scholarly journals Psychological consequences of firefighters' working conditions: A Qualitative Study

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Zeraat Herfeh ◽  
M Shamsi Nezhad ◽  
A Rahmati
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Step Method ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fire Stations

Introduction: A high-risk job, firefighting involves a wide range of tasks. Given the difficult nature of the job with all the responsibilities included, and in addition to the impending physical injuries, firefighters undergo several emergencies which can endanger their psychological health. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the psychological consequences of firefighters' work conditions. Materials and Methods: The research method was qualitative and phenomenological. Using the purposeful sampling method, 16 firefighters were selected from fire stations across the city of Kerman, Iran; saturation criteria were used in the selection of participants. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. In this way, first, the interviews were coded, and then based on the similarity of codes, 4 main categories were extracted.  Results: results showed that persistent stress (caused by the sound of fire alarms and announcement of fire emergencies, trying to make it to the scene on time, worrying about not being on time, and not finding the address of the incidents, complications, and uncertainties of the incidents), sleep problems (these include sleep disturbances, insomnia, difficulty maintaining sleep, startled waking up, somniloquy), negative emotions reminiscent of painful events, and difficulty in establishing good relationships with family members, are the most important psychological consequences that firefighters faced due to their working conditions. Conclusion: Considering the important role of firefighters in providing services in emergencies, the psychological consequences of this job are risk factors that harm the health and the performance of firefighters. Therefore, appropriate measures and planning need to be taken to manage and reduce ongoing stress and improve the quality of firefighters' sleep. To manage and reduce negative emotions and their family problems, appropriate training should be provided.

scholarly journals The Psychological and Sleep-Related Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetti Solehati ◽  
Cecep Eli Kosasih ◽  
Yanti Hermayanti ◽  
Henny Suzana Mediani
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
General Public ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cross Sectional

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a global impact on mental health and sleeps quality that is unprecedented in the 21st century. This systematic review aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 and its effect on people’s sleep. Systematic searches were conducted via PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest from 2019 to August 2020, following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were selected based on eligibility criteria such as having a cross-sectional study design, assessing the general public’s mental health status or sleep problems, medical workers and non-medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and using standardized and validated scales for measurement. The keywords: COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2 AND Mental health OR Psychological health AND General population OR General public AND sleep AND Impact of Coronavirus disease 2019. A total of 23 articles were selected after being assessed. During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical workers were found to have psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, stress, PTSD, psychological distress, somatization symptoms, suicidal ideation, high risk of severe mental illness, worry, and insomnia. Non-medical workers experienced symptoms of depression. The general public experienced psychological problems: depression, anxiety, stress, bad mood, inability to stop thinking about COVID-19, panic, and experiencing sleep problems such as changing sleep patterns, sleep disturbances, sleep quality, difficulty with sleep initiation, and shortened sleep duration. The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with psychological problems and sleep disorders for medical workers, non-medical workers, and the general public.

Transcending Time and Space with Digital Emotional Support

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler Colasante ◽  
Lauren Lin ◽  
Kalee DeFrance ◽  
Tom Hollenstein
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Support ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Good News ◽  
Social Avoidance ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Digital Devices ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Socially Isolated

In the current digital age, emotional support is increasingly received through digital devices. However, virtually all studies assessing the benefits of emotional support have focused on in-person support. Using an experience sampling methodology, we assessed participants’ negative emotions, digital and in-person support for those emotions, and success in regulating them three times per day for 14 days, thus covering a wide range of digital support scenarios (N = 164 participants with 6,530 collective measurement occasions). We also considered whether participants were alone versus with others at the time of their negative emotion and higher versus lower in social avoidance as plausible moderators of when digital support was utilized and effective. We expected more pronounced use and efficacy of digital support when participants were alone and higher in trait social avoidance. However, digital support was used and perceived as effective for regulating negative emotions regardless of these factors and its beneficial effects were on par with those of traditional in-person support. The unique benefits of digital support may not be restricted to socially isolated or socially avoidant users. These findings are timely given the widespread anxiety and isolation under the current COVID-19 pandemic. If transcending time and space with digital emotional support is the new norm, the good news is that it seems to be working.

scholarly journals Process of Work Disability: From Determinants of Sickness Absence Trajectories to Disability Retirement in A Long-Term Follow-Up of Municipal Employees

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2614
Author(s):  
Päivi Leino-Arjas ◽  
Jorma Seitsamo ◽  
Clas-Håkan Nygård ◽  
Prakash K.C. ◽  
Subas Neupane
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Work Disability ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Permanent Disability ◽  
Municipal Employees ◽  
Exercise Effect ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Work disability may originate early during work history and involve sickness absences (SA) and eventually permanent disability. We studied this process over 15 years. Questionnaire data collected in 1981 on health, working conditions, and lifestyle of Finnish municipal employees aged 44–58 years (n = 6257) were linked with registers on SA (≥10 workdays), disability pension, and death from the period 1986–1995. Trajectory analysis was used to assess development in SA (days/year) over 5 years (1981–1985). We analyzed determinants of the trajectories with multinomial regression, while trajectory membership was used as a predictor of disability pension (DP) during the subsequent 10 years in survival analysis. Three SA trajectories emerged: increasing (women: 6.8%; men: 10.2%), moderate (21.2%; 22.7%), and low. In a mutually adjusted model, the increasing trajectory in women was associated with baseline musculoskeletal (MSD), mental and respiratory disorders, injuries, obesity, sleep problems, and low exercise (effect sizes OR > 2), and in men with MSD, sleep problems, smoking, low exercise, and non-satisfaction with management. The moderate trajectory associated with MSD, ‘other somatic disorders’, sleep problems, and awkward work postures in both genders; in women, also overweight, cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity, and (inversely) knowledge-intensive work, and in men, smoking and mental disorders were thus associated. Ten-year risks of DP contrasting increasing vs. low SA were more than 10-fold in both genders and contrasting moderate vs. low SA 3-fold in women and 2-fold in men. These findings emphasize the need for early identification of workers with short-term problems of work ability and interventions regarding lifestyle, health, and working conditions, to help prevent permanent disability.

scholarly journals Sleep Disturbances in Individuals Quarantined Due to SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Poland: A Mixed Methods Design Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 216495612110207
Author(s):  
Sabina Krupa ◽  
Witt Paweł ◽  
Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska ◽  
Agnieszka Lintowska ◽  
Dorota Ozga
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Insomnia Severity Index ◽  
Insomnia Severity

Objectives The study aimed to assess sleep disturbances in patients subjected to home quarantine due to suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study used a mixed methods design study as a research methodology. Methods A semi-structured interview and the scale for Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used to achieve the aim of the study. The survey was conducted from 16 to 20 April 2020 and 1 to 2 September 2020 in Poland, at the during of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in this country. The data were coded and cross-processed. The (COREQ) checklist was followed. Results Interviews with patients and a thorough analysis of recordings revealed commonly used phrases in the following categories: “anxiety”, “ Am I going crazy?”, “Sleep problems”. 10 out of 11 respondents reported sleep disorders of varying severity according to the Insomnia Severity Index scale. Patients presented a fear related to the return to society and normal functioning after quarantine. Additionally, some study participants voiced concerns related to their mental health; some cases of hallucinations were reported. Conclusions Further global population studies should be conducted to analyse this phenomenon. Acute Stress Disorder should be understood as a threat to life and health of an isolated society in quarantine. Further research in this area should be promoted and the need for global guidelines for the entire population should be developed.

‘Stat’ workflow modifications to expedite care after needlestick injuries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J L Smith ◽  
R Banerjee ◽  
D R Linkin ◽  
E P Schwab ◽  
P Saberi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Post Exposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Needlestick Injuries ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Physical And Psychological Health ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

Abstract Background Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is recommended to start within hours of needlestick injuries (NSIs) among healthcare workers (HCWs). Delays associated with awaiting the results of testing from the source patient (whose blood was involved in the NSI) can lead to psychological consequences for the exposed HCW as well as symptomatic toxicities from empiric PEP. Aims After developing a ‘stat’ (immediate) workflow that prioritized phlebotomy and resulting of source patient bloodwork for immediate handling and processing, we retrospectively investigated whether our new workflow had (i) decreased HIV order-result interval times for source patient HIV bloodwork and (ii) decreased the frequency of HIV PEP prescriptions being dispensed to exposed HCWs. Methods We retrospectively analysed NSI records to identify source patient HIV order-result intervals and PEP dispensing frequencies across a 6-year period (encompassing a 54-month pre-intervention period and 16-month post-intervention period). Results We identified 251 NSIs, which occurred at similar frequencies before versus after our intervention (means 3.54 NSIs and 3.75 NSIs per month, respectively). Median HIV order-result intervals decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from 195 to 156 min after our intervention, while the proportion of HCWs who received one or more doses of PEP decreased significantly (P < 0.001) from 50% (96/191) to 23% (14/60). Conclusion Using a ‘stat’ workflow to prioritize source patient testing after NSIs, we achieved a modest decrease in order-result intervals and a dramatic decrease in HIV PEP dispensing rates. This simple intervention may improve HCWs’ physical and psychological health during a traumatic time.

scholarly journals Effects of work organization on the occurrence and resolution of sleep disturbances among night shift workers: a longitudinal observational study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seungho Lee ◽  
Jae Bum Park ◽  
Kyung-Jong Lee ◽  
Seunghon Ham ◽  
Inchul Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Night Shift ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Estimating Equation ◽  
Health Examination ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Shift Workers

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the association between work organization and the trajectories of insomnia patterns among night shift workers in a hospital. The health examination data of hospital workers, recorded from January 2014 to December 2018, were collected; 6765 records of 2615 night shift workers were included. Insomnia was defined as a score of ≥ 15 on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Participants were categorized into five groups according to insomnia patterns derived from the analysis of their ISI scores. Work organization and socio-demographic characteristics were also investigated. Generalized estimating equation models and linear mixed models were constructed to analyze the longitudinal data. Of the total participants, 53.0% reported insomnia at least once during the follow-up period. The lack of nap opportunities and work-time control was associated with the occurrence of insomnia, whereas more than 5 years of shift work experience was related to the resolution of insomnia. All work-related factors were significantly related to insomnia risk; however, the effects were not significant in the sustained insomnia group. Although sleep problems are inevitable in night shift workers, well-designed work schedules and better work organization can help reduce the occurrence of insomnia among them.

scholarly journals Mental Adaptation to Capsule Work During COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of Israeli Air Force Career Personnel

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Gordon ◽  
Dror Garbi ◽  
Shahar Ben Bassat ◽  
Shachar Shapira ◽  
Leah Shelef
Keyword(s):  
Air Force ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Psychological Help ◽  
Military Career ◽  
Personal Variables ◽  
Rapid Adjustment ◽  
The Military ◽  
Normal Work

ABSTRACT Objective Dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak required a rapid adjustment to an unfamiliar and unique situation. The current study aimed to identify the challenges faced by Israeli Air Force (IAF) career personnel. Method A survey was conducted on 550 participants during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. The participants completed a questionnaire that dealt with unique challenges (personal, family, and command). Results Of 550 respondents, 54% reported low mood and irritability, 44% reported a constant feeling of anxiety, and 29% reported having sleep problems. Most of them (66%) were mainly concerned about infecting their family. The shift from normal work conditions to an unfamiliar capsule configuration concerned 58% of respondents. Functional continuity concerned 55% of respondents. Managing subordinates concerned 50% of the participants. Of the three types of challenges analyzed (personal, family, and command), the command challenge was the only one where the personal variables (military role, rank, and marital status) made no difference. Finally, about 30% of all respondents reported they needed professional support in dealing with the new circumstances. Their preferred platform was an easily accessible hotline. Conclusions Life under the COVID-19 threat increased stress factors in the military career population. While reporting greater challenges and higher levels of stress, most of the respondents preferred a brief, focused consultation adjusted to the situation rather than conventional psychological help. The command challenge and the perceived responsibility stood above and beyond all variables examined in the present study.

scholarly journals The perils of project-based work: Attempting resistance to extreme work practices in video game development

Organization ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 570-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Peticca-Harris ◽  
Johanna Weststar ◽  
Steve McKenna
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Work Practices ◽  
Game Development ◽  
Video Game Development ◽  
Dominant Ideologies ◽  
Reader Comments ◽  
Game Developers

This article examines two blogs written by the spouses of game developers about extreme and exploitative working conditions in the video game industry and the associated reader comments. The wives of these video game developers and members of the game community decry these working conditions and challenge dominant ideologies about making games. This article contributes to the work intensification literature by challenging the belief that long hours are necessary and inevitable to make successful games, discussing the negative toll of extreme work on workers and their families, and by highlighting that the project-based structure of game development both creates extreme work conditions and inhibits resistance. It considers how extreme work practices are legitimized through neo-normative control mechanisms made possible through project-based work structures and the perceived imperative of a race or ‘crunch’ to meet project deadlines. The findings show that neo-normative control mechanisms create an insularity within project teams and can make it difficult for workers to resist their own extreme working conditions, and at times to even understand them as extreme.

scholarly journals Trends in Psychological Symptoms among Canadian Adolescents from 2002 to 2014: Gender and Socioeconomic Differences

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
pp. 797-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geneviève Gariépy ◽  
Frank J. Elgar
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Score ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Psychological Symptom ◽  
Socioeconomic Differences ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Canadian Youth ◽  
Canadian Health ◽  
Specific Symptoms

Objective: To describe trends in psychological health symptoms in Canadian youth from 2002 to 2014 and examine gender and socioeconomic differences in these trends. Method: We used data from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. We assessed psychological symptoms from a validated symptom checklist and calculated a symptom score (range, 0-16). We stratified our analyses by gender and affluence tertile based on an index of material assets. We then plotted trends in symptom score and calculated the probability of experiencing specific symptoms over time. Results: Between 2002 and 2014, psychological symptom score increased by 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73 to 1.41), 1.08 (95% CI, 0.79 to 1.37), and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.55 to 1.13) points in girls in the low-, middle-, and high-affluence tertiles, respectively. In boys, psychological symptoms decreased by –0.39 (95% CI, –0.66 to –0.12) and –0.12 (95% CI, –0.43 to 0.19) points in the high- and middle-affluence tertiles, respectively, and increased by 0.30 (95% CI, –0.04 to 0.63) points in the low-affluence tertile. The probability of feeling anxious and having sleep problems at least once a week notably increased in girls from all affluence groups, while the probability of feeling depressed and irritable decreased among boys from the high-affluence tertile. Conclusion: Psychological symptoms increased in Canadian adolescent girls across all affluence groups while they remained stable in boys from low and middle affluence and decreased in boys from high affluence. Specific psychological symptoms followed distinct trends. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanisms driving these trends.

Filipino Domestic Workers and Their Capacity Development

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 824-841
Author(s):  
Jennifer Loh ◽  
Alicia F. Estrellado
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Domestic Workers ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study explored the day-to-day experiences of female Filipino domestic workers in Singapore, including their working conditions, employee–employer relationships, and psychological health. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women. Using grounded theory, the emergent themes revealed high levels of variation, both within and between women, suggesting that the quality of domestic workers’ lives depends largely on the personal characteristics of their employers or the workers themselves, rather than on any system of protection. More importantly, participants displayed positive and resilient coping strategies which enabled them to thrive despite restrictive circumstances. Implications pertaining to capabilities and empowerment development were discussed.

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