Search Results (11)

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic placed an immense burden on nursing home staff, significantly increasing their workload. How the impact of these challenges on job satisfaction is mitigated by personal and social resources, along with organisational support measures initiated by nursing homes, is investigated in this study. Methods: In 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among nursing home staff in Rhineland-Palatinate (n = 373). The questionnaire contained parts of standardised instruments (parts of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), Brief Resilience Scale) and self-developed questions related to support measures such as training, psychological support and work organisation changes. The association of these support measures, as well as personal and social resources (e.g., resilience, social support, sense of community), with job satisfaction was explored. Descriptive, bivariate and regression analyses were conducted. Results: While various support measures were offered to the nursing home staff, significant gaps remained. Training on hygiene and COVID-19 care was beneficial but not universally available. Similarly, psychological, pastoral and palliative support was lacking for a large portion of nursing home staff. Surprisingly, in the regression analysis, frequent information updates from supervisors were found to be negatively correlated with job satisfaction (p = 0.002). However, some personal and social resources (resilience (p = 0.002), social support (p = 0.001), sense of community at work (p ≤ 0.001), commitment to the workplace (p = 0.019), recognition by management (p ≤ 0.001)), and various support measures (training programmes (p = 0.005), changes in work organisation (p = 0.008), technical measures (p = 0.025)) were positively correlated with job satisfaction. Conclusions: This study highlights that despite the implementation of various support measures for nursing home staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, significant gaps remained. Notably, a substantial portion of staff members lacked access to crucial support services such as psychological, pastoral and palliative care. Furthermore, healthcare facility managers should prioritise the following support measures, especially during crises: comprehensive training, including resilience training; flexible working arrangements; and recognition for nursing staff. Ultimately, healthcare organisations should aim to create a supportive work environment that fosters a sense of community and belonging among their nursing workforce. Full article

Slip, trip, and fall (STF) accidents cause high rates of absence from work in many companies. During the 2022 reporting period, the German Social Accident Insurance recorded 165,420 STF accidents, of which 12 were fatal and 2485 led to disability pensions. Particularly in the traffic, transport and logistics sector, STF accidents are the most frequently reported occupational accidents. Therefore, an accurate detection of near-falls is critical to improve worker safety. Efficient detection algorithms are essential for this, but their performance heavily depends on large, well-curated datasets. However, there are drawbacks to current datasets, including small sample sizes, an emphasis on older demographics, and a reliance on simulated rather than real data. In this paper we report the collection of a standardised kinematic STF dataset from real-world STF events affecting parcel delivery workers and steelworkers. We further discuss the use of the data to evaluate dynamic stability control during locomotion for machine learning and build a standardised database. We present the data collection, discuss the classification of the data, present the totality of the data statistically, and compare it with existing databases. A significant research gap is the limited number of participants and focus on older populations in previous studies, as well as the reliance on simulated rather than real-world data. Our study addresses these gaps by providing a larger dataset of real-world STF events from a working population with physically demanding jobs. The population studied included 110 participants, consisting of 55 parcel delivery drivers and 55 steelworkers, both male and female, aged between 19 and 63 years. This diverse participant base allows for a more comprehensive understanding of STF incidents in different working environments. Full article

Rural industrialisation in China, which has historically been restricted by urban–rural dual development policies, has been largely encouraged since the Rural Revitalisation Strategy released in 2018. Industrialisation has deeply influenced socio-spatial evolution by providing job opportunities and promoting the construction of infrastructure and public services, accelerating the two-way flow of urban–rural factors in rural areas. However, this may lead to social and spatial issues, such as social inequalities and unsuitable living conditions, to some extent. This research aims to investigate how the socio-spatial evolution of rural areas was influenced by rural industrialisation and the two-way flow of urban–rural factors. The cherry planting industry and an active “industrial centre”, Yuezhuang Village, in Linqu County, Shandong Province, China, were selected for the empirical study. This research analysed the evolution of the cherry planting industry, the formulation of rural social networks, and the spatial adaptation of the two using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, followed by a discussion on the current rural planning policies in China. The results show that the cherry industrial chain largely extended the planting areas, and the categories of land use generally increased in Yuezhuang Village over the 30 years studied. The average output value per mu (mu is unit of area measurement used in China, where it is officially standardised. It corresponds to 1/15 of a hectare, or about 666.67 m²). In 2021 was 25 times larger than that in 1996. The population involved in industrial activities increased to over 5000 people countrywide from the initial 17 households. The results also show that urban–rural factors, such as capital, population, techniques, and information, rapidly accelerated in the annual peak season of the cherry industry. This research indicates that small-scale, characteristic, and traditional agriculture could become one of the main driving forces in urban–rural integration and may contribute to sustainable and inclusive rural communities and urban–rural partnerships. This provides the theoretical mechanism of socio-spatial interaction in rural industrialisation in China based on the empirical case study. Full article

The quality of life is one of the key factors in assessing the health status of HIV-positive individuals, with its improvement considered an important goal of treatment. Assessment of the quality of life helps accurately evaluate the impact of diseases and treatment on the patient’s life. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of HIV-positive people in Poland using the example of patients treated in the Observation and Infection Clinic with the Subunit for HIV/AIDS Patients of the University Clinical Hospital in Bialystok, based on the evaluation of HIV-positive status acceptance in HIV patients as well as sociometric variables such as age, gender and marital status. A total of 147 patients participated in this study, including 104 men (70.7%) and 43 women (29.3%). This study was conducted between May 2019 and January 2020 in the Observation and Infection Clinic with the Subunit for HIV/AIDS Patients with the Consultation and Diagnostic Centre at the Teaching Hospital of the Medical University of Bialystok. This study used a diagnostic survey method with a modified questionnaire “Psychosocial Situation of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Poland” by Dr. Magdalena Ankiersztejn-Bartczak and the following standardised psychometric tools: the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The majority of respondents (60%) reported no significant changes in their lives as a result of HIV infection. Gender was not a differentiating factor in the quality of life of people living with HIV. The variation in psychometric measures within the female and male groups was far greater than the difference between them. Marital status clearly differentiated the quality of life. The following conclusions were drawn from this study: The surveyed HIV patients presented a moderate level of quality of life, which was mainly determined by marital status. Higher quality of life was presented by married persons. Duration of infection was not correlated with quality of life. The level of acceptance of HIV infection was relatively high among respondents. A higher level of HIV acceptance was associated with a higher quality of life. The respondents presented a relatively poor level of satisfaction with life. Changing jobs, going on disability, relationship breakdown, not having a family of their own and losing friends were the key HIV-related changes in the lives of the respondents. Full article

There is a growing interest in adopting a holistic circular economy (CE) to reach a sustainable and economically viable future, thus there is an increasing need for professionals in the field to do so efficiently. In this regard, good education and knowledge sharing are crucial. This knowledge sharing is bi-directional across generations, with everyone gaining equally from the various viewpoints and experiences. CE strategy research and education are beneficial for the implementation of sustainable development that considers economic, social, and environmental spheres. Additionally, attention is being paid to the younger generation, which is now focused on addressing climate change, as evidenced by the growth of the post-Greta Thunberg phenomena. As a result, this paper proposes a set of recommendations to improve measures for circular economy education (ECE) in order to train future CE experts who can contribute to achieving successful sustainable development. This research proposes, through a literature review and case studies analyses, that enhancing ECE can cultivate future CE specialists who can contribute to the successful pursuit of sustainable development as the demand for green jobs grows. According to our preliminary understanding, widespread ECE can be a critical tool for bringing together experienced circular professionals, students, and younger generations, in meeting their needs and advancing circular development through various forms, including specific training and reskilling of professionals required. However, we discovered a lack of consensus across the case studies on the ideal CE expert or educational modality, which is mirrored in the literature, indicating the need for greater collaboration among different disciplines and stakeholders. There also appears to be a general lack of awareness about the benefits of the CE, necessitating the collaboration between the private and public sectors in providing educational opportunities, accessible study materials, and research funding to accelerate innovation and competitiveness. Thus, institutions and businesses could play a role in standardising basic circular principles and competencies in CE as a means of providing basic guidelines that could be supplemented with specialised courses and diverse content ranging from public knowledge to more specialised professionals or students aiding the implementation of CE strategies, which reduce local disparities increasing green jobs accessibility for youth. Conclusively, this paper looks to provide recommendations for improvements in this field. Full article

The identification of modifiable factors that could maintain cognitive function is a public health priority. It is thought that some work-related psychosocial factors help developing cognitive reserve through high intellectual complexity. However, they also have well-known adverse health effects and are considered to be chronic psychosocial stressors. Indeed, these stressors could increase low-grade inflammation and promote oxidative stress associated with accelerated telomere shortening. Both low-grade inflammation and shorter telomeres have been associated with a cognitive decline. This study aimed to evaluate the total, direct, and indirect effects of work-related psychosocial factors on global cognitive function overall and by sex, through telomere length and an inflammatory index. A random sample of 2219 participants followed over 17 years was included in this study, with blood samples and data with cognitive function drawn from a longitudinal study of 9188 white-collar workers (51% female). Work-related psychosocial factors were evaluated according to the Demand–Control–Support and the Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI) models. Global cognitive function was evaluated with the validated Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Telomere length and inflammatory biomarkers were measured using standardised protocols. The direct and indirect effects were estimated using a novel mediation analysis method developed for multiple correlated mediators. Associations were observed between passive work or low job control, and shorter telomeres among females, and between low social support at work, ERI or iso-strain, and a higher inflammatory index among males. An association was observed with higher cognitive performance for longer telomeres, but not for the inflammatory index. Passive work overall, and low reward were associated with lower cognitive performance in males; whereas, high psychological demand in both males and females and high job strain in females were associated with a higher cognitive performance. However, none of these associations were mediated by telomere length or the inflammatory index. This study suggests that some work-related psychosocial factors could be associated with shorter telomeres and low-grade inflammation, but these associations do not explain the relationship between work-related psychosocial factors and global cognitive function. A better understanding of the biological pathways, by which these factors affect cognitive function, could guide future preventive strategies to maintain cognitive function and promote healthy aging. Full article

The health condition of working-age males in Poland remains largely associated with long-lasting sick leaves, one of the main reasons of which being cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this work was to develop a prediction model for FIT Treadmill Score (“FIT” refers to Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) Project) that only depends on easily accessible somatic data and smoking without the need to perform the exercise test anymore. The study comprised 146 men with a negative cardiological history, aged 26–60, with desk-jobs. By means of regression analysis it was tested to what degree obesity-related indices as well as smoking cigarettes allow for determining the measure level of mortality risk, without the necessity of performing an exercise test. The following independent variables were entered into the linear regression model: age, BMI, Fat%, waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) as well as smoking. Statistically significant factors were singled out from among them. The obtained model accounts for a significant part (over 87%) of the variability of the mortality risk measure among the tested population. Based on the value of the standardised regression coefficient β, it can be stated that age is the factor that mostly determines the mortality risk measure, followed by the WHtR and smoking. The simplicity of the worked-out model and, resulting from it, the possibility of its common application should enable better health monitoring of working-age men with regard to cardiovascular disease occurrence and, related to it, mortality risk, thereby improving the quality of public health management. Full article

Robotics and computerization have drastically changed the agricultural production sector and thus moved it into a new automation era. Robots have historically been used for carrying out routine tasks that require physical strength, accuracy, and repeatability, whereas humans are used to engage with more value-added tasks that need reasoning and decision-making skills. On the other hand, robots are also increasingly exploited in several non-routine tasks that require cognitive skills. This technological evolution will create a fundamental and an unavoidable transformation of the agricultural occupations landscape with a high social and economic impact in terms of jobs creation and jobs destruction. To that effect, the aim of the present work is two-fold: (a) to map agricultural occupations in terms of their cognitive/manual and routine/non-routine characteristics and (b) to assess the susceptibility of each agricultural occupation to robotization. Seventeen (17) agricultural occupations were reviewed in relation to the characteristics of each individual task they entail and mapped onto a two-dimensional space representing the manual versus cognitive nature and the routine versus non-routine nature of an occupation. Subsequently, the potential for robotization was investigated, again concerning each task individually, and resulted in a weighted average potential adoption rate for each one of the agricultural occupations. It can be concluded that most of the occupations entail manual tasks that need to be performed in a standardised manner. Considering also that almost 81% of the agricultural work force is involved with these activities, it turns out that there is strong evidence for possible robotization of 70% of the agricultural domain, which, in turn, could affect 56% of the total annual budget dedicated to agricultural occupations. The presented work silhouettes the expected transformation of occupational landscape in agricultural production as an effort for a subsequent identification of social threats in terms of unemployment and job and wages polarization, among others, but also of opportunities in terms of emerged skills and training requirements for a social sustainable development of agricultural domain. Full article

Background: the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession had a strong impact on employment and certain health indicators, such as mental health. Many studies carried out with diverse samples attest to the negative influence of stress on health. However, few studies focus on stress and self-rated health among the Spanish workforce, or analyse which variables can act as a buffer against the negative effects of stress on self-perceived health. Aim: to analyse the mediator role of social support and job satisfaction in the relationship between work-related stress and self-rated health among the Spanish working population between 2006 and 2017. Method: repeated cross-sectional study using Spanish Surveys from 2006 to 2017, a total of 32.105 participants (47.4% women) aged 16 years and over (M = 42.3, SD = 10.7) answered a series of questions about work-related stress (PV), self-rated health (CV), job satisfaction, and social support (mediator variables) through the National Health Survey (NHS) prevalences of work-related stress, self-rated health, job satisfaction, and social support were calculated (standardised by age). We performed mediation/moderation analysis with Macro Process for SPSS to analyse the role of social support and job satisfaction in the relationship between self-rated health and work-related stress among the Spanish working population. Results: three mediation analyses were conducted, one for each time point in the study period. The results revealed a significant direct association between stress and job satisfaction. In the 2006 model, both job satisfaction and social support acted as mediators between stress and self-rated health, while in the 2011 and 2017 models, only job satisfaction acted as a mediator. The data reveal that the working population in Spain has a good capacity for resilience, since no drop in health indicators was observed. Conclusion: following the economic recession, employment has partially recovered. However, social and employment policies are required to help the population face the recent situation triggered by the Coronavirus crisis. Full article

Managers of food service operations standardise various aspects of operations to sustain consistent service quality. Frontline employees in these operations are expected to carry out tasks as per standards. Standards demand that frontline employees regulate their behaviours and emotions to complete their duties. Therefore, referring to the organisational role theory and the emotion regulation theory as the directing basis, this study examined the impact of job standardisation on emotional labour, as well as the effect of emotional labour on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction of frontline employees in the hospitality sector. This study also examined the mediating effect of emotional labour on the relation between job standardisation, on one hand, and emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction on the other hand. The data collection was carried out in food service operations in Lebanon. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess the relations. The results showed that job standardisation negatively affected emotional labour and that emotional labour had a positive effect on emotional exhaustion and a negative effect on job satisfaction. Furthermore, emotional labour mediated the relation between job standardisation and emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. Practical and theoretical implications and directions for future research are also provided. Full article

The current study evaluated the next day consequences of a social night of drinking compared to a no alcohol night, with standardised mood and portable screen-based performance measures assessed in the morning at participants’ homes, and a breathalyser screen for zero alcohol. A mixed sex group (n = 20) took part in the study. Participants reported consuming on average 16.9 units (135 g) alcohol, resulting in a hangover rating of 60 (out of 100) compared to 0.3 following the no alcohol night. Statistical significance comparisons contrasting the hangover with the no alcohol condition revealed an increase in negative mood and irritability during hangover and an (unexpected) increase in risk and thrill seeking. Performance scores showed an overall slowing of responses across measures, but with less impact on errors. The results support the description of hangover as a general state of cognitive impairment, reflected in slower responses and reduced accuracy across a variety of measures of cognitive function. This suggests a general level of impairment due to hangover, as well as increased negative mood. The use of a naturalistic design enabled the impact of more typical levels of alcohol associated with real life social consumption to be assessed, revealing wide ranging neurocognitive impairment with these higher doses. This study has successfully demonstrated the sensitivity of home-based assessment of the impact of alcohol hangover on a range of subjective and objective measures. The observed impairments, which may significantly impair daily activities such as driving a car or job performance, should be further investigated and taken into account by policy makers. Full article