Search Results (18)

Introduction: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an agile context for workplace training, which can provide physicians with needed knowledge and skills related to their clinical practice. From an organisational standpoint, their effectiveness can be assessed on physicians’ intention to transfer what they learn through them in the workplace. Despite the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) standing among the more solid models in explaining individuals’ behavioural intention, its adoption in investigating the training transfer process among physicians is notably underdeveloped, limiting its contribution to enhancing the transfer rates of MOOCs content. Method: Based on such a consideration, the present study adopted an extended TPB model to investigate the potential psychosocial factors affecting the intention to transfer knowledge and skills learned through MOOCs in the workplace among 217 Italian physicians who completed an online self-report questionnaire. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses were performed, showing that among the TPB variables, perceived behavioural control and attitude significantly predicted transfer intention. The inclusion of training satisfaction and job autonomy in the model significantly increased the explained variance in intention. Conclusions: These findings have valuable implications for human resource development (HRD) in healthcare as they suggest the need to design MOOCs based on a flexible competency model in order to promote physicians’ engagement and commitment to adopting new knowledge and skills. Finally, interventions aimed at recognising physicians’ efforts in transferring learned content as well as empowering their ability to shape how they perform their professional duties could further enhance the impact of workplace training. Full article

Hematological malignancies are among the top five most frequent forms of cancer in developed countries worldwide. Although the new therapeutic approaches have improved the quality and the life expectancy of patients, the high rate of recurrence and drug resistance are the main issues for counteracting blood disorders. Chemotherapy-resistant leukemic clones activate molecular processes for biological survival, preventing the activation of regulated cell death pathways, leading to cancer progression. In the past decade, leukemia research has predominantly centered around modulating the well-established processes of apoptosis (type I cell death) and autophagy (type II cell death). However, the development of therapy resistance and the adaptive nature of leukemic clones have rendered targeting these cell death pathways ineffective. The identification of novel cell death mechanisms, as categorized by the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD), has provided researchers with new tools to overcome survival mechanisms and activate alternative molecular pathways. This review aims to synthesize information on these recently discovered RCD mechanisms in the major types of leukemia, providing researchers with a comprehensive overview of cell death and its modulation. Full article

The concept of value in healthcare is mainly based on economic and financial aspects. However, the literature has emphasised the need to investigate value from other perspectives. The present study aimed to explore the views of physicians and patients on the value of healthcare, and to examine in depth the psychosocial and organisational elements that have emerged but that need to be investigated more. Therefore, two qualitative studies were performed, in which 69 physicians and 111 patients participated. The data were analysed using content analysis and text mining using t-lab software. The results revealed common elements between the two healthcare actors that constitute value in healthcare, including competence, professionalism, and soft skills like communication and empathy. Furthermore, the importance of functioning health services and effective organisational culture in local healthcare and investment emerged. These findings can guide healthcare organisations to consider the potential psychosocial factors related to value in healthcare, which affect organisation in terms of costs and healthcare relationships. In addition, these findings are a first step in filling the gap found in the literature regarding the consideration of value from a non-economic perspective and the difficulty of defining and measuring it. Full article

The aim of the study was to assess the uncertainty scope and types present in public projects, with uncertainty defined as a lack of knowledge, and to formulate recommendations for improving the success rate of public projects. Apart from a literature review, a questionnaire was administered among 60 Italian and 40 Polish public-project managers. Questions about the level of knowledge of various project aspects (e.g., project stakeholders or project environment) in the project-planning phase were asked. It was found that, in their own opinion, knowledge of essential aspects of public projects in the planning stage was fairly low among public-project managers. On top of that, the results showed in which areas, and in which of the two countries, the uncertainty was mostly present. This type of research has not been identified in the literature. In both countries, an especially high uncertainty level characterized project stakeholders. The survey’s conclusions are juxtaposed with results from the literature: the negative influence of lack of knowledge (i.e., uncertainty) on project success, specific features of public projects and public-project managers, and the fact that certain negative phenomena influencing project success are significantly more present in the public than in the private sector. Our results indicate which aspects of public projects in both countries should be subject to deep changes—as far as information collecting and processing, in the project-defining and planning phase, is concerned. All this leads to recommendations of measures to be introduced in the public sector with respect to public-project management, e.g., the establishment of project management offices, project knowledge sharing, project management training—all focused on the identified uncertainty types in public projects, such as management of project stakeholders. The main limitations of the study were the relatively small sample sizes, a non-random sample selection, a bias due to misinterpretation of the questions, and cultural differences. Full article

Histone modifications, as key chromatin regulators, play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of several diseases, such as cancer. Acetylation, and more specifically lysine acetylation, is a reversible epigenetic process with a fundamental role in cell life, able to target histone and non-histone proteins. This epigenetic modification regulates transcriptional processes and protein activity, stability, and localization. Several studies highlight a specific role for HAT1 in regulating molecular pathways, which are altered in several pathologies, among which is cancer. HAT1 is the first histone acetyltransferase discovered; however, to date, its biological characterization is still unclear. In this review, we summarize and update the current knowledge about the biological function of this acetyltransferase, highlighting recent advances of HAT1 in the pathogenesis of cancer. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly affected the older population both in terms of the high number of victims and the psychological impact. Moreover, the pandemic has made older people more vulnerable to isolation and loneliness, and victims of ageism. The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk and protective factors for the well-being of older people during the pandemic. The role of positive affect, confidence in the future, current physical health, social isolation, loneliness, and ageism were analysed. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 1301 participants (mean age: 77.3 years, DS: 5.46), almost equally distributed by gender (56.1% female). Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed, together with SEM. The results showed that perceived age discrimination positively predicts loneliness and negatively and indirectly predicts well-being. Furthermore, positive affect, confidence in the future, and current physical health are protective factors, while loneliness, social isolation, and ageism are risk factors. Future emergency policies must take into account the impact of such actions on the well-being of this segment of the population. Full article

The study aimed to explore the associations between the psychosocial and organizational factors, job satisfaction, and mental well-being of schoolteachers. A further aim was to examine whether job satisfaction mediated the relationship between these factors and mental well-being. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data using a self-reported questionnaire. Six hundred and nine schoolteachers were included in the final analyses. The relationships between the variables were tested in a path analysis model. The data fit the hypothesized model well. The results demonstrated that organizational justice, efficacy beliefs, and school climate were significantly associated with job satisfaction and that the relationships between these variables and mental well-being were mediated by job satisfaction. The findings have implications for programs targeted at promoting teachers’ well-being. Full article

In recent years, there has been an increased implementation of massive open online courses (MOOCs). This teaching model plays a pivotal role in online education because it can provide high-quality learning resources to numerous students with great feasibility, shaping training courses according to their different learning requirements. Although the widespread adoption of MOOCs in medical education has led to numerous benefits for undergraduate and graduate doctors, their role remains unclear, suggesting the need to analyze the key factors of such a learning method in this field. To achieve this aim, a scoping review, in line with the PRISMA method for qualitative synthesis, was performed by considering studies published from 2016 to 2021, written in English, and including the physician population. Through this literature analysis, the following main areas of interest came to light: (1) pedagogical approaches, (2) MOOC structure-related variables, (3) participant-related variables, and (4) MOOCs vs. traditional courses. The review provides valuable evidence on factors underlying MOOCs effectiveness, which might be helpful for academic and healthcare organizations in designing effective training courses for physicians. Full article

The study presents the validation of a scale measuring physicians’ efficacy beliefs about their ability to manage issues related to communication with patients. Specifically, the tool focused on three fundamental phases of the clinical interview: collecting information, returning information to patients, and creating and maintaining a relationship with them. The research included two studies. Study 1 generated an item pool based on the literature review and developed a self-report questionnaire administered to a pilot sample of 150 physicians (M_Age = 49.36; SD = 1.98). The responses were subjected to exploratory analysis. In total, 636 physicians (M_Age = 47.99; SD = 8.68) took part in Study 2. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses yielded a final version of the tool consisting of an eight-factor structure with 31 items. Findings provided evidence of the robust psychometric properties of the scale and its usefulness in assessing physicians’ self-efficacy and defining effective interventions aimed at strengthening the doctors’ communication skills. The scale detected different aspects of physicians’ communication self-efficacy (asking questions, active listening, giving information, communicating an inauspicious diagnosis, non-verbal communication, recognition of patient’s clues and suggestions, information checking, and empathy). Full article

The COVID-19 outbreak has led worldwide governments to take preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus and its extraordinary demands upon healthcare workers. Consequently, healthcare workers have been under high pressures, putting them at risk of developing adverse outcomes. The present study aims to investigate the psychological and organizational factors that contributed to physicians’ well-being during the pandemic. A total of 78 Italian physicians participated in the study. They completed a self-report questionnaire measuring efficacy beliefs, orientation towards patient engagement, job satisfaction, non-technical skills, organizational support, sense of belonging to the hospital, job satisfaction, and mental well-being. Physicians’ sense of belonging to their hospital, efficacy beliefs about their organizations and communication with patients, as well as non-technical skills related to communication and risk awareness were positively associated with job satisfaction. In addition, the latter and sense of belonging to own hospital were positively associated with mental well-being. These findings may guide policymakers and healthcare organizations managers to consider the potential psychosocial factors related to physicians’ well-being and the required preventive measures that can help in enhancing their human and organizational resources to cope with stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

The present study provides evidence for a valid and reliable tool, the Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT), to investigate the quality of life at work in academics within the Italian university sector. The AQ@workT was developed by the QoL@Work research team, namely a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The tool is grounded in the job demands-resources model and its psychometric properties were assessed in three studies comprising a wide sample of lecturers, researchers, and professors: a pilot study (N = 120), a calibration study (N = 1084), and a validation study (N = 1481). Reliability and content, construct, and nomological validity were supported, as well as measurement invariance across work role (researchers, associate professors, and full professors) and gender. Evidence from the present study shows that the AQ@workT represents a useful and reliable tool to assist university management to enhance quality of life, to manage work-related stress, and to mitigate the potential for harm to academics, particularly during a pandemic. Future studies, such as longitudinal tests of the AQ@workT, should test predictive validity among the variables in the tool. Full article

The COVID-19 outbreak has had a disruptive impact on the academic context and labor market. Indeed, the pandemic shock in such fields has been related to several changes with implications for young people’s careers and well-being. This two-wave longitudinal study, conducted in Italy, aimed to explore the predictiveness of some individual and organizational factors on students’ perceived employability and well-being. A total of 301 Italian students, aged between 18 and 33 (M = 20.63, SD = 1.99), completed a self-report questionnaire measuring career ambition, university reputation, university commitment, technostress related to technology-enhanced learning, perceived employability, and mental well-being at both time points. A path analysis showed that career ambition, university reputation, and organizational commitment positively predicted employability, which, in addition to such variables, positively affected well-being. In contrast, technostress was identified as a risk factor both for students’ perceptions of finding a job and for their well-being. These findings provide a theoretical contribution to a better understanding of the factors involved in undergraduates’ perceived employability and well-being. Moreover, they suggest the need to improve academic-related variables to enhance individuals’ resources in coping with the pandemic challenges. Full article

The purpose of this scoping review focused on the relationship between smart working, a conception of job centered on the flexibility and autonomy of the worker, and well-being/illness in an organizational context before and during COVID-19. The literature review, conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for qualitative synthesis) method for qualitative synthesis, considered studies published from 2014 to 2020. From the analyses conducted by three independent coders, three main areas of interest in the literature emerged: (1) smart working and work engagement, (2) smart working and technostress, and (3) mediators of the relationship between smart working and well-being. The review highlights the need for an organizational culture increasingly oriented towards agile working practices in conjunction with organizational support and training. Full article

In the world of university research, although the figure of project manager is not formally foreseen, the principal researcher (PR) is, at many times, the last responsible the project results, schedule, and cost. The study aimed to investigate, in the light of the literature and through a cross-cultural study conducted in Italy and Poland, the relationship between soft skills (empowering leadership style, self-efficacy beliefs, and collective efficacy) of the principal researcher (PR) and the perceived success of research projects and satisfaction with the project, taking into account cross-cultural differences. A total of 67 PRs of complex projects in public universities (28 in Italy and 39 in Poland) participated in the study, completing a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational analyses. The results showed a significantly higher mean value for team management self-efficacy in a Polish sample and a higher satisfaction with projects in Italian sample. All the soft skills included in the study were related to project success and satisfaction with the project. The results could be used to identify possible ways of intervention to establish a more mature project culture in public research organizations. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led the worldwide healthcare system to a severe crisis in which personnel paid the major costs. Many studies were promptly dedicated to the physical and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 exposure among healthcare employees, whereas the research on the other working populations has been substantially ignored. To bridge the current lack of knowledge about safe behaviors related to the risk of COVID-19 contagion at work, the aim of the study was to validate a new tool, the SAPH@W (Safety at Work), to assess workers’ perceptions of safety. Methods: A total of 1085 participants, employed in several organizations sited across areas with different levels of risk of contagion, completed an online questionnaire. To test the SAPH@W validity and measurement invariance, the research sample was randomly divided in two. Results: In the first sub-sample, Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated the adequacy of the SAPH@W factorial structure. In the second sub-sample, multi-group Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed that the SAPH@W was invariant across gender, ecological risk level, and type of occupation (in-person vs. remote working). Conclusions: The study evidenced the psychometric properties of the SAPH@W, a brief tool to monitor workers’ experiences and safety perceptions regarding the COVID-19 risk in any organisational setting. Full article