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Results for “Task Performance and Analysis”

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PubMed1980

The evaluation of performance and cost in a hypertension control program.

This article examines the Performance Measurement System (PMS), a new approach to evaluating performance and cost of public health departments, developed under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. Four weaknesses characterizing presently used evaluation designs are described. The PMS method is briefly summarized and one practical application of the method, to hypertension control, is discussed in detail. PMS is an adaptation of the systems approach to evaluating human service programs, using both epidemiologic and industrial engineering concepts. The method was developed to serve the needs of on-line managers who are responsible for day-today supervision and evaluation. Six steps are described for the implementation of PMS: systems design; formulation of explicit quantified, time-limited objectives; the development of gauges; the construction of performance appraisal indicators (PAIs); the development of activity efficiency indicators (AEIs) and cost-effectiveness indicators (CEIs); and the development of staff support indicators (SSIs). Metods for the analysis of PMS indicators are examined. PMS has been incorporated into the evaluation plan of the Detroit Hypertension Control Program, a 5-year demonstration project funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Other applications have included an implementation of the method in the Preventable Disease Division of the Connecticut State Health Department. The development and use of PMS performance and cost indicators for the Detroit project are thoroughly examined.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed1996

The problem of assuring performance robustness of biological life support systems.

A perspective of the process of obtaining performance robustness of space exploration life support systems is presented. Some useful definitions are made, some relevant issues are addressed, and a procedure for establishing performance robustness, so far as it now known, is explained. An example is given to illustrate the procedure.

Air Conditioning↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Age cohort differences in the ability to perform closure on degraded figures.

Young (17-26) and old (60-80) men and women performed a perceptual closure task for degraded line drawings under three conditions of prior picture knowledge (exact, similar, no prior knowledge) and two conditions of perceptual noise (contour or detail drawings) resulting in six levels of task difficulty. Young and old subjects took equal advantage prior knowledge conditions, however, old subjects required a greater percentage of picture and more time to make closure under all conditions when compared to young subjects. To test the perceptual slowing hypothesis, old subject performance was regressed on that of young across three levels of task difficulty. The slope of these regression equations supported the notion of a perceptual slowing hypothesis to explain age cohort differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The effect of aircraft control forces on pilot performance during instrument landings in a flight simulator.

BACKGROUND: Pilots may have difficulty controlling aircraft at both high and low force levels due to larger variability in force production at these force levels. The aim of this study was to measure the force variability and landing performance of pilots during an instrument landing in a flight simulator. METHODS: There were 12 pilots who were tested while performing 5 instrument landings in a flight simulator, each of which required different control force inputs. Pilots can produce the least force when pushing the control column to the right, therefore the force levels for the landings were set relative to each pilot's maximum aileron-right force. The force levels for the landings were 90%, 60%, and 30% of maximal aileron-right force, normal force, and 25% of normal force. Variables recorded included electromyographic activity (EMG), aircraft control forces, aircraft attitude, perceived exertion and deviation from glide slope and heading. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences between landings. RESULTS: Pilots were least accurate in landing performance during the landing at 90% of maximal force (p < 0.05). There was also a trend toward decreased landing performance during the landing at 25% of normal force. Pilots were more variable in force production during the landings at 60% and 90% of maximal force (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pilots are less accurate at performing instrument landings when control forces are high due to the increased variability of force production. The increase in variability at high force levels is most likely associated with motor unit recruitment, rather than rate coding. Aircraft designers need to consider the reduction in pilot performance at high force levels, as well as pilot strength limits when specifying new standards.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Comparison of the residual effects of two benzodiazepines (nitrazepam and flurazepam hydrochloride) and pentobarbitone sodium on human performance.

1 The residual effects of two benzodiazepines, nitrazepam (10 mg) and flurazepam hydrochloride (30 mg), and pentobarbitone sodium (200 mg) were studied by adaptive tracking and by reaction time. Performance was measured at 10 h, 13 h, 16 h, 19 h and 34 h after ingestion of each drug. Impaired performance on adaptive tracking was observed at 10 h, 13 h, 16 h and 19 h after nitrazepam and pentobarbitone sodium and at 10 h, 13 h and 16 h after flurazepam hydrochloride. Enhanced performance was observed at 34 h after nitrazepam and pentobarbitone sodium. 2 Increased reaction time persisted to 16 h after nitrazepam, flurazepam hydrochloride and pentobarbitone sodium and reaction time was also increased at 34 h after nitrazepam and pentobarbitone sodium. 3 During the morning immediately after ingestion, the subjects as a group were able to differentiate correctly between placebo and drugs, but they were not able to assess accurately the persistence of the residual effects of nitrazepam and pentobarbitone sodium. 4 Flurazepam hydrochloride would appear to be a more promising benzodiazepine than nitrazepam for use as a hypnotic by persons involved in skilled activity. There was a rapid recovery of performance during the afternoon and, unlike pentobarbitone sodium and nitrazepam, subjects retained the ability to recognize impaired skill.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Assessing the performance of information technology.

Most hospital executives have difficulty assessing the impact of information technology (IT) and the performance of IT personnel. This article describes three management visions for IT--automate, informat and transform--and seven assessment procedure for determining which vision may be most relevant to a specific hospital.

Efficiency↗
PubMed1982

Conditions under which stronger job performance--job satisfaction relationships may be observed: a closer look at two situational contingencies.

Organizational pressure for performance and experienced time pressure, two situational contingencies, were hypothesized to moderate the performance-satisfaction relationship. Tests of the proposed moderating effects were conducted by using moderated curvilinear regression and subgroup analyses. Findings from these analyses were consistently and strongly supportive of the hypothesized effects.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1999

Error mode prediction.

The study of accidents ('human errors') has been dominated by efforts to develop 'error' taxonomies and 'error' models that enable the retrospective identification of likely causes. In the field of Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) there is, however, a significant practical need for methods that can predict the occurrence of erroneous actions--qualitatively and quantitatively. The present experiment tested an approach for qualitative performance prediction based on the Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method (CREAM). Predictions of possible erroneous actions were made for operators using different types of alarm systems. The data were collected as part of a large-scale experiment using professional nuclear power plant operators in a full scope simulator. The analysis showed that the predictions were correct in more than 70% of the cases, and also that the coverage of the predictions depended critically on the comprehensiveness of the preceding task analysis.

Accidents↗
PubMed2006

Development and evaluation of home-based speed-of-processing training for older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To develop technical parameters for a videotape-based speed-of-processing training protocol, to evaluate the feasibility of self-administration (experiment 1), and to evaluate the protocol's effectiveness (experiment 2). DESIGN: A feasibility study (experiment 1) and a pre-post, 4-arm, nonrandomized controlled trial (experiment 2). SETTING: University research center. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample (37 men, 47 women; age range, 65-94y) (experiment 1). A population-based sample (age > or =65y) with no prior exposure to the Useful Field of View assessment or speed-of-processing training, no dementia or life-limiting illness, a Mini-Mental State Examination score of greater than 24, corrected far visual acuity of greater than or equal to 20/40, contrast sensitivity of greater than or equal to 1.50 log(10), and deficient processing speed (experiment 2). For experiment 2, 8 of 189 eligible people declined to participate. The final sample for this experiment included 100 men and 81 women (age range, 65-91y). INTERVENTIONS: Eight to ten 1-hour cognitive training sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Posttraining gains in processing speed. RESULTS: Self-administration was feasible. Subjects who underwent home-based training improved their processing speed significantly more than either control group (F(3,146)=16.16, P<.001). Their gains were 74% as great as the gains of those who underwent trainer-facilitated speed-of-processing training. CONCLUSIONS: People can improve their processing speed at home using readily available technology. Future research should explore the relation of these improvements to driving performance.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

Carbohydrate-electrolyte solution effects on physical performance of military tasks.

BACKGROUND: Physical performance of military tasks can deteriorate during field training. HYPOTHESIS: Drinking a carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO-E) beverage during military relevant training would improve fluid and caloric intake, and better sustain physical performance. METHODS: Some 27 volunteers restricted to approximately 2600 kcal.d-1 were randomly assigned to one of three groups: CHO-E, placebo, or water. Fluid intake was ad libitum. The volunteers completed 3 d of field training in hot humid conditions (30 degrees C, 60% rh). Training days 1 and 2 each included a 16-21 km march over hilly terrain, marksmanship training, and 2 h of rock climbing. Day 3 included a 14.5 km march followed by marksmanship tests, a timed rock climb and a 0.7 km uphill (21% grade) run. RESULTS: The CHO-E beverage provided an additional approximately 2800 kcal (p < 0.05) for the 3 d of training. There were no differences (ANOVA, p > 0.05) between the groups absolute or changes from pre-training values for fluid intake, body weight, climb time, run time, marksmanship, or mood. Those drinking CHO-E were, however, more likely to maintain uphill run performance after training (chi 2 = 7.2; p < 0.05) and more likely to maintain both uphill run and marksmanship ability (chi 2 = 17.2; p < 0.05). There was also an inverse relationship between caloric intake and deterioration of uphill run performance (r = -0.75; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Persons drinking CHO-E or practicing good food discipline are more likely to sustain physical performance than those eating only a portion of their food. CHO-E provides an accessible source of calories which can be advantageous when limited food is available or inadaquate food consumption is likely.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Systems approaches to surgical quality and safety: from concept to measurement.

OBJECTIVE: This approach provides the basis of our research program, which aims to expand operative assessment beyond patient factors and the technical skills of the surgeon; to extend assessment of surgical skills beyond bench models to the operating theater; to provide a basis for assessing interventions; and to provide a deeper understanding of surgical outcomes. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Research into surgical outcomes has primarily focused on the role of patient pathophysiological risk factors and on the skills of the individual surgeon. However, this approach neglects a wide range of factors that have been found to be of important in achieving safe, high-quality performance in other high-risk environments. The outcome of surgery is also dependent on the quality of care received throughout the patient's stay in hospital and the performance of a considerable number of health professionals, all of whom are influenced by the environment in which they work. METHODS: Drawing on the wider literature on safety and quality in healthcare, and recent papers on surgery, this article argues for a much wider assessment of factors that may be relevant to surgical outcome. In particular, we suggest the development of an "operation profile" to capture all the salient features of a surgical operation, including such factors as equipment design and use, communication, team coordination, factors affecting individual performance, and the working environment. Methods of assessing such factors are outlined, and ethical issues and other potential concerns are discussed.

General Surgery↗
PubMed1993

Aggregation bias and the use of regression in evaluating models of human performance.

Regression analyses are increasingly being used to provide confirmatory evidence for models of human performance. The amount of information made available to judge these models is reduced because clearly established standards in the techniques of performing and reporting regression analyses are lacking. This paper addresses two primary problems in regression analysis: aggregation of data and the aggregation of variables into composite models. We provide examples of the misuse of regression techniques and recommend ways in which the amount of information made available to evaluate the model being tested can be maximized in analysis and reporting.

Bias↗
PubMed1978

Basic skills for hospital pharmacy technicians: development of a programmed training manual.

The development of a programmed training manual to teach basic skills to hospital pharmacy technicians is described. Steps in the development of the manual included reviewing pertinent literature, writing a job description for a pharmacy technician position, performing a task analysis, writing learning objectives and sequencing course content into a programmed format. Five units of the manual cover dosage forms and routes of administration, drug nomenclature, abbreviations, calculations and medication orders. The programmed format should help to provide quality, economic and efficient training for technicians.

Goals↗
PubMed2005

A three-dimensional kinematic analysis of the long jump take-off.

The long jump has been widely studied in recent years. Two models exist in the literature which define the relationship between selected variables that affect performance. Both models suggest that the critical phase of the long jump event is the touch-down to take-off phase, as it is in this phase that the necessary vertical velocity is generated. Many three dimensional studies of the long jump exist, but the only studies to have reported detailed data on this phase were two-dimensional in nature. In these, the poor relationships obtained between key variables and performance led to the suggestion that there may be some relevant information in data in the third dimension. The aims of this study were to conduct a three-dimensional analysis of the touch-down to take-off phase in the long jump and to explore the interrelationships between key variables. Fourteen male long jumpers were filmed using three-dimensional methods during the finals of the 1994 (n = 8) and 1995 (n = 6) UK National Championships. Various key variables for the long jump were used in a series of correlational and multiple regression analyses. The relationships between key variables when correlated directly one-to-one were generally poor. However, when analysed using a multiple regression approach, a series of variables was identified which supported the general principles outlined in the two models. These variables could be interpreted in terms of speed, technique and strength. We concluded that in the long jump, variables that are important to performance are interdependent and can only be identified by using appropriate statistical techniques. This has implications for a better understanding of the long jump event and it is likely that this finding can be generalized to other technical sports skills.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2003

Low-level lead exposure, executive functioning, and learning in early childhood.

The current paper presents evidence relating low-level lead exposure to impaired executive functioning in young children. Using the Shape School task, we assessed focused attention, attention switching, working memory, and the ability to inhibit automatic responses in a cohort of 170 children. Participants performed the Shape School task at both 48 and 54 months of age; the mean blood lead level was 6.49 microg/dl at 48 months. After controlling for a wide range of sociodemographic, prenatal, and perinatal variables, blood lead level was negatively associated with children's focused attention while performing the tasks, efficiency at naming colors, and inhibition of automatic responding. In addition, children with higher blood lead levels completed fewer phases of the task and knew fewer color and shape names. There was no association between blood lead and performance on the most difficult tasks, those requiring attention switching or the combination of inhibition and switching. Children's IQ scores were strongly associated with blood lead and Shape School performance, and when entered as a covariate, only color knowledge and the number of tasks completed remained significant. Results provide only weak support for impaired executive functioning, but the deficits in color knowledge may indicate a primary sensory deficit or difficulty with forming conditional associations, both implicating disruptions in dopamine system function.

Attention↗
PubMed1995

Traditional predictors of academic performance in a medical school's independent study program.

PURPOSE: To provide predictive information as an initial screening device for admission decisions, generalizable to the population of students opting for the Independent Study Program (ISP) at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. METHOD: A stepwise multiple-regression technique was used to generate predictor-criterion relationships. A priority code was developed as an applicant screening device. The code is a numeric value based on a combination of applicant grade-point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores that provides a prediction of first-year performance in medical school. The study sample consisted of the 596 first-year students in the ISP track from 1980 through 1989. The measure of their academic performances was the average score on three National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject ("shelf") examinations in the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry). RESULTS: The largest multiple correlations were found between averaged scores on the NBME subject examinations and undergraduate GPAs (R = 34.20; F = 16.79; p = .0001) and scores on the MCAT Biology Knowledge (R = 13.24; F = 47.64; p = .0001), MCAT Chemistry Knowledge (R = 7.86; F = 17.39; p = .0001), and MCAT Skills Analysis: Quantitative (R = 1.39; F = 3.93; p = .0479). CONCLUSION: The predictive value of traditional predictors of preclinical academic performance was established for the nontraditional program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Admission officers at other schools may find the priority code helpful as a sorting tool. It may further serve as an "early warning" system for students with marginal academic preparation.

College Admission Test↗
PubMed1996

Reengineering the work of caregivers: role redefinition, team structures, and organizational redesign.

Health care organizations are implementing new patient care delivery models with the expectation that operations reengineering will bring dramatic improvements in cost, quality, and patient satisfaction. Together with the fundamental redefinition of caregivers' work roles, the adoption of reengineering principles features the organization of work activities around team structures such that teams are considered the basic unit of work performance. This article draws from reengineering case studies to consider how hospitals are operationalizing team care concepts at the patient care unit level. Using a classification of caregiver work that distinguishes care production and care management tasks, evolving care team models are discussed through a conceptual framework that defines a continuum of team delivery strategies. The team models are illustrated by brief case examples.

Case Management↗