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ISSN 1051-9815 (P)
ISSN 1875-9270 (E)
Impact Factor 2024: 1.7
WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary, international journal which publishes high quality peer-reviewed manuscripts covering the entire scope of the occupation of work. The journal's subtitle has been deliberately laid out: The first goal is the prevention of illness, injury, and disability. When this goal is not achievable, the attention focuses on assessment to design client-centered intervention, rehabilitation, treatment, or controls that use scientific evidence to support best practice.
WORK occasionally publishes thematic issues, but in general, issues cover a wide range of topics such as ergonomic considerations with children, youth and students, the challenges facing an aging workforce, workplace violence, injury management, performing artists, ergonomic product evaluations, and the awareness of the political, cultural, and environmental determinants of health related to work.
Dr. Karen Jacobs, the founding editor, and her editorial board especially encourage the publication of research studies, clinical practice, case study reports, as well as personal narratives and critical reflections of lived work experiences (autoethnographic/autobiographic scholarship),
Sounding Board commentaries and
Speaking of Research articles which provide the foundation for better understanding research to facilitate knowledge dissemination.
Narrative Reflections on Occupational Transitions, a new column, is for persons who have successfully transitioned into, between, or out of occupations to tell their stories in a narrative form. With an internationally renowned editorial board,
WORK maintains high standards in the evaluation and publication of manuscripts. All manuscripts are reviewed expeditiously and published in a timely manner.
WORK prides itself on being an author-friendly journal.
WORK celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.
*WORK is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)* *WORK is endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)* *WORK gives out the yearly Cheryl Bennett Best Paper Award*
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Healthcare faces major challenges with provider safety and rising costs, and many organizations are using Lean to instigate change. One Lean tool, 5S, is becoming popular for improving efficiency of physical work environments, and it can also improve safety. OBJECTIVE: This paper demonstrates that safety is an integral part of 5S by examining five specific 5S events in acute care facilities. We provide two arguments for how safety is linked to 5S:1. Safety is affected by 5S…events, regardless of whether safety is a specific goal and 2. Safety can and should permeate all five S's as part of a comprehensive plan for system improvement. METHODS: Reports of 5S events from five departments in one health system were used to evaluate how changes made at each step of the 5S impacted safety. RESULTS: Safety was affected positively in each step of the 5S through initial safety goals and side effects of other changes. CONCLUSIONS: The case studies show that 5S can be a mechanism for improving safety. Practitioners may reap additional safety benefits by incorporating safety into 5S events through a safety analysis before the 5S, safety goals and considerations during the 5S, and follow-up safety analysis.
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Keywords: Lean, healthcare provider safety, quality, process improvement
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain and discomfort due to work exposure is experienced by 90% of sonographers. Survey research has provided a wealth of information to document this problem, but few studies have attempted to directly measure and identify the source of these disorders. OBJECTIVE: This pilot observational study was conducted to obtain direct measures of the relationship of sonographers to their environment during the completion of sonographic examinations. METHODS: The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment…(RULA) was used to evaluate the positions of five sonographers during 24 sonographic examinations. The observed positions were compared among the various examinations and the association of these observed postures to discomfort, sonographer height, and exam table height was evaluated. RESULTS: All participants reported an increase in musculoskeletal discomfort at the end of the workday. Overall RULA scores ranged from 3.11 to 5.00 with upper extremity venous Doppler and transvaginal pelvic examinations averaging the highest. Increasingly poor upper extremity positioning was positively associated with increased musculoskeletal discomfort (r=0.53, p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the examination being performed, sonographers are working in positions that require further evaluation and intervention. Longitudinal studies are needed that evaluate the inter-relationship of biopsychosocial risk factors of musculoskeletal injuries.
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Abstract: BACKGROUND: The static posture in visual display terminal (VDT) workers results in increased forward neck flexion and increased static muscle tension in the neck and shoulder regions. However, few studies have objectively quantified the change in head posture induced shoulder pain during VDT work. OBJECTIVE: This study elucidated changes in pressure pain in the upper trapezius muscles, cervical ROM, and the cervical flexion--relaxation ratio after continuous long-term VDT work. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve young VDT workers were recruited.…METHODS: The pressure pain of the upper trapezius muscles, active CROM, and cervical flexion--relaxation ratio were measured in all subjects once before and once after VDT work. RESULTS: The pressure pain threshold of the right upper trapezius muscle was 6.9 ± 1.6 lb before VDT work and 6.1 ± 1.0 lb after VDT work, revealing a significant increase with VDT work. The cervical extension, left and right lateral flexion, and left rotation measurers decreased significantly with VDT work. CONCLUSIONS: We postulate that even short-term VDT work has the potential to cause problems. It is necessary to develop a CROM self-measuring device and to monitor patients' musculoskeletal changes frequently.
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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Approximately 25% of working-aged Americans with disabilities work full or part time, yet still face discrimination despite the passing of the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) over 20 years ago. OBJECTIVES: To determine if the proportion of allegations of ADA Title I workplace discrimination with merit closed at any year between 1993 and 2008 differs among Whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians; to determine if there was a change over time from 1993 to 2008 in merit closure…rate within each race/ethnicity group; and to determine whether changes over time between 1993 and 2008 in the merit closure rate differ among the race/ethnicity groups. METHODS: Logistic regression was used for this cross-sectional panel study to model the merit closure rate for each ethnic group from 1993 to 2008 using 318,587 charging parties from the EEOC database. RESULTS: All ethnic groups exhibited significant changes over time in the merit closure rate. There were significant differences in the closure rates among the race/ethnicity groups specifically at closure years 1995–2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006. Finally, there was evidence that the trends in merit closure rates over time differed significantly among the race/ethnicity groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant evidence that the proportion of claims closed with merit was significantly different among the racial/ethnicity groups.
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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Menopause related symptoms modify quality of life and may also have an impact on work ability. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise on work ability and daily strain among women with menopausal symptoms. METHODS: Occupationally active symptomatic menopausal women (n=123) were randomized into 24-week aerobic exercise intervention and control groups. Mobile phone questionnaires were used to collect daily data on perceived physical and…mental strain in a randomised and controlled setting. Work ability was measured with the Work Ability Index (WAI) and with questions about work strain. PARTICIPANTS: In all 123 women aged 44–62 (mean age 53.8 ± 3.4) years who worked full- or part-time participated in the study. Women were randomized into a control (n=60) and intervention group (n=63). The subjects were mostly working in mentally demanding jobs (e.g. office worker), but also in physical (e.g. cleaner) and mixed (physical and mental) jobs (e.g. nurse). RESULTS: The increase in mental resources and decrease in physical strain from baseline to end were statistically significantly greater among the intervention group than among the control group. Between-group differences in the change in WAI were, however, statistically non-significant. CONCLUSION: A 6-month physical exercise intervention among symptomatic menopausal women seems not to be enough to increase perceived work ability but the physical exercise may increase perceived mental resources and decrease perceived daily physical strain.}
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Keywords: Work ability, work strain, physical exercise, menopause, randomized controlled trial
