Using Work Ability Index and work-related stress to evaluate the physical and mental fitness of Iranian telecom tower climbers

Influence of cochlear implantation on the working ability of hearing-impaired patients: A prospective study on potential influencing factors

PURPOSE

This study evaluates the effect of cochlear implantation (CI) on work ability. The influences of quality of life (QOL), age, mental health, and hearing were analyzed.

METHODS

Seventy-nine patients undergoing CI surgery were evaluated preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. Work ability was evaluated using the Work Ability Index (WAI). QOL was assessed with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) and the WHOQOL-BREF. Mental health was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire.

RESULTS

The WAI was unaffected by CI (Δ 0.8 ± 6.8, p = 0.42). No significant changes in WAI were observed for employees (Δ - 1.1 ± 5.7, p = 0.25) and pensioners (Δ -0.4 ± 7.8, p = 0.73). Patients without elevated depressiveness, stress, or somatoform symptoms had significantly better WAI.The multiple regression analyses show that WHOQOL-BREF (ß = 0.49, p ≤ 0.001), age (ß = -0.34, p ≤ 0.001), and depressiveness (ß = 0.33, p = 0.04) were significantly associated with WAI. In the employee group, the NCIQ (ß = 0.58, p = 0.008) had the strongest association with the WAI.

CONCLUSION

Age, mental health, and QOL are predictive factors for work ability. This should be considered in the consultation and the rehabilitation process.

Transtheoretical Model Is Better Predictor of Physiological Stress than Perceived Stress Scale and Work Ability Index among Office Workers

Physical activity impacts positively on stress and anxiety. Working conditions affect the quality of life by increasing stress levels, which can affect job performance and work absence. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Work Ability Index (WAI), Transtheoretical Model (TTM), as well as heart rate variability (HRV) have been applied to monitor the state of workers in their job. The aim of this study was to analyze PSS, WAI, and TTM classifications, and to find out how are they linked to physiological stress (HRV). One hundred and thirteen office workers responded to the three questionnaires and their HRV was monitored for at least two full days. Groups were set up according to TTM (Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3-4, Stage 5), WAI (weak WAI, medium WAI, good WAI), and PSS (low PSS, medium PSS, high PSS). Results obtained from the test were related to stress values measured by HRV with a Bodyguard2 device. The Stage 5 group from TTM had better HVR and stress levels than the other groups for both women and men (p < 0.05). Participants in the good WAI group and low PSS group had better results than weak WAI and high PSS, but the differences with respect to medium WAI and medium PSS were less clear. Finally, TTM seemed to be the best tool to discriminate physiological stress in office workers with regard to other questionnaires.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Safety Performance: Comparing Proactive and Reactive Approaches

Background:

Sleep disorders and excessive daytime sleepiness negatively affect employees' safety performance.

Objective:

To investigate the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness with obstructive sleep apnea and safety performance at an oil construction company in Iran.

Methods:

661 employees consented to participate in this study. Excessive daytime sleepiness was measured with the STOP-BANG questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). To determine how sleepiness would affect the studied occupational incidents, accidents causing injury and near misses, both reactive data and proactive safety performance indices were measured. Demographic and predictor variables were analyzed with hierarchical multiple linear regression.

Results:

Employees who met the criteria of excessive daytime sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnea had significantly poorer safety performance indicators. STOP-BANG and ESS were significant predictors of safety compliance (β 0.228 and 0.370, respectively), safety participation (β 0.210 and 0.144, respectively), and overall safety behavior (β 0.332 and 0.213, respectively). Further, occupational incidents were 2.5 times higher in workers with indicators of excessive daytime sleepiness and 2 times higher in those with obstructive sleep apnea compared with those without.

Conclusion:

These findings confirmed that excessive daytime sleepiness is a serious safety hazard, and that both reactive and proactive measures are important to understand the relative contribution of predictor variables.

The Effects of Noise and Heat Strain on the Work Ability Index (WAI) among Rubber Factory Workers

Introduction:

Assessing the work ability and factors affecting it is essential in developing strategies for preventing damages and managing risks. This study aimed to investigate the simultaneous effect of noise level and physiological strain as well as individual characteristics on the work ability.

Method:

The population in this cross-sectional study included workers of a rubber factory. The TES noise dosimeter was used to examine individual exposure and the electro polar RS100 was used to measure physiological strain index (PSI). Individual characteristics and the work ability index were evaluated using the WAI questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 19. chi-square test, pearson correlation coefficient, and one-way and multiple ANOVA were used for data analysis.

Results:

The final modeling showed that age, exercising period, Equivalent Continuous Sound Pressure Level (Leq), PSI and employment status had significant correlations with the work ability index (p < 0.05). The modified r² for the obtained model was also calculated to be 0.483.

Discussion and conclusion:

Based on the findings, number of exercising hours, employment status, age, Leq, and psi are among the factors affecting the work ability index. Use of management and engineering controls are recommended to balance work environments exposed to noise and heat and improve the work ability index. Further, improving employment status due to creating a sense of stability and reducing stress as well as enhancing lifestyle quality can be effective in increasing the work ability index.