bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparison of perceived health, attitudes to work, leisure time,	and social welfare systems among people in a rural area in the north of Sweden	and among people in the city of Stockholm
Authors: Marnetoft Sven-Uno , Selander John , Åkerström Bengt , Asplund Ragnar , Dahl Annika
Published: December 2024

A problem attracting considerable attention in Sweden today is the substantial regional differences in sickness absence. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare how people, from a random sample of the population in both a rural area in the north of Sweden and the Swedish capital Stockholm, perceive their health, and what their attitudes are to work, leisure time and social welfare systems. Results showed that a larger proportion of those answering in Stockholm considered their health status to be "very good", compared with those in the rural area (p<0.0001). A majority in the rural area compared to the city of Stockholm reported a high or very high level of aches/pain (p<0.0001) and that work causes them physical problems p<0.0001). The population in both Stockholm and the rural area is of the opinion that the increase in sickness absence is mainly due to deterioration in the work environment. Almost half of the individuals in both the rural area and in Stockholm are of the opinion that many of those sick-listed are not actually ill. It may be that in the rural area in north Sweden people are more inclined to put their opinions to practice than those in Stockholm are.
'It's in the blood and you're not going to change it': Fish	harvesters' narrative accounts of injuries and disability
Authors: Murray Michael
Published: December 2024

Accidents are a common occurrence in the fishing industry. Despite this observation, there has been limited research on the factors contributing to this high rate of accidents and no research on the experience of disability among fish harvesters. This paper reports a narrative analysis of the accounts of fish harvesters who became disabled as a result of their work, and could no longer work in the industry. Four primary narrative structures were identified in their accounts: disability as devastation, disability as challenge, disability as phenomenon and disability as opportunity. These narratives represent different temporal orientations to the disability. The findings are discussed with reference to other narrative work on adjustment to illness and the implications for disability rehabilitation for fish harvesters and other workers.
Undergraduate college students' upper extremity symptoms and	functional limitations related to computer use: A replication study
Authors: Jenkins Mark , Menéndez Cammie Chaumont , Amick, III Benjamin C. , Tullar Jessica , Hupert Nathaniel , Robertson Michelle M. , Katz Jeffrey N.
Published: December 2024

Purpose: To replicate Hupert et al.'s [5] evaluation of computer-related upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms, functional limitations, academic performance impact, medication use and health services utilization among a college student population.

Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional survey of undergraduate students living in a single residential dormitory at a private southwestern university who agreed to participate completed the College Computing & Health Survey in the Spring of 2001.

Results: Of the 127 dormitory residents, 116 students participated and 54% reported experiencing symptoms associated with computer usage. Sixty-two percent of students surveyed experienced functional limitations. More women than men reported symptoms, functional limitations and neck and shoulder pain; those with functional limitations reported higher use of medications than other participants.

Conclusion: These findings, which match the general findings of the previous research study conducted with the same instrument but in a different college student population, suggest a high level of computer-use-related musculoskeletal symptoms among college students. Universities may want to consider providing ergonomic training designed for college students to: conduct workstation assessments; identify computer related problems (risk factors); and, propose ergonomic solutions.
Interdisciplinary team discussion on work environment issues	related to low back disability: A multiple case study
Authors: Costa-Black Kátia M. , Durand Marie-José , Imbeau Daniel , Baril Raymond , Loisel Patrick
Published: December 2024

From both a social and cost-benefit perspective, disability prevention and associated management strategies for assisting employees with back pain are only successful if they address critical return-to-work (RTW) determining factors present in the workplace, including ergonomic factors. Despite our current knowledge of the importance of an integrated team approach targeting these factors, questions remain regarding the conceptual framework adopted by contemporary rehabilitation teams as it relates to work-oriented interventions to accommodate employees back to work. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the work environment issues discussed by an interdisciplinary team engaged in the work rehabilitation process of low back disability cases. A qualitative content analysis was conducted for 10 sample cases that underwent a rehabilitation program in Quebec (Canada). Drawing on the results of these analyses, a framework representing a synopsis of practitioners' involvement in the person-environment dynamic is presented and discussed. This study makes a unique contribution to the understanding of the 'real-life' content of an interdisciplinary activity in disability management, thus, helping rehabilitation practitioners to build knowledge on the practical application of a cross-disciplinary framework to address work environment issues during the RTW process of those patients sick-listed due to back pain.
Assessment of physical exposures and comparison of exposure	definitions in a repetitive sawmill occupation: Trim-saw operator
Authors: Jones Troy , Kumar Troy
Published: December 2024

This paper describes the physical exposures required to perform a sawmill job associated with a high incidence of upper extremity musculoskeletal injury. Exposure variables are described by multiple posture, exertion and frequency definitions and the comparability of those definitions are examined.

Effective industrial prevention efforts require an accurate assessment of risk. Surface electromyography and electrogoniometry were used to quantify the physical exposures of 29 trim-saw operators in four sawmill facilities. Average wrist ranges of motion of 32, 57 and 58 degrees in wrist radial/ulnar deviation, flexion/extension and pronation/supination respectively were required to perform the job. Defining wrist range of motion by the peak postures observed versus those required to perform the primary task resulted in significantly different ranges of motion (p<0.05). Job performance required an average of 33% of maximum voluntary contraction. Repetitions per day ranged from 3,549 to 14,460. Percentage of maximum voluntary contraction was not associated with psychophysical measures of exertion.
A multi-method study evaluating computing-related risk factors	among college students
Authors: Menéndez Cammie Chaumont , Amick III Benjamin C. , Jenkins Mark , Janowitz Ira , Rempel David M. , Robertson Michelle , Dennerlein Jack T. , Chang Che-Hsu (Joe) , Katz Jeffrey N.
Published: December 2024

Purpose: To characterize undergraduate computer use using different data collection methods, emphasizing computing-related postures, use patterns and upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms.

Subjects and methods: In Spring, 2004, undergraduate students from a single dormitory at a private university agreed to complete a College Computing & Health Survey. For three separate data collection periods each lasting a week, we observed postures during computer once per period and continuously measured computer input device usage. During these three periods, students self-reported computer usage and symptoms 3–5 times daily.

Results: Thirty students participated and all completed the study. Eighty-six percent reported ever experiencing symptoms after computer work. There were no time-related trends across data collection periods for posture, symptoms, and computing activities and patterns. Typed work and communicating (when compared with playing games) were usually the predominant computing activities throughout the semester. There was significantly greater self-reported computer use than that directly measured (p<0.05).

Conclusion: This is the first study that utilized several methods of exposure assessment to describe computing postures, use patterns and upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms among a college student cohort. Epidemiological studies need to explore time-related changes such as time of day, weekday, and days into the semester to further understand symptoms, posture, and computer use changes.
The effect of ergonomic intervention on neck/shoulder and low back	pain
Authors: Grooten Wilhelmus Johannes Andreas , Mulder Marie , Wiktorin Christina
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of two types of ergonomic intervention on pain and pain-related disability in the neck/shoulder and low back regions. A cohort of 492 subjects of various occupations with non-specific neck/shoulder or low back pain was followed over a five to six year period. The study subjects were classified into four intervention groups: no ergonomic intervention, educational worksite intervention, workplace intervention, and combined workplace and educational worksite intervention. The group with no ergonomic intervention was used as the reference group. The changes in pain intensity and pain-related disability from baseline to follow-up in each of the three groups with intervention were compared to the changes in the reference group.

During the follow-up, 39% of the subjects had received ergonomic intervention. The average change in pain intensity and pain-related disability was smaller in the educational worksite intervention group than in the reference group. The average reduction of pain intensity and pain-related disability did not differ between the two other intervention groups and the reference group. Thus, for subjects still at work, ergonomic intervention seemed to be ineffective for reducing neck/shoulder and low back pain and pain-related disability.
Continuing to work after the onset of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Nilsson Ines , Fitinghoff Hélène , Lilja Margareta
Published: December 2024

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and describe what have made it possible for a group of people with rheumatoid arthritis to remain in work. There were ten participants, six women and four men, aged from 32 to 59. They were working either full time or part-time, at the time the study was conducted. Data was gathered using focus group interviews. The transcribed interviews were analysed in accordance with the constant comparative method. The result showed that the assets the individuals possessed and the character of the environment in which they worked were important reasons why they were able to remain in employment. Four main categories were identified: the constructive value of work, the characteristics of work, physical health and well-being and the understanding and support of colleagues. The findings support a client-centred occupational therapy and rehabilitation, where the experiences of the person provide the reason for the intervention.
Contribution of mental workload to job stress in industrial	workers
Authors: González-Muñoz Elvia Luz , Gutiérrez-Martínez Rodolfo E.
Published: December 2024

This study's central objective is to determine how several individual, organizational and ergonomic factors influence the relationship between job stress and mental workload for workers in an electronics company.

A cross-sectional study was made as a test of hypotheses regarding that relationship. The sample is composed of 95 workers, of both sexes, from the electronics industry in the metropolitan zone of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Ergonomic conditions were evaluated with the Ergonomic Evaluation List, stress was evaluated by administering the SWS-Survey to groups of subjects, and mental workload was evaluated with the NASA-TLX Workload Index.

Using Cochran's and Mantel-Haenzsel statistics, the odds ratio for each of the independent variables was {e}stimated as a risk factor for job stress, and analysis was later conducted by means of logistic regression for those risks found to be significant.

Of the 95 worker participants, 26.3% presented a high level of job stress and 17.9% of the workers were found to present high levels of mental workload.

The results show that working hours, mental demand, temporal demand, and frustration when faced with a given task may be considered risk factors for job stress.
Work organization and its effects on the health of Chinese workers	with English as a second language: A qualitative approach
Authors: Lin Chia-Yu A. , Williams Renee M. , Shannon Harry S. , Wilkins Seanne
Published: December 2024

Work organization consists of three contexts: (a) the external context/factors, (b) the organizational context/practices, and, (c) the work context/process. The investigation of work organization may lead to more effective prevention and intervention for work-related injury and illness. Studies have suggested that workers with limited English proficiency may be more prone to work-related injury and illness. The purposes of this qualitative phenomenological study were to gain a better understanding of the meaning of work organization to Chinese workers with English as a second language (ESL) and to explore their lived experiences on how work organization affects their health. Ten in-depth face to face interviews were conducted with Chinese ESL workers (5 males and 5 females; ages ranged from 22 to 41 years) who were employed in English-speaking workplaces in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. Interviews were translated and transcribed before importing them into NUD*IST, a qualitative data management software program. The transcripts were then coded, and categories were developed based on the codes. Subsequently, eight themes were identified from the categories. Work organization was perceived by Chinese ESL workers to be at an impersonal and distant level. Workers also identified work organization related issues (i.e., employers' priority, communication, work culture, job autonomy, recognition, and individual characteristics) as factors affecting their health at workplaces. However, these workers commonly expressed resignation towards their own health. Workplaces, especially those with Chinese ESL workers, need to place greater emphasis on implementing effective health and safety approaches to maximize the health of these workers.
The assessment of functional work capacity in the South African	mining industry
Authors: Hofmann Tia-Mari , Kielblock Johan
Published: December 2024

Overall physical work fitness is a prerequisite in numerous industries. Apart from improved productivity, it remains fundamental with regards to the maintenance of good health and safety. To address worker fitness in the mining industry, AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo Platinum Mining Houses developed a Functional Work Capacity (FWC) test battery. The FWC test battery consists of 19 work simulations representing the required functional work capacity to cope with all types of physical work tasks and work environments in the mining industry. This assessment tool is not only used to evaluate injured or medically affected workers for alternative placement but also to ensure that the new employee is placed in a job matching his physical capacity. This paper reviews the design process and application of the FWC test battery in the mining industry.
Preparing for work practice: Under- and postgraduate student	training at the University of Pretoria (South Africa)
Authors: Buys Tania , Casteleijn Daleen
Published: December 2024

South Africa has experienced much new legislation since the restoration of democracy in 1994 which has had widespread influences on education. Past and current teaching strategies of occupational therapy training at the University of Pretoria have included the training of students in vocational rehabilitation (or work practice). The influence of these new laws on training is discussed. An outline of the undergraduate and postgraduate modules presented at the University of Pretoria is presented in this paper.

The authors wish to share the training of vocational rehabilitation with other educators as this training program seems to be very successful in South Africa.
Assessment of long-term work attendance within human service	organisations
Authors: Dellve Lotta , Eriksson Jesper , Vilhelmsson Rebecka
Published: December 2024

Terms and theories of work attendance vary according to their use and focus. This paper analyzes long-term work attendance in relation to social, psychosocial, and health-related factors. Register-based and questionnaire-based data covering 3,804 human service organisation workers over a three-year period were analyzed at individual and work-unit level. The results showed positive relationships between work attendance and male gender, high income, work commitment, job satisfaction, and having positive feelings towards work. High work attendance combined with work commitment, stress, or pain did not show any negative long-term effects upon short-term or long-term sick leave. Instead, work attendance seemed to be more associated with stable patterns of behaviour. Register-based measures of work attendance (at most 4–7 days of sick leave per worker per year) may be a useful tool in managing psychosocial work environment and related behaviour, but their inability to encompass information regarding individual health and disease must be borne in mind.
Employment status of women with disabilities from the Behavioral	Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (1995–2002)
Authors: Smith Diane Lynn
Published: December 2024

Among working aged adults (18–64) with disabilities, three out of 10 (32%) work full or part-time, compared to eight out of 10 (81%) of those without disabilities [9]. In addition, 24.7% of women with a severe disability and 27.8% of men with a severe disability are employed, while women with a non-severe disability have an employment rate of 68.4% and men with a non-severe disability have an employment rate of 85.1% [14].

This study examined data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey from 1995–2002 to determine whether or not disparities exist in the rate of unemployment for women with disabilities, compared to men with disabilities and women and men without disabilities. In addition, regression analysis looked at the how disability and gender predict the outcome of unemployment. Results showed that there has been essentially no change with regard to employment for any of these populations.

In addition, disability and gender were found to be the strongest predictors of unemployment for women with disabilities. Possible explanations were discussed as to the reasons for the results and issues were presented for future research.
Fatigue management by truck drivers in real life situations: Some	suggestions to improve training
Authors: Fournier Pierre-Sébastien , Montreuil Sylvie , Brun Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2024

Truck driver fatigue is a major safety issue for truck drivers and the public in general. Although training prepares drivers to effectively operate a truck, it tends to minimize the importance of working constraints faced daily on-the-job and thus reduces its impact on safety and effectiveness. With experience, drivers develop skills to combat fatigue. Documenting these skills can contribute to improved training of apprentices. An ethnographic approach was used to better understand the real-life fatigue management skills of truck drivers. Participant observation was used to analyze the activity of apprentices in training and the activity of truck drivers at work. Observations indicated that training focused on time management and regulations, but did not prepare trainees to manage real-life constraints. Experienced drivers were not merely managing time; rather they were managing working constraints (including time) as a whole. To do so, they used two strategies: managing psycho-physical transformations and dynamic work planning. By integrating psycho-physical preoccupations into all aspects of work and by preparing future drivers to face real-life constraints, we could better train and prepare apprentices. Drivers do develop effective skills to combat fatigue which can improve training and better prepare future drivers to face daily constraints. These improvements can have a significant impact on fatigue and safety in the transportation industry.
Does self-efficacy predict return-to-work after sickness absence?	A prospective study among 930 employees with sickness absence for three weeks	or more
Authors: Labriola Merete , Lund Thomas , Christensen Karl B. , Albertsen Karen , Bültmann Ute , Jensen Jette N. , Villadsen Ebbe
Published: December 2024

Aim: To compare levels of self-efficacy among the general working population and employees with sickness absence from work, and to examine if general self-efficacy measured before occurrence of sickness absence predicted subsequent onset of sickness absence and Return-to-Work.

Methods: The study follows a cohort of 5357 working employees and 106 long-term sickness absent employees in Denmark. They were interviewed in 2000 regarding self-efficacy and various co-variates, and followed for 78 weeks in a national sickness absence register. Cox regression analysis was performed in order to assess the effect of self-efficacy on Return-to- Work after sickness absence.

Results: General self-efficacy was significantly lower among those with sickness absence compared to the general working population. Self-efficacy showed no statistically significant association with later onset of sickness absence or with Return-to-Work.

Conclusion: The results may suggest that lower self-efficacy among employees with sickness absence is a result of the sickness absence itself rather than a precursor of it. This indicates a need to investigate the potential change in self-efficacy in relation to the employee's change in labor market status; this will help to focus Return-to-Work interventions where planning has to be attentive towards the change in self-efficacy that can occur after onset of disease and sickness absence.
Effects of a ball-backrest chair on the muscles associated with	upper crossed syndrome when working at a VDT
Authors: Yoo Won-gyu , Yi Chung-hwi , Kim Min-hee
Published: December 2024

This study examined the effect of a ball-backrest chair on the weakness and tightness of muscles associated with upper crossed syndrome when working at a visual display terminal (VDT). The surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the serratus anterior, middle trapezius, and upper trapezius muscles of 20 adults as they performed VDT work, which are known as the weakened and tightened muscles of upper crossed syndrome. The recorded signals were averaged and normalized to the mean amplitude of the EMG signal obtained during submaximal reference voluntary contractions. The significance of differences between the use of a general-purpose backrest and a ball backrest was tested by paired t-test, with the significance cutoff set at α=0.05. The activities of the serratus anterior and middle trapezius muscles increased and that of the upper trapezius muscle decreased when sitting in a ball-backrest chair compared to when sitting in a chair with a general-purpose backrest (p<0.05). These results indicate that the use of a ball-backrest chair reduces the risk of patients with upper crossed syndrome developing muscles soreness or injury related to overuse when working at a VDT.
Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability	and Health (ICF) in job placement
Authors: Homa Debra B.
Published: December 2024

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) presents a new paradigm for understanding health and health-related conditions and promises to be a useful tool in job placement. The ICF framework is compatible with ecological, systems-based approaches to placement and can assist vocational rehabilitation professionals in identifying needed interventions, implementing effective placement strategies, and assessing employment outcomes. This article presents an overview of the ICF, its potential applications in job placement practice and research, and provides a case study example. Current limitations of the ICF and possible future directions are also discussed.
Brain hemisphere dominance and vocational preference: A	preliminary analysis
Authors: Szirony Gary Michael , Pearson L. Carolyn , Burgin John S. , Murray Gerald C. , Elrod Lisa Marie
Published: December 2024

Recent developments in split-brain theory add support to the concept of specialization within brain hemispheres. Holland's vocational personality theory may overlap with Human Information Processing (HIP) characteristics. Holland's six RIASEC codes were developed to identify vocational personality characteristics, and HIP scales were designed to measure hemispheric laterality. Relationships between the two scales were evaluated through canonical correlation with some significant results, however not all Holland scale scores correlated with left, right, or integrated hemispheric preference. Additional findings related to participants self-perception of music and math ability were also correlated. Findings on this added analysis revealed a high correlation between perception of musical ability and right brain function but not between mathematical concept and left brain alone. Implications regarding vocational choice and work are discussed.
The treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in an extended care	psychiatric rehabilitation program
Authors: Rank Michael G. , Chaffin Iris , Figley Charles R. , Lawrence Tiffany
Published: December 2024

This research study intended to determine which patient diagnostic group benefited most from an extended care psychiatric rehabilitation program (Program). Archival data were used to assess the completion rates among those subjected to one or more of the Program's treatment modalities. A correlational design was used to determine whether demographic or diagnostic variables were related to program completion. The results indicate that patients with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder are the most likely diagnostic groups to benefit from participation in an extended care psychiatric rehabilitation program. Those patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or substance abuse may not be appropriate for this type of treatment program, and in this study, were the least likely to benefit.
Negotiating accommodations so that work-based education	facilitates career development for youth with disabilities
Authors: Hutchinson Nancy L. , Versnel Joan , Chin Peter , Munby Hugh
Published: December 2024

Workers with disabilities are entitled to have their individual needs accommodated in a way that allows them to perform the essential duties of their job. However, adults with disabilities are often lacking in career development and are ill-prepared to negotiate workplace accommodations. This has led educators to seek workplaces that can accommodate the needs of adolescents with disabilities, so these adolescents can learn to negotiate accommodations and enhance their career development through work-based education. This paper reports on two case studies in which employers had agreed to accommodate the needs of adolescents with disabilities participating in work-based education. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framed the analyses of these two cases – a case of a student with physical disabilities and a case of a student with developmental disabilities. SCCT proves valuable in understanding the role of work-based education in the career development of disabled youth.
"I'm still swimming"
Authors: Rebeiro-Gruhl Karen L. , Laporte Raymond
Published: December 2024

Treatment of bipolar affective disorder is often difficult and lengthy. Enabling participation in a return to work process is equally daunting, primarily due to the dramatic and oftentimes sudden shifts in mood and thought. The following case study attempts to illustrate the complicated process of return to [and stay at] work for an individual who has mixed bipolar affective disorder. Work has always played a significant role in Ray's life and remains a valued goal and accomplishment for Ray. Work has been a means to structure and routine, and it has been from this routine that wellness has become possible for Ray. The metaphor, "I'm still swimming" helps to illustrate the continual treading of water, which both Ray and his occupational therapist [first author] have experienced over the past 6 years. This case study illustrates the strategies employed in maximizing the person-environment-occupation fit for Ray, as well as the importance of collaboration and partnership in the return-to-work process. It is also meant to stimulate thought and discussion about what is important for occupational therapists, and other health professionals to consider, when attempting the task of return-to-work for an individual with mixed bipolar affective disorder.
Effects of government policies on the work of home care personnel	and their occupational health and safety
Authors: Cloutier Esther , David Hélène , Ledoux Élise , Bourdouxhe Madeleine , Gagnon Isabelle , Ouellet François
Published: December 2024

The health sector in Québec (Canada) is dealing with profound macro-economic and macro-organizational changes. This article is interested in the impact of these changes on the work of home health aides (HHAs) and home care nurses and their occupational health and safety (OHS). The study was carried out in the home care services (HCS) of four local community service centres (CLSC) with different organizational characteristics. It is based on an analysis by triangulation of 66 individual and group interviews, 22 observed workdays and 35 observed multidisciplinary or professional meetings, as well as on administrative documents. HHAs are experiencing an erosion of their job because the relational and affective aspects of their work are disappearing. This may be due to an increase in their physical workload, leading to an increase in musculoskeletal problems and, to a lesser extent, in psychological health problems. Nurses are seeing an increase in the volume of invisible work that they have to do, which also has the effect of decreasing the relational aspects of their activity. The increasingly numerous psychological health problems are the consequence of this change in their profession. This study also shows that managers' decisions at the local level can reduce or increase the work constraints of HHAs and nurses. Examples of good practices for HHAs are the stabilization of clienteles and the possibility of organizing their itinerary, while for nurses, it is in how clientele follow-up tools are implemented.

This article discusses the effects of government policies and decisions on the work and OHS of home care personnel. To address this subject, we use a specific analysis of the workload of home health aides (HHAs) and nurses. We will show the relationships between managers' organizational choices to respond to governmental constraints and the resulting work changes. We will also look at their consequences on occupational health and safety (OHS) and on the work of different personnel.
Multi-professional vocational rehabilitation group meetings with	female clients: A qualitative study
Authors: Jakobsson Björn , Bergroth Alf , Ekholm Jan , Ekholm Kristina Schüldt , Svedlund Marianne
Published: December 2024

Many women require vocational rehabilitation before they can return to work.

The objective with the present study was to describe female clients' situation during the rehabilitation process, as it became apparent during the rehabilitation meetings with the various actors involved. The clients' diagnoses varied, but the majority was affected with musculoskeletal disorders. The meetings were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, after which they were analysed by qualitative content analysis. The following themes emerged: Adaptation to the rehabilitation group; client's health status; the workplace's significance for rehabilitation; and the client's decision-point. Conflict between health and work was immensely important for rehabilitation. Differences in attitude were apparent during the rehabilitation meetings, as some clients were passive and exercised less influence on the planning, than the other more active clients did.
Which work factors determine job satisfaction?
Authors: Roelen C.A.M. , Koopmans P.C. , Groothoff J.W.
Published: December 2024

Background: Job satisfaction is associated with mental health. Employees could be counselled on how they feel about their work. If specific aspects of their job are causing particular dissatisfaction, they could be assisted to appropriately change these aspects.

Objective: There is no 'gold standard' indicating the aspects that should be taken into account when job satisfaction is measured. This study investigated which work factors determine job satisfaction.

Method: A self-report questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 822 out of 1908 active employees. The questionnaire examined overall job satisfaction as well as satisfaction with specific work aspects using valid single-item measures.

Results: The response rate was 63%. Overall job satisfaction was 5.3 ± 1.3 on a Likert-scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The work factors explained 54% of the variance in job satisfaction. Specific satisfaction with task variety, colleagues, working conditions, and workload were positively related to overall job satisfaction, as were career perspectives and job autonomy.

Conclusion: Task variety, working conditions, workload, and career perspectives determine the greater part of job satisfaction. An instrument including these factors would provide beneficial information beyond current measures of job satisfaction.
Organizational impact on psychosocial working conditions
Authors: Bolin Malin , Marklund Staffan , Bliese Paul
Published: December 2024

Using a multilevel approach, this study explores how job demands and control are dependent on the organizational context in which work is performed. The data set consisted of 3,485 employees at 51 establishments divided into 141 sub-units and belonging to 10 parent organizations. Data were collected by means of a survey answered by the employees and structured interviews conducted with operative managers at participating establishments. The results showed that a significant proportion of the variance in job demands and control was attributed to the organization, and that the three organizational levels varied in terms of their impact on the two psychosocial dimensions. More specifically, job demands were mostly affected by the establishment level, while the sub-unit level seemed to be the most important for job control. It is concluded that in studies of working conditions, the organizational context should be considered.
Balancing health, work, and daily life: Design and evaluation of a	pilot intervention for persons with HIV/AIDS
Authors: Bedell Gary
Published: December 2024

Purpose: To design and evaluate a pilot intervention to promote self-management skills and work transition for persons with HIV/AIDS. The seven-week group intervention consisted of 1.5-hour bi-weekly sessions focused on goal setting and developing strategies to manage health, work and daily life routines while participating in a job skills training program in New York City.

Methods: Six successive groups received the intervention over the course of two years (n = 53). Existing and newly-developed measures were used to examine key outcomes. Differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention scores on outcome measures were examined using paired-tests and effect sizes. Employment outcomes and participant satisfaction were examined post-intervention.

Results: The intervention was feasible to implement and sessions were viewed favorably by the majority of participants. Moderate to large effect sizes were found immediately post-intervention in participants' perceived ability to work and balance health, work and daily life. Fifty two percent of the participants were working part or full time and 41% were actively searching for employment at three to five months follow-up. Small effect sizes demonstrating improved outcomes at follow-up were found in symptom severity, self-advocacy and medication adherence self-efficacy. Small effect sizes demonstrating a potential decrement in outcomes at follow-up were found in participants' need satisfaction and perceived symptom impact on work performance.

Conclusions: The results are promising, but further research is needed due to design limitations and the preliminary nature of the intervention and measures used. The potential decrement in outcomes might reflect a shift in participants' needs or view of how their health affected work performance and suggests that ongoing supports were needed post-intervention.
Health and disability pension – An intersection of disease,	psychosocial stress and gender. Long term follow up of persons with impairment	of the loco motor system
Authors: Kaiser Per-Olof , Mattsson Bengt , Marklund Staffan , Wimo Anders
Published: December 2024

Objectives: To evaluate the outcome after 1, 2, 3 and 10 years of rehabilitation conducted by the Swedish Social Insurance Office, in relation to socioeconomic, psychosocial and gender aspects.

Study design: A retro and prospective study of 372 individuals rehabilitated by the National Swedish Insurance Office 1993–1994. Diagnose, socio demographic data, Sense of Coherence and Perceived Health were compared with register data in terms of sickness benefit and disability pension up to 10 years.

Results: At the 10 year follow up 52% of the men and 57% of the women were granted any kind of DP. 82% of the men with low PH and women with a PM or a low PH had any kind of benefit 10 year after rehabilitation started. High age and low PH increases the risk of a full DP after 3 as well as 10 years for both men and women. At the 3 year follow up however, low education was also important for a full DP for men and having a Psychosocial Marker for women. The factors civil status and kind of profession did not significantly relate to a full DP after 10 year.

Conclusions: In different ways factors as age, education, psychosocial stress, Sense of Coherence and Perceived Health mediate the rehabilitation process in significant ways by affecting the manifestation of the disease itself and/or via the context in which the rehabilitation takes place, in combination with individual factors that acts over a long time. Age and Perceived Health seems to be the most important factors of them all.
Initial development of a work-related assessment of dysexecutive	syndrome: The Complex Task Performance Assessment
Authors: Wolf Timothy J. , Morrison Tracy , Matheson Leonard
Published: December 2024

This article describes the initial development of the Complex Task Performance Assessment (CTPA) as a work-related assessment of dysexecutive syndrome.

Methods: A cross-sectional case-control pilot study using the Complex Task Performance Assessment (CTPA) and a neuropsychological battery consisting of subtests from the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS) were used with a population of adults with mild stroke and a control group of healthy community participants (n = 9).

Results: A correlation matrix between the DKEFS and the CTPA found no significant relationships between overall performance efficiency on the CTPA compared to the DKEFS scaled scores. In contrast, four of the six variables tested on the CTPA were found to have significant differences between the mild stroke group and the controls (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The sensitivity of the CTPA in this pilot sample justifies future study to provide a link between traditional neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation professionals' observation of performance related to return to work. Neuroperformance assessment such as the CTPA will provide clinicians with a way to identify dysexecutive syndrome and higher-level cognitive processing deficits in the context of care.
Suicide risk and exposure to mobbing
Authors: Pompili Maurizio , Lester David , Innamorati Marco , De Pisa Eleonora , Iliceto Paolo , Puccinno Marianna , Nastro Paolo Fiori , Tatarelli Roberto , Girardi Paolo
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to study suicide risk in subjects exposed to mobbing, that is, systematic psychological harassment in the workplace. Such psychological harassment, unique to the workplace, threatens both the emotional well-being and professional ability of its victims. The items of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) that assess suicide risk were studied in 102 individuals who were exposed to mobbing. The results indicated that individuals exposed to mobbing had clear differences on the MMPI-2 from normative samples. In addition, those who appeared to be at risk for suicide differed in their scores from those not at risk. Implications for psychopathology and suicide preventions are discussed.
Ergonomics for children: An educational program for elementary	school
Authors: Heyman E. , Dekel H.
Published: December 2024

Studies indicate that musculoskeletal discomfort and back pain problems are evident not only in adults, but also in children [11,13]. We believe that educating towards a balanced-posture, body-function and movement patterns, as well as their ergonomic implications, can minimize and even prevent these problems. Such an ergonomics awareness educational program has to start at childhood and should be an integral part of the curriculum in the schools.

This article presents the educational program "Ergonomics, Movement and Posture" (EMP), which is taught in elementary schools by Physical Education (PE) students of the Kibbutzim College of Education in Israel, as part of their practicum. Although there has been no formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the program, so far, participating children, their parents, the teachers and the principles have offered positive feedback.
Occupational rehabilitation services provided by a community	workers health centre in Hong Kong: A case study
Authors: Chan Elaine Y.L. , Woo Karen W.S. , Tang Tina M.Y.
Published: December 2024

Background: In Hong Kong, the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO), based on the model of the English Workmen's Compensation Act 1943, establishes a no-fault, non-contributory system for work injuries. It focuses merely on the minimum social expectation in compensating injured workers in monetary terms, but does not place much emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation and return to work polices for workers with injury. There is a need to reform an effective and comprehensive occupational rehabilitation system for workers with work injury in Hong Kong.

Methods: This paper presents a case study of a worker with work injury undergoing occupational rehabilitation through services provided in the local community setting by the Hong Kong Workers' Health Centre.

Results: The case study highlights some crucial factors and/or intervention modalities in facilitating workers' return to work, including timely intervention, work-site based rehabilitation, communication among different stakeholders, dynamics of company, rehabilitation counselling, community integration and individualized work resettlement.

Conclusion: Without reviewing and revamping the current ECO, the goal to provide timely and effective occupational rehabilitation services for workers with injury could not be fully achieved.
Occupational driving as a risk factor in low back pain: A	case-control study in a Mexican population
Authors: Prado-León Lilia R. , Aceves-González Carlos , Avila-Chaurand Rosalío
Published: December 2024

The objective of this study was to assess and quantify the degree to which interaction between occupational driving and lifting tasks is a risk factor in lumbar spondyloarthrosis etiology. A case-control study was performed with 231 workers, 18–55 years old, insured by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS, according to its designation in Spanish). A multivariate analysis using conditional logistical regression showed that driving tasks, when combined with lifting tasks, are associated with this illness (OR = 7.3; 95% CI 1.7–31.4). Occupational driving as it interacted with daily lifting frequency resulted in a greater risk (OR = 10.4; 95% CI 2.0–52.5). No exposure-response relationship was found with daily hours spent working as a driver. The attributable risk for driving tasks was 0.86, suggesting that 86% of lumbar spondyloarthrosis could be decreased if risk factors were reduced through ergonomic redesign of the workplace and Manual Materials Handling (MMH) tasks, along with development of educational programs.
A study of the effectiveness of ergonomically-based functional	screening tests and their relationship to reducing worker compensation	injuries
Authors: Anderson Charles , Briggs Jim
Published: December 2024

Objectives: This paper summarizes a series of studies of the effectiveness of ergonomically based functional screening tests for post offer pre-placement of applicants for physically demanding jobs, and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries. Three predictive validation studies and a meta-analysis of injury rates pre- and post-implementation of physical ability testing at 175 locations are included.

Methods: The strength and energy expenditure demands of physically-strenuous warehouse jobs in three industries were documented through ergonomic analysis. A battery of strength and endurance tests were developed to assess applicants' abilities to meet the measured physical demands. Predictive validation studies were performed for the jobs in each of the three industries. In each study, new-hires were given the physical ability test battery and then placed on the job. Management was not informed of the results of the tests. Injury experience and work history were then monitored over a two year period in each study. Injury rates and retention were then compared for individuals who passed and individuals who failed the battery. As the battery was implemented in other locations, the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year prior to implementation was compared to the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year after implementation.

Conclusions: A meta-analysis of the three predictive validation studies indicated that new-hires who passed the battery had a 47% lower worker compensation injury rate and 21% higher retention. A meta-analysis of the 175 pre/post-implementation studies indicated a 41% reduction in worker compensation injuries associated with implementation of ergonomically based physical ability tests.
The unmet vocational rehabilitation needs of women with	HIV/AIDS
Authors: Conyers Liza , Datti Paul
Published: December 2024

This article discusses the growing population of women with HIV/AIDS as an emergent disability group with unique needs for vocational rehabilitation services. Data from the National Working Positive Coalition Employment Needs Survey for people living with HIV/AIDS was used to describe the demographic, economic, health, and employment characteristics of a sample of 122 female respondents. Findings make several contributions to understanding this emerging population and their vocational development needs including limited knowledge of employment resources, incentives and barriers to employment, and unmet needs for vocational rehabilitation services. Implications for vocational rehabilitation professionals and future research are discussed.