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Sabbath EL, Lovejoy M, Schneider DK, Diaz-Linhart Y, DeHorn G, Peters SE. Engaging Low-Wage Workers in Health and Well-Being Survey Research: Strategies From 5 Occupational Studies. Am J Public Health 2024:e1-e8. [PMID: 39541555 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2024.307875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Without perspectives of low-wage workers in studies of worker health and well-being, researchers cannot comprehensively assess occupational health and health equity impacts of workplace exposures and interventions. Researchers and practitioners have noted particular challenges in engaging low-wage workers in worksite-based health survey research, yet little scholarship has described strategies for improving their engagement and response rates. To fill this gap, we present case examples from 5 occupational studies conducted between 2020 and 2024 in industries including health care, food service, and fulfillment centers. For each case, we describe how we identified barriers to worker engagement in surveys, explain specific strategies we used to address those barriers, and assess the effectiveness of these actions. Then, summarizing across case examples, we offer practical recommendations to researchers surveying low-wage populations, highlighting that high-touch recruitment, building trust with workers and managers, and obtaining manager support to take surveys during work time (for worksite-based studies) are critical for obtaining reliable, representative data. Our work contributes to broader discussions on improving survey response rates in vulnerable worker populations and aims to support future researchers undertaking similar efforts. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 14, 2024:e1-e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307875).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika L Sabbath
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Meg Lovejoy
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Daniel K Schneider
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Yaminette Diaz-Linhart
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Grace DeHorn
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Susan E Peters
- Erika L. Sabbath is with the Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA. Meg Lovejoy is with the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Daniel K. Schneider is with the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Yaminette Diaz-Linhart and Grace DeHorn are with the Institute for Work and Employment Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge. Susan E. Peters is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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Sama SR, Quinn MM, Gore RJ, Galligan CJ, Kriebel D, Markkanen PK, Lindberg JE, Fallon PJ. The Safe Home Care Intervention Study: Implementation Methods and Effectiveness Evaluation. J Appl Gerontol 2024; 43:1595-1604. [PMID: 38652665 PMCID: PMC11528930 DOI: 10.1177/07334648241246472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Home care (HC) aides experience numerous safety hazards in clients' homes; many hazards also put clients at risk. We hypothesized that safety coaching led by nurse managers (NMs) during their initial HC needs assessment could prompt clients to improve safety conditions in their homes. Following a 2-arm proof-of-concept intervention study design, intervention NMs used motivational interviewing (MI), facilitated by a safety handbook and video, to coach clients on home safety improvements. Control arm NMs performed intake assessments with no changes to usual practices. Intervention effectiveness was assessed by NMs and aides. Three HC agencies and two elder services contributed 35 intervention and 23 control homes. NMs coached 97% of clients and reported that 94% were engaged; 63% implemented improvements. NMs' and aides' assessments were consistent; homes with clients reported by NMs as resistant to safety changes had higher aides' hazard scores. Client coaching can be effective for improving HC safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan R. Sama
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Margaret M. Quinn
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Gore
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Catherine J. Galligan
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - David Kriebel
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Pia K. Markkanen
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - John E. Lindberg
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Pamela J. Fallon
- Safe Home Care Project, Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA
- Employee Health and Wellness, Southern New Hampshire Health, Nashua, NH, USA
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Maleki Toulabi AM, Pourrostam T, Aminnejad B. An ISM-MICMAC-based study for identification and classification of preventable safety risk mitigation factors in mass housing projects following a BIM approach. Heliyon 2024; 10:e38240. [PMID: 39386802 PMCID: PMC11462378 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Construction operation is among the most high-risk sectors in terms of work-related accident, making it highly challenging to surveil the safety of such projects. In construction projects, failure to observe safety represents a leading cause of fatal accidents, not to mention the losses incurred by such accidents to national assets of the country. Accordingly, recent decades have witnessed the emergence of modern techniques for improving the occupational safety of construction projects. The main purpose of the present research is to identify and classify different preventable risk mitigation factors in mass housing projects following a building information modeling (BIM) approach. The research methodology included interviews with relevant experts and elites followed by analysis of the data on the 12 identified-as-significant variables for mitigating the preventable risk factors in mass house construction projects by means of the inferential - structural modeling (ISM) in MICMAC software. In order to explore the relationships among and succession of different criteria and further classify them at different levels, ISM was implemented, with the MICMAC software used to analyze the direct and indirect influences, develop influence/dependence maps, and judge about the role of each criterion. Findings of the present research showed that the mutual relations (H3), the reward system (H6), the reporting system (H7), and the supervisors' supervision (H8) are autonomous variables and hence impose the smallest contributions to the system. Accordingly, they can be eliminated from the model though their effects may not be completely ignored. On the other hand, the employees' empowering (H4), the safety management system (H5), the teamwork (H9), the self-efficiency (H10), and the knowledge and awareness (H11) were identified as the linkage variables that fill in the gap between the safety and occupational accident reduction in the mass house construction projects. Further, the continuous improvement (H2) and the safe behavior (H12) were identified as dependent variables, implying that they exhibit the weakest influence coupled with highest dependence on any change in the conditions of the system. Last but not the least, the management commitment (H1) was identified as the only dependent variable which deserves lots of attention. This information can be helpful to safety decision-makers, end users, research organizations, and academic institutes who work to reduce the preventable risk factors in mass house construction projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Towhid Pourrostam
- Department of Civil Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Babak Aminnejad
- Department of Civil Engineering, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen, Iran
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Castillo-Allendes A, Cantor-Cutiva LC, Vidal V, Hunter EJ. Voice as a Working Tool for Teachers: A Qualitative Study of Work-Related Perceptions and Impact. J Voice 2024:S0892-1997(24)00314-X. [PMID: 39389899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Revised: 09/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Teachers rely heavily on their voices, making them susceptible to voice disorders affecting their teaching efficacy and well-being. This study explores the role of voice as a working tool for teachers and its impact on their professional lives, a necessary step in designing intervention points. METHODS Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with 18 teachers (13 females, 5 males) from diverse backgrounds. They represented diverse teaching areas, grade levels, and school districts. Data were analyzed through content analysis. In this process, 52 codes were identified, totaling 753 code references. FINDINGS This study uncovered insights into the role of voice as a working tool for teachers and its impact on their professional lives. In-depth analysis of the interviews with 18 teachers resulted in 6 key themes: (1) Voice is a crucial occupational tool for teachers for instruction, engagement, and classroom management; (2) working conditions significantly impact teachers' vocal health, with environmental factors and vocal load contributing to voice problems; (3) vocal health concerns are frequently reported by teachers, emphasizing the need for comprehensive health management strategies; (4) there are notable best practices and gaps in vocal care, with teachers expressing the need for more resources and formal training; (5) amplification devices play a significant role in sustaining teachers' vocal health, although access to and use of these tools is inconsistent; and (6) voice-related problems have a significant emotional and psychosocial impact on teachers, affecting their self-perception, professional identity, and well-being. DISCUSSION This study highlights the critical role of vocal health in teachers' professional lives, revealing its impact on teaching efficacy, well-being, and professional identity. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive support systems, including vocal health programs, resources like amplification devices, and counseling for emotional impacts. The six identified themes emphasize the necessity of holistic interventions to enhance teachers' well-being and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Castillo-Allendes
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
| | | | - Verónica Vidal
- School of Education, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eric J Hunter
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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Mess F, Blaschke S, Gebhard D, Friedrich J. Precision prevention in occupational health: a conceptual analysis and development of a unified understanding and an integrative framework. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1444521. [PMID: 39360261 PMCID: PMC11445082 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1444521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Precision prevention implements highly precise, tailored health interventions for individuals by directly addressing personal and environmental determinants of health. However, precision prevention does not yet appear to be fully established in occupational health. There are numerous understandings and conceptual approaches, but these have not yet been systematically presented or synthesized. Therefore, this conceptual analysis aims to propose a unified understanding and develop an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health. Methods Firstly, to systematically present definitions and frameworks of precision prevention in occupational health, six international databases were searched for studies published between January 2010 and January 2024 that used the term precision prevention or its synonyms in the context of occupational health. Secondly, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyze the existing definitions and propose a unified understanding. Thirdly, based on the identified frameworks, a multi-stage exploratory development process was applied to develop and propose an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health. Results After screening 3,681 articles, 154 publications were reviewed, wherein 29 definitions of precision prevention and 64 different frameworks were found, which can be summarized in eight higher-order categories. The qualitative content analysis revealed seven themes and illustrated many different wordings. The proposed unified understanding of precision prevention in occupational health takes up the identified themes. It includes, among other things, a contrast to a "one-size-fits-all approach" with a risk- and resource-oriented data collection and innovative data analytics with profiling to provide and improve tailored interventions. The developed and proposed integrative conceptual framework comprises three overarching stages: (1) data generation, (2) data management lifecycle and (3) interventions (development, implementation and adaptation). Discussion Although there are already numerous studies on precision prevention in occupational health, this conceptual analysis offers, for the first time, a proposal for a unified understanding and an integrative conceptual framework. However, the proposed unified understanding and the developed integrative conceptual framework should only be seen as an initial proposal that should be critically discussed and further developed to expand and strengthen both research on precision prevention in occupational health and its practical application in the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Mess
- Department Health and Sport Sciences, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Julian Friedrich
- Department Health and Sport Sciences, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Woods T, Nguyen D, Schneider D, Harknett K. Labor market pathways to job quality mobility in the service sector: Evidence from the "Great Resignation". RESEARCH IN SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND MOBILITY 2024; 92:100962. [PMID: 39220820 PMCID: PMC11364158 DOI: 10.1016/j.rssm.2024.100962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Since the mid-1970s, there has been a sharp rise in the prevalence of "bad jobs" in the U.S. labor market, characterized by stagnant wages, unstable work schedules, and limited fringe benefits. Scholarly, policy, and public debate persists, however, about whether these jobs can serve as steppingstones to intra-generational job quality mobility or are instead "poverty traps." While scholarship increasingly recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of job quality, prior research on intra-generational job mobility overwhelmingly estimates only wage mobility and generally focuses on estimating the degree of mobility, to the exclusion of the contexts and mechanisms that foster such mobility. We draw on new panel data collected from 8600 hourly service sector workers between 2017 and 2022 to estimate short-run mobility into good jobs, defined as paying at least $15/hour, having a stable work schedule, and offering paid sick leave, employer-sponsored health insurance, and retirement benefits. Overall, we find that mobility into such "good jobs" is low. However, we show that the rate of transition into "good jobs" is strongly conditioned by local labor market conditions: during the "Great Resignation" and in low state-month unemployment periods, nearly twice the share of workers transitioned to "good jobs" as in less favorable contexts, particularly workers who changed sector as opposed to staying at the same firm or taking new jobs in the service sector. Notably, during periods of labor market tightness, workers who stayed at the same employer had similar rates of mobility into "good jobs" as those who changed employers within the sector.
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Wang Q, Chen C, Mu X, Wang H, Wang Z, Xu S, Guo W, Wu X, Li W. A Wearable Upper Limb Exoskeleton System and Intelligent Control Strategy. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:129. [PMID: 38534814 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9030129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heavy lifting operations frequently lead to upper limb muscle fatigue and injury. In order to reduce muscle fatigue, auxiliary force for upper limbs can be provided. This paper presents the development and evaluation of a wearable upper limb exoskeleton (ULE) robot system. A flexible cable transmits auxiliary torque and is connected to the upper limb by bypassing the shoulder. Based on the K-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm and integrated fuzzy PID control strategy, the ULE identifies the handling posture and provides accurate active auxiliary force automatically. Overall, it has the quality of being light and easy to wear. In unassisted mode, the wearer's upper limbs minimally affect the range of movement. The KNN algorithm uses multi-dimensional motion information collected by the sensor, and the test accuracy is 94.59%. Brachioradialis muscle (BM), triceps brachii (TB), and biceps brachii (BB) electromyogram (EMG) signals were evaluated by 5 kg, 10 kg, and 15 kg weight conditions for five subjects, respectively, during lifting, holding, and squatting. Compared with the ULE without assistance and with assistance, the average peak values of EMG signals of BM, TB, and BB were reduced by 19-30% during the whole handling process, which verified that the developed ULE could provide practical assistance under different load conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wang
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Chunjie Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinxing Mu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Haibin Wang
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Sheng Xu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Weilun Guo
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Weimin Li
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Brambilla C, Lavit Nicora M, Storm F, Reni G, Malosio M, Scano A. Biomechanical Assessments of the Upper Limb for Determining Fatigue, Strain and Effort from the Laboratory to the Industrial Working Place: A Systematic Review. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:445. [PMID: 37106632 PMCID: PMC10135542 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10040445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent human-centered developments in the industrial field (Industry 5.0) lead companies and stakeholders to ensure the wellbeing of their workers with assessments of upper limb performance in the workplace, with the aim of reducing work-related diseases and improving awareness of the physical status of workers, by assessing motor performance, fatigue, strain and effort. Such approaches are usually developed in laboratories and only at times they are translated to on-field applications; few studies summarized common practices for the assessments. Therefore, our aim is to review the current state-of-the-art approaches used for the assessment of fatigue, strain and effort in working scenarios and to analyze in detail the differences between studies that take place in the laboratory and in the workplace, in order to give insights on future trends and directions. A systematic review of the studies aimed at evaluating the motor performance, fatigue, strain and effort of the upper limb targeting working scenarios is presented. A total of 1375 articles were found in scientific databases and 288 were analyzed. About half of the scientific articles are focused on laboratory pilot studies investigating effort and fatigue in laboratories, while the other half are set in working places. Our results showed that assessing upper limb biomechanics is quite common in the field, but it is mostly performed with instrumental assessments in laboratory studies, while questionnaires and scales are preferred in working places. Future directions may be oriented towards multi-domain approaches able to exploit the potential of combined analyses, exploitation of instrumental approaches in workplace, targeting a wider range of people and implementing more structured trials to translate pilot studies to real practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Brambilla
- Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato (STIIMA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy
| | - Matteo Lavit Nicora
- Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato (STIIMA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy
- Industrial Engineering Department, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Storm
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Scientific Institute, IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Reni
- Informatics Department, Autonomous Province of Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Matteo Malosio
- Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato (STIIMA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy
| | - Alessandro Scano
- Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato (STIIMA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy
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Sponselee HCS, ter Beek L, Renders CM, Robroek SJW, Steenhuis IHM, Kroeze W. Stakeholders' Perceptions Regarding Adaptation and Implementation of Existing Individual and Environmental Workplace Health Promotion Interventions in Blue-Collar Work Settings. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13545. [PMID: 36294131 PMCID: PMC9603088 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Blue-collar workers often have disadvantageous health statuses and might therefore benefit from a combination of individual and environmental workplace health promotion interventions. Exploring stakeholders' perceived facilitators and barriers regarding the combined implementation of these interventions in blue-collar work settings is important for effective implementation. A qualitative study consisting of 20 stakeholder interviews within six types of organisations in The Netherlands was conducted. The potential implementation of the evidence-based individual intervention SMARTsize and the environmental intervention company cafeteria 2.0 was discussed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis with a deductive approach. Five main themes emerged: (1) the availability of resources, (2) professional obligation, (3) expected employee cooperation, (4) the compatibility of the proposed health interventions, and (5) the content of implementation tools and procedures. Generally, stakeholders expressed a sense of professional obligation toward workplace health promotion, mentioning that the current societal focus on health and lifestyle provided the perfect opportunity to implement interventions to promote healthy eating and physical activity. However, they often perceived the high doses of employees' occupational physical activity as a barrier. We recommend co-creating interventions, implementation tools, and processes by involving stakeholders with different professional backgrounds and by adapting communication strategies at diverse organisational levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne C. S. Sponselee
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lies ter Beek
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carry M. Renders
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Suzan J. W. Robroek
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid H. M. Steenhuis
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willemieke Kroeze
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Care for Nutrition and Health Group, School of Nursing, Christian University of Applied Sciences, 6717 JS Ede, The Netherlands
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Roodbari H, Nielsen K, Axtell C, Peters SE, Sorensen G. Testing middle range theories in realist evaluation: a case of a participatory organisational intervention. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WORKPLACE HEALTH MANAGEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/ijwhm-12-2021-0219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeRealist evaluation seeks to answer the question of “what works for whom in which circumstances?” through developing and testing middle range theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how certain mechanisms of an intervention work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. In this paper, the authors tested an initial MRT about the mechanism of participation. The authors used evidence from a participatory organisational intervention in five worksites of a large multi-national organisation in the US food service industry.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data from 89 process tracking documents and 24 post-intervention, semi-structured interviews with intervention stakeholders were analysed using template analysis.FindingsThe operationalised mechanism was partial worksite managers’ engagement with the research team. Six contextual factors (e.g. high workload) impaired participation, and one contextual factor (i.e. existing participatory practices) facilitated participation. Worksite managers’ participation resulted in limited improvement in their awareness of how working conditions can impact on their employees’ safety, health, and well-being. Based on these findings, the authors modified the initial MRT into an empirical MRT.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the understanding of “what works for whom in which circumstances” regarding participation in organisational interventions.
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When Are Organizations Sustainable? Well-Being and Discomfort in Working Contexts: Old and New Form of Malaise. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The proposal for this Special Issue is related to a question that is increasingly present and debated by both researchers and practitioners [...]
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Haraldsson P, Rolander B, Jonker D, Strengbom E, Areskoug Josefsson K. Further psychometric evaluation of the Structured Multidisciplinary Work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire: Practical implications in healthcare settings. Work 2022; 73:1279-1295. [PMID: 36093660 PMCID: PMC9837676 DOI: 10.3233/wor-210095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scientific research has identified a lack of psychometrically well-tested methods for evaluation of the work environment in healthcare settings. The Structured Multidisciplinary Work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire has been evaluated and has shown good content validity, as well as intra-rater and test-retest reliability. There are, however, still unknowns regarding the psychometric properties. If the SMET questionnaire is to be used in practical occupational health service (OHS) work and scientific research in healthcare settings, further psychometric evaluation is needed. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to gain further understanding of the psychometric properties of the SMET questionnaire when used in research and clinical OHS practice in healthcare settings. METHODS The psychometric evaluation was conducted using classical test theory (Cronbach's alpha, explorative factor analysis) and Rasch analysis (measurement targeting, category threshold order, person separation index) on data previously collected in development projects within the healthcare sector. RESULTS The results support the use of the SMET questionnaire as a psychometrically well-tested method for evaluation of the work environment in healthcare settings. They support the use of the initial 1-10 scale since all 10 steps are used. The results also support the trichotomization procedure since the trichotomized scale captures the construct of the work environment with good measurement targeting and good category threshold order. CONCLUSION The results of this study support the use of the SMET questionnaire as a psychometrically well-tested method for a broad multifactorial evaluation of the work environment in healthcare settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Haraldsson
- Occupational Safety and Health Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
- School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Bo Rolander
- Department of Behavioural Science and Social Work, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
- Futurum – Academy for Health and Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Dirk Jonker
- Occupational Safety and Health Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
- School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Erik Strengbom
- Occupational Safety and Health Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Kristina Areskoug Josefsson
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, Sandnes, Norway
- School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Behavioural Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
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Relationship between employee well-being and organizational health: symbiotic or independent? INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/ict-03-2021-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand the bi-directional causal relationship (regular and reverse causation) between employee well-being and organizational health, which is grounded in the micro-foundations of institutional theory.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, employee well-being has two facets: work engagement and burnout. The positive aspect of employee well-being has been conceptualized by work engagement, whereas the negative aspect has been conceptualized with the help of burnout. As concurrent triangulation method was adopted, the qualitative data, as well as quantitative data, was collected from various laboratories of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – an Indian research and development organization.
Findings
The findings did not show the existence of a symbiotic relationship between employee well-being and organizational health. The findings indicated the existence of a significant positive relationship between organizational health and employee well-being, but the reverse effect was found to be non-significant. This shows that when organizational health is good, employees’ health will also be good but not vice versa.
Originality/value
This study shows that health is not a static state, and so, at any given point in time, employee well-being cannot have a positive relationship with organizational health. Employee engagement helps enhance organizational health, whereas burnout can hinder organizational health if not properly mitigated.
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Sorensen G, Peters SE, Nielsen K, Stelson E, Wallace LM, Burke L, Nagler EM, Roodbari H, Karapanos M, Wagner GR. Implementation of an organizational intervention to improve low-wage food service workers' safety, health and wellbeing: findings from the Workplace Organizational Health Study. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1869. [PMID: 34656090 PMCID: PMC8520284 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11937-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many organizational interventions aim to improve working conditions to promote and protect worker safety, health, and well-being. The Workplace Organizational Health Study used process evaluation to examine factors influencing implementation of an organizational intervention. This paper examines the extent to which the intervention was implemented as planned, the dose of intervention implemented, and ways the organizational context hindered or facilitated the implementation of the intervention. METHODS This proof-of-concept trial was conducted with a large, multinational company that provides food service through contractual arrangements with corporate clients. The 13-month intervention was launched in five intervention sites in October 2018. We report findings on intervention implementation based on process tracking and qualitative data. Qualitative data from 25 post-intervention interviews and 89 process tracking documents were coded and thematically analyzed. RESULTS Over the 13-month intervention, research team representatives met with site managers monthly to provide consultation and technical assistance on safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. Approximately two-thirds of the planned in-person or phone contacts occurred. We tailored the intervention to each site as we learned more about context, work demands, and relationships. The research team additionally met regularly with senior leadership and district managers, who provided corporate resources and guidance. By assessing the context of the food service setting in which the intervention was situated, we explored factors hindering and facilitating the implementation of the intervention. The financial pressures, competing priorities and the fast-paced work environment placed constraints on site managers' availability and limited the full implementation of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS Despite strong support from corporate senior leadership, we encountered barriers in the implementation of the planned intervention at the worksite and district levels. These included financial demands that drove work intensity; turnover of site and district managers disrupting continuity in the implementation of the intervention; and staffing constraints that further increased the work load and pace. Findings underscore the need for ongoing commitment and support from both the parent employer and the host client. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study was retrospectively registered with the Clinical Trials. Gov Protocol and Results System on June 2, 2021 with assigned registration number NCT04913168 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Glorian Sorensen
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Susan E Peters
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Karina Nielsen
- University of Sheffield, Conduit Rd, Sheffield, S10 1FL, UK
| | - Elisabeth Stelson
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Lisa Burke
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Eve M Nagler
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hamid Roodbari
- University of Sheffield, Conduit Rd, Sheffield, S10 1FL, UK
| | - Melissa Karapanos
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Gregory R Wagner
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Nagler EM, Stelson EA, Karapanos M, Burke L, Wallace LM, Peters SE, Nielsen K, Sorensen G. Using Total Worker Health ® Implementation Guidelines to Design an Organizational Intervention for Low-Wage Food Service Workers: The Workplace Organizational Health Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:9383. [PMID: 34501975 PMCID: PMC8430617 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Total Worker Health® (TWH) interventions that utilize integrated approaches to advance worker safety, health, and well-being can be challenging to design and implement in practice. This may be especially true for the food service industry, characterized by high levels of injury and turnover. This paper illustrates how we used TWH Implementation Guidelines to develop and implement an organizational intervention to improve pain, injury, and well-being among low-wage food service workers. We used the Guidelines to develop the intervention in two main ways: first, we used the six key characteristics of an integrated approach (leadership commitment; participation; positive working conditions; collaborative strategies; adherence; data-driven change) to create the foundation of the intervention; second, we used the four stages to guide integrated intervention planning. For each stage (engaging collaborators; planning; implementing; evaluating for improvement), the Guidelines provided a flexible and iterative process to plan the intervention to improve safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. This paper provides a real-world example of how the Guidelines can be used to develop a complex TWH intervention for food service workers that is responsive to organizational context and addresses targeted working conditions. Application of the Guidelines is likely transferable to other industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve M. Nagler
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elisabeth A. Stelson
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melissa Karapanos
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Lisa Burke
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Lorraine M. Wallace
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Susan E. Peters
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Karina Nielsen
- Institute of Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 1FL, UK;
| | - Glorian Sorensen
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; (E.A.S.); (M.K.); (L.B.); (L.M.W.); (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Roodbari H, Nielsen K, Axtell C, Peters SE, Sorensen G. Developing Initial Middle Range Theories in Realist Evaluation: A Case of an Organisational Intervention. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8360. [PMID: 34444110 PMCID: PMC8394353 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: Realist evaluation is a promising approach for evaluating organisational interventions. Crucial to realist evaluation is the development and testing of middle range theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how the intervention mechanisms work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, no organisational intervention study has yet developed initial MRTs. This study aimed to develop initial MRTs based on qualitative evidence from the development phase of an organisational intervention in a large multi-national organisation, the US food service industry. (2) Methods: Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with the organisation's managers, five focus groups with a total of 30 employees, and five worksite observations. Template analysis was used to analyse data. (3) Results: Four initial MRTs were developed based on four mechanisms of participation, leadership commitment, communication, and tailoring the intervention to fit the organisational context to formulate 'what may work for whom in which circumstances?' in organisational interventions; (4) Conclusions: Our findings provide insights into 'how' and 'which' initial MRTs can be developed in organisational interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Roodbari
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; (K.N.); (C.A.)
| | - Karina Nielsen
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; (K.N.); (C.A.)
| | - Carolyn Axtell
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; (K.N.); (C.A.)
| | - Susan E. Peters
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Glorian Sorensen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.E.P.); (G.S.)
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Hazelzet E, Houkes I, Bosma H, de Rijk A. Using intervention mapping to develop 'Healthy HR' aimed at improving sustainable employability of low-educated employees. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1259. [PMID: 34187445 PMCID: PMC8240435 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11278-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The perspectives of low-educated employees are often neglected when designing sustainable employability (SE) interventions. As a result, the interventions offered by the employer do often not align with the needs of low-educated employees. This particular group should therefore be actively involved in the process of developing and implementing SE interventions in their work organizations. The current paper describes the development process of a web-based intervention for HR managers and direct supervisors aimed at improving the SE of low-educated employees. This intervention is specifically designed to involve low-educated employees. METHODS The first four steps of the Intervention Mapping (IM) approach were used to systematically develop the intervention with the active involvement of stakeholders. Step 1 comprised a needs assessment including a literature review, empirical evidence, scoping search and several focus group interviews with employees and with representatives of employers. Step 2 formulated the intervention objective. During step 3, suitable theoretical methods were selected and translated to practical applications. Step 4 involved the development of a web-based intervention by integrating all information from the preceding steps. RESULTS The needs assessment indicated that the employees' active involvement and employees-employer genuine dialogue should be essential characteristics of an SE intervention for low-educated employees. The online toolkit 'Healthy HR' (HHR) was developed, which contains eight steps. Each step consists of one or more tasks helping the employer and employees with developing and implementing SE interventions themselves. One or more dialogue-based tools support each task. The leading principle providing structure within HHR was Adapted Intervention Mapping. CONCLUSION Principles of IM appeared to be useful to develop the intervention HHR systematically. This development process resulted in a practical online toolkit that supports employers in the development and implementation of local SE interventions tailored to the needs of low-educated employees. These employees should be actively involved in the process through a dialogue-based approach. By using IM principles, HHR is expected to increase the effectiveness in bettering the health and well-being of low-educated employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmelie Hazelzet
- Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Inge Houkes
- Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Bosma
- Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Angelique de Rijk
- Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Markkanen P, Peters SE, Grant M, Dennerlein JT, Wagner GR, Burke L, Wallace L, Sorensen G. Development and application of an innovative instrument to assess work environment factors for injury prevention in the food service industry. Work 2021; 68:641-651. [PMID: 33612509 DOI: 10.3233/wor-203399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the growth the food service industry and associated high injury and illness rates, there is a need to assess workplace factors that contribute to injury prevention. OBJECTIVE The objective of this report is to describe the development, application, and utility of a new instrument to evaluate ergonomics and safety for food service workers. METHODS Starting with a similar tool developed for use in healthcare, a new tool was designed through a collaborative, participatory process with the stakeholders from a collaborating food service company. The new instrument enables the identification and assessment of key safety and health factors through a focused walkthrough of the physical work environment, and structured interviews exploring the organizational work environment. The researchers applied the instrument at 10 of the partnering company's worksites. RESULTS The instrument identified factors related to both the physical work environment and organizational and contextual environment (e.g., vendor-client relationships) impacting worker safety and health. CONCLUSIONS Modern assessment approaches should address both the physical and organizational aspects of the work environment, and consider the context complexities in which the worksites and the industry operate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Markkanen
- Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Susan E Peters
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Michael Grant
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jack T Dennerlein
- Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston MA, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory R Wagner
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Burke
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Glorian Sorensen
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Le H, Nielsen K, Noblet A. The well‐being and voice of migrant workers in participatory organizational interventions. INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/imig.12885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Huong Le
- Department of Management Deakin University Burwood VIC Australia
| | | | - Andrew Noblet
- Department of Management Deakin University Burwood VIC Australia
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20
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Pending Issues on Professionals’ Well-Being: The Living and Working Together in Organization Perspective. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13126868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Evolving research has increasingly recognized the crucial role of workers’ well-being in contributing to organizational effectiveness and survival, also studying the different factors that can influence it. This paper explores how the construct of living and working together in organizations (LWTO) can face two current organizational challenges in terms of well-being: 1. keeping a balance between performance and organizational quality of life; 2. managing the relationship with others’ differences. Thus, LTWO is understood as the possibility (or absence) of a good exchange between workers (identity and otherness), related to a clear and shared work purpose within a specific organizational culture of difference that allows diversity of expression through generative conflict. We tested our model using the exploratory structural equation modeling methodology with EQS-6.3. Our results show how well-being is in fact influenced by LWTO and highlights in particular the central role played by work purpose.
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Ensuring Organization-Intervention Fit for a Participatory Organizational Intervention to Improve Food Service Workers' Health and Wellbeing: Workplace Organizational Health Study. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 62:e33-e45. [PMID: 31815814 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Food-service workers' health and wellbeing is impacted by their jobs and work environments. Formative research methods were used to explore working conditions impacting workers' health to inform intervention planning and implementation and to enhance the intervention's "fit" to the organization. METHODS Four qualitative methods (worker focus groups; manager interviews; worksite observations; multi-stakeholder workshop) explored in-depth and then prioritized working conditions impacting workers' health as targets for an intervention. RESULTS Prioritized working conditions included: ergonomics; work intensity; career development; and job enrichment. Data revealed necessary intervention mechanisms to enhance intervention implementation: worker and management communication infrastructure; employee participation in intervention planning and implementation; tailored worksite strategies; and ensuring leadership commitment. CONCLUSIONS These targeted, comprehensive methods move away from a typical focus on generic working conditions, for example, job demands and physical work environment, to explore those conditions unique to an organization. Thereby, enhancing "intervention-fit" at multiple levels within the company context.
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Boulagouas W, García-Herrero S, Chaib R, Herrera García S, Djebabra M. On the contribution to the alignment during an organizational change: Measurement of job satisfaction with working conditions. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2021; 76:289-300. [PMID: 33653561 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Modern approaches to Occupational Health and Safety have acknowledged the important contribution that continuous improvements to working conditions can make to the motivation of employees, their subsequent performance, and therefore to the competitiveness of the company. Despite this fact, organizational change initiatives represent a path less traveled by employees. Specialized literature has drawn on the fact that employees' satisfaction presents both the foundation and catalyst for effective implementation of improvements to working conditions. METHOD This paper conceptualizes the alignment of employees through measurement of job satisfaction and uses the Bayesian Network to assess the influence of human factors, particularly the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects. Toward this aim, the Bayesian Network is evaluated through a cross-validation process, and a sensitivity analysis is then conducted for each influential dimension: emotional, cognitive, and behavioral. RESULTS The results reveal that these three dimensions are interrelated and have a direct influence on job satisfaction and employees' alignment during the organization change. Further, they suggest that the best strategy for enhanced alignment and smooth conduct of organizational changes is simultaneous enhancement of the three dimensions. Practical applications: This study shows the influence of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions on job satisfaction and employees' alignment during the organizational change. Furthermore, it elaborates the way to develop efficient and effective strategies for a successful change implementation and sustained alignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wafa Boulagouas
- Laboratory of Transportation Engineering and Environment, Department of Transportation Engineering, Faculty of Technology Sciences, University of Mentouri, Conatantine1, Constantine, Algeria; Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | | | - Rachid Chaib
- Laboratory of Transportation Engineering and Environment, Department of Transportation Engineering, Faculty of Technology Sciences, University of Mentouri, Conatantine1, Constantine, Algeria
| | - Sixto Herrera García
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Sciences, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Mébarek Djebabra
- Laboratory of Industrial Prevention Research, Health and Industrial Safety Institute, University of Batna2, Batna, Algeria
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Sorensen G, Dennerlein JT, Peters SE, Sabbath EL, Kelly EL, Wagner GR. The future of research on work, safety, health and wellbeing: A guiding conceptual framework. Soc Sci Med 2021; 269:113593. [PMID: 33341740 PMCID: PMC10868656 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Work plays a central role in health. A conceptual model can help frame research priorities and questions to explore determinants of workers' safety, health, and wellbeing. A previous conceptual model focused on the workplace setting to emphasize the role of conditions of work in shaping workers' safety, health and wellbeing. These conditions of work include physical, organizational, and psychosocial factors. This manuscript presents and discusses an updated and expanded conceptual model, placing the workplace and the conditions of work within the broader context of socio-political-economic environments and consequent trends in employment and labor force patterns. Social, political and economic trends, such as growing reliance on technology, climate change, and globalization, have significant implications for workers' day-to-day experiences. These structural forces in turn shape employment and labor patterns, with implications for the availability and quality of jobs; the nature of relationships between employers and workers; and the benefits and protections available to workers. Understanding these patterns will be critical for anticipating the consequences of future changes in the conditions of work, and ultimately help inform decision-making around policies and practices intended to protect and promote worker safety, health, and wellbeing. This model provides a structure for anticipating research needs in response to the changing nature of work, including the formation of research priorities, the need for expanded research methods and measures, and attention to diverse populations of enterprises and workers. This approach anticipates changes in the way work is structured, managed, and experienced by workers and can effectively inform policies and practices needed to protect and promote worker safety, health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glorian Sorensen
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jack T Dennerlein
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan E Peters
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erika L Sabbath
- Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Erin L Kelly
- MIT Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Hazelzet E, Bosma H, de Rijk A, Houkes I. Does Dialogue Improve the Sustainable Employability of Low-Educated Employees? A Study Protocol for an Effect and Process Evaluation of "Healthy HR". Front Public Health 2020; 8:446. [PMID: 33014964 PMCID: PMC7505925 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is a need to develop sustainable employability (SE) interventions that are better aligned to the needs of low-educated employees. This group needs to get a voice in intervention development and implementation. In this study, a dialogue-based approach is proposed consisting of an online step-by-step support toolkit for employers, "Healthy Human Resources" (HHR). When intervening, this toolkit enables and stimulates employers to have a continuous dialogue with their low-educated employees. By improving the employees' job control, HHR is aimed at cost-beneficially improving SE. This paper describes the protocol of the evaluation study to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation process of HHR on the SE of low-educated employees. Methods: The protocol of the evaluation study consists of: (1) an effect evaluation with a pretest-posttest design with a 1-year follow-up in five work organizations in the Netherlands deploying low-educated employees and with SE as the primary outcome and job control as the secondary outcome. The effect evaluation is expanded with a budget impact analysis; (2) a mixed-method process evaluation at 6 and 12 months after the start of HHR to evaluate the whole implementation process of HHR. This includes the experiences with HHR of various stakeholders, such as employees, human resource managers, and line managers. Discussion: The effect evaluation will give insight into the effects of HHR on the SE of low-educated employees. The process evaluation will provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of the (in) effectiveness of HHR. By improving dialogue, we hypothesize that HHR, through enhancing job control, will strengthen the SE of low-educated employees. Also for helping with tackling the socioeconomic health gap, if proven effective, the implementation of HHR on a wider scale can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmelie Hazelzet
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Di Tecco C, Nielsen K, Ghelli M, Ronchetti M, Marzocchi I, Persechino B, Iavicoli S. Improving Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction in Healthcare: A Study Concept Design on a Participatory Organizational Level Intervention in Psychosocial Risks Management. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17103677. [PMID: 32456147 PMCID: PMC7277570 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17103677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This paper contributes to the literature on organizational interventions on occupational health by presenting a concept study design to test the efficacy of a Participatory Organizational-level Intervention to improve working conditions and job satisfaction in Healthcare. The Participatory Organizational-level Intervention is developed using the Italian methodology to assess and manage psychosocial risks tailored to Healthcare. We added an additional step: evaluation, aiming to examine how the intervention works, what worked for whom and in which circumstances. This ongoing study is conducted in collaboration with two large Italian hospitals (more than 7000 employees). The study design comprises a quasi-experimental approach consisting of five phases and surveys distributed pre- and post-intervention aiming to capture improvements in working conditions and job satisfaction. Moreover, to evaluate the efficacy of the Intervention in terms of process and content, we use a realist evaluation to test Context-Mechanisms-Outcome (CMO) configurations. We collect contextual factors at baseline and during and post-intervention process data on the key principles of line manager support and employees participation. This study is expected to provide insights on methods and strategies to improve working conditions and employees’ job satisfaction and on national policies in the occupational health framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Di Tecco
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
| | - Karina Nielsen
- Institute of Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
| | - Monica Ghelli
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
| | - Matteo Ronchetti
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0694181578
| | - Ivan Marzocchi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Persechino
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
| | - Sergio Iavicoli
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, via Fontana Candida, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy; (C.D.T.); (M.G.); (I.M.); (B.P.); (S.I.)
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Weziak-Bialowolska D, Bialowolski P, Sacco PL, VanderWeele TJ, McNeely E. Well-Being in Life and Well-Being at Work: Which Comes First? Evidence From a Longitudinal Study. Front Public Health 2020; 8:103. [PMID: 32328472 PMCID: PMC7160299 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding reciprocal relationships between specific arenas in life and at work is critical for designing interventions to improve workplace health and safety. Most studies about the links between dimensions of well-being in life and at work have been cross-sectional and usually narrowly focused on one of the dimensions of the work-life well-being link. The issues of causality and feedback between life and work well-being have often not been addressed. We overcome these issues by measuring six aspects of well-being for both the work arena and life in general, using longitudinal data with a clear temporal sequence of cause and effect, and by explicitly accounting for feedback with potential effects in both directions. Nine hundred and fifty-four Mexican apparel factory workers at a major global brand participated in two waves of the Worker Well-Being Survey. Data on life satisfaction and job satisfaction, happiness and positive affect, meaning and purpose, health, and social relationships in life and at work were used. Lagged regression controlling for confounders and prior outcomes was employed. Sensitivity analysis was used to assess the robustness of the results to potential unmeasured confounding. For the relationships between life satisfaction and job satisfaction and between happiness in life and happiness at work effects in both directions were found. Nevertheless, indication of a larger effect of life satisfaction on job satisfaction than the reverse was obtained. For depression and meaning in life, there was evidence for an effect of life well-being on work-related well-being, but not for the reverse. For social relationships and purpose, there was evidence for an effect of work-related well-being on life well-being, but not the reverse. Relationships based on the longitudinal data were considerably weaker than their respective cross-sectional associations. This study contributes to our understanding of the nature of the relationship between aspects of well-being in the arenas of life and work. Findings from this study may facilitate the development of novel workplace programs promoting working conditions that enable lifelong flourishing in life and at work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.,Human Flourishing Program, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Piotr Bialowolski
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pier Luigi Sacco
- Department of Humanities, IULM University Milan, Milan, Italy.,metaLAB (at) Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy.,Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tyler J VanderWeele
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eileen McNeely
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Changes in the Association between European Workers' Employment Conditions and Employee Well-being in 2005, 2010 and 2015. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17031048. [PMID: 32046002 PMCID: PMC7037613 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17031048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to study whether there is a change in the association between employment conditions and European employees’ well-being at three different time points (the years 2005, 2010 and 2015), characterized by different socio-economic contexts. We based our study on the European Working Conditions Survey. Logistic regressions were performed by adjusting for gender, age, level of education, seniority, occupation, establishment size, activity sector and economic activity. Adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) are reported. In general, the association between employment conditions (type of employment contract, supervising, weekly working hours, long working hours, other paid jobs, working at weekends or doing shifts) and well-being indicators (anxiety, fatigue and dissatisfaction) seemed to continue being harmful, or had even changed for the worse since 2005. The paper briefly discusses the possible reasons for this situation and calls for future research on the relation between well-being and irregular type of contracts, self-employment, supervising others or hours worked per week. Some implications in public health policies are also discussed.
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