Work - Volume 77, issue 2

Authors: Odell, Dan | Dorbala, Navaneeta

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There are difficult tradeoffs when designing head-mounted equipment such as helmets, lights, cameras, or virtual or augmented reality displays. Increased functionality and battery life adds weight, which in turn reduces comfort. A successful product must balance both comfort and functionality to achieve its product engagement goals. OBJECTIVE: This study defines “comfortable wear time” as a new metric, and applies it to the domain of headsets in determining the relationship between headset weight and comfort. METHODS: Sixteen study participants wore four otherwise identical headsets weighted between 500g–600 g for up to two hours each in an office …environment. If participants experienced more than “mild discomfort” (>3 on an NRS-11 discomfort scale), the trial ended early, and the comfortable wear time was recorded. Intensity and location of discomfort was rated at trial conclusion, and qualitative feedback collected. RESULTS: Higher weights were associated with shorter comfortable wear times. Not everyone could wear even the lightest headset (500 g) for the full two hours. Qualitatively, discomfort took many forms beyond the expected neck fatigue or contact pressure and included symptoms commonly associated with motion sickness, such as headache and dizziness. Finally, there were pronounced gender differences with females experiencing more severe discomfort with earlier onset. CONCLUSION: Heavier headsets were less comfortable for the lower quartile of participants –yielding an average of 11 fewer minutes of comfortable wear time per 33 g of weight added. Understanding the discomfort costs from adding weight empowers product teams to find the correct balance to meet their product engagement targets. Show more

Keywords: Discomfort, pain, virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, personal protective equipment (PPE), headgear, head-mounted display (HMD)

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220689

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 651-658, 2024

Authors: Hosseini, Zahra Sadat Javadi | Mokhtarinia, Hamid Reza | Haraldsson, Patrik | Gabel, Charles Philip

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: To assess relevant environmental conditions in any work-setting requires a multidisciplinary perspective that is practical, valid, and reliable. This includes the physical, environmental, and psychosocial risk-factors. The Structured Multidisciplinary work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire simultaneously considers multiple work-related demands. OBJECTIVE: This study translated and culturally adapted the SMET into Persian and evaluated its psychometric properties in Persian industrial workers. METHODS: Cross-sectional translation and cross-cultural adaptation in five standardized phases. A convenience sample (n  = 211) recruited from an industrial-occupation setting completed: the SMET; and the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration …Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) criteria; plus light and noise levels were concurrently assessed. Psychometric properties included: validity, with face (from confirmed language clarity, simplicity, and readability), content (via the content validity index, CVI, for equivalency and relevancy), criterion (through Pearson’s r correlation with relevant criteria), and construct (through known group validity between participants with/without work-related musculoskeletal disorders, WMSDs); internal consistency (Cronbach’s α); and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC2.1 ). RESULTS: Validity was confirmed with: face through the adaptation; content from suitable CVI values for items (CVI range = 0.78–1.0) and scale-total (CVI = 0.86); criterion from SMET associations with levels for light (r = – 0.42) and noise (r = 0.21), plus RULA (r = 0.42) and NASA-TLX (r = 0.39); and construct through participants with WMSD having significantly higher SMET total-scores (p  = 0.01). Internal consistency (α= 0.89) and reliability (ICC2.1  = 0.87) were acceptable and strong. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the SMET Persian version had acceptable psychometric properties in an industrial occupational setting. Further investigation in longitudinal populations is recommended. Show more

Keywords: Psychosocial demand, physical demand, reproducibility, validation, health outcome

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220706

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 659-669, 2024

Authors: Yang, Zhirong | Huang, Yong

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked increased interest in telework as a means of reducing the spread of the virus and maintaining social distance. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to generate a bibliometric analysis of research progress and trends in telework over the past 20 years. METHOD: A search of key terms was conducted in the Social Science Citation Index, Science Citation Index Expanded, and Arts and Humanities Citation Index categories for documents published on telework from 2000–2023. A total of 3,446 studies were analyzed using VOSviewer for co-citation, co-word, and cluster analysis. RESULTS: Bibliometric …analysis revealed that telework research has experienced a significant increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of publications in 2022 being more than 15 times higher than that in 2019. The analysis revealed that the most commonly researched areas related to telework were applied psychology, management and business. The knowledge base focuses on the antecedents, moderators, mediators, and consequences of telework, and the research primarily centers around seven directions of well-being, mental health, and work-family conflict. A conceptual framework for telework research and suggestions for future investigation are proposed based on the results of the bibliometric analysis. CONCLUSION: This study provides an overview of telework research over the past two decades, highlighting the current status and hot topics in the field. It calls for wider and more active participation of researchers globally to advance the understanding of telework. Show more

Keywords: Flexible working, work-family conflict, well-being, mental health, occupational health

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230060

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 671-686, 2024

Authors: de Oliveira, Fabrício Emanuel Soares | Júnior, Hercilio Martelli | Trezena, Samuel | da Silveira, Denise Maria Mendes Lúcio | de Oliveira, Ludmila Ketlen Soares | de Oliveira, Andrielly Gonçalves Nobre | Fagundes, Maria Eduarda Vieira | Brito, Maria Fernanda Santos Figueiredo | Dias, Verônica Oliveira | Martelli, Daniella Reis Barbosa

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had direct and indirect impacts on public health, also affecting the mental health of the population. OBJECTIVE: To analyze symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors, in primary health care (PHC) professionals. METHODS: Cross-sectional and analytical study conducted with professionals who work in the Primary Health Care (PHC) of the Northern health macro-region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection was carried out through an online, self-administered questionnaire, made available from August 27, 2021, to October 30, 2021 using the Google Forms tool. The questionnaire included sociodemographic questions …as well as questions related to the history of anxiety and work during the pandemic. To assess anxiety symptoms, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) instrument was used. Data treatment consisted of descriptive analysis of the variables, bivariate analysis followed by multivariate Poisson Regression with robust variance. RESULTS: 702 health professionals participated in the study and the general prevalence of GAD was 32.2%. Current anxiety symptoms were self-reported by 37.6% of the participants. In the final model, the associated factors identified were: female sex (PR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.17–2.84; p  = 0.007), previous symptoms (PR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.19–2.10; p  = 0.002) and (PR = 2.68; 95% CI = 2.00–3.62; p  < 0.001) current self-reported anxiety. CONCLUSION: The results show the need to implement actions in mental health promotion and anxiety prevention, through the dissemination of information about mental health care, health education activities, encouraging the adoption of healthy habits and professional monitoring when necessary. Show more

Keywords: Anxiety, health personnel, primary health care, COVID-19, pandemics, mental disorders

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230160

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 687-696, 2024

Authors: Kumar, Ashish | Senapati, Amrites | Bhattacherjee, Ashis | Ghosh, Apurna | Chau, Nearkasen

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Improvement of workers’ safety performance is an integral and essential part of safety management. Relevant safety interventions to improve workers’ safety performance are generally difficult to establish when there is a wide range of occupational hazards and at-risk individuals’ features. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at formulating a practical approach to develop and prioritize potential safety interventions based on occupational and individual risk factors perceived by workers to promote workers’ safety performance. METHODS: A simple framework developed to identify and prioritize the suitable safety interventions. This framework made use of data collected using …standardized and validated questionnaire and domain experts’ opinions. Pearson correlation coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to identify significant risk factors associated with workers’ safety performance. Data were collected by interviewing 202 coal mine workers with occupational injuries, and their immediate supervisors from three mines. RESULTS: Safety performance was associated with the occupational factor-domain (poor working condition, poor safety environment, poor job satisfaction, and high job stress) only (regression coefficient = 2.14, p  < 0.01). The following interventions were identified and prioritized to promote workers’ safety performance: provide fair compensation to workers, job-specific and safety training, promotion policy, achievable targets, relevant perks/benefits, safety training awareness, workplace lighting, ventilation network, sensitize the management, associate safety performance to promotion, and develop team spirit. CONCLUSION: Our approach helps to identify and prioritize the most relevant interventions to promote safety at work when there are multiple risk factors. Show more

Keywords: Safety, intervention and control, safety management, occupational injuries, risk assessment, data analysis

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230172

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 697-709, 2024

Authors: Murni, Indah Puspa | Ardiyanto, Ardiyanto

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Prolonged use of computer devices can have adverse health effects, but these can be mitigated by setting up computer workstations according to ergonomic principles. The Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist can guide workers in implementing these principles. However, the checklist is only available in English, which may reduce the accuracy of the instrument when used by non-English speakers, including Indonesians. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist for use in Indonesia. Additionally, a reliability assessment was conducted on the adapted checklist. METHODS: This study followed a …six-stage cross-cultural adaptation process, including translation, synthesis of translation, back translation, expert committee review, pretesting, and documentation submission. The final version of the adapted checklist underwent testing for intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability, and internal consistency. RESULTS: The cross-cultural adaptation process resulted in an Indonesian version of the Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist. Furthermore, the Krippendorff’s alpha values for the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the adapted checklist ranged from 0.59 to 0.78 (mean = 0.70) and 0.20 to 0.82 (mean = 0.56), respectively. CONCLUSION: The study produced an Indonesian version of the Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist that had an adequate reliability. The adapted checklist can serve as a practical tool for evaluating and improving computer workstations in Indonesia. Show more

Keywords: Adaptation, computers, workstation, ergonomics, assessment, checklist, Indonesia

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230201

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 711-717, 2024