scholarly journals Assessment of Mental Workload, Workability and Musculoskeletal Disorders of Firefighters

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Saremi ◽  
Rohollah Fallah Madvari2 ◽  
Fereydoon Laal ◽  
Najaf Noorizadeh ◽  
Ebrahim Rahimi
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Mental Workload ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical Workload ◽  
Occupational Activity ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
High Level

Introduction: Firefighting is one of the occupations that requires high physical and aerobic power due to the nature of the job and the physical demands of this profession. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship among Workability index (WAI), mental workload, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their effective factors in firefighters. Methods:  This study was a cross-sectional study, which was carried out on 250 firefighters in Tehran. Data were collected using WAI, NASA-TLX and Body Discomfort Chart (BDC). Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, linear regression, Pearson correlation, and Spearman tests. Results: The total mental load was 70.07 ± 6.58. Also, the mean   (standard deviation) of the total WAI score was 38.85 (1.17). Physical workload dimension had the highest value among mental workload dimensions (93.49±8.93). The results showed that WAI is increased by 0.14 by augmentation of one unit at the academic level of firefighters (p = 0.03). The most common discomfort was reported in the lower (50 people (20%)) and upper (42 people (16.8%)) regions of the back. The total WAI relationship with total mental workload was positive and insignificant (p>0.05). There was a significant and reverse association between WAI and discomfort in the wrist, leg, and ankle. Conclusion: Despite the low rate of MSDs, even mild symptoms of musculoskeletal pain should be considered. Given the high level of mental workload, improving physical, psychosocial and social working conditions is important in increasing the ability of employees and augmenting the ability of their occupational activity.

Physical and Mental Workloads in Professional Dance Teachers

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen M Wanke ◽  
Mike Schmidt ◽  
Jeremy Leslie-Spinks ◽  
Axel Fischer ◽  
David A Groneberg
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal System ◽  
Mental Workload ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Physical Workload ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Dance Teachers ◽  
Professional Dance

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the level of mental and physical workloads in professional dance teachers depending on the trained students’ age, technique level, or dance style. METHODS: A total number of 133 professional dance pedagogues responded to an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey on self-assessment of physical and mental workloads occurring during dance units. RESULTS: The majority of dance teachers estimated their level of physical and mental workload to be almost as high as that of their students, with differences in physical and mental workloads observed depending on dance style, age of students, and technical level. More than 60% of the teachers were convinced that their occupation implies positive effects on their own health in terms of self-realization (78.2%), musculoskeletal system (66.9%), and social relationships (61.7%). Of all respondents, 58.6% stated that their musculoskeletal system was jeopardized by the physically demanding activity. This is followed by the fear of financial insecurity (50.4%). The majority of all dance teachers (males 65.4%, females 63.9%) would like to obtain further education on prevention against or dealing with physical workload. CONCLUSION: Physical and mental workloads play an important role in dance teaching. Coping with or preventing these loads could be keys to a lifelong, healthy career as a professional dance teacher. Future trials should look at clinical parameters of physical and mental load.

Musculoskeletal Disorders and Asymmetric Playing Postures of the Upper Extremity and Back in Music Teachers: A Pilot Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-118
Author(s):  
Cecilia Wahlström Edling ◽  
Anncristine Fjellman-Wiklund
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical Workload ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Playing Time

To play a musical instrument, such as the violin or flute, requires controlled, adequate movements performed by the arm, hand, and fingers in an asymmetric playing posture. The movements are monotonous and often of long duration, involving static and repetitive muscle work of the upper extremity and neck-shoulder muscles. This situation may lead to an increased risk of contracting musculoskeletal problems. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between physical workload, defined as playing posture and playing time per week, and musculoskeletal disorders in music teachers. A questionnaire was distributed, with items based on work-related musculoskeletal disorders and physical working conditions. The study population consisted of music teachers employed at a Swedish municipal music school. Out of 61 music teachers, 47 (77%) agreed to participate, including 28 women and 19 men. The study group was divided into two groups depending on if they had an asymmetric or symmetric upper extremity/back playing position. Of the total participants, 77% reported musculoskeletal disorders during the preceding 12 months. Female teachers reported significantly more symptoms in the neck, shoulders, and upper back than male teachers. Music teachers with an asymmetric playing posture had significantly more musculoskeletal disorders than music teachers with a symmetric playing posture. This study demonstrates that an asymmetric playing position may affect the amount of musculoskeletal disorders in the upper extremity and back.

scholarly journals Workload Status and Its Relationship with Job Stress in Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Reza Yusefi ◽  
Parnian Nikmanesh ◽  
Shima Bordbar ◽  
Mohammad Khammarnia ◽  
Zahra Kavosi
Keyword(s):  
Job Stress ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Southern Iran ◽  
The Mean

Background and Purpose: Currently, the high prevalence of COVID-19 and increased workload in hospitals has posed a threat to the physical, mental, and emotional health of nurses. The present study was an attempt to investigate the workload and its relationship with job stress of nurses in COVID-19 reference hospitals in southern Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 on 431 nurses from COVID-19 reference hospitals in southern Iran. Data collection tools included the NASA workload and OSIPOW job stress standard questionnaires. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS23 Software and at a significance level of 0.05 Results: The mean age and work experience of the nurses participating in the study were 31.03±5.23 and 6.42±4.61, respectively. The mean scores of the workload and job stresses were 83.64 ± 17.24 (of 100) and 236.68 ± 16.54 (of 300), respectively. Mental load dimension (85.81 ±19.31, of 100) among workload dimensions and role workload dimension (43.62 ± 19.14, of 50) among job stress dimensions had the highest mean score. Thus, there was found a statistically significant relationship between workload and job stress of nurses (P= 0.04, r= 0.19). Conclusion: Workload and job stress of the studied nurses were estimated at a high level. There was a significant positive correlation between these two variables, and increasing workload resulted in an increase in job stress.

Frontline Health Care Workers’ Mental Workload During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952199725
Author(s):  
Meichen Du ◽  
Kaili Hu
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Mental Workload ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mental Demand ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
High Level

Workload is an essential factor affecting the performance of health care workers (HCWs). High level of mental workload increased their risks of insomnia, anxiety, and depression. This study committed to investigate frontline HCWs’ mental workload and analyze its influencing factors during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 802 frontline HCWs completed the online questionnaires. Their total mental workload score was 69.7 ± 16.4. Frontline HCWs were satisfied with their performance (4.0 ± 3.3) and showed a low level of frustration (8.3 ± 5.7). The most important dimensions of mental workload were “effort” (16.4 ± 13.7), “physical demand” (15.7 ± 4.7), and “mental demand” (12.9 ± 5.2). Frontline nurses and HCWs who have higher education level, longer working years, and higher professional title perceived higher mental workload scores ( P < .05). In conclusion, frontline HCWs’ mental workload was not high as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. They have made tremendous efforts and dedication to caring for COVID-19 patients. Job-related factors, some of which can be eliminated by proper management skills, increased frontline HCWs mental workload.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Low Back Pain among Nurses in Tertiary Level Hospital

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
G.J. Gautam ◽  
L. Gurung ◽  
N. Shrestha ◽  
P.S. Shrestha ◽  
S. Neupane
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Mental Workload ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical Workload ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Prolonged Standing

Background: Low back pain is one of the common musculoskeletal health problems that occur most commonly in nurses among all Health workers. Different researches showed that nurses are suffering from low back pain due to many factors. This research was conducted to find the prevalence and contributing factors of low back pain among nurses. Method: The descriptive cross-sectional study was done among 110 nurses by using stratified proportionate random sampling method. Semi structured self-administered questionnaire with single and multiple responses was administered among nurses after taking informed consent. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) 20 was used for analysis of data. Descriptive statistic (percentage and frequency) and inferential statistic (chi square) was used for the study. Result: Among 110 nurses, 64.5% were affected from low back pain and prevalence of low back pain of one year and one week was 60% and 20% respectively. The present working area was strongly associated with low back pain (p=0.000). Prolong standing (64.54%), bending and twisting (64.54%), heavy workload (62.72%), working in same positions (58.18%) were perceived factors of low back pain but heavy mental workload had no relationship with low back pain. Taking rest (99.1%), physiotherapy (92.7%) and taking medication (82.7%) were the factors that decreased low back pain. There was increased work restriction (46.4) and less productive and creative (42.7) due to low back pain. Conclusion: More than half of nurses were affected from low back pain. Prolonged standing, physical workload, bending and twisting were main contributing factors. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain proper body mechanics, periodic screening and timely rotation of nurses for the prevention of low back pain.

scholarly journals Appraisal of the knowledge, attitude, perception and practices among northern Nigerians in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nafi'u Lawal ◽  
Muhammad Bashir Bello ◽  
Yusuf Yakubu ◽  
Aliyu Musawa Ibrahim ◽  
Samira Anka Rabiu
Keyword(s):  
Economic Status ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Pearson Correlation Analysis ◽  
High Level

Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the knowledge, attitude, perception and practices of northern Nigerians toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials & methods: This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study and the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results & discussions: There were 713 participants, of which 54.0, 57.4, 67.6, 36.2 and 28.9% were between 18 and 30 years of age, married, males, having bachelor's degree and civil servants, respectively. High level of knowledge, attitude, perception and practice was found. Pearson correlation analysis found strong positive (r = 0.622; p < 0.001) relationships between knowledge, attitude, perception (r = 0.454; p < 0.001) and at last, practice (r = 0.282; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Young, male and married northern Nigerians of high socio-economic status had better knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices toward COVID-19.

scholarly journals Assessing Safety Culture and its Relationship with Mental Load and Job Stress in the National Gas Company

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvin Sepehr ◽  
Mousa Jabbari ◽  
Marzieh Erfani Fard ◽  
Shokoofeh Rezapour ◽  
Kazem Samimi
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Task Load ◽  
Employee Safety ◽  
High Level

Background: Accidents may occur for varying reasons, including unsafe behaviors, which originate from the safety culture of the organization. Job stress and mental load may also be contributory to accidents. This study aimed to assess safety culture and its relationship with mental load and job stress in a national gas company in Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of one year. This study used the NASA-TLX task load index, a standard questionnaire approved by the American National Institute of Mental Health to measure job stress, and the standard Health and Safety Executive safety culture questionnaire. All personnel was counted, and the total number of employees was 122. Statistical methods of t-test, correlation coefficient, and averaging have been used. Data were collected and analyzed in SPSS software and Microsoft Excel software. Results: The average mental load of employees was 61.51, i.e., moderate level. The average job stress and employee safety culture were 180.43, i.e., high level, and 331.34, i.e., desired level. The mental load was assessed as moderate, safety culture was optimal, and job stress was high. A significant relation was found between safety culture and mental load (correlation coefficient: -0.278; p = 0.03). Besides, the mental load was significantly related to job stress (correlation coefficient=0.293; p =  0.2). Conclusion: Controlling stress and reducing the mental load in sensitive work environments is important and can lead to a higher level of safety culture in the organization.

Frequency of Neck and Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders in Dentists

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-211
Author(s):  
Sidra Sarwar ◽  
Sara Khalid ◽  
Tahir Mahmood ◽  
Hadeeqa Jabeen ◽  
Shahid Imran
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dental Hospital ◽  
Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
And Performance

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are not only becoming prevalent among health care professionals in our country but are affecting their health and performance adversely. They are caused by poor ergonomics and awkward posture during work activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders in dentists of Lahore, Pakistan. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during October 2017 to March 2018. The data was collected using convenient sampling technique from 162 Dentists including 52 males and 110 females of Children hospital Lahore, Punjab Dental hospital and Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore. Data was collected by using Mangalore Questionnaire for identification of musculoskeletal disorders. Descriptive analysis of the data was done using SPSS version 22.0. Results: Of 162 dentists, 115 (71%) suffered from musculoskeletal disorders. Shoulder was the most commonly affected region (30.9%) followed by neck (25.9%), arm (6.2%), wrist (4.3%), elbow (3.1%) and forearm (0.6%). Pain (45.7%) was found to be the most common complaint followed by muscle weakness (20.4%), paraesthesia (3.7%) and swelling (1.2%). Conclusions: It was concluded that majority of the dentists were suffering from musculoskeletal disorders with shoulder as the most affected region and pain as the most frequent complaint. Key words: Dentists, Musculoskeletal disorders, Neck pain, Upper extremity

Comparison of Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis and Ankylosing Spondyltis from a Single Rheumatology Hospital in Morocco

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nessrine Akasbi ◽  
Siar Nihad ◽  
Zoukal Sofia ◽  
El Kohen Khadija ◽  
Harzy Taoufik
Keyword(s):  
Disease Burden ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Low Back ◽  
New Classification ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Asas Criteria ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Level

Background: According to the new classification criteria developed by The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society, patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) can be classified in 2 subgroups: Patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: ankylosing spondylitis patients (AS) and those with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). Objective: The aim of the present study is to describe and discuss the differences and similarities between the two subgroups. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a single rheumatology hospital in Morocco. These included patients diagnosed as having axial spondyloarthritis according to ASAS criteria 2010, during a period of 6 years. The AS and the nr-axSpA subgroups were compared for the various axSpA-related variables. Results: Of the 277 patients with a diagnosis of axial SpA who were included in this study, 160 had AS and 117 had nr-axSpA. AS and nr-ax-SpA shared a similar age at diagnosis, similar prevalence of low back pain, lumbar stiffness, extra-articular manifestations, BASDAI and BASFI. In the multivariate analysis, AS patients were mainly male with cervical stiffness, enthesitis, coxitis and high level of ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). The females generally had a family history of SpA and arthritis and were associated to the nr-axSpA form in the univariate analysis. Conclusion: This was the first study to characterise patients with AS and nr-axSpA in Morocco. Consistent with other studies published, this study showed that patients with nr-axSpA and patients with AS shared a comparable degree of disease burden.

scholarly journals Burnout and Its Relationship with Demographic and Job-Related Variables among Dentists in Lithuania: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3968
Author(s):  
Eglė Slabšinskienė ◽  
Andrej Gorelik ◽  
Aistė Kavaliauskienė ◽  
Apolinaras Zaborskis
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Satisfaction Index ◽  
Sum Score ◽  
Sum Scores ◽  
High Level

Although burnout has been described as a serious hazard for personal and professional lives and has been surveyed among dentists in many countries, no study has been published regarding burnout among dentists in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate the burnout level among Lithuanian dentists and its association with demographic variables, job satisfaction, and other job-related variables. The data were collected among dentists online or during professional conferences while using an anonymous questionnaire (n = 380). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to evaluate the burnout level. A Poisson regression was applied for the analysis of relationships between variables. We observed that 42.3% of the respondents had a high emotional exhaustion (EE) (95% confidence interval (CI): 37.4–42.3%), while 18.7% (95% CI: 15.0–22.9%) and 28,2% (95% CI: 23.4–32.6%) had high depersonalization (DP) and low personal accomplishment (PA), respectively. Nonetheless, 15.3% (95% CI: 11.8–18.9%) of the study population experienced a high level of overall burnout. An original job satisfaction index was elaborated. It was significantly associated with sum scores of all burnout dimensions: with the EE sum score (Ratio of Sum Score Means (RSSM) 1.54; 95% CI: 1.46–1.62), DP sum score (RSSM 1.59; 95% CI: 1.45–1.74), and PA sum score (RSSM 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84–0.92). It was concluded that Lithuanian dentists can be characterised by high burnout intensity and high prevalence of burnout, being especially evident in emotional exhaustion. The dentist with low job satisfaction appeared to be the most vulnerable to all burnout dimensions.

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