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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: Dumper operators in mines worldwide are subjected to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) due to whole-body vibration exposure. This study evaluated the working-life-Whole-Body Vibration (WBV)-exposure and their association with various MSDs among dumper operators in mines which remains poorly addressed. METHODS: This case-control study in Indian iron ore mines was conducted to compare randomly selected 65 dumper operators and 65 office workers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and were analysed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The study revealed that majority of the dumper operators were exposed to WBV exceeding the…ISO-2631 limits. Compared with controls, the dumper operators had a much higher risk of upper back pain (age-overweight-adjusted odds ratio ORao = 5.37, 95% CI = 1.78–16.20), lower back pain (ORao = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.25–5.94), knee and leg pain (ORao = 3.68, 95% CI = 1.22–11.11), and having 2+ MSDs (ORao = 5.05, 95% CI = 1.88–13.51, vs. no MSDs). Working-life-WBV-exposure was higher among dumper operators having upper back pain (mean (SD) = 7.1 (1.91) vs. 5.7 (1.91), p < 0.01) and lower back pain (mean (SD) = 6.63 (2.10) vs. 5.55 (1.71), p < 0.01) compared to those without these MSDs. Older age was associated with higher risk of MSD pains. CONCLUSION: Dumper operators have excess MSDs due to high working-life-WBV-exposure. Their MSDs and working-life-WBV-exposure should be regularly evaluated and reduced.
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Keywords: Working-life-WBV-exposure, surface mining, health hazard, logistic regression model, lower back pain
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The presence of low back pain in nurses is becoming increasingly prominent and it has significant impact both on the individual as well as on the community. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain among practicing nurses. METHODS: The research has been conducted in five health care institutions in the area of Vojvodina. Data were collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). RESULTS: Five hundred and twelve nurses participated in this study. Most of the participants (93.95%) indicated that they experienced discomfort or pain in…the lower back in the last 12 months. Due to low back pain, 61.95% of participants had reduced working abilities and 76.09% of participants have never taken time off from work. CONCLUSIONS: Due to low back pain nurses have a reduced working capacity, but they nevertheless rarely seek medical help or the change of the work place. The implementation of better ergonomic approach and adequate organization of work could reduce the occurrence of low back pain.
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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) is an important measure of cardiovascular capacity to deliver oxygen to the working muscle at maximal exercise. Anthropometrics is one of the factors that contribute to the maximum oxygen consumption. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to predict the maximum oxygen consumption based on anthropometrics in the emergency medicine students. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the emergency medicine students (n = 56) at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. Before the data collection, participants completed the consent form and Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). Then, the maximum oxygen consumption and anthropometrics…(dimensions and compositions) were measured using Gerkin treadmill test and using tape, anthropometer device and digital caliper respectively. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, one-way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: The mean of maximum oxygen consumption was 4.11 lit/min in the emergency medicine students. There was a significant relationship between maximum oxygen consumption and anthropometrics (body dimensions and compositions including body fat, waist to hip circumference, and BMI) (p < 0.05). Also, the leg length, the body fat, and the BMI predicted 72% of oxygen consumption. The leg length and BMI had an important role in predicting the maximum oxygen consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The body dimensions and compositions should be taken into consideration to select students and match their capabilities with required energy for the job.
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Keywords: Oxygen consumption, anthropometrics, body fat, emergency medicine
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Health care environment relies to a great extent on positive nursing behaviors. So in this study, individual difference factors were taken into account in explaining organizational citizenship behavior by integrating trait theory, conservation of resource theory, and affective event theory. OBJECTIVE: The present study examines whether work burnout mediates the relationship between the extraversion trait and organizational citizenship behavior, then investigating whether the mediating effect is moderated by emotional contagion. METHOD: The study employs cross-sectional design and questionnaire-based survey was used to collect the data from 311 nurses working in private hospitals. RESULTS:…The findings reveals that extraversion trait is positively related to organizational citizenship behavior. Then, work burnout partially mediates the relationship between extraversion and organizational citizenship behavior. Further, moderated mediation analysis discloses the indirect effect of extraversion on organizational citizenship behavior through work burnout is a decreasing function of emotional contagion. CONCLUSION: The study reports extravert nurses are likely to exhibit more organizational citizenship behavior through reduced work burnout. However, nurses should maintain low level of emotional contagion to have stronger mediating effects. Training should be provided to nursing staff to understand and handle the level of emotional contagion exist among them unconsciously.
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Abstract: BACKGROUND: Mobile applications which are designed to assess the range of motion (ROM) are widely used. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to determine the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of a smartphone application “PT Goniometer” (PTG) and determine the correlation between PTG and universal goniometer (UG) regarding active ROMs of the hip in healthy participants. METHODS: Thirty-four healthy young participants were included in the study. Two physiotherapists performed active hip flexion, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation ROM measurements of dominant legs of the participants by using PTG and UG. Intraclass correlation coefficients…(ICC) were calculated to determine the intra-observer and inter-observer reliability. Level of correlations between PTG and UG were used to establish concurrent validity of PTG. RESULTS: The PTG demonstrated excellent inter-observer and intra-observer reliability (ICC > 0.90) for all measured hip movements. The minimum detectable change (MDC95 ) was ranged from 3.29° to 5.1° for the intra-observer reliability, and from 2.55° to 3.21° for the inter-observer reliability. Additionally, the concurrent validity was found excellent (r = 0.91–0.93). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that PTG is a valid and reliable mobile technology for measuring hip ROMs.
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Keywords: Hip joint, range of motion, technology assessment, mobile applications
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The Critical Incident Inventory (CII) was developed to assess stressful exposures in firefighters and emergency service workers. The CII includes six subscales: trauma to self, victims known to fire-emergency worker, multiple casualties, incidents involving children, unusual or problematic tactical operations, and exposure to severe medical trauma. OBJECTIVES: To examine the construct validity of all subscales of the Critical Incident Inventory (CII) by assessing the unidimensionality of the scales, and the interval properties of CII subscales by examining fit to the Rasch model and ordering of item thresholds. METHODS: This was a secondary…data analysis based on survey data collected from a sample of 390 firefighters. RESULTS: Item 4 and Item 20 were removed with the confirmation of unacceptable fit residual. This revised version of the CII showed satisfactory fit to the Rasch model by non-significant Chi-square test and acceptable level of item fit. We rescored the CII original version and considered all items as only dichotomous response options where 0 represented the original no experience, and 1 presents the combination of experiencing 1, 2, 3 cases. CONCLUSION: The re-appraisal of the revised version CII indicated a satisfactory level of Rasch model fit.
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