Work - Volume 77, issue 3

Authors: van Meijeren-Pont, Winke | van Velzen, Judith M. | Volker, Gerard | Arwert, Henk J. | Meesters, Jorit J.L. | de Kloet, Arend J. | van Bennekom, Coen A.M. | Vliet Vlieland, Thea P.M. | Tamminga, Sietske J. | Oosterveer, Daniëlla M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Knowledge on long-term participation is scarce for patients with paid employment at the time of stroke. OBJECTIVE: Describe the characteristics and the course of participation (paid employment and overall participation) in patients who did and did not remain in paid employment. METHODS: Patients with paid employment at the time of stroke completed questions on work up to 30 months after starting rehabilitation, and the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation (USER-P, Frequency, Restrictions and Satisfaction scales) up to 24 months. Baseline characteristics of patients with and without paid employment at 30 months were compared using …Fisher’s Exact Tests and Mann-Whitney U Tests. USER-P scores over time were analysed using Linear Mixed Models. RESULTS: Of the 170 included patients (median age 54.2 interquartile range 11.2 years; 40% women) 50.6% reported paid employment at 30 months. Those returning to work reported at baseline more working hours, better quality of life and communication, were more often self-employed and in an office job. The USER-P scores did not change statistically significantly over time. CONCLUSION: About half of the stroke patients remained in paid employment. Optimizing interventions for returning to work and achieving meaningful participation outside of employment seem desirable. Show more

Keywords: Return to work, rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, community participation, personal satisfaction, international classification of functioning, disability and health

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230037

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 839-850, 2024

Authors: Durmaz, Vildan | Yazgan, Ebru | Delice, Elif Kiliç | Çelem, Beste Pelin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The recent growth of the aviation industry, which poses significant environmental challenges, has heightened the pressure on the sustainability of airports. Airport sustainability requires a holistic approach that encompasses economic, social, environmental, and operational aspects. In this regard, the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda provides a roadmap for the aviation industry. However, despite recognizing the importance of SDGs, aviation authorities and airports often fail to effectively integrate them into their activities and annual reports. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the significance of SDGs for airports and select the airport that prioritizes SDGs the …most using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methodologies. METHODS: This study introduces a novel approach that integrates Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) methods, which are MCDM techniques, to enhance airport sustainability. The SWARA method is employed to evaluate and assign weights to the SDGs in the context of airports. RESULTS: SDG 8 holds the highest level of significance among the goals concerning airports, while SDG 14 falls outside the scope of airport sustainability aspects. Then, five international airports that have been designated as green airports by aviation authorities and assessment organizations are selected, and the optimal alternative is determined using the WASPAS method, considering the weights obtained through SWARA. CONCLUSION: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the top choice due to its successful implementations and reports aligning with the SDGs. Show more

Keywords: SDGs, airports, ergonomics, SWARA, WASPAS, MCDM

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220385

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 851-864, 2024

Authors: Rodríguez-Herrera, Carolina | Villalobos-Molina, Victoria | Barría-Emparán, Tamara | Guillén-Jiménez, Varinnia | Mardones-Carpanetti, Felipe

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a change of pedagogical strategies from on-campus to “online” modality (synchronous and asynchronous learning) and may influence the health of university students, including their mental workload. OBJECTIVE: To identify the association between mental workload, perception of musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD), and the level of physical activity of Masters’s students’ online learning due to the pandemic. METHOD: This was a pilot descriptive study with a cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental study design. The sample consisted of 20 students. To collect the data, the participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, NASA-Task Load …Index, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. RESULTS: The students presented mental workload at medium (45%) and high (55%) levels, with time demands as the most prevalent dimension. In addition, 80% of the students reported experiencing MSD in the last seven days, with the most frequent areas being the neck and lower back. Regarding the level of physical activity, five students had a low level (25%), five students had a medium level (25%), and ten students had a high level (50%) of activity. CONCLUSION: Most of the students (95%) conduct their master's degree along with maintaining a full-time job. Therefore, the adaptive requirements according to “time demands” is a negative factor because of its contribution to mental workload. Especially in addition to students’ perception of musculoskeletal discomfort, organizational aspects would be fundamental to prevent physical and mental health risks. Show more

Keywords: Mental health, students, pain perception, questionnaire, online teaching

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220249

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 865-872, 2024

Authors: Oveisi, Elahe | Khanlari, Payam | Ebrahimzadeh-Afrouzi, Mahdi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Numerous people use computer mice for long hours, especially in offices. Mouse users reported various pains and discomfort. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess three types of most common mice (vertical, traditional, flat) in Iran in terms of their effects on carpal tunnel syndrome, hand discomfort, and usability. METHODS: The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome questionnaire, the Cornell Hand Discomfort Questionnaire (CHDQ), System Usability Scale (SUS), and Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment (WERA) scores were used to assess vertical, traditional, and flat mice. In addition, the participant’s hand position was analyzed by observation method. RESULTS: …Most participants had medium carpal tunnel syndrome severity; however, flat mouse users had a higher score, and the difference between mice was insignificant (p  > 0.05). Most mouse users felt discomfort in their small and ring fingers, and the type of mouse significantly affected thumb discomfort level. More flat users felt Pain in the different parts of their hands. The flat mouse has the least SUS score. There was a significant difference between the three mice regarding SUS scores (p  < 0.05). WERA mean values were acceptable for numerous mice. Adopting neutral wrist postures was more common among vertical, flat, and traditional mouse users, respectively; however, the flat mouse users tended to bend their fingers. CONCLUSION: There are differences between vertical and traditional flat mice in terms of ergonomic indicators. Although more studies are needed, it seems that vertical mice are better in some indicators. Show more

Keywords: Wrist injury, usability testing, carpal tunnel syndrome, musculoskeletal disease, computer, satisfaction, risk assessments

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220492

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 873-882, 2024

Authors: Barzegar, Akbar | Pouya, Amin Babaei | Hashemian, Amir Hossein | Nadri, Farshad | Poursadeqiyan, Mohsen | Omidian, Ali

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Several heat indices have been developed in industrial health, but each has its limitations. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to determine the validity and applicability of a temperature-humidity index, named Humidex compared with the Standard Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index (ISO 7243). METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the summer of 2019, in a tile factory in the west of Iran. 59 measurements were performed in 8 different workstations. Environmental parameters including natural wet bulb temperature (Tnw ), dry bulb temperature (Ta ), globe bulb temperature (Tg ), and heat stress (WBGT) …were measured. Humidex was calculated according to an equation. SPSS software (version 16) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: There was a high correlation between Humidex and WBGT in the estimation of heat stress (R=0.912, P<0.001). The Kappa Coefficient between Humidex and WBGT was 0.298, P=0.001. CONCLUSION: Humidex is highly correlated with WBGT. Humidex can be used instead of the WBGT index, especially in hot and humid environments. Show more

Keywords: Thermal, heat stress, comfort, climate changes, Humidex, global warming

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220514

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 883-889, 2024

Authors: Çolak, Muhteber | Gökdemir, Özden | Özçakar, Nilgün

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Violence is common in emergency departments and is also increasing in primary care settings. It is important to research the factors that cause violence to prevent incidents. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency, causes, and effects of violence in the workplace of primary care physicians in a province in Turkey. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 303 family physicians working in Family Health Centers. The subjects completed a questionnaire consisting of questions designed to elicit healthcare professionals’ perspectives on violence. The analysis was performed using SPSS 15.0 software, with …p  < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: The participants’ mean age was 48.05±6.11. The majority (82%) stated that they had been subjected to violence throughout their professional life. Although the rate of exposure to violence was 56.4% in the previous year, they did not report these incidents to the appropriate authorities. The main reason for failing to report violent acts was “not caring” (40.1%). Respondents who believed “violent incidents should be reported” were under 50 years old (p  = 0.045). The impact of violence on their lives was expressed as “losing interest in their profession” (40.8%). The most commonly cited cause of violence was “educational problems” (74.9%). CONCLUSION: Violence is prevalent in primary healthcare settings. It is suggested that there can be numerous reasons for violence, primarily a lack of education, and its effects, such as professional disengagement, are notable. Measures should be implemented to provide physicians with safe working conditions and reduce the risk of violence. Show more

Keywords: Family medicine, healthcare worker, family health centers, violence

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220619

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 891-899, 2024

Authors: Öztürk, Yaşar | Yazgan, Ebru | Delice, Elif Kılıç

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) have the most difficulty in terms of total workload criteria working in line maintenance. This is a very important problem for the Aircraft Maintenance Organization. A systematic and scientific approach is required for its solution. OBJECTIVE: This study proposes a new Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) based approach to evaluating the total workloads of AMTs to identify the most challenging AMT tasks in the aircraft maintenance organization. METHODS: A new hybrid MCDM approach is proposed by integrating the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity (TOPSIS) …methods to compare AMTs on the basis of workloads according to license categories. The hybrid method proposed in this study evaluates the total workload under three main titles: mental, physical, and environmental workload. RESULTS: Focusing on AMTs working in line maintenance of an aircraft maintenance organization, this study revealed that the most important workload criteria determined by the DEMATEL method are lower back strain, upper back strain, time pressure, and air temperature criteria. The results of the TOPSIS method showed that the license categories of AMTs are sorted according to the workloads as follows: A, B2, B1, and B1 + B2. The AMTs holding a “Category A” license have fewer workloads than the other categories. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study reveal some measures that might allow authorities to minimize the workload of AMTs. In addition, the study contributes to the literature because there are few studies that systematically analyze total workloads by using MCDM methods. Show more

Keywords: Aircraft maintenance technician, workload, ergonomic, MCDM, DEMATEL, TOPSIS

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220633

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 901-918, 2024

Authors: Martins, Lilian D.T.B. | Fernandes, Ana Paula | Cavalcanti, Alessandra | Barcelos, Joyce L.M. | Dutra, Fabiana C.M.S.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: School servants are professionals involved with cleaning and feeding activities in schools. Exposed to conditions of physical and psychosocial overload at work, they may face situations of morbidity and functional restrictions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate personal and work characteristics and work ability index (WAI) of school servants in Brazil and test the mediating effect of WAI in the duration of sickness absence. METHODS: 163 Brazilian school servants participated in this cross-sectional study, that including the self-completion of a sociodemographic questionnaire, information about the Work Environment, the Protocol of Psychosocial Risks at Work’s Evaluation, and the Work …Ability Index. Also was collected, in a secondary health database, information about sickness absence. A linear regression model was constructed to identify the predictors of the duration of absence, followed by the analysis of mediation with the Path Analysis method. RESULTS: The study found that the WAI partially mediates the relation of the personal characteristics and the work conditions with the duration of absence of the school servants. The predictors included the organizational aspects of work, mental exhaustion, physical damage, health self-evaluation, availability of personal protective equipment, and the need to assume inadequate postures at work. These predictors explained 33% of the duration of absence and 53% of the WAI of these workers. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that inadequate working conditions and low WAI impact in the sickness absence, increasing by 33% the length of time off work of school servants. Show more

Keywords: Occupational health, sick leave, work capacity evaluation, mediation analysis, working conditions

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220642

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 919-931, 2024

Authors: Cao, Shiya

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The workplace accommodation process is often affected by ineffective and inefficient communications and information exchanges among disabled employees and other stakeholders. Information systems (IS) can play a key role in facilitating a more effective and efficient accommodation process since IS has been shown to facilitate business processes and effect positive organizational changes. OBJECTIVE: Since there is little to no research that exists on IS use to facilitate the workplace accommodation process, this paper, as a critical first step, examines how IS have been used in the accommodation process. METHODS: Thirty-six interviews were …conducted with disabled employees from various organizations. Open, axial, and selective coding were part of the analysis. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis was used to identify different levels of IS use based on participants’ descriptions. RESULTS: An IS used in the workplace accommodation process consists of electronic request form, accommodation checklist, special budget, specific role, ancillary service, formal policy and procedure. There are different levels of IS use in the current accommodation process. The high-level IS use often results in a better accommodation performance than the low-level IS use, including high efficiency, high effectiveness, and low emotional tolls. Nevertheless, the high-level IS use often uses a specific, inflexible template as well as disregards human elements in the accommodation process. CONCLUSION: This work provides implications that future IS design should raise awareness of disability and accommodation, account for individual differences, involve multiple stakeholder inputs, as well as address the fundamental social issues in the accommodation process. Show more

Keywords: Work rehabilitation, technology, disability management, job satisfaction, computing, organizational design and management

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220716

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 933-947, 2024

Authors: Johansen, Thomas | Øyeflaten, Irene | Eriksen, Hege R. | Lyby, Peter S. | Dittrich, Winand H. | Holsen, Inge | Jakobsen, Hanne | Jensen, Chris

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is need for more knowledge about the relationship between work and cognitive functioning in sick-listed individuals. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether the degree of work participation is relevant for recovery of cognitive functioning in sick-listed individuals. METHODS: 177 occupational rehabilitation participants and 70 controls participated in a non-randomised, longitudinal study. Participants completed computerised cognitive tests targeting sustained attention and working memory at start and end of rehabilitation and 3 and 12 months after rehabilitation. The change score performance in attention and memory between start and end, start and 3 months and 12 months was …compared in individuals on sick leave 100–75%, 74–40% and 39–0% (three sick leave groups) of the time in the year after rehabilitation, and a control group not being on sick leave. Fixed effect analysis of covariance adjusting for education and work ability was used. RESULTS: The sick leave group 100–75% had significantly lower score on work ability compared to the other groups at baseline. The main findings indicated that the sick leave group 39–0% improved significantly more in sustained attention compared to the sick leave group 100–75% between start and end of rehabilitation and from start of rehabilitation to 3 and 12 months after. CONCLUSION: The degree of work participation seems relevant to recovery of the cognitive function sustained attention in sick-listed individuals. These findings encourage work rehabilitation clinicians, work consultants and employers to develop RTW plans which take into account that graded employment influence cognitive functioning. Show more

Keywords: Attention, cognition, employment, return to work, sickness absence

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-230027

Citation: Work, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 949-961, 2024