

PubMed

Wixted, Fiona; O'Riordan, Cliona; O'Sullivan, Leonard

2018-01-11

The objective of this study was to investigate if a breathing technique could counteract the effects of hyperventilation due to a sustained attention task on shoulder muscle activity. The trend towards higher levels of automation in industry is increasing. Consequently, manufacturing operators often monitor automated process for long periods of their work shift. Prolonged monitoring work requires sustained attention, which is a cognitive process that humans are typically poor at and find stressful. As sustained attention becomes an increasing requirement of manufacturing operators' job content, the resulting stress experienced could contribute to the onset of many health problems, including work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). The SART attention test was completed by a group of participants before and after a breathing intervention exercise. The effects of the abdominal breathing intervention on breathing rate, upper trapezius muscle activity and end-tidal CO₂ were evaluated. The breathing intervention reduced the moderation effect of end-tidal CO₂ on upper trapezius muscle activity. Abdominal breathing could be a useful technique in reducing the effects of sustained attention work on muscular activity. This research can be applied to highly-automated manufacturing industries, where prolonged monitoring of work is widespread and could, in its role as a stressor, be a potential contributor to WRMSDs.

The nature, characteristics and associations of care home staff stress and wellbeing: a national survey.

PubMed

Islam, Muhammad Saiful; Baker, Christine; Huxley, Peter; Russell, Ian T; Dennis, Michael S

2017-01-01

The majority of residents in care homes in the United Kingdom are living with dementia or significant memory problems. Caring in this setting can be difficult and stressful for care staff who work long hours, have little opportunity for training, are poorly paid and yet subject to high expectation. This may affect their mental and physical wellbeing, cause high rates of staff turnover and absenteeism, and affect the quality of care they provide. The main objective of this survey was to explore the nature, characteristics and associations of stress in care home staff. Staff working in a stratified random sample of care homes within Wales completed measures covering: general health and wellbeing (SF-12); stress (Work Stress Inventory); job content (Karasek Job Content); approach to, and experience of, working with people living with dementia (Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire; and Experience of Working with Dementia Patients); and Productivity and Health Status (SPS-6). Multiple linear regressions explored the effects of home and staff characteristics on carers. 212 staff from 72 care homes completed questionnaires. Staff from nursing homes experienced more work stress than those from residential homes (difference 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.10 to 0.51; P  < 0.01), and were more likely to report that their health reduced their ability to work (difference -4.77; CI -7.80 to -1.73; P  < 0.01). Psychological demands on nurses were higher than on other staff (difference = 1.57; CI 0.03 to 3.10; P  < 0.05). A positive approach to dementia was more evident in those trained in dementia care (difference 8.54; CI 2.31 to 14.76; P  < 0.01), and in staff working in local authority homes than in the private sector (difference 7.75; CI 2.56 to 12.94; P  < 0.01). Our study highlights the importance of dementia training in care homes, with a particular need in the private sector. An effective intervention to reduce stress in health and social care staff is required, especially in nursing and larger care homes, and for nursing staff. ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN80487202. Registered 24 July 2013.

Work-related stress in midlife and all-cause mortality: can sense of coherence modify this association?

PubMed

Nilsen, Charlotta; Andel, Ross; Fritzell, Johan; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2016-12-01

Survival reflects the accumulation of multiple influences experienced over the life course. Given the amount of time usually spent at work, the influence of work may be particularly important. We examined the association between work-related stress in midlife and subsequent mortality, investigating whether sense of coherence modified the association. Self-reported work-related stress was assessed in 1393 Swedish workers aged 42-65 who participated in the nationally representative Level of Living Survey in 1991. An established psychosocial job exposure matrix was applied to measure occupation-based stress. Sense of coherence was measured as meaningfulness, manageability and comprehensibility. Mortality data were collected from the Swedish National Cause of Death Register. Data were analyzed with hazard regression with Gompertz distributed baseline intensity. After adjustment for socioeconomic position, occupation-based high job strain was associated with higher mortality in the presence of a weak sense of coherence (HR, 3.15; 1.62-6.13), a result that was stronger in women (HR, 4.48; 1.64-12.26) than in men (HR, 2.90; 1.12-7.49). Self-reported passive jobs were associated with higher mortality in the presence of a weak sense of coherence in men (HR, 2.76; 1.16-6.59). The link between work stress and mortality was not significant in the presence of a strong sense of coherence, indicating that a strong sense of coherence buffered the negative effects of work-related stress on mortality. Modifications to work environments that reduce work-related stress may contribute to better health and longer lives, especially in combination with promoting a sense of coherence among workers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Design optimization of a radial functionally graded dental implant.

PubMed

Ichim, Paul I; Hu, Xiaozhi; Bazen, Jennifer J; Yi, Wei

2016-01-01

In this work, we use FEA to test the hypothesis that a low-modulus coating of a cylindrical zirconia dental implant would reduce the stresses in the peri-implant bone and we use design optimization and the rule of mixture to estimate the elastic modulus and the porosity of the coating that provides optimal stress shielding. We show that a low-modulus coating of a dental implant significantly reduces the maximum stresses in the peri-implant bone without affecting the average stresses thus creating a potentially favorable biomechanical environment. Our results suggest that a resilient coating is capable of reducing the maximum compressive and tensile stresses in the peri-implant bone by up to 50% and the average stresses in the peri-implant bone by up to 15%. We further show that a transitional gradient between the high-modulus core and the low-modulus coating is not necessary and for a considered zirconia/HA composite the optimal thickness of the coating is 100 µ with its optimal elastic at the lowest value considered of 45 GPa. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chronic stress impairs prefrontal cortex-dependent response inhibition and spatial working memory.

PubMed

Mika, Agnieszka; Mazur, Gabriel J; Hoffman, Ann N; Talboom, Joshua S; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A; Sanabria, Federico; Conrad, Cheryl D

2012-10-01

Chronic stress leads to neurochemical and structural alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that correspond to deficits in PFC-mediated behaviors. The present study examined the effects of chronic restraint stress on response inhibition (using a response-withholding task, the fixed-minimum interval schedule of reinforcement, or FMI), and working memory (using a radial arm water maze, RAWM). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were first trained on the RAWM and subsequently trained on FMI. After acquisition of FMI, rats were assigned to a restraint stress (6h/d/28d in wire mesh restrainers) or control condition. Immediately after chronic stress, rats were tested on FMI and subsequently on RAWM. FMI results suggest that chronic stress reduces response inhibition capacity and motivation to initiate the task on selective conditions when sucrose reward was not obtained on the preceding trial. RAWM results suggest that chronic stress produces transient deficits in working memory without altering previously consolidated reference memory. Behavioral measures from FMI failed to correlate with metrics from RAWM except for one in which changes in FMI timing imprecision negatively correlated with changes in RAWM working memory errors for the controls, a finding that was not observed following chronic stress. Fisher's r-to-z transformation revealed no significant differences between control and stress groups with correlation coefficients. These findings are the first to show that chronic stress impairs both response inhibition and working memory, two behaviors that have never been directly compared within the same animals after chronic stress, using FMI, an appetitive task, and RAWM, a nonappetitive task. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Avoid Workplace Injury through Ergonomics | Poster

Cancer.gov

Ergonomics is “the scientific study of people at work,” with the goal of reducing stress and eliminating injuries associated with overused muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that working ergonomically reduces muscle fatigue, increases productivity, and decreases the number and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs affect the muscles, nerves, and tendons, and are a leading cause of lost workdays due to injury or illness.

Can an Internal Locus of Control and Social Support Reduce Work-Related Levels of Stress and Strain?: A Comparative Study Between Spanish Owners and Managers.

PubMed

Ariza-Montes, Antonio; Leal-Rodríguez, Antonio L; Rodríguez-Félix, Lucía; Albort-Morant, Gema

2017-09-01

The aim of this article is to assess the role played by both individual and contextual factors in reducing the manager's levels of stress and strain within the workplace setting. This article also highlights the manager's locus of control (LOC) as an internal factor and emphasizes the social support variable as a contextual factor. We use a sample of 332 respondents belonging to Spanish manufacturing and services firms and a structural equation modeling technique (partial least squares path modeling). The results reveal that there are significant differences between managers and owners about stress-strain relationship. The study provides support for the literature on stress management, which emphasizes the importance of a LOC and social support in influencing stress and strain between managers and owners.

The effectiveness of mindfulness based programs in reducing stress experienced by nurses in adult hospital settings: a systematic review of quantitative evidence protocol.

PubMed

Botha, Elmarie; Gwin, Teri; Purpora, Christina

2015-10-01

The objective of this review is to identify the effectiveness of mindfulness based programs in reducing stress experienced by nurses in adult hospitalized patient care settings. Nursing professionals face extraordinary stressors in the medical environment. Many of these stressors have always been inherent to the profession: long work hours, dealing with pain, loss and emotional suffering, caring for dying patients and providing support to families. Recently nurses have been experiencing increased stress related to other factors such as staffing shortages, increasingly complex patients, corporate financial constraints and the increased need for knowledge of ever-changing technology. Stress affects high-level cognitive functions, specifically attention and memory, and this increases the already high stakes for nurses. Nurses are required to cope with very difficult situations that require accurate, timely decisions that affect human lives on a daily basis.Lapses in attention increase the risk of serious consequences such as medication errors, failure to recognize life-threatening signs and symptoms, and other essential patient safety issues. Research has also shown that the stress inherent to health care occupations can lead to depression, reduced job satisfaction, psychological distress and disruptions to personal relationships. These outcomes of stress are factors that create scenarios for risk of patient harm.There are three main effects of stress on nurses: burnout, depression and lateral violence. Burnout has been defined as a syndrome of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of low personal accomplishment, and the occurrence of burnout has been closely linked to perceived stress. Shimizu, Mizoue, Mishima and Nagata state that nurses experience considerable job stress which has been a major factor in the high rates of burnout that has been recorded among nurses. Zangaro and Soeken share this opinion and state that work related stress is largely contributing to the current nursing shortage. They report that work stress leads to a much higher turnover, especially during the first year after graduation, lowering retention rates in general.In a study conducted in Pennsylvania, researchers found that while 43% of the nurses who reported high levels of burnout indicated their intent to leave their current position, only 11% of nurses who were not burned out intended to leave in the following 12 months. In the same study patient-to-nurse ratios were significantly associated with emotional exhaustion and burnout. An increase of one patient per nurse assignment to a hospital's staffing level increased burnout by 23%.Depression can be defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Wang found that high levels of work stress were associated with higher risk of mood and anxiety disorders. In Canada one out of every 10 nurses have shown depressive symptoms; compared to the average of 5.1% of the nurses' counterparts who do not work in healthcare. High incidences of depression and depressive symptoms were also reported in studies among Chinese nurses (38%) and Taiwanese nurses (27.7%). In the Taiwanese study the occurrence of depression was significantly and positively correlated to job stress experienced by the nurses (p<0.001).In a multivariate logistic regression, Ohler, Kerr and Forbes also found that job stress was significantly correlated to depression in nurses. The researchers reported that nurses who experienced a higher degree of job stress were 80% more likely to have suffered a major depressive episode in the previous year. A further finding in this study revealed that 75% of the participants also suffered from at least one chronic disease revealing a strong association between depression and other major health issues.A stressful working environment, such as a hospital, could potentially lead to lateral violence among nurses. Lateral violence is a serious occupational health concern among nurses as evidenced by extensive research and literature available on the topic. The impact of lateral violence has been well studied and documented over the past three decades. Griffin and Clark state that lateral violence is a form of bullying grounded in the theoretical framework of the oppression theory. The bullying behaviors occur among members of an oppressed group as a result of feeling powerless and having a perceived lack of control in their workplace. Griffin identified the ten most common forms of lateral violence among nurses as "non-verbal innuendo, verbal affront, undermining activities, withholding information, sabotage, infighting, scape-goating, backstabbing, failure to respect privacy, and broken confidences". Nurse-to-nurse lateral violence leads to negative workplace relationships and disrupts team performance, creating an environment where poor patient outcomes, burnout and high staff turnover rates are prevalent.Work-related stressors have been indicated as a potential cause of lateral violence. According to the Effort Reward Imbalance model (ERI) developed by Siegrist, work stress develops when an imbalance exists between the effort individuals put into their jobs and the rewards they receive in return. The ERI model has been widely used in occupational health settings based on its predictive power for adverse health and well-being outcomes. The model claims that both high efforts with low rewards could lead to negative emotions in the exposed employees. Vegchel, van Jonge, de Bosma & Schaufeli state that, according to the ERI model, occupational rewards mostly consist of money, esteem and job security or career opportunities. A survey conducted by Reineck & Furino indicated that registered nurses had a very high regard for the intrinsic rewards of their profession but that they identified workplace relationships and stress issues as some of the most important contributors to their frustration and exhaustion. Hauge, Skogstad & Einarsen state that work-related stress further increases the potential for lateral violence as it creates a negative environment for both the target and the perpetrator.Mindfulness based programs have proven to be a promising intervention in reducing stress experienced by nurses. Mindfulness was originally defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 as "paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment to moment". The Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program is an educationally based program that focuses on training in the contemplative practice of mindfulness. It is an eight-week program where participants meet weekly for two-and-a-half hours and join a one-day long retreat for six hours. The program incorporates a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness and yoga to help increase mindfulness in participants. The practice is meant to facilitate relaxation in the body and calming of the mind by focusing on present-moment awareness. The program has proven to be effective in reducing stress, improving quality of life and increasing self-compassion in healthcare professionals.Researchers have demonstrated that mindfulness interventions can effectively reduce stress, anxiety and depression in both clinical and non-clinical populations. In a meta-analysis of seven studies conducted with healthy participants from the general public, the reviewers reported a significant reduction in stress when the treatment and control groups were compared. However, there have been limited studies to date that focused specifically on the effectiveness of mindfulness programs to reduce stress experienced by nurses.In addition to stress reduction, mindfulness based interventions can also enhance nurses' capacity for focused attention and concentration by increasing present moment awareness. Mindfulness techniques can be applied in everyday situations as well as stressful situations. According to Kabat-Zinn, work-related stress influences people differently based on their viewpoint and their interpretation of the situation. He states that individuals need to be able to see the whole picture, have perspective on the connectivity of all things and not operate on automatic pilot to effectively cope with stress. The goal of mindfulness meditation is to empower individuals to respond to situations consciously rather than automatically.Prior to the commencement of this systematic review, the Cochrane Library and JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports were searched. No previous systematic reviews on the topic of reducing stress experienced by nurses through mindfulness programs were identified. Hence, the objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the best research evidence available pertaining to mindfulness-based programs and their effectiveness in reducing perceived stress among nurses.

Tensile stress-strain and work hardening behaviour of P9 steel for wrapper application in sodium cooled fast reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christopher, J.; Choudhary, B. K.; Isaac Samuel, E.; Mathew, M. D.; Jayakumar, T.

2012-01-01

Tensile flow behaviour of P9 steel with different silicon content has been examined in the framework of Hollomon, Ludwik, Swift, Ludwigson and Voce relationships for a wide temperature range (300-873 K) at a strain rate of 1.3 × 10 -3 s -1. Ludwigson equation described true stress ( σ)-true plastic strain ( ɛ) data most accurately in the range 300-723 K. At high temperatures (773-873 K), Ludwigson equation reduces to Hollomon equation. The variations of instantaneous work hardening rate ( θ = dσ/ dɛ) and θσ with stress indicated two-stage work hardening behaviour. True stress-true plastic strain, flow parameters, θ vs. σ and θσ vs. σ with respect to temperature exhibited three distinct temperature regimes and displayed anomalous behaviour due to dynamic strain ageing at intermediate temperatures. Rapid decrease in flow stress and flow parameters, and rapid shift in θ- σ and θσ- σ towards lower stresses with increase in temperature indicated dominance of dynamic recovery at high temperatures.

Work-family conflict as a mediator in the association between work stress and depressive symptoms: cross-sectional evidence from the German lidA-cohort study.

PubMed

du Prel, Jean-Baptist; Peter, Richard

2015-04-01

The demographic change leads to a shrinking German work force. Depressive symptoms cause many days absent at work, loss of productivity and early retirement. Therefore, pathways for prevention of depressive symptoms are important for the maintenance of global competitiveness. We investigated the role of work-family conflict (WFC) in the well-known association between work stress and depressive symptoms. A total of 6,339 employees subject to social insurance, born in 1959 or 1965 and randomly drawn from 222 sample points in Germany participated in the first wave of the leben in der Arbeit-study. In the analysis, 5,906 study subjects working in full-time or part-time positions were included. Work stress was measured by effort-reward imbalance ratio, depressive symptoms by the applied Becks depression inventory (BDI-V) and WFC by items of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)-scale. Multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, education, negative affectivity (PANAS), overcommitment and number of children was performed. Mediation was defined according to the criteria of Baron and Kenny. Work stress was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (BDI-V) in all full-time [ß1female = 6.61 (95 % CI 3.95-9.27); ß1male = 8.02 (95 % CI 5.94-10.09)] and female part-time employees [ß2female = 4.87 (95 % CI 2.16-7.59)]. When controlling for WFC effect, estimates became smaller in men and were even halved in women. WFC was also significantly associated with work stress and depressive symptoms: All criteria for partial mediation between work stress and depressiveness were fulfilled. Prevention of WFC may help to reduce days absent at work and early retirement due to work stress-related depressive symptoms in middle-aged women and men.

The effect of hold-times on the fatigue life of 20% cold-worked Type 316L stainless steel under deuteron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, R.

1995-09-01

Strain-controlled fatigue tests have been performed in torsion on 20% cold-worked Type 316L stainless steel specimens during irradiation with 19 MeV deuterons. A hold-time was imposed at the minimum strain value in the loading cycle. The irradiation creep induced stress relaxation led to the buildup of a mean stress. The number of cycles to failure may be significantly reduced in comparison to analogous continuous cycling tests under thermal conditions.

Principal Time Management Skills: Explaining Patterns in Principals' Time Use, Job Stress, and Perceived Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grissom, Jason A.; Loeb, Susanna; Mitani, Hajime

2015-01-01

Purpose: Time demands faced by school principals make principals' work increasingly difficult. Research outside education suggests that effective time management skills may help principals meet job demands, reduce job stress, and improve their performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach:…

Family Ranching and Farming: A Consensus Management Model to Improve Family Functioning and Decrease Work Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Toni Schindler; Fetsch, Robert J.

1994-01-01

Notes that internal and external threats could squeeze ranch and farm families out of business. Offers six-step Consensus Management Model that combines strategic planning with psychoeducation/family therapy. Describes pilot test with intergenerational ranch family that indicated improvements in family functioning, including reduced stress and…

[Study of the intervention measures for the occupational stress to the teachers in the primary and secondary schools].

PubMed

Wu, Si-ying; Wang, Mian-zhen; Li, Jian; Zhang, Xue-feng

2006-03-01

To study the status of the occupational stress and the work ability of the teachers in the primary and secondary schools, then take some integrated intervention measures to reduce the occupational stress and improve their work ability, and evaluate the intervening efficacy. The levels of stressor and strain was measured with the occupation stress inventory revised edition (OSI-R) and the work ability was measured with the work ability index (WAI) for the teachers in nine primary and secondary schools in Sichuan Province, then health educations about occupational stress were taken to the teachers in the study group, the same test was carried out after one year for the teachers in the nine schools to evaluate the effect of intervention measures. (1) After intervening, among the six items of occupational role questionnaire, the scores of role overload, role boundary, responsibility and physical environment of the teachers in the study group significantly decreased, compared with the teachers in the control group, the scores of the role overload, role boundary and physical environment were significantly lower (P < 0.05). (2) Among the four items of personal strain questionnaire, only the scores of interpersonal strain of the teachers in the study group significantly decreased (P < 0.05), compared with the teachers in the control group, the scores of the vocational strain and interpersonal strain were significantly lower (P < 0.05). (3) Among the four items of personal resources questionnaire, the scores of the recreation, self-care and rational cognitive coping of the teachers in the study group significantly raised and were significantly higher than those of the teachers in the control group (P < 0.05). (4) The score of WAI of the teachers in the study group significantly raised and was significantly higher than that of the teachers in the control group (P < 0.05). The intervention measures are efficient to reduce the occupational stress of teachers, strengthen their coping resource and improve their work ability.

Strength and gas dynamic methods of development of the axial turbine turbocharger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baturin, O. V.; Popov, G. M.; Kolmakova, D. A.; Goryachkin, E. S.

2017-01-01

The results of strength and gas dynamic improvement of the turbocharger TK-32 axial turbine are presented. The turbocharger is manufactured by LLC “Penzadieselmash” (Penza, Russian) and is used as unit boost for a diesel locomotive. The aim of this work was to ensure the turbine work capacity when the rotor speed is increased by 10% without efficiency reduction. The strain-stress state analysis indicated the region of high stresses on the rotor blade body at the level of 2/3 of root. These stresses exceed allowable values when the rotor speed increased. The variant of tangential displacement of the peripheral rotor blade section, allowing reducing the level of stress by 20%, was found. Gas dynamic calculation showed that the variant of rotor blade modernization results in an increase of efficiency by 0.4%. Also it was shown that the increase in turbine efficiency by 1% can be reached if the number of rotor blades is reduced by 13%. This recommendation was implemented and confirmed experimentally by the example of mass turbocharger TK-32 [1].

Applying the Social Ecological Model and Theory of Self-Efficacy in the Worksite Heart Health Improvement Project-PLUS.

PubMed

Doran, Kelly; Resnick, Barbara; Kim, Natalie; Lynn, Donna; McCormick, Tyrell

2017-02-01

Long-term care (LTC) employees are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Despite the documented benefits of worksite health promotion (WHP) programs for employees and employers and the potential benefits to residents in LTC facilities, LTC employees are rarely offered WHP programs. The purpose of the intervention described in this article is to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors among LTC workers using a physical activity, nutrition, and stress management WHP implemented during paid work time with 98 LTC staff members. This article describes a 9-month physical activity, nutrition, and stress management WHP intervention delivered during paid work time to reduce the cardiovascular disease risk of employees working in LTC. The intervention is rooted in the social ecological model and social cognitive theory. The intervention is based on formative research and evidence-based practice recommendations and is specifically designed to reduce barriers to intervention participation (e.g., inconsistent break times and unpredictable resident care needs) and enhance motivators to program participation (e.g., enhanced social support). The intervention is ongoing, but measures are described. As more employers offer WHP programs, it is important that programs are tailored to meet specific employee groups and work environments. This article operationalizes a WHP research protocol with LTC employees that can be applied to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in LTC employees or similar employee groups in similar work environments.

The role of physical activity and heart rate variability for the control of work related stress.

PubMed

Tonello, Laís; Rodrigues, Fábio B; Souza, Jeniffer W S; Campbell, Carmen S G; Leicht, Anthony S; Boullosa, Daniel A

2014-01-01

Physical activity (PA) and exercise are often used as tools to reduce stress and therefore the risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Meanwhile, heart rate variability (HRV) has been utilized to assess both stress and PA or exercise influences. The objective of the present review was to examine the current literature in regards to workplace stress, PA/exercise and HRV to encourage further studies. We considered original articles from known databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge) over the last 10 years that examined these important factors. A total of seven studies were identified with workplace stress strongly associated with reduced HRV in workers. Longitudinal workplace PA interventions may provide a means to improve worker stress levels and potentially cardiovascular risk with mechanisms still to be clarified. Future studies are recommended to identify the impact of PA, exercise, and fitness on stress levels and HRV in workers and their subsequent influence on cardiovascular health.

Optimization of custom cementless stem using finite element analysis and elastic modulus distribution for reducing stress-shielding effect.

PubMed

Saravana Kumar, Gurunathan; George, Subin Philip

2017-02-01

This work proposes a methodology involving stiffness optimization for subject-specific cementless hip implant design based on finite element analysis for reducing stress-shielding effect. To assess the change in the stress-strain state of the femur and the resulting stress-shielding effect due to insertion of the implant, a finite element analysis of the resected femur with implant assembly is carried out for a clinically relevant loading condition. Selecting the von Mises stress as the criterion for discriminating regions for elastic modulus difference, a stiffness minimization method was employed by varying the elastic modulus distribution in custom implant stem. The stiffness minimization problem is formulated as material distribution problem without explicitly penalizing partial volume elements. This formulation enables designs that could be fabricated using additive manufacturing to make porous implant with varying levels of porosity. Stress-shielding effect, measured as difference between the von Mises stress in the intact and implanted femur, decreased as the elastic modulus distribution is optimized.

[Relationship of job stress with job burnout and quality of work life in workers for offshore oil platforms].

PubMed

Zhang, Y; Liu, X L; Wei, T D; Lan, Y J

2017-03-20

Objective: To evaluate the current status of job burnout and qual ity of work life (QWL) in workers for offshore oil platforms, and to analyze the relationship of job stress with job burnout and QWL and the direct and indirect effects of job stress on QWL. Methods: Cluster random sampling was used to select 382 work-ers for 8 oil platforms of China National Offshore Oil Corporation in October 2015. A self - designed questionnaire was used to collect the individual characteristics of subjects. The Quality of Work Life Scale (QWL7 - 32) , Occupa-tional Stress Inventory - Revised Edition (OSI - R) , and Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI - GS) were used to investigate the QWL, job stress, and job burnout of subjects. Results: Among all the workers for offshore oil platforms, 87.2% had mild job burnout. The total QWL score was 116.01 ± 16.73; 8.3% of the workers had poor QWL, and 68.5% had moderate QWL. QWL was reduced with heavier task, vaguer task, and increasing mental stress and physical stress ( P <0.05) , and increased with more social support ( P <0.05) . Job stress had di-rect and indirect effects on QWL; stress reaction had the most effect on QWL (total effect size - 0.509) , followed by social support (total effect size 0.444) . Conclusion: Most workers for offshore oil platforms have mild job burn-out and moderate QWL. Job stress is associated with job burnout and QWL, and stress reaction and social support have relatively high influence on QWL.

Lexical reorganization in Brazilian Portuguese: an articulatory study

PubMed Central

Meireles, A. R.; Barbosa, P. A.

2008-01-01

This work, which is couched in the theoretical framework of Articulatory Phonology, deals with the influence of speech rate on the change/variation from antepenultimate stress words into penultimate stress words in Brazilian Portuguese. Both acoustic and articulatory (EMMA) studies were conducted. On the acoustic side, results show different patterns of post-stressed vowel reduction according to the word type. Some words reduced their medial post-stressed vowels more than their final post-stressed vowels, and others reduced their final post-stressed vowels more than their medial post-stressed vowels. On the articulatory side, results show that the coarticulation degree of the post-stressed consonants increases with speech rate. Also, with the use of a measure called proportional consonantal interval (PCI), it was found in measurements of articulation that such measure is influenced by the word type. Three different groups of words were found according to their PCI. These results show how dynamical aspects influenced by speech rate increase are related to the lexical process of change/variation from antepenultimate stress words into penultimate ones. PMID:19885366

[Stressor and stress reduction strategies for computer software engineers].

PubMed

Asakura, Takashi

2002-07-01

First, in this article we discuss 10 significant occupational stressors for computer software engineers, based on the review of the scientific literature on their stress and mental health. The stressors include 1) quantitative work overload, 2) time pressure, 3) qualitative work load, 4) speed and diffusion of technological innovation, and technological divergence, 5) low discretional power, 6) underdeveloped career pattern, 7) low earnings/reward from jobs, 8) difficulties in managing a project team for software development and establishing support system, 9) difficulties in customer relations, and 10) personality characteristics. In addition, we delineate their working and organizational conditions that cause such occupational stressors in order to find strategies to reduce those stressors in their workplaces. Finally, we suggest three stressor and stress reduction strategies for software engineers.

Tocopherol And Tocotrienol: Therapeutic Potential In Animal Models of Stress.

PubMed

Azlina, Mohd Fahami Nur; Kamisah, Yusof; Qodriyah, Mohd Saad

2017-11-22

Scientific reports had shown that stress is related to numerous pathological changes in the body. These pathological changes can bring about numerous diseases and can significantly cause negative effects in an individual. These include gastric ulcer, liver pathology and neurobehavioral changes. A common pathogenesis in many diseases related to stress involves oxidative damage. Therefore, the administration of antioxidants such as vitamin E is a reasonable therapeutic approach. However, there is conflicting evidence about antioxidant supplementation. The aim of this work was to summarize documented reports on the effects of tocopherol and tocotrienol on various pathological changes induced by stress. This review will reveal the scientific evidence of enteral supplementation of vitamin E in the forms of tocotrienol and tocopherol in animal models of stress. These models mimic the stress endured by critically ill patients in a clinical setting and psychological stress in individuals. Positive outcomes from enteral feeding of vitamin E in reducing the occurrence of stress-induced pathological changes are discussed in this review. These positive findings include their ability to reduced stress-induced gastric ulcers, elevated liver enzymes and improved locomotors activity. Evidences showing tocotrienol and tocopherol effects are not just related to its ability to reduce oxidative stress but also acting on other mechanism are discussed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Job stress and productivity increase.

PubMed

Adaramola, Samson Sunday

2012-01-01

This paper examines mental and physical pressures that workers bear at work. The authors discuss how on the-job stress affects a person's capabilities and productivity, and how such pressures lend to higher incidences of accidents at work. The paper also discuss methods of reducing job-related stress and increasing productivity. An intervention was conducted amongst workers in a private firm. It shows mental and emotional pressure can affect performance and productivity of a worker on the job. One of the biggest influences of today's worker is on the-job stress. Job stress occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. This consequently affects how a person would normally deal with customer service problems, grievances, violence, conflict, and decisions on the job. Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and is therefore a distinct part of a person's job. To properly control the outcome of stress, there are certain precautions and methods that should be taken that will boost productivity.

Role stress in nurses: review of related factors and strategies for moving forward.

PubMed

Chang, Esther M; Hancock, Karen M; Johnson, Amanda; Daly, John; Jackson, Debra

2005-03-01

The aim of this paper was to review the literature on factors related to role stress in nurses, and present strategies for addressing this issue based on the findings of this review while considering potential areas for development and research. Computerized databases were searched as well as hand searching of articles in order to conduct this review. This review identified multiple factors related to the experience of role stress in nurses. Role stress, in particular, work overload, has been reported as one of the main reasons for nurses leaving the workforce. This paper concludes that it is a priority to find new and innovative ways of supporting nurses in their experience of role stress. Some examples discussed in this article include use of stress education and management strategies; team-building strategies; balancing priorities; enhancing social and peer support; flexibility in work hours; protocols to deal with violence; and retention and attraction of nursing staff strategies. These strategies need to be empirically evaluated for their efficacy in reducing role stress.

Occupational Stress and Turnover Intention: Implications for Nursing Management

PubMed Central

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2013-01-01

Background: The main purpose of this study was to explore the status of occupational stress among hospital nurses in Isfahan, Iran. It also aimed to examine the relationship between nurses’ occupational stress and their intention to leave the hospital. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional research design. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 296 nurses. Respondents were asked to rate the intensity of 30 common occupational stressors using a five-point scale. Results: A third of hospital nurses rated their occupational stress high. The major sources of stress were inadequate pay, inequality at work, too much work, staff shortage, lack of promotion, job insecurity and lack of management support. More than 35% of nurses stated that they are considering leaving the hospital, if they could find another job opportunity. Occupational stress was positively associated with nurses’ turnover intentions. Conclusion: Hospital managers should develop and apply appropriate policies and strategies to reduce occupational stress and consequently nurses’ turnover intention. PMID:24596858

Work Stress and Well-being in the Hotel Industry.

PubMed

O'Neill, John W; Davis, Kelly

2011-06-01

Employee stress is a significant issue in the hospitality industry, and it is costly for employers and employees alike. Although addressing and reducing stress is both a noble goal and is capable of resulting in expense reductions for employers, the nature and quantity of hospitality employee stress is not fully understood. The first aim of this study was to identify common work stressors in a sample of 164 managerial and hourly workers employed at 65 different hotels who were each interviewed for eight consecutive days. The two most common stressors were interpersonal tensions at work and overloads (e.g., technology not functioning). The second aim was to determine whether there were differences in the types and frequency of work stressors by job type (i.e., managers v. non-managers), gender, and marital status. Hotel managers reported significantly more stressors than hourly employees. There were no significant differences by gender or marital status. The third aim was to investigate whether the various stressors were linked to hotel employee health and work outcomes. More employee and coworker stressors were linked to more negative physical health symptoms. Also, interpersonal tensions at work were linked to lower job satisfaction and greater turnover intentions.

Work Stress and Well-being in the Hotel Industry

PubMed Central

O'Neill, John W.; Davis, Kelly

2013-01-01

Employee stress is a significant issue in the hospitality industry, and it is costly for employers and employees alike. Although addressing and reducing stress is both a noble goal and is capable of resulting in expense reductions for employers, the nature and quantity of hospitality employee stress is not fully understood. The first aim of this study was to identify common work stressors in a sample of 164 managerial and hourly workers employed at 65 different hotels who were each interviewed for eight consecutive days. The two most common stressors were interpersonal tensions at work and overloads (e.g., technology not functioning). The second aim was to determine whether there were differences in the types and frequency of work stressors by job type (i.e., managers v. non-managers), gender, and marital status. Hotel managers reported significantly more stressors than hourly employees. There were no significant differences by gender or marital status. The third aim was to investigate whether the various stressors were linked to hotel employee health and work outcomes. More employee and coworker stressors were linked to more negative physical health symptoms. Also, interpersonal tensions at work were linked to lower job satisfaction and greater turnover intentions. PMID:23794780

Recovery of Work-Related Stress: Complaint Reduction and Work-Resumption are Relatively Independent Processes.

PubMed

de Vente, Wieke; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; Blonk, Roland W B; Emmelkamp, Paul M G

2015-09-01

The process of recovery from work-related stress, consisting of complaint reduction and work-resumption, is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of complaint reduction and work-resumption, as well as testing complaint reduction as a mediator in the association between predictors and work-resumption. Seventy-one patients on sickness-leave because of work-related stress complaints were followed over a period of 13 months. Predictors comprised personal (demographics, coping, cognitions), work-related (job-characteristics, social support), and illness-related (complaint duration, absence duration) variables. Dependent variables were distress complaints, burnout complaints, and work-resumption. Complaints reduced considerably over time to borderline clinical levels and work-resumption increased to 68% at 13 months. Predictors of stronger reduction of distress complaints were male gender, less working hours, less decision authority, more co-worker support, and shorter absence duration. Predictors of stronger reduction of burnout complaints were male gender, lower age, high education, less avoidant coping, less decision authority, more job security, and more co-worker support. Predictors of work-resumption were lower age and stronger reduction of burnout complaints. No indication for a mediating role of burnout complaints between the predictor age and work-resumption was found. Complaint reduction and work-resumption are relatively independent processes. Symptom reduction is influenced by individual and work-related characteristics, which holds promise for a multidisciplinary treatment approach for work-related stress.

Work stress among newly graduated nurses in relation to workplace and clinical group supervision.

PubMed

Blomberg, Karin; Isaksson, Ann-Kristin; Allvin, Renée; Bisholt, Birgitta; Ewertsson, Mona; Kullén Engström, Agneta; Ohlsson, Ulla; Sundler Johansson, Annelie; Gustafsson, Margareta

2016-01-01

The aim was to investigate occupational stress among newly graduated nurses in relation to the workplace and clinical group supervision. Being a newly graduated nurse is particularly stressful. What remains unclear is whether the workplace and clinical group supervision affect the stress. A cross-sectional comparative study was performed in 2012. Data were collected by means of a numerical scale measuring occupational stress, questions about workplace and clinical group supervision. One hundred and thirteen nurses who had recently graduated from three Swedish universities were included in the study. The stress was high among the newly graduated nurses but it differed significantly between workplaces, surgical departments generating the most stress. Nurses who had received clinical group supervision reported significantly less stress. The stress between workplaces remained significant also when participation in clinical group supervision was taken into account. Newly graduated nurses experience great stress and need support, especially those in surgical departments. Nurses participating in clinical group supervision reported significantly less stress. It is important to develop strategies that help to adapt the work situation so as to give nurses the necessary support. Clinical group supervision should be considered as an option for reducing stress. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Women's perceived work environment after stress-related rehabilitation: experiences from the ReDO project.

PubMed

Wästberg, Birgitta A; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin; Eklund, Mona

2016-01-01

The study aimed to investigate (a) if women's perceptions of their work environment changed during a 16-week rehabilitation period and at a 12-month follow-up; (b) whether such changes were related to outcomes in terms of return to work, well-being and valued occupations. Eighty-four gainfully employed women on sick-leave due to stress-related disorders responded to instruments assessing perceptions of the work environment, well-being (self-esteem, self-mastery, quality of life, perceived stress, self-rated health) and perceived occupational value. Data about return to work were collected from registers. Non-parametric statistics were used. The increase in the women's ratings of their work environment was non-significant between baseline and completed rehabilitation but was statistically significant between baseline and the 12-month follow-up. No relationships were found between changes in perceptions of the work environment and outcomes after the rehabilitation. At the follow-up, however, there were associations between perceived work environment changes in a positive direction and return to work; improved self-esteem, self-mastery, quality of life, perceived occupational value and self-rated health; and reduced stress. It seems important to consider the work environment in rehabilitation for stress-related problems, and a follow-up appears warranted to detect changes and associations not visible immediately after rehabilitation. Work environment Perceptions of the work environment seem important for return to work, although other factors are likely to contribute as well. Perceptions of the work environment are associated with several aspects of well-being. When developing rehabilitation interventions a focus on the clients' perceptions of their work environment seems vital.

Mental health nursing in Jordan: an investigation into experience, work stress and organizational support.

PubMed

Hamdan-Mansour, Ayman M; Al-Gamal, Ekhlas; Puskar, Kathryn; Yacoub, Mohammad; Marini, Anita

2011-04-01

Changes in mental health services have an impact on the role and practice of mental health nurses. The purpose of this study was to examine Jordanian mental health nurses' experiences of providing mental health care, their work-related stress, and organizational support received. A descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 92 mental health nurses in Jordan. The result of this study revealed that mental health nurses shared a high level of agreement on the importance of most nursing tasks. Mental health nurses reported a moderate level of stress, with a lack of resources and relationship and conflict with other professionals being the most frequent stressors. Nurses perceived a low level of support for their work from their supervisors. Work stress and conflict with other professionals had a significant, negative correlation with the perception the nurses had of their immediate supervisors (r = -0.29, P < 0.001; r = -0.31, P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between work stress, organizational support, and the nurses' age, sex, or level of education. This study has clinical implications in terms of developing strategies for reducing stress and improving organizational support among mental health nurses, and it should help in future research. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Effects of a multidisciplinary stress treatment programme on patient return to work rate and symptom reduction: results from a randomised, wait-list controlled trial.

PubMed

Netterstrøm, Bo; Friebel, Lene; Ladegaard, Yun

2013-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of a multidisciplinary stress treatment programme. General practitioners referred 198 employed patients on sick leave with symptoms of persistent work-related stress. Using a waitlisted randomised controlled trial design, the participants were randomly divided into the following three groups: the intervention group (IG, 69 participants); treatment-as-usual control group (TAUCG, 71 participants), which received 12 consultations with a psychologist, and the waitlisted control group (WLCG, 58 participants). The stress treatment intervention consisted of nine 1-hour sessions conducted over 3 months. The goals of the sessions were the following: (1) identifying relevant stressors; (2) changing the participant's coping strategies; (3) adjusting the participant's workload and tasks, and (4) improving workplace dialogue. Each participant also attended a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course for 2 h a week over 8 weeks. The IG and TAUCG showed significantly greater symptom level (Symptom Check List 92) reductions compared to the WLCG. Regarding the return to work (RTW) rate, 67% of participants in the IG returned to full-time work after treatment, which was a significantly higher rate than in the TAUCG (36%) and WLCG (24%). Significantly more participants in the IG (97%) increased their working hours during treatment compared with the participants in the control groups, TAUCG (71%) and WLCG (64%). The stress treatment programme--a combination of work place-focused psychotherapy and MBSR--significantly reduced stress symptom levels and increased RTW rates compared with the WLCG and TAUCG. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Work Environment, Stress, and Driving Anger: A Structural Equation Model for Predicting Traffic Sanctions of Public Transport Drivers

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Public transport is an effective and sustainable alternative to private vehicle usage, also helping to reduce the environmental impact of driving. However, the work environment of public transport operators is full of adverse conditions, which, together with their high mileage, may increase the occurrence of negative safety outcomes such as traffic accidents, often preceded by risky road behaviors enhanced by stress, anger, and difficult operating conditions. The aims of this study were, first, to determine the association between work-related psychosocial factors and individual characteristics of public transport drivers and the rate of traffic sanctions they are subject to; and second, to assess the mediation of driving anger in this relationship. A sample of professional drivers (57.4% city bus, 17.6% taxi, and 25% inter-urban bus male operators) was used for this cross-sectional study, responding to a five-section survey including demographic data and driving-related factors, psychosocial work factors including job stress, driving stress, risk predisposition, and driving anger. The results of this study showed significant associations between work-related factors: measures of stress and self-reported rates of traffic fines. Second, it was found that driving anger mediates the associations between driving stress, risk predisposition, and traffic sanctions; and partially mediates the association between driving experience, hourly intensity, and job stress. This study supports the idea that traffic penalties reported by public transport rates are preceded by work-related, personality, and other individual factors that, when combined with driving anger, enhance the occurrence of road misbehavior that may affect overall road safety. PMID:29534530

Work Environment, Stress, and Driving Anger: A Structural Equation Model for Predicting Traffic Sanctions of Public Transport Drivers.

PubMed

Montoro, Luis; Useche, Sergio; Alonso, Francisco; Cendales, Boris

2018-03-12

Public transport is an effective and sustainable alternative to private vehicle usage, also helping to reduce the environmental impact of driving. However, the work environment of public transport operators is full of adverse conditions, which, together with their high mileage, may increase the occurrence of negative safety outcomes such as traffic accidents, often preceded by risky road behaviors enhanced by stress, anger, and difficult operating conditions. The aims of this study were, first, to determine the association between work-related psychosocial factors and individual characteristics of public transport drivers and the rate of traffic sanctions they are subject to; and second, to assess the mediation of driving anger in this relationship. A sample of professional drivers (57.4% city bus, 17.6% taxi, and 25% inter-urban bus male operators) was used for this cross-sectional study, responding to a five-section survey including demographic data and driving-related factors, psychosocial work factors including job stress, driving stress, risk predisposition, and driving anger. The results of this study showed significant associations between work-related factors: measures of stress and self-reported rates of traffic fines. Second, it was found that driving anger mediates the associations between driving stress, risk predisposition, and traffic sanctions; and partially mediates the association between driving experience, hourly intensity, and job stress. This study supports the idea that traffic penalties reported by public transport rates are preceded by work-related, personality, and other individual factors that, when combined with driving anger, enhance the occurrence of road misbehavior that may affect overall road safety.

Work related stress and its anticipated solutions among post-graduate medical resident doctors: a cross-sectional survey conducted at a tertiary municipal hospital in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Rajan, Pavithra; Bellare, Bharati

2011-03-01

It is now known that resident doctors registered for postgraduate studies are prone to work related stress and eventual burnout. Though stress can happen in any profession, reduced performance of resident doctors due to vocational stress could cause an increase in medical errors and thus affect the quality of life of the patients. Resident doctors at a Municipal hospital in India form a unique population as number of stresses they undergo are many and varied. To study the prevalence of work-related stress and its anticipated solutions among the resident doctors registered for postgraduate studies in clinical subjects at a tertiary Municipal hospital. A stratified sampling cross-sectional survey was conducted at the Inpatient, Outpatient, and Intensive Care Units at a tertiary Municipal hospital in Mumbai, India. Data collection was done using a validated 20-point questionnaire to assess the factors causing stress and their anticipated solutions. Simple percentage analysis of stress questionnaire. 71 resident doctors completed the survey. The major stressors in this cohort were inadequate hostel/quarter facilities (92.1%), and the need to perform extra duties (80.0%). Also, non-conducive environment for clinical training and studies (81.7%), inadequate study (78.9%) and break (81.2%), threat from deadly infections (74.6%), and overburdening with work (69.0%) were the other major stress causing factors. The perceived stress busters were good music (40.8%) and family and friends (40.8%). Eighty-seven percent of the respondents perceived regular physical exercise to be an effective mode of stress management and 83.8% expressed their need to have a simple therapeutic gymnasium established within the campus with a qualified trainer. There is a high level of work related stress among the resident doctors registered for postgraduate clinical studies at a tertiary Municipal hospital in Mumbai. One of the perceived stress busters is regular physical exercise that is structured and under supervision.

Predictors of nurse manager stress: a dominance analysis of potential work environment stressors.

PubMed

Kath, Lisa M; Stichler, Jaynelle F; Ehrhart, Mark G; Sievers, Andree

2013-11-01

Nurse managers have important but stressful jobs. Clinical or bedside nurse predictors of stress have been studied more frequently, but less has been done on work environment predictors for those in this first-line leadership role. Understanding the relative importance of those work environment predictors could be used to help identify the most fruitful areas for intervention, potentially improving recruitment and retention for nurse managers. Using Role Stress Theory and the Job Demands-Resources Theory, a model was tested examining the relative importance of five potential predictors of nurse manager stress (i.e., stressors). The work environment stressors included role ambiguity, role overload, role conflict, organizational constraints, and interpersonal conflict. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was conducted with a convenience sample of 36 hospitals in the Southwestern United States. All nurse managers working in these 36 hospitals were invited to participate. Of the 636 nurse managers invited, 480 responded, for a response rate of 75.5%. Questionnaires were distributed during nursing leadership meetings and were returned in person (in sealed envelopes) or by mail. Because work environment stressors were correlated, dominance analysis was conducted to examine which stressors were the most important predictors of nurse manager stress. Role overload was the most important predictor of stress, with an average of 13% increase in variance explained. The second- and third-most important predictors were organizational constraints and role conflict, with an average of 7% and 6% increase in variance explained, respectively. Because other research has shown deleterious effects of nurse manager stress, organizational leaders are encouraged to help nurse managers reduce their actual and/or perceived role overload and organizational constraints. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cotinine reduces depressive-like behavior, working memory deficits, and synaptic loss associated with chronic stress in mice.

PubMed

Grizzell, J Alex; Iarkov, Alexandre; Holmes, Rosalee; Mori, Takahashi; Echeverria, Valentina

2014-07-15

Chronic stress underlies and/or exacerbates many psychiatric conditions and often results in memory impairment as well as depressive symptoms. Such afflicted individuals use tobacco more than the general population and this has been suggested as a form of self-medication. Cotinine, the predominant metabolite of nicotine, may underlie such behavior as it has been shown to ameliorate anxiety and memory loss in animal models. In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of cotinine on working memory and depressive-like behavior in mice subjected to prolonged restraint. Cotinine-treated mice displayed better performance than vehicle-treated cohorts on the working memory task, the radial arm water maze test. In addition, with or without chronic stress exposure, cotinine-treated mice engaged in fewer depressive-like behaviors as assessed using the tail suspension and Porsolt's forced swim tests. These antidepressant and nootropic effects of cotinine were associated with an increase in the synaptophysin expression, a commonly used marker of synaptic density, in the hippocampus as well as the prefrontal and entorhinal cortices of restrained mice. The beneficial effects of cotinine in preventing various consequences of chronic stress were underscored by the inhibition of the glycogen synthase kinase 3 β in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Taken together, our results show for the first time that cotinine reduces the negative effects of stress on mood, memory, and the synapse. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Risk factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in Korean dental practitioners.

PubMed

Cho, KiHun; Cho, Hwi-Young; Han, Gyeong-Soon

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between psychosocial stress, occupational stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms in Korean dental practitioners. [Subjects and Methods] Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to 401 dental practitioners in Korea. To assess the risk factors related to musculoskeletal disorders, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Korean Occupational Stress Scale, and Psychosocial Well-Being Index Short Form were used. General and work-related characteristics of the subjects consisted of seven items, including age, career, height, weight, working days/week, working hours/day, and physical strain levels. [Results] In this study, 86.8% of the practitioners experienced musculoskeletal symptoms (shoulders, 72.8%; neck, 69.3%; waist, 68.3%; wrist, 58.4%; back, 44.1%; ankle, 38.7%; knee, 36.9%; hip, 20.4%; and elbows, 9.2%). Moreover, psychosocial and occupational stress can affect the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. In particular, we found that psychosocial stress has significant influence on the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. [Conclusion] To increase the quality of life and provide high-quality medical service for dental practitioners, risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders must be managed. Accordingly, dental practitioners must maintain good posture, get an appropriate amount of rest, and perform regular stretching exercise to reduce psychological stress and improve the work environment.

Improved Heat-Stress Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teets, Edward H., Jr.; Fehn, Steven

2007-01-01

NASA Dryden presents an improved and automated site-specific algorithm for heat-stress approximation using standard atmospheric measurements routinely obtained from the Edwards Air Force Base weather detachment. Heat stress, which is the net heat load a worker may be exposed to, is officially measured using a thermal-environment monitoring system to calculate the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT). This instrument uses three independent thermometers to measure wet-bulb, dry-bulb, and the black-globe temperatures. By using these improvements, a more realistic WBGT estimation value can now be produced. This is extremely useful for researchers and other employees who are working on outdoor projects that are distant from the areas that the Web system monitors. Most importantly, the improved WBGT estimations will make outdoor work sites safer by reducing the likelihood of heat stress.

Stress Factors among Nurses at the Primary and Secondary Level of Public Sector Health Care: The Case of Slovenia

PubMed Central

Starc, Jasmina

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Working in nursing is mentally and physically demanding and is one of the most stressful professions. AIM: To determine the basic causes of stress and examine the symptoms of stress among healthcare professionals at the primary and secondary level of health care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research was based on the descriptive and causal non-experimental method of empirical research. The independent samples t-test was used. RESULTS: The survey results have shown that those employed in nursing are exposed to stressful situations on a daily basis, most often involving psychological or physical violence in the workplace (M = 4.2), dealing with death (M = 3.9), lack of personnel (M = 3.9) and a high frequency of patients (M = 3.8). The following stress factors cause women greater stress than they do men: relationships among co-workers (t = 2.745; p = 0.006), psychological or physical violence in the workplace (t = 3.492; p = 0.001), and working with difficult patients (t = 2.427; p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: To manage risks, employees and employers must work together and establish a suitable safety and organisational culture, which would enable them to manage and reduce stress. PMID:29531616

Estradiol Therapy After Menopause Mitigates Effects of Stress on Cortisol and Working Memory.

PubMed

Herrera, Alexandra Ycaza; Hodis, Howard N; Mack, Wendy J; Mather, Mara

2017-12-01

Postmenopausal estradiol therapy (ET) can reduce the stress response. However, it remains unclear whether such reductions can mitigate effects of stress on cognition. Investigate effects of ET on cortisol response to a physical stressor, cold pressor test (CPT), and whether ET attenuates stress effects on working memory. Women completed the CPT or control condition across two sessions and subsequently completed a sentence span task. General community: Participants were recruited from the Early vs Late Intervention Trial with Estradiol (ELITE). ELITE participants (mean age = 66, standard deviation age = 6.8) in this study did not suffer from any major chronic illness or use medications known to affect the stress response or cognition. Participants had received a median of randomized 4.7 years of estradiol (n = 21) or placebo (n = 21) treatment at time of participation in this study. Salivary cortisol and sentence span task performance. Women assigned to estradiol exhibited blunted cortisol responses to CPT compared with placebo (P = 0.017) and lesser negative effects of stress on working memory (P = 0.048). We present evidence suggesting ET may protect certain types of cognition in the presence of stress. Such estrogenic protection against stress hormone exposure may prove beneficial to both cognition and the neural circuitry that maintains and propagates cognitive faculties. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

The effect of neuro-linguistic programming on occupational stress in critical care nurses

PubMed Central

HemmatiMaslakpak, Masumeh; Farhadi, Masumeh; Fereidoni, Javid

2016-01-01

Background: The use of coping strategies in reducing the adverse effects of stress can be helpful. Nero-linguistic programming (NLP) is one of the modern methods of psychotherapy. This study aimed to determine the effect of NLP on occupational stress in nurses working in critical care units of Urmia. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out quasi-experimentally (before–after) with control and experimental groups. Of all the nurses working in the critical care units of Urmia Imam Khomeini and Motahari educational/therapeutic centers, 60 people participated in this survey. Eighteen sessions of intervention were done, each for 180 min. The experimental group received NLP program (such as goal setting, time management, assertiveness skills, representational system, and neurological levels, as well as some practical and useful NLP techniques). Expanding Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) was used as the data gathering tool. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney test, and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: The baseline score average of job stress was 120.88 and 121.36 for the intervention and control groups, respectively (P = 0.65). After intervention, the score average of job stress decreased to 64.53 in the experimental group while that of control group remained relatively unchanged (120.96). Mann–Whitney test results showed that stress scores between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The results showed that the use of NLP can increase coping with stressful situations, and it can reduce the adverse effects of occupational stress. PMID:26985221

Effects of heat stress on working populations when facing climate change.

PubMed

Lundgren, Karin; Kuklane, Kalev; Gao, Chuansi; Holmér, Ingvar

2013-01-01

It is accepted that the earth's climate is changing in an accelerating pace, with already documented implications for human health and the environment. This literature review provides an overview of existing research findings about the effects of heat stress on the working population in relation to climate change. In the light of climate change adaptation, the purpose of the literature review was to explore recent and previous research into the impacts of heat stress on humans in an occupational setting. Heat stress in the workplace has been researched extensively in the past however, in the contemporary context of climate change, information is lacking on its extent and implications. The main factors found to exacerbate heat stress in the current and future workplace are the urban 'heat island effect', physical work, individual differences, and the developing country context where technological fixes are often not applicable. There is also a lack of information on the effects on vulnerable groups such as elderly people and pregnant women. As increasing temperatures reduce work productivity, world economic productivity could be condensed, affecting developing countries in the tropical climate zone disproportionately. Future research is needed taking an interdisciplinary approach, including social, economic, environmental and technical aspects.

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress in registered nurses in Australia: study 1 results.

PubMed

Hegney, Desley G; Craigie, Mark; Hemsworth, David; Osseiran-Moisson, Rebecca; Aoun, Samar; Francis, Karen; Drury, Vicki

2014-05-01

To explore compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction with the potential contributing factors of anxiety, depression and stress. To date, no studies have connected the quality of work-life with other contributing and co-existing factors such as depression, anxiety and stress. A self-report exploratory cross sectional survey of 132 nurses working in a tertiary hospital. The reflective assessment risk profile model provides an excellent framework for examining the relationships between the professional quality of work factors and contributing factors within the established risk profiles. The results show a definite pattern of risk progression for the six factors examined for each risk profile. Additionally, burnout and secondary traumatic stress were significantly related to higher anxiety and depression levels. Higher anxiety levels were correlated with nurses who were younger, worked full-time and without a postgraduate qualification. Twenty percent had elevated levels of compassion fatigue: 7.6% having a very distressed profile. At-risk nurses' stress and depression scores were significantly higher than nurses with higher compassion satisfaction scores. The employed nurse workforce would benefit from a psychosocial capacity building intervention that reduces a nurse's risk profile, thus enhancing retention. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Association between sense of coherence and occupational stress of workers in modern service industry in Shanghai, China].

PubMed

Lu, X Y; Dai, J M; Wu, N; Shu, C; Gao, J L; Fu, H

2016-10-20

Objective: To investigate understand the current status of the sense of coherence and occupational stress in modern service workers, and to analyze the association between occupational stress and the sense of coherence. Methods: From March to April, 2016, 834 modern service workers from 3 companies in Shanghai, China (in air transportation industry, marketing industry, and travel industry) were surveyed by non-ran-dom sampling. The self-completion questionnaires were filled out anonymously given the informed consent of the workers. The occupational stress questionnaire was used to evaluate occupational stress, and the Chinese version of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) was used to assess the mental health. Results: The mean score for the sense of coherence of the respondents was 61.54±10.46, and 50.1% of them were self-rated as having occupational stress. There were significant differences in SOC score between groups with different ages, marital status, positions, lengths of service, family per capita monthly income, and weekly work hours ( P <0.05). The occupational stress score differed significantly across groups with different marital status, lengths of service, and weekly work hours ( P <0.05). The scores for working autonomy, social support, and occupational stress differed significantly between groups with different SOC levels ( P< 0.05). There were significant differences in SOC score and the distribution of low-SOC respondents between groups with different levels of working autonomy, social support, and occupational stress. High SOC is a protective factor for occupational stress ( OR =0.39, 95% CI 0.26~ 0.59). Conclusion: Modern service workers in Shanghai have high SOC and moderate occupational stress. Therefore, improving SOC may reduce occupational stress.

Stress management at the worksite: reversal of symptoms profile and cardiovascular dysregulation.

PubMed

Lucini, Daniela; Riva, Silvano; Pizzinelli, Paolo; Pagani, Massimo

2007-02-01

Work stress may increase cardiovascular risk either indirectly, by inducing unhealthy life styles, or directly, by affecting the autonomic nervous system and arterial pressure. We hypothesized that, before any apparent sign of disease, work-related stress is already accompanied by alterations of RR variability profile and that a simple onsite stress management program based on cognitive restructuring and relaxation training could reduce the level of stress symptoms, revert stress-related autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and lower arterial pressure. We compared 91 white-collar workers, enrolled at a time of work downsizing (hence, in a stress condition), with 79 healthy control subjects. Psychological profiles were assessed by questionnaires and autonomic nervous system regulation by spectral analysis of RR variability. We also tested a simple onsite stress management program (cognitive restructuring and relaxation training) in a subgroup of workers compared with a sham subgroup (sham program). Workers presented an elevated level of stress-related symptoms and an altered variability profile as compared with control subjects (low-frequency component of RR variability was, respectively, 65.2+/-2 versus 55.3+/-2 normalized units; P<0.001; opposite changes were observed for the high-frequency component). These alterations were largely reverted (low-frequency component of RR variability from 63.6+/-3.9 to 49.3+/-3 normalized units; P<0.001) by the stress management program, which also slightly lowered systolic arterial pressure. No changes were observed in the sham program group. This noninvasive study indicates that work stress is associated with unpleasant symptoms and with an altered autonomic profile and suggests that a stress management program could be implemented at the worksite, with possible preventive advantages for hypertension.

[Assessment of work environment vs. feeling of threat and aggravation of stress in job of a high risk - An attempt of organizational intervention].

PubMed

Stasiła-Sieradzka, Marta; Chudzicka-Czupała, Agata; Grabowski, Damian; Dobrowolska, Małgorzata

2018-01-01

The main purpose of this article was to examine, whether and to what extend an assessment of work environment and feeling of threat are associated with stress at work performed in health- and life-threatening conditions. Previous studies of the determinants of occupational stress have been carried out in relation to representatives of different occupational groups that are not, however, representatives of one organization. The research was also meant to provide practical guidance for a particular employer. The study was carried out in the factory of explosives. It involved 95 randomly selected employees of the production departments. Subjective evaluation of work was performed by the examined persons in the Areas of Worklife Survey. It allows to assess the functioning of the employee in the workplace and to recognize the discrepancies between the requirements of the organization and the needs, aspirations and abilities of the examined person. Feeling of insecurity at work was defined by using the Feeling of Danger at Work Survey. The level of stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The workload and feeling of danger are relevant to the stress felt by the employees. The workload is also the mediator of the relations between the sense of danger and the stress felt by the examined employees. At the level of manufacturing process management in an organization, there is a need to reduce the negative impact of physical and mental strain associated with haste and uncertainty. Med Pr 2018;69(1):45-58. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Working the night shift causes increased vascular stress and delayed recovery in young women.

PubMed

Lo, Shih-Hsiang; Lin, Lian-Yu; Hwang, Jing-Shiang; Chang, Yu-Yin; Liau, Chiau-Suong; Wang, Jung-Der

2010-08-01

Shiftwork has been associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and decreased heart-rate variability (HRV), factors that may increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular-related mortality and morbidity. This study explored the effect of shiftwork on dynamic changes in autonomic control of HRV (cardiac stress), systolic BP and diastolic BP, i.e., SBP and DBP (vascular stress), and recovery in the same subjects working different shifts. By studying the same subjects, the authors could reduce the effect of possible contribution of between-subject variation from genetic predisposition and environmental factors. The authors recruited 16 young female nurses working rotating shifts--day (08:00-16:00 h), evening (16:00-00:00 h), and night (00:00-08:00 h)--and 6 others working the regular day shift. Each nurse received simultaneous and repeated 48-h ambulatory electrocardiography and BP monitoring during their work day and the following off-duty day. Using a linear mixed-effect model to adjust for day shift, the results of the repeated-measurements and self-comparisons found significant shift differences in vascular stress. While working the night shift, the nurses showed significant increases in vascular stress, with increased SBP of 9.7 mm Hg. The changes of SBP and DBP seemed to peak during waking time at the same time on the day off as they did on the working day. Whereas HRV profiles usually returned to baseline level after each shift, the SBP and DBP of night-shift workers did not completely return to baseline levels the following off-duty day (p < .001). The authors concluded that although the nurses may recover from cardiac stress the first day off following a night shift, they do not completely recover from increases in vascular stress on that day.

Perceived stress and burnout among volunteer caregivers working in AIDS care in South Africa.

PubMed

Akintola, Olagoke; Hlengwa, Wellington Mthokozisi; Dageid, Wenche

2013-12-01

To conduct a quantitative investigation of stress and the relationship with burnout among AIDS care volunteers. Volunteer caregivers experience stress that could lead to burnout. Yet, very few studies quantify stress and its relationship with burnout among AIDS care volunteers. This study uses a cross-sectional, exploratory survey design. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 126 volunteer caregivers working in 13 semi-rural communities (townships) in Durban, South Africa in April 2009. All participants were women, Christian and with low levels of education. A 22-item instrument was drawn from Pearlin et al.'s role overload and role captivity scales, Van Dyk's stress factor scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Most of the volunteers had moderate-to-high levels of stress. 'Role/work overload' 'lack of support' and 'overwhelming nature of the disease' explained most of the variance in stress. Volunteers' age and number of patients in their care were predictors of stress. Caring for only AIDS patients, lack of support, stress emanating from perceived stigma and lack of training; and the overwhelming nature of AIDS were predictors of burnout. High levels of stress could negatively impact volunteers' health and well-being and on-the-job performance. Policy makers must develop and fund home-based care models that take into account the stressors associated with AIDS care, by reducing the work load, providing ongoing psychosocial support and recruiting nurses to assist volunteers. The small non-probability sample used in this study highlights the need to treat the findings with caution. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Learning at work: competence development or competence-stress.

PubMed

Paulsson, Katarina; Ivergård, Toni; Hunt, Brian

2005-03-01

Changes in work and the ways in which it is carried out bring a need for upgrading workplace knowledge, skills and competencies. In today's workplaces, and for a number of reasons, workloads are higher than ever and stress is a growing concern (Health Risk Soc. 2(2) (2000) 173; Educat. Psychol. Meas. 61(5) (2001) 866). Increased demand for learning brings a risk that this will be an additional stress factor and thus a risk to health. Our research study is based on the control-demand-support model of Karasek and Theorell (Health Work: Stress, Productivity and the Reconstruction of Working Life, Basic Books/Harper, New York, 1990). We have used this model for our own empirical research with the aim to evaluate the model in the modern workplace. Our research enables us to expand the model in the light of current workplace conditions-especially those relating to learning. We report empirical data from a questionnaire survey of working conditions in two different branches of industry. We are able to define differences between companies in terms of working conditions and competence development. We describe and discuss the effects these conditions have on workplace competence development. Our research results show that increased workers' control of the learning process makes competence development more stimulating, is likely to simplify the work and reduces (learning-related) stress. It is therefore important that learning at work allows employees to control their learning and also allows time for the process of learning and reflection.

75 FR 25124 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -300, -400, and -500 Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-07

... to stub beam cracking, caused by high flight cycle stresses from both pressurization and maneuver... high flight cycle stresses from both pressurization and maneuver loads. Reduced structural integrity of.... operators to comply with this proposed AD. Estimated Costs Number of U.S.- Action Work hours Average labor...

Structural analysis of compression helical spring used in suspension system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Akshat; Misra, Sheelam; Jindal, Arun; Lakhian, Prateek

2017-07-01

The main aim of this work has to develop a helical spring for shock absorber used in suspension system which is designed to reduce shock impulse and liberate kinetic energy. In a vehicle, it increases comfort by decreasing amplitude of disturbances and it improves ride quality by absorbing and dissipating energy. When a vehicle is in motion on a road and strikes a bump, spring comes into action quickly. After compression, spring will attempt to come to its equilibrium state which is on level road. Helical springs can be made lighter with more strength by reducing number of coils and increasing the area. In this research work, a helical spring is modeled and analyzed to substitute the existing steel spring which is used in suspension. By using different materials, stress and deflection of helical spring can be varied. Comparability between existing spring and newly replaced spring is used to verify the results. For finding detailed stress distribution, finite element analysis is used to find stresses and deflection in both the helical springs. Finite element analysis is a method which is used to find proximate solutions of a physical problem defined in a finite domain. In this research work, modeling of spring is accomplished using Solid Works and analysis on Ansys.

The role of surface roughness on dislocation bending and stress evolution in low mobility AlGaN films during growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardhan, Abheek; Mohan, Nagaboopathy; Chandrasekar, Hareesh; Ghosh, Priyadarshini; Sridhara Rao, D. V.; Raghavan, Srinivasan

2018-04-01

The bending and interaction of threading dislocations are essential to reduce their density for applications involving III-nitrides. Bending of dislocation lines also relaxes the compressive growth stress that is essential to prevent cracking on cooling down due to tensile thermal expansion mismatch stress while growing on Si substrates. It is shown in this work that surface roughness plays a key role in dislocation bending. Dislocations only bend and relax compressive stresses when the lines intersect a smooth surface. These films then crack. In rough films, dislocation lines which terminate at the bottom of the valleys remain straight. Compressive stresses are not relaxed and the films are relatively crack-free. The reasons for this difference are discussed in this work along with the implications on simultaneously meeting the requirements of films being smooth, crack free and having low defect density for device applications.

Parenting Stress among Low-Income and Working-Class Fathers: The Role of Employment

PubMed Central

Nomaguchi, Kei; Johnson, Wendi

2014-01-01

Contemporary norms of fatherhood emphasize the dual demands of breadwinning and daily involvement in childcare. Recent qualitative research suggests that working-class fathers find it difficult to meet these demands due to job instability and workplace inflexibility. Yet, little quantitative research has examined how employment characteristics are related to fathers’ parenting stress, in comparison with mothers’. Analyses using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,165) show that unemployment and workplace inflexibility, but not overwork, multiple jobs, odd-jobs, and nonstandard hours, are related to more parenting stress for fathers. Although these two factors are also related to more parenting stress for mothers, nuanced gender differences emerged: these are better predictors than other parental or child characteristics for fathers only, and the effect size of workplace inflexibility is greater for fathers than mothers. In sum, securing a job with flexible schedule is central to reducing fathers’ parenting stress. PMID:27616804

Parenting Stress among Low-Income and Working-Class Fathers: The Role of Employment.

PubMed

Nomaguchi, Kei; Johnson, Wendi

2016-08-01

Contemporary norms of fatherhood emphasize the dual demands of breadwinning and daily involvement in childcare. Recent qualitative research suggests that working-class fathers find it difficult to meet these demands due to job instability and workplace inflexibility. Yet, little quantitative research has examined how employment characteristics are related to fathers' parenting stress, in comparison with mothers'. Analyses using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 3,165) show that unemployment and workplace inflexibility, but not overwork, multiple jobs, odd-jobs, and nonstandard hours, are related to more parenting stress for fathers. Although these two factors are also related to more parenting stress for mothers, nuanced gender differences emerged: these are better predictors than other parental or child characteristics for fathers only, and the effect size of workplace inflexibility is greater for fathers than mothers. In sum, securing a job with flexible schedule is central to reducing fathers' parenting stress.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Release Program for University Employees: A Pilot, Waitlist-Controlled Trial and Implementation Replication.

PubMed

Koncz, Rebecca; Wolfenden, Fiona; Hassed, Craig; Chambers, Richard; Cohen, Julia; Glozier, Nicholas

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-week mindfulness-based stress release program (SRP) on stress and work engagement in fulltime university employees. Perceived stress, workplace wellbeing, and engagement were measured at baseline and within 1 week of the SRP completion, and contemporaneously 6 weeks apart for a waitlist control group. A second program was implemented to examine reproducibility of results. Fifty participants undertook the SRPs, and 29 participants were waitlisted. A significant improvement in distress, workplace wellbeing, and vigor was observed within the first SRP group, when compared with the control group. The improvement in distress and wellbeing was reproduced in the second SRP group. This study adds to the growing body of research that mindfulness may be an effective method for reducing workplace stress, improving employee wellbeing, and enhancing work engagement.

Stress reduction in an isotropic plate with a hole by applied induced strains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sensharma, Pradeep K.; Palantera, Markku J.; Haftka, Raphael T.

1992-01-01

Recently there has been much interest in adaptive structures that can respond to a varying environment by changing their properties. Shape memory alloys and piezoelectric materials can be used as induced strain actuators to reduce stresses in the regions of stress concentration. The objective of the work was to find the maximum possible reduction in the stress concentration factor in an isotropic plate with a hole by applying induced strains in a small area near the hole. Induced strains were simulated by thermal expansion.

US long-haul truck driver work organization and the association with cardiometabolic disease risk.

PubMed

Hege, Adam; Lemke, Michael Kenneth; Apostolopoulos, Yorghos; Perko, Mike; Sönmez, Sevil; Strack, Robert

2017-09-03

Work organization, including long working hours, irregular work schedules, and job stress, has been associated with increased cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk for numerous working populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between work hours, work schedules, job stress, and CMD risk for a sample of US long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs). A nonexperimental, descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed to collect survey and anthropometric data from 260 US LHTDs at a major truck stop. The mean BMI was 33.40 kg/m 2 and mean waist circumference was 114.77 cm. Using logistic regression, researchers found longer work hours, especially greater than 11 hours daily, were associated with increased odds for an extremely high risk of CMD. Results support comprehensive and integrated approaches that address work organization, and in particular long working hours, to reduce drivers' CMD risk.

Stress in multiple sclerosis: review of new developments and future directions.

PubMed

Lovera, Jesus; Reza, Tara

2013-11-01

In the experimental autoimmune encephalitis model of multiple sclerosis, the effects of stress on disease severity depend on multiple factors, including the animal's genetics and the type of stressor. The studies in humans relating stress to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis have found discordant results. The studies looking at the association of stress with relapses show a fairly consistent association, where higher stress is associated with a higher risk of relapse. Higher stress levels also appear to increase the risk of development of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. A recent randomized trial shows that reducing stress using stress management therapy (SMT), a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach, results in a statistically significant reduction in new magnetic resonance imaging lesions. The magnitude of this effect is large and comparable to the effects of existent disease-modifying therapies, but no data exist yet proving that SMT reduces relapses or clinical progression; the effect of SMT appears to be short-lived. Additional work is needed to improve the duration of this effect and make this therapy more widely accessible.

Work Stress as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease.

PubMed

Kivimäki, Mika; Kawachi, Ichiro

2015-09-01

The role of psychosocial work stress as a risk factor for chronic disease has been the subject of considerable debate. Many researchers argue in support of a causal connection while others remain skeptical and have argued that the effect on specific health conditions is either negligible or confounded. This review of evidence from over 600,000 men and women from 27 cohort studies in Europe, the USA and Japan suggests that work stressors, such as job strain and long working hours, are associated with a moderately elevated risk of incident coronary heart disease and stroke. The excess risk for exposed individuals is 10-40 % compared with those free of such stressors. Differences between men and women, younger versus older employees and workers from different socioeconomic backgrounds appear to be small, indicating that the association is robust. Meta-analyses of a wider range of health outcomes show additionally an association between work stress and type 2 diabetes, though not with common cancers or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suggesting outcome specificity. Few studies have addressed whether mitigation of work stressors would reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In view of the limited interventional evidence on benefits, harms and cost-effectiveness, definitive recommendations have not been made (e.g. by the US Preventive Services Taskforce) for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease via workplace stress reduction. Nevertheless, governments are already launching healthy workplace campaigns, and preventing excessive work stress is a legal obligation in several countries. Promoting awareness of the link between stress and health among both employers and workers is an important component of workplace health promotion.

Work stress and subsequent risk of internet addiction among information technology engineers in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Sung-Wei; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Pikhart, Hynek; Peasey, Anne; Chen, Shih-Tse; Tsai, Ming-Chen

2014-08-01

Work stress, as defined by the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) model and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model, has been found to predict risks for depression, anxiety, and substance addictions, but little research is available on work stress and Internet addiction. The aims of this study are to assess whether the DCS and ERI models predict subsequent risks of Internet addiction, and to examine whether these associations might be mediated by depression and anxiety. A longitudinal study was conducted in a sample (N=2,550) of 21-55 year old information technology engineers without Internet addiction. Data collection included questionnaires covering work stress, demographic factors, psychosocial factors, substance addictions, Internet-related factors, depression and anxiety at wave 1, and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) at wave 2. Ordinal logistic regression was used to assess the associations between work stress and IAT; path analysis was adopted to evaluate potentially mediating roles of depression and anxiety. After 6.2 months of follow-up, 14.0% of subjects became problematic Internet users (IAT 40-69) and 4.1% pathological Internet users (IAT 70-100). Job strain was associated with an increased risk of Internet addiction (odds ratio [OR] of having a higher IAT outcome vs. a lower outcome was 1.53); high work social support reduced the risk of Internet addiction (OR=0.62). High ER ratio (OR=1.61) and high overcommitment (OR=1.68) were associated with increased risks of Internet addiction. Work stress defined by the DCS and ERI models predicted subsequent risks of Internet addiction.

Brief, pre-learning stress reduces false memory production and enhances true memory selectively in females.

PubMed

Zoladz, Phillip R; Peters, David M; Kalchik, Andrea E; Hoffman, Mackenzie M; Aufdenkampe, Rachael L; Woelke, Sarah A; Wolters, Nicholas E; Talbot, Jeffery N

2014-04-10

Some of the previous research on stress-memory interactions has suggested that stress increases the production of false memories. However, as accumulating work has shown that the effects of stress on learning and memory depend critically on the timing of the stressor, we hypothesized that brief stress administered immediately before learning would reduce, rather than increase, false memory production. In the present study, participants submerged their dominant hand in a bath of ice cold water (stress) or sat quietly (no stress) for 3 min. Then, participants completed a short-term memory task, the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, in which they were presented with 10 different lists of semantically related words (e.g., candy, sour, sugar) and, after each list, were tested for their memory of presented words (e.g., candy), non-presented unrelated "distractor" words (e.g., hat), and non-presented semantically related "critical lure" words (e.g., sweet). Stress, overall, significantly reduced the number of critical lures recalled (i.e., false memory) by participants. In addition, stress enhanced memory for the presented words (i.e., true memory) in female, but not male, participants. These findings reveal that stress does not unequivocally enhance false memory production and that the timing of the stressor is an important variable that could mediate such effects. Such results could have important implications for understanding the dependability of eyewitness accounts of events that are observed following stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive couple interactions and daily cortisol: on the stress-protecting role of intimacy.

PubMed

Ditzen, Beate; Hoppmann, Christiane; Klumb, Petra

2008-10-01

To determine whether intimacy might be associated with reduced daily salivary cortisol levels in couples, thereby adding to the epidemiologic literature on reduced health burden in happy couples. A total of 51 dual-earner couples reported time spent on intimacy, stated their current affect quality, and provided saliva samples for cortisol estimation approximately every 3 hours in a 1-week time-sampling assessment. In addition, participants provided data on chronic problems of work organization. Multilevel analyses revealed that intimacy was significantly associated with reduced daily salivary cortisol levels. There was an interaction effect of intimacy with chronic problems of work organization in terms of their relationship with cortisol levels, suggesting a buffering effect of intimacy on work-related elevated cortisol levels. Above this, the association between intimacy and cortisol was mediated by positive affect. Intimacy and affect together explained 7% of daily salivary cortisol variance. Our results are in line with previous studies on the effect of intimacy on cortisol stress responses in the laboratory as well as with epidemiologic data on health beneficial effects of happy marital relationships.

The Roles of Financial Threat, Social Support, Work Stress, and Mental Distress in Dairy Farmers' Expectations of Injury.

PubMed

Furey, Emilia M; O'Hora, Denis; McNamara, John; Kinsella, Stephen; Noone, Chris

2016-01-01

Farming is dangerous, with fatalities among the highest in any occupation. Farmers often work alone, for long hours, with unreliable equipment and in difficult weather conditions with hazardous chemicals and livestock. In addition, farmers make large financial commitments exposing them to high levels of financial risk. Exposure to such financial risk can give rise to subjective experiences of financial threat (FT) that are psychologically challenging. The current study attempted to characterize the role that FT plays in farm injuries. One hundred and twenty one dairy farmers completed a battery of questionnaires assessing FT, social support (SS), depression, anxiety, farm job stress, and health and safety beliefs. Mental distress directly predicted farmers' expectations of injury and a direct effect of non-financial farm stress (FS) approached significance. Mental distress mediated these relationships as evidenced by significant indirect effects of FS and FT, and SS served to reduce distress. These findings support calls for interventions designed to reduce FS and FT and increase SS for farmers.

[Obesity and work: an emerging problem].

PubMed

Capodaglio, Paolo; Capodaglio, Edda Maria; Precilios, Helmer; Vismara, Luca; Tacchini, Elena; Finozzi, Enrico; Brunani, Amelia

2011-01-01

In Italy, 42.5% of adult males is overweight and 10.5% obese, while 26.6% of the women is overweight and 9.1% obese. The economical consequences of a growing number of obese workers are relevant: obesity is associated to reduced participation to productive life, increased absenteeism, disability and need for health care, lower salaries, negative impact on productivity. The obese worker is characterized by reduced tolerance to effort, limited range of motion at spinal and joints level, reduced muscle strength normalized per body weight, lower tolerance to prolonged postures, reduced balance and overall reduced work capacity linear to the increase of body mass index. The present article reviews the most evident relationships between work factors (stress, musculoskeletal disorders, etc.) and obesity and speculates about possible interventions to prevent occupational issues for obese workers.

Mindfulness programming for parents and teachers of children with ADHD.

PubMed

Miller, Carlin J; Brooker, Brianne

2017-08-01

Parents and teachers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for a range of suboptimal psychosocial outcomes, including mental health difficulties and heightened stress, problems perhaps ameliorated through mindfulness-based programming. To show pilot data from an investigation of the outcomes of a purpose-built mindfulness training for parents and teachers of children with ADHD (N = 26). The program represents a purpose-driven modification of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum. Namely, we reduced participant time commitment and added psychoeducation about ADHD with brief parent training. The measurement protocol included measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. Following the 8-week program, parents and teachers reported reduced perceived stress, reduced self-reported anxiety, and improvements in some facets of mindfulness. The work highlights the promise of specialized mindfulness-based interventions in promoting positive psychosocial outcomes in specific at-risk groups, such as the carers of children with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of nurses' work life: strategies for enhancement.

PubMed

Davis, B; Thorburn, B

1999-01-01

The radical transformation resulting from health care reform, with its emphasis on restructuring, reorganizing and downsizing, has impacted on the nursing profession and has profoundly effected the quality of nurses' work life. The Health Care Corporation of St. John's experienced the stress associated with change when it simultaneously merged eight health care sites and introduced a programmed-based management structure. This article reviews the strategies developed in response to this transition by the Nurses' Quality of Worklife Team, to help reduce stress and enhance the quality of nurses' work life. In particular, it highlights the development and implementation of a professional support network called the Nursing Peer Support Program.

Assessing the relationships among stress, god-mediated control, and psychological distress/well-being: Does the level of education matter?

PubMed

Krause, Neal

2018-01-24

One of the primary functions of religion is to help people cope with stressful life events. The purpose of the current study is to see if God-mediated control beliefs perform this stress-buffering function. God-mediated control refers to the belief that people work together with God to reduce the effects of unwanted stressors in their lives. An effort is made to probe this relationship more deeply by seeing whether the stress moderating function of God-mediated control beliefs varies across levels of educational attainment. Findings from a recent nationwide survey suggest that strong God-mediated control beliefs reduce the magnitude of the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms, anxiety, happiness, and hope, but only among more highly educated study participants. In contrast, God-mediated control beliefs do not appear to influence the relationship between stress and distress/well-being among study participants with lower levels of educational attainment.

The development of anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather.

PubMed

Chan, Albert P C; Guo, Y P; Wong, Francis K W; Li, Y; Sun, S; Han, X

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to develop anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather. Following DeJonge's functional clothing design process, the design situation was explored, including clothing fabric heat/moisture transporting properties and UV protection and the aspects of clothing ergonomic design (mobility, convenience, and safety). The problem structure was derived from the results of the surveys in three local construction sites, which agreed well with the task requirements and observations. Specifications were consequently described and 30 commercially available fabrics were identified and tested. Fabric testing data and design considerations were inputted in S-smart system to predict the thermal functional performance of the clothing. A new uniform prototype was developed and evaluated. The results of all measurements suggest that the new uniform which incorporated fabrics with superior heat/moisture transporting properties and loose-fitting design could reduce the workers' heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance. Practitioner Summary: The construction workers' uniform currently used in Hong Kong during summer was unsatisfactory. Following DeJonge's functional clothing design process, an anti-heat stress uniform was developed by testing 30 fabrics and predicting clothing thermal functional performance using S-smart system. The new uniform could reduce the workers' heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance.

Better executive function under stress mitigates the effects of recent life stress exposure on health in young adults

PubMed Central

Shields, Grant S.; Moons, Wesley G.; Slavich, George M.

2017-01-01

Executive function is a neuropsychological construct that enables controlled cognitive processing, which has been hypothesized to enhance individuals’ resilience to stress. However, little empirical work has directly examined how executive function under different conditions mitigates the negative effects of stress exposure on health. To address this issue, we recruited 110 healthy young adults and assessed their recent life stress exposure, executive function in either a stressful or non-stressful context, and current health complaints. Based on existing research, we hypothesized that individuals exhibiting better executive function following a laboratory-based stressor (but not a control task) would demonstrate weaker associations between recent stress exposure and health because they perceived recent life stressors as being less severe. Consistent with this hypothesis, better executive function during acute stress, but not in the absence of stress, was associated with an attenuated link between participants’ recent life stress exposure and their current health complaints. Moreover, this attenuating effect was mediated by lesser perceptions of stressor severity. Based on these data, we conclude that better executive function under stress is associated with fewer health complaints and that these effects may occur by reducing individuals’ perceptions of stressor severity. The data thus suggest the possibility of reducing stress-related health problems by enhancing executive function. PMID:28114849

Better executive function under stress mitigates the effects of recent life stress exposure on health in young adults.

PubMed

Shields, Grant S; Moons, Wesley G; Slavich, George M

2017-01-01

Executive function is a neuropsychological construct that enables controlled cognitive processing, which has been hypothesized to enhance individuals' resilience to stress. However, little empirical work has directly examined how executive function under different conditions mitigates the negative effects of stress exposure on health. To address this issue, we recruited 110 healthy young adults and assessed their recent life stress exposure, executive function in either a stressful or non-stressful context, and current health complaints. Based on existing research, we hypothesized that individuals exhibiting better executive function following a laboratory-based stressor (but not a control task) would demonstrate weaker associations between recent stress exposure and health because they perceived recent life stressors as being less severe. Consistent with this hypothesis, better executive function during acute stress, but not in the absence of stress, was associated with an attenuated link between participants' recent life stress exposure and their current health complaints. Moreover, this attenuating effect was mediated by lesser perceptions of stressor severity. Based on these data, we conclude that better executive function under stress is associated with fewer health complaints and that these effects may occur by reducing individuals' perceptions of stressor severity. The data thus suggest the possibility of reducing stress-related health problems by enhancing executive function.

Reducing Depression in Pregnancy: Designing Multimodel Interventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Maddy; Zayas, Luis H.

2002-01-01

High levels of stress on low-income, inner-city women from ethnic minority groups often causes both poor maternal functioning and infant development outcomes. This article reviews literature that proposes using several social work treatment options instead a single approach to reduce maternal depression, expand mothers' social networks, and…

Social work in oncology-managing vicarious trauma-the positive impact of professional supervision.

PubMed

Joubert, Lynette; Hocking, Alison; Hampson, Ralph

2013-01-01

This exploratory study focused on the experience and management of vicarious trauma in a team of social workers (N = 16) at a specialist cancer hospital in Melbourne. Respondents completed the Traumatic Stress Institute Belief Scale (TSIBS), the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), and participated in four focus groups. The results from the TSIBS and the ProQol scales confirm that there is a stress associated with the social work role within a cancer service, as demonstrated by the high scores related to stress. However at the same time the results indicated a high level of satisfaction which acted as a mitigating factor. The study also highlighted the importance of supervision and management support. A model for clinical social work supervision is proposed to reduce the risks associated with vicarious trauma.

Effects of single cortisol administrations on human affect reviewed: Coping with stress through adaptive regulation of automatic cognitive processing.

PubMed

Putman, Peter; Roelofs, Karin

2011-05-01

The human stress hormone cortisol may facilitate effective coping after psychological stress. In apparent agreement, administration of cortisol has been demonstrated to reduce fear in response to stressors. For anxious patients with phobias or posttraumatic stress disorder this has been ascribed to hypothetical inhibition of retrieval of traumatic memories. However, such stress-protective effects may also work via adaptive regulation of early cognitive processing of threatening information from the environment. This paper selectively reviews the available literature on effects of single cortisol administrations on affect and early cognitive processing of affectively significant information. The concluded working hypothesis is that immediate effects of high concentration of cortisol may facilitate stress-coping via inhibition of automatic processing of goal-irrelevant threatening information and through increased automatic approach-avoidance responses in early emotional processing. Limitations in the existing literature and suggestions for future directions are briefly discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work stress and innate immune response.

PubMed

Boscolo, P; Di Gioacchino, M; Reale, M; Muraro, R; Di Giampaolo, L

2011-01-01

Several reports highlight the relationship between blood NK cytotoxic activity and life style. Easy life style, including physical activity, healthy dietary habits as well as good mental health are characterized by an efficient immune response. Life style is related to the type of occupational activity since work has a central part in life either as source of income or contributing to represent the social identity. Not only occupational stress, but also job loss or insecurity are thus considered serious stressful situations, inducing emotional disorders which may affect both neuroendocrine and immune systems; reduced reactivity to mitogens and/or decreased blood NK cytotoxic activity was reported in unemployed workers or in those with a high perception of job insecurity and/or job stress. Although genetic factors have a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, occupational stress (as in night shifts) was reported associated to an increased incidence of autoimmune disorders. Monitoring blood NK response may thus be included in the health programs as an indirect index of stressful job and/or poor lifestyle.

The effects of work surface hardness on mechanical stress, muscle activity, and wrist postures.

PubMed

Kim, Jeong Ho; Aulck, Lovenoor; Trippany, David; Johnson, Peter W

2015-01-01

Contact pressure is a risk factor which can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a work surface with a soft, pliable front edge could reduce contact pressure, muscle activity, and subjective musculoskeletal comfort, and improve wrist posture relative to a conventional, hard work surface. In a repeated-measures blinded experiment with eighteen subjects (8 females and 10 males), contact pressure, wrist posture, typing productivity, perceived fatigue, wrist and shoulder muscle activity, and subjective comfort were compared between the two different work surfaces during keyboard use, mouse use and mixed mouse and keyboard use. The results showed that across the three modes of computer work, the contact pressure was lower on the soft-edge work surface compared to the conventional work surface (p's <0.03) and subjects reported to have less perceived fatigue in the forearms and wrists. No differences in muscle activity, wrist posture, and subjective comfort were measured between the two work surfaces. Given the significant reduction in contact pressure and corresponding lower ratings in perceived fatigue, the soft-edge work surface subjectively and objectively improved measures of contact stress which may reduce physical exposures associated with the onset and development of musculoskeletal disorders.

“A lot of sacrifices:” Work-family spillover and the food choice coping strategies of low wage employed parents

PubMed Central

Devine, Carol M.; Jastran, Margaret; Jabs, Jennifer A; Wethington, Elaine; Farrell, Tracy J; Bisogni, Carole A

2006-01-01

Integrating their work and family lives is an everyday challenge for employed parents. Competing demands for parents’ time and energy may contribute to fewer meals prepared or eaten at home and poorer nutritional quality of meals. Thus, work-family spillover (feelings, attitudes, and behaviors carried over from one role to another) is a phenomenon with implications for nutrition and health. The aim of this theory-guided constructivist research was to understand how low-wage employed parents’ experiences of work-family spillover affected their food choice coping strategies. Participants were 69 black, white and Latino mothers and fathers in a Northeastern U.S. city. We explored participants’ understandings of family and work roles, spillover, and food choice strategies using open-ended qualitative interviews. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. These parents described affective, evaluative, and behavioral instances of work-family spillover and role overload as normative parts of everyday life and dominant influences on their food choices. They used food choice coping strategies to: 1) manage feelings of stress and fatigue, 2) reduce the time and effort for meals, 3) redefine meanings and reduce expectations for food and eating, and 4) set priorities and trade off food and eating against other family needs. Only a few parents used adaptive strategies that changed work or family conditions to reduce the experience of conflict. Most coping strategies were aimed at managing feelings and redefining meanings, and were inadequate for reducing the everyday hardships from spillover and role overload. Some coping strategies exacerbated feelings of stress. These findings have implications for family nutrition, food expenditures, nutritional self-efficacy, social connections, food assistance policy, and work place strategies. PMID:16889881

"A lot of sacrifices:" work-family spillover and the food choice coping strategies of low-wage employed parents.

PubMed

Devine, Carol M; Jastran, Margaret; Jabs, Jennifer; Wethington, Elaine; Farell, Tracy J; Bisogni, Carole A

2006-11-01

Integrating their work and family lives is an everyday challenge for employed parents. Competing demands for parents' time and energy may contribute to fewer meals prepared or eaten at home and poorer nutritional quality of meals. Thus, work-family spillover (feelings, attitudes, and behaviors carried over from one role to another) is a phenomenon with implications for nutrition and health. The aim of this theory-guided constructivist research was to understand how low-wage employed parents' experiences of work-family spillover affected their food choice coping strategies. Participants were 69 black, white and Latino mothers and fathers in a Northeastern US city. We explored participants' understandings of family and work roles, spillover, and food choice strategies using open-ended qualitative interviews. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. These parents described affective, evaluative, and behavioral instances of work-family spillover and role overload as normative parts of everyday life and dominant influences on their food choices. They used food choice coping strategies to: (1) manage feelings of stress and fatigue, (2) reduce the time and effort for meals, (3) redefine meanings and reduce expectations for food and eating, and (4) set priorities and trade off food and eating against other family needs. Only a few parents used adaptive strategies that changed work or family conditions to reduce the experience of conflict. Most coping strategies were aimed at managing feelings and redefining meanings, and were inadequate for reducing the everyday hardships from spillover and role overload. Some coping strategies exacerbated feelings of stress. These findings have implications for family nutrition, food expenditures, nutritional self-efficacy, social connections, food assistance policy, and work place strategies.

Magnitude and distribution of trunk stresses in telecommunications engineers.

PubMed Central

Nicholson, A S; David, P R; Sheppard, N J

1981-01-01

The incidence of back injuries has been shown to be greater in occupations as heavy manual work than light manual work. To plan a programme aimed at reducing the incidence of back injuries in industry those workers at high risk of incurring handling accidents and back injuries need to be identified and a knowledge of the specific occupational factors causing such injuries sought. This has been achieved for telecommunications engineers using epidemiological and radio pressure pill methodologies. The results verify the correlation between the back injury rates and physical work stresses of different occupational groups. The magnitude and relative frequency of trunk stresses in hazardous tasks has been determined and compared with those with lower incidences of back disorders. The study has confirmed that in examining manual handling hazards in industrial male populations a critical value of truncal stress can be applied and used to determine the safety of occupational factors in relation to their potential causing or contributing to degenerative back diseases. PMID:7317300

Employee worktime control moderates the effects of job strain and effort-reward imbalance on sickness absence: the 10-town study.

PubMed

Ala-Mursula, Leena; Vahtera, Jussi; Linna, Anne; Pentti, Jaana; Kivimäki, Mika

2005-10-01

To examine whether the effects of work stress on sickness absence vary by the level of control the employees have over their working times. Prospective cohort study. A survey of job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and control over daily working hours and days off was carried out in 2000-01. The survey responses were linked with registered data on the number of medically certified (>3 days) sickness absences from one year before the survey until the end of 2003. The mean follow up period was 28.2 (SD 8.1) months. Adjustments were made for demographics and behavioural health risks. Aggregated measures of worktime control according to workplaces were used to control for differences in reactivity and response style. Ten towns in Finland. 16 139 public sector employees who had no medically certified sickness absences in the year preceding the survey. Among the women, individually measured control over daily working hours and days off moderated the association between work stress and sickness absence. The combination of high stress and good worktime control was associated with lower absence rates than a combination of high stress and poor worktime control. This finding was replicated in the analyses using workplace aggregates of worktime control. Among the men, the findings were less consistent and not replicable using aggregated measures of worktime control. Good control over working times reduces the adverse effect of work stress on sickness absence especially among female employees.

Does Time Management Training Work? An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Peter; Skinner, Denise

2005-01-01

In an increasingly competitive business environment, organisations have sought to increase productivity and reduce costs. The consequences of this for many employees include increased workloads, longer working hours and greater time pressures which, the evidence suggests, are linked to stress, high rates of absence and turnover. At the same time…

Inscribing Our Work as WPAs: Gendered Bodies and Conflict as Physical Trope.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gradin, Sherrie

This paper describes the conflicts Writing Program Administrators (WPAs) face such as: personal, departmental, institutional, regional, and national, and presents possibly solutions for reducing the stress related illnesses attendant with the work. Often administrators' responses are somatic: conflict becomes a physical trope and administrators…

A job safety program for construction workers designed to reduce the potential for occupational injury using tool box training sessions and computer-assisted biofeedback stress management techniques.

PubMed

Johnson, Kenneth A; Ruppe, Joan

2002-01-01

This project was conducted with a multicultural construction company in Hawaii, USA. The job duties performed included drywall and carpentry work. The following objectives were selected for this project: (a) fire prevention training and inspection of first aid equipment; (b) blood-borne pathogen training and risk evaluation; (c) ergonomic and risk evaluation intervention program; (d) electrical safety training and inspection program; (e) slips, trips, and falls safety training; (f) stress assessment and Personal Profile System; (g) safety and health program survey; (h) improving employee relations and morale by emphasizing spirituality; and (i) computer-assisted biofeedback stress management training. Results of the project indicated that observed safety hazards, reported injuries, and levels of perceived stress. were reduced for the majority of the population.

A new quantitative approach to measure perceived work-related stress in Italian employees.

PubMed

Cevenini, Gabriele; Fratini, Ilaria; Gambassi, Roberto

2012-09-01

We propose a method for a reliable quantitative measure of subjectively perceived occupational stress applicable in any company to enhance occupational safety and psychosocial health, to enable precise prevention policies and intervention and to improve work quality and efficiency. A suitable questionnaire was telephonically administered to a stratified sample of the whole Italian population of employees. Combined multivariate statistical methods, including principal component, cluster and discriminant analyses, were used to identify risk factors and to design a causal model for understanding work-related stress. The model explained the causal links of stress through employee perception of imbalance between job demands and resources for responding appropriately, by supplying a reliable U-shaped nonlinear stress index, expressed in terms of values of human systolic arterial pressure. Low, intermediate and high values indicated demotivation (or inefficiency), well-being and distress, respectively. Costs for stress-dependent productivity shortcomings were estimated to about 3.7% of national income from employment. The method identified useful structured information able to supply a simple and precise interpretation of employees' well-being and stress risk. Results could be compared with estimated national benchmarks to enable targeted intervention strategies to protect the health and safety of workers, and to reduce unproductive costs for firms.

Use of aromatherapy to promote a therapeutic nurse environment.

PubMed

Johnson, Kari; West, Toni; Diana, Shelly; Todd, Jodi; Haynes, Brianna; Bernhardt, Judy; Johnson, Roberta

2017-06-01

Workplace stress can affect nurse satisfaction. Aroma therapy as a therapeutic use of essential oil can be beneficial in reducing stress. Assess perceived stress pre-post introduction of Essential Oil Lavender among registered nurses, charge nurses, and patient care technicians in a trauma intensive care unit, surgical specialty care unit and an orthopedic trauma unit. Pre-post intervention with a quasi-experimental design. After a pre-survey, Essential Oil Lavender was diffused 24h per day over 30days in a designated nursing area that all nurses were not required to enter on each unit. Dependent sample t-test for "how often do nurses feel stressed a work in a typical week" revealed pre-survey mean 2.97 (SD=0.99) which was significantly higher than post-survey mean 2.70 (SD=0.92) with significance, t(69)=2.36, p=0.021, suggesting a difference in how often staff felt stressed at work in a typical week, trending down from "feeling stressed half of time" to "once in a while". There were no statistically significant differences in pre-post survey scores for TICU, TOU, or SSC as separate units. Use of essential oils to decrease work-related stress among nursing staff may improve retention, workplace environment, and increase nurse satisfaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can an Opportunity to Learn at Work Reduce Stress?: A Revisitation of the Job Demand-Control Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panari, Chiara; Guglielmi, Dina; Simbula, Silvia; Depolo, Marco

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to extend the stress-buffering hypothesis of the demand-control model. In addition to the control variable, it seeks to analyse the role of an opportunity for learning and development (L&D) in the workplace as a moderator variable between increased demands and need for recovery. Design/methodology/approach: A…

Work-related behaviour and experience pattern in nurses: impact on physical and mental health.

PubMed

Schulz, M; Damkröger, A; Voltmer, E; Löwe, B; Driessen, M; Ward, M; Wingenfeld, K

2011-06-01

Nursing is associated with high levels of emotional strain and heavy workloads. Changing working conditions raise the importance of investigating job satisfaction, stress and burnout and its consequences for nurses. The aim of the study was to investigate whether work-related behaviour and experience patterns are associated with mental and physical health status in nurses. A sample of 356 nurses in four German hospitals were interviewed using questionnaires regarding work-related behaviour and experience patterns, work stress, depression, anxiety and physical symptoms ('Work-related Behaviour and Experience Pattern'--AVEM and ERI). The main result of this study is that unhealthy work-related behaviour and experience patterns (i.e. the excessive ambitious type and the resigned type) are associated with reduced mental and physical health. Preventive, as well as intervention, strategies are needed that focus both on the individual as well as on working conditions. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing.

[Job stress in locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot and related influencing factors].

PubMed

Kang, L; Jia, X C; Lu, F; Zhou, W H; Chen, R

2017-10-20

Objective: To investigate the current status of job stress in locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot and related influencing factors. Methods: From 2012 to 2013, cluster sampling was used to select 1500 locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot in Zhengzhou Railway Bureau as respondents.The contents of the investigation included general data and occupational information.A job satisfaction questionnaire was used to investigate the degree of satisfaction, a depression scale was used to investigate the frequency of symptoms, and a daily stress scale was used to investigate the frequency of fatigue and stress. Results: There was a significant difference in depression score between locomotive attendants with different ages, working years, degrees of education, working situations of spouse, total monthly family incomes, numbers of times of attendanceat night, monthly numbers of times of attendance,ormonthly attendance times( P <0.05). There was a significant difference in job satisfaction score between locomotive attendants with different ages,working years, degrees of education, working situations of spouse, total monthly family incomes, numbers of times of attendance at night, monthly attendance times,or ways to work( P <0.05). There was a significant difference in daily stress score between locomotive attendants with different ages, working years, marital status,working situations of spouse, total monthly family incomes, types of work,numbers of times of attendance at night,monthly attendance times,attendance times at night,or ways to work( P <0.05). The multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the type of locomotive was positively correlated with job satisfaction( β =1.546)and monthly number of times of attendance,working years,attendance time at night,and degree of education were negatively correlated with job satisfaction( β =-0.185,-0.097,-0.020,and -1.106); monthly number of times of attendance andcommute time were positively correlated with depression( β =0.243 and 0.029); attendance time at night,working situation of spouse,commute time,monthly number of times of attendance,degree of education,and working years were positively correlated with daily stress( β =0.006,0.473,0.010,0.043,0.585, and 0.028). Conclusion: Number of times of attendance, attendance time,working years,and spouse are influencing factors for job stress in locomotive attendants. Improvement in work process and care for their personal life help to reduce the level of job stress.

Work stress and well-being in oncology settings: a multidisciplinary study of health care professionals.

PubMed

Jones, Martyn C; Wells, Mary; Gao, Chuan; Cassidy, Bernadette; Davie, Jackie

2013-01-01

Staff working in oncology report high levels of work-related stress. This arises partly from the nature of clinical work, including practitioner perceptions of high demand and low control or high effort and low reward. This comparative study investigated the correlates of work stress in a multidisciplinary group of staff and the associations between staff perceptions of the work environment, emotional distress, job satisfaction and work-based social support. This questionnaire study combined quantitative and qualitative assessment in a cohort sample of multidisciplinary staff (N = 85) working in a cancer centre in North East Scotland. Ethical approval was granted by the local Research Ethics Committee. This paper reports on the quantitative element of the study, Response rate was 50.6% (N = 85). Older, female and nursing and support staff were more likely to participate. Support staff reported the lowest perceptions of control, job satisfaction and managerial support. Radiographers reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, co-worker and managerial support. Nurses perceived lower decision control and job satisfaction than allied health professionals or doctors. In general, perceptions of decisional control and reward were protective of job satisfaction, particularly when work demands were high. Co-worker support was associated with perceptions of reduced effort, greater reward and increased satisfaction. Managerial support was also associated with greater control beliefs. Overall, sickness absence exceeded the 5% rates seen in other National Health Service surveys, whereas turnover intention rates were similar. The development and introduction of multilevel strategies to reduce demand, improve control and support perceptions are warranted, particularly for support staff. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Protective benefits of mindfulness in emergency room personnel.

PubMed

Westphal, Maren; Bingisser, Martina-Barbara; Feng, Tianshu; Wall, Melanie; Blakley, Emily; Bingisser, Roland; Kleim, Birgit

2015-04-01

Recent meta-analyses have found that mindfulness practice may reduce anxiety and depression in clinical populations and there is growing evidence that mindfulness may also improve well-being and quality of care in health professionals. This study examined whether mindfulness protects against the impact of work-related stress on mental health and burnout in emergency room (ER) nurses. ER nurses (N=50) were recruited from an urban teaching hospital in Switzerland and completed a survey on work-related stressors, mindfulness, burnout, depression, and anxiety. The most frequently reported work-related stressor was interpersonal conflict. Nurses working more consecutive days since last taking time off were at greater risk for depression and those reporting more work-related interpersonal conflicts were at greater risk for burnout. Mindfulness was associated with reduced anxiety, depression, and burnout. Mindfulness was a significant predictor of anxiety, depression, and burnout and moderated the impact of work-related stressors on mental health and burnout. The sample is limited to nurses and results need to be replicated in other groups (e.g., medical staff or ambulance workers). We assessed clinical symptoms with questionnaires and it would be desirable to repeat this assessment with clinical diagnostic interviews. The findings have implications for stress management in ER nurses and health professionals working in comparable settings (e.g., urgent care). The robust associations between mindfulness and multiple indices of psychological well-being suggest that ER staff exposed to high levels of occupational stress may benefit from mindfulness practice to increase resistance to mental health problems and burnout. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of psychosocial stress at work for the development of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review.

PubMed

Backé, Eva-Maria; Seidler, Andreas; Latza, Ute; Rossnagel, Karin; Schumann, Barbara

2012-01-01

A systematic review was carried out to assess evidence for the association between different models of stress at work, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A literature search was conducted using five databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PSYNDEX and PsycINFO). Inclusion criteria for studies were the following: self-reported stress for individual workplaces, prospective study design and incident disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris, high blood pressure). Evaluation, according to the criteria of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, was done by two readers. In case of disagreement, a third reader was involved. Twenty-six publications were included, describing 40 analyses out of 20 cohorts. The risk estimates for work stress were associated with a statistically significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease in 13 out of the 20 cohorts. Associations were significant for 7 out of 13 cohorts applying the demand-control model, all three cohorts using the effort-reward model and 3 out of 6 cohorts investigating other models. Most significant results came from analyses considering only men. Results for the association between job stress and cardiovascular diseases in women were not clear. Associations were weaker in participants above the age of 55. In accordance with other systematic reviews, this review stresses the importance of psychosocial factors at work in the aetiology of cardiovascular diseases. Besides individual measures to manage stress and to cope with demanding work situations, organisational changes at the workplace need to be considered to find options to reduce occupational risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Taren, Adrienne A.; Gianaros, Peter J.; Greco, Carol M.; Lindsay, Emily K.; Fairgrieve, April; Brown, Kirk Warren; Rosen, Rhonda K.; Ferris, Jennifer L.; Julson, Erica; Marsland, Anna L.; Bursley, James K.; Ramsburg, Jared

2015-01-01

Recent studies indicate that mindfulness meditation training interventions reduce stress and improve stress-related health outcomes, but the neural pathways for these effects are unknown. The present research evaluates whether mindfulness meditation training alters resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala, a region known to coordinate stress processing and physiological stress responses. We show in an initial discovery study that higher perceived stress over the past month is associated with greater bilateral amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) rsFC in a sample of community adults (n = 130). A follow-up, single-blind randomized controlled trial shows that a 3-day intensive mindfulness meditation training intervention (relative to a well-matched 3-day relaxation training intervention without a mindfulness component) reduced right amygdala-sgACC rsFC in a sample of stressed unemployed community adults (n = 35). Although stress may increase amygdala-sgACC rsFC, brief training in mindfulness meditation could reverse these effects. This work provides an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training promotes functional neuroplastic changes, suggesting an amygdala-sgACC pathway for stress reduction effects. PMID:26048176

Some effects of stress on users of a voice recognition system: A preliminary inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, B. A.

1983-03-01

Recent work with Automatic Speech Recognition has focused on applications and productivity considerations in the man-machine interface. This thesis is an attempt to see if placing users of such equipment under time-induced stress has an effect on their percent correct recognition rates. Subjects were given a message-handling task of fixed length and allowed progressively shorter times to attempt to complete it. Questionnaire responses indicate stress levels increased with decreased time-allowance; recognition rates decreased as time was reduced.

Using a competency-based approach to identify the management behaviours required to manage workplace stress in nursing: a critical incident study.

PubMed

Lewis, Rachel; Yarker, Joanna; Donaldson-Feilder, Emma; Flaxman, Paul; Munir, Fehmidah

2010-03-01

To identify the specific management behaviours associated with the effective management of stress in nursing; and to build a stress management competency framework that can be integrated and compared with nurse management frameworks. Workplace stress is a significant problem in healthcare, especially within nursing. While there is a reasonable consensus regarding the sources of stress and its impact on health and well-being, little is known about the specific line manager behaviours that are associated with the effective and ineffective management of stress. Semi-structured interviews using critical incident technique were conducted with 41 employees working within 5 National Health Service (NHS) trusts within the United Kingdom. Data were transcribed and analysed using content analysis. 19 competencies (or sets of behaviour) were identified in the management of stress in employees. The 3 most frequently reported competencies: managing workload and resources, individual consideration and participative approach, are discussed in detail with illustrative quotes. Managers are vital in the reduction and management of stress at work. Importantly, the 2 of the 3 dominant competencies, managing workload and resources and individual consideration, do not feature in the UK's NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework, suggesting there are important skills gaps with regard to managing workplace stress. The implications of this approach for training and development, performance appraisal and assessment are discussed. Interventions to support managers develop effective behaviours are required to help reduce and manage stress at work. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased Air Velocity Reduces Thermal and Cardiovascular Strain in Young and Older Males during Humid Exertional Heat Stress.

PubMed

Wright Beatty, Heather E; Hardcastle, Stephen G; Boulay, Pierre; Flouris, Andreas D; Kenny, Glen P

2015-01-01

Older adults have been reported to have a lower evaporative heat loss capacity than younger adults during exercise when full sweat evaporation is permitted. However, it is unclear how conditions of restricted evaporative and convective heat loss (i.e., high humidity, clothing insulation) alter heat stress. to the purpose of this study was to examine the heat stress responses of young and older males during and following exercise in a warm/humid environment under two different levels of air velocity. Ten young (YOUNG: 24±2 yr) and 10 older (OLDER: 59±3 yr) males, matched for body surface area performed 4×15-min cycling bouts (15-min rest) at a fixed rate of heat production (400 W) in warm/humid conditions (35°C, 60% relative humidity) under 0.5 (Low) and 3.0 (High) m·s(-1) air velocity while wearing work coveralls. Rectal (Tre) and mean skin (MTsk) temperatures, heart rate (HR), local sweat rate, % max skin blood flow (SkBF) (recovery only), and blood pressure (recovery only) were measured. High air velocity reduced core and skin temperatures (p < 0.05) equally in YOUNG and OLDER males (p > 0.05) but was more effective in reducing cardiovascular strain (absolute and % max HR; p < 0.05) in YOUNG males (p < 0.05). Greater increases in local dry heat loss responses (% max SkBF and cutaneous vascular conductance) were detected across time in OLDER than YOUNG males in both conditions (p < 0.05). Local dry heat loss responses and cardiovascular strain were attenuated during the High condition in YOUNG compared to OLDER (p < 0.05). High air velocity reduced the number of males surpassing the 38.0°C Tre threshold from 90% (Low) to 50% (High). Despite age-related local heat loss differences, YOUNG and OLDER males had similar levels of heat stress during intermittent exercise in warm and humid conditions while wearing work coveralls. Increased air velocity was effective in reducing heat stress equally, and cardiovascular strain to a greater extent, in YOUNG and OLDER males, and may be useful for mitigating heat stress in all workers.

Work stress and risk factors for health management trainees in canakkale, Turkey.

PubMed

Tanışman, Beyhan; Cevizci, Sibel; Çelik, Merve; Sevim, Sezgin

2014-10-01

This study aims to investigate the general mental health situation, work-related stress and risk factors of health management trainees. This cross-sectional study was conducted on Health Management Musters students (N=96) in Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Health Sciences Institute, May-June 2014. A total of 58 students who voluntarily participated in the study were reached (60.42%). Participants completed a 22-question sociodemographic survey form and a 12-item General Health Questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 20.0. The average age of participants was 36.4±6.2 (Min:24-Max:62) years. Thirty five of the participants were female (60.3%), 23 were male (39.7%). The number of people using cigarettes and alcohol were 23 (39.7%) and 9 (15.8%) respectively. In our study group according to GHQ scale 32 people (55.2%) were in the group at risk of depression. Eighty-six percent of participants reported experiencing work stress. The most frequently reported sources of stress were superiors (56.8%), work itself (41.3%), and work colleagues (25.8%). There was no significant difference between those at risk of depression and those not at risk in terms of gender, marital status, educational level, age, work-related factors (daily work, computer use, duration of sitting at desk), sleep duration, presence of chronic disease, substance use (cigarettes, alcohol), regular exercise, regular meals, fast-food consumption, sufficient family time and vacations (p>0.05). Our study results indicated that majority of participants reported experiencing work stress with more than half at high risk of developing depression. The most reported risk factors were superiors, the work itself and colleagues in the present study. Psychosocial risk factors at work environment should be investigated in terms of psychological, sociological and ergonomics in more detail to reduce the risk of health management trainees experiencing work stress and mental health problems.

Work Stress and Risk Factors For Health Management Trainees in Canakkale, Turkey

PubMed Central

Tanışman, Beyhan; Cevizci, Sibel; Çelik, Merve; Sevim, Sezgin

2014-01-01

Aim: This study aims to investigate the general mental health situation, work-related stress and risk factors of health management trainees. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on Health Management Musters students (N=96) in Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Health Sciences Institute, May-June 2014. A total of 58 students who voluntarily participated in the study were reached (60.42%). Participants completed a 22-question sociodemographic survey form and a 12-item General Health Questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 20.0. Results: The average age of participants was 36.4±6.2 (Min:24-Max:62) years. Thirty five of the participants were female (60.3%), 23 were male (39.7%). The number of people using cigarettes and alcohol were 23 (39.7%) and 9 (15.8%) respectively. In our study group according to GHQ scale 32 people (55.2%) were in the group at risk of depression. Eighty-six percent of participants reported experiencing work stress. The most frequently reported sources of stress were superiors (56.8%), work itself (41.3%), and work colleagues (25.8%). There was no significant difference between those at risk of depression and those not at risk in terms of gender, marital status, educational level, age, work-related factors (daily work, computer use, duration of sitting at desk), sleep duration, presence of chronic disease, substance use (cigarettes, alcohol), regular exercise, regular meals, fast-food consumption, sufficient family time and vacations (p>0.05). Conclusions: Our study results indicated that majority of participants reported experiencing work stress with more than half at high risk of developing depression. The most reported risk factors were superiors, the work itself and colleagues in the present study. Psychosocial risk factors at work environment should be investigated in terms of psychological, sociological and ergonomics in more detail to reduce the risk of health management trainees experiencing work stress and mental health problems. PMID:25568633

Does psychosocial competency training for junior physicians working in pediatric medicine improve individual skills and perceived job stress.

PubMed

Bernburg, Monika; Baresi, Lisa; Groneberg, David; Mache, Stefanie

2016-12-01

Pediatricians' job performance, work engagement, and job satisfaction are essential for both the individual physician and quality of care for their little patients and parents. Therefore, it is important to maintain or possibly augment pediatricians' individual and professional competencies. In this study, we developed and implemented a psychosocial competency training (PCT) teaching different psychosocial competencies and stress coping techniques. We investigated (1) the influence of the PCT on work-related characteristics: stress perception, work engagement, job satisfaction and (2) explored pediatricians' outcomes and satisfaction with PCT. Fifty-four junior physicians working in pediatric hospital departments participated in the training and were randomized in an intervention (n = 26) or a control group (n = 28). In the beginning, at follow-up 1 and 2, both groups answered a self-rated questionnaire on perceived training outcomes and work-related factors. The intervention group showed that their job satisfaction significantly increased while perceived stress scores decreased after taking part in the PCT. No substantial changes were observed with regard to pediatricians' work engagement. Participating physicians evaluated PCT with high scores for training design, content, received outcome, and overall satisfaction with the training. Professional psychosocial competency training could improve junior pediatricians' professional skills, reduce stress perception, increase their job satisfaction, and psychosocial skills. In addition, this study indicates that the PCT is beneficial to be implemented as a group training program for junior pediatricians at work. What is Known: • Junior pediatricians often report experiencing high levels of job strain and little supervisory support. • High levels of job demands make pediatricians vulnerable for mental health problems and decreased work ability. What is New: • Development, implementation, and evaluation of a psychosocial competency training for junior pediatricians working in clinical settings • Psychosocial competency training has the potential to improve pediatricians' psychosocial skills and perceptions of perceived work-related stress and job satisfaction.

Art within the Healing Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserman, Burton

1982-01-01

Describes the impact of introducing an art gallery into a New Jersey hospital. Adding art to the hospital environment improved patient morale, reduced stress, and supported the work of psychiatric art therapists. (AM)

Job-related stress in psychiatric nurses in Japan caring for elderly patients with dementia.

PubMed

Yada, Hironori; Abe, Hiroshi; Lu, Xi; Wakizaki, Yuko; Omori, Hisamitsu; Matsuo, Hisae; Ishida, Yasushi; Katoh, Takahiko

2014-11-01

We investigated the specificity and structures of job-related stress in psychiatric dementia nurses (PDNs) caring for elderly patients with serious behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia who required substantial assistance with activities of daily living, in order to obtain fundamental knowledge toward providing mental health care for these nurses. Subjects were 244 nurses [63 PDNs and 181 other psychiatric nurses (OPNs)] Analysis of covariance to examine the specificity of job-related stress in PDNs revealed physical workload and work environment to be more significant stressors, and irritability and anxiety to be more significant stress reactions in PDNs than in OPNs. An examination of PDNs' job-related stress structures established in a structural equation model with two stress reactions confirmed as specific outcomes for PDNs revealed a significant positive influence of work environment on irritability; utilization of techniques for anxiety and physical workload influenced both stress reactions. Our findings highlight the importance of reducing physical workload and environment and establishing a structure for nursing techniques in psychiatric dementia wards to improve the mental health of PDNs.

Biofeedback Training in Crisis Managers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Janka, A; Adler, C; Brunner, B; Oppenrieder, S; Duschek, S

2017-06-01

Working in crisis environments represents a major challenge, especially for executive personnel engaged in directing disaster operations, i.e. crisis managers. Crisis management involves operating under conditions of extreme stress resulting, for instance, from high-level decision-making, principal responsibility for personnel, multitasking or working under conditions of risk and time pressure. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a newly developed biofeedback training procedure based on electrodermal activity, especially designed for the target group of crisis managers. The training comprised exercises promoting acquisition of control over sympathetic arousal under resting conditions and during exposure to visual, acoustic and cognitive stressors resembling situations related to crisis management. In a randomized controlled design, 36 crisis managers were assigned to either a biofeedback training group or waiting list control group. Subjective stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. In the training group, stress level markedly decreased; the decrease remained stable at follow-up 2 months after the training. The results indicate that biofeedback training in crisis management is an effective method for stress management that may help to reduce vulnerability to stress-related performance decline and stress-related disease.

A comparison of the relationships between psychosocial factors, occupational strain, and work ability among 4 ethnic teacher groups in China.

PubMed

Lian, Yulong; Xiao, Jing; Zhang, Chen; Guan, Suzhen; Li, Fuye; Ge, Hua; Liu, Jiwen

2016-01-01

The present study compared the level of occupational strain and work ability among Han, Hui, Uygur, Hui, and Kazakh teachers, and explored ethnic differences based on the associations of psychosocial factors at work, occupational strain, and work ability. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,941 teachers in primary and secondary schools in Xinjiang Province, China. Psychosocial factors, occupational strain, and work ability were measured using the Occupation Stress Inventory-Revised Edition (OSI-R) and Work Ability Index. Han and Hui teachers experienced reduced work ability compared with Uygur and Kazakh teachers, and this finding was caused, in part, by exposure to psychosocial factors at work. The vocational and psychological strains caused by these factors play an important role in reduced work ability among all ethnic teacher groups. The findings indicate the importance of taking action to reduce occupational strain for promoting teachers' work ability in multiethnic workplaces.

Work-life conflict and musculoskeletal disorders: a cross-sectional study of an unexplored association

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The health consequences of work-family or rather work-life conflict (WLC) have been studied by numerous researchers. The work-related causes of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are also well explored. And stress (at work) has been found to be a consequence of WLC as well as a cause of MSD. But very little is known about a potential association between WLC and MSD and the possible mediating role of stress in this relationship. Methods Survey data collected in 2007 among the workforces of four large companies in Switzerland were used for this study. The study population covered 6091 employees. As the exposure variable and hypothesized risk factor for MSD, WLC was measured by using a 10-item scale based on an established 18-item scale on work-family conflict. The outcome variables used as indicators of MSD were (low) back pain and neck/shoulder pain. Stress as the assumed intervening variable was assessed by a validated single-item measure of general stress perception. Correlation coefficients (r), standardized regression coefficients (β) and multiple adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated as measures of association. Results WLC was found to be quite strongly associated with MSD (β = .21). This association turned out to be substantially confounded by physical strain at work, workload and job autonomy and was considerably reduced but far from being completely eliminated after adjusting for general stress as another identified risk factor of MSD and a proven strong correlate of WLC (r = .44). A significant and relevant association still remained (β = .10) after having controlled for all considered covariates. This association could be fully attributed to only one direction of WLC, namely the work-to-life conflict. In subsequent analyses, a clear gradient between this WLC direction and both types of MSD was found, and proved to be consistent for both men and women. Employees who were most exposed to such work-to-life conflict were also most at risk and showed a fivefold higher prevalence rate (19%-42%) and also an up to sixfold increased relative risk (OR = 3.8-6.3) of suffering greatly from these types of MSD compared with the least exposed reference group showing very low WLC in this direction. Including stress in the regression models again reduced the strength of the association significantly (OR = 1.9-4.1), giving an indication for a possible indirect effect of WLC on MSD mediated by stress. Conclusion Future research and workplace interventions for the prevention of MSD need to consider WLC as an important stressor, and the MSD risk factor identified in this study. PMID:21410950

Work-life conflict and musculoskeletal disorders: a cross-sectional study of an unexplored association.

PubMed

Hämmig, Oliver; Knecht, Michaela; Läubli, Thomas; Bauer, Georg F

2011-03-16

The health consequences of work-family or rather work-life conflict (WLC) have been studied by numerous researchers. The work-related causes of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are also well explored. And stress (at work) has been found to be a consequence of WLC as well as a cause of MSD. But very little is known about a potential association between WLC and MSD and the possible mediating role of stress in this relationship. Survey data collected in 2007 among the workforces of four large companies in Switzerland were used for this study. The study population covered 6091 employees. As the exposure variable and hypothesized risk factor for MSD, WLC was measured by using a 10-item scale based on an established 18-item scale on work-family conflict. The outcome variables used as indicators of MSD were (low) back pain and neck/shoulder pain. Stress as the assumed intervening variable was assessed by a validated single-item measure of general stress perception. Correlation coefficients (r), standardized regression coefficients (β) and multiple adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated as measures of association. WLC was found to be quite strongly associated with MSD (β=.21). This association turned out to be substantially confounded by physical strain at work, workload and job autonomy and was considerably reduced but far from being completely eliminated after adjusting for general stress as another identified risk factor of MSD and a proven strong correlate of WLC (r=.44). A significant and relevant association still remained (β=.10) after having controlled for all considered covariates. This association could be fully attributed to only one direction of WLC, namely the work-to-life conflict. In subsequent analyses, a clear gradient between this WLC direction and both types of MSD was found, and proved to be consistent for both men and women. Employees who were most exposed to such work-to-life conflict were also most at risk and showed a fivefold higher prevalence rate (19%-42%) and also an up to sixfold increased relative risk (OR = 3.8-6.3) of suffering greatly from these types of MSD compared with the least exposed reference group showing very low WLC in this direction. Including stress in the regression models again reduced the strength of the association significantly (OR=1.9-4.1), giving an indication for a possible indirect effect of WLC on MSD mediated by stress. Future research and workplace interventions for the prevention of MSD need to consider WLC as an important stressor, and the MSD risk factor identified in this study. © 2011 Hämmig et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Effects of Heat Stress on Construction Labor Productivity in Hong Kong: A Case Study of Rebar Workers.

PubMed

Yi, Wen; Chan, Albert P C

2017-09-12

Global warming is bringing more frequent and severe heat waves, and the result will be serious for vulnerable populations such as construction workers. Excessive heat stress has profound effects on physiological responses, which cause occupational injuries, fatalities and low productivity. Construction workers are particularly affected by heat stress, because of the body heat production caused by physically demanding tasks, and hot and humid working conditions. Field studies were conducted between August and September 2016 at two construction training grounds in Hong Kong. Onsite wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), workers' heart rate (HR), and labor productivity were measured and monitored. Based on the 378 data sets of synchronized environmental, physiological, construction labor productivity (CLP), and personal variables, a CLP-heat stress model was established. It was found that WBGT, percentage of maximum HR, age, work duration, and alcohol drinking habits were determining factors for predicting the CLP (adjusted R ² = 0.68, p < 0.05). The model revealed that heat stress reduces CLP, with the percentage of direct work time decreasing by 0.33% when the WBGT increased by 1 °C. The findings in this study extend the existing practice notes by providing scientific data that may be of benefit to the industry in producing solid guidelines for working in hot weather.

Effects of Heat Stress on Construction Labor Productivity in Hong Kong: A Case Study of Rebar Workers

PubMed Central

Chan, Albert P. C.

2017-01-01

Global warming is bringing more frequent and severe heat waves, and the result will be serious for vulnerable populations such as construction workers. Excessive heat stress has profound effects on physiological responses, which cause occupational injuries, fatalities and low productivity. Construction workers are particularly affected by heat stress, because of the body heat production caused by physically demanding tasks, and hot and humid working conditions. Field studies were conducted between August and September 2016 at two construction training grounds in Hong Kong. Onsite wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), workers’ heart rate (HR), and labor productivity were measured and monitored. Based on the 378 data sets of synchronized environmental, physiological, construction labor productivity (CLP), and personal variables, a CLP-heat stress model was established. It was found that WBGT, percentage of maximum HR, age, work duration, and alcohol drinking habits were determining factors for predicting the CLP (adjusted R2 = 0.68, p < 0.05). The model revealed that heat stress reduces CLP, with the percentage of direct work time decreasing by 0.33% when the WBGT increased by 1 °C. The findings in this study extend the existing practice notes by providing scientific data that may be of benefit to the industry in producing solid guidelines for working in hot weather. PMID:28895899

The effects of central pro-and anti-inflammatory immune challenges on depressive-like behavior induced by chronic forced swim stress in rats.

PubMed

Pan, Yuqin; Lin, Wenjuan; Wang, Weiwen; Qi, Xiaoli; Wang, Donglin; Tang, Mingming

2013-06-15

Although increasing evidence demonstrates that both chronic stressors and inflammatory immune activation contribute to pathophysiology and behavioral alterations associated with major depression, little is known about the interaction effect of central inflammatory immune activation and stress on depressive-like behavior. Our previous work has shown that 14-day chronic forced swim stress induces significant depressive-like behavior. The present investigation assessed whether pro-inflammatory cytokine and anti-inflammatory cytokine challenges have differential interaction effect on depressive-like behavior induced by chronic forced swim stress in rats. The pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune challenges were achieved respectively by central administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a pro-inflammatory cytokine inducer, and interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine. It was found that either central LPS treatment alone or chronic forced swim stress alone significantly induced depressive-like behavior, including reduced body weight gain, reduced saccharin preference and reduced locomotor activity. However, there was no significant synergistic or additive effect of central LPS treatment and stress on depressive-like behavior. LPS treatment did not exacerbate the depressive-like behavior induced by forced swim stress. Nevertheless, IL-10 reversed depressive-like behavior induced by forced swim stress, a finding indicating that IL-10 has antidepressant effect on behavioral depression induced by stress. The present findings provide new insight into the complexity of the immunity-inflammation hypothesis of depression. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teacher Job Satisfaction in a Year-Round School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haser, Shelly Gismondi; Nasser, Ilham

2003-01-01

Describes reasons for teacher job satisfaction at a year-round elementary school (Timber Lane) in Fairfax County, Virginia, such as flexible work schedules, reduced stress, and time for professional planning. (PKP)

Impact of occupation on stress and anxiety among Indian women.

PubMed

Patel, Pinal A; Patel, Prerna P; Khadilkar, Anuradha V; Chiplonkar, S A; Patel, Ashish D

2017-03-01

The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the prevalence of anxiety and stress in Indian women; and (2) evaluate the relationship of occupation to the prevalence of anxiety and stress. A cross-sectional study was performed from January 2013 to June 2014, on women (aged 18-50 years) randomly selected from different occupations in Gujarat, India. Anxiety was evaluated using Spielberg's State and Trait Anxiety Inventory scale and stress was assessed using the International Stress Management Association questionnaire. Serum cortisol concentration was measured in a sub-sample. The association of occupation with stress and anxiety was analyzed by a generalized linear model adjusted for age. Among all participants, 26% were the most prone and 66% were somewhat more prone to stress; 35% of women showed high anxiety levels. Homemakers had 1.2 times higher anxiety and 1.3 times higher stress than working women (p < .05). Prevalence of stress (37%, p < .001) and anxiety (40%, p = .068) were also higher in homemakers compared to working women and students. Serum cortisol levels did not differ significantly (p > .05) by occupation. This study revealed high prevalence rates of stress and anxiety in Indian women. Involvement in activities outside the home may help women to reduce stress.

Self-perceived depression, anxiety, stress and their relationships with psychosocial job factors in male automotive assembly workers.

PubMed

Edimansyah, Bin Abdin; Rusli, Bin Nordin; Naing, Lin; Mohamed Rusli, Bin Abdullah; Winn, Than; Tengku Mohamed Ariff, Bin Raja Hussin

2008-01-01

Depression, anxiety and stress have been recognized as important mental outcome measures in stressful working settings. The present study explores the prevalence of self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress; and their relationships with psychosocial job factors. A cross-sectional study involving 728 male automotive assembly workers was conducted in two major automotive assembly plants in Malaysia using the validated Malay versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Based on the DASS cut-off of > or =78 percentile scores, the prevalence of self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress was 35.4%, 47.2% and 31.1%, respectively. Four (0.5%), 29 (4.0%) and 2 (0.3%) workers, respectively, reported extremely severe self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress. Multiple linear regression analyses, controlling for age, education, salary, duration of work and marital status, revealed that psychological job demand, job insecurity and hazardous condition were positively associated with DASS-Depression, DASS-Anxiety and DASS-Stress; supervisor support was inversely associated with DASS-Depression and DASS-Stress. We suggest that reducing psychological job demand, job insecurity and hazardous condition factors may improve the self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress in male automotive assembly workers. Supervisor support is protective for self-perceived depression and stress.

Stress Sources and Manifestations in a Nationwide Sample of Pre-Primary, Primary, and Secondary Educators in Greece.

PubMed

Kourmousi, Ntina; Alexopoulos, Evangelos C

2016-01-01

Teachers experience high levels of stress as a result of their professional duties, and research has shown a growing interest in this phenomenon during the recent years. Aim of this study was to explore the associations of stress sources and manifestations with individual and job-related characteristics in educators of all levels. In a cross-sectional design, following an informative e-campaign on the study aims through the official and the main teachers' portals in Greece, respondents completed online the teachers stress inventory (TSI) and the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale. Nine hundred seventy-four male and 2473 female pre-primary, primary, and secondary educators with a mean age of 41.2 years responded. Women and younger teachers reported significantly higher levels of stress, mainly due to lack of time and other work-related stressors, and also more emotional and gastronomic manifestations. Increased age and working experience were associated with lower levels of several stress sources. Teachers of administrative positions had increased time management stressors, but less professional distress, professional investment, and discipline and motivation stressors. Additionally, working and residing far from family increased teachers' stress levels associated with control, motivation, and investment. Teachers of pre-primary education had reduced professional investment and motivation stress factors, while vocational lyceum teachers of secondary education reported less work-related stressors and manifestations and more discipline and motivation-related ones. Having students supported or in need of support from special educators and students with difficulties in speaking or comprehension was associated with most of the teachers' stress sources and manifestations (i.e., TSI subscales). Finally, colleagues' and mainly supervisors' support seemed to provide a strong and consistent protection against both stress sources and manifestations. Stress factors and manifestations vary among educators by gender, seniority, and teaching level. Training in coping and communication skills starting in teachers' undergraduate studies might have a major impact on their stress alleviation.

Occupational stress and mental health among nurses in a medical intensive care unit of a general hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013.

PubMed

Tajvar, Abdolhamid; Saraji, Gebraeil Nasl; Ghanbarnejad, Amin; Omidi, Leila; Hosseini, Seyed Sodabeh Seyed; Abadi, Ali Salehi Sahl

2015-07-01

Many nurses have reported experiencing high levels of occupational stress in their work environment. Stress, as an outcome of stressful workplaces and tasks, affects nursing behavior in hospital wards. The objectives of this research were to determine the prevalence of occupational stress and mental health problems in nurses in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013 and to determine the relationship between occupational stress and mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on all of the nurses working in ICU at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital located in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Seventy-two nurses were selected as the population for this study, and all of them were female. Two questionnaires were used in this study, i.e., General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) for assessing mental health and an occupational stress test for assessing job stress. Furthermore, the relationship between occupational stress and mental health was examined. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-test, and Pearson's product-moment correlation test were used to analyze the data. High and moderate levels of occupational stress were experienced by 83.9% and 10.7% of ICU nurses, respectively. The prevalence of mental disorders, somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression were 58.9, 60.7, 62.5, 71.4, and 10.7%, respectively. The findings of the independent samples t-test showed that somatic symptoms had significant relationships with age and working experience (p = 0.01). According to the independent samples t-test, there were no significant differences between somatic symptoms and working different shifts (p > 0.05). There was a high prevalence of occupational stress among ICU nurses. There was a significant relationship between occupational stress and mental health. Future interventions are needed to codify a comprehensive health program in this field to reduce occupational stress and enhance nurses' levels of mental health.

Occupational stress and mental health among nurses in a medical intensive care unit of a general hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013

PubMed Central

Tajvar, Abdolhamid; Saraji, Gebraeil Nasl; Ghanbarnejad, Amin; Omidi, Leila; Hosseini, Seyed Sodabeh Seyed; Abadi, Ali Salehi Sahl

2015-01-01

Background: Many nurses have reported experiencing high levels of occupational stress in their work environment. Stress, as an outcome of stressful workplaces and tasks, affects nursing behavior in hospital wards. The objectives of this research were to determine the prevalence of occupational stress and mental health problems in nurses in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital in Bandar Abbas in 2013 and to determine the relationship between occupational stress and mental health. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on all of the nurses working in ICU at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital located in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Seventy-two nurses were selected as the population for this study, and all of them were female. Two questionnaires were used in this study, i.e., General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) for assessing mental health and an occupational stress test for assessing job stress. Furthermore, the relationship between occupational stress and mental health was examined. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-test, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation test were used to analyze the data. Results: High and moderate levels of occupational stress were experienced by 83.9% and 10.7% of ICU nurses, respectively. The prevalence of mental disorders, somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression were 58.9, 60.7, 62.5, 71.4, and 10.7%, respectively. The findings of the independent samples t-test showed that somatic symptoms had significant relationships with age and working experience (p = 0.01). According to the independent samples t-test, there were no significant differences between somatic symptoms and working different shifts (p > 0.05). Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of occupational stress among ICU nurses. There was a significant relationship between occupational stress and mental health. Future interventions are needed to codify a comprehensive health program in this field to reduce occupational stress and enhance nurses’ levels of mental health. PMID:26388976

The association between work-related characteristic and job burnout among Chinese correctional officers: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Hu, S; Wang, J-N; Liu, L; Wu, H; Yang, X; Wang, Y; Wang, L

2015-09-01

It is well known that job burnout is a major problem for many professions. Correctional officers, the most important driving force in correctional facilities, deal with unwilling and potentially violent populations, and this may lead to burnout. However, in China, few studies are available regarding burnout among correctional officers and associations with work-related factors. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of work characteristics on job burnout among Chinese correctional officers in public prisons. Cross-sectional survey. This cross-sectional study was performed in March/April 2011. The study population comprised 2185 correctional officers working in four prisons in a province in north-east China. A questionnaire that examined job burnout [three subscales: emotional exhaustion (EE), cynicism (CY) and professional efficacy (PE)], work conditions, occupational stress and demographic factors was distributed to these correctional officers. In total, 1769 responses were received (response rate 81%). Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the factors related to burnout. Mean (±standard deviation) scores were 10.59 ± 7.51 for EE, 9.65 ± 6.56 for CY and 23.90 ± 9.39 for PE. Strong extrinsic effort and reward were the most powerful predictors of job burnout; an imbalance between effort and reward at work and perceived threat was mainly associated with EE and CY, and strong overcommitment was mainly associated with EE and PE. Chinese correctional officers experience a slightly higher level of job burnout, and this is affected by work-related stress. It is important to reduce occupational stress in correctional officers and improve disadvantageous work conditions in order to reduce burnout in this population. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress-related psychosocial factors at work, fatigue, and risky driving behavior in bus rapid transport (BRT) drivers.

PubMed

Useche, Sergio A; Ortiz, Viviola Gómez; Cendales, Boris E

2017-07-01

There is consistent scientific evidence that professional drivers constitute an occupational group that is highly exposed to work related stressors. Furthermore, several recent studies associate work stress and fatigue with unsafe and counterproductive work behaviors. This study examines the association between stress-related work conditions of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) drivers and risky driving behaviors; and examines whether fatigue is a mechanism that mediates the association between the two. A sample of 524 male Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operators were drawn from four transport companies in Bogotá, Colombia. The participants answered a survey which included an adapted version of the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) for BRT operators, as well as the Effort-Reward Imbalance and Job Content Questionnaires, the Subjective Fatigue subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) and the Need for Recovery after Work Scale (NFR). Utilizing Structural Equation Models (SEM) it was found that risky driving behaviors in BRT operators could be predicted through job strain, effort-reward imbalance and social support at work. It was also found that fatigue and need for recovery fully mediate the associations between job strain and risky driving, and between social support and risky driving, but not the association between effort/reward imbalance (ERI) and risky driving. The results of this study suggest that a) stress related working conditions (Job Strain, Social Support and ERI) are relevant predictors of risky driving in BRT operators, and b) that fatigue is the mechanism which links another kind of stress related to working conditions (job strain and low social support) with risky driving. The mechanism by which ERI increases risky driving in BRT operators remains unexplained. This research suggests that in addition to the individual centered stress-reduction occupational programs, fatigue management interventions aimed to changing some working conditions may reduce risky driving behaviors and promote safety in the professional drivers' jobs and on the road. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work related stress, burnout, job satisfaction and general health of nurses: A follow-up study.

PubMed

Khamisa, Natasha; Peltzer, Karl; Ilic, Dragan; Oldenburg, Brian

2016-12-01

Nurses experience high levels of work related stress and burnout as well as low job satisfaction and poor general health owing to the nature of their work. This paper seeks to provide a better understanding of the nature of relationships between work related stress, burnout, job satisfaction and general health of nurses over one year. This study involved a longitudinal design. Two hundred and seventy seven nurses from four hospitals completed a follow up survey consisting of five questionnaires. Data were collected between 2013 and 2014. The data were analysed using generalized estimation equation analysis. Lack of support was associated with burnout, patient care was associated with job satisfaction and staff issues were associated with general health of nurses. Burnout is more strongly related to job satisfaction than general health. The findings of this study could inform evidence based policy and practice through interventions aimed at improving job satisfaction and reducing the impact of burnout on general health of nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Work Life Stress and Career Resilience of Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators.

PubMed

Myers, Dennis R; Rogers, Rob; LeCrone, Harold H; Kelley, Katherine; Scott, Joel H

2018-04-01

Career resilience provided a frame for understanding how Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators (LNFAs) sustain role performance and even thrive in stressful skilled nursing facility work environments. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews with18 LNFAs, averaging 24 years of experience were conducted by a five-member research team. Analysis was informed by evidence-based frameworks for career resilience in the health professions as well as the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards' (NAB) five domains of competent administrative practice. Findings included six sources of work stressors and six sources of professional satisfaction. Also, participants identified seven strategic principles and 10 administrative practices for addressing major sources of stress. Recommendations are provided for research and evidence-based application of the career resilience perspective to LNFA practice aimed at reducing role abandonment and energizing the delivery of the quality of care that each resident deserves.

Impact of a participatory organizational intervention on job characteristics and job stress.

PubMed

Mikkelsen, A; Saksvik, P O

1999-01-01

Increased employee control and participation are recommended to achieve both "flexible organization" and improvements in health, as outlined in occupational stress intervention models. This study evaluates the impact of a participatory organizational intervention on job stress and job characteristics. The intervention was carried out in two post offices in the Norwegian Postal Service. "Local theories" were seen as the key drivers for organizational improvement and increased control. The underlying dynamics of the intervention were to manipulate employees' learning opportunity and decision authority so as to improve work environment and health. Work groups, in dialogue with a steering committee, conducted diagnosis, action planning, and action taking. Work conditions deteriorated during the observation period in the control groups. In one of the intervention groups, this negative trend was reduced by the intervention. Lack of positive results in the other intervention group may have been due to organizational restructuring and turbulence.

Recovery from work-related stress: a randomized controlled trial of a stress management intervention in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Glasscock, David J; Carstensen, Ole; Dalgaard, Vita Ligaya

2018-05-28

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions aimed at reducing work-related stress indicate that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is more effective than other interventions. However, definitions of study populations are often unclear and there is a lack of interventions targeting both the individual and the workplace. The aim of this study was to determine whether a stress management intervention combining individual CBT and a workplace focus is superior to no treatment in the reduction of perceived stress and stress symptoms and time to lasting return to work (RTW) in a clinical sample. Patients with work-related stress reactions or adjustment disorders were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 57, 84.2% female) or a control group (n = 80, 83.8% female). Subjects were followed via questionnaires and register data. The intervention contained individual CBT and the offer of a workplace meeting. We examined intervention effects by analysing group differences in score changes on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). We also tested if intervention led to faster lasting RTW. Mean baseline values of PSS were 24.79 in the intervention group and 23.26 in the control group while the corresponding values for GHQ were 21.3 and 20.27, respectively. There was a significant effect of time. 10 months after baseline, both groups reported less perceived stress and improved mental health. 4 months after baseline, we found significant treatment effects for both perceived stress and mental health. The difference in mean change in PSS after 4 months was - 3.09 (- 5.47, - 0.72), while for GHQ it was - 3.91 (- 7.15, - 0.68). There were no group differences in RTW. The intervention led to faster reductions in perceived stress and stress symptoms amongst patients with work-related stress reactions and adjustment disorders. 6 months after the intervention ended there were no longer differences between the groups.

Risk factors and visual fatigue of baggage X-ray security screeners: a structural equation modelling analysis.

PubMed

Yu, Rui-Feng; Yang, Lin-Dong; Wu, Xin

2017-05-01

This study identified the risk factors influencing visual fatigue in baggage X-ray security screeners and estimated the strength of correlations between those factors and visual fatigue using structural equation modelling approach. Two hundred and five X-ray security screeners participated in a questionnaire survey. The result showed that satisfaction with the VDT's physical features and the work environment conditions were negatively correlated with the intensity of visual fatigue, whereas job stress and job burnout had direct positive influences. The path coefficient between the image quality of VDT and visual fatigue was not significant. The total effects of job burnout, job stress, the VDT's physical features and the work environment conditions on visual fatigue were 0.471, 0.469, -0.268 and -0.251 respectively. These findings indicated that both extrinsic factors relating to VDT and workplace environment and psychological factors including job burnout and job stress should be considered in the workplace design and work organisation of security screening tasks to reduce screeners' visual fatigue. Practitioner Summary: This study identified the risk factors influencing visual fatigue in baggage X-ray security screeners and estimated the strength of correlations between those factors and visual fatigue. The findings were of great importance to the workplace design and the work organisation of security screening tasks to reduce screeners' visual fatigue.

Primary teachers' knowledge and acquisition of stress relieving strategies.

PubMed

Cockburn, A D

1996-09-01

Over the last 20 years there have been numerous studies of teacher stress but little is known of how teachers acquire coping strategies; their knowledge of those available to them and their opinion of these techniques. A total of 335 Norfolk primary teachers responded to a postal questionnaire providing biographical details; levels of job satisfaction and work related stress; responses to a range of commonly advocated techniques to reduce teacher stress and their opinion on who-if anyone-should take more responsibility for reducing teacher stress. On average the respondents were aware of 35 stress reduction strategies. The most effective strategies were ensuring that one understood what one was about to teach and thorough lesson preparation. A significant proportion of practitioners said that they would not consider seeking expert sources of advice. A total of 89 per cent of practitioners reported that they acquired at least some strategies through their own experience. It was concluded that the issue of teacher stress needs to be considered at governmental, school and individual levels. In the light of some resistance to traditional methods of stress reduction, the implications for initial and in-service training were explored.

76 FR 40222 - Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca S.A. ARRIEL 2B and 2B1 Turboshaft Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... sufficient to reduce the stress margin of the blade to a level consistent with the rate of occurrences of... stress. Comments We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no... would take about 60 work-hours per product to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per...

Blanking Method with Aid of Scrap to Reduce Tensile Residual Stress on Sheared Edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasutomi, T.; Yonemura, S.; Yoshida, T.; Mizumura, M.; Hiwatashi, S.

2017-09-01

A simple shearing method to reduce tensile residual stress on a sheared edge is highly desired in the automotive industry because this type of stress deteriorates the fatigue property of automotive parts. In this study, the effect of a coining method with a shearing scrap material on a sheared edge was investigated. The scrap part of a sheared plate has a fracture surface shape similar to that of the product part since these parts are generated by separation of a single plate with crack propagation. Therefore, it is possible to impose plastic strain over the entire fracture surface by using the scrap part as a coining tool. Effectiveness of this method was investigated for high-tensile-strength steel. Using this method, the tensile residual stress on the sheared surface was significantly reduced and work hardening was slightly increased. The effects of shearing clearance and coining stroke were also investigated. Tensile residual stress decreased as the coining stroke increased; however, it saturated at a certain stroke. The stroke at which tensile residual stress saturated was relatively small at a large clearance. In particular, the amount of plastic deformation on fracture surface increased when coining stroke became large. These tendencies could be explained by the conditions of contact, which were investigated using finite element analysis.

Associations of professional quality of life and social support with health in clinical nurses.

PubMed

Fu, Chia-Yun; Yang, Mei-Sang; Leung, Wan; Liu, Yea-Ying; Huang, Hui-Wen; Wang, Ruey-Hsia

2018-03-01

To explore the associations of the professional quality of life and social support with health in nurses. Physical and mental health may be associated with absence from work among nurses. Few studies have explored the associations of professional quality of life and social support on the physical and mental health of nurses. This was a cross-sectional study. In total, 294 nurses were recruited from a hospital in Southern Taiwan. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data. Burnout, secondary traumatic stress and social support from relatives or friends were important factors of physical and mental health. Interactions between support from relatives or friends and secondary traumatic stress are important factors in physical health. Reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress is important for physical and mental health of nurses. Increasing social support from relatives or friends may be useful to reduce the negative effects of secondary traumatic stress on the physical health of nurses. Nurse managers could design interventions to reduce and prevent nurses from being influenced by burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Educating nurses to build effective social networks with relatives or friends and to seek support when experiencing secondary traumatic stress may also be needed. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Regulating the Flow of Change to Reduce Fontline Nurse Stress and Burnout.

PubMed

Koppel, Jenna; Virkstis, Katherine; Strumwasser, Sarah; Katz, Marie; Boston-Fleischhauer, Carol

2015-11-01

The nursing workforce is at the center of many changes associated with care delivery transformation. To achieve this transformation, frontline nursing staff must be engaged in their work, committed to their organization's mission, and capable of delivering high-quality care. To identify top opportunities for driving nursing engagement, researchers from The Advisory Board Company analyzed engagement survey responses from more than 343 000 employees at 575 healthcare organizations. In this article, the authors describe 3 strategies for addressing 1 of the greatest opportunities for improving nurse engagement: ensuring nurses feel their organization helps them reduce stress and burnout.

Coping with interpersonal stress and psychological distress at work: comparison of hospital nursing staff and salespeople.

PubMed

Kato, Tsukasa

2014-01-01

Hospital nurses frequently experience relationships with patients as stressors in the workplace. Nurses' coping behavior is one potential buffering factor that can reduce the effects of job stress on their psychological functioning and well-being. In this study, the association between nurses' strategies for coping with interpersonal stress from patients and their psychological distress was examined. Participants included 204 hospital nurses and 142 salespeople, who were used as a comparison group. Participants completed measures of coping with interpersonal stress and psychological distress. Hospital nurses reported more psychological distress than did salespeople. Moreover, distancing coping was correlated with high psychological distress in both nurses and salespeople, and reassessing coping was correlated with low psychological distress in nurses. For nurses only, constructive coping appeared to be an effective strategy for reducing psychological distress. It is important for nurses to understand the role of constructive coping in nurse-patient communication and interaction.

[The helpers' stress: Effectiveness of a web-based intervention for professionals working with trauma survivors in reducing job burnout and improving work engagement].

PubMed

Rogala, Anna; Smoktunowicz, Ewelina; Żukowska, Katarzyna; Kowalska, Martyna; Cieślak, Roman

The study aimed at evaluating effectiveness of the web-based intervention, "The Helpers' Stress," in reducing job burnout and enhancing work engagement among professionals working with trauma survivors. Participants were randomly allocated to 1 of the 3 intervention modules: 1 - the self-efficacy enhancement (N = 87), 2 - the social support enhancement (N = 85), or to 3 - the educational module (comparison group, N = 81). Participants completed the online questionnaires before the intervention (T1), immediately after (T2), and 4 weeks after the intervention (T3). Due to high drop-out rate at T2 and T3 in social support enhancement module, we excluded from analysis participants assigned to this condition. Participants assigned to the self-efficacy enhancement module presented higher levels of self-efficacy (at T2 and T3), compared to those assigned to the educational module. Job burnout decreased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T2 and T3, and work engagement increased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T1 and T3, among participants assigned to both modules mentioned above. Self-efficacy (T2) mediated the relationship between the group assignment (educational module vs. self-efficacy enhancement module) and respectively job burnout (T3) or work engagement (T3). The results of our study highlight the role of self-efficacy in reducing job burnout and increasing work engagement. Med Pr 2016;67(2):223-237. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Polyamines contribute to salinity tolerance in the symbiosis Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti by preventing oxidative damage.

PubMed

López-Gómez, Miguel; Hidalgo-Castellanos, Javier; Muñoz-Sánchez, J Rubén; Marín-Peña, Agustín J; Lluch, Carmen; Herrera-Cervera, José A

2017-07-01

Polyamines (PAs) such as spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) are small ubiquitous polycationic compounds that contribute to plant adaptation to salt stress. The positive effect of PAs has been associated to a cross-talk with other anti-stress hormones such as brassinosteroids (BRs). In this work we have studied the effects of exogenous Spd and Spm pre-treatments in the response to salt stress of the symbiotic interaction between Medicago truncatula and Sinorhizobium meliloti by analyzing parameters related to nitrogen fixation, oxidative damage and cross-talk with BRs in the response to salinity. Exogenous PAs treatments incremented the foliar and nodular Spd and Spm content which correlated with an increment of the nodule biomass and nitrogenase activity. Exogenous Spm treatment partially prevented proline accumulation which suggests that this polyamine could replace the role of this amino acid in the salt stress response. Additionally, Spd and Spm pre-treatments reduced the levels of H 2 O 2 and lipid peroxidation under salt stress. PAs induced the expression of genes involved in BRs biosynthesis which support a cross-talk between PAs and BRs in the salt stress response of M. truncatula-S. meliloti symbiosis. In conclusion, exogenous PAs improved the response to salinity of the M. truncatula-S. meliloti symbiosis by reducing the oxidative damage induced under salt stress conditions. In addition, in this work we provide evidences of the cross-talk between PAs and BRs in the adaptive responses to salinity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Determination of Stress Intensity Factor Distributions for "Interface" Cracks in Incompressible, Dissimilar Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, C. W.

1997-01-01

The present study was undertaken in order to develop test methods and procedures for measuring the variation of the stress intensity factor through the thickness in bimaterial specimens containing cracks within and parallel to the bond line using the frozen stress photoelastic method. Since stress freezing materials are incompressible above critical temperature, and since thick plates are to be employed which tend to produce a state of plane strain near the crack tip, the interface near tip fracture equations reduce to the classic form for homogeneous materials. Moreover, zero thickness interfaces do not exist when materials are bonded together. It was decided early on that it would be important to insure a uniform straight and accurate crack tip region through the thickness of the body to reduce scatter in the SIF distribution through the thickness. It was also observed that rubberlike materials which were desired to be modeled exhibited significant tip blunting prior to crack extension and that some blunting of the tip would provide a more realistic model. It should be noted that, in normal stress freezing photoelastic work, it is considered good practice to avoid utilizing data near bond lines in photoelastic models due to the bond line stresses which inevitably develop when two parts are bonded together. Thus, the present study involves certain exploratory aspects in deviating from standard practice in stress freezing work. With the above ideas in mind, several different test methods were investigated and are described in the following sections and appendices. The geometry selected for the program was a thick, edge cracked specimen containing a bond line.

Employee worktime control moderates the effects of job strain and effort-reward imbalance on sickness absence: the 10-town study

PubMed Central

Ala-Mursula, L.; Vahtera, J.; Linna, A.; Pentti, J.; Kivimaki, M.

2005-01-01

Study objective: To examine whether the effects of work stress on sickness absence vary by the level of control the employees have over their working times. Design: Prospective cohort study. A survey of job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and control over daily working hours and days off was carried out in 2000–01. The survey responses were linked with registered data on the number of medically certified (>3 days) sickness absences from one year before the survey until the end of 2003. The mean follow up period was 28.2 (SD 8.1) months. Adjustments were made for demographics and behavioural health risks. Aggregated measures of worktime control according to workplaces were used to control for differences in reactivity and response style. Setting: Ten towns in Finland. Participants: 16 139 public sector employees who had no medically certified sickness absences in the year preceding the survey. Main results: Among the women, individually measured control over daily working hours and days off moderated the association between work stress and sickness absence. The combination of high stress and good worktime control was associated with lower absence rates than a combination of high stress and poor worktime control. This finding was replicated in the analyses using workplace aggregates of worktime control. Among the men, the findings were less consistent and not replicable using aggregated measures of worktime control. Conclusions: Good control over working times reduces the adverse effect of work stress on sickness absence especially among female employees. PMID:16166358

Acculturative Stress and Risky Sexual Behavior: The Roles of Sexual Compulsivity and Negative Affect.

PubMed

Jardin, Charles; Garey, Lorra; Sharp, Carla; Zvolensky, Michael J

2016-01-01

Recent syndemic models of sexual health disparities affecting racial/ethnic minorities have highlighted the role of discrimination. Yet no previous work has examined how acculturative stress (distress at the transition from one's original culture toward a new culture) associates with sexual HIV-risk behavior (SHRB). Work among other minority populations suggests sexual compulsivity (SC) may contribute to syndemic sexual health disparities as a means of coping with distress. With this in mind, the present study examined whether SC explained the relation between acculturative stress and SHRB. Separate analyses were conducted for males and females within a sample of 758 sexually initiated racial/ethnic minority college students. Among males and females, acculturative stress had an indirect effect on SHRB via SC. As the first study to examine SHRB in relation to acculturative stress, findings provide preliminary evidence that targeting SC among racial/ethnic minorities may help reduce sexual health disparities. © The Author(s) 2015.

Enough's enough: conversations with myself and other practitioners.

PubMed

Southall, Angela

2009-10-01

Amidst considerable media focus on the stresses and strains on health services personnel who choose to leave the service, the author interviewed child mental health colleagues about how they coped with organizational stress in the UK National Health Service (NHS). The themes that emerged suggest that clinical staff feel senior managers have lost touch with what is described as the primary task - that of caring for the children and families that use the service. Practitioners feel undervalued and overwhelmed by nonclinical activities. Although stressed, the kinds of coping mechanisms described are likely to maintain high levels of stress, rather than reduce them. It is suggested that the cognitive dissonance paradigm explains both the stressful nature of practitioner experience and the tendency for clinical staff to work even harder in circumstances of perceived oppression. Perceptual Control and general systemic theories may help provide a framework in which to understand the dynamic forces at work that maintain the clinical and senior management groups in a state of perpetual conflict.

[24-hour work: the interaction of stress and changes in the sleep-wake cycle in the police force].

PubMed

Garbarino, Sergio

2014-01-01

Disruption in police officers. In recent years there has been a widespread growth in services, available regardless of time or day organization (24/7 service) and a diffuse increase in their use, both in work and private lives, generally ignoring the importance of a regular sleep organization. Police officers - often need to work extended shifts and long hours under highly stressful conditions, which results in reduced levels of safety and operational effectiveness. In numerous studies, perceived stress has been found to correlate with both subjective and objective disturbances in sleep. Consequently, excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most frequent health and safety hazards that police officers have to deal with. Sleep deprivation affects performance outcomes through a wide range of cognitive domains. Sleepiness and fatigue, caused by sleep loss, extended work and wakefulness, circadian misalignment and sleep disorders are major causes of workplace human errors, incidents, and accidents. Therefore, prevention of sleep loss, high levels of stress and fatigue is a key factor to consider when assessing emergency intervention. In order to combat fatigue and sleepiness, a 30-90 minutes nap before night shift could be a viable option.

Mental health status and its predictors among call center employees: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Oh, Hyunjin; Park, Heyeon; Boo, Sunjoo

2017-06-01

In this study, we assessed the mental health of Korean call center employees and investigated the potential predictors of their mental health status. A cross-sectional study using self-completing questionnaire was conducted for employees working for a credit card call center. A total of 306 call center employees completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Emotion Labor Scale, and the Korean Occupational Stress Scale. The results showed that more than half of the participants reported high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. A multiple regression analysis indicated that the total scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were predicted by perceived health, job satisfaction, job demands, organizational injustice, and emotional dissonance suggesting that, in the interest of improving the mental health of call center employees, their job demands and emotional dissonance should be reduced and the work environment be improved. Consideration should be given to providing routine assessments of mental health, including depression, anxiety, and stress, and the corresponding need for the development of an intervention program and other work-related policies that would protect employees from the risk of poor mental health outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Resilience and well-being amongst seafarers: cross-sectional study of crew across 51 ships.

PubMed

Doyle, Niamh; MacLachlan, Malcolm; Fraser, Alistair; Stilz, Ralf; Lismont, Karlien; Cox, Henriette; McVeigh, Joanne

2016-02-01

Duration at sea was investigated as a potential chronic stressor amongst seafarers in addition to the mediating roles of previous seafaring experience and hardiness between duration and stress. In a cross-sectional design, questionnaires were emailed to 53 tanker vessels in an international shipping company with questions relating to duration at sea, perceived stress, personality hardiness and work characteristics. The sample comprised 387 seafarers (98% male) including ratings, crew, officers, engineers, and catering staff that had been on board their ship between 0 and 24 weeks. Duration at sea was unrelated to self-reported perceived stress, even after controlling for previous seafaring experience and hardiness. Additional regression analyses demonstrated that self-reported higher levels of resilience, longer seafaring experience and greater instrumental work support were significantly associated with lower levels of self-reported stress at sea. These results imply that at least for the first 24 weeks at sea, exposure to the seafaring environment did not act as a chronic stressor. The confined environment of a ship presents particular opportunities to introduce resilience and work support programmes to help seafarers manage and reduce stress, and to enhance their well-being at sea.

The association between education and work stress: does the policy context matter?

PubMed

Lunau, Thorsten; Siegrist, Johannes; Dragano, Nico; Wahrendorf, Morten

2015-01-01

Several studies report socioeconomic differences in work stress, where people in lower socioeconomic positions (SEP) are more likely to experience this burden. In the current study, we analyse associations between education and work stress in a large sample of workers from 16 European countries. In addition we explore whether distinct national labour market policies are related to smaller inequalities in work stress according to educational attainment. We use data collected in 2010/11 in two comparative studies ('Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe' and the 'English Longitudinal Study of Ageing'; N = 13695), with samples of men and women aged 50 to 64 from 16 European countries. We measure highest educational degree according to the international standard classification of education (ISCED) and assess work stress in terms of the demand-control and the effort-reward imbalance model. National labour market policies are measured on the basis of policy indicators which are divided into (1) 'protective' policies offering financial compensation to those excluded from the labour market (e.g. replacement rate), and (2) 'integrative' policies supporting disadvantaged individuals on the labour market (e.g. investments into active labour market policies or possibilities for further qualification in later life). In addition to country-specific analyses, we estimate multilevel models and test for interactions between the indicators of national policies and individual education. Main findings demonstrate consistent associations between lower education and higher levels of work stress in all countries. The strength of this association, however, varies across countries and is comparatively small in countries offering pronounced 'integrative' policies, in terms of high investments into measures of an active labor market policy and high participation rates in lifelong learning activities. Our results point to different types of policies that may help to reduce educational differences in work stress, in particular policies supporting those who are disadvantaged on the labour market.

The Association between Education and Work Stress: Does the Policy Context Matter?

PubMed Central

Lunau, Thorsten; Siegrist, Johannes; Dragano, Nico; Wahrendorf, Morten

2015-01-01

Objectives Several studies report socioeconomic differences in work stress, where people in lower socioeconomic positions (SEP) are more likely to experience this burden. In the current study, we analyse associations between education and work stress in a large sample of workers from 16 European countries. In addition we explore whether distinct national labour market policies are related to smaller inequalities in work stress according to educational attainment. Methods We use data collected in 2010/11 in two comparative studies (‘Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’ and the ‘English Longitudinal Study of Ageing’; N = 13695), with samples of men and women aged 50 to 64 from 16 European countries. We measure highest educational degree according to the international standard classification of education (ISCED) and assess work stress in terms of the demand-control and the effort-reward imbalance model. National labour market policies are measured on the basis of policy indicators which are divided into (1) ‘protective’ policies offering financial compensation to those excluded from the labour market (e.g. replacement rate), and (2) ‘integrative’ policies supporting disadvantaged individuals on the labour market (e.g. investments into active labour market policies or possibilities for further qualification in later life). In addition to country-specific analyses, we estimate multilevel models and test for interactions between the indicators of national policies and individual education. Results Main findings demonstrate consistent associations between lower education and higher levels of work stress in all countries. The strength of this association, however, varies across countries and is comparatively small in countries offering pronounced ‘integrative’ policies, in terms of high investments into measures of an active labor market policy and high participation rates in lifelong learning activities. Conclusions Our results point to different types of policies that may help to reduce educational differences in work stress, in particular policies supporting those who are disadvantaged on the labour market. PMID:25812142

Caseload management, work-related stress and case manager self-efficacy among Victorian mental health case managers.

PubMed

King, Robert

2009-05-01

In Australia and comparable countries, case management has become the dominant process by which public mental health services provide outpatient clinical services to people with severe mental illness. There is recognition that caseload size impacts on service provision and that management of caseloads is an important dimension of overall service management. There has been little empirical investigation, however, of caseload and its management. The present study was undertaken in the context of an industrial agreement in Victoria, Australia that required services to introduce standardized approaches to caseload management. The aims of the present study were therefore to (i) investigate caseload size and approaches to caseload management in Victoria's mental health services; and (ii) determine whether caseload size and/or approach to caseload management is associated with work-related stress or case manager self-efficacy among community mental health professionals employed in Victoria's mental health services. A total of 188 case managers responded to an online cross-sectional survey with both purpose-developed items investigating methods of case allocation and caseload monitoring, and standard measures of work-related stress and case manager personal efficacy. The mean caseload size was 20 per full-time case manager. Both work-related stress scores and case manager personal efficacy scores were broadly comparable with those reported in previous studies. Higher caseloads were associated with higher levels of work-related stress and lower levels of case manager personal efficacy. Active monitoring of caseload was associated with lower scores for work-related stress and higher scores for case manager personal efficacy, regardless of size of caseload. Although caseloads were most frequently monitored by the case manager, there was evidence that monitoring by a supervisor was more beneficial than self-monitoring. Routine monitoring of caseload, especially by a workplace supervisor, may be effective in reducing work-related stress and enhancing case manager personal efficacy.

[Effort-reward imbalance at work and depression: current research evidence].

PubMed

Siegrist, J

2013-01-01

In view of highly prevalent stressful conditions in modern working life, in particular increasing work pressure and job insecurity, it is of interest to know whether specific constellations of an adverse psychosocial work environment increase the risk of depressive disorder among employed people. This contribution gives a short overview of current research evidence based on an internationally established work stress model of effort-reward imbalance. Taken together, results from seven prospective epidemiological investigations demonstrate a two-fold elevated relative risk of incident depressive disorder over a mean observation period of 2.7 years among exposed versus non-exposed employees. Additional findings from experimental and quasi-experimental studies point to robust associations of effort-reward imbalance at work with proinflammatory cytokines and markers of reduced immune competence. These latter markers may indicate potential psychobiological pathways. In conclusion, incorporating this new knowledge into medical treatment and preventive efforts seems well justified.

Occupational Stress Among Home Healthcare Workers: Integrating Worker and Agency-Level Factors.

PubMed

Zoeckler, Jeanette M

2018-02-01

Home healthcare work is physically and emotionally exhausting. In addition, home healthcare workers frequently work under precarious work arrangements for low wages and in poor work conditions. Little is known about how sources of job strain for home healthcare workers might be reduced. This research examines the occupational stressors among paid home care workers by analyzing home healthcare agency characteristics and individual home healthcare workers' experiences in upstate New York agencies (n = 9). The study augments existing theoretical models and describes new sources of stress arising from the nature of agency-based caregiving. Results feature the analysis of both agency executives' (n = 20) and home healthcare workers' narratives (n = 25) to make the agency's inner workings more transparent. Agency structures and culture are implicated in the lack of progress to address home care workers' health problems. Policy change should focus on compensation, healthier work conditions, and training requirements.

Work ability in nursing: relationship with psychological demands and control over the work.

PubMed

Prochnow, Andrea; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Urbanetto, Janete de Souza; Beck, Carmem Lúcia Colomé; Lima, Suzinara Beatriz Soares de; Greco, Patrícia Bitencourt Toscani

2013-01-01

to evaluate the association between psychological demands, control over the work and the reduction of work ability of nursing professionals. this cross-sectional study involved 498 nursing professionals of a university hospital in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data collection was carried out in 2009 using the Brazilian versions of the Work Ability Index and Job Stress Scale, with logistic regression models used for the data analysis. the prevalence of 43.3% for reduced work ability and 29.7% for high-strain in the job (high psychological demand and low control) were observed. The chances for professionals presenting reduced work ability under high-strain were higher and significant when compared to those classified as being under low-strain, even after adjusting for potential confounders, except for age and gender. a high prevalence of reduced work ability was observed. This evidence indicates the need for investigation and detailed analysis of the psychosocial aspects of the professionals with regard to the health/disease process of nursing professionals.

Sex ratios in the two Germanies: a test of the economic stress hypothesis.

PubMed

Catalano, Ralph A

2003-09-01

Literature describing temporal variation in the secondary sex ratio among humans reports an association between population stressors and declines in the odds of male birth. Explanations of this phenomenon draw on reports that stressed females spontaneously abort male more than female fetuses, and that stressed males exhibit reduced sperm motility. This work has led to the argument that population stress induced by a declining economy reduces the human sex ratio. No direct test of this hypothesis appears in the literature. Here, a test is offered based on a comparison of the sex ratio in East and West Germany for the years 1946 to 1999. The theory suggests that the East German sex ratio should be lower in 1991, when East Germany's economy collapsed, than expected from its own history and from the sex ratio in West Germany. The hypothesis is tested using time-series modelling methods. The data support the hypothesis. The sex ratio in East Germany was at its lowest in 1991. This first direct test supports the hypothesis that economic decline reduces the human sex ratio.

The Roles of Financial Threat, Social Support, Work Stress, and Mental Distress in Dairy Farmers’ Expectations of Injury

PubMed Central

Furey, Emilia M.; O’Hora, Denis; McNamara, John; Kinsella, Stephen; Noone, Chris

2016-01-01

Farming is dangerous, with fatalities among the highest in any occupation. Farmers often work alone, for long hours, with unreliable equipment and in difficult weather conditions with hazardous chemicals and livestock. In addition, farmers make large financial commitments exposing them to high levels of financial risk. Exposure to such financial risk can give rise to subjective experiences of financial threat (FT) that are psychologically challenging. The current study attempted to characterize the role that FT plays in farm injuries. One hundred and twenty one dairy farmers completed a battery of questionnaires assessing FT, social support (SS), depression, anxiety, farm job stress, and health and safety beliefs. Mental distress directly predicted farmers’ expectations of injury and a direct effect of non-financial farm stress (FS) approached significance. Mental distress mediated these relationships as evidenced by significant indirect effects of FS and FT, and SS served to reduce distress. These findings support calls for interventions designed to reduce FS and FT and increase SS for farmers. PMID:27446893

Factors and symptoms associated with work stress and health-promoting lifestyles among hospital staff: a pilot study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Tsai, Yueh-Chi; Liu, Chieh-Hsing

2012-07-16

Healthcare workers including physicians, nurses, medical technicians and administrative staff experience high levels of occupational stress as a result of heavy workloads, extended working hours and time-related pressure. The aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with work stress among hospital staff members and to evaluate their health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a cross-sectional study from May 1, 2010 to July 30, 2010 and recruited 775 professional staff from two regional hospitals in Taiwan using purposive sampling. Demographic data and self-reported symptoms related to work-related stress were collected. Each subject completed the Chinese versions of the Job Content Questionnaire (C-JCQ) and The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLSP). Linear and binary regression analyses were applied to identify associations between these two measurements and subjects' characteristics, and associations between the two measurements and stress symptoms. Self-reported symptoms of work-related stress included 64.4% of subjects reporting nervousness, 33.7% nightmares, 44.1% irritability, 40.8% headaches, 35.0% insomnia, and 41.4% gastrointestinal upset. C-JCQ scores for psychological demands of the job and discretion to utilize skills had a positive correlation with stress-related symptoms; however, the C-JCQ scores for decision-making authority and social support correlated negatively with stress-related symptoms except for nightmares and irritability. All items on the HPLSP correlated negatively with stress-related symptoms except for irritability, indicating an association between subjects' symptoms and a poor quality of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. We found that high demands, little decision-making authority, and low levels of social support were associated with the development of stress-related symptoms. The results also suggested that better performance on or a higher frequency of health-promoting life-style behaviors might reduce the chances of hospital staff developing stress-related symptoms. Our report may contribute to the development of educational programs designed to encourage members of high stress groups among the hospital staff to increase their health-promoting behaviors.

Factors and symptoms associated with work stress and health-promoting lifestyles among hospital staff: a pilot study in Taiwan

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Healthcare workers including physicians, nurses, medical technicians and administrative staff experience high levels of occupational stress as a result of heavy workloads, extended working hours and time-related pressure. The aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with work stress among hospital staff members and to evaluate their health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study from May 1, 2010 to July 30, 2010 and recruited 775 professional staff from two regional hospitals in Taiwan using purposive sampling. Demographic data and self-reported symptoms related to work-related stress were collected. Each subject completed the Chinese versions of the Job Content Questionnaire (C-JCQ) and The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLSP). Linear and binary regression analyses were applied to identify associations between these two measurements and subjects’ characteristics, and associations between the two measurements and stress symptoms. Results Self-reported symptoms of work-related stress included 64.4% of subjects reporting nervousness, 33.7% nightmares, 44.1% irritability, 40.8% headaches, 35.0% insomnia, and 41.4% gastrointestinal upset. C-JCQ scores for psychological demands of the job and discretion to utilize skills had a positive correlation with stress-related symptoms; however, the C-JCQ scores for decision-making authority and social support correlated negatively with stress-related symptoms except for nightmares and irritability. All items on the HPLSP correlated negatively with stress-related symptoms except for irritability, indicating an association between subjects’ symptoms and a poor quality of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. Conclusions We found that high demands, little decision-making authority, and low levels of social support were associated with the development of stress-related symptoms. The results also suggested that better performance on or a higher frequency of health-promoting life-style behaviors might reduce the chances of hospital staff developing stress-related symptoms. Our report may contribute to the development of educational programs designed to encourage members of high stress groups among the hospital staff to increase their health-promoting behaviors. PMID:22799278

Occupational stress, relaxation therapies, exercise and biofeedback.

PubMed

Stein, Franklin

2001-01-01

Occupational stress is a widespread occurrence in the United States. It is a contributing factor to absenteeism, disease, injury and lowered productivity. In general stress management programs in the work place that include relaxation therapies, exercise, and biofeedback have been shown to reduce the physiological symptoms such as hypertension, and increase job satisfaction and job performance. Strategies to implement a successful stress management program include incorporating the coping activities into one's daily schedule, monitoring one's symptoms and stressors, and being realistic in setting up a schedule that is relevant and attainable. A short form of meditation, daily exercise program and the use of heart rate or thermal biofeedback can be helpful to a worker experiencing occupational stress.

Amitriptyline reduces rectal pain related activation of the anterior cingulate cortex in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Morgan, V; Pickens, D; Gautam, S; Kessler, R; Mertz, H

2005-05-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of intestinal hypersensitivity and altered motility, exacerbated by stress. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during painful rectal distension in IBS has demonstrated greater activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), an area relevant to pain and emotions. Tricyclic antidepressants are effective for IBS. The aim of this study was to determine if low dose amitriptyline reduces ACC activation during painful rectal distension in IBS to confer clinical benefits. Secondary aims were to identify other brain regions altered by amitriptyline, and to determine if reductions in cerebral activation are greater during mental stress. Nineteen women with painful IBS were randomised to amitriptyline 50 mg or placebo for one month and then crossed over to the alternate treatment after washout. Cerebral activation during rectal distension was compared between placebo and amitriptyline groups by fMRI. Distensions were performed alternately during auditory stress and relaxing music. Rectal pain induced significant activation of the perigenual ACC, right insula, and right prefrontal cortex. Amitriptyline was associated with reduced pain related cerebral activations in the perigenual ACC and the left posterior parietal cortex, but only during stress. The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline reduces brain activation during pain in the perigenual (limbic) anterior cingulated cortex and parietal association cortex. These reductions are only seen during stress. Amitriptyline is likely to work in the central nervous system rather than peripherally to blunt pain and other symptoms exacerbated by stress in IBS.

Work improvement factors for the amelioration of work ability, with a focus on individual capacity to deal with stress in an IT company.

PubMed

Ohta, Masanori; Higuchi, Yoshiyuki; Kumashiro, Masaharu; Yamato, Hiroshi; Sugimura, Hisamichi

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to explore factors that ameliorate work ability by focusing on workers' capacity to deal with stress.The subjects were 1,330 workers from the Japanese information technology (IT) sector. Each subject completed questionnaires in 2011 and 2012 that consisted of the work ability index (WAI), the three-item sense of coherence (SOC), and the Mental Health Improvement and Reinforcement Research of Recognition (MIRROR). The results of the WAI were also obtained in 2013. The median SOC score in 2011 was used to divide the subjects into two groups, the Low SOC group and the High SOC group, then we verified the factors that contributed to improved work ability in both of these groups over a two-year period. Results indicate that an improvement in work ability in the Low SOC group could be predicted by giving workers opportunities for education or training, by making efforts to reduce the stress of commuting, by clarifying their assignments, and by establishing support systems when troubles occur. For the High SOC group, such improvements could be predicted by giving workers job control, by giving education or training for the promotion of their abilities, and by establishing a system for assuming responsibility. In conclusion, improvements in the work environment can increase the work ability of Japanese IT workers in conformity with their capacity to deal with stress.

Employee Sabbaticals: Who Benefits and Why.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toomey, Edmund L.; Connor, Joan M.

1988-01-01

Discusses benefits of employee sabbaticals including (1) continuing employee education; (2) avoiding technical obsolescence; (3) reducing job-related stress and burnout; (4) creating a more productive work force; and (5) stemming the tide of early retirement. (JOW)

Preventing Heat-Related Illness or Death of Outdoor Workers

MedlinePlus

... attention to workers who show signs of heat-related illness „ „ Evaluating work practices continually to reduce ex- ertion and environmental heat stress „ „ Monitoring weather reports daily and reschedul- ing jobs ...

Irritable bowel syndrome - aftercare

MedlinePlus

... because of your pain Changes or problems at work or at home A busy schedule Spending too much time alone Having other medical problems A first step toward reducing your stress is to figure out what makes you feel ...

Reducing Stress through Preventive Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quick, James C.; Quick, Jonathan D.

1979-01-01

Two levels of prevention can be used to counter the key stressors of personnel at work; the first deals with organizational techniques and the second with individual techniques such as systematic desensitization, biofeedback, or aerobic exercise. (Author)

Substance use outcomes for mindfulness based relapse prevention are partially mediated by reductions in stress: Results from a randomized trial.

PubMed

Davis, Jordan P; Berry, Daniel; Dumas, Tara M; Ritter, Ellen; Smith, Douglas C; Menard, Christopher; Roberts, Brent W

2018-08-01

Mindfulness based relapse prevention (MBRP) has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating substance use, stress, and craving but how MBRP works for marginalized young adults has not been investigated. The current study used a novel rolling group format for MBRP as an additional intervention for young adults in residential treatment. We tested the hypothesis that MBRP (plus Treatment as usual (TAU)) would reduce stress, craving, and substance use among young adults in residential treatment relative to treatment-as-usual plus 12-step/self-help meetings (TAU only). Further, we examined whether reduced stress during treatment was a potential mechanism of change operating in MBRP. Seventy-nine young adults (M age  = 25.3,SD = 2.7;35 % female) were randomly assigned to MBRP (n = 44) or TAU (n = 35). Follow-up assessments were conducted bi-monthly for self-reported measures of stress, craving, and substance use. At treatment completion young adults receiving MBRP had lower substance use (d = -0.58, [-0.91, -0.26]), craving (d = -0.58, [-1.0, -0.14]), and stress (d = -0.77 [-1.2, -0.30]) relative to TAU condition. Reduced stress during treatment partially mediated observed outcome differences between MBRP and TAU for substance use (β indirect  = -0.45 [-0.79, -0.11]). Results suggest that MBRP is a useful and appropriate intervention for marginalized young adults. Further, our results suggest that the effects of MBRP on long-term substance use outcomes may be partially explained by reduced stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reducing RANS Model Error Using Random Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jian-Xun; Wu, Jin-Long; Xiao, Heng; Ling, Julia

2016-11-01

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models are still the work-horse tools in the turbulence modeling of industrial flows. However, the model discrepancy due to the inadequacy of modeled Reynolds stresses largely diminishes the reliability of simulation results. In this work we use a physics-informed machine learning approach to improve the RANS modeled Reynolds stresses and propagate them to obtain the mean velocity field. Specifically, the functional forms of Reynolds stress discrepancies with respect to mean flow features are trained based on an offline database of flows with similar characteristics. The random forest model is used to predict Reynolds stress discrepancies in new flows. Then the improved Reynolds stresses are propagated to the velocity field via RANS equations. The effects of expanding the feature space through the use of a complete basis of Galilean tensor invariants are also studied. The flow in a square duct, which is challenging for standard RANS models, is investigated to demonstrate the merit of the proposed approach. The results show that both the Reynolds stresses and the propagated velocity field are improved over the baseline RANS predictions. SAND Number: SAND2016-7437 A

Factors predicting quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Akter, N; Akkadechanunt, T; Chontawan, R; Klunklin, A

2018-06-01

This study examined the level of quality of work life and predictability of years of education, monthly income, years of experience, job stress, organizational commitment and work environment on quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. There is an acute shortage of nurses worldwide including Bangladesh. Quality of work life is important for quality of patient care and nurse retention. Nurses in Bangladesh are fighting to provide quality care for emerging health problems for the achievement of sustainable development goals. We collected data from 288 randomly selected registered nurses, from six tertiary-level hospitals. All nurses were requested to fill questionnaire consisted of Demographic Data Sheet, Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey, Expanded Nursing Stress Scale, Questionnaire of Organizational Commitment and Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The quality of work life as perceived by nurses in Bangladesh was at moderate level. Monthly income was found as the best predictor followed by work environment, organizational commitment and job stress. A higher monthly income helps nurses to fulfil their personal needs; positive work environment helps to provide quality care to the patients. Quality of work life and predictors measured by self-report only may not reflect the original picture of the quality of work life among nurses. Findings provide information for nursing and health policymakers to develop policies to improve quality of work life among nurses that can contribute to quality of nursing care. This includes the working environment, commitment to the organization and measures to reduce job stress. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

Heat stress in pregnant sows: Thermal responses and subsequent performance of sows and their offspring.

PubMed

Lucy, Matthew C; Safranski, Timothy J

2017-09-01

Seasonal infertility is a significant problem in the swine industry, and may be influenced by photoperiod and heat stress. Heat stress during gestation in particular affects pregnancy, resulting in long-term developmental damage to the offspring. This review summarizes what is known about how heat stress on the pregnant sow affects lactation and her offspring. Sows responded to heat stress during gestation with increased rectal temperature, respiration rate, and skin temperature, and tended to reduce their activity-which may have changed their body composition, increasing the adipose-to-muscle ratio. Heat stress during gestation caused temporary insulin resistance during lactation, but this metabolic state did not seem to affect health, lactation, or rebreeding performance of the sow. Heat-stressed sows also presented with a shorter gestation period and reduced litter birth weight, although weaning weights are not affected when these sows are moved to thermoneutral conditions for lactation. The offspring of gestational heat-stressed sows, however, possessed unique phenotypes, including elevated body temperature, greater fat deposition, and impaired gonad development. Thus, gestational heat stress may significantly impact a herd through its effects on sows and their offspring. Further work is necessary to determine the magnitude of the effects across fa cilities and breeds. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Taren, Adrienne A; Gianaros, Peter J; Greco, Carol M; Lindsay, Emily K; Fairgrieve, April; Brown, Kirk Warren; Rosen, Rhonda K; Ferris, Jennifer L; Julson, Erica; Marsland, Anna L; Bursley, James K; Ramsburg, Jared; Creswell, J David

2015-12-01

Recent studies indicate that mindfulness meditation training interventions reduce stress and improve stress-related health outcomes, but the neural pathways for these effects are unknown. The present research evaluates whether mindfulness meditation training alters resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala, a region known to coordinate stress processing and physiological stress responses. We show in an initial discovery study that higher perceived stress over the past month is associated with greater bilateral amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) rsFC in a sample of community adults (n = 130). A follow-up, single-blind randomized controlled trial shows that a 3-day intensive mindfulness meditation training intervention (relative to a well-matched 3-day relaxation training intervention without a mindfulness component) reduced right amygdala-sgACC rsFC in a sample of stressed unemployed community adults (n = 35). Although stress may increase amygdala-sgACC rsFC, brief training in mindfulness meditation could reverse these effects. This work provides an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training promotes functional neuroplastic changes, suggesting an amygdala-sgACC pathway for stress reduction effects. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care.

PubMed

Barbe, Tammy; Kimble, Laura P; Rubenstein, Cynthia

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care. Cognitive functioning is a critical component for nurses in the assurance of error prevention, identification and correction when caring for patients. Negative changes in nurses' cognitive and psychosocial functioning can adversely affect nursing care and patient outcomes. A descriptive correlational design with stratified random sampling. The sample included 96 nurses from the major geographic regions of the United States. Over 9 months in 2016-2017, data were collected using a web-based survey. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function. Overall, participants reported minimal work function impairment and low levels of subjective cognitive complaints, depression and stress. In multivariate analyses, depression was not associated with nurses' work function. However, perceived stress and subjective concerns about cognitive function were associated with greater impairment of work function. Nurses experiencing subjective cognitive complaints should be encouraged to address personal and environmental factors that are associated with their cognitive status. Additionally, stress reduction in nurses should be a high priority as a potential intervention to promote optimal functioning of nurses providing direct patient care. Healthcare institutions should integrate individual and institutional strategies to reduce factors contributing to workplace stress. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving work-life balance: what can employers and employees do?

PubMed

Herrera, Manuela

2013-12-14

Effective time management can play a big part in reducing stress for busy vets, but too often miscommunication between practice employers and employees can make it harder to achieve a good work-life balance. Manuela Herrera reports on a session at the BVA Congress which considered what vets can do to facilitate better time management in practice.

Transformation fatigue and stress relaxation of shape memory alloy wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappas, P.; Bollas, D.; Parthenios, J.; Dracopoulos, V.; Galiotis, C.

2007-12-01

The present work deals with the stress generation capability of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMAs) under constrained conditions for two well-defined loading modes: recurrent crystalline transformation (transformation fatigue) and a one-step continuous activation (generated stress relaxation). The data acquired will be very useful during the design process of an SMA Ni-Ti element as a functional part of an assembly. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed in order to investigate the transformation characteristics of the alloy before and after the tests. Transformation fatigue tests revealed that the parameter that affects more the rate of the functional degradation is the number of crystalline transitions the wire undergoes. Thus, the service life limit of this material as a stress generator can be reduced to a few thousand working cycles. For stress relaxation, the main factor that affects the ability for stress generation is the working temperature: the higher the temperature above the austenite finish (TAf) limit the higher the relaxation effect. Thermomechanical treatment of the alloy during the tests reveals the 'hidden' transformation from the cubic structure (B2) of austenite to the rhombohedral structure of the R-phase. It is believed that the gradual loss of the stress generation capability of the material under constrained conditions must be associated to a gradual slipping relaxation mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on as-received, re-trained, fatigued and stress-relaxed specimens in the martensitic state provide further support for this hypothesis.

The Plant Cuticle Is Required for Osmotic Stress Regulation of Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis and Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis[W

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhen-Yu; Xiong, Liming; Li, Wenbo; Zhu, Jian-Kang; Zhu, Jianhua

2011-01-01

Osmotic stress activates the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA). One major step in ABA biosynthesis is the carotenoid cleavage catalyzed by a 9-cis epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED). To understand the mechanism for osmotic stress activation of ABA biosynthesis, we screened for Arabidopsis thaliana mutants that failed to induce the NCED3 gene expression in response to osmotic stress treatments. The ced1 (for 9-cis epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase defective 1) mutant isolated in this study showed markedly reduced expression of NCED3 in response to osmotic stress (polyethylene glycol) treatments compared with the wild type. Other ABA biosynthesis genes are also greatly reduced in ced1 under osmotic stress. ced1 mutant plants are very sensitive to even mild osmotic stress. Map-based cloning revealed unexpectedly that CED1 encodes a putative α/β hydrolase domain-containing protein and is allelic to the BODYGUARD gene that was recently shown to be essential for cuticle biogenesis. Further studies discovered that other cutin biosynthesis mutants are also impaired in osmotic stress induction of ABA biosynthesis genes and are sensitive to osmotic stress. Our work demonstrates that the cuticle functions not merely as a physical barrier to minimize water loss but also mediates osmotic stress signaling and tolerance by regulating ABA biosynthesis and signaling. PMID:21610183

Direct Observation of the Biaxial Stress Effect on Efficiency Droop in GaN-based Light-emitting Diode under Electrical Injection.

PubMed

Zheng, Jinjian; Li, Shuiqing; Chou, Chilun; Lin, Wei; Xun, Feilin; Guo, Fei; Zheng, Tongchang; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong

2015-12-04

Light-emitting diode (LED) efficiency has attracted considerable interest because of the extended use of solid-state lighting. Owing to lack of direct measurement, identification of the reasons for efficiency droop has been restricted. A direct measurement technique is developed in this work for characterization of biaxial stress in GaN-based blue LEDs under electrical injection. The Raman shift of the GaN E2 mode evidently decreases by 4.4 cm(-1) as the driving current on GaN-based LEDs increases to 700 mA. Biaxial compressive stress is released initially and biaxial tensile stress builds up as the current increases with respect to the value of stress-free GaN. First-principles calculations reveal that electron accumulation is responsible for the stress variation in InxGa1-xN/GaN quantum wells, and then reduces the transition probability among quantum levels. This behavior is consistent with the measured current-dependent external quantum efficiency. The rule of biaxial stress-dependent efficiency is further validated by controlling the biaxial stress of GaN-based LEDs with different sapphire substrate thicknesses. This work provides a method for direct observation of the biaxial stress effect on efficiency droop in LEDs under electrical injection.

Direct Observation of the Biaxial Stress Effect on Efficiency Droop in GaN-based Light-emitting Diode under Electrical Injection

PubMed Central

Zheng, Jinjian; Li, Shuiqing; Chou, Chilun; Lin, Wei; Xun, Feilin; Guo, Fei; Zheng, Tongchang; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong

2015-01-01

Light-emitting diode (LED) efficiency has attracted considerable interest because of the extended use of solid-state lighting. Owing to lack of direct measurement, identification of the reasons for efficiency droop has been restricted. A direct measurement technique is developed in this work for characterization of biaxial stress in GaN-based blue LEDs under electrical injection. The Raman shift of the GaN E2 mode evidently decreases by 4.4 cm−1 as the driving current on GaN-based LEDs increases to 700 mA. Biaxial compressive stress is released initially and biaxial tensile stress builds up as the current increases with respect to the value of stress-free GaN. First-principles calculations reveal that electron accumulation is responsible for the stress variation in InxGa1−xN/GaN quantum wells, and then reduces the transition probability among quantum levels. This behavior is consistent with the measured current-dependent external quantum efficiency. The rule of biaxial stress-dependent efficiency is further validated by controlling the biaxial stress of GaN-based LEDs with different sapphire substrate thicknesses. This work provides a method for direct observation of the biaxial stress effect on efficiency droop in LEDs under electrical injection. PMID:26634816

Work-family conflict as a mediator between occupational stress and psychological health among mental health nurses in Japan.

PubMed

Sugawara, Norio; Danjo, Kazuma; Furukori, Hanako; Sato, Yasushi; Tomita, Tetsu; Fujii, Akira; Nakagami, Taku; Kitaoka, Kazuyo; Yasui-Furukori, Norio

2017-01-01

Occupational stress among mental health nurses may affect their psychological health, resulting in reduced performance. To provide high-quality, sustainable nursing care, it is necessary to identify and control the factors associated with psychological health among mental health nurses. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of work-family conflict (WFC) in the well-known relationship between occupational stress and psychological health among mental health nurses in Japan. In this cross-sectional study, data were gathered from 180 mental health nurses who had a coresident child or were married. Data from the Work-Family Conflict Scale, the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale were obtained via self-report questionnaires. The effects of occupational stress and WFC on psychological health were explored by hierarchical linear regression analysis. The relationship between emotional exhaustion and occupational factors, including quantitative workload and the variance in workload, disappeared with the addition of WFC (each work interference with family [WIF] or family interference with work [FIW]). The relationship between emotional exhaustion and mental demands disappeared only with the addition of WIF. The relationship between depressive symptoms and variance in workload disappeared with the addition of WFC (each WIF or FIW). Our findings may encourage hospital administrators to consider the risks of medical staff WFC. Furthermore, longitudinal investigations into the factors associated with WFC are required for administrative and psychological interventions.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension reduces energy efficiency of right, but not left, rat ventricular trabeculae.

PubMed

Pham, Toan; Nisbet, Linley; Taberner, Andrew; Loiselle, Denis; Han, June-Chiew

2018-04-01

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) triggers right ventricle (RV) hypertrophy and left ventricle (LV) atrophy, which progressively leads to heart failure. We designed experiments under conditions mimicking those encountered by the heart in vivo that allowed us to investigate whether consequent structural and functional remodelling of the ventricles affects their respective energy efficiencies. We found that peak work output was lower in RV trabeculae from PAH rats due to reduced extent and velocity of shortening. However, their suprabasal enthalpy was unaffected due to increased activation heat, resulting in reduced suprabasal efficiency. There was no effect of PAH on LV suprabasal efficiency. We conclude that the mechanism underlying the reduced energy efficiency of hypertrophied RV tissues is attributable to the increased energy cost of Ca 2+ cycling, whereas atrophied LV tissues still maintain normal mechano-energetic performance. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) greatly increases the afterload on the right ventricle (RV), triggering RV hypertrophy, which progressively leads to RV failure. In contrast, the disease reduces the passive filling pressure of the left ventricle (LV), resulting in LV atrophy. We investigated whether these distinct structural and functional consequences to the ventricles affect their respective energy efficiencies. We studied trabeculae isolated from both ventricles of Wistar rats with monocrotaline-induced PAH and their respective Control groups. Trabeculae were mounted in a calorimeter at 37°C. While contracting at 5 Hz, they were subjected to stress-length work-loops over a wide range of afterloads. They were subsequently required to undergo a series of isometric contractions at various muscle lengths. In both protocols, stress production, length change and suprabasal heat output were simultaneously measured. We found that RV trabeculae from PAH rats generated higher activation heat, but developed normal active stress. Their peak external work output was lower due to reduced extent and velocity of shortening. Despite lower peak work output, suprabasal enthalpy was unaffected, thereby rendering suprabasal efficiency lower. Crossbridge efficiency, however, was unaffected. In contrast, LV trabeculae from PAH rats maintained normal mechano-energetic performance. Pulmonary arterial hypertension reduces the suprabasal energy efficiency of hypertrophied right ventricular tissues as a consequence of the increased energy cost of Ca 2+ cycling. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

Associations between work-related stress in late midlife, educational attainment, and serious health problems in old age: a longitudinal study with over 20 years of follow-up.

PubMed

Nilsen, Charlotta; Andel, Ross; Fors, Stefan; Meinow, Bettina; Darin Mattsson, Alexander; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2014-08-27

People spend a considerable amount of time at work over the course of their lives, which makes the workplace important to health and aging. However, little is known about the potential long-term effects of work-related stress on late-life health. This study aims to examine work-related stress in late midlife and educational attainment in relation to serious health problems in old age. Data from nationally representative Swedish surveys were used in the analyses (n = 1,502). Follow-up time was 20-24 years. Logistic regressions were used to examine work-related stress (self-reported job demands, job control, and job strain) in relation to serious health problems measured as none, serious problems in one health domain, and serious problems in two or three health domains (complex health problems). While not all results were statistically significant, high job demands were associated with higher odds of serious health problems among women but lower odds of serious health problems among men. Job control was negatively associated with serious health problems. The strongest association in this study was between high job strain and complex health problems. After adjustment for educational attainment some of the associations became statistically nonsignificant. However, high job demands, remained related to lower odds of serious problems in one health domain among men, and low job control remained associated with higher odds of complex health problems among men. High job demands were associated with lower odds of complex health problems among men with low education, but not among men with high education, or among women regardless of level of education. The results underscore the importance of work-related stress for long-term health. Modification to work environment to reduce work stress (e.g., providing opportunities for self-direction/monitoring levels of psychological job demands) may serve as a springboard for the development of preventive strategies to improve public health both before and after retirement.

Organizational Stress Moderates the Relationship between Mental Health Provider Adaptability and Organizational Commitment

PubMed Central

Green, Amy E.; Dishop, Christopher; Aarons, Gregory A

2016-01-01

Objective Community mental health providers often operate within stressful work environments and are at high risk for emotional exhaustion, which can negatively affect job performance and client satisfaction with services. This cross-sectional study examines the relationships between organizational stress, provider adaptability, and organizational commitment. Methods Variables were analyzed using moderated multi-level regression in a sample of 311 mental health providers from 49 community mental health programs. Results Stressful organizational climate, characterized by high levels of emotional exhaustion, role conflict, and role overload, was negatively related to organizational commitment. Organizational stress moderated the relationship between provider adaptability and organizational commitment, such that those who were more adaptable had greater levels of organizational commitment when organizational stress was low, but were less committed than those who were less adaptable when organizational stress was high. Conclusions In the current study, providers higher in adaptability may perceive their organization as a greater fit when characterized by lower levels of stressfulness; however, highly adaptable providers may also exercise choice that manifests in lower commitment to staying in an overly stressful work environment. Service systems and organizational contexts are becoming increasingly demanding and stressful for direct mental health service providers. Therefore, community mental health organizations should assess and understand their organizational climate and intervene with empirically based organizational strategies when necessary to reduce stressful climates and maintain desirable employees. PMID:27301760

Effects of a stress management intervention on absenteeism and return to work--results from a randomized wait-list controlled trial.

PubMed

Willert, Morten Vejs; Thulstrup, Ane Marie; Bonde, Jens Peter

2011-05-01

High levels of work-related stress are associated with increased absenteeism from work and reduced work ability. In this study, we investigated the effects of a stress management intervention on absenteeism and return to work. We randomized 102 participants into either the intervention or wait-list control (WLC) group. The intervention group received the intervention in weeks 1-16 from baseline, and the WLC group received the intervention in weeks 17-32. Self-reported data on absenteeism (number of days full- or part-time absent from work within the previous three months) were obtained at 16, 32, and 48 weeks follow-up. Register-based data on long-term absence from work were drawn from the Danish public transfer payments (DREAM) database from baseline and 48 weeks onwards. The DREAM database contains weekly information on long-term sickness absence compensation. The threshold to enter DREAM is sick leave for two consecutive weeks. At follow-up in week 16, self-reported absenteeism in the intervention group [median 11 days (range 3-25)] was lower (P=0.02) than in the WLC group [median 45 days (range 19-60)], corresponding to a 29% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 5-52] reduction. On register-based data (cumulated weeks in DREAM, weeks 1-16), the intervention group median [6 weeks (range 0-11)] was lower than that of the WLC group [median 12 weeks (range 8-16)], though not significantly (P=0.06), corresponding to a 21% (95% CI 0-42) reduction. For return to work, a hazard ratio of 1.58 (95% CI 0.89-2.81) favoring the intervention group was found (P=0.12). The intervention reduces self-reported absenteeism from work. A similar trend was found from register-based records. No conclusive evidence was found for return to work.

[Cross-sectional study on the determinants of work stress for nurses and intention of leaving the profession].

PubMed

Romano, Marina; Festini, Filippo; Bronner, Leonardo

2015-01-01

Occupational stress is one of the main causes of sick leaves among healthcare professionals and it determines high costs to health systems. Monitoring occupational related stress can be an important tool for policy makers. The Italian nursing research gave little attention to nurses' occupational stress. The aims of this study is to estimate the prevalence of occupational stress and evaluate risks factors among Italian nurses in order to evaluate health promotion intervention. Cross-sectional study on a convenience sample of nurses from three Italian public hospitals was carried out. The Nursing Stress Scale was administrated together with socio-demographic data information(age, occupational age, family structure etc). The Nursing Stress Scale includes 34 items with a score from 0 to 3. Seven areas of job related stress are investigate in the scale: conflict with physicians, inadequate training, lack of support, conflict with other nurses, workload, uncertainty about treatments, death and suffering. Scores were calculated for each item and for each area. Associations between stress scores and socio-demographic data were analyzed. 231 nurses participated to the study. The two stress areas with the highest scores were "workload" (1.58) and "death and suffering" (1.39). Among the 13 items that exceed the overall mean stress score (i.e. 1.07), five belong to the "workload" area. "Watching a suffering patient" is the single item with the highest mean score. Demographic data associated to higher stress scores are, female gender (p=0.03) and working with night shifts (p=0.02). Intention to leave the nursing profession is associated to higher stress scores (p=0.002). Age, occupational age, time to commute to work, number of children, having disabled relatives at home, were not correlated to higher stress scores. Our study provides data regarding nurses' occupational stress that was not available before. This data may be useful for policy makers to plan preventive interventions for nurses' job related stress and to reduce nurses' intention to leave.

Working Performance Analysis of Rolling Bearings Used in Mining Electric Excavator Crowd Reducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. H.; Hou, G.; Chen, G.; Liang, J. F.; Zheng, Y. M.

2017-12-01

Refer to the statistical load data of digging process, on the basis of simulation analysis of crowd reducer system dynamics, the working performance simulation analysis of rolling bearings used in crowd reducer of large mining electric excavator is completed. The contents of simulation analysis include analysis of internal load distribution, rolling elements contact stresses and rolling bearing fatigue life. The internal load characteristics of rolling elements in cylindrical roller bearings are obtained. The results of this study identified that all rolling bearings satisfy the requirements of contact strength and fatigue life. The rationality of bearings selection and arrangement is also verified.

Anomalous temperature dependence of yield stress and work hardening coefficient of B2-stabilized NiTi alloys

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

Hosoda, Hideki; Mishima, Yoshinao; Suzuki, Tomoo

Yield stress and work hardening coefficient of B2-stabilized NiTi alloys are investigated using compression tests. Compositions of NiTi alloys are based on Ni-49mol.%Ti, to which Cr, Co and Al are chosen as ternary elements which reduce martensitic transformation temperatures of the B2 phase. Mechanical tests are carried out in liquid nitrogen at 77 K, air at room temperature (R.T.) and in an argon atmosphere between 473 K and 873 K. Only at 77 K, some alloys show characteristic stress-strain curves which indicate stress induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), but the others do not. Work hardening coefficient is found to be betweenmore » 2 and 11GPa in all the test temperature range. The values are extremely high compared with Young`s modulus of B2 NiTi. Yield stress and work hardening coefficient increase with test temperature between R.T. and about 650 K in most alloys. The anomalous temperature dependence of mechanical properties is not related to SIMT but to precipitation hardening and/or anomalous dislocation motion similar to B2-type CoTi. Solution hardening by adding ternary elements is evaluated to be small for Cr and Co additions, and large for Al addition, depending on difference in atomic size of the ternary element with respect to Ni or Ti.« less

[Occupational stress in assembly line workers in electronics manufacturing service and related influencing factors].

PubMed

Ji, Y Q; Li, S; Wang, C; Wang, J; Liu, X M

2016-10-20

Objective: To investigate occupational stress in assembly line workers in electronics manu-facturing service (EMS) and related influencing factors. Methods: From June to October, 2015, a cross-sectional survey was performed for 5 944 assembly line workers in EMS (observation group) and 6 270 workers from other posts (non-assembly line workers and management personnel; control group) using the self-made questionnaire for basic information, job demand-control (JDC) model questionnaire, and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaire to collect respondents' basic information and occupational stress. Results: The observation group had significantly lower work autonomy, social support, and work reward scores than the control group (2.72 ± 0.63/3.64 ± 0.68/4.06 ± 0.80 vs 3.00 ± 0.67/3.83 ± 0.68/4.24 ± 0.75, t =23.53, 15.41, and 12.70, all P <0.05) , as well as significantly higher work effort and job involvement scores than the control group (2.34±0.78/2.48±0.78 vs 2.21±0.80/2.33±0.77, t =-9.08 and-10.90, both P <0.05). The observation group had significantly higher proportions of workers with occupational stress determined by JDC and ERI models than the control group (64.5%/12.7% vs 52.6%/9.9%, χ 2 =182.26 and 23.41, both P <0.05). Female sex, migrant workers, working time >60 hours/week, and sleeping time <7 hours/day were major risk factors for occupational stress in JDC model; education background of Bachelor's degree or above, working time >60 hours/week, and sleeping time<7 hours/day were major risk factors for occupational stress in ERI model, while female sex and a high monthly income reduced the risk of occupational stress in ERI model. Conclusion: Assembly line workers in EMS are a relatively vulnerable group and have a high degree of occupational stress. Working time >60 hours/week and sleeping time <7 hours/day are major risk factors for occupational stress.

Perceived stress, pain and work performance among non-patient working personnel with clinical signs of temporomandibular or neck pain.

PubMed

Suvinen, T I; Ahlberg, J; Rantala, M; Nissinen, M; Lindholm, H; Könönen, M; Savolainen, A

2004-08-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the associations between different types of perceived stress, pain and work performance among non-patients with clinical signs of muscle pain in the head/neck region. One-fifth (n = 241) of the 1339 media employees who had participated in a previous survey (Ahlberg J. et al., J Psychosom Res 2002; 53: 1077-1081) were randomly selected for standardized clinical examinations. Altogether 49% (n = 118) of these subjects had clinical signs of temporomandibular and/or neck muscle pain and were enrolled in the present study. The mean age of the study sample was 46.9 years (s.d. 6.6) and the female to male distribution 2:1. Of the 118 employees 46.5% reported that the pain problem interfered with their ability to work. Perceived ability to work was not significantly associated with age, gender or work positions. According to logistic regression, reduced work performance was significantly positively associated with continuous pain [odds ratio (OR) 4.38; 95% CI 1.21-15.7], level of perceived pain severity (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.04-1.63), and health stress (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.22-3.54). The results of this study indicated an association between specific self-reported stress regarding health and work issues, pain and work performance. From a preventive perspective this indicates a need for increased awareness about these associations on not only individual level but also at the organizational level and in health care. Copyright 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Socioeconomic position, psychosocial work environment and disability in an ageing workforce: a longitudinal analysis of SHARE data from 11 European countries.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Jan D; Wahrendorf, Morten; Siegrist, Johannes

2013-03-01

Prevention of disability in the ageing workforce is essential for sustaining economic growth in Europe. In order to provide information on entry points for preventive measures, it is important to better understand sociodemographic, socioeconomic and work-related determinants of disability in older employees. We aimed to test the hypothesis that low socioeconomic position and exposure to a stressful psychosocial work environment at baseline contribute to later disability. We further assumed that the association of socioeconomic position with disability is partly mediated by exposure to adverse working conditions. We studied longitudinal data from the first two waves of the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe comprising 11 European countries. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic and work-related factors (low control, effort-reward imbalance) and baseline disability of 2665 male and 2209 female employees aged between 50 and 64 years were used to predict disability 2 years later. Following the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), disability was subdivided into the components 'impairment' and 'restriction in activities and participation'. Two multilevel Poisson regressions were fitted to the data. After adjusting for baseline disability and relevant confounding variables, low socioeconomic position and chronic stress at work exerted significant effects on disability scores 2 years later. We found some support for the hypothesis that the association of socioeconomic position with disability is partly mediated by work stress. Investing in reduction of work stress and reducing social inequalities in health functioning are relevant entry points of policies that aim at maintaining work ability in early old age.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Australian dentists and orthodontists: Risk assessment and prevention.

PubMed

Sakzewski, Lisa; Naser-ud-Din, Shazia

2015-01-01

As professionals work longer hours and live longer there have been concerns regarding the Work related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) affecting both professional and personal lives. Moreover, past decade has seen a surge in interest in all allied health sciences personnel with self reporting cross sectional studies. Health professionals often suffer WMSD due to occupational stress. It is important to assess the problem in order to find ways to prevent it. Hence, the focus of this cross-sectional survey. The aim was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of WMSD between Australian dentists and orthodontists. A postal survey was sent to 447 Australian orthodontists and 450 Queensland dentists using the universal Nordic scale previously piloted at UQ and refined for this cross-sectional study. Questions were directed towards individuals, workplace and psychosocial variables and were designed to gather information regarding health, lifestyle, education, awareness of musculoskeletal problems and current preventative strategies. A high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems was found for both dentists (88.9%) and orthodontists (83.6%) reported in the last 12 months. The main predictor in both groups was increased work stress. Less than a third of those professionals surveyed had received education regarding dental practice ergonomics during their tertiary education. Dentists and orthodontists experienced a high rate of musculoskeletal problems which were associated with increased levels of stress at work. Further research should be directed toward interventions aimed at reducing stress in the work environment as well as improving work posture.

Effects of Psychosocial Stress on Subsequent Hemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation in Male Mice.

PubMed

Langgartner, Dominik; Wachter, Ulrich; Hartmann, Clair; Gröger, Michael; Vogt, Josef; Merz, Tamara; McCook, Oscar; Fink, Marina; Kress, Sandra; Georgieff, Michael; Kunze, Julia F; Radermacher, Peter L; Reber, Stefan O; Wepler, Martin

2018-06-08

Hypoxemia and tissue ischemia during hemorrhage as well as formation of oxygen and nitrogen radicals during resuscitation promote hyperinflammation and, consequently, trigger severe multiple-organ-failure (MOF). Individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders or reporting a life history of psychosocial stress are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and a reduced glucocorticoid (GC) signaling. We hypothesized that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood prior to hemorrhagic shock increases oxidative/nitrosative stress and therefore the risk of developing MOF in mice. To induce chronic psychosocial stress linked to mild immune activation and reduced GC signaling in male mice, the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm was employed. Single-housed (SHC) mice were used as controls. Subsequently, CSC and SHC mice were exposed to hemorrhagic shock following resuscitation to investigate the effects of prior psychosocial stress load on survival, organ function, metabolism, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory readouts. An increased adrenal weight in CSC mice indicates that the stress paradigm reliably worked. However, no effect of prior psychosocial stress on outcome after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation could be detected. Chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood is not sufficient to promote hemodynamic complications, organ dysfunction, metabolic disturbances and did not increase the risk of MOF after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation. Intravenous norepinephrine to keep target hemodynamics might have led to a certain level of oxidative stress in both groups and, therefore, disguised potential effects of chronic psychosocial stress on organ function after hemorrhagic shock in the present murine trauma model.

The mental health effects of multiple work and family demands. A prospective study of psychiatric sickness absence in the French GAZEL study.

PubMed

Melchior, Maria; Berkman, Lisa F; Niedhammer, Isabelle; Zins, Marie; Goldberg, Marcel

2007-07-01

Individuals who experience work stress or heavy family demands are at elevated risk of poor mental health. Yet, the cumulative effects of multiple work and family demands are not well known, particularly in men. We studied the association between multiple work and family demands and sickness absence due to non-psychotic psychiatric disorders in a longitudinal study conducted among members of the French GAZEL cohort study (8,869 men, 2,671 women) over a period of 9 years (1995-2003). Work stress and family demands were measured by questionnaire. Medically certified psychiatric sickness absence data were obtained directly from the employer. Rate ratios (RRs) of sickness absence were calculated using Poisson regression models, adjusting for age, marital status, social support, stressful life events, alcohol consumption, body mass and depressive symptoms at baseline. Participants simultaneously exposed to high levels of work and family demands (> or =2 work stress factors and > or =4 dependents) had significantly higher rates of sickness absence due to non-psychotic psychiatric disorders than participants with lower levels of demands (compared to participants exposed to 0-1 work stress factors and with 1-3 dependents, age-adjusted rate ratios were 2.37 (95% CI 1.02-5.52) in men and 6.36 (95% CI 3.38-11.94) in women. After adjusting for baseline socio-demographic, behavioral and health characteristics, these RRs were respectively reduced to 1.82 (95% CI 0.86-3.87) in men, 5.04 (95% CI 2.84-8.90) in women. The effect of multiple work and family demands was strongest for sickness absence due to depression: age-adjusted RRs among participants with the highest level of work and family demands were 4.70 (1.96-11.24) in men, 8.57 (4.26-17.22) in women; fully adjusted RRs: 3.55 (95% CI 1.62-7.77) in men, 6.58 (95%CI 3.46-12.50) in women. Men and women simultaneously exposed to high levels of work stress and family demands are at high risk of experiencing mental health problems, particularly depression.

[Compare the occupational stress and work ability among the police-officers, doctors and teachers].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-wei; Wang, Zhi-ming; Lan, Ya-jia; Wang, Mian-zhen

2004-03-01

To compare the occupational stress and work ability in doctors, police-officers and teachers. Changes in occupational stress work ability were measured with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) and work ability index (WAI) for 288 doctors, 191 police-officers and 343 teachers, and then comparative and correlation analyses were made. 1. The difference in occupational stress and strain between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01), and the score of the police-officers was higher than that of the doctors and teachers (P < 0.05), but the personal resources of police-officers were lower than those of the doctors and teachers (P < 0.05). 2. Analysis of the 6 items of occupational role questionnaire revealed that the scores of role ambiguity, role boundary and responsibility were obviously higher in police-officers than in doctors and teachers, while the scores of role overload and physical environment were higher in teachers (P < 0.05). 3. Analysis of all items of personal strain revealed that the scores of vocational strain, psychological strain, physical strain, but not of interpersonal starin, were significantly higher in police-officers than in doctors and teachers (P < 0.05). 4. As to the personal resource, the results indicated that recreation and self-care of doctors and teachers were superior to those of police-officers. The score of social support was highest in doctors. The score of rational conduct was highest in teachers (P < 0.05). 5. Occupational role and personal strain were positively correlated, and both were correlated negatively to the personal resources (P < 0.01). The correlations of work ability, occupational stress and strain, and personal resources were significant in teachers (P < 0.01). For polices-officers, doctors and teachers, different yet relevant measures should be taken to reduce the occupational stress so as to improve their work ability.

[Presenteeism, Absenteeism and psychosocial stress at work among German clinicians in surgery].

PubMed

Klein, J

2013-10-01

Presenteeism is determined as turning up at work despite ill health. In the last decade this phenomenon became much more relevant and will be a central topic for future research in workplace health, health promotion and productivity loss. Compared to absenteeism research data about presenteeism are comparatively rare. Especially employees in health care are at high risk for presenteeism. The present study examines the degree of presenteeism and absenteeism among German hospital clinicians in surgery focussing on associations with psychosocial stress at work. The stratified randomised sample consisted of 1 311 German clinicians in surgery from 489 hospitals. The frequencies of presenteeism and absenteeism were respectively assessed by one item. Psychosocial stress at work was measured by the effort-reward imbalance model and the demand-control model. About 90% of the respondents indicate that they were working despite illness at least once a year, 65% actually answered sometimes or often. Nearly two thirds were absent due to illness for a minimum of once a year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses show that organisational and work-related factors are clearly associated with presenteeism. Compared to absenteeism, presenteeism shows stronger associations with psychosocial workload. Significant associations with different components of psychosocial stress reveal elevated odds ratios between 1.4 and 2.8. High efforts and demands, low rewards and increased overcommitment were notably emerging factors. Clinicians in surgery are affected by presenteesim to a high degree whereas rates of absenteeism are less striking. As potential causes for elevated presenteeism different aspects of psychosocial stress at work were identified. Workplace health promotion on different levels can reduce presenteeism to improve the health status and job performance among this occupational group that bears heavy responsibility. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Emotional competence relating to perceived stress and burnout in Spanish teachers: a mediator model.

PubMed

Rey, Lourdes; Extremera, Natalio; Pena, Mario

2016-01-01

This study examined direct associations between emotional competence, perceived stress and burnout in 489 Spanish teachers. In addition, a model in which perceived stress mediated pathways linking emotional competence to teacher burnout symptoms was also examined. Results showed that emotional competence and stress were significantly correlated with teacher burnout symptoms in the expected direction. Moreover, mediational analysis indicated that perceived stress partly mediated the relationship between emotional competence and the three dimensions of burnout even when controlling for salient background characteristics. These findings suggest an underlying process by which high emotional competence may increase the capacity to cope with symptoms of burnout, by reducing the experience of stress. Implications of these findings for future research and for working with teachers to prevent burnout are discussed.

Emotional competence relating to perceived stress and burnout in Spanish teachers: a mediator model

PubMed Central

Extremera, Natalio

2016-01-01

This study examined direct associations between emotional competence, perceived stress and burnout in 489 Spanish teachers. In addition, a model in which perceived stress mediated pathways linking emotional competence to teacher burnout symptoms was also examined. Results showed that emotional competence and stress were significantly correlated with teacher burnout symptoms in the expected direction. Moreover, mediational analysis indicated that perceived stress partly mediated the relationship between emotional competence and the three dimensions of burnout even when controlling for salient background characteristics. These findings suggest an underlying process by which high emotional competence may increase the capacity to cope with symptoms of burnout, by reducing the experience of stress. Implications of these findings for future research and for working with teachers to prevent burnout are discussed. PMID:27280077

Obesity-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Causes Lung Endothelial Dysfunction and Promotes Acute Lung Injury.

PubMed

Shah, Dilip; Romero, Freddy; Guo, Zhi; Sun, Jianxin; Li, Jonathan; Kallen, Caleb B; Naik, Ulhas P; Summer, Ross

2017-08-01

Obesity is a significant risk factor for acute respiratory distress syndrome. The mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. We recently showed that diet-induced obese mice exhibit pulmonary vascular endothelial dysfunction, which is associated with enhanced susceptibility to LPS-induced acute lung injury. Here, we demonstrate that lung endothelial dysfunction in diet-induced obese mice coincides with increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Specifically, we observed enhanced expression of the major sensors of misfolded proteins, including protein kinase R-like ER kinase, inositol-requiring enzyme α, and activating transcription factor 6, in whole lung and in primary lung endothelial cells isolated from diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, we found that primary lung endothelial cells exposed to serum from obese mice, or to saturated fatty acids that mimic obese serum, resulted in enhanced expression of markers of ER stress and the induction of other biological responses that typify the lung endothelium of diet-induced obese mice, including an increase in expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and a decrease in expression of endothelial cell-cell junctional proteins. Similar changes were observed in lung endothelial cells and in whole-lung tissue after exposure to tunicamycin, a compound that causes ER stress by blocking N-linked glycosylation, indicating that ER stress causes endothelial dysfunction in the lung. Treatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid, a chemical protein chaperone that reduces ER stress, restored vascular endothelial cell expression of adhesion molecules and protected against LPS-induced acute lung injury in diet-induced obese mice. Our work indicates that fatty acids in obese serum induce ER stress in the pulmonary endothelium, leading to pulmonary endothelial cell dysfunction. Our work suggests that reducing protein load in the ER of pulmonary endothelial cells might protect against acute respiratory distress syndrome in obese individuals.

Work-focused cognitive behavioral intervention for psychological complaints in patients on sick leave due to work-related stress: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dalgaard, Vita Ligaya; Andersen, Lars Peter Sønderbo; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Willert, Morten Vejs; Carstensen, Ole; Glasscock, David John

2017-08-22

Work-related stress is a global problem with negative implications for individuals and society. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a stress management intervention for patients on sick leave due to work-related stress complaints using a three-armed randomized controlled design. Participants were patients referred from three municipalities to the regional Department of Occupational Medicine. Inclusion criteria were: 1) sick leave due to work-related stress complaints, 2) a diagnosis of adjustment disorder or reactions to severe stress (ICD 10 code: F43,2 - F 43,9 not PTSD) or mild depressive episode (F 32.0). Through a double randomization procedure patients (n = 163) were randomized to either an intervention group (n = 58), a 'control group A' receiving a clinical examination (n = 56), or 'control group B' (n = 49) receiving no offers at the department. The intervention comprised six sessions of individual cognitive behavioral therapy and the offer of a small workplace intervention. Questionnaire data were analyzed with multivariate repeated measurements analysis. Primary outcomes assessed were perceived stress and general mental health. Secondary outcomes were sleep quality and cognitive failures. Follow-up was at four and 10 months after baseline. Complaints were significantly reduced in all groups over time. No group effects were observed between the intervention group and control group A that was clinically assessed. Significant group effects were found for perceived stress and memory when comparing the intervention group to group B, but most likely not due to an intervention effect. Psychological complaints improved substantially over time in all groups, but there was no significant treatment effect on any outcomes when the intervention group was compared to control group A that received a clinical assessment. ISRCTN ISRCTN91404229. Registered 03 August 2012 (retrospectively registered).

Effect of the tapered end of a FRP plate on the interfacial stresses in a strengthened beam used in civil engineering applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahi, B. E.; Benrahou, K. H.; Belakhdar, Kh.; Tounsi, A.; Bedia, E. A. Adda

2014-09-01

The interfacial stresses of a beam strengthened with a FRP plate, which is widely employed in the civil engineering for rehabilitation and retrofitting of conventional structures, is investigated. An important feature of the reinforced beam is significant stress concentrations in the adhesive at the ends of the FRP plate. To reduce these interfacial stresses, a FRP plate with a tapered end is often used. The finite-difference method is utilized in this work to predict the distribution of interfacial stresses in beams strengthened with a FRP plate having a tapered end. Numerical results from the analysis are presented to demonstrate the advantages of using tapers in the design of strengthened beams.

Reduction of Free Edge Peeling Stress of Laminated Composites Using Active Piezoelectric Layers

PubMed Central

Huang, Bin; Kim, Heung Soo

2014-01-01

An analytical approach is proposed in the reduction of free edge peeling stresses of laminated composites using active piezoelectric layers. The approach is the extended Kantorovich method which is an iterative method. Multiterms of trial function are employed and governing equations are derived by taking the principle of complementary virtual work. The solutions are obtained by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. By this approach, the stresses automatically satisfy not only the traction-free boundary conditions, but also the free edge boundary conditions. Through the iteration processes, the free edge stresses converge very quickly. It is found that the peeling stresses generated by mechanical loadings are significantly reduced by applying a proper electric field to the piezoelectric actuators. PMID:25025088

Application of Non-destructive Methods of Stress-strain State at Hazardous Production Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shram, V.; Kravtsova, Ye; Selsky, A.; Bezborodov, Yu; Lysyannikova, N.; Lysyannikov, A.

2016-06-01

The paper deals with the sources of accidents in distillation columns, on the basis of which the most dangerous defects are detected. The analysis of the currently existing methods of non-destructive testing of the stress-strain state is performed. It is proposed to apply strain and acoustic emission techniques to continuously monitor dangerous objects, which helps prevent the possibility of accidents, as well as reduce the work.

Cold-Worked Inconel(R) 718 Bars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montano, J. W.

1988-01-01

Cold working and double aging yield high strength without sacrifice of resistance to corrosion. Report presents data on mechanical properties and stress-corrosion resistance of triple-melted, solution-treated, work-strengthened, direct-double-aged Inconel(R) 718 alloy. Triple melting consists of vacuum induction melting, electro-slag remelting, and vacuum arm remelting. Data indicate advance in processing of large-diameter bars. New process increases yield strength without reducing the elongation, reduction of area, and grain size.

Risk factors for psychological stress among international business travellers

PubMed Central

Striker, J.; Luippold, R. S.; Nagy, L.; Liese, B.; Bigelow, C.; Mundt, K. A.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated sources of self reported psychological stress among international business travellers at the World Bank, following up on a previous study showing that travellers submitted more insurance claims for psychological disorders. Hypotheses were that work, personal, family, and health concerns, as well as time zone travel, contribute to travel stress. METHODS: A travel survey was developed from focus groups and consisted of questions about these potential sources of travel stress. Surveys were sent to a random sample of staff, stratified by number of travel missions, age range, and sex. Canonical correlation analyses estimated the association between key survey items on sources of stress and two measures of travel stress. RESULTS: 498 staff completed the survey. More than a third reported high to very high travel stress. Correlations between predictors and travel stress showed that social and emotional concerns (such as impact of travel on family and sense of isolation) contributed the most to such stress, followed by health concerns, and workload upon return from travel. Surprisingly, time zone travel did not contribute to the self reported stress of these travellers. There were few modifiers of stress, although respondents suggested that a day of rest after travel and reduced workloads would help. CONCLUSIONS: The current study confirms clinical impressions about several correlates of travel stress. Similar research with travellers in other organisations could help to determine whether the findings from this study are valid and what measures can be taken to reduce the psychological health risks to travellers.   PMID:10450241

Risk factors for psychological stress among international business travellers.

PubMed

Striker, J; Luippold, R S; Nagy, L; Liese, B; Bigelow, C; Mundt, K A

1999-04-01

This study investigated sources of self reported psychological stress among international business travellers at the World Bank, following up on a previous study showing that travellers submitted more insurance claims for psychological disorders. Hypotheses were that work, personal, family, and health concerns, as well as time zone travel, contribute to travel stress. A travel survey was developed from focus groups and consisted of questions about these potential sources of travel stress. Surveys were sent to a random sample of staff, stratified by number of travel missions, age range, and sex. Canonical correlation analyses estimated the association between key survey items on sources of stress and two measures of travel stress. 498 staff completed the survey. More than a third reported high to very high travel stress. Correlations between predictors and travel stress showed that social and emotional concerns (such as impact of travel on family and sense of isolation) contributed the most to such stress, followed by health concerns, and workload upon return from travel. Surprisingly, time zone travel did not contribute to the self reported stress of these travellers. There were few modifiers of stress, although respondents suggested that a day of rest after travel and reduced workloads would help. The current study confirms clinical impressions about several correlates of travel stress. Similar research with travellers in other organisations could help to determine whether the findings from this study are valid and what measures can be taken to reduce the psychological health risks to travellers.

Predictors of nurse absenteeism in hospitals: a systematic review.

PubMed

Davey, Mandy M; Cummings, Greta; Newburn-Cook, Christine V; Lo, Eliza A

2009-04-01

This study aimed to identify and examine predictors of short-term absences of staff nurses working in hospital settings reported in the research literature. Front-line staff nurse absenteeism contributes to discontinuity of patient care, decreased staff morale and is costly to healthcare. A systematic review of studies from 1986 to 2006, obtained through electronic searches of 10 online databases led to inclusion of 16 peer-reviewed research articles. Seventy potential predictors of absenteeism were examined and analysed using content analysis. Our findings showed that individual 'nurses' prior attendance records', 'work attitudes' (job satisfaction, organizational commitment and work/job involvement) and 'retention factors' reduced nurse absenteeism, whereas 'burnout' and 'job stress' increased absenteeism. Remaining factors examined in the literature did not significantly predict nurse absenteeism. Reasons underlying absenteeism among staff nurses are still poorly understood. Lack of robust theory about nursing absenteeism may underlie the inconsistent results found in this review. Further theory development and research is required to explore the determinants of short-term absenteeism of nurses in acute care hospitals. Work environment factors that increase nurses' job satisfaction, and reduce burnout and job stress need to be considered in managing staff nurse absenteeism.

Evaluation of a seven-week web-based happiness training to improve psychological well-being, reduce stress, and enhance mindfulness and flourishing: a randomized controlled occupational health study.

PubMed

Feicht, T; Wittmann, M; Jose, G; Mock, A; von Hirschhausen, E; Esch, T

2013-01-01

Background. As distress in society increases, including work environments, individual capacities to compete with stress have to be strengthened. Objective. We examined the impact of a web-based happiness training on psychological and physiological parameters, by self-report and objective means, in an occupational health setting. Methods. Randomized controlled trial with 147 employees. Participants were divided into intervention (happiness training) and control groups (waiting list). The intervention consisted of a seven-week online training. Questionnaires were administered before, after, and four weeks after training. The following scales were included: VAS (happiness and satisfaction), WHO-5 Well-being Index, Stress Warning Signals, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Recovery Experience Questionnaire, and Flourishing Scale. Subgroup samples for saliva cortisol and alpha-amylase determinations were taken, indicating stress, and Attention Network Testing for effects on attention regulation. Results. Happiness (P = 0.000; d = 0.93), satisfaction (P = 0.000; d = 1.17), and quality of life (P = 0.000; d = 1.06) improved; perceived stress was reduced (P = 0.003; d = 0.64); mindfulness (P = 0.006; d = 0.62), flourishing (P = 0.002; d = 0.63), and recovery experience (P = 0.030; d = 0.42) also increased significantly. No significant differences in the Attention Network Tests and saliva results occurred (intergroup), except for one saliva value. Conclusions. The web-based training can be a useful tool for stabilizing health/psychological well-being and work/life balance.

Evaluation of a Seven-Week Web-Based Happiness Training to Improve Psychological Well-Being, Reduce Stress, and Enhance Mindfulness and Flourishing: A Randomized Controlled Occupational Health Study

PubMed Central

Feicht, T.; Wittmann, M.; Jose, G.; Mock, A.; von Hirschhausen, E.; Esch, T.

2013-01-01

Background. As distress in society increases, including work environments, individual capacities to compete with stress have to be strengthened. Objective. We examined the impact of a web-based happiness training on psychological and physiological parameters, by self-report and objective means, in an occupational health setting. Methods. Randomized controlled trial with 147 employees. Participants were divided into intervention (happiness training) and control groups (waiting list). The intervention consisted of a seven-week online training. Questionnaires were administered before, after, and four weeks after training. The following scales were included: VAS (happiness and satisfaction), WHO-5 Well-being Index, Stress Warning Signals, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Recovery Experience Questionnaire, and Flourishing Scale. Subgroup samples for saliva cortisol and alpha-amylase determinations were taken, indicating stress, and Attention Network Testing for effects on attention regulation. Results. Happiness (P = 0.000; d = 0.93), satisfaction (P = 0.000; d = 1.17), and quality of life (P = 0.000; d = 1.06) improved; perceived stress was reduced (P = 0.003; d = 0.64); mindfulness (P = 0.006; d = 0.62), flourishing (P = 0.002; d = 0.63), and recovery experience (P = 0.030; d = 0.42) also increased significantly. No significant differences in the Attention Network Tests and saliva results occurred (intergroup), except for one saliva value. Conclusions. The web-based training can be a useful tool for stabilizing health/psychological well-being and work/life balance. PMID:24489588

Impact of a stress management program on stress perception of nurses working with psychiatric patients.

PubMed

Sailaxmi, Gandhi; Lalitha, Krishnasamy

2015-04-01

Nurses caring for psychiatric patients may have to face violent emotions and unpredictable behaviour which can be quite stressful. A stress management program may equip nurses with skills to cope effectively with the stress. A one group pre-test and post-test design was adopted to test this hypothesis. Both gender nurses caring for psychiatric patients were invited to undergo 10 consecutive, one hour sessions of a stress management program. The DCL Stress scale (The De Villiers, Carson & Leary Stress Scale; Carson et al., 1997a,b,c) was used to collect data immediately after intervention and four weeks later. RM ANOVA with spss 16 showed that pre-intervention mean stress reduced significantly (p=0.000) from 57.45±16.42 to 41.06±16.51 immediately following the intervention and 26.43±12.82 (p=0.000) four weeks after the intervention. The stress management strategies positively impacted on nurses' stress levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phytohormones enabled endophytic fungal symbiosis improve aluminum phytoextraction in tolerant Solanum lycopersicum: An examples of Penicillium janthinellum LK5 and comparison with exogenous GA3.

PubMed

Khan, Abdul Latif; Waqas, Muhammad; Hussain, Javid; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Hamayun, Muhammad; Lee, In-Jung

2015-09-15

This work investigates the potentials of fungal-endophyte Penicillium janthinellum LK5 (PjLK5) and its inherent gibberellic acid (GA3) as reference to enhance aluminum (Al) induced toxicity in tolerant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. Initial screening showed significantly higher uptake of Al by PjLK5. Aluminum stress (100 μM) significantly retarted plant growth in control plants. Conversely PjLK5 and GA3 application significantly increased morphological attributes of Al-tolerant tomato plants with or without Al-stress. PjLK5 inoculation with and without Al-stress maintained the plant growth whilst extracting and translocating higher Al in shoot (∼ 1 92 mg/kg) and root (∼ 296 mg/kg). This was almost similar in GA3 treatments as well. In addition, PjLK5 inoculation extended protective effects to tomato plants by maintaining reduced cellular superoxide anions in Al stress. Al-induced oxidative stress was further reduced due to significantly higher activity of metal-responsive reduced glutathione. The functional membrane was less damaged in PjLK5 and GA3 treatments because the plants synthesized reduced levels of malondialdhyde, lenolenic and linoleic acids. Defense-related endogenous phytohormone salicylic acid was significantly up-regulated to counteract the adverse effects of Al-stress. In conclusion, the PjLK5 possess a similar bio-prospective potential as of GA3. Application of such biochemically active endophyte could increase metal phytoextraction whilst maintaining crop physiological homeostasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review.

PubMed

Finney, Caitlin; Stergiopoulos, Erene; Hensel, Jennifer; Bonato, Sarah; Dewa, Carolyn S

2013-01-29

In adult correctional facilities, correctional officers (COs) are responsible for the safety and security of the facility in addition to aiding in offender rehabilitation and preventing recidivism. COs experience higher rates of job stress and burnout that stem from organizational stressors, leading to negative outcomes for not only the CO but the organization as well. Effective interventions could aim at targeting organizational stressors in order to reduce these negative outcomes as well as COs' job stress and burnout. This paper fills a gap in the organizational stress literature among COs by systematically reviewing the relationship between organizational stressors and CO stress and burnout in adult correctional facilities. In doing so, the present review identifies areas that organizational interventions can target in order to reduce CO job stress and burnout. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using Medline, PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and Sociological Abstracts. All retrieved articles were independently screened based on criteria developed a priori. All included articles underwent quality assessment. Organizational stressors were categorized according to Cooper and Marshall's (1976) model of job stress. The systematic review yielded 8 studies that met all inclusion and quality assessment criteria. The five categories of organizational stressors among correctional officers are: stressors intrinsic to the job, role in the organization, rewards at work, supervisory relationships at work and the organizational structure and climate. The organizational structure and climate was demonstrated to have the most consistent relationship with CO job stress and burnout. The results of this review indicate that the organizational structure and climate of correctional institutions has the most consistent relationship with COs' job stress and burnout. Limitations of the studies reviewed include the cross-sectional design and the use of varying measures for organizational stressors. The results of this review indicate that interventions should aim to improve the organizational structure and climate of the correctional facility by improving communication between management and COs.

The effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation on the mean stress sensitivity of the fatigue life of the 6082 aluminum alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, L.; Morgenstern, R.; Hockauf, K.; Lampke, T.

2016-03-01

In this work the mean stress influence on the high cycle fatigue behavior of the plasma electrolytic oxidized (PEO) 6082 aluminum alloy (AlSi1MgMn) is investigated. The present study is focused on the fatigue life time and the susceptibility of fatigue-induced cracking of the oxide coating and their dependence on the applied mean stress. Systematic work is done comparing conditions with and without PEO treatment, which have been tested using three different load ratios. For the uncoated substrate the cycles to failure show a significant dependence on the mean stress, which is typical for aluminum alloys. With increased load ratio and therefore increased mean stress, the fatigue strength decreases. The investigation confirms the well-known effect of PEO treatment on the fatigue life: The fatigue strength is significantly reduced by the PEO process, compared to the uncoated substrate. However, also the mean stress sensitivity of the fatigue performance is reduced. The fatigue limit is not influenced by an increasing mean stress for the PEO treated conditions. This effect is firstly shown in these findings and no explanation for this effect can be found in literature. Supposedly the internal compressive stresses and the micro-cracks in the oxide film have a direct influence on the crack initiation and growth from the oxide film through the interface and in the substrate. Contrary to these findings, the susceptibility of fatigue-induced cracking of the oxide coating is influenced by the load ratio. At tension-tension loading a large number of cracks, which grow partially just in the aluminum substrate, are present. With decreasing load ratio to alternating tension-compression stresses, the crack number and length increases and shattering of the oxide film is more pronounced due to the additional effective compressive part of the load cycle.

Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In adult correctional facilities, correctional officers (COs) are responsible for the safety and security of the facility in addition to aiding in offender rehabilitation and preventing recidivism. COs experience higher rates of job stress and burnout that stem from organizational stressors, leading to negative outcomes for not only the CO but the organization as well. Effective interventions could aim at targeting organizational stressors in order to reduce these negative outcomes as well as COs’ job stress and burnout. This paper fills a gap in the organizational stress literature among COs by systematically reviewing the relationship between organizational stressors and CO stress and burnout in adult correctional facilities. In doing so, the present review identifies areas that organizational interventions can target in order to reduce CO job stress and burnout. Methods A systematic search of the literature was conducted using Medline, PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, and Sociological Abstracts. All retrieved articles were independently screened based on criteria developed a priori. All included articles underwent quality assessment. Organizational stressors were categorized according to Cooper and Marshall’s (1976) model of job stress. Results The systematic review yielded 8 studies that met all inclusion and quality assessment criteria. The five categories of organizational stressors among correctional officers are: stressors intrinsic to the job, role in the organization, rewards at work, supervisory relationships at work and the organizational structure and climate. The organizational structure and climate was demonstrated to have the most consistent relationship with CO job stress and burnout. Conclusions The results of this review indicate that the organizational structure and climate of correctional institutions has the most consistent relationship with COs’ job stress and burnout. Limitations of the studies reviewed include the cross-sectional design and the use of varying measures for organizational stressors. The results of this review indicate that interventions should aim to improve the organizational structure and climate of the correctional facility by improving communication between management and COs. PMID:23356379

CASH--an innovative approach to sustainable OSH improvement at workplace.

PubMed

Pingle, S; Shanbhag, S

2006-01-01

Occupational health department of a large private enterprise located in India launched Project CASH--Change Agents for Safety and Health, at manufacturing units of the enterprise to bring about a positive change in work environment and improvement in work practices to reduce occupational health risk. Multidisciplinary teams of change agents were constituted and were given intensive training inputs. Reduction in exposure to noise, dust and heat stress were identified as specific objectives after a baseline survey of the work environment. Occupational safety and health knowledge and training was imparted to all field personnel to improve their work practices and attitudes. The focus of the actions was on engineering control measures and process engineering changes necessary for workplace improvement. Noise levels were reduced by an average of more than 9dBA in most of the top ten high noise locations. Out of two locations identified for dust exposure, one was fully eliminated and dust levels at other location were significantly reduced. Heat stress was reduced in all three identified locations with an average reduction of more than 3 degrees C in WBGT levels. Thus, final evaluation of workplace environments revealed significant reduction in exposure to all identified agents, viz noise, dust and heat fulfilling the project objectives. Educating and empowering the team led to reduction of occupational health risks in the work environment. There was positive attitudinal and behavioural change in safety and occupational health awareness & practices among employees. The monetary savings resulting from improvements far outweighed the investments. Success of this pilot project was followed up with further similar projects and their number has grown in geometric proportion for the last three years indicating the sustainability of the project.

Sleep and errors in a group of Australian hospital nurses at work and during the commute.

PubMed

Dorrian, Jillian; Tolley, Carolyn; Lamond, Nicole; van den Heuvel, Cameron; Pincombe, Jan; Rogers, Ann E; Drew, Dawson

2008-09-01

There is a paucity of information regarding Australian nurses' sleep and fatigue levels, and whether they result in impairment. Forty-one Australian hospital nurses completed daily logbooks for one month recording work hours, sleep, sleepiness, stress, errors, near errors and observed errors (made by others). Nurses reported exhaustion, stress and struggling to remain (STR) awake at work during one in three shifts. Sleep was significantly reduced on workdays in general, and workdays when an error was reported relative to days off. The primary predictor of error was STR, followed by stress. The primary predictor of extreme drowsiness during the commute was also STR awake, followed by exhaustion, and consecutive shifts. In turn, STR awake was predicted by exhaustion, prior sleep and shift length. Findings highlight the need for further attention to these issues to optimise the safety of nurses and patients in our hospitals, and the community at large on our roads.

Increment of fatigue, depression, and stage fright during the first year of high-level education in music students.

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Horst; Nübling, Matthias; Candia, Victor

2012-03-01

Public opinion associates music performance with pleasure, relaxation, and entertainment. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that professional musicians and music students are often affected by work-related burdens. These are closely related to stress and anxiety. Scrutinizing specific health strains and work attitudes of music students during their freshman year of high-level education. One hundred five students in three Swiss music universities were part of a longitudinal study using standardized assessment questionnaires. Before and after their first study year, some custom-made questionnaires designed to fit the particular work environment of musicians were used together with the already validated inquiry instruments. Fatigue, depression, and stage fright increased significantly. Our results indicate more study is needed and attempts should be made to minimize the stress level, improve the students' ability to cope with stress, and otherwise reduce their risk for injury. This appears particularly important considering the long-term negative effects of stressors on individuals' health as revealed by modern research.

Force and Strength Analysis of the Reel with Jaw of Torsion-bar Spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Ke; Liu, Weiqi; Wang, Jiawei; Gu, Le

2017-06-01

Structure characteristics and working principle of the reel with jaw of torsion-bar spring are introduced. The reel can not only eliminate the leakage risks of hydraulic jaw, but also reduce the investment cost of enterprises and improve the surface quality of the products. The static analysis of mandrel, sector plate and oblique wedge were conducted, and the main data of stress distribution and deformation were obtained, which provide a reliable theoretical basis for the design and optimization of the reel. The research results show that the external support has a great effect on the stress and deformation of the mandrel. With the increase of the weight of steel stress increases, the drum deformation increases, but the analysis of the position of maximum stress, can be obtained to drum stress and deformation is the main reason of excessive bending moment caused by heavy steel rolls. The bending moment and deformation can be reduced significantly at the end of the steel coil, which can effectively improve the service life of the drum.

Reading efficiency can be improved by minor modification of assigned duties; a pilot study on a small team of general radiologists.

PubMed

Yokota, Hajime; Goto, Mariko; Bamba, Chisa; Kiba, Maki; Yamada, Kei

2017-05-01

To assess whether alterations in the type of duty assignment system can affect the reading efficiency and stress level of diagnostic radiologists. Fourteen board-certified diagnostic radiologists were enrolled. We investigated three different reading systems for 1 week each. System 1 is our default, in which there are no assigned duties and everyone finishes when all cases are done. In system 2, two late shift readers are assigned every day, and, after everyone else leaves at a fixed time (5:30 p.m.), they take all remaining cases until they are finished. In system 3, a dedicated single reader is assigned to finish 30 cases, and everyone else will read all remaining cases. The total time required for reading and the number of cases read were recorded. In addition, participants completed two questionnaires regarding work-related stress. There was a trend toward shorter finishing time in system 2 and 3 compared to system 1 (P = 0.072 and 0.012). In terms of working stress, the subjective burden was lighter when systems 2 or 3 were employed. Minor modification of the duty assignment system has the potential to improve working efficiency and may reduce the work-related stress of diagnostic radiologists.

Intrinsic stress in ZrN thin films: Evaluation of grain boundary contribution from in situ wafer curvature and ex situ x-ray diffraction techniques

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

Koutsokeras, L. E.; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110; Abadias, G.

2012-05-01

Low-mobility materials, like transition metal nitrides, usually undergo large residual stress when sputter-deposited as thin films. While the origin of stress development has been an active area of research for high-mobility materials, atomistic processes are less understood for low-mobility systems. In the present work, the contribution of grain boundary to intrinsic stress in reactively magnetron-sputtered ZrN films is evaluated by combining in situ wafer curvature measurements, providing information on the overall biaxial stress, and ex situ x-ray diffraction, giving information on elastic strain (and related stress) inside crystallites. The thermal stress contribution was also determined from the in situ stressmore » evolution during cooling down, after deposition was stopped. The stress data are correlated with variations in film microstructure and growth energetics, in the 0.13-0.42 Pa working pressure range investigated, and discussed based on existing stress models. At low pressure (high energetic bombardment conditions), a large compressive stress is observed due to atomic peening, which induces defects inside crystallites but also promotes incorporation of excess atoms in the grain boundary. Above 0.3-0.4 Pa, the adatom surface mobility is reduced, leading to the build-up of tensile stress resulting from attractive forces between under-dense neighbouring column boundary and possible void formation, while crystallites can still remain under compressive stress.« less

Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout of North Korean Refugees Service Providers.

PubMed

Kim, Yeunhee Joyce

2017-03-01

The current study investigated the burnout and secondary traumatic stress of service providers for North Korean (NK) refugees based on the conceptual framework of theJob Demands-Resources (JD-R) model of workplace burnout. A cross-sectional self-administered survey was conducted with a national sample consisting of all 63 organizations in direct services to North Korean refugees. Of the estimated total number of 230 service providers comprising of social workers, psychotherapists, job counselors and paraprofessional counselors, 179 completed the survey, a 77.8% return rate. While job resources such as personal commitment to work and organizational support indicated inverse relations to burnout, job demands such as workload, work environment and secondary traumatic stress (STS) showed a positive relationship to worker burnout. The STS were present in more than half of the respondents (51.3%), of which 20.7% of them indicating a severe level of STS. The STS proved to be the most significant risk to worker burnout as it showed strong relations to all three dimensions of burnout. Structural issues of chronic work overload and poor work environment need to be addressed to reduce staff burnout. STS is a serious occupational hazard in working with North Korean refugees.

The association of relational and organizational job stress factors with sleep disorder: analysis of the 3rd Korean working conditions survey (2011).

PubMed

Kim, Gyuree; Min, Bokki; Jung, Jaeyoup; Paek, Domyung; Cho, Sung-Il

2016-01-01

Sleep disorder is a disease that causes reduction in quality of life and work efficiency of workers. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between job-related stress factor and sleep disorder among wageworkers in Korea. This study was based on analysis of the 3rd Korean working conditions survey. We analyzed 35,902 workers whose employment status is wageworker. We classified the job-related stress factor into 12 sections. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between job-related stress factor and sleep disorder and Odds ratio and 95 % CI were calculated using the SPSS version 23.0 program. Many categories of Job-related stress factor were correlated with sleep disorder (8 of 12 for women, 10 of 12 for men). The results of the regression analysis, corrected for general and occupational characteristics, indicated that sleep disorder was significantly correlated with the following categories of job-related stress: discrimination experience (OR 3.37, 95 % CI = 2.49 ~ 4.56 in women, OR 1.96, 95 % CI = 1.53 ~ 2.51 in men), direct customer confrontation (OR 2.72, 95 % CI = 1.91 ~ 3.86 in women, OR 1.99, 95 % CI = 1.45 ~ 2.72 in men), emotional stress (OR 2.01, 95 % CI = 1.30 ~ 3.09 in men), work dissatisfaction (detailed) (OR 1.99, 95 % CI = 1.36 ~ 2.93 in men), work dissatisfaction (overall) (OR 2.30, 95 % CI = 1.66 ~ 3.20 in women, OR 2.40, 95 % CI = 1.88 ~ 3.08 in men), expression of opinion difficulty (OR 0.66, 95 % CI = 0.48 ~ 0.92 in women, OR 0.57, 95 % CI = 0.45 ~ 0.73 in men). A number of studies have reported that stress affects sleep disorder. In this study, many factors suspected to increase the risk of sleep disorder were added to previously known job stress factors. In particular, this study found a strong correlation between work-associated sleep disorder and relational and organizational job stress factors. Sleep disorder may lead to large decreases in workers' quality of life and work efficiency. Awareness and interventions are therefore required to reduce workplace stress; additional research of this topic is also required.

Stress- and sequence-dependent release into the culture medium of HIV-1 Nef produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Macreadie, I G; Castelli, L A; Lucantoni, A; Azad, A A

1995-09-11

We have produced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Nef (a myristylated 206-amino-acid protein) in Saccharomyces cerevisaie and shown that, while Nef is normally found as a predominantly intracellular protein, amounts up to 40 micrograms/ml of Nef are also released into the extracellular medium during stress. By electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE) analysis the extracellular Nef is indistinguishable from intracellular Nef. Conditions of stress that lead to the release of Nef include elevated levels of copper or magnesium ions or growth at elevated temperatures. This release appears to be dependent upon the N-terminal sequences of Nef, including the presence of a myristylation site. Our observations concerning Nef release in yeast suggest new ways in which the behaviour of Nef should be examined in order to gain further insights into the development of AIDS. If the release of Nef is important in the development of AIDS, our work reveals that Nef-associated symptoms may be reduced or delayed by reducing stresses, such as fevers.

Cellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobeen, Shane; Pentz, Jennifer T.; Graba, Elyes C.; Brandys, Colin G.; Ratcliff, William C.; Yunker, Peter J.

2018-03-01

The evolution of multicellularity set the stage for sustained increases in organismal complexity1-5. However, a fundamental aspect of this transition remains largely unknown: how do simple clusters of cells evolve increased size when confronted by forces capable of breaking intracellular bonds? Here we show that multicellular snowflake yeast clusters6-8 fracture due to crowding-induced mechanical stress. Over seven weeks ( 291 generations) of daily selection for large size, snowflake clusters evolve to increase their radius 1.7-fold by reducing the accumulation of internal stress. During this period, cells within the clusters evolve to be more elongated, concomitant with a decrease in the cellular volume fraction of the clusters. The associated increase in free space reduces the internal stress caused by cellular growth, thus delaying fracture and increasing cluster size. This work demonstrates how readily natural selection finds simple, physical solutions to spatial constraints that limit the evolution of group size—a fundamental step in the evolution of multicellularity.

Heart rate variability and occupational stress-systematic review.

PubMed

Järvelin-Pasanen, Susanna; Sinikallio, Sanna; Tarvainen, Mika P

2018-06-16

The aim of this systematic review was to explore studies regarding association between occupational stress and heart rate variability (HRV) during work. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cinahl and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed articles published in English between January 2005 and September 2017. A total of 10 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included articles were analyzed in terms of study design, study population, assessment of occupational stress and HRV, and the study limitations. Among the studies there were cross-sectional (n=9) studies and one longitudinal study design. Sample size varied from 19 to 653 participants and both females and males were included. The most common assessment methods of occupational stress were the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. HRV was assessed using 24-hours or longer Holter ECG or HR monitoring and analyzed mostly using standard time-domain and frequency-domain parameters. The main finding was that heightened occupational stress was found associated with lowered HRV, specifically with reduced parasympathetic activation. Reduced parasympathetic activation was seen as decreases in RMSSD and HF power, and increase in LF/HF ratio. The assessment and analysis methods of occupational stress and HRV were diverse.

Health in police officers: Role of risk factor clusters and police divisions.

PubMed

Habersaat, Stephanie A; Geiger, Ashley M; Abdellaoui, Sid; Wolf, Jutta M

2015-10-01

Law enforcement is a stressful occupation associated with significant health problems. To date, most studies have focused on one specific factor or one domain of risk factors (e.g., organizational, personal). However, it is more likely that specific combinations of risk factors are differentially health relevant and further, depend on the area of police work. A self-selected group of officers from the criminal, community, and emergency division (N = 84) of a Swiss state police department answered questionnaires assessing personal and organizational risk factors as well as mental and physical health indicators. In general, few differences were observed across divisions in terms of risk factors or health indicators. Cluster analysis of all risk factors established a high-risk and a low-risk cluster with significant links to all mental health outcomes. Risk cluster-by-division interactions revealed that, in the high-risk cluster, Emergency officers reported fewer physical symptoms, while community officers reported more posttraumatic stress symptoms. Criminal officers in the high-risk cluster tended to perceived more stress. Finally, perceived stress did not mediate the relationship between risk clusters and posttraumatic stress symptoms. In summary, our results support the notion that police officers are a heterogeneous population in terms of processes linking risk factors and health indicators. This heterogeneity thereby appeared to be more dependent on personal factors and individuals' perception of their own work conditions than division-specific work environments. Our findings further suggest that stress-reduction interventions that do not target job-relevant sources of stress may only show limited effectiveness in reducing health risks associated with police work. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Health Care Providers Following the Israeli Attacks Against Gaza Strip in 2014: A Call for Immediate Policy Actions.

PubMed

Abu-El-Noor, Nasser Ibrahim; Aljeesh, Yousef Ibrahim; Radwan, AbdalKarim Said; Abu-El-Noor, Mysoon Khalil; Qddura, Ibrahim Abdel-Ilhady; Khadoura, Khalid Jamal; Alnawajha, Samer Khader

2016-04-01

This study aimed to assess the level of posttraumatic stress disorder and to examine the relationship between exposure to war stress and posttraumatic symptoms among health care providers following Israeli offensives against Gaza Strip in 2014. A cross-sectional design was used for this study. We targeted all nurses and doctors working in three governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip and worked with victims of the last war, more specifically, those who were working in emergency departments, intensive care units, operating rooms, surgical departments, and burn units. A demographic sheet and Impact Event Scale-Revised were used in this study. The Impact Event Scale-Revised has three sub-scales; intrusion, avoidance, and hyper-arousal. The results showed that 291 (89.8%) of 324 participants had scores more than 35 (threshold cut-off point) on the Impact Event Scale-Revised. Scores ranged from zero to 80 with a mean of 52.13. Females had higher levels of stress (55.79) than males (51.63) and nurses (54.85) had more stress than physicians (47.38). The most frequent symptoms of trauma subscales was "avoidance" (mean=20.04), followed by "intrusion" (mean=17.83), and then "hyper-arousal" (mean=14.27). Levels of trauma symptoms were not affected by place of living, hospital of work, while level of education had impacted level of trauma. The findings showed that health care providers suffered from severe posttraumatic symptoms after exposure to prolonged war stress. This level of trauma among health care providers warrants intervention programs to reduce stress and trauma among Gaza health care providers after the war. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health in police officers: Role of risk factor clusters and police divisions

PubMed Central

Habersaat, Stephanie A.; Geiger, Ashley M.; Abdellaoui, Sid; Wolf, Jutta M.

2015-01-01

Objective Law enforcement is a stressful occupation associated with significant health problems. To date, most studies have focused on one specific factor or one domain of risk factors (e.g., organizational, personal). However, it is more likely that specific combinations of risk factors are differentially health relevant and further, depend on the area of police work. Methods A self-selected group of officers from the criminal, community, and emergency division (N = 84) of a Swiss state police department answered questionnaires assessing personal and organizational risk factors as well as mental and physical health indicators. Results In general, few differences were observed across divisions in terms of risk factors or health indicators. Cluster analysis of all risk factors established a high-risk and a low-risk cluster with significant links to all mental health outcomes. Risk cluster-by-division interactions revealed that, in the high-risk cluster, Emergency officers reported fewer physical symptoms, while community officers reported more posttraumatic stress symptoms. Criminal officers in the high-risk cluster tended to perceived more stress. Finally, perceived stress did not mediate the relationship between risk clusters and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Conclusion In summary, our results support the notion that police officers are a heterogeneous population in terms of processes linking risk factors and health indicators. This heterogeneity thereby appeared to be more dependent on personal factors and individuals' perception of their own work conditions than division-specific work environments. Our findings further suggest that stress-reduction interventions that do not target job-relevant sources of stress may only show limited effectiveness in reducing health risks associated with police work. PMID:26364008

Stress and resilience in military mortuary workers: care of the dead from battlefield to home.

PubMed

Flynn, Brian W; McCarroll, James E; Biggs, Quinn M

2015-01-01

The death of a military service member in war provokes feelings of distress and pride in mortuary workers who process the remains. To further understand their reactions, the authors interviewed 34 military and civilian personnel to learn more about their work stresses and rewards. They review stresses of anticipation, exposure, and experience in handling the dead and explore the personal, supervisory, and leadership strategies to reduce negative effects and promote personal growth. These results can be applied to many other situations requiring planning, implementing, and supervising mortuary operations involving mass death.

Interventions to reduce stress in university students: a review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Regehr, Cheryl; Glancy, Dylan; Pitts, Annabel

2013-05-15

Recent research has revealed concerning rates of anxiety and depression among university students. Nevertheless, only a small percentage of these students receive treatment from university health services. Universities are thus challenged with instituting preventative programs that address student stress and reduce resultant anxiety and depression. A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing stress in university students. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the assignment of study participants to experimental or control groups was by random allocation or parallel cohort design. Retrieved studies represented a variety of intervention approaches with students in a broad range of programs and disciplines. Twenty-four studies, involving 1431 students were included in the meta-analysis. Cognitive, behavioral and mindfulness interventions were associated with decreased symptoms of anxiety. Secondary outcomes included lower levels of depression and cortisol. Included studies were limited to those published in peer reviewed journals. These studies over-represent interventions with female students in Western countries. Studies on some types of interventions such as psycho-educational and arts based interventions did not have sufficient data for inclusion in the meta-analysis. This review provides evidence that cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness interventions are effective in reducing stress in university students. Universities are encouraged to make such programs widely available to students. In addition however, future work should focus on developing stress reduction programs that attract male students and address their needs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sex-related differences in lipid peroxidation and photoprotection in Pistacia lentiscus.

PubMed

Juvany, Marta; Müller, Maren; Pintó-Marijuan, Marta; Munné-Bosch, Sergi

2014-03-01

Sex-related differences in the response of dioecious plants to abiotic stress have been poorly studied to date. This work explored to what extent sex may affect plant stress responses in Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae), a tree well adapted to Mediterranean climatic conditions. It was hypothesized that a greater reproductive effort in females may increase oxidative stress in leaves, particularly when plants are exposed to abiotic stress. Measurements of oxidative stress markers throughout the year revealed increased lipid peroxidation in females, but only during the winter. Enhanced lipid peroxidation in females was associated with reduced photoprotection, as indicated by reduced tocopherol levels and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence. Enhanced lipid peroxidation in females was also observed at predawn, which was associated with increased lipoxygenase activity and reduced cytokinin levels. An analysis of the differences between reproductive (R) and nonreproductive (NR) shoots showed an enhanced photoprotective capacity in R shoots compared to NR shoots in females. This capacity was characterized by an increased NPQ and a better antioxidant protection (increased carotenoid and tocopherol levels per unit of chlorophyll) in R compared to NR shoots. It is concluded that (i) females exhibit higher lipid peroxidation in leaves than males, but only during the winter (when sex-related differences in reproductive effort are the highest), (ii) this is associated with a lower photoprotective capacity at midday, as well as enhanced lipoxygenase activity and reduced cytokinin levels at predawn, and (iii) photoprotection capacity is higher in R relative to NR shoots in females.

Sex-related differences in lipid peroxidation and photoprotection in Pistacia lentiscus

PubMed Central

Munné-Bosch, Sergi

2014-01-01

Sex-related differences in the response of dioecious plants to abiotic stress have been poorly studied to date. This work explored to what extent sex may affect plant stress responses in Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae), a tree well adapted to Mediterranean climatic conditions. It was hypothesized that a greater reproductive effort in females may increase oxidative stress in leaves, particularly when plants are exposed to abiotic stress. Measurements of oxidative stress markers throughout the year revealed increased lipid peroxidation in females, but only during the winter. Enhanced lipid peroxidation in females was associated with reduced photoprotection, as indicated by reduced tocopherol levels and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence. Enhanced lipid peroxidation in females was also observed at predawn, which was associated with increased lipoxygenase activity and reduced cytokinin levels. An analysis of the differences between reproductive (R) and nonreproductive (NR) shoots showed an enhanced photoprotective capacity in R shoots compared to NR shoots in females. This capacity was characterized by an increased NPQ and a better antioxidant protection (increased carotenoid and tocopherol levels per unit of chlorophyll) in R compared to NR shoots. It is concluded that (i) females exhibit higher lipid peroxidation in leaves than males, but only during the winter (when sex-related differences in reproductive effort are the highest), (ii) this is associated with a lower photoprotective capacity at midday, as well as enhanced lipoxygenase activity and reduced cytokinin levels at predawn, and (iii) photoprotection capacity is higher in R relative to NR shoots in females. PMID:24378602

Self-Guided Multimedia Stress Management and Resilience Training for Flight Controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rose, R. D.; Zbozinek, T. D.; Hentschel, P. G.; Smith, S, M.; O'Brien J.; Oftedal, A.; Craske, M. G.

2016-01-01

Stress and anxiety-related problems are among the most common and costly behavioral health problems in society, and for those working in operational environments (i.e. astronauts, flight controllers, military) this can seriously impact crew performance, safety, and wellbeing. Technology-based interventions are effective for treating behavioral health problems, and can significantly improve the delivery of evidence-based health care. This study is evaluating the effectiveness, usefulness, and usability of a self-guided multimedia stress management and resilience training program in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a sample of flight controllers at Johnson Space Center. The intervention, SMART-OP (Stress Management and Resilience Training for Optimal Performance), is a six-session, cognitive behavioral-based computer program that uses self-guided, interactive activities to teach skills that can help individuals build resilience and manage stress. In a prior RCT with a sample of stressed but otherwise healthy individuals, SMART-OP reduced perceived stress and increased perceived control over stress in comparison to an Attention Control (AC) group. SMART-OP was rated as "highly useful" and "excellent" in usability and acceptability. Based on a-amylase data, individuals in SMART-OP recovered quicker and more completely from a social stress test as compared to the AC group [1]. In the current study, flight controllers are randomized either to receive SMART-OP training, or to a 6-week waitlist control period (WLC) before beginning SMART-OP. Eligible participants include JSC flight controllers and instructors without any medical or psychiatric disorder, but who are stressed based on self-report. Flight controllers provide a valid analog sample to astronauts in that they work in an operational setting, use similar terminology to astronauts, are mission-focused, and work under the same broader work culture. The study began in December 2014, and to date 79 flight controllers and instructors have expressed interest in the study, 49 of those were cleared for participation, we have screened 44 for eligibility, and 23 have met inclusion criteria. Recruitment is ongoing and the study will continue until December 2016. Outcome measures include perceived stress, perceived control over stress, resilience, mood, personality, emotion regulation, sleep, health behaviors, and psychophysiological data such as 24-hour heart rate, alpha amylase, and urinary and salivary cortisol. We are also collecting user feedback such as usability, working alliance, usefulness, and treatment credibility.

Design, analysis and test verification of advanced encapsulation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, A., III

1983-01-01

A preliminary reduced variable master was constructed for pressure loading. A study of cell thickness versus cell stress was completed. Work is continuing on encapsulation of qualification modules. A 4 ft x 4 ft 'credit card' construction laminate was made.

Design, analysis and test verification of advanced encapsulation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A., III

1983-02-01

A preliminary reduced variable master was constructed for pressure loading. A study of cell thickness versus cell stress was completed. Work is continuing on encapsulation of qualification modules. A 4 ft x 4 ft 'credit card' construction laminate was made.

Can high social capital at the workplace buffer against stress and musculoskeletal pain?: Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Jay, Kenneth; Andersen, Lars L

2018-03-01

Work-related musculoskeletal pain and stress are both highly prevalent in the working environment and relate well to the biopsychosocial model. While the onset of musculoskeletal pain is often dependent on the biological element of the biopsychosocial model, chronic pain is often influenced by psychological and social factors. Similarly, stress is also influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. This study investigates the possibility of social capital being a buffer for stress and musculoskeletal pain in a group of female laboratory technicians.Female laboratory technicians (n = 500) replied to questions about stress (Cohens Perceived Stress Scale-10), musculoskeletal pain (0-10 visual analog scale), and social capital at the workplace (bonding [in teams], bridging [between teams], and linking [between teams and leaders]). Outcome variables were stress and musculoskeletal pain and the predictor variable was social capital. General linear models tested the association of the 3 types of social capital (predictor variables) with stress and pain (mutually adjusted outcome variables). Analyses were controlled for age, lifestyle (body mass index, smoking), seniority, and working hours per week.For stress as outcome, moderate and high bonding social capital were different from low social capital with -2.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] -3.33 to -0.76) and -4.56 (95% CI -5.84 to -3.28) points on the Perceived Stress Scale of 0 to 42, respectively. Similarly, moderate and high bridging social capital were different from low social capital with -1.50 (95% CI -2.76 to -0.24) and -4.39 (95% CI -5.75 to -3.03), respectively. For linking, only high social was significantly different from low with -2.94 (95% CI -4.28 to -1.60). None of the 3 types of social capital was associated with musculoskeletal pain.Higher levels of social capital at the workplace appear to buffer against stress, but not against musculoskeletal pain. Intervention studies should investigate whether improving bonding, bridging, and linking social capital at the workplace may be a viable strategy to prevent or reduce work-related stress.

Visual Display Terminal use in Iranian bank tellers: Effects on job stress and insomnia.

PubMed

Giahi, Omid; Shahmoradi, Behzad; Barkhordari, Abdullah; Khoubi, Jamshid

2015-01-01

Visual Display Terminals (VDTs) are equipments in many workplaces which their use may increase the risk of visual, musculoskeletal and mental problems including insomnia. To determine the relationship between duration of daily VDT use and insomnia among the Iranian bank tellers. We randomly selected 382 bank tellers working with VDT. Quality of sleep and stress information were collected by Athens Insomnia Scales (AIS) and Demand-Control Model (DCM) model respectively. Out of 382 participants, 127 (33.2%) had sleep complaints and 255 (66.8%) had no sleep disorders. Moreover, the insomnia symptoms' score were significantly high in the participants having more than 6 hours of daily VDT use after adjusting for multiple confounding factors (P <  0.001). There was no significant relationship between stress and insomnia. It seems that the low levels of stress and job satisfaction reduce the impact of VDT on sleep quality in tellers who worked less than 6 hours per day.

Impacts of the Mesoscale Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling on the Peru-Chile Ocean Dynamics: The Current-Induced Wind Stress Modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oerder, V.; Colas, F.; Echevin, V.; Masson, S.; Lemarié, F.

2018-02-01

The ocean dynamical responses to the surface current-wind stress interaction at the oceanic mesoscale are investigated in the South-East Pacific using a high-resolution regional ocean-atmosphere coupled model. Two simulations are compared: one includes the surface current in the wind stress computation while the other does not. In the coastal region, absolute wind velocities are different between the two simulations but the wind stress remains very similar. As a consequence, the mean regional oceanic circulation is almost unchanged. On the contrary, the mesoscale activity is strongly reduced when taking into account the effect of the surface current on the wind stress. This is caused by a weakening of the eddy kinetic energy generation near the coast by the wind work and to intensified offshore eddy damping. We show that, above coherent eddies, the current-stress interaction generates eddy damping through Ekman pumping and eddy kinetic energy dissipation through wind work. This alters significantly the coherent eddy vertical structures compared with the control simulation, weakening the temperature and vorticity anomalies and increasing strongly the vertical velocity anomalies associated to eddies.

The impact of protocol on nurses' role stress: a longitudinal perspective.

PubMed

Dodd-McCue, Diane; Tartaglia, Alexander; Veazey, Kenneth W; Streetman, Pamela S

2005-04-01

The study examined the impact of a protocol directed at increasing organ donation on the role stress and work attitudes of critical care nurses involved in potential organ donation cases. The research examined whether the protocol could positively affect nurses' perceptions of role stress, and if so, could the work environment improvements be sustained over time. The Family Communication Coordinator (FCC) protocol promotes effective communication during potential organ donation cases using a multidisciplinary team approach. Previous research found it associated with improved donation outcomes and with improved perceptions of role stress by critical care nurses. However, the previous study lacked methodological rigor necessary to determine causality and sustainability over time. The study used a quasi-experimental prospective longitudinal design. The sample included critical care nurses who had experience with potential organ donation cases with the protocol. Survey data were collected at 4 points over 2 years. Surveys used previously validated and reliable measures of role stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload) and work attitudes (commitment, satisfaction). Interviews supplemented these data. The nurses' perceptions of role stress associated with potential organ donation cases dramatically dropped after the protocol was implemented. All measures of role stress, particularly role ambiguity and role conflict, showed statistically significant and sustained improvement. Nurses' professional, unit, and hospital commitment and satisfaction reflect an increasingly positive workplace. The results demonstrate that the FCC protocol positively influenced the workplace through its impact on role stress over the first 2 years following its implementation. The findings suggest that similar protocols may be appropriate in improving the critical care environment by reducing the stress and uncertainty of professionals involved in other end-of-life situations. However, the most striking implication relates to the reality of the workplace: meeting the goals of improved patient care outcomes and those of improving the healthcare work environment are not mutually exclusive and may be mutually essential.

Nanostructured carbon materials based electrothermal air pump actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qing; Liu, Luqi; Kuang, Jun; Dai, Zhaohe; Han, Jinhua; Zhang, Zhong

2014-05-01

Actuator materials can directly convert different types of energy into mechanical energy. In this work, we designed and fabricated electrothermal air pump-type actuators by utilization of various nanostructured carbon materials, including single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), and graphene oxide (GO)/SWCNT hybrid films as heating elements to transfer electrical stimulus into thermal energy, and finally convert it into mechanical energy. Both the actuation displacement and working temperature of the actuator films show the monotonically increasing trend with increasing driving voltage within the actuation process. Compared with common polymer nanocomposites based electrothermal actuators, our actuators exhibited better actuation performances with a low driving voltage (<10 V), large generated stress (tens of MPa), high gravimetric density (tens of J kg-1), and short response time (few hundreds of milliseconds). Besides that, the pump actuators exhibited excellent stability under cyclic actuation tests. Among these actuators, a relatively larger actuation strain was obtained for the r-GO film actuator due to the intrinsic gas-impermeability nature of graphene platelets. In addition, the high modulus of the r-GO and GO/SWCNT films also guaranteed the large generated stress and high work density. Specifically, the generated stress and gravimetric work density of the GO/SWCNT hybrid film actuator could reach up to more than 50 MPa and 30 J kg-1, respectively, under a driving voltage of 10 V. The resulting stress value is at least two orders of magnitude higher than that of natural muscles (~0.4 MPa).Actuator materials can directly convert different types of energy into mechanical energy. In this work, we designed and fabricated electrothermal air pump-type actuators by utilization of various nanostructured carbon materials, including single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), and graphene oxide (GO)/SWCNT hybrid films as heating elements to transfer electrical stimulus into thermal energy, and finally convert it into mechanical energy. Both the actuation displacement and working temperature of the actuator films show the monotonically increasing trend with increasing driving voltage within the actuation process. Compared with common polymer nanocomposites based electrothermal actuators, our actuators exhibited better actuation performances with a low driving voltage (<10 V), large generated stress (tens of MPa), high gravimetric density (tens of J kg-1), and short response time (few hundreds of milliseconds). Besides that, the pump actuators exhibited excellent stability under cyclic actuation tests. Among these actuators, a relatively larger actuation strain was obtained for the r-GO film actuator due to the intrinsic gas-impermeability nature of graphene platelets. In addition, the high modulus of the r-GO and GO/SWCNT films also guaranteed the large generated stress and high work density. Specifically, the generated stress and gravimetric work density of the GO/SWCNT hybrid film actuator could reach up to more than 50 MPa and 30 J kg-1, respectively, under a driving voltage of 10 V. The resulting stress value is at least two orders of magnitude higher than that of natural muscles (~0.4 MPa). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: A movie showing the weight-lifting actuation process of the GO/SWCNT actuator. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr00536h

The Effect of Emotion Regulation Training on Occupational Stress of Critical Care Nurses

PubMed Central

Saedpanah, Darya; Moghaddam, Ladan Fattah

2016-01-01

Introduction Occupational stress is a common, serious and costly health problem in work environment. Nursing is a very stressful job high level of stress in this job affects nurses’ physical and mental health. Aim To investigate the effect of emotion regulation training of occupational stress on critical care nurses in two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj, Iran. Materials and Methods This interventional study was conducted on 60 nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Critical Care Unit (CCU) in two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj, Iran. Data were collected using Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) questionnaire. The questionnaire in both intervention and control groups before and after the training sessions of emotion regulation training were completed. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 20. Statistical indices such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and also t-test, Chi-square test and paired t-test were used. Results Mean occupation stress score in the intervention group before emotion regulation training was 136.6±24.6 and after training was 113.02±16.2 (p = 0.001). Occupational stress dimensions including; conflict with physicians, problems with peers, workload, uncertainty concerning treatment and problems related to patients and their families in the intervention group compared with the control group was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion Emotion regulation training is effective in reducing occupation stress of critical care nurses. PMID:28208981

Child abuse and work stress in adulthood: Evidence from a population-based study.

PubMed

Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Nilsen, Wendy; Colman, Ian

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to examine the association between child abuse and work stress in adulthood. We used data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Mental Health, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of Canadians. This study included all participants aged 20years or older who reported being employed the past 12months (N=14,581). Child physical abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to intimate partner violence were assessed in relation to several work stress-related indicators. Multiple linear and Poisson regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, household income, marital status, occupation group, and any lifetime mental disorder. Child abuse was significantly associated with greater odds of high work stress (IRR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.16-1.43) in adulthood. More specifically, child abuse was associated with greater odds of job dissatisfaction (IRR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.31-2.18), job insecurity (IRR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.27-1.91), and self-perceived low support (IRR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.22-1.46). It was also associated with high levels of psychological demand (b=0.348; 95% CI: 0.229-0.467) and job strain (b=0.031; 95% CI: 0.019-0.043). Examination of the Karasek's Demand-Control Model using multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that child abuse was significantly associated with high strain (RRR:1.39; 95% CI: 1.14-1.72) and active (RRR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.28-1.90) jobs. These findings suggest the negative influence of child abuse on work experience. Success in preventing child abuse may help reduce work-related stress in adulthood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are there gender differences in associations of effort-reward imbalance at work with self-reported doctor-diagnosed depression? Prospective evidence from the German Socio-Economic Panel.

PubMed

Wege, Natalia; Li, Jian; Siegrist, Johannes

2018-05-01

Cohort studies established elevated risks of depression among employees experiencing psychosocial stress at work, defined by 'job strain' or 'effort-reward imbalance' (ERI). Yet, conflicting evidence exists on whether the strength of these associations varies by gender. We explore this question in a nationally representative sample of working women and men where work stress (ERI) was related to reported depression over a 2-year follow-up. Data were derived from the panel waves 2011 and 2013 of the German Socio-Economic Panel. Work stress was assessed by validated short scales of the ERI questionnaire, and doctor-diagnosed depression reported in 2013 (after excluding cases reported in 2011) was used as outcome variable. The sample with full data in 2013 consisted of 6693 participants (49.4% women). In 2011, men scored significantly higher than women on the scale 'effort' and on the 'effort-reward ratio', whereas no significant gender differences for 'reward' and 'over-commitment' were observed. Women reported a diagnosed depression almost twice as often as men (4.2 vs. 2.6%). Associations of all ERI scales with depression were statistically significant, with no noticeable differences in the strength of associations between women and men. Risk of depression was higher among men and women with effort-reward imbalance [RR (risk ratio) of 1.82; 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.36-2.44 and RR of 1.88; 95% CI 1.51-2.33, respectively]. Despite higher effort and slightly higher effort-reward ratio among men interaction terms between gender, work stress and depression were generally not significant. While gender inequities in the labour market are persisting stress-reducing worksite health promotion programs should apply equally for men and women.

Occupational stress among staff nurses: Controlling the risk to health

PubMed Central

Sharma, Parul; Davey, Anuradha; Davey, Sanjeev; Shukla, Arvind; Shrivastava, Kajal; Bansal, Rahul

2014-01-01

Introduction: Nursing has been identified as an occupation that has high levels of stress. Job stress brought about hazardous impacts not only on nurses’ health but also on their abilities to cope with job demands. Objectives: This study aimed at finding out the degree of work-related stress among the staff nurses and various determinants, which have a impact on it. Materials and Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study conducted on GNM qualified nurses. Predesigned and pre-tested questionnaire covering their sociodemographic variables in part I and professional life stress scale by David Fontana in part II. Analysis used was Chi-square test and logistic regression for various factors. Results: Risk for professional stress due to poor and satisfactory doctor's attitude was found about 3 and 4 times more than with excellent attitude of doctors toward the staff nurses. A statistically significant association (P < 0.024) between department of posting and level of stress. Nurses reported that they had no time for rest, of whom 42% were suffering from moderate-to-severe stress. The nurses who felt that the job was not tiring were found to be less stressed as those who perceived job as tiring (OR = 0.43). Conclusion: The main nurses’ occupational stressors were poor doctor's attitude, posting in busy departments (emergency/ICU), inadequate pay, too much work, and so on. Thus, hospital managers should initiate strategies to reduce the amount of occupational stress and should provide more support to the nurses to deal with the stress. PMID:25568598

Role of oxidative stress in epileptic seizures

PubMed Central

Shin, Eun-Joo; Jeong, Ji Hoon; Chung, Yoon Hee; Kim, Won-Ki; Ko, Kwang-Ho; Bach, Jae-Hyung; Hong, Jau-Shyong; Yoneda, Yukio; Kim, Hyoung-Chun

2013-01-01

Oxidative stress resulting from excessive free-radical release is likely implicated in the initiation and progression of epilepsy. Therefore, antioxidant therapies aimed at reducing oxidative stress have received considerable attention in epilepsy treatment. However, much evidence suggests that oxidative stress does not always have the same pattern in all seizures models. Thus, this review provides an overview aimed at achieving a better understanding of this issue. We summarize work regarding seizure models (i.e., genetically epilepsy-prone rats, kainic acid, pilocarpine, pentylenetetrazol, and trimethyltin), oxidative stress as an etiologic factor in epileptic seizures (i.e., impairment of antioxidant systems, mitochondrial dysfunction, involvement of redox-active metals, arachidonic acid pathway activation, and aging), and antioxidant strategies for seizure treatment. Combined, this review highlights pharmacological mechanisms associated with oxidative stress in epileptic seizures and the potential for neuroprotection in epilepsy that targets oxidative stress and is supported by effective antioxidant treatment. PMID:21672578

Internet-based stress management for women with preterm labour--a case-based experience report.

PubMed

Scherer, Sandra; Urech, Corinne; Hösli, Irene; Tschudin, Sibil; Gaab, Jens; Berger, Thomas; Alder, Judith

2014-12-01

Pregnant women with preterm labour (PTL) in pregnancy often experience increased distress and anxieties regarding both the pregnancy and the child's health. The pathogenesis of PTL is, among other causes, related to the stress-associated activation of the maternal-foetal stress system. In spite of these psychobiological associations, only a few research studies have investigated the potential of psychological stress-reducing interventions. The following paper will present an online anxiety and stress management self-help program for pregnant women with PTL. Structure and content of the program will be illustrated by a case-based experience report. L.B., 32 years (G3, P1), was recruited at gestational week 27 while hospitalized for PTL for 3 weeks. She worked independently through the program for 6 weeks and had regular written contact with a therapist. Processing the program had a positive impact on L.B.'s anxiety and stress levels, as well as on her experienced depressive symptoms and bonding to the foetus. As PTL and the risk of PTB are associated with distress, psychological stress-reducing interventions might be beneficial. This study examines the applicability of an online intervention for pregnant women with PTL. The case report illustrates how adequate low-threshold psychological support could be provided to these women.

Changing work, changing health: can real work-time flexibility promote health behaviors and well-being?

PubMed

Moen, Phyllis; Kelly, Erin L; Tranby, Eric; Huang, Qinlei

2011-12-01

This article investigates a change in the structuring of work time, using a natural experiment to test whether participation in a corporate initiative (Results Only Work Environment; ROWE) predicts corresponding changes in health-related outcomes. Drawing on job strain and stress process models, we theorize greater schedule control and reduced work-family conflict as key mechanisms linking this initiative with health outcomes. Longitudinal survey data from 659 employees at a corporate headquarters shows that ROWE predicts changes in health-related behaviors, including almost an extra hour of sleep on work nights. Increasing employees' schedule control and reducing their work-family conflict are key mechanisms linking the ROWE innovation with changes in employees' health behaviors; they also predict changes in well-being measures, providing indirect links between ROWE and well-being. This study demonstrates that organizational changes in the structuring of time can promote employee wellness, particularly in terms of prevention behaviors.

Sense of coherence (SOC) may reduce the effects of occupational stress on mental health status among Japanese factory workers.

PubMed

Urakawa, Kayoko; Yokoyama, Kazuhito

2009-10-01

To examine if sense of coherence (SOC) can reduce the adverse effects of job stress on mental health status, self-administered questionnaires were distributed among 740 workers in a manufacturing industry. The questionnaire contained SOC, Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Complete answers were recovered from 466 workers (62.8%), consisting of 387 males and 79 females, with ages of 45.1 + or - 12.0 yr, and used for the analysis. The logistic regression analysis revealed the followings: Both for males and females, high GHQ was significantly associated with scores on SOC and JCQ job demand subscale, i.e. the mental health status was adversely related to job demand whereas it was positively associated with SOC. Similarly, the mental health status was affected adversely by managerial work in males, whereas was positively by co-workers support in females. Thus, high SOC enables workers to cope with their job demand, which is a potent job stressor, indicating that SOC is an important factor determining their coping ability to job stress for both genders. Male managerial employees may cope with their strong job stress because of high SOC, protecting their mental health status. Social support seems also significant for prevention of mental well-being of female workers from work-related stressors.

Social Policies and Families in Stress: Gender and Educational Differences in Work-Family Conflict from a European Perspective.

PubMed

Notten, Natascha; Grunow, Daniela; Verbakel, Ellen

2017-01-01

In modern welfare states, family policies may resolve the tension between employment and care-focused demands. However these policies sometimes have adverse consequences for distinct social groups. This study examined gender and educational differences in working parents' perceived work-family conflict and used a comparative approach to test whether family policies, in particular support for child care and leave from paid work, are capable of reducing work-family conflict as well as the gender and educational gaps in work-family conflict. We use data from the European Social Survey 2010 for 20 countries and 5296 respondents (parents), extended with information on national policies for maternity and parental leave and child care support from the OECD Family Database. Employing multilevel analysis, we find that mothers and the higher educated report most work-family conflict. Policies supporting child care reduce the level of experienced work-family conflict; family leave policy appears to have no alleviating impact on working parents' work-family conflict. Our findings indicate that family policies appear to be unable to reduce the gender gap in conflict perception and even widen the educational gap in work-family conflict.

The Effects of Supervisors' Support and Mediating Factors on the Nurses' Job Performance Using Structural Equation Modeling: A Case Study.

PubMed

Ravangard, Ramin; Yasami, Shamim; Shokrpour, Nasrin; Sajjadnia, Zahra; Farhadi, Payam

2015-01-01

Nurses are the largest group and an important part of the providers in the health care systems that who a key role in hospitals. Any defect and deficiency in their work can result in irreversible outcomes. This study aimed to determine the effect of supervisors' support and mediating factors on the job performance (JOBPER) of 400 nurses working in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the supervisor's support had a significant negative effect on work-family conflict (t = -2.57) and a positive effect on organizational commitment (t = 4.03); Work-family conflict had a significant positive effect on job stress (t = 11.24) and a negative effect on organizational commitment (t = -3.35) and JOBPER (t = -2.29). Family-work conflict had a positive effect on job stress (t = 4.48) and a negative effect on organizational commitment (t = -2.54). Finally, job stress had a negative effect (t = -3.30), and organizational commitment showed a positive effect (t = 5.96) on the studied nurses' JOBPER. According to the results, supervisor's support could influence JOBPER through reducing work-family conflict and increasing organizational commitment. Therefore, to improve the nurses' JOBPER in the hospitals, some strategies are recommended.

Chronic unpredictable mild stress generates oxidative stress and systemic inflammation in rats.

PubMed

López-López, Ana Laura; Jaime, Herlinda Bonilla; Escobar Villanueva, María Del Carmen; Padilla, Malinalli Brianza; Palacios, Gonzalo Vázquez; Aguilar, Francisco Javier Alarcón

2016-07-01

Stress is considered to be a causal agent of chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, arthritis and Alzheimer's. Chronic glucocorticoid and catecholamine release into the circulation during the stress response has been suggested to activate damage mechanisms, which in the long term produce metabolic alterations associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the consequences of stress in animal models for periods longer than 40days have not been explored. The goal of this work was to determine whether chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) produced alterations in the redox state and the inflammatory profile of rats after 20, 40, and 60days. CUMS consisted of random exposure of the animals to different stressors. The following activities were measured in the liver and pancreas: reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and protein oxidation. Similarly, serum cytokine levels (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10) were determined. CUMS activated the stress response from day 20 until day 60. In the liver and pancreas, GHS levels were decreased from day 40, whereas protein lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were increased. This is the first work to report that the pancreas redox state is subject to chronic stress conditions. The TAC was constant in the liver and reduced in the pancreas. An increase in the TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 inflammatory markers and a decrease in the IL-10 level due to CUMS was shown, thereby resulting in the generation of a systemic inflammation state after 60days of treatment. Together, the CUMS consequences on day 60 suggest that both processes can contribute to the development of chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. CUMS is an animal model that in addition to avoiding habituation activates damage mechanisms such as oxidative stress and low-grade chronic inflammation, which allows the study of physio-pathological stress aspects over prolonged time periods of at least 60days. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep, Stress & Relaxation: Rejuvenate Body & Mind

Cancer.gov

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Inhibition of miR-25 aggravates diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanzhuo; Song, Chunyu; Liu, Jing; Bi, Yonghong; Li, Hao

2018-06-05

The hyperglycemia-induced enhanced oxidative stress is a key factor of diabetic peripheral neuropathy implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy, and microRNA may be involved, playing promotion or protection roles. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of miR-25 during the development of oxidative/nitrative stress and in subsequent neurological problems. We detected the oxidative stress effects and expression of miR-25 on sciatic nerves from db/db diabetic model mice and analyzed the expression of related genes by qPCR and Western blotting. Interestingly, we observed increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Nox4 expression in db/db mice accompanied with reduced miR-25. MiR-25 inhibitor treatment increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate activity in Schwann cells, whereas miR-25 precursor overexpression led to opposite results. MiR-25 precursor reduced the activation of protein kinase C and decreased Nox4 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) were increased in the serum and in the peripheral nerves obtained from diabetic mice, and miR-25 inhibitor treatment in Schwann cells from wt mice led to the same effect. However, miR-25 precursor transfection reduced AGEs and RAGE, and further reduced inflammatory factors that contribute to the pathological process of peripheral nerves. These findings, for the first time, indicate that miR-25 acts as a protection factor in diabetic neuropathy by downregulating AGE-RAGE and reducing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase. miR-25 reduced protein kinase C-α phosphorylation to produce less reactive oxygen species in diabetic peripheral nerves, and therefore it played an important role in the regulation of oxidative/nitrative stress and in consequent neurological dysfunction.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

Occupational stress is associated with impaired work ability and reduced quality of life in patients with chronic kidney failure.

PubMed

Neri, Luca; Rocca Rey, Luisa A; Gallieni, Maurizio; Brancaccio, Diego; Cozzolino, Mario; Colombi, Antonio; Burroughs, Thomas E

2009-05-01

About 300,000 patients in the United States with Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF) are of working age, but up to 70% lose their job within the first year of renal replacement therapy .No study has examined how work ability and perceived health are influenced by the subjects' adjustment to their job. We assessed the association of occupational stress (Effort-Reward Imbalance, ERI),work ability (WAI) and health-related quality of life (QoL) in hemodialysis. 40 employed hemodialysis patients completed a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between ERI, short Form 12 (sF-12), short Form - 6 Dimensions (sF-6D), Kidney Disease QOL- 36 (KDQOL-36) and WAI were tested with partial Spearman's correlation adjusted for age, income, and comorbidity burden. Study subjects were mainly low-income (82%), african-american (73%), men (75%); 16 were manual laborers and 9 worked in the industrial sector. Study subjects reported low levels of Occupational Stress: ERI scores indicated an imbalance between Job Efforts and Rewards in only 3 subjects. Nevertheless, ERI scores were inversely and strongly associated with WAI (rho=-0.41, p<0.012) and all QoL scales even after adjustment for known confounders. Our study suggests that psychosocial workplace factors may play a substantial role in modulating patients' health perception and ability to continue working. The causal relationship between Occupational stress, perceived health, and work ability should be further investigated. Occupational Health professionals and nephrologists should closely collaborate to meet the needs of occupationally active hemodialysis patients.

Access to health programs at the workplace and the reduction of work presenteeism: a population-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bustillos, Arnaldo Sanchez; Trigoso, Oswaldo Ortiz

2013-11-01

To examine access to health programs at workplace as a determinant of presenteeism among adults. Data source was a subsample of the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Survey. The outcome was self-reported reduced activities at work (presenteeism). The explanatory variable was self-reported access to a health program at workplace. Logistic regression was used to measure the association between outcome and explanatory variables adjusting for potential confounders. Adjusting for sex, age, education, income, work stress, and chronic conditions, presenteeism was not associated with having access to a health program at workplace (adjusted odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.91 to 1.65). The odds of presenteeism were higher in workers who reported high work stress and those with chronic medical conditions. This study found that access to health programs at workplace is not significantly associated with a decline in presenteeism.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on depression, anxiety, stress and mindfulness in Korean nursing students.

PubMed

Song, Yeoungsuk; Lindquist, Ruth

2015-01-01

Nursing students often experience depression, anxiety, stress and decreased mindfulness which may decrease their patient care effectiveness. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) effectively reduced depression, anxiety and stress, and increased mindfulness in previous research with other populations, but there is sparse evidence regarding its effectiveness for nursing students in Korea. To examine the effects of MBSR on depression, anxiety, stress and mindfulness in Korean nursing students. A randomized controlled trial. Fifty (50) nursing students at KN University College of Nursing in South Korea were randomly assigned to two groups. Data from 44 students, MBSR (n=21) and a wait list (WL) control (n=23) were analyzed. The MBSR group practiced mindfulness meditation for 2 h every week for 8 weeks. The WL group did not receive MBSR intervention. Standardized self-administered questionnaires of depression, anxiety, stress and mindfulness were administered at the baseline prior to the MBSR program and at completion (at 8 weeks). Compared with WL participants, MBSR participants reported significantly greater decreases in depression, anxiety and stress, and greater increase in mindfulness. A program of MBSR was effective when it was used with nursing students in reducing measures of depression, anxiety and stress, and increasing their mindful awareness. MBSR shows promise for use with nursing students to address their experience of mild depression, anxiety and stress, and to increase mindfulness in academic and clinical work, warranting further study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study on the relationship between job stress and nicotine dependence in Korean workers.

PubMed

Son, Seung Rak; Choe, Byeong Moo; Kim, Seong Hwan; Hong, Young Seoub; Kim, Byoung Gwon

2016-01-01

Nicotine dependence and its severity are often determined by individuals' psychosocial factors.This study purposed to analyze how Korean workers' job stress is related with their nicotine dependence according to demographic and occupational characteristics in order to reduce smoking related to job stress and to establish objective indicators to be used in developing adequate smoking cessation strategies. The subjects of this study were 4,639 workers who replied to the questionnaire survey. In addition, 1,948 current smokers were separated from non-smokers and ex-smokers, and the relationship between job stress and nicotine dependence was analyzed with the current smoker group. Nicotine dependence was tested using Fagerström's Test of Nicotine Dependence, and stress was measured using a questionnaire on subjective stress felt by workers in their daily life and the short form of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale. The smoking rate was 54.1 % among men and 2.5 % among women. Nicotine dependence was significantly different according to interpersonal conflict, organization system and lack of reward (p < 0.05). As multivariate logistic analysis, job control, occupational climate and total stress score were statistical significant (p < 0.05). Job stress was found to be related with smoking status and nicotine dependence. Based on this result, it is suggested to enhance workers' welfare for health promotion in workplace by improving their working environment in order to reduce job stress and consequently to decrease the smoking rate.

Improving mental health in health care practitioners: randomized controlled trial of a gratitude intervention.

PubMed

Cheng, Sheung-Tak; Tsui, Pui Ki; Lam, John H M

2015-02-01

Chronic occupational stress is common among health care practitioners, with potential impacts on personal mental health and staff turnover. This study investigated whether directing practitioners' attention to thankful events in work could reduce stress and depressive symptoms. A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in 5 public hospitals with follow-up to 3 months posttreatment. One hundred two practitioners were randomly assigned into 3 conditions: gratitude, hassle, and nil-treatment. Those with scheduled long leaves were excluded. Participants in the gratitude and hassle group wrote work-related gratitude and hassle diaries respectively twice a week for 4 consecutive weeks. A no-diary group served as control. Depressive symptoms (primary outcome) and perceived stress (secondary outcome) were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses were performed with mixed-effects regression. Significant Treatment × Time interaction effects were found for the gratitude intervention, whether it was compared with control or hassle; the general pattern was a decline in stress and depressive symptoms over time, but the rate of decline became less pronounced as time progressed. Hassle and control were basically indistinct from each other. Relative to control, the gratitude group reported lower depressive symptoms (-1.50 points; 95% CI [-2.98, -0.01]; d = -0.49) and perceived stress (-2.65 points; 95% CI [-4.00, -1.30]; d = -0.95) at follow-up. RESULTS for the comparison between gratitude and hassle were similar. Taking stock of thankful events is an effective approach to reduce stress and depressive symptoms among health care practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

[A sense of responsibility in health personnel as a cause of work-related stress].

PubMed

Nedić, Olesja; Jocić, Neda; Filipović, Danka; Solak, Zdravko

2002-01-01

Job stress is a great problem in developed countries of the world, but in Yugoslavia, it is increased due to additional reasons associated with economic crisis in the society. Health services and health workers are in particularly difficult conditions. The aim of this paper was to examine sources and causes of job stress in health workers. The research was undertaken among health workers treated at Health Centre "Hospital" in Novi Sad. The study group included health workers--doctors, nurses and laboratory workers, and the control group included the rest of non-medical staff. Adapted Siegrist questionnaire was used. Three factors were examined: extrinsic efforts (disturbances at work, sense of great job responsibility and the need for overtime work); intrinsinc efforts (major criticism, thinking about the job from the early morning, getting nervous because of minor problems, discontentment because of unsolved problems at work, relaxation at home and so on), and low reward (respect from the superiors and colleagues, support and security at workplace). Answers were scored indicating intensity (high, moderate, low, not at all). Statistic analysis included testing the level of significance in health workers in relation to non-medical staff (t test and Fisher's exact test). Applying the scoring system it has been established that health workers are exposed to greater job stress, great sense of very high job responsibility and frequent overtime work (p < 0.001) than the control group. In regard to answers from the second group--intrinsic effort and low reward, there was no statistiscal significance between the study and control group. Generally, high level of risk factors was established, especially presence of one or more risk factors. Job stress increases absenteeism, reduces work productivity, causes higher expenses of medical treatment, rehabilitation and staff retraining. It is of great importance to identify factors which cause job dissatisfaction in order to decrease them to the lowest level. High sense of responsibility in health workers is a course of job stress.

Parental employment and work-family stress: Associations with family food environments

PubMed Central

Bauer, Katherine W.; Hearst, Mary O.; Escoto, Kamisha; Berge, Jerica M.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2013-01-01

Parental employment provides many benefits to children's health. However, an increasing number of studies have observed associations between mothers' full-time employment and less healthful family food environments. Few studies have examined other ways in which parental employment may be associated with the family food environment, including the role of fathers' employment and parents' stress balancing work and home obligations. This study utilized data from Project F-EAT, a population-based study of a socio-demographically diverse sample of 3709 parents of adolescents living in a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States, to examine cross-sectional associations between mothers' and fathers' employment status and parents' work-life stress with multiple aspects of the family food environment. Among parents participating in Project F-EAT, 64% of fathers and 46% of mothers were full-time employed, while 25% of fathers and 37% of mothers were not employed. Results showed that full-time employed mothers reported fewer family meals, less frequent encouragement of their adolescents' healthful eating, lower fruit and vegetable intake, and less time spent on food preparation, compared to part-time and not-employed mothers, after adjusting for socio-demographics. Full-time employed fathers reported significantly fewer hours of food preparation; no other associations were seen between fathers' employment status and characteristics of the family food environment. In contrast, higher work-life stress among both parents was associated with less healthful family food environment characteristics including less frequent family meals and more frequent sugar-sweetened beverage and fast food consumption by parents. Among dual-parent families, taking into account the employment characteristics of the other parent did not substantially alter the relationships between work-life stress and family food environment characteristics. While parental employment is beneficial for many families, identifying policy and programmatic strategies to reduce parents' work-life stress may have positive implications for the family food environment and for the eating patterns and related health outcomes of children and parents. PMID:22591825

Parental employment and work-family stress: associations with family food environments.

PubMed

Bauer, Katherine W; Hearst, Mary O; Escoto, Kamisha; Berge, Jerica M; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2012-08-01

Parental employment provides many benefits to children's health. However, an increasing number of studies have observed associations between mothers' full-time employment and less healthful family food environments. Few studies have examined other ways in which parental employment may be associated with the family food environment, including the role of fathers' employment and parents' stress balancing work and home obligations. This study utilized data from Project F-EAT, a population-based study of a socio-demographically diverse sample of 3709 parents of adolescents living in a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States, to examine cross-sectional associations between mothers' and fathers' employment status and parents' work-life stress with multiple aspects of the family food environment. Among parents participating in Project F-EAT, 64% of fathers and 46% of mothers were full-time employed, while 25% of fathers and 37% of mothers were not employed. Results showed that full-time employed mothers reported fewer family meals, less frequent encouragement of their adolescents' healthful eating, lower fruit and vegetable intake, and less time spent on food preparation, compared to part-time and not-employed mothers, after adjusting for socio-demographics. Full-time employed fathers reported significantly fewer hours of food preparation; no other associations were seen between fathers' employment status and characteristics of the family food environment. In contrast, higher work-life stress among both parents was associated with less healthful family food environment characteristics including less frequent family meals and more frequent sugar-sweetened beverage and fast food consumption by parents. Among dual-parent families, taking into account the employment characteristics of the other parent did not substantially alter the relationships between work-life stress and family food environment characteristics. While parental employment is beneficial for many families, identifying policy and programmatic strategies to reduce parents' work-life stress may have positive implications for the family food environment and for the eating patterns and related health outcomes of children and parents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions of Stress and CRF in Ethanol-Withdrawal Induced Anxiety in Adolescent and Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Wills, Tiffany A.; Knapp, Darin J.; Overstreet, David H.; Breese, George R.

2010-01-01

Background Repeated stress or administration of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) prior to ethanol exposure sensitizes anxiety-like behavior in adult rats. Current experiments determined whether adolescent rats were more sensitive to these challenges in sensitizing ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety and altering CRF levels in brain during withdrawal. Methods Male adult and adolescent Sprague–Dawley rats were restraint stressed (1 hour) twice 1 week apart prior to a single 5-day cycle of ethanol diet (ED; stress/withdrawal paradigm). Other rats received control diet (CD) and three 1-hour restraint stress sessions. Rats were then tested 5, 24, or 48 hours after the final withdrawal for anxiety-like behavior in the social interaction (SI) test. In other experiments, adolescent rats were given two microinjections of CRF icv 1 week apart followed by 5-days of either CD or ED and tested in social interaction 5 hours into withdrawal. Finally, CRF immunoreactivity was measured in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) after rats experienced control diet, repeated ethanol withdrawals, or stress/withdrawal. Results Rats of both ages had reduced SI following the stress/withdrawal paradigm, and this effect recovered within 24 hours. Higher CRF doses were required to reduce SI in adolescents than previously reported in adults. CRF immunohistochemical levels were higher in the PVN and CeA of CD-exposed adolescents. In adolescent rats, repeated ethanol withdrawals decreased CRF in the CeA but was not associated with decreased CRF cell number. There was no change in CRF from adult treatments. Conclusions In the production of anxiety-like behavior, adolescent rats have equal sensitivity with stress and lower sensitivity with CRF compared to adults. Further, adolescents had higher basal levels of CRF within the PVN and CeA and reduced CRF levels following repeated ethanol withdrawals. This reduced CRF within the CeA could indicate increased release of CRF, and future work will determine how this change relates to behavior. PMID:20586753

Social Stress at Work and Change in Women’s Body Weight

PubMed Central

KOTTWITZ, Maria U.; GREBNER, Simone; SEMMER, Norbert K.; TSCHAN, Franziska; ELFERING, Achim

2014-01-01

Social stressors at work (such as conflict or animosities) imply disrespect or a lack of appreciation and thus a threat to self. Stress induced by this offence to self might result, over time, in a change in body weight. The current study investigated the impact of changing working conditions —specifically social stressors, demands, and control at work— on women’s change in weighted Body-Mass-Index over the course of a year. Fifty-seven women in their first year of occupational life participated at baseline and thirty-eight at follow-up. Working conditions were assessed by self-reports and observer-ratings. Body-Mass-Index at baseline and change in Body-Mass-Index one year later were regressed on self-reported social stressors as well as observed work stressors, observed job control, and their interaction. Seen individually, social stressors at work predicted Body-Mass-Index. Moreover, increase in social stressors and decrease of job control during the first year of occupational life predicted increase in Body-Mass-Index. Work redesign that reduces social stressors at work and increases job control could help to prevent obesity epidemic. PMID:24429516

Finite Element Analysis of Absorbable Sheath to Prevent Stress Shielding of Tibial Interlocking Intramedullary Nail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yansheng; Wang, Yongqing; Dong, Limin; Jia, Peng; Lu, Fengcheng

2017-07-01

The nail with absorbable sheath (AS nail) is designed to reduce the stress shielding effect of internal fixation with interlocking intramedullary nail. In order to verify its feasibility, two types of the finite element models of internal fixation of tibia with the AS nail and the common metal nail (CM nail) are established using the Softwares of Mimics, Geomagic, SolidWorks and ANSYS according to the CT scanning data of tibia. The result of the finite element analysis shows that the AS nail has great advantages compared with the CM nail in reducing the stress shielding effect in different periods of fracture healing. The conclusion is that the AS nail can realize the static fixation to the dynamic fixation from the early to the later automatically to shorten the time of fracture healing, which also provides a new technique to the interlocking intramedullary nail.

Involvement of calcium and calmodulin in oxidative and temperature stress of Amaranthus lividus L. during early germination.

PubMed

Bhattacharjee, Soumen

2009-07-01

Both heat and chilling caused reduction in membrane protein thiol level and increased accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in 72 hr old germinating tissues (indicators of oxidative stress) and reduced germination and early growth performances. Calcium chelator EGTA [Ethylene glycol-bis (2-aminoethylether)-N, N,N',N, tetra acetic acid] calcium channel blocker LaCI3 (Lanthanum chloride) and calmodulin inhibitor TFP (trifluroperazine) aggravated these effects of heat and chilling and added calcium reversed them. Imposition of heat and chilling stress during early germination also causes accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) like 02(-) and H2O2. Calcium treatment significantly reduced the accumulation of both the toxic ROS, while EGTA, LaCl3 and TFP treatment enhanced the accumulation. Activities of antioxidative enzymes catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) and glutathione reductase (GR) and total thiol content decreased significantly under both heat and chilling stress in germinating Amaranthus seedlings. Seedlings raised with Ca2+ treatment under heat and chilling stress exhibit higher activities of CAT7 GR and APOX and total thiol level than the untreated plants. EGTA, LaCl3 and TFP treatment, on the other hand significantly reduce the activities of all anti-oxidative enzymes and total thiol level. The work clearly supports the view that Ca2+-signalling pathway plays significant role in limiting heat and chilling induced oxidative stress by upregulating antioxidative defense during recovery phase of post-germination event in Amaranthus lividus.

A novel stress and coping workplace program reduces illness and healthcare utilization.

PubMed

Rahe, Richard H; Taylor, C Barr; Tolles, Robbyn L; Newhall, Lynn M; Veach, Tracy L; Bryson, Susan

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a novel workplace stress management program, delivered either face-to-face or by self-help, would reduce illness and health services utilization among participants. Five hundred one volunteers were randomly allocated to one of three groups: full intervention, which received assessment and personalized self-study feedback and was offered six face-to-face, small-group sessions; partial intervention, a self-help group that received assessment and personalized feedback by mail; and a wait-list control group. All participants completed questionnaires for stress, anxiety, and coping at the start of the study and 6 and 12 months later. Health reports were completed at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. A subsample of subjects who subscribed to a single health maintenance organization provided objectively recorded doctor visit data across the study year. All three groups reported significant improvement in their stress, anxiety, and coping across the year. Full intervention participants showed a more rapid reduction in negative responses to stress than did participants from the other groups. Full-intervention subjects also reported fewer days of illness than subjects in the other groups. Objectively measured physician visits showed a large (34%) reduction in healthcare utilization for full intervention subjects in the HMO subsample. These results indicated that a work-site program that focuses on stress, anxiety, and coping measurement along with small-group educational intervention can significantly reduce illness and healthcare utilization.

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.

Estimation of stress distribution in ferromagnetic tensile specimens using low cost eddy current stress measurement system and BP neural network.

PubMed

Li, Jianwei; Zhang, Weimin; Zeng, Weiqin; Chen, Guolong; Qiu, Zhongchao; Cao, Xinyuan; Gao, Xuanyi

2017-01-01

Estimation of the stress distribution in ferromagnetic components is very important for evaluating the working status of mechanical equipment and implementing preventive maintenance. Eddy current testing technology is a promising method in this field because of its advantages of safety, no need of coupling agent, etc. In order to reduce the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and obtain the stress distribution in ferromagnetic materials without scanning, a low cost eddy current stress measurement system based on Archimedes spiral planar coil was established, and a method based on BP neural network to obtain the stress distribution using the stress of several discrete test points was proposed. To verify the performance of the developed test system and the validity of the proposed method, experiment was implemented using structural steel (Q235) specimens. Standard curves of sensors at each test point were achieved, the calibrated data were used to establish the BP neural network model for approximating the stress variation on the specimen surface, and the stress distribution curve of the specimen was obtained by interpolating with the established model. The results show that there is a good linear relationship between the change of signal modulus and the stress in most elastic range of the specimen, and the established system can detect the change in stress with a theoretical average sensitivity of -0.4228 mV/MPa. The obtained stress distribution curve is well consonant with the theoretical analysis result. At last, possible causes and improving methods of problems appeared in the results were discussed. This research has important significance for reducing the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and advancing the engineering application of eddy current stress testing.

Estimation of stress distribution in ferromagnetic tensile specimens using low cost eddy current stress measurement system and BP neural network

PubMed Central

Li, Jianwei; Zeng, Weiqin; Chen, Guolong; Qiu, Zhongchao; Cao, Xinyuan; Gao, Xuanyi

2017-01-01

Estimation of the stress distribution in ferromagnetic components is very important for evaluating the working status of mechanical equipment and implementing preventive maintenance. Eddy current testing technology is a promising method in this field because of its advantages of safety, no need of coupling agent, etc. In order to reduce the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and obtain the stress distribution in ferromagnetic materials without scanning, a low cost eddy current stress measurement system based on Archimedes spiral planar coil was established, and a method based on BP neural network to obtain the stress distribution using the stress of several discrete test points was proposed. To verify the performance of the developed test system and the validity of the proposed method, experiment was implemented using structural steel (Q235) specimens. Standard curves of sensors at each test point were achieved, the calibrated data were used to establish the BP neural network model for approximating the stress variation on the specimen surface, and the stress distribution curve of the specimen was obtained by interpolating with the established model. The results show that there is a good linear relationship between the change of signal modulus and the stress in most elastic range of the specimen, and the established system can detect the change in stress with a theoretical average sensitivity of -0.4228 mV/MPa. The obtained stress distribution curve is well consonant with the theoretical analysis result. At last, possible causes and improving methods of problems appeared in the results were discussed. This research has important significance for reducing the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and advancing the engineering application of eddy current stress testing. PMID:29145500

Occupational stressors and coping as determinants of burnout in female hospice nurses.

PubMed

Payne, N

2001-02-01

Stressors, coping and demographic variables were examined as predictors of burnout in a sample of hospice nurses. The study aimed to investigate the level of burnout among hospice nurses; to ascertain which aspects of nursing work were positively or negatively related to burnout; to examine the relative contributions made by these different variables and to suggest individual and organizational interventions to reduce levels of burnout. Eighty-nine female nurses from nine hospices completed a battery of questionnaires comprising the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Nursing Stress Scale, Ways of Coping Scale and a demographic information form. In general, the level of burnout (characterized by high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization of patients and low personal accomplishment) was found to be low. In multiple regression analyses, 'death and dying', "conflict with staff', 'accepting responsibility' and higher nursing grade contributed to emotional exhaustion. 'Conflict with staff', 'inadequate preparation', 'escape' and reduced 'planful problem-solving' contributed to depersonalization. 'Inadequate preparation', 'escape', reduced 'positive reappraisal' and fewer professional qualifications contributed to lower levels of personal accomplishment. Overall, stressors made the greatest contribution to burnout and demographic factors contributed the least. The importance of not labelling individuals as good and bad 'copers' was discussed, as the effectiveness of a strategy may depend on the situation. It was concluded that the investigation of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in relation to burnout, was oversimplifying the coping-burnout relationship. Suggestions for stress management included staff training in counselling skills, monitoring staff conflict, implementing stress inoculation training to teach appropriate use of coping skills and finally, monitoring particularly vulnerable groups of hospice staff such as unqualified nursing assistants and qualified nurses in management positions. It was concluded that despite the difficult nature of hospice work, the hospice is a positive environment in which to work.

The impact of patellar tendinopathy on sports and work performance in active athletes.

PubMed

De Vries, Astrid J; Koolhaas, Wendy; Zwerver, Johannes; Diercks, Ron L; Nieuwenhuis, Kari; Van Der Worp, Henk; Brouwer, Sandra; Van Den Akker-Scheek, Inge

2017-01-01

Greater insight into sports and work performance of athletes with patellar tendinopathy (PT) will help establish the severity of this common overuse injury. Primary aim of this study is to investigate the impact of PT on sports and work performance. Seventy seven active athletes with PT (50 males; age 28.1 ± 8.2 years; Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment Patella 56.4 ± 12.3) participated in this survey. Sports performance, work ability and work productivity were assessed using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center overuse injury questionnaire, the single-item Work Ability Index and the Quantity and Quality questionnaire, respectively. Reduced sports performance was reported by 55% of the participants; 16% reported reduced work ability and 36% decreased work productivity, with 23% and 58%, respectively, for physically demanding work. This study shows that the impact of PT on sports and work performance is substantial and stresses the importance of developing preventive measures.

Sleep, Dietary, and Exercise Behavioral Clusters among Truck Drivers with Obesity: Implications for Interventions

PubMed Central

Olson, Ryan; Thompson, Sharon V.; Wipfli, Brad; Hanson, Ginger; Elliot, Diane L.; Anger, W. Kent; Bodner, Todd; Hammer, Leslie B.; Hohn, Elliot; Perrin, Nancy A.

2015-01-01

Objective Our objectives were to describe a sample of truck drivers, identify clusters of drivers with similar patterns in behaviors affecting energy balance (sleep, diet, and exercise), and test for cluster differences in health and psychosocial factors. Methods Participants’ (n=452, BMI M=37.2, 86.4% male) self-reported behaviors were dichotomized prior to hierarchical cluster analysis, which identified groups with similar behavior co-variation. Cluster differences were tested with generalized estimating equations. Results Five behavioral clusters were identified that differed significantly in age, smoking status, diabetes prevalence, lost work days, stress, and social support, but not in BMI. Cluster 2, characterized by the best sleep quality, had significantly lower lost workdays and stress than other clusters. Conclusions Weight management interventions for drivers should explicitly address sleep, and may be maximally effective after establishing socially supportive work environments that reduce stress exposures. PMID:26949883

Talking about health: correction employees' assessments of obstacles to healthy living.

PubMed

Morse, Tim; Dussetschleger, Jeffrey; Warren, Nicholas; Cherniack, Martin

2011-09-01

Describe health risks/obstacles to health among correctional employees. Mixed-methods approach combined results from four focus groups, 10 interviews, 335 surveys, and 197 physical assessments. Obesity levels were higher than national averages (40.7% overweight and 43.3% obese), with higher levels associated with job tenure, male gender, and working off-shift. Despite widespread concern about the lack of fitness, leisure exercise was higher than national norms. Respondents had higher levels of hypertension than national norms, with 31% of men and 25.8% of women hypertensive compared with 17.1% and 15.1% for national norms. Stress levels were elevated. Officers related their stress to concerns about security, administrative requirements, and work/family imbalance. High stress levels are reflected in elevated levels of hypertension. Correctional employees are at high risk for chronic disease, and environmental changes are needed to reduce risk factors. (C)2011The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Sleep, Dietary, and Exercise Behavioral Clusters Among Truck Drivers With Obesity: Implications for Interventions.

PubMed

Olson, Ryan; Thompson, Sharon V; Wipfli, Brad; Hanson, Ginger; Elliot, Diane L; Anger, W Kent; Bodner, Todd; Hammer, Leslie B; Hohn, Elliot; Perrin, Nancy A

2016-03-01

The objectives of the study were to describe a sample of truck drivers, identify clusters of drivers with similar patterns in behaviors affecting energy balance (sleep, diet, and exercise), and test for cluster differences in health safety, and psychosocial factors. Participants' (n = 452, body mass index M = 37.2, 86.4% male) self-reported behaviors were dichotomized prior to hierarchical cluster analysis, which identified groups with similar behavior covariation. Cluster differences were tested with generalized estimating equations. Five behavioral clusters were identified that differed significantly in age, smoking status, diabetes prevalence, lost work days, stress, and social support, but not in body mass index. Cluster 2, characterized by the best sleep quality, had significantly lower lost workdays and stress than other clusters. Weight management interventions for drivers should explicitly address sleep, and may be maximally effective after establishing socially supportive work environments that reduce stress exposures.

Work-Related Stressors Among Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Home Visitors: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Alitz, Paige J; Geary, Shana; Birriel, Pamela C; Sayi, Takudzwa; Ramakrishnan, Rema; Balogun, Omotola; Salloum, Alison; Marshall, Jennifer T

2018-05-31

Background The Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program delivers evidence-based home visiting services to over 1400 families each year. Home visitors are integral in providing resources for families to promote healthy pregnancy, child development, family wellness, and self-sufficiency. Due to the nature of this work, home visitors experience work-related pressures and stressors that can impact staff well-being and retention. Objectives The purpose of this study was to understand primary sources of work-related stress experienced by home visitors, subsequent effects on their engagement with program participants, and to learn of coping mechanisms used to manage stress. Methods In 2015, Florida MIECHV program evaluators conducted ten focus groups with 49 home visitors during which they ranked and discussed their top sources of work-related stress. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify emergent themes in work-related stressors and coping/supports. Results Across all sites, the burden of paperwork and data entry were the highest ranked work-related stressors perceived as interfering with home visitors' engagement with participants. The second-highest ranked stressors included caseload management, followed by a lack of resources for families, and dangerous environments. Home visitors reported gratification in their helping relationships families, and relied on coworkers or supervisors as primary sources of workplace support along with self-care (e.g. mini-vacations, recreation, and counseling). Conclusions for practice Florida MIECHV home visitors across all ten focus groups shared similar work-related stressors that they felt diminished engagement with program participants and could impact participant and staff retention. In response, Florida MIECHV increased resources to support home visitor compensation and reduce caseloads, and obtained a competitive award from HRSA to implement a mindfulness-based stress reduction training statewide.

Optimization study on structural analyses for the J-PARC mercury target vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Wenhai; Wakai, Eiichi; Naoe, Takashi; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Wakui, Takashi; Haga, Katsuhiro; Takada, Hiroshi; Futakawa, Masatoshi

2018-06-01

The spallation neutron source at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) mercury target vessel is used for various materials science studies, work is underway to achieve stable operation at 1 MW. This is very important for enhancing the structural integrity and durability of the target vessel, which is being developed for 1 MW operation. In the present study, to reduce thermal stress and relax stress concentrations more effectively in the existing target vessel in J-PARC, an optimization approach called the Taguchi method (TM) is applied to thermo-mechanical analysis. The ribs and their relative parameters, as well as the thickness of the mercury vessel and shrouds, were selected as important design parameters for this investigation. According to the analytical results of 18 model types designed using the TM, the optimal design was determined. It is characterized by discrete ribs and a thicker vessel wall than the current design. The maximum thermal stresses in the mercury vessel and the outer shroud were reduced by 14% and 15%, respectively. Furthermore, it was indicated that variations in rib width, left/right rib intervals, and shroud thickness could influence the maximum thermal stress performance. It is therefore concluded that the TM was useful for optimizing the structure of the target vessel and to reduce the thermal stress in a small number of calculation cases.

The effect of psychosocial stress on muscle activity during computer work: Comparative study between desktop computer and mobile computing products.

PubMed

Taib, Mohd Firdaus Mohd; Bahn, Sangwoo; Yun, Myung Hwan

2016-06-27

The popularity of mobile computing products is well known. Thus, it is crucial to evaluate their contribution to musculoskeletal disorders during computer usage under both comfortable and stressful environments. This study explores the effect of different computer products' usages with different tasks used to induce psychosocial stress on muscle activity. Fourteen male subjects performed computer tasks: sixteen combinations of four different computer products with four different tasks used to induce stress. Electromyography for four muscles on the forearm, shoulder and neck regions and task performances were recorded. The increment of trapezius muscle activity was dependent on the task used to induce the stress where a higher level of stress made a greater increment. However, this relationship was not found in the other three muscles. Besides that, compared to desktop and laptop use, the lowest activity for all muscles was obtained during the use of a tablet or smart phone. The best net performance was obtained in a comfortable environment. However, during stressful conditions, the best performance can be obtained using the device that a user is most comfortable with or has the most experience with. Different computer products and different levels of stress play a big role in muscle activity during computer work. Both of these factors must be taken into account in order to reduce the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders or problems.

The mental health effects of multiple work and family demands : A prospective study of psychiatric sickness absence in the French GAZEL study

PubMed Central

Melchior, Maria; Berkman, Lisa; Niedhammer, Isabelle; Zins, Marie; Goldberg, Marcel

2007-01-01

Background Individuals who experience work stress or heavy family demands are at elevated risk of poor mental health. Yet, the cumulative effects of multiple work and family demands are not well known, particularly in men. Methods We studied the association between multiple work and family demands and sickness absence due to non-psychotic psychiatric disorders in a longitudinal study conducted among members of the French GAZEL cohort study (8869 men, 2671 women) over a period of 9 years (1995–2003). Work stress and family demands were measured by questionnaire. Medically-certified psychiatric sickness absence data were obtained directly from the employer. Rate ratios (RRs) of sickness absence were calculated using Poisson regression models, adjusting for age, marital status, social support, stressful life events, alcohol consumption, body mass and depressive symptoms at baseline. Results Participants simultaneously exposed to high levels of work and family demands (>=2 work stress factors and >=4 dependents) had significantly higher rates of sickness absence due to non-psychotic psychiatric disorders than participants with lower levels of demands (compared to participants exposed to 0–1 work stress factors and with 1–3 dependents, age-adjusted rate ratios were 2.37 (95% CI 1.02–5.52) in men and 6.36 (95% CI 3.38–11.94) in women. After adjusting for baseline socio-demographic, behavioral and health characteristics, these RRs were respectively reduced to 1.82 (95% CI 0.86–3.87) in men, 5.04 (95% CI 2.84–8.90) in women. The effect of multiple work and family demands was strongest for sickness absence due to depression : age-adjusted RRs among participants with the highest level of work and family demands were 4.70 (1.96–11.24) in men, 8.57 (4.26–17.22) in women; fully-adjusted RRs: 3.55 (95% CI 1.62–7.77) in men, 6.58 (95% CI 3.46–12.50) in women. Conclusions Men and women simultaneously exposed to high levels of work stress and family demands are at high risk of experiencing mental health problems, particularly depression. PMID:17530152

Frictional stability and earthquake triggering during fluid pressure stimulation of an experimental fault

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scuderi, M. M.; Collettini, C.; Marone, C.

2017-11-01

It is widely recognized that the significant increase of M > 3.0 earthquakes in Western Canada and the Central United States is related to underground fluid injection. Following injection, fluid overpressure lubricates the fault and reduces the effective normal stress that holds the fault in place, promoting slip. Although, this basic physical mechanism for earthquake triggering and fault slip is well understood, there are many open questions related to induced seismicity. Models of earthquake nucleation based on rate- and state-friction predict that fluid overpressure should stabilize fault slip rather than trigger earthquakes. To address this controversy, we conducted laboratory creep experiments to monitor fault slip evolution at constant shear stress while the effective normal stress was systematically reduced via increasing fluid pressure. We sheared layers of carbonate-bearing fault gouge in a double direct shear configuration within a true-triaxial pressure vessel. We show that fault slip evolution is controlled by the stress state acting on the fault and that fluid pressurization can trigger dynamic instability even in cases of rate strengthening friction, which should favor aseismic creep. During fluid pressurization, when shear and effective normal stresses reach the failure condition, accelerated creep occurs in association with fault dilation; further pressurization leads to an exponential acceleration with fault compaction and slip localization. Our work indicates that fault weakening induced by fluid pressurization can overcome rate strengthening friction resulting in fast acceleration and earthquake slip. Our work points to modifications of the standard model for earthquake nucleation to account for the effect of fluid overpressure and to accurately predict the seismic risk associated with fluid injection.

Risk factors for first trimester miscarriage--results from a UK-population-based case-control study.

PubMed

Maconochie, N; Doyle, P; Prior, S; Simmons, R

2007-02-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between biological, behavioural and lifestyle risk factors and risk of miscarriage. Population-based case-control study. Case-control study nested within a population-based, two-stage postal survey of reproductive histories of women randomly sampled from the UK electoral register. Six hundred and three women aged 18-55 years whose most recent pregnancy had ended in first trimester miscarriage (<13 weeks of gestation; cases) and 6116 women aged 18-55 years whose most recent pregnancy had progressed beyond 12 weeks (controls). Women were questioned about socio-demographic, behavioural and other factors in their most recent pregnancy. First trimester miscarriage. After adjustment for confounding, the following were independently associated with increased risk: high maternal age; previous miscarriage, termination and infertility; assisted conception; low pre-pregnancy body mass index; regular or high alcohol consumption; feeling stressed (including trend with number of stressful or traumatic events); high paternal age and changing partner. Previous live birth, nausea, vitamin supplementation and eating fresh fruits and vegetables daily were associated with reduced risk, as were feeling well enough to fly or to have sex. After adjustment for nausea, we did not confirm an association with caffeine consumption, smoking or moderate or occasional alcohol consumption; nor did we find an association with educational level, socio-economic circumstances or working during pregnancy. The results confirm that advice to encourage a healthy diet, reduce stress and promote emotional wellbeing might help women in early pregnancy (or planning a pregnancy) reduce their risk of miscarriage. Findings of increased risk associated with previous termination, stress, change of partner and low pre-pregnancy weight are noteworthy, and we recommend further work to confirm these findings in other study populations.

Exploratory Investigation into the Durability of Beneficial Cold Worked Fastener Hole in Aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. S.; Clark, David A.

1999-01-01

Cold working fastener holes in aluminum alloys is a widely used technique in the aerospace industry for improving the fatigue performance of structures. A compressive tangential stress introduced in the material during the cold working of the hole reduces the natural tendency of the material to crack at the holes under cyclic tensile loading. It is a lucrative technique for the aerospace industry in that it provides an increase in performance without any weight cost.

Servicescape: physical environment of hospital pharmacies and hospital pharmacists' work outcomes.

PubMed

Lin, Blossom Yen-Ju; Leu, Wen-Jye; Breen, Gerald-Mark; Lin, Wen-Hung

2008-01-01

In health care, architects, interior designers, engineers, and health care administrators need to pay attention to the construction and design of health care facilities. Research is needed to better understand how health professionals and employees perceive their work environment to improve the physical environment in which they work. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of the physical environment of hospital pharmacies on hospital pharmacists' work outcomes. This cross-sectional mailed survey study of individual hospital pharmacists used a structured questionnaire developed to cover perceptions of the ambient conditions and the space/function(s) of pharmacists' work environments. It included aspects such as dispensing areas, pharmaceuticals areas, storage areas, and administrative offices. Work outcomes were job satisfaction, intentions to leave or reduce job working hours, and job-related stress. Hospital pharmacists in Taiwan (n = 182) returned the mailed surveys. Structural equation modeling was performed to validate the construct of the physical environment of a hospital pharmacy and the causal model for testing the effect of the physical environment on pharmacists' work outcomes. For hospital pharmacy workplaces, more favorable perceptions of the workplace's physical environment were positively associated with overall job satisfaction, but such perceptions were also negatively related to intentions to quit employment or to reduce working hours. However, the effect of the physical environment on job stress within the workplace was not supported. The designs of physical environments deserve attention to create more appropriate and healthier environments for hospital pharmacies. Further research should be devoted to trace more psychological responses to the physical environment from a longitudinal perspective.

The effect of hold-times on the fatigue behavior of type AISI 316L stainless steel under deuteron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, R.; Mueller, R.

1998-10-01

Strain controlled fatigue tests have been performed in torsion at 400°C on type 316L stainless steel samples in both 20% cold worked and annealed conditions during an irradiation with 19 MeV deuterons. A hold-time was imposed in the loading cycle. For the cold worked (cw) material, at shear strain ranges of 1.13% and 1.3%, irradiation creep induced stress relaxation led to the built up of a mean stress. The fatigue life was significantly reduced in comparison to thermal control tests. For the annealed (ann) material, tested under similar experimental conditions, irradiation creep effects were negligibly small compared to cyclic and irradiation hardening. The fatigue life was only slightly reduced. Continuous cycling tests conducted under irradiation conditions lay in the scatter band of the thermal control tests. The difference in fatigue life between continuous cycling and hold-time tests is attributed mainly to the observed difference in irradiation hardening.

[A Structural Equation Model on Family Strength of Married Working Women].

PubMed

Hong, Yeong Seon; Han, Kuem Sun

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of predictive factors related to family strength and develop a structural equation model that explains family strength among married working women. A hypothesized model was developed based on literature reviews and predictors of family strength by Yoo. This constructed model was built of an eight pathway form. Two exogenous variables included in this model were ego-resilience and family support. Three endogenous variables included in this model were functional couple communication, family stress and family strength. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire from 319 married working women who were 30~40 of age and lived in cities of Chungnam province in Korea. Data were analyzed with PASW/WIN 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs. Family support had a positive direct, indirect and total effect on family strength. Family stress had a negative direct, indirect and total effect on family strength. Functional couple communication had a positive direct and total effect on family strength. These predictive variables of family strength explained 61.8% of model. The results of the study show a structural equation model for family strength of married working women and that predicting factors for family strength are family support, family stress, and functional couple communication. To improve family strength of married working women, the results of this study suggest nursing access and mediative programs to improve family support and functional couple communication, and reduce family stress.

Organizational consequences of staff turnover in outpatient substance abuse treatment programs.

PubMed

Knight, Danica K; Becan, Jennifer E; Flynn, Patrick M

2012-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of staff turnover on perceptions of organizational demands and support among staff who remained employed in substance abuse treatment programs. The sample consisted of 353 clinical staff from 63 outpatient agencies. Two scales from the Survey of Organizational Functioning measured work environment demands (stress and inadequate staffing), and 3 measured supportive work relationships (communication, cohesion, and peer collaboration). Results from a series of multilevel models documented that counselors working in programs that had previously experienced high staff turnover perceived higher demands and lower support within their organization, even after controlling for other potentially burdensome factors such as budget, census, and individual measures of workload. Two individual-level variables, caseload and tenure, were important determinants of work environment demands but were not related to supportive work relationships. Findings suggest that staff turnover increases workplace demands, decreases perceptions of support, and underscores the need to reduce stress and minimize subsequent turnover among clinical staff. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organizational Consequences of Staff Turnover in Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

PubMed Central

Knight, Danica K.; Edwards, Jennifer R.; Flynn, Patrick M.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of staff turnover on perceptions of organizational demands and support among staff who remained employed in substance abuse treatment programs. The sample consisted of 353 clinical staff from 63 outpatient agencies. Two scales from the Survey of Organizational Functioning (SOF) measured work-environment demands (Stress, Inadequate Staffing), and three measured supportive work relationships (Communication, Cohesion, Peer Collaboration). Results from a series of multilevel models documented that counselors working in programs that had previously experienced high staff turnover perceived higher demands and lower support within their organization, even after controlling for other potentially burdensome factors such as budget, census, and individual measures of workload. Two individual-level variables, caseload and tenure, were important determinants of work-environment demands, but were not related to supportive work relationships. Findings suggest that staff turnover increases workplace demands and decreases perceptions of support, and underscore the need to reduce stress and minimize subsequent turnover among clinical staff. PMID:22154028

The effectiveness of current approaches to workplace stress management in the nursing profession: an evidence based literature review

PubMed Central

Mimura, C; Griffiths, P

2003-01-01

The effectiveness of current approaches to workplace stress management for nurses was assessed through a systematic review. Seven randomised controlled trials and three prospective cohort studies assessing the effectiveness of a stress management programmes were identified and reviewed. The quality of research identified was weak. There is more evidence for the effectiveness of programmes based on providing personal support than environmental management to reduce stressors. However, since the number and quality of studies is low, the question as to which, if any, approach is more effective cannot be answered definitively. Further research is required before clear recommendations for the use of particular interventions for nursing work related stress can be made. PMID:12499451

Internet-based stress management for distressed managers: results from a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Dagöö, Jesper; Fjellström, Ida; Niemi, Linnea; Hansson, Katja; Zeraati, Forough; Ziuzina, Masha; Geraedts, Anna; Ljótsson, Brjánn; Carlbring, Per; Andersson, Gerhard

2018-01-01

Objective The aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the efficacy of a guided internet-based stress management intervention (iSMI) among distressed managers compared with a attention control group (AC) with full access to treatment-as-usual. Method A total sample of 117 distressed managers, mainly employed in the healthcare, IT, communication and educational sector, were randomised to either iSMI (n=59) or an AC group (n=58). The iSMI consisted of eight modules including cognitive behavioural stress management and positive management techniques. Participants received a minimal and weekly guidance from a psychologist or master-level psychology student focusing on support, feedback and adherence to the intervention. Self-report data were assessed at pre, post and 6 months after the intervention. The primary outcome was perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-14). The secondary outcomes included mental and work-related health outcomes. Results Participants in the iSMI intervention reported significantly less symptoms of perceived stress (d=0.74, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.19) and burnout (d=0.95, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.37) compared with controls, at postassessment. Significant medium-to-large effect sizes were also found for depression, insomnia and job satisfaction. Long-term effects (6 months) were seen on the mental health outcomes. Conclusion This is one of the first studies showing that iSMIs can be an effective, accessible and potentially time-effective approach of reducing stress and other mental-related and work-related health symptoms among distressed managers. Future studies are needed addressing distressed managers and the potential of indirect effects on employee stress and satisfaction at work. PMID:28855344

Eddy current spectroscopy for near-surface residual stress profiling in surface treated nonmagnetic engine alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Nabah, Bassam A.

Recent research results indicated that eddy current conductivity measurements can be exploited for nondestructive evaluation of near-surface residual stresses in surface-treated nickel-base superalloy components. Most of the previous experimental studies were conducted on highly peened (Almen 10-16A) specimens that exhibit harmful cold work in excess of 30% plastic strain. Such high level of cold work causes thermo-mechanical relaxation at relatively modest operational temperatures; therefore the obtained results were not directly relevant to engine manufacturers and end users. The main reason for choosing peening intensities in excess of recommended normal levels was that in low-conductivity engine alloys the eddy current penetration depth could not be forced below 0.2 mm without expanding the measurements above 10 MHz which is beyond the operational range of most commercial eddy current instruments. As for shot-peened components, it was initially felt that the residual stress effect was more difficult to separate from cold work, texture, and inhomogeneity effects in titanium alloys than in nickel-base superalloys. In addition, titanium alloys have almost 50% lower electric conductivity than nickel-base superalloys; therefore require proportionally higher inspection frequencies, which was not feasible until our recent breakthrough in instrument development. Our work has been focused on six main aspects of this continuing research, namely, (i) the development of an iterative inversion technique to better retrieve the depth-dependent conductivity profile from the measured frequency-dependent apparent eddy current conductivity (AECC), (ii) the extension of the frequency range up to 80 MHz to better capture the peak compressive residual stress in nickel-base superalloys using a new eddy current conductivity measuring system, which offers better reproducibility, accuracy and measurement speed than the previously used conventional systems, (iii) the lift-off effect on high frequency eddy current spectroscopy, (iv) the development of custom-made spiral coils to allow eddy current conductivity characterization over the whole frequency range of interest with reduced coil sensitivity to lift off, (v) the benefits of implementing a semi-quadratic system calibration in reducing the coil sensitivity to lift-off, and (vi) the feasibility of adapting high-frequency eddy current residual stress characterization for shot-peened titanium alloys.

Effect of the Leveling Conditions on Residual Stress Evolution of Hot Rolled High Strength Steels for Cold Forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Keecheol; Oh, Kyungsuk

2017-09-01

In order to investigate the effect of leveling conditions on residual stress evolution during the leveling process of hot rolled high strength steels, the in-plane residual stresses of sheet processed under controlled conditions at skin-pass mill and levelers were measured by cutting method. The residual stress was localized near the edge of sheet. As the thickness of sheet was increased, the residual stress occurred region was expanded. The magnitude of residual stress within the sheet was reduced as increasing the deformation occurred during the leveling process. But the residual stress itself was not removed completely. The magnitude of camber occurred at cut plate was able to be predicted by the residual stress distribution. A numerical algorithm was developed for analysing the effect of leveling conditions on residual stress. It was able to implement the effect of plastic deformation in leveling, tension, work roll bending, and initial state of sheet (residual stress and curl distribution). The validity of simulated results was verified from comparison with the experimentally measured residual stress and curl in a sheet.

A modified model of pharmacists' job stress: the role of organizational, extra-role, and individual factors on work-related outcomes.

PubMed

Gaither, Caroline A; Kahaleh, Abir A; Doucette, William R; Mott, David A; Pederson, Craig A; Schommer, Jon C

2008-09-01

Understanding the effects of job stress continues to be a concern for health-care providers as workload and personnel needs increase. The overall objective of this study was to test a direct effects model of job stress that examines the characteristics of the organizational environment (interpersonal interactions, environmental aspects, the level of compensation and advancement, role stress, and availability of alternative jobs); extra-role factors (work-home conflict); job stress; individual factors (career commitment); and the work-related psychological outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job turnover intention. A cross-sectional mail survey was sent to a nationwide random sample of 4895 licensed pharmacists in the United States. Previously validated summated Likert-type scales measured each of the study variables. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the final model. A response rate of 46% was achieved. Psychometric analyses indicated acceptable reliability and validity. The study model fit the data well (CFI[comparative fit index] = 0.90, RMSEA[root mean square error of approximation] = 0.05). Organizational factors in the form of role overload (standardized beta = 0.45) and conflict (0.31) and ease of finding a job with better interpersonal characteristics (0.26) had the largest effects on job stress. Interpersonal characteristics were also one of the strongest predictors of job satisfaction (-0.61) and organizational commitment (-0.70). Work-home conflict directly affected job turnover intention (0.11) and career commitment (-0.16). Other significant, but sometimes, opposite direct effects were found. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment directly affected job turnover intention. Given the increased demand for pharmacy services, health-care organizations will benefit from increasing positive and reducing negative work outcomes. Increased focus on enhancing interpersonal interactions, developing commitment to the profession, and greater consideration of nonwork factors could help pharmacists better manage their work environments. Future research should continue to refine these models to further enhance our understanding of the effects of job stress in the health professional workplace.

EVALUATION OF PERSONAL COOLING DEVICES FOR A ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The study investigated the use of personal coolers to increase worker productivity and safety while working at elevated, ambient temperatures cleaning up dioxin contaminated soil.^The study included laboratory tests to measure the thermal characteristics of the chemical protective clothing worn and the performance of ice vest and vortex personal coolers.^In addition, field tests were conducted at a dioxin clean-up site to evaluate the performance of these two types of personal coolers.^The use of personal coolers was found to be an effective method of reducing the risk of heat stress.^In addition, workers were able to work continuously in hot weather without following the procedure normally used to decrease heat stress, i.e., working one hour followed by one hour of resting.^Both types of personal coolers were acceptable for the task being performed. information

Association of suboptimal health status with psychosocial stress, plasma cortisol and mRNA expression of glucocorticoid receptor α/β in lymphocyte.

PubMed

Yan, Yu-Xiang; Dong, Jing; Liu, You-Qin; Zhang, Jie; Song, Man-Shu; He, Yan; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Suboptimal health status (SHS) has become a new public health challenge in China. This study investigated whether high SHS is associated with psychosocial stress, changes in cortisol level and/or glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoform expression. Three-hundred eighty-six workers employed in three companies in Beijing were recruited. The SHS score was derived from data collection in the SHS questionnaire (SHSQ-25). The short standard version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) was used to assess job-related psychosocial stress. The mean value of the five scales of COPSOQ and distribution of plasma cortisol and mRNA expression of GRα/GRβ between the high level of SHS group and the low level of SHS group were compared using a general linear model procedure. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of psychosocial stress on SHS. We identified three factors that were predictive of SHS, including "demands at work", "interpersonal relations and leadership" and "insecurity at work". Significantly higher levels of plasma cortisol and GRβ/GRα mRNA ratio were observed among the high SHS group. High level of SHS is associated with decreased mRNA expression of GRα. This study confirmed the association between chronic psychosocial stress and SHS, indicating that improving the psychosocial work environment may reduce SHS and then prevent chronic diseases effectively.

The Ascorbate-glutathione-α-tocopherol Triad in Abiotic Stress Response

PubMed Central

Szarka, András; Tomasskovics, Bálint; Bánhegyi, Gábor

2012-01-01

The life of any living organism can be defined as a hurdle due to different kind of stresses. As with all living organisms, plants are exposed to various abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and chemical toxicity. These primary stresses are often interconnected, and lead to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants, which are highly reactive and toxic and cause damage to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and DNA, which ultimately results in oxidative stress. Stress-induced ROS accumulation is counteracted by enzymatic antioxidant systems and non-enzymatic low molecular weight metabolites, such as ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol. The above mentioned low molecular weight antioxidants are also capable of chelating metal ions, reducing thus their catalytic activity to form ROS and also scavenge them. Hence, in plant cells, this triad of low molecular weight antioxidants (ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol) form an important part of abiotic stress response. In this work we are presenting a review of abiotic stress responses connected to these antioxidants. PMID:22605990

Numerical Simulation for the Unsteady MHD Flow and Heat Transfer of Couple Stress Fluid over a Rotating Disk

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The present work is devoted to study the numerical simulation for unsteady MHD flow and heat transfer of a couple stress fluid over a rotating disk. A similarity transformation is employed to reduce the time dependent system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) to ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The Runge-Kutta method and shooting technique are employed for finding the numerical solution of the governing system. The influences of governing parameters viz. unsteadiness parameter, couple stress and various physical parameters on velocity, temperature and pressure profiles are analyzed graphically and discussed in detail. PMID:24835274

Dutch monitor on stress and physical load: risk factors, consequences, and preventive action.

PubMed

Houtman, I L; Goudswaard, A; Dhondt, S; van der Grinten, M P; Hildebrandt, V H; van der Poel, E G

1998-02-01

Due to recent changes in legislation on occupational health and safety, a national monitor on stress and physical load was developed in The Netherlands to monitor (a) risks and consequences of stress and physical load at work, (b) preventive actions in companies to reduce these risks, and (c) organisational and environmental variables that facilitate preventive actions. Information was gathered from employers, employees, and employees' representatives. The monitor was used with a nationally representative sample of companies in industry, wholesale trade, and banking and finance, 782 companies in total. The information from the employees, aggregated at the company level, was not found to be correlated with that from the employer from the same companies. Although many employers do recognise risk factors for both physical load and stress as a problem they often seem to underestimate the problem when compared with employees or their representatives. This is particularly the case for psychosocial risk factors. Also, the perception of outcome measures, especially employers who consider emotional exhaustion to be work related, were fewer than the employees' representatives of the same organisation. Preventive measures on physical load are much more popular than measures against stress. It is the responsibility of the employer to take more preventive action of all kinds. They need to recognise risk factors as problems and health outcomes to be related to work. Employees of larger companies should participate with employers to consider effective measures, and more use should be made of support at branch level. For specific preventive measures, specific predictors emerged. Except for measures to prevent work stress, information from employees did not sufficiently contribute to the initiation of preventive measures in the workplace.

Methods Engineering Workshop for the Shipbuilding Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

physiological process that reduces the performance capacity and motivation of humans sub- jected to excessive or repeated work stresses. fatigue allowance, Time...often involves basic business fundamentals, motivation , common sense, and the plain hard work of one person doing something. But the accomplishment that...utilize a batch mode form. ” (3) SERGE A. BIRN HAS A TRAINING SCHOOL IN CINCINNATI FOR MTM, MSD, MCD, MOTIVATION -PRODUCTIVITY , TIME STUDY, METHODS

[Preliminary study on evaluation system of mental workers strain based on primary and middle school teachers].

PubMed

Lian, Yulong; Liu, Jiwen; Zhang, Chen; Yuan, Fang

2010-09-01

To use primary and middle schools teacher as samples to preliminarily build the mental work stress effect evaluation system, providing the methological platform for the research on the stress effect mechanism and mental workers interference measures. 851 teachers in primary and middle schools were selected with randomly stratified cluster methods. Use ISTA 6.0 and Life Events Evaluation Table to measure the stress factors, and use Work Tension Reaction Questionnaire, Symptom Self-Evaluation Table Questionnaire, and General Happiness Sensing Table to measure psychological stress reaction, blood sugar and blood fat, blood cortical, ACTH, nerve behavior function, for measuring physiological stress reaction. The Comprehensive Working Ability Index Table to measure working ability. And then use the mathematical model to build the mental workers stress effect evaluation system. And apply the simple random sampling method to select 400 environmental protection workers to perform cross effect validation. The model fits relatively well (RMSEA = 0.100, GFI = 0.93, NNFI = 1.00, CFI = 1.00) and conforms with the theory, reflecting the loads of the indice, such as, working stress reaction, psychological stress reaction, physiological stress reaction and working ability, are relatively high. At the same time, the stress reaction of those 4 dimensions can fit the 2-grade factor (stress effect) very well. The physiological stress reaction is negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with the working stress reaction, psychological stress reaction, working ability decrease, while is positively correlated (P < 0.05) with the working stress, psychological stress reaction, physiological stress reaction and working ability decrease. The social support is the protection factor for working stress, psychological stress reaction, physiological stress reaction and working ability decrease (gamma(s) are -0.55, -0.77, 0.73, -0.79, respectively, P < 0.05). While working stress factors, social life stress factors and dangerous individual characters are the risk factors (P < 0.05) for working stress, psychological stress reaction, physiological stress reaction increase and the working ability decrease. The utilization of the environment protection workers further validates this model. It conforms with the theory to evaluate the mental workers stress effects from the 4 dimensions, working stress, psychological stress reaction, physiological stress reaction, and working ability. And these 4 dimensions influence each other, and also are mutually different. The working and social life stress factors influence the stress effects with certain degrees. This evaluation model can tentatively be the methodological basis for the mental workers occupational stress evaluation.

Teachers' wellbeing and depressive symptoms, and associated risk factors: A large cross sectional study in English secondary schools.

PubMed

Kidger, Judi; Brockman, Rowan; Tilling, Kate; Campbell, Rona; Ford, Tamsin; Araya, Ricardo; King, Michael; Gunnell, David

2016-03-01

Teachers have been shown to have high levels of stress and common mental disorder, but few studies have examined which factors within the school environment are associated with poor teacher mental health. Teachers (n=555) in 8 schools completed self-report questionnaires. Levels of teacher wellbeing (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale-WEMWBS) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-PHQ-9) were measured and associations between these measures and school-related factors were examined using multilevel multivariable regression models. The mean (SD) teacher wellbeing score (47.2 (8.8)) was lower than reported in working population samples, and 19.4% had evidence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores >10). Feeling unable to talk to a colleague when feeling stressed or down, dissatisfaction with work and high presenteeism were all strongly associated with both poor wellbeing (beta coefficients ranged from -4.65 [-6.04, -3.28] to -3.39 [-5.48, -1.31]) and depressive symptoms (ORs ranged from 2.44 [1.41, 4.19] to 3.31 [1.70, 6.45]). Stress at work and recent change in school governance were also associated with poor wellbeing (beta coefficients=-4.22 [-5.95, -2.48] and -2.17 [-3.58, -0.77] respectively), while sickness absence and low student attendance were associated with depressive symptoms (ORs=2.14 [1.24, 3.67] and 1.93 [1.06, 6.45] respectively). i) This was a cross-sectional study; causal associations cannot be identified ii) several of the measures were self-report iii) the small number of schools reduced study power for the school-level variables Wellbeing is low and depressive symptoms high amongst teachers. Interventions aimed at improving their mental health might focus on reducing work related stress, and increasing the support available to them. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a web-based self-help intervention for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

van Straten, Annemieke; Cuijpers, Pim; Smits, Niels

2008-03-25

Self-help therapies are often effective in reducing mental health problems. We developed a new Web-based self-help intervention based on problem-solving therapy, which may be used for people with different types of comorbid problems: depression, anxiety, and work-related stress. The aim was to study whether a Web-based self-help intervention is effective in reducing depression, anxiety, and work-related stress (burnout). A total of 213 participants were recruited through mass media and randomized to the intervention (n = 107) or a waiting list control group (n = 106). The Web-based course took 4 weeks. Every week an automated email was sent to the participants to explain the contents and exercises for the coming week. In addition, participants were supported by trained psychology students who offered feedback by email on the completed exercises. The core element of the intervention is a procedure in which the participants learn to approach solvable problems in a structured way. At pre-test and post-test, we measured the following primary outcomes: depression (CES-D and MDI), anxiety (SCL-A and HADS), and work-related stress (MBI). Quality of life (EQ-5D) was measured as a secondary outcome. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Of the 213 participants, 177 (83.1%) completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires; missing data were statistically imputed. Of all 107 participants in the intervention group, 9% (n = 10) dropped out before the course started and 55% (n = 59) completed the whole course. Among all participants, the intervention was effective in reducing symptoms of depression (CES-D: Cohen's d = 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22-0.79; MDI: d = 0.33, 95% CI 0.03-0.63) and anxiety (SCL-A: d = 0.42, 95% CI 0.14-0.70; HADS: d = 0.33, 95% CI 0.04-0.61) as well as in enhancing quality of life (d = 0.31, 95% CI 0.03-0.60). Moreover, a higher percentage of patients in the intervention group experienced a significant improvement in symptoms (CES-D: odds ratio [OR] = 3.5, 95% CI 1.9-6.7; MDI: OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.4-10.0; SCL-A: OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.6; HADS: OR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.6-6.0). Patients in the intervention group also recovered more often (MDI: OR = 2.2; SCL-A: OR = 2.0; HADS < 8), although these results were not statistically significant. The course was less effective for work-related stress, but participants in the intervention group recovered more often from burnout than those in the control group (OR = 4.0, 95% CI 1.2-13.5). We demonstrated statistically and clinically significant effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety. These effects were even more pronounced among participants with more severe baseline problems and for participants who fully completed the course. The effects on work-related stress and quality of life were less clear. To our knowledge, this is the first trial of a Web-based, problem-solving intervention for people with different types of (comorbid) emotional problems. The results are promising, especially for symptoms of depression and anxiety. Further research is needed to enhance the effectiveness for work-related stress. International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 14881571.

Pulmonary dysfunctions, oxidative stress and DNA damage in brick kiln workers.

PubMed

Kaushik, R; Khaliq, F; Subramaneyaan, M; Ahmed, R S

2012-11-01

Brick kilns in the suburban areas in developing countries pose a big threat to the environment and hence the health of their workers and people residing around them. The present study was planned to assess the lung functions, oxidative stress parameters and DNA damage in brick kiln workers. A total of 31 male subjects working in brick kiln, and 32 age, sex and socioeconomic status matched controls were included in the study. The lung volumes, capacities and flow rates, namely, forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV(1)/FVC, expiratory reserve volume, inspiratory capacity (IC), maximal expiratory flow when 50% of FVC is remaining to be expired, maximum voluntary ventilation, peak expiratory flow rate and vital capacity were significantly decreased in the brick kiln workers. Increased oxidative stress as evidenced by increased malonedialdehyde levels and reduced glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase activity and ferric reducing ability of plasma were observed in the study group when compared with controls. Our results indicate a significant correlation between oxidative stress parameters and pulmonary dysfunction, which may be due to silica-induced oxidative stress and resulting lung damage.

Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout of North Korean Refugees Service Providers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective The current study investigated the burnout and secondary traumatic stress of service providers for North Korean (NK) refugees based on the conceptual framework of theJob Demands-Resources (JD-R) model of workplace burnout. Methods A cross-sectional self-administered survey was conducted with a national sample consisting of all 63 organizations in direct services to North Korean refugees. Of the estimated total number of 230 service providers comprising of social workers, psychotherapists, job counselors and paraprofessional counselors, 179 completed the survey, a 77.8% return rate. Results While job resources such as personal commitment to work and organizational support indicated inverse relations to burnout, job demands such as workload, work environment and secondary traumatic stress (STS) showed a positive relationship to worker burnout. The STS were present in more than half of the respondents (51.3%), of which 20.7% of them indicating a severe level of STS. The STS proved to be the most significant risk to worker burnout as it showed strong relations to all three dimensions of burnout. Conclusion Structural issues of chronic work overload and poor work environment need to be addressed to reduce staff burnout. STS is a serious occupational hazard in working with North Korean refugees. PMID:28326108

Bending stresses and bistable behavior in Fe-rich amorphous wire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez, M.; Gómez Polo, C.; Velázquez, J.; Hernando, A.

1994-05-01

The aim of this work is to analyze for the first time the changes in magnetic properties of an Fe-rich amorphous wire (Fe77.5Si7.5B15) when it is submitted to bending stresses. Upon a reduction of the radius of curvature, Rc, of the wire (i.e., increasing bending stresses), the main changes in the magnetic properties are summarized as follows: (a) Bistable behavior disappears when reducing Rc below about 11 cm but it is again observed for Rc less than about 2.5 cm. This latter effect is also obtained for short wires (less than around 7 cm) which do not show spontaneous bistability. (b) For the case when bending stresses make bistability disappear, the susceptibility increases more than one order of magnitude with regards to the case of bistable wire, and parallel to the increase of susceptibility, a reduction of remanent magnetization is observed. The disappearance and later occurrence of the bistable behavior with increasing bending stresses are discussed in terms of the tensile and compressive stresses induced when the sample is bent. The possibility of having bistable wires with toroidal symmetry is also discussed owing to its interest for particular applications as pulse generators with reduced size and magnetic switches.

Enhanced transfection by antioxidative polymeric gene carrier that reduces polyplex-mediated cellular oxidative stress.

PubMed

Lee, Min Sang; Kim, Nak Won; Lee, Kyuri; Kim, Hongtae; Jeong, Ji Hoon

2013-06-01

To test the hypothesis in which polyplex-induced oxidative stress may affect overall transfection efficiency, an antioxidative transfection system minimizing cellular oxidative stress was designed for enhanced transfection. An amphiphilic copolymer (PEI-PLGA) was synthesized and used as a micelle-type gene carrier containing hydrophobic antioxidant, α-tocopherol. Cellular oxidative stress and the change of mitochondrial membrane potential after transfection was measured by using a fluorescent probe (H₂DCFDA) and lipophilic cationic probe (JC-1), respectively. Transfection efficiency was determined by measuring a reporter gene (luciferase) expression level. The initial transfection study with conventional PEI/plasmid DNA polyplex showed significant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The PEI-PLGA copolymer successfully carried out the simultaneous delivery of α-tocopherol and plasmid DNA (PEI-PLGA/Toco/pDNA polyplex) into cells, resulting in a significant reduction in cellular ROS generation after transfection and helped to maintain the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ). In addition, the transfection efficiency was dramatically increased using the antioxidative transfection system. This work showed that oxidative stress would be one of the important factors that should be considered in designing non-viral gene carriers and suggested a possible way to reduce the carrier-mediated oxidative stress, which consequently leads to enhanced transfection.

To reduce the maximum stress and the stress shielding effect around a dental implant-bone interface using radial functionally graded biomaterials.

PubMed

Asgharzadeh Shirazi, H; Ayatollahi, M R; Asnafi, A

2017-05-01

In a dental implant system, the value of stress and its distribution plays a pivotal role on the strength, durability and life of the implant-bone system. A typical implant consists of a Titanium core and a thin layer of biocompatible material such as the hydroxyapatite. This coating has a wide range of clinical applications in orthopedics and dentistry due to its biocompatibility and bioactivity characteristics. Low bonding strength and sudden variation of mechanical properties between the coating and the metallic layers are the main disadvantages of such common implants. To overcome these problems, a radial distributed functionally graded biomaterial (FGBM) was proposed in this paper and the effect of material property on the stress distribution around the dental implant-bone interface was studied. A three-dimensional finite element simulation was used to illustrate how the use of radial FGBM dental implant can reduce the maximum von Mises stress and, also the stress shielding effect in both the cortical and cancellous bones. The results, of course, give anybody an idea about optimized behaviors that can be achieved using such materials. The finite element solver was validated by familiar methods and the results were compared to previous works in the literature.

"Should I tell my employer and coworkers I have arthritis?" A longitudinal examination of self-disclosure in the work place.

PubMed

Gignac, Monique A M; Cao, Xingshan

2009-12-15

To examine arthritis self-disclosure at work, factors associated with disclosure, and prospective relationships of self-disclosure and work place support with changes to work place interactions, work transitions, and work place stress. Using a structured questionnaire, participants with osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis were interviewed at 4 time points, 18 months apart. At time 1, all participants (n = 490; 381 women, 109 men) were employed. Of the entire sample, 71% were retained throughout the study. Respondents were recruited using community advertising and from rheumatology and rehabilitation clinics. Self-disclosure and perceived support from managers and coworkers was assessed, as well as demographic, illness, work-context, and psychological variables. Generalized estimating equations modeled associations of disclosure and support on changes at work (e.g., job disruptions, work place stress). At each time point, 70.6-76.6% of participants had self-disclosed arthritis to their manager and 85.2-88.1% had told a coworker. Intraindividual variability in disclosure was considerable. Factors associated with self-disclosure were often inconsistent over time, with the exception of variables assessing the need to self-disclose (e.g., activity limitations) and perceived coworker support. Self-disclosure was not associated with changes to work. However, coworker support was related to fewer job disruptions, help with work tasks, and being less likely to reduce hours. Perceived managerial support was associated with less work place stress. Greater awareness is needed about issues related to self-disclosing arthritis at work. This study emphasizes the importance of a supportive work place, especially supportive coworkers, in decisions to discuss arthritis at work and in changes to work that might enable people to remain employed.

GCN-2 dependent inhibition of protein synthesis activates osmosensitive gene transcription via WNK and Ste20 kinase signaling

PubMed Central

Lee, Elaine Choung-Hee

2012-01-01

Increased gpdh-1 transcription is required for accumulation of the organic osmolyte glycerol and survival of Caenorhabditis elegans during hypertonic stress. Our previous work has shown that regulators of gpdh-1 (rgpd) gene knockdown constitutively activates gpdh-1 expression. Fifty-five rgpd genes play essential roles in translation suggesting that inhibition of protein synthesis is an important signal for regulating osmoprotective gene transcription. We demonstrate here that translation is reduced dramatically by hypertonic stress or knockdown of rgpd genes encoding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs). Toxin-induced inhibition of translation also activates gpdh-1 expression. Hypertonicity-induced translation inhibition is mediated by general control nonderepressible (GCN)-2 kinase signaling and eIF-2α phosphoryation. Loss of gcn-1 or gcn-2 function prevents eIF-2α phosphorylation, completely blocks reductions in translation, and inhibits gpdh-1 transcription. gpdh-1 expression is regulated by the highly conserved with-no-lysine kinase (WNK) and Ste20 kinases WNK-1 and GCK-3, which function in the GCN-2 signaling pathway downstream from eIF-2α phosphorylation. Our previous work has shown that hypertonic stress causes rapid and dramatic protein damage in C. elegans and that inhibition of translation reduces this damage. The current studies demonstrate that reduced translation also serves as an essential signal for activation of WNK-1/GCK-3 kinase signaling and subsequent transcription of gpdh-1 and possibly other osmoprotective genes. PMID:23076791

Mindful2Work: Effects of Combined Physical Exercise, Yoga, and Mindfulness Meditations for Stress Relieve in Employees. A Proof of Concept Study.

PubMed

de Bruin, Esther I; Formsma, Anne R; Frijstein, Gerard; Bögels, Susan M

2017-01-01

Work-related stress and associated illness and burnout is rising in western society, with now as much as almost a quarter of European and half of USA's employees estimated to be at the point of burnout. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and physical exercise have all shown beneficial effects for work-related stress and illness. This proof of concept study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the newly developed Mindful2Work training, a combination of physical exercise, restorative yoga, and mindfulness meditations, delivered in six weekly group sessions plus a follow-up session. Participants ( n  = 26, four males), referred by company doctors with (work-related) stress and burnout complaints, completed measurements pre and post the intervention, as well as at 6-week (FU1) and 6-month (FU2) follow-up. Results showed very high feasibility and acceptability of the Mindful2Work training. The training and trainers were rated with an 8.1 and 8.4 on a 1-10 scale, respectively, and training dropout rate was zero. Significant improvements with (very) large effect sizes were demonstrated for the primary outcome measures of physical and mental workability, and for anxiety, depression, stress, sleep quality, positive and negative affect, which remained (very) large and mostly increased further over time. Risk for long-term dropout from work (checklist individual strength [CIS]) was 92 % at pre-test, reduced to 67 % at post-test, to 44 % at FU1, and 35 % at FU2, whereas employees worked (RTWI) 65 % of their contract hours per week at pre-test, which increased to 73 % at post-test, 81 % at FU1 and 93 % at FU2. Intensity of home practice or number of attended sessions were not related to training effects. To conclude, the newly developed Mindful2Work training seems very feasible, and acceptable, and although no control group was included, the large effects of Mindful2Work are highly promising.