Cumulative exposure to psychosocial stressors at work and global cognitive function: the PROspective Quebec Study on Work and Health

ObjectivesPsychosocial stressors at work have been proposed as modifiable risk factors for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cumulative exposure to psychosocial stressors at work on cognitive function.MethodsThis study was conducted among 9188 white-collar workers recruited in 1991–1993 (T1), with follow-ups 8 (T2) and 24 years later (T3). After excluding death, losses to follow-up and retirees at T2, 5728 participants were included. Psychosocial stressors at work were measured according to the Karasek’s questionnaire. Global cognitive function was measured with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Cumulative exposures to low psychological demand, low job control, passive job and high strain job were evaluated using marginal structural models including multiple imputation and inverse probability of censoring weighting.ResultsIn men, cumulative exposures (T1 and T2) to low psychological demand, low job control or passive job were associated with higher prevalences of more severe presentation of MCI (MSMCI) at T3 (Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of 1.50 (1.16 to 1.94); 1.38 (1.07 to 1.79) and 1.55 (1.20 to 2.00), respectively), but not with milder presentation of MCI. In women, only exposure to low psychological demand or passive job at T2 was associated with higher prevalences of MSMCI at T3 (PRs and 95% CI of 1.39 (0.97 to 1.99) and 1.29 (0.94 to 1.76), respectively).ConclusionsThese results support the deleterious effect of a low stimulating job on cognitive function and the cognitive reserve theory. Psychosocial stressors at work could be part of the effort for the primary prevention of cognitive decline.

Work-related stress assessment in an emergency department in French Guiana

Background: In emergency departments (EDs), the staff continually face stressful situations requiring staff to adopt various coping strategies. Aims: The study aimed to assess work-related stress in ED during the COVID-19 outbreak. Method: The study was a monocentric investigation based on a questionnaire survey that elicits general information and uses the Karasek model to analyse the data. Findings: A total of 117 forms were collected for analysis. The score for decision latitude (or autonomy and skills at work) was 70 (IQR: 64–74) and the score for psychological demand was 25 (IQR: 23-27). The score for social support by the management team was 11 (IQR: 9–12) and the score for social support by colleagues 12 (IQR: 10–12). Of the total number of respondents, job strain was assessed as affecting 24.8%. Conclusion: The study shows high levels of stress among the ED workforce. The findings indicate that it is imperative to develop simple management tools that are capable of measuring the internal causes of stress in order to develop an adapted wellness programme in ED.

Influence of Psychological Demands on Job Satisfaction among the Employees of the National Hospital Insurance Fund in Kenya

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of psychosocial demands factors on job satisfaction among employees at the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in Kenya. Psychological demands refer to job aspects that are physical, social, or organizational that required for physical and psychological effort to be sustained. A descriptive research design was adopted and all the 1918 employees at NHIF were targeted for this study. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain 330 respondents from the study population. To collect primary data on psychological demand, the study used the demand-control-support questionnaire while job satisfaction was measured using the Warr-Cook-Wall questionnaire. While 330 questionnaires were distributed, only 301 questionnaires were duly filled and returned. Descriptive and inferential statistics encapsulated the data analysis and the results were presented in the form of tables. Analysis of the data was done through the use of SPSS version 24. The findings of the study showed that psychological demand had a statistically significant influence on job satisfaction at NHIF Kenya (p<0.05). The study recommends the need to reduce psychological demands at NHIF Kenya as well as ensure that the reduction of conflicting demands at the place of work. For future researchers, the study recommends that a similar study be conducted in other public sector organizations in Kenya. The results of this study add to the body of knowledge on psychological demand and job satisfaction.

Democracy and the Nietzschean Pathos of Distance

In this paper I discuss the Nietzschean notion of a pathos of distance, which some democratic theorists would like to recruit in the service of a democratic ethos. Recently their efforts have been criticized on the basis that the Nietzschean pathos of distance involves an aristocratic attitude of essentializing contempt towards the common man that is incompatible with the democratic demand to accord everyone equal respect and dignity. I argue that this criticism is misguided and that the pathos in question involves encouraging the fl ourishing of higher types that give meaning and justification to the social order. For Nietzsche, the experience of living under a society that is thus organized leads to the psychological demand to search for spiritual states within a person that can make life worth living. I conclude by considering whether, so conceived, the pathos of distance is compatible with democracy.

Study of Three Levels of Design for Cultural and Creative Products Pertinent to Consumer Personality Traits

To meet consumer requirement, the cultural and creative products underscore the route of developing personality products in a bid to satisfy unconventional and independent psychological demand of consumers. The purpose of this study is to explore correlation of consumer personality traits in selecting products or preference for products. Professional Dynamitic Program (PDP) personality traits testing has been used, and as for products three levels of emotional design proposed by Norman (2004) is adopted: Visceral, behavioral and reflective. The flow of study is divided into four major stages, the first stage of literature review and theoretical construction, the second stage on websites of Palace Museum Boutique Pavilion, Taiwan Cultural and Creative Souvenirs Pavilion and Pinkoi, and invite experts to screen cultural and creative products on bestseller list; the third stage focuses on PDP personality traits testing in a bid to understand consumers’ personality traits; The fourth stage provides cultural and creative products after screening and selection of questionnaire for individual intuitiveness of testee’s preference for product design. The conclusion of this study shows significant correlation in preference of consumers’ differential personality traits on design of cultural and creative products. It also conducts statistics on preference for levels of emotional design for cultural and creative products in accordance with different personality traits and the correlation result may provide reference for product planners, designers or sales.

A Discourse Map on Counseling International Students in Korea

The number of international students has drastically increased over a decade in Korea. And a psychological demand to make them successfully adjust their college life in Korea has also increased. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore how international student-focused counseling research has unfolded in Korea. To this end, this study provides research trend in Korea through a content analysis of 79 theses and articles published over recent two decades (1996-2016). Over 140 research contents are classified into 10 categories, including cultural adjustment, psychological health, and career and vocation as the main three categories. Frequency of conceptions or terms in each category, and relationship between those conceptions are analyzed. Based on the content analysis, a discourse map is finally drawn. Also, future research agendas are suggested.

Study on Landscape Design of City Square Based on Demand of Psychological Behavior - As a Case of Nanning Minsheng Square

The study of square landscape based on the demand of psychological behavior select-s Nanning Minsheng square as an object. We investigated the distribution of people who stay in t-he square during the rush hour in a whole day with action observation method, and then gets th-e quantitative data of the distribution of people. According to the analysis of the data obtained th-e psychological demand of people on the landscape space, we put forward to the reforming strateg-y about Minsheng square landscape space design.