Work characteristics and occupational health: validation and proposal of a shortened version of the Work Design Questionnaire

Interest in the study of work characteristics to explain how an individual's relationship with the work environment can lead to maladaptive responses has taken on renewed importance in the light of increasing concern for the development of healthy organizations and organizational diversity. This study aims to develop a shortened version of the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) with a view to facilitating its use and interpretation. The psychometric properties of this shorter questionnaire were tested in a multi-sectoral sample of workers in Spain, with due consideration given to the gender measurement invariance. For this purpose, we applied the questionnaire to a sample of 500 workers and analyzed the relationship between the answers provided to WDQ and specific occupational health variables (satisfaction, well-being and emotional exhaustion). Results showed adequate reliability and criterion-oriented validity for the shortened version of the WDQ, that is, the WDQ18-S, as well as evidence of factorial invariance across gender. We then discuss the results and their implications for the application of the WDQ in further research and the field of occupational health and psychosocial risks prevention. El interés por el estudio de las características del trabajo para explicar cómo la relación de un individuo con el entorno laboral puede conducir a respuestas desadaptativas ha cobrado una importancia renovada a la luz de la creciente preocupación por el desarrollo de organizaciones saludables y por la diversidad organizacional. Este estudio tiene como objetivo desarrollar una versión abreviada del Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) con el fin de facilitar su uso e interpretación en este contexto. Las propiedades psicométricas de este cuestionario reducido se probaron en una muestra multisectorial de trabajadores en España. Para ello, aplicamos el cuestionario a una muestra de 500 trabajadores y analizamos la relación entre las carácterísiticas del trabajo y las variables seleccionadas de salud ocupacional (satisfacción, bienestar y agotamiento emocional). Los resultados mostraron una fiabilidad y una validez orientada al criterio adecuadas para la versión abreviada del WDQ, esto es, el WDQ18-S, así como evidencia de invarianza factorial de género. Posteriormente se discuten los resultados y sus implicaciones para el uso del WDQ en el ámbito aplicado e investigador de la salud ocupacional y la prevención de riesgos laborales.

Adolescent health

Many recent shifts are propelling adolescence into the forefront of global public health. There is a youth bulge with 1.8 billion, 10–24-year-olds comprising over a quarter of the global population. Nearly 90% live in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Dramatic declines in mortality and disease burden in infancy and early childhood in many countries have resulted in a focus on growing adolescent health problems including mental disorders, the consequences of unsafe sexuality, the growing rates of non-communicable disease risks, and the impact of injuries and violence on this age group. Youth-friendly health services have the potential to promote equity, effectiveness, accessibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of care, including early interventions for major health risks. Prevention frameworks have integrated life-course epidemiology with strategies developed in the social and behavioural sciences. There is some evidence that involving young people in the conceptualization and implementation of some of these interventions improves the outcomes.

DAMAGE CLASSIFICATION TO HISTORICAL WOODEN STRUCTURES: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY AND RECOMMENDATION FOR DONG MINORITY DRUM TOWERS

Wood as a common construction material in historical buildings, material characteristics and environmental condition is always the main causes to degradation. Dong minority Drum Tower is one of the essential parts of Chinese wooden structural heritage. However, Drum Towers are, at present, in a poor state of conservation, especially suffering from fire risks, biological attacks, mechanical failures and bad interventions.This paper aims to record the observed damage through a classification approach that poses negative impact on the aesthetics and stability of Drum Towers. Firstly, based on the definition and term in relevant standards, a clear and structured damage classification on historical wooden structures is concluded according to the different hazard grades and causes, which are alteration, defect, deterioration and mechanical failure. Secondly, the characteristics of each damage in Drum Towers are revealed through the field survey and classification. At last, the actual condition is presented through a case study of Zengying Drum Tower. Subsequently, a multi-risks prevention in the Drum Tower is discussed, recommendations are proposed with the purpose of controlling the most fatal risks, ranging from insects and fungi risks with operable acceptance by local people and authorities.

Expert System for Diagnosing Liver Disease Using Web-Based Bayes Theorem Method Metode

Many people still do not know the risks, prevention, and treatment solutions related to liver disease. Therefore, many Indonesian people are affected by liver diseases such as hepatitis and other liver diseases because they are not aware of the symptoms they are experiencing. Therefore, this expert system is designed to help diagnose the symptoms experienced by people or patients who have liver disease. With this expert system, it can help overcome delays in handling so that it is not severe later. This expert system is created using the Bayes theorem method where in each symptom there is a probability or possibility which then gets the final result in the form of how big the event occurred. This expert system diagnoses the symptoms selected by the patient. After that, get the value of the possibility of a disease suffered by the patient. The results of this study are to produce an expert system for diagnosing liver disease using the website-based Bayes theorem method. This system can help diagnose a patient’s symptoms quickly and is used anywhere.

River pollution and human health risks: Assessment in the locality areas proximity of Bengawan Solo river, Surakarta, Indonesia

Bengawan Solo River experiences a critical environment characterized by promiscuity and unsanitary on the part of its coasts. The locality inhabitants do not take the waste to appropriate places. This waste adorns streets, tributaries rivers and therefore ends up in the Bengawan Solo river during the rainy season. The discharge of waste in these various unconventional and unofficial places causes all kinds of nuisances, degrades the conditions of life and health of the population, and especially worsens the state of insalubrity of the river. In the light of the results obtained, waste constitutes mountains of garbage dumped in the sides of the river, the gutters, along the rails, and especially in illegal dumps and very often, in places of stagnation of water. It turned out that this waste has an impact on the health of populations. From the objective through qualitative analyzes to research subjects, this research gives recommendations and contributions on Indonesian waste management regulations towards health risks prevention of inhabitants surrounding the riverbanks.

Interreg Atlantic Area AGEO Project – Explaining natural hazards and the role of citizen observatories through storytelling

<p>The Platform for Atlantic Geohazard Risk Management (AGEO) is a project co-financed under the Interreg Programme for the Atlantic Area that aims to launch five Citizens’ Observatory pilots on geohazards according to regional priorities:</p><ul><li>Citizens’ observatory on rockfalls and rockfall-triggers in the <strong>Canary Islands, Spain</strong></li> <li>Citizens’ observatory on rockfalls and rockfall-triggers in <strong>Giants' Causeway and Carrick-a-rede, Northern Ireland</strong></li> <li>Multihazard Citizens Observatory in <strong>Lisbon, Portugal</strong></li> <li>Citizens’ observatory of slope instability monitoring in <strong>Madeira island, Portugal</strong></li> <li>Citizens’ observatory of vulnerability to coastal Risks in <strong>Brittany, france</strong></li> </ul><p>These pilots will demonstrate how citizens’ involvement in geohazard risks prevention can strengthen regional and national risk management systems. The consortium is led by the Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal) andcounts with several other partners from Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom.</p><p>Experiences gained during the implementation of the Citizens’ Observatory pilots will be used to formulate recommendations for the creation of future observatories in response to the widest range of hazards (both natural and human-induced) faced in the Atlantic region. Engaging citizens in Citizens Observatories requires the development of outreach strategies seeking to understand expectations and develop attitudes, behaviours and competencies relevant for the aims and activities of the observatories.</p><p>The AGEO Consortium identified and targeted relevant stakeholders using Mendelow’s (1991) power-interest matrix, and developed perceptual maps of stakeholders, adapted for each of the five Citizens’ Observatory pilots. This approach was the basis for the development of tailored value propositions formulated to raise awareness on geohazards  and mobilize citizens participation.</p><p>AGEO is also using storytelling to inspire the general public to action and emotionally implicate non-specialised audiences. This approach is being used to educate children at school age and to reach their parents (in the pilot regions).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mendelow, A. L., 1991. Environmental Scanning: The Impact of the Stakeholder Concept. Proceedings from the Second International Conference on Information Systems 407-418. Cambridge, MA.https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis1981/20/</p>