Impact of rest breaks on musculoskeletal discomfort of Chikan embroiderers of West Bengal, India: a follow up field study

Background Engagement in activities that promote the dissipation of work stress is essential for post work recovery and consequently for well-being. Previous research suggests that activities that are immersive, active, and engaging are especially effective at promoting recovery. Therefore, digital games may be able to promote recovery, but little is known about how they compare with other popular mobile activities, such as mindfulness apps that are specifically designed to support well-being. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effectiveness of a digital game and mindfulness app in promoting post work recovery, first in a laboratory setting and then in a field study. Methods Study 1 was a laboratory experiment (n=45) in which participants’ need for recovery was induced by a work task, before undertaking 1 of 3 interventions: a digital game (Block! Hexa Puzzle), a mindfulness app (Headspace), or a nonmedia control with a fidget spinner (a physical toy). Recovery in the form of how energized participants felt (energetic arousal) was compared before and after the intervention and how recovered participants felt (recovery experience) was compared across the conditions. Study 2 was a field study with working professionals (n=20), for which participants either played the digital game or used the mindfulness app once they arrived home after work for a period of 5 working days. Measures of energetic arousal were taken before and after the intervention, and the recovery experience was measured after the intervention along with measures of enjoyment and job strain. Results A 3×2 mixed analysis of variance identified that, in study 1, the digital game condition increased energetic arousal (indicative of improved recovery) whereas the other 2 conditions decreased energetic arousal (F2,42=3.76; P=.03). However, there were no differences between the conditions in recovery experience (F2,42=.01; P=.99). In study 2, multilevel model comparisons identified that neither the intervention nor day of the week had a significant main effect on how energized participants felt. However, for those in the digital game condition, daily recovery experience increased during the course of the study, whereas for those in the mindfulness condition, it decreased (F1,18=9.97; P=.01). Follow-up interviews with participants identified 3 core themes: detachment and restoration, fluctuations and differences, and routine and scheduling. Conclusions This study suggests that digital games may be effective in promoting post work recovery in laboratory contexts (study 1) and in the real world, although the effect in this case may be cumulative rather than instant (study 2).

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Clinical course and treatment outcome of Koro: A follow up study from a Koro epidemic reported from West Bengal, India

Asian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.ajp.2016.12.016 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 14-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Amitava Dan ◽

Tanushree Mondal ◽

Kaustav Chakraborty ◽

Aditi Chaudhuri ◽

Asish Biswas

Keyword(s):

Treatment Outcome ◽

West Bengal ◽

Clinical Course ◽

Follow Up Study

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Reports of Regional Body Discomfort during Carpenter Apprentice Training

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129604001323 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 40 (13) ◽

pp. 688-692

Author(s):

Peregrin Spielholz ◽

Steven F. Wiker

Keyword(s):

Body Region ◽

Training Effects ◽

Awareness Training ◽

Musculoskeletal Discomfort ◽

Body Regions ◽

Lower Back ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Body Discomfort

Regional discomfort questionnaires were administered to apprentice carpenters at three month intervals for a duration of six months following an ergonomics awareness training as part of apprenticeship school. Reports of frequent musculoskeletal discomfort were reported by between 20 and 29 percent of carpenters for each of the nine body regions with the exception of higher levels for the lower back. Severity ratings and frequency of discomfort were highest for the lower back and hands/wrists. There was no significant difference in reports of musculoskeletal discomfort among the baseline and follow-up questionniares (p > 0.05). The lower back was the only body region showing a decrease in the ratings of discomfort severity during follow-up. Further study of training effects on work methods and discomfort are recommended.

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Analyzing Antidiabetes Drug Prescriptions With World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Dose Index to Assess Drug Utilization Pattern in Elderly Population of Rural Eastern India

Indian Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.1177/1177393617703343 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 117739361770334 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sandeep Lahiry ◽

Avijit Kundu ◽

Ayan Mukherjee ◽

Shouvik Choudhury ◽

Rajasree Sinha

Keyword(s):

World Health Organization ◽

Drug Utilization ◽

West Bengal ◽

Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical ◽

World Health ◽

Defined Daily Dose ◽

Prescription Data ◽

Daily Dose ◽

Health Organization

Objective: To analyze drug utilization (DU) pattern of antidiabetes drug (ADD) prescription in elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural West Bengal based on 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Dose (ATC/DDD) Index. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. Prescription data of 600 elderly patients (age > 60 years) attending outpatient clinic were screened over 12 months (January 2015 to January 2016) from 5 different rural hospitals in West Bengal. Pooled data were sorted and classified in accordance with 2016 ATC/DDD WHO Index. Direct cost associated and consumption of ADD were measured as DDD/1000 patients/day. The adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to antidiabetic medicines were monitored. Results: During the study period, mean age of patients recorded was 66.4 ± 5.0 years, with 66.6% (n = 396) having history of T2DM > 5 years. Follow-up encounters (n = 2328) revealed metformin (94.67%), sulfonylureas (SUs) (50.54%), pioglitazone (24.22%), voglibose (22.50%), insulin (9.75%), and acarbose (6.82%) to be more prevalent, constituting DU 90% (92.01%). Combination of metformin plus SU was recorded in most of the patients (56%). Insulin, however, was found to be an underutilized class ( P < .005). The DDD/1000 patients/day of metformin (2.918), glimepiride (1.577), and gliclazide (0.069) conformed to 2016 WHO ATC/DDD Index. The total ADD consumption during study period was 5.03 DDD/1000 patients/day. The average drug cost per encounter per day was Rs 11.24 ± 2.01. Nineteen ADRs were reported and their descriptions were found to be of hypoglycemia (n = 9), pedal edema (n = 2), and gastrointestinal upsets (n = 8). Target glycemic status was achieved in 40% monthly follow-up encounters. Low-store drug availability and poor compliance to treatment (>60%) were major determinants. Lack of regular aerobic exercises (>85%) and proper knowledge regarding medical nutrition therapy (MNT) (>80%) and low average consultation time (3.5 ± 0.6 minutes) were important contributing factors. Conclusions: The study exhibited increased utilization of 2 drug combinations of oral ADD and lower utilization of insulin during study period. Such inferences merit further exploration.

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Bioaccumulation and translocation of metals in the natural vegetation growing on fly ash lagoons: a field study from Santaldih thermal power plant, West Bengal, India

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment ◽

10.1007/s10661-007-9691-5 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 136 (1-3) ◽

pp. 355-370 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

Subodh Kumar Maiti ◽

Shishir Jaiswal

Keyword(s):

Fly Ash ◽

Power Plant ◽

Field Study ◽

Thermal Power Plant ◽

West Bengal ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Natural Vegetation

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Evaluation of User Behavior and Acceptance of an On-Bike System

10.31234/osf.io/s3rgc ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Gabriele Prati ◽

Víctor Marín Puchades ◽

Marco De Angelis ◽

Luca Pietrantoni ◽

Federico Fraboni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Field Study ◽

User Behavior ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Bicycle Safety ◽

The Third ◽

Warning Message ◽

System P ◽

The Difference ◽

Motorized Vehicles

In this study, users’ acceptance of an on-bike system that warns about potential collisions with motorized vehicles as well as its influence on cyclists’ behavior was evaluated. Twenty-five participants took part in a field study that consisted of three different experimental tasks. All participants also completed a follow-up questionnaire at the completion of the three-task series to elicit information about the acceptance of the on-bike system. In the experiment phase, participants were asked to ride the bicycle throughout a circuit and to interact with a car at an intersection. Participants completed three laps of the circuit. The first lap involved no interaction with the car and served the purpose of habituation. In the second and third laps participants experienced a conflict with an incoming car at an intersection. In the second lap, the on-bike device was not activated, while in the third lap, participants received a warning message signaling the imminent conflict with the car. We compared the difference in user’s behavior between the second lap (conflict with a car without the warning of the on-bike system) and the third lap (conflict with a car with the warning of the on-bike system). Results showed that, when entering the crossroad, participants were more likely to decrease their speed in case of warning of the on-bike system. Further, the on-bike system was relatively well accepted by the participants. In particular, participants did not report negative emotions when using the system, while they trusted it and believed that using such technology would be free from effort. Participants were willing to spend on average 57.83€ for the system. This study highlights the potential of the on-bike system for promoting bicycle safety.

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Maintaining or Losing Intervention-Induced Health-Related Behavior Change. A Mixed Methods Field Study

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.688192 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Frida Skarin ◽

Erik Wästlund ◽

Henrik Gustafsson

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Field Study ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Goal Achievement ◽

Body Measurements ◽

Behavior Change Interventions ◽

Health Related

The aim of this mixed methods field study was to gain a better understanding of how psychological factors can contribute to success in intervention-induced behavior change over time. While it can be difficult to change behavior, the use of interventions means that most participants succeed in change during the intervention. However, it is rare for the immediate change to automatically transform into maintained behavior changes. Most research conducted on health-related behavior change interventions contains quantitative studies that investigate key intervention components on a group level. Hence, to bring more knowledge about maintained intervention-induced behavior change, there is need for a study approach that enhances the understanding of individual participants' experiences during and after the intervention. Therefore, the present study, which was conducted in Sweden, used a mixed methods design (triangulation) consisting of pre-, post-, and follow-up quantitative data (questionnaires and body measurements) and qualitative data (interviews), where the individuals' accounts are used to broaden the understanding of the intervention and the behavior change process. All study participants were enrolled in a volitional (fee-based and non-manipulated) intervention given by certified gyms. The quantitative data collection included 22 participants who completed questionnaires and body measurements before and after the intervention, plus 13 complete body measurements 6 months after the intervention. The qualitative data included pre-interviews with 12 participants and six follow-up-interviews. The questions in both questionnaires and interviews related to expectations, efficacy, motivation, goals, achievements, behavior change, and future. Overall, the results show that levels of expectations, efficacy, and motivation cannot be used in isolation to predict maintained intervention-induced behavior change. To successfully extend and maintain immediate change, it was crucial to experience goal achievement (but not BMI change). Furthermore, enabling talk was salient in the pre-interviews with participants reporting successful immediate (and maintained) change. By contrast, pre-interview disabling talk turned out to be evident in interviews, with participants not responding to follow-up. When the qualitative and quantitative results are summarized and integrated, it appears that subjective goal achievement, combined with enabling self-talk, were crucial factors in successful maintained behavior change.

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