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

BackgroundDue to the long hours spent in business life, the nature of the job can affect the physical activity and physical fitness level. Although some studies have been conducted showing that university employees have low levels of physical activity due to their jobs, there is no study comparing blue- and white-collar university employees whose job descriptions are more similar than in other fields.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the weekly physical activity levels and general physical fitness levels of blue-collar and white-collar employees working in a similar field in the university environment.MethodsThe study was a quantitative study with two groups. The study was carried out with the participation of academic, administrative and technical service personnel working throughout the university. White-collar employees consisted of academic and administrative staff (n:50) and blue-collar employees consisted of technical service personnel (n:50). In the study, physical activity and physical fitness levels were assessed.ResultsAs a result of the comparison of groups, statistically significant differences were found in favour of the blue-collar group for all physical activity and physical fitness parameters. Linear regression analysis showed that physical activity level was effective on dynamic balance and physical endurance,ConclusionBlue-collar university employees were better in terms of physical activity and physical fitness. White-collar university employees do not expend too much physical energy due to their job descriptions, while blue-collar employees are more physically active. Therefore, it seems that some regulations are needed to make white-collar university employees more active.

BackgroundHeat stress has a detrimental impact on workers' health, resulting in reduced workplace productivity and an increase in heat-related illnesses and fatalities. Manual paddy transplantation in Northeast India (NEI), performed under high heat and humidity, requires significant physical effort, leading to fatigue. Implementing work-rest schedules is a practical approach to minimize heat stress.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the efficacy of work-rest schedules for agricultural workers in Northeast India for manual paddy transplanting at various Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) settings.MethodFourteen participants were selected to assess thermal and physiological stress during rice transplanting (summer crop) under WBGT conditions of 27-32 °C. Participants were given rest from work once their oral body temperature increased by 0.5 °C. Work time was defined as the period leading to this increase, while rest time was the duration needed for oral temperature to normalize, based on ISO 7933 thresholds.ResultsOral temperature increased by 0.5 °C after 65 min of work, requiring 15 min to normalize at 27-28 °C. Recommended work-rest durations were 65 min and 15 min, respectively. At 29-30 °C and 31-32 °C, work-rest durations were 50 and 20 min, and 35 and 22 min, respectively. These findings provide a critical foundation for future research on climate-resilient occupational health strategies, particularly in regions vulnerable to rising temperatures due to global warming.ConclusionsAgricultural workers in Northeast India face heat stress during manual paddy transplantation. It is recommended that customized work-rest schedules be implemented based on WBGT conditions to enhance safety and productivity. Regular monitoring of oral temperature and heart rate is essential to prevent heat-related health issues.

BackgroundEvery year, many people around the world lose their lives due to occupational diseases and injuries. This has led industries to focus on controlling risks and preventing accidents and illnesses.ObjectiveThis research aligns with the zero-harm approach at Isfahan Mobarakeh Steel Company, aiming to compare, update, and prioritize occupational health performance indicators.MethodsA longitudinal study was conducted at Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan in 2022. Initially, occupational health indicators used by the company were collected, and the trends of 10 existing indicators from 2016 to 2021 were compared. Subsequently, these indicators were updated and categorized into 12 specialized areas. Finally, prioritization and weighting of the indicators were performed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)ResultsThe analysis of the trends in the 10 occupational health performance indicators indicated a favorable performance level at Isfahan Mobarakeh Steel Company. Among the 86 updated indicators across12 areas, measuring and evaluating harmful factors had the largest representation with 17 indicators, followed by education with 16 indicators. The prioritization results revealed that controlling harmful factors held the highest weight at 0.184, followed by the budget area at 0.137ConclusionsThe findings suggest that utilizing occupational health indicators, particularly leading indicators, serves as an effective tool for evaluating organizational performance in occupational health aimed at achieving zero-harm. However, it is essential to recognize that complete elimination of workplace injuries remains an ideal rather than a guaranteed outcome.

BackgroundAn increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the new generation of construction workers is more susceptible to work stress, which can lead to unsafe behaviors. While stress significantly influences unsafe behaviors, the interplay of various stress sources within the organizational system is equally critical.ObjectiveTo clarify the mechanisms and impact pathways of challenge-hindrance stressors in relation to the unsafe behaviors of the new generation of construction workers. This study is the first to explore the issue in China's construction industry.MethodsA hypothesis model is established based on the "stressors-strain-outcomes (SSO)" framework, examining the relationships among challenge stressors, hindrance stressors, perceived organizational support, organizational commitment, and unsafe behaviors. Data were collected from 312 new-generation construction workers, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for hypothesis testing and empirical analysis.ResultsThe results showed that challenge stressors negatively affected unsafe behaviors, hindrance stressors positively affected unsafe behaviors, and the connection between challenge-hindrance stressors and unsafe behaviors is mediated by organizational commitment. Perceived organizational support positively moderated the connection between challenge stressors and unsafe behaviors.ConclusionThe results can provide theoretical support for managing the stressors experienced by the new generation of construction workers.

BackgroundAs the most common cancer among women, returning to work has become a problem for breast cancer patients in the rehabilitation period.ObjectiveTo explore in-depth the psychological changes that breast cancer patients undergo and the factors that hinder or facilitate their return to work after cancer treatment.MethodsThe study used a phenomenological approach and involved a sample of ten breast cancer patients who had returned to work or planned to return to work while on endocrine therapy or after completing all curative treatments.ResultsTwo themes emerged from the interviews: (1) the mental journey of breast cancer patients when they returned to work, which involved three stages: avoiding returning to work, embracing reality and setting sail again, and grasping today and harvesting the future; (2) factors that affected breast cancer patients' return to work, including economic pressure, work stress, the patient's mindset towards their illness, pursuit of social values, and social support.ConclusionsBased on these influencing factors, interventions should be developed to enable patients to maintain a positive and optimistic attitude during their rehabilitation process.

BackgroundThe construction industry is vital for employment, making productivity and safety improvements crucial.ObjectiveTo address the persistent lack of integrated spatial and quantitative construction risk assessments, this study introduces a novel hybrid approach that merges the Construction Safety Risk Index with Kernel Density Estimation. This methodology fills an essential research gap in proactive construction risk management.MethodThis study was conducted during the 2023-2024 period within a large construction project. The study employed the CSRI technique and the KDE method. To implement this study, an information plan related to each section, along with an item description table and a probability and severity index table, was provided to the experts. By completing the item description table, the CSRI number for each item was determined. Ultimately, the output from the Kernel tool produced accident risk maps for each floor.ResultsThe results indicate that most locations, including openings, electrical cables, electrical panels, gas lines, elevator shafts, and tower movement areas, were categorized within the yellow zones, which fall within the tolerable range. Approximately 62% of risk-prone zones were classified as yellow (tolerable). However, in certain areas, high-risk items interact with one another, resulting in some points on the map being marked in red. More than 85% of recorded incidents matched predicted red zones.ConclusionThis study successfully integrates the CSRI and KDE to spatially assess construction risks. Most hazards fall within tolerable zones, while high-risk interactions create critical hotspots. The hybrid approach enhances proactive risk management, enabling targeted safety interventions.

BackgroundA lack of attention to hand and food hygiene may result in food workers to absent themselves from their duties. In such a case, the probability of an outbreak can be mitigated by halting the contact of infected individuals with foodstuffs during the food processing phase.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the regulatory role of job satisfaction in the effect of fear of disease transmission on hand and food hygiene attitudes among café workers.MethodsThe study sample comprises 677 café employees. The data collection tools employed in the study were the Disease Contagion/Transmission Scale, the Hand and Food Hygiene Attitude Scale, and the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale. Hayes's (2018) Process Macro was utilized to examine the regulatory effect, and Model 1 was selected. The relationships between the measurement tools utilized in the study were interpreted with the assistance of Pearson correlation analysis. For statistical significance, p < .05 was preferred.ResultsThe findings indicate that job satisfaction plays a regulatory role in the effect of fear of disease contagion/transmission on hand and food hygiene attitudes. Individuals with high levels of job satisfaction and fear of disease contagion/transmission demonstrate higher hand and food hygiene attitudes. Upon analysis of the regression results, it was determined that job satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on food hygiene attitudes.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate that enhancing job satisfaction is a key factor in fostering positive outcomes with regard to food hygiene attitudes.

BackgroundEffective workload management in education is crucial for student well-being with nature-based Virtual Reality (VR) interventions presenting a viable solution. Most publications primarily examined high-end VR devices with immersive Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), leading to a study gap in areas with restricted access to advanced VR technology.ObjectivesThis study explores the impact of a low-cost non-immersive VR environment on students' workload and cognitive performance in an educational context.MethodsThe participants were divided into two groups: a control group using traditional screen-based tasks and an intervention group using low-cost VR tools. Subjective workload was assessed using NASA-TLX and the participants were further categorized based on their perceived workload levels. Objective physiological data, including heart rate variability (HRV) and galvanic skin response (GSR), were recorded, and cognitive performance was measured using the Pauli Test.ResultsThe results showed no significant differences in physiological, psychological, or performance outcomes between the control and intervention groups, implying that non-immersive VR did not significantly affect stress levels. Due to the limited sensory engagement, non-immersive VR did not activate the body or engage cognition effectively.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the non-immersive VR intervention not sufficient to produce measurable cognitive impact. Future research is encouraged to investigate the potential of immersive VR environments, which might provide a greater sensory experience. In addition, longer exposure durations should be examined to enhance understanding of the effects on cognitive load, relaxation, and overall well-being in nature-based VR applications. Even though differences were not statistically significant, non-immersive VR still reduced stress and enhanced engagement.

BackgroundBody awareness is a topic, which has been investigating by the scientists, recently.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine effects of low back health education (BHE) on physical function and body awareness in academicians.MethodsThis study is a randomized controlled study. 94 academicians (47 in intervention group and 47 controls) (mean age: 43.22 ± 10.924 years) participated. Participants were evaluated before and after 6-week BHE and exercise program. To evaluate physical functions, One Leg Standing Test, Half Squat, Curl-Up, and Sit and Reach Test were used. The Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) was used to assess body awareness (BA) of participants. Intervention group received BHE, including back school. After the education program, they participated in exercise program (six weeks; one day a week). Control group was only given an informative brochure about BHE.ResultsAll parameters in terms of physical function increased in both groups (p ≤ 0.05). However, when the groups were compared, difference was found to be significant in favor of intervention group (p ≤ 0.05). BA scores also increased at the end of six weeks in both groups (p ≤ 0.05). But no differences were found between the groups (p ≥ 0.05), except for body response estimation in BAQ (p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsThe results showed that exercise program increased physical functions rather than BA.

BackgroundDespite continual efforts globally in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), they remain one of the most common occupational injuries with individual, organisational and societal impacts.ObjectiveThis scoping review analysed 265 studies on WMSDs published between January 2013 and December 2024, aiming to assess the quality of evidence, identify risk factors, and examine risk assessment tools used.MethodsA systematic search in Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Scopus, including subscription-based and open-access journals identified relevant studies. Inclusion criteria focused on WMSD risk assessment in occupational settings. Data extraction covered study characteristics, risk factors, assessment tools, and methodological quality.ResultsThe review revealed a significant increase in WMSD research in recent years, particularly from 2021 to 2024, possibly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on work tasks and conditions. Lower back, neck, and shoulder pain were the most prevalent WMSDs reported. The review identified 79 risk factors across five categories. Physical task factors were most frequently investigated, while psychosocial and environmental factors were underrepresented. Self-report tools, particularly the Nordic Questionnaire, were the most commonly used assessment methods. Our review also highlights the need for more comprehensive risk assessment approaches that consider the interconnected nature of WMSD risk factors. Additionally, about 28% of the reviewed studies did not meet adequate quality of evidence criteria, indicating a need for improved research methodologies.ConclusionsThis review provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in occupational health and safety, emphasising the importance of holistic approaches to WMSD risk assessment and management.