Work - Volume 44, issue 4

Authors: Katz, Noomi | Gilad Izhaky, Smadar | Ziv, Ornit | Revach, Anat

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The "Coffee Stands" project was developed to provide a work place where individuals with long term mental illness can receive job training within the community. It is similar to a supported employment program, except that it does not provide individual job placement services. The objective of the study was to describe the participants who worked at the "coffee stands", with respect to their participation in occupations, functional cognition, executive functions and awareness, perception of their …quality of life (QoL), satisfaction and self esteem. Moreover, the study aimed at examining whether changes occurred in these variables during the 6-month period in which participants worked at the coffee stands. METHODS: Participants included 44 people with chronic mental illness; 27 men and 17 women, mean age 43.43 (SD=9.02); mean years of education 11.81 (SD=1.83); mean age of illness onset 27.72 (SD=11.12) and mean number of hospitalizations 3.27 (SD=2.64). All signed an informed consent to participate in the study. A battery of eight instruments measuring the various variables was administered at two points in time; at the beginning of the work at the coffee stands and 6 months later. RESULTS: Indicated that the training was successful and that participants were able to maintain an average 3 hours of work daily, demonstrating an improvement in their perception of their ability to work. In the area of planning, they needed structure, suggesting some difficulties in executive functions, but they seemed to be aware of their difficulties. After 6 months, participants showed improvements in health related measures of QoL and satisfaction, but not in self esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The findings strengthen the premise that people coping with an emotional disorder place great importance on working, are able to work and derive satisfaction from their work. Show more

Keywords: Mental health, schizophrenia, participation, supported employment, work

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1389

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 481-490, 2013

Authors: Achterberg, Thea | Wind, Haije | Prinzie, Peter | Frings-Dresen, Monique

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the Merkmalprofile zur Eingliederung Leistungsgewandelter und Behinderter in Arbeit (MELBA). PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five young adults with psychosocial limitations. METHODS: The MELBA measures work ability in five themes: cognitive, social, work performance, psychomotor characteristics and cultural/technical communication, divided into 29 work-related items, which are assessed by work-related tasks and by observations during work performance. Two raters independently evaluated one participant during the same time/test and …independently assigned scores on 19~items out of 29. For this observational study the inter-rater reliability, expressed as the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), was calculated for every item. An ICC of at least 0.75 was considered as showing good reliability, below 0.75 was considered poor to moderate reliability. RESULTS: The ICC for six items was good: comprehension (0.81), attentiveness (0.84), problem solving (0.79), imagination (0.88), independence (0.79) and speed of reaction (1.0) showed good reliability. CONCLUSION: Especially the items of cognitive characteristics of the MELBA showed a good inter-rater reliability and can be used to measure work ability in people with psychosocial limitations. Show more

Keywords: Work capacity assessment, intraclass correlation coefficient

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1363

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 491-497, 2013

Authors: Welch, III, Charles E. | Hodgson, Michael J. | Haberfelde, Mimi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Ascertain whether Veterans Health Administration administrative medical center complexity ratings could be used to help identify potential sites for targeted nursing staff workplace violence intervention activities. PARTICIPANTS: VHA field nursing staff, classified among the nurse, practical nurse, and nursing assistant series, who administratively reported a grand total of 9,964 occupational assault incidents that occurred between October 1, 2003 and September 30, 2011. METHODS: Outcome measures were population-based standardized assault …incidence rates, as differentiated by fiscal year, medical facility complexity level, gender, and nursing staff occupation. Subgroup measures included age, highest educational attainment level, location of injury, body part most affected, day of week, and time of day. RESULTS: Across eight fiscal years, standardized incidence rates for reported assaults among females were 6.0 and 2.3 times higher for nursing assistants and practical nurses, respectively, as compared with nurses; for males, the corresponding rates for nursing assistants and practical nurses were 3.5 and 1.5 times higher, respectively. Across occupation and gender, standardized incidence rates for assaults were consistently higher among medium- and low-level facility complexity levels. Findings suggest that more attention is needed for ascertaining the potential role and functioning of facility-specific staff training for preventing assaultive behavior on VHA nursing staff. Show more

Keywords: Workplace violence, occupational injuries, medical facility complexity ratings, violence/prevention and control, violence/statistics and numeric data

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1479

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 499-507, 2013

Authors: Bedno, Sheryl A. | Cowan, David N. | Urban, Nadia | Niebuhr, David W.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of pre-accession physical fitness, as measured by a five-minute step test, with incidence of overuse injuries and outpatient healthcare utilization among male United States (US) Army recruits. PARTICIPANTS: US Army male trainees who met weight standards and took a pre-accession fitness test. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, incidence and outpatient healthcare visits for overuse injuries during the first 90 days of military service were compared between …recruits who failed the pre-accession step test with those who passed. RESULTS: The hazard rate ratio for injury among recruits who failed the fitness test compared to those who passed the test was 1.31 (95% C.I=1.20–1.44). Among the subset of recruits with at least one medical encounter for an overuse injury, the utilization rate ratio for subjects who failed the fitness test versus those who passed was 1.15 (95% C.I=1.09–1.22). Other factors associated with increased risk of injury or healthcare utilization include age, body mass index, and smoking history. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of injury and utilization were associated with fitness test results. These findings may have implications for military accession and training policy as well as for other physically demanding training programs such as police, fire fighters and athletes. Show more

Keywords: Musculoskeletal injury, military, healthcare utilization, step test

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1355

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 509-515, 2013

Article Type: Other

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 517-520, 2013

Article Type: Other

Citation: Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 521-523, 2013