Employment and working conditions of nurses: where and how health inequalities have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Abstract Background Nurses and midwives play a critical role in the provision of care and the optimization of health services resources worldwide, which is particularly relevant during the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, they can only provide quality services if their work environment provides adequate conditions to support them. Today the employment and working conditions of many nurses worldwide are precarious, and the current pandemic has prompted more visibility to the vulnerability to health-damaging factors of nurses’ globally. This desk review explores how employment relations, and employment and working conditions may be negatively affecting the health of nurses in countries such as Brazil, Croatia, India, Ireland, Italy, México, Nepal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Main body Nurses’ health is influenced by the broader social, economic, and political system and the redistribution of power relations that creates new policies regarding the labour market and the welfare state. The vulnerability faced by nurses is heightened by gender inequalities, in addition to social class, ethnicity/race (and caste), age and migrant status, that are inequality axes that explain why nurses’ workers, and often their families, are exposed to multiple risks and/or poorer health. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, informalization of nurses’ employment and working conditions were unfair and harmed their health. During COVID-19 pandemic, there is evidence that the employment and working conditions of nurses are associated to poor physical and mental health. Conclusion The protection of nurses’ health is paramount. International and national enforceable standards are needed, along with economic and health policies designed to substantially improve employment and working conditions for nurses and work–life balance. More knowledge is needed to understand the pathways and mechanisms on how precariousness might affect nurses’ health and monitor the progress towards nurses’ health equity.

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A Comparative Study of the State of Ethics in Youth Work Practice in Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

Commonwealth Youth and Development ◽

10.25159/2663-6549/2069 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Cleopatra Monique Parkins

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

New Zealand ◽

Code Of Ethics ◽

Critical Role ◽

Work Practice ◽

Primary Data ◽

Youth Work ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Ethical Practices ◽

The United Kingdom

Even though youth work has played a critical role in fostering the holistic development of today’s youth, much controversy has surrounded the practice. Nevertheless, youth workers are slowly being accorded professional status, and a code of ethics has been developed in some jurisdictions. Some states are still to adopt this code; consequently the credibility of youth workers and the sector in general sway with the wind. This article presents a comparative analysis of ethical practices of youth work in Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, examining current trends in observing ethics and addressing ethical issues. In the case of Jamaica, the researcher used the non-probability convenience sampling technique and collected primary data from a questionnaire administered to a sample of youth workers. The perspective of the ministerial arm responsible for youth work in Jamaica was also captured through an interview. In the case of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the framework of the profession and specifically matters pertaining to ethical practices were examined through the use of secondary data sources, which included reports on youth work practices in the selected countries. A mixed methodology was employed in analysing the data collected. The major findings of this study confirmed that advancing youth work as a profession is dependent on the acceptance and integration of a formal code of ethics, that youth workers must receive training on ethics and that a national youth work policy is important to guide youth work practice. In accordance with the findings, the researcher makes a number of recommendations and highlights notable best practices that may help with the overall professionalisation of the sector.

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Smart City and Crisis Management: Lessons for the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157736 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7736

Author(s):

Mahnoosh Hassankhani ◽

Mehdi Alidadi ◽

Ayyoob Sharifi ◽

Abolghasem Azhdari

Keyword(s):

Crisis Management ◽

Digital Literacy ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Urban Resilience ◽

Long Time ◽

Time Planning ◽

Urban Functions

COVID-19 shocked cities around the world and revealed the vulnerability of urban lives and functions. Most cities experienced a catastrophic disturbance that has lasted for a long time. Planning plays a critical role in responding efficiently to this crisis and enabling rapid functional recovery in the post-disaster era. Cities that have implemented digitalization initiatives and programs are likely to have more capacity to react appropriately. Specifically, digitalized cities could ensure the well-being of their residents and maintain continuity of urban functions. This research aims to analyze the role of technology in crisis management in the last two decades and provide appropriate policy recommendations for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic literature review and subjective content analysis are employed to investigate the effects of technology on community well-being and making cities more resilient in past crises. This study shows that different technology-driven policies and actions enable crisis management, enhance community well-being, and increase urban resilience. Technology has enhanced coping and recovery capacities by increasing participation and social connectedness, enhancing physical and mental health and maintaining the functionality of education and economic systems. These have been achieved through various solutions and technologies such as social media, telehealth, tracking and monitoring systems, sensors and locational applications, teleworking systems, etc. These solutions and technologies have also been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance community well-being and sustain urban functions. However, technology deployment might have adverse effects such as social exclusion, digital divide, privacy and confidentiality violation, political bias and misinformation dissemination, and inefficient remote working and education. It is suggested that to mitigate these side effects, policymakers should liberate the process of digitalization, increase the accessibility to digital services, and enhance digital literacy.

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Correctional oversight bodies’ resources and protections across the European Union: Are their hands tied?

Criminology & Criminal Justice ◽

10.1177/1748895820986966 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174889582098696

Author(s):

Eva Aizpurua ◽

Mary Rogan

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Critical Role ◽

The European Union ◽

Financial Independence ◽

Staff Members ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Equal Importance ◽

Protection Mechanisms ◽

Human Rights Standards ◽

International Instruments

Oversight bodies play a critical role in upholding human rights standards in prison. Several international instruments require states to establish independent forms of prison oversight and to give them the powers they need to conduct their work. Resources are central to the effectiveness and independence of oversight bodies. Of equal importance is the ability of prison oversight bodies to offer protections against reprisals for those who choose to speak to them and for their own staff. In this article, we provide results from the first survey of prison oversight bodies in the European Union and the United Kingdom, focusing on the resources and protections which prison oversight bodies in these states have to enable them to conduct their work. Our results suggest the need to strengthen the financial independence of prison oversight bodies, with slightly less than half of the bodies having their own budget to monitor prisons. Bodies which had their own budgets had a greater number of staff members and a greater variety of professional backgrounds among their members, likely influencing their ability to fulfil their mandate. Our results also point to the need to develop further protection mechanisms against reprisals for those who speak with inspectors as well as for staff from prison oversight bodies.

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Home care in dementia: The views of informal carers from a co-designed consultation

Dementia ◽

10.1177/1471301221990504 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 147130122199050

Author(s):

Elizabeth L Dalgarno ◽

Vincent Gillan ◽

Amy Roberts ◽

Jean Tottie ◽

David Britt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Home Care ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Public Involvement ◽

Framework Analysis ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Dementia Research ◽

Informal Carers ◽

A Current

Background In the United Kingdom, there is a current priority for high-quality dementia care provided at home. However, home care or domiciliary care is an area where problems have been reported, in terms of a lack of consistency, coordination and appropriate responses to the specific needs of those with dementia. The views of informal carers, who often must respond to these problems when supporting relatives, are crucial in shedding light on the issues and in seeking to promote solutions. Methods This study explored the views of informal carers of those with dementia concerning home care, through a consultation using an electronic survey. The survey questions were designed by informal carers, through a public involvement group within an existing programme of dementia research. The survey elicited responses from 52 informal carers in 2017/18. The data were analysed qualitatively using framework analysis. Findings Carers’ views focused on the need for investment into meaningful personalisation, recognising the value of providing care and valuing formal carers, systemic failings of care coordination and provision and the importance of ongoing collaboration and care planning. Conclusion Based on a framework drawn from the views of informal carers themselves, this study articulated issues of concern for home care and its delivery for people with dementia. Attempts should be made to make dementia home care more consistently personalised, inclusive and collaborative with informal carers and key others involved. Further areas to explore include working conditions of formal carers and current models utilised in homecare provision.

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Ibrutinib in B-cell lymphoma: single fighter might be enough?

Cancer Cell International ◽

10.1186/s12935-020-01518-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chao Xue ◽

Xin Wang ◽

Lingyan Zhang ◽

Qingyuan Qu ◽

Qian Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

B Cell ◽

Signaling Pathway ◽

Cell Lymphoma ◽

Critical Role ◽

B Cell Lymphoma ◽

Cell Receptor ◽

High Response Rate ◽

Main Body ◽

Combination Strategies ◽

Bcr Signaling

Abstract Background In recent years, the B cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway has become a “hot point” because it plays a critical role in B-cell proliferation and function. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) is overexpressed in many subtypes of B-cell lymphoma as a downstream kinase in the BCR signaling pathway. Ibrutinib, the first generation of BTK inhibitor, has shown excellent antitumor activity in both indolent and aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Main body Ibrutinib monotherapy has been confirmed to be effective with a high response rate (RR) and well-tolerated in many B-cell lymphoma subgroups. To achieve much deeper and faster remission, combination strategies contained ibrutinib were conducted to evaluate their synergistic anti-tumor effect. Conclusions For patients with indolent B-cell lymphoma, most of them respond well with ibrutinib monotherapy. Combination strategies contained ibrutinib might be a better choice to achieve deeper and faster remission in the treatment of aggressive subtypes of B-cell lymphoma. Further investigations on the long-term efficacy and safety of the ibrutinib will provide novel strategies for individualized treatment of B-cell lymphoma.

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Sex and the Fieldwork: Gender, Sexuality, Nationality, and Social Class in Research on European (Heterosexual) Men

International Journal of Qualitative Methods ◽

10.1177/1609406920938964 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. 160940692093896

Author(s):

Katarzyna Wojnicka

Keyword(s):

Social Class ◽

Social Factors ◽

Professional Experience ◽

Heterosexual Men ◽

Gender Inequalities ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Multiple Issues ◽

Men And Masculinities ◽

Female Researcher ◽

Tremendous Impact

The overall goal of this article is to make a contribution to the developing, but not yet sufficiently explored, issue of methodology in research on men and masculinities performed by female researchers. This article is based on my professional experience gained during a research project on the European fathers’ rights movements. This was conducted between 2011 and 2016 with members of fathers’ rights groups in Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The central issue here is the process of carrying out interviews with men by a female researcher and the variety of gender dynamics produced through this particular type of interaction. This process is connected to multiple issues arising from gender inequalities and power relations. This article provides an intersectional analysis of the relations between the researcher and the researched since social factors such as gender, sexuality, nationality, and social class have a tremendous impact on the interview process in different sociopolitical contexts in Europe.

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Physical occupational exposures during working life and quality of life after labour market exit: results from the GAZEL study

10.31219/osf.io/tng6t ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Loretta G. Platts ◽

Gopalakrishnan Netuveli ◽

Elizabeth Webb ◽

Marie Zins ◽

Marcel Goldberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Occupational Exposures ◽

Working Life ◽

Life Course Perspective ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Physical Danger

Objective: To investigate variations in quality of life at older ages, we take a life course perspective to analyse long-term effects of physical working conditions upon quality of life after retirement. In doing so, we study to what extent these associations are explained by individuals’ health at older ages. Method: We use administrative data and self-administered questionnaire responses from the French GAZEL cohort. Quality of life was assessed with CASP-19 in 2009 and related to three types of physical working conditions during previous working life: (1) ergonomic strain, (2) physical danger and (3) exposures to chemicals. Health was assessed in 2007 with the SF-36 Health Survey. Multiple regressions were calculated in retired men only, controlling for important confounders including social position. Results: In contrast to men, few women were exposed to strenuous and dangerous working conditions in this cohort and were not included in subsequent analyses. Negative effects on retired men's quality of life were found for the physical occupational exposures of ergonomic strain and physical danger, but not for chemical exposures. Effects were attenuated after the introduction of physical and mental health to the models, indicating an indirect effect of physical working conditions upon quality of life via health. Conclusion: Adverse physical working conditions have long-term consequences for health and quality of life at older ages. Improvements to physical working conditions may improve individuals’ quality of life over the long term.

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Human Factor in Smart Industry: A Literature Review

Future Studies Research Journal Trends and Strategies ◽

10.24023/futurejournal/2175-5825/2020.v12i1.473 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 87-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vander Luiz Silva ◽

João Luiz Kovaleski ◽

Regina Negri Pagani ◽

Alana Corsi ◽

Myller Augusto Santos Gomes

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Industry 4.0 ◽

Human Performance ◽

Human Factor ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Professional Career ◽

Smart Industry ◽

Constant Improvement ◽

Selection Of

Purpose of the study: The objective of this study is to identify the benefits and challenges of smart industry concept to the human factor, based on the concept of Industry 4.0.Methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was elaborated, based on structured protocols for the selection of a bibliographic portfolio of articles. A bibliometric analysis of the data and content analysis was performed.Originality/relevance: The article discusses human work, focusing on theoretical and practical contributions of international literature. The focus scenario is smart industry, a concept in constant improvement, which currently has acquired influences from Industry 4.0.Main results: The discussions lead us to ponder on human factor in smart industries in the categories physical and mental health at work, human performance and professional career in general. The conclusions points to the need to ensure adequate working conditions in cognitive and psychic aspects, among others.Theoretical and methodological contributions: We present major literature articles, smart industry definitions, main technologies, and grouping benefits and challenges to the human factor.

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The Mechanism of Shifting From Direct Monetary Policies to Indirect Monetary Policies

Studies of Applied Economics ◽

10.25115/eea.v39i11.5906 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Saad Khalaf ◽

Abdul Rahman Abdul Ridha ◽

Hussein Habeeb

Keyword(s):

Interest Rate ◽

Main Tool ◽

The United States ◽

The European Union ◽

Monetary Policies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

The World ◽

New Policies ◽

The Interest Rate

After 2008, a new term appeared on monetary policies after the direct monetary policies failed to reach a solution to the economic deficit that occurred in the economies of many countries, especially after the mortgage crisis that plagued the financial markets in most countries of the world, as these countries tried to reduce the interest rate to Zero or close to it in order to move the economy, but it did not respond despite the fact that the interest rate is the main tool and is considered the control stick in direct monetary policies. Thus, it became imperative for those countries to use new tools in order to get out of that crisis. Japan is considered the first to use these new policies and solutions before that period, and he is the first to call them indirect monetary policies. These tools were called by many names, including quantitative easing, credit facilitation and others. Many names, but it was the best solution by monetary policy makers for many countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Britain and the European Union, which represent the most powerful economies in the world,

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ON THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO THE STUDY AND ASSESSMENT OF PEDAGOGICAL ACTIVITIES

10.31089/978-5-6042929-2-1-2021-1-493-496 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

A.E. Stepanova ◽

◽

E.L. Poteryaeva ◽

V.N. Semenova

Keyword(s):

Working Conditions ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Legal Regulation ◽

Educational Process ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Statistical Research ◽

Special Assessment

Abstract. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the need for an integrated approach to the study and assessment of the labor and health of teachers (using the example of teachers of educational institutions) based on the analysis of literature data and the results of their own sociological, hygienic, clinical, physiological, psychological and statistical research methods. Analysis of literature data, regulatory legal acts on the protection of the health of Russians indicates a different degree of attention to the participants in the educational process, about a certain «preponderance» in favor of the health of students in comparison with care for the health of teachers. It shows the presence of changes in the physical and mental health of teachers, some features of their formation, depending on the teaching experience, seniority, age. When analyzing the information, one-sidedness, fragmentation of studies, and inadequacy of preventive measures are revealed. Health-forming and health-preserving activities are mainly related to students. The conducted studies dictate the need to increase attention to the health and work of teachers based on the implementation of an integrated approach, as well as the need to change / clarify the legal regulation of pedagogical activity when conducting a special assessment of working conditions and when organizing medical care.

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