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PubMed1976

Treatment of work-related health problems in a work clinic.

Little is known about patients who chronically express work problems through medical complaints or who develop or exaggerate physical problems to avoid work, the authors say. In 1973 a university-affiliated medical clinic set up a multidisciplinary work clinic to study and treat patients with work-related health problems. In general the clinic's first 18 patients showed emotional immaturity and social or psychiatric dysfunction, often severe. After treatment nine of the 18 returned to work, and two began vocational retraining and later took jobs. The authors believe that because of the close relationship between work and health, medical-care institutions must deal with work problems that patients present.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Perceived relevance of psychosocial work site interventions for improved quality of health care work environment.

Changes due to reorganization of Swedish health care would have greater impact if the measures taken were strongly supported by the occupational groups involved. In a representative study of Swedish nurses, 90% considered psychosocial issues of great importance to their work environment. No differences were found between male and female nurses. 78% of the physicians in a large hospital study stated that their psychosocial work environment could be improved. Responses to an open-ended question to nurses and physicians showed differences in prioritized suggestions for an improved psychosocial work environment. Work climate, work load, competence development and organization appeared as the most important areas of changes to both nurses and physicians. Almost 40% of the total responses from the nurses compared to 20% from the physicians had to do with work climate interventions. Increased feedback and information, better means of communication and group relations were mentioned. Work load had higher priority according to the physicians. Other potential interventions were organizational issues like management, clarity of goals as well as competence development. In particular, there was a need for supervision and new competence in coping with critical incidents.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Working despite pain: factors associated with work attendance versus dysfunction.

A cross-sectional investigation of psychosocial variables in 63 female employees matched for experienced pain was conducted to study the difference between back pain sufferers who were working (Copers) and those who were off work (Dysfunctional). The subjects reported moderate to severe pain often or always during the past year and were employed at the same hospital. Thirty-seven women who had not been off work for pain made up the Copers group, whereas 26 women who had been off work for their pain made up the Dysfunctional group. Subjects were interviewed and completed a battery of questionnaires designed to penetrate level of dysfunction, perceived health, work and social satisfaction, perceived workload, coping strategies, and pain beliefs. Multiple covariate analyses that controlled for perceived workload, smoking, low-back mobility, and obesity revealed significant differences between the groups on levels of functioning, pain beliefs, and coping strategies used. Dysfunctional subjects had stronger beliefs that pain was directly related to activities that they had little control over their pain, that their health was poor, and that they tended to focus more on their pain. A discriminant analysis correctly classified 83% of the subjects as to work status based on six psychosocial variables. These results not only demonstrate the importance of psychosocial factors in back pain, but underscore the fact that work absence for back pain may he controlled by psychological factors related to beliefs and coping strategies. Future research may attempt to use these factors in the screening of patients.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Mental health and work: a discussion on the connection between work and diagnosis, based on daily practice].

Seven cases of workers selected among 150 who had undergone psychiatric treatment at the Workers' Health Reference Centers in Santo Amaro and André Gabois from 1994 to 1997 were presented for a detailed analysis characterizing work situations and discussing definition of the diagnosis and causal connections with work. The qualitative case study provides a thematic analysis of the patient history and files. Work situations are characterized by: unhealthy working conditions, problems related to work organization, inadequate human resources management, and urban violence. Symptoms included: fear, anxiety, depression, nervousness, tension, fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, sleep disorders, and psychosomatic disorders (gastritis, hypertension); in addition, workers were unable to forget about work while off the job. Diagnosis varied. Three cases involved post-traumatic syndrome. Two cases involved organic psychosis linked to accidents or exposure to neurotoxic chemical products. Cases also included neurotic syndromes of fatigue, depression, and paranoia, as well as adaptation and reaction to acute stress. In all of the cases it was possible to relate the clinical picture to the work situation.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Work site-based cancer prevention: primary results from the Working Well Trial.

OBJECTIVES: This paper presents the behavioral results of the Working Well Trial, the largest US work site cancer prevention and control trial to date. METHODS: The Working Well Trial used a randomized, matched-pair evaluation design, with the work site as the unit of assignment and analysis. The study was conducted in 111 work sites (n = 28,000 workers). The effects of the intervention were evaluated by comparing changes in intervention and control work sites, as measured in cross-sectional surveys at baseline and follow-up. The 2-year intervention targeted both individuals and the work-site environment. RESULTS: There occurred a net reduction in the percentage of energy obtained from fat consumption of 0.37 percentage points (P = .033), a net increase in fiber densities of 0.13 g/1000 kcal (P = .056), and an average increase in fruit and vegetable intake of 0.18 servings per day (P = .0001). Changes in tobacco use were in the desired direction but were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Significant but small differences were observed for nutrition. Positive trends, but no significant results, were observed in trial-wide smoking outcomes. The observed net differences were small owing to the substantial secular changes in target behaviors.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

PubMed1981

Work centrality of different age groups and the wish to discontinue work.

This study explores the relationships between work centrality, age and the wish to stop working in a sample of 755 males in Israel, classified into five occupational categories. Contrary to disengagement theory, no relationship was found between age and work centrality in any occupational group. Occupational situs was found to intervene in the relationship between age and the wish to stop working. Those willing to stop working have lower work centrality in all age groups, and intrinsic job rewards have a moderating effect on this relationship. The factors affecting work centrality of older workers differ from those affecting younger workers.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2000

Work stressors, drinking with colleagues after work, and job satisfaction among white-collar workers in Japan.

Although previous studies have examined the buffering effects of social support and coping style on the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption, they have typically relied on analysis of variance (ANOVA) or regression analysis. In addition, few studies have examined the potential stress-buffering effects of drinking with coworkers after work on the relationship between job stress and job dissatisfaction. In the present study, using a signal detection analysis, we evaluated the interactions of drinking with coworkers after work and work-stressor variables among Japanese white-collar workers (n = 397) in 1997. The analysis was performed for two groups of subjects divided based on their status in the company. This was necessary because in Japan the obligations to drink socially increase with one's rising status in the company. In both the "staff members and lower-level managers" and "middle-level and higher-level managers' groups, an interaction between work-stressor variables and drinking variables was observed. The findings imply that drinking with coworkers after work ameliorated the sense of job dissatisfaction, but only among those subjects who already had lower levels of work stressors. For subjects with high levels of work stressors, attitudes toward drinking with coworkers were unrelated to job satisfaction levels.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

The effects of physical work, mental work, and quantity on children's time perception.

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of work and quantity cues on children's time perception. Ninety-seven children in kindergarten and Grades 2, 4, and 6 lifted and transferred pipes under eight different conditions, after which they reproduced the perceived time taken to move the pipes. The conditions varied by quantity (two/four pipes), by mental work (no-matching/matching), and by physical work (light/heavy pipes). Significant main effects were found for quantity, physical work, and mental work, and for the quantity x age and mental work x physical work interactions. These results can help to disentangle possible confounds among these variables in the classic Piagetian experiments about their effects on time judgment and perception.

Attention↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hardiness and support at work as predictors of work stress and job satisfaction.

PURPOSE: To test a theoretically and empirically based model linking potential protective resources (hardiness, coworker and supervisor support) to the outcomes of work stress and job satisfaction and replicating the relationship of work stress to job satisfaction while accounting for the potential influence of negative affectivity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design using survey data collected from two convenience samples. SETTING: Two worksites: (1) a high-tech company and (2) a government agency. SUBJECTS: High-tech employees (N = 310; response rate, 73.8%) and government agency employees (N = 745; response rate, 49.7%). MEASURES: The Dispositional Resilience Scale measured hardiness and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule measured negative affectivity. Coworker and supervisor support were measured using the Coworker Support Scale and the Supervisor Support Scale, respectively. The Perceived Work Stress Scale measured work stress, and a single item from the Job Satisfaction Scale assessed overall job satisfaction. RESULTS: A multiple-group path analysis examined the proposed model. Similar patterns of association were found for both samples and suggested a more parsimonious model without the path from negative affectivity to job satisfaction. The model supports the protective nature of hardiness and support at work with regard to work stress and job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Explanations of relationships depicted in the model, practical implications for reducing work stress and enhancing job satisfaction, limitations and future directions are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Work disability in rheumatoid arthritis: effects of disease, social, and work factors.

We explore here the relative contribution of selected disease, social, and work-related factors to disability status in a population of persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Our study differs from previous studies in that it is limited to one diagnostic entity, yet at the same time evaluates a broad range of social and work-related factors in disability. One hundred-eighty persons with rheumatoid arthritis sampled from 19 socially diverse practice settings were given a structured survey about their medical and work histories and social backgrounds. We found significant effects of stage and duration of illness on continued employment but no positive effect of selected therapies. Social and work factors combined had a far larger effect on work disability than all disease factors. Among work factors, control over the pace and activities of work and self-employment status had the greatest effect on continued employment, suggesting that time control issues are crucial to the maintenance of one's job after onset of this illness.

Absenteeism↗

PubMed2000

The work lives of women physicians results from the physician work life study. The SGIM Career Satisfaction Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To describe gender differences in job satisfaction, work life issues, and burnout of U.S. physicians. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: The Physician Work life Study, a nationally representative random stratified sample of 5,704 physicians in primary and specialty nonsurgical care (N = 2,326 respondents; 32% female, adjusted response rate = 52%). Survey contained 150 items assessing career satisfaction and multiple aspects of work life. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Odds of being satisfied with facets of work life and odds of reporting burnout were modeled with survey-weighted logistic regression controlling for demographic variables and practice characteristics. Multiple linear regression was performed to model dependent variables of global, career, and specialty satisfaction with independent variables of income, time pressure, and items measuring control over medical and workplace issues. Compared with male physicians, female physicians were more likely to report satisfaction with their specialty and with patient and colleague relationships (P <.05), but less likely to be satisfied with autonomy, relationships with community, pay, and resources (P <.05). Female physicians reported more female patients and more patients with complex psychosocial problems, but the same numbers of complex medical patients, compared with their male colleagues. Time pressure in ambulatory settings was greater for women, who on average reported needing 36% more time than allotted to provide quality care for new patients or consultations, compared with 21% more time needed by men (P <.01). Female physicians reported significantly less work control than male physicians regarding day-to-day aspects of practice including volume of patient load, selecting physicians for referrals, and details of office scheduling (P <.01). When controlling for multiple factors, mean income for women was approximately $22,000 less than that of men. Women had 1.6 times the odds of reporting burnout compared with men (P <.05), with the odds of burnout by women increasing by 12% to 15% for each additional 5 hours worked per week over 40 hours (P <.05). Lack of workplace control predicted burnout in women but not in men. For those women with young children, odds of burnout were 40% less when support of colleagues, spouse, or significant other for balancing work and home issues was present. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences exist in both the experience of and satisfaction with medical practice. Addressing these gender differences will optimize the participation of female physicians within the medical workforce.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Perception differences between groups of employees identifying the factors that influence a return to work after a work-related musculoskeletal injury.

Employee health and productivity losses as a result of work-related injury are estimated to be US dollars 1.2 trillion annually to US companies. This is approximately 14.3% of the gross domestic product [6,8,11,35]. Workers' compensation, medical care, and short and long-term disability are a part of these costs. Controlling or eliminating these costs is a problem for US employers [3,6,14,21,29]. The study discussed in this article examined the perceptions of manufacturing employees in identifying factors that influence a return to work after a work-related musculoskeletal injury. The classification of employees who participated in this study were safety professionals, supervisors and workers from the manufacturing industry in central Kentucky. The worker group consisted of material handlers, assembly line workers and quality control inspectors. The participants completed a developed survey instrument, the Return to Work Perception Survey. This survey instrument examined the perception of the participants on factors related to return to work: company policies and procedures, job satisfaction, worker relationships and work environment. The results indicated safety professionals and supervisors perceptions differ from workers on the variables of job satisfaction, worker relationships and work environment. Their perceptions did not differ on the variable relating to company policies and procedures. In addition, the safety professional and supervisor groups rated the items addressing job satisfaction higher than did the worker group. The worker group did not differ from one another on any of the factors. Implications of this study for manufacturing companies suggest (a). identifying those issues contributing to employee job satisfaction, (b). developing a plan for achieving increased job satisfaction and employee recognition at the workplace among all workers, and (c). consider allowing employees to develop new capacities and new learning, thus fostering motivation and job satisfaction [18,20].

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Different development trends in working life and increasing occupational stress require new work environment strategies.

This article has a two-fold purpose. First, it provides an explanation for the increase in occupational stress and sick leaves in Sweden in terms of the structural and organizational conditions. Second, it discusses measures that address these issues. Results of a study of 72 establishments are presented. The study investigated these establishments at both the organizational and individual employee level. It examined management strategies and working conditions in the establishments, classifying these elements by type of operations and company position. Both classifications point to differences in how work is organized and in working conditions. The results indicate that management technologies distribute risks between segments of the labor market, thus, also between different groups of the labor force. The developments were most favorable in high tech and knowledge-based operations. The situation was least favorable in labor-intensive services and, the most negative development had taken place in human services. Establishments serving as contractors appeared to organize their work differently from those with core activities. Working conditions in contracting businesses were particularly problematic. Since organizational changes work differently from one company to the next, there is a need to develop a variety of strategies for enacting change in the work environment. This article proposes strategies for different segments of the labor market. These strategies are adapted to the particular problems facing each segment.

Absenteeism↗

PubMed2005

Outcome evaluation of work hardening program for manual workers with work-related back injury.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 12-week work hardening program designed for back injured workers. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, 32 subjects were recruited. Pre- and post-assessment results were used to measure the program effectiveness. The intensity of the work hardening program was based on the overloading training principle. Subjects were contacted by phone three months after the program completion for their work status. RESULT: The findings of this study suggested that there was a significant difference in the subjects' physical demand characteristic level before and after the work hardening program. Seventy-five percent of the subjects who completed the work hardening program were able to resume employment. CONCLUSION: The rate of returning to work for back injured workers in this study was comparable to that of other studies. Thus, this study suggests that the overloading principle should be used in designing a work hardening program to improve clients' physical function.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

[The population-responsible work as a means of development of the public health nurse's work].

The purpose of the research was to explain the opinions of the public health nurses to the need of work development. Also it was aspired to the search, how the nurses who have moved to the population-responsible work have felt the change and what kind of need of education they have on the moving step. (N = 445). Most of the public health nurses saw as the care principle many advantages in population-responsible work methods, resulting in better nursing qualities but as a structural operation model its adaptation to use causes many organisational problems. The most essential prerequisities in accomplishing population-responsible work were felt by the public health nurses to be training in good planning and co-operation. As preventive to population-responsible work they felt negative attitudes and insufficient occupational skills. More than half of the public health nurses estimated that their present training is not sufficient in implementing population-responsible work. Length of employment, location of health care centre, method of labour division and vocational training of the public health nurses best explained the points of views on population-responsible work that the health nurses had.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1995

[Work satisfaction and working conditions of the nursing staff as the basis of internal interventions].

Satisfaction and working conditions of nursing staff as a basis for internal interventions Can analyzing the working situation of nursing staff by means of a questionnaire contribute to improving working conditions and thus reduce fluctuation and increase work-satisfaction? This was the basic question of this investigation and aimed at creating an instrument that could help work out existing resources and strategies for possible interventions. Therefore, an anonymous questionnaire containing 114 questions concerning the current situation was presented to the nursing staff in two departments of internal medicine and one surgical department of a university hospital in southern Germany in April 1993. Analysis of the data of the different working fields (ordinary/intensive care, clinics) showed individual differences regarding resources and possible interventions. Furthermore, the assumption could be confirmed that by means of such a project the nursing management gains specific starting points for the preparation of change. The prospects of improving working conditions seem quite good, as these findings are based upon the statements of the staff concerned. It has to be emphasized that the nursing staff were able to identify themselves with the conclusions when the results were presented to them.

Hospitals, General↗

PubMed1995

The effect of vocational rehabilitation and work incentives on helping the disabled-worker beneficiary back to work.

This article is the second in a series of articles that use data from the New Beneficiary Followup survey to analyze the work efforts of the Social Security Administration's Disability Insurance beneficiaries. Survival analysis techniques are used to determine the effect of vocational rehabilitation efforts and work incentive program provisions on actual work outcomes. The findings indicate that the demographic variables of age, gender, race, education, and marital status affect the tendency to return to work in the expected way. The results suggest a possible disincentive effect may be built into certain work incentive provisions of the program. The encouraging news is that the vocational rehabilitation efforts seem to have a positive effect on the tendency to return to work. Physical therapy, vocational training, general education, and job placement efforts all seem to increase the tendency to go back to work.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1976

Mechanical work and fatigue: their roles in the development of muscle work capacity.

To compare the effects of mechanical work versus fatigue on the improvement of work capacity of muscle, young, healthy men were selected to life a 45-pound weight with their quadriceps for 30 sessions, followed by 5 sessions of testing. The study consisted of two phases. Subjects in the first phase did equal amounts of mechanical work with both quadriceps, but had different amounts of fatigue from side to side because the rate of work was different. Subjects in the second phase fatigued both quadriceps, but one quadriceps was fatigued with a rest period between contraction cycles, and one was fatigued without a rest period, thus allowing the side with the rest cycle to do more mechanical work. To test the relative effects of training, a transfer-of-training design was used in both phases. The results suggest that fatigue, defined operationally as the inability or unwillingness of the subject to continue the prescribed task under given reinforcement conditions, plays a larger role in the development of work capacity of muscle than the amount of mechanical work per se.

Adolescent↗