Work-A Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation最新文献

Background: Sick leave and ill health due to stress are significant concerns today and negatively affect the individual, the organisations, and the community. High demands, multitasking, and inexplicit boundaries between different occupations contribute to an explanation. However, research shows that more qualitative studies are needed to better understand this issue and how to promote health in the working population.

Objective: The study aims to explore participants' experiences of maintaining or regaining occupational health in their everyday life, including paid work, several years after sick leave.

Method: Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using inductive content analysis. The analysis resulted in one major theme and three categories describing the current experiences handling their everyday life and work situations.

Results: The result showed that returning to work and maintaining occupational health after sick leave due to occupational ill health calls for "flex-ability". The term describes that individuals need to be open to change and adapt to new challenges at work and in everyday life.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of health-promotive organisations where the individual factor is more considered. Furthermore, a broader view of health-promotive work in society where work is included in everyday life, instead of divided into and outside of work, is needed.

Background: Percussion massage therapy (PMT) integrates traditional massage with vibration therapy.

Objective: This study compared the effects of percussion massage therapy (PMT), kinesiology tape (KT), and dynamic stretching (DS) on shoulder strength, proprioception, and functionality.

Methods: The KT group had kinesiology tape applied to the deltoid muscles. The DS group performed dynamic stretching in flexion and abduction. The PMT group received percussion massage on the deltoid muscles. Assessments included the Becure system for joint position sense (JPS), the Timed Functional Arm and Shoulder Test (TFAST), and a hand-held dynamometer for muscle strength.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in almost all JPS parameters for all groups (p < 0.05). Total TFAST scores improved in all groups. Muscle strength significantly improved in the DS group (p < 0.05), while PMT and KT groups showed no significant change (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the groups (p < 0.05). JPS 30°, 60°, and 90° flexion parameters had effect sizes of 0.51, 0.64, and 0.49, respectively; JPS 30°, 60°, and 90° abduction parameters had effect sizes of 0.38, 0.46, and 0.45, respectively. The effect size for Total TFAST was 0.55, flexion muscle strength 0.59, and abduction muscle strength 0.68. DS was more effective for muscle strength, DS and PMT for functionality, and KT and PMT for proprioception (p < 0.017).

Conclusions: PMT and KT were more effective for proprioception, PMT and DS were more effective for functionality, and DS was most efficient in enhancing muscle strength.

Background: Occupational exposures can endanger the health of pregnant workers and their unborn children. The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health of Unisanté has established a specialized occupational health consultation to assist pregnant workers, employers and gynecologists in implementing maternity protection provisions in the workplace.

Objective: The study aims to assess the satisfaction of the users of the consultation, describe their overall experience and identify the benefits and limitations of the consultation.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used. A telephone questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions was administered to pregnant workers who had attended the consultation in 2021, as well as to their employers and gynecologists. Quantitative data on users' satisfaction were statistically analyzed using STATA 17, while responses to open-ended questions were thematically analyzed using MAXQDA20.

Results: All users expressed high levels of satisfaction: 95% of pregnant workers, 88% of employers and 97% of gynecologists were satisfied with the consultation. Users highlighted the value of the consultation in providing insight into the legal framework and occupational risks, as well as the neutrality and support of occupational health physicians. However, they reported challenges in implementing recommended measures and ineffective monitoring of their application.

Conclusions: The study indicates that users are highly satisfied with the services provided by the consultation. It is recommended that these services be maintained and extended to other regions of Switzerland, with particular attention to pregnant women who do not have access to such services in their company.

Background: Low-wage workers carry a disproportionate burden of chronic condition morbidity due to their overall socioeconomic disadvantage and the risks accrued from low-wage work environments. Studies show low-wage work is linked to more occupational hazards, higher physical demands, more stress, lack of access to health insurance coverage and paid sick leave, and poverty - all of which result in poorer health. Work accommodations are modifications in the workplace setting that can help minimize health-related work limitations, and in some countries, employers are required to make "reasonable accommodations," by law, for workers with chronic health conditions.

Objective: The purpose of this scoping review is to identify what is known about work accommodations for low-wage workers globally.

Methods: A systematic search of literature, using the PRISMA-ScR protocol, was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases through July 2024. Screening and data abstraction were performed by two independent reviewers. Studies that incorporated work accommodations as a variable and provided findings specific to low-wage workers were included.

Results: The search produced 473 citations; 14 met inclusion criteria. Health conditions represented were variable. Most studies used descriptive designs, and over half used a qualitative approach.

Conclusion: More studies are needed reflecting low-wage workers' requests for and receipt of work accommodations. Work accommodations may be an important target for intervention among populations with chronic health conditions towards reducing morbidity, work limitations, and health inequities.

Background: This study addresses the gap in evidence-based interventions for work stress, burnout, and coping strategies among sports coaches, which are critical for their psychological health and performance.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the novel application of a mindfulness training program to alleviate stress, burnout, and enhance coping strategies among sports coaches.

Methods: Sixty-one coaches were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 30) and control group (n = 31). The experimental group completed a four-week, twice-weekly 90-min mindfulness training. Assessments included the five facets mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) and measures of job pressure, burnout, and coping strategies, with analyses of correlations and linear regressions between mindfulness and these factors.

Results: The FFMQ correlated negatively with various stressors (R ranging from -0.331 to -0.943, p < 0.001) and burnout indicators (R = -0.414 to -0.480, p < 0.001). Job pressure predicted mindfulness levels (β = -0.973), with a predictive model: Y = 206.275-0.973 * job pressure. The experimental group's FFMQ scores rose by 13.9% at week four (p = 0.003), with reductions in job pressure, external competition, and negative coping (7.4%, 20.3%, and 18.1% respectively, p < 0.05). They also outperformed the control group in FFMQ scores and stress measures at week four (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: A four-week mindfulness program significantly enhances mindfulness, reduces job stress, burnout, and negative coping among sports coaches, underscoring its potential as an evidence-based intervention for improving work performance and mental health.

Background:: Musculoskeletal disorders are widespread among sedentary office workers, impacting both their physical and mental well-being. There is increasing interest in incorporating herbal interventions as part of a holistic approach to address these challenges, blending traditional and culturally relevant treatments with modern techniques to enhance overall health and wellness.

Objective:: This commentary aims to highlight the role of utilizing electronic platforms to provide consultations regarding herbal medicine (or tele-herbal consultations) in managing musculoskeletal disorders and impacting pain relief, changes in psychological well-being, and improvements in workplace productivity among sedentary office workers.

Methods:: This study discusses the influence of herbal treatments on both physical and psychological dimensions of musculoskeletal disorders, offering insights into holistic healing approaches, based on previously published papers. It also highlights the feasibility and acceptance of tele-herbal consultations.

Results:: The data gathered from previous studies shows that herbal interventions can enhance both subjective physical performance and psychological well-being in office workers. Tele-herbal consultation may be a culturally sensitive solution to provide pain relief and improvements in workplace productivity.

Conclusion:: Although the findings of previous studies are encouraging, further research is needed to establish standardized tele-herbal protocols that can effectively relieve pain, boost well-being, and promote a more active, health-conscious lifestyle for office workers. Ultimately, these interventions could lead to improvements in workplace productivity.

Background: Although work is reported to positively affect wellbeing and life satisfaction post-stroke, returning to work can be challenging.

Objective: The study objective was to identify the strategies used to cope by adults who had stroke during return-to-work processes.

Method: This was an exploratory qualitative study grounded in interpretative approaches. Individuals who have had stroke were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the coping strategies that participants used. Transcripts were analyzed deductively.

Results: Twenty-seven participants completed the face-to-face interviews. The median age of participants was 61 years (interquartile range = 55-64). A majority were male (n = 19, 70.4%), Chinese (n = 20, 74.1%), and married (n = 21, 78.8%). All participants were employed before their stroke. Twenty participants (74.1%) reported that they had returned to work. The findings indicated that participants utilized a mix of problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies during their return-to-work process. While both types of coping strategies were used, participants who returned to work predominantly utilized problem-focused coping strategies.

Conclusions: Individuals returned to work by utilizing a combination of coping strategies to manage the effects of stroke. This suggests that comprehensive services are important to address personal and occupational challenges to assist stroke victims in resuming work.

Background: Automated driving offers enjoyable and comfortable trips, though not everyone will find the experience pleasant. Some special populations such as elderly people, individuals with physical or cognitive impairments, and pregnant women face different difficulties in mobility services to conduct their daily activities and, consequently, also in using new technologies like autonomous vehicles.

Objective: This study aims to review the specific needs, concerns, and difficulties of special populations when using autonomous vehicles and to highlight the primary issues affecting their acceptance of these technologies.

Methods: A review of 48 papers was conducted to identify the special needs, concerns, and difficulties faced by various demographic groups, including elderly individuals, people with physical disabilities, and pregnant women, in using or approaching the use of autonomous vehicles.

Results: The review revealed that aging individuals have received more attention by scientific community compared to other disabled populations. Acceptance of autonomous vehicles was identified as the primary issue across all surveyed groups. Safety, comfort, and dependability were also significant concerns, particularly among individuals with special needs.

Conclusions: This study outlines the unique concerns of various demographic groups using autonomous vehicles, with acceptance highlighted as a common issue. Designing user-friendly interfaces tailored to diverse demographics could enhance acceptance and improve the overall travel experience for those needing constant support.

Background: Educators are often viewed as emotional laborers who must be attuned to the emotional challenges of their profession and adept at managing their feelings, while a few studies that pay attention on the emotional labor strategies for special education teachers in China. Objective: The study aimed to understand the current situation of emotional labor strategies of special education teachers in China, to examine the relationship between different emotional labor strategies and job burnout, as well as the moderating effect of psychological capital. Methods: We applied Emotional Labor strategies, Job-burnout, and Psychological Capital to investigate 349 special education teachers teaching students with developmental disabilities. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to explore the moderating role of psychological capital in the relationship between special education teachers' emotional labor strategies and job burnout. Results: We found the three emotional labor strategies applied by special education teachers were natural acting, deep acting and surface acting from high to low. The emotional labor strategies of special education teachers were negatively correlated with their job burnout. Besides, psychological capital played a moderating role in the relationship of teachers' deep acting and job burnout, and the association of teachers' nature acting and job burnout. Conclusions: Special education teachers would use emotional labor strategies to deal with complex emotional events in their work, and it's related to their burnout. Strengthening psychological capital training for special education teachers is an important strategy to reducing their job-burnout as well.