How Are Techno-Stressors Associated with Mental Health and Work Outcomes? A Systematic Review of Occupational Exposure to Information and Communication Technologies within the Technostress Model

The technostress model has introduced different factors to consider when assessing how information and communication technologies impact individuals in different work settings. This systematic review gathers evidence regarding associations between occupational exposure to technostress and health or work outcomes. In addition, we highlight typical methodological constraints of the technostress model. We conducted electronic literature searches in June 2020 (PubMed, PubMed Central, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo, PsycArticles) and independently screened 321 articles. We report on 21 articles meeting eligibility criteria (working population, technostress exposure, health or work outcome, quantitative design). The most frequently examined techno-stressors, i.e., factors of technostress, were techno-overload and techno-invasion. Techno-stressors were consistently associated with adverse health and work outcomes, apart from a positive impact on work engagement. However, studies may be subject to considerable conceptual overlap between exposure and outcome measures. Future technostress research would benefit from reducing heterogeneity in technostress measures, assessing their external validity and focussing on specific techno-stressors.

EULAR Points to Consider (PtC) for designing, analysing and reporting of studies with work participation as an outcome domain in patients with inflammatory arthritis

BackgroundClinical studies with work participation (WP) as an outcome domain pose particular methodological challenges that hamper interpretation, comparison between studies and meta-analyses.ObjectivesTo develop Points to Consider (PtC) for design, analysis and reporting of studies of patients with inflammatory arthritis that include WP as a primary or secondary outcome domain.MethodsThe EULAR Standardised Operating Procedures were followed. A multidisciplinary taskforce with 22 experts including patients with rheumatic diseases, from 10 EULAR countries and Canada, identified methodologic areas of concern. Two systematic literature reviews (SLR) appraised the methodology across these areas. In parallel, two surveys among professional societies and experts outside the taskforce sought for additional methodological areas or existing conducting/reporting recommendations. The taskforce formulated the PtC after presentation of the SLRs and survey results, and discussion. Consensus was obtained through informal voting, with levels of agreement obtained anonymously.ResultsTwo overarching principles and nine PtC were formulated. The taskforce recommends to align the work-related study objective to the design, duration, and outcome domains/measurement instruments of the study (PtC: 1–3); to identify contextual factors upfront and account for them in analyses (PtC: 4); to account for interdependence of different work outcome domains and for changes in work status over time (PtC: 5–7); to present results as means as well as proportions of patients reaching predefined meaningful categories (PtC: 8) and to explicitly report volumes of productivity loss when costs are an outcome (PtC:9).ConclusionAdherence to these EULAR PtC will improve the methodological quality of studies evaluating WP.

Eurofound’s Reference Framework: Sustainable work over the life course in the EU

Demographic change has triggered policy debates and responses across Europe. The need of keeping workers in employment longer is a consequence that requires rethinking new solutions for working conditions and career paths helping workers to retain their physical and mental health – as well as motivation and productivity – throughout an extended working life. Eurofound has titled the broad goal set out by this statement as ‘making work sustainable over the life course’. Identifying and analysing the factors and actions underpinning sustainable work throughout working life has been a research priority for Eurofound since 2013. In this article, the Eurofound reference framework of sustainable work is introduced and its components are discussed. In a first step, the rather expansive concept of sustainable work was illuminated by a framework that explains our approach and that has been used as reference point for a range of Eurofound research projects examining different aspects of sustainable work. Section 2 presents sustainable work outcome indicators on the societal and the individual level and provides some reflections of how those can be used jointly to map overall beneficial work environments for sustainable work. Section 3 investigates contextual factors such as infrastructures, workplace practices and job quality. The specific role of motivation is highlighted in section 4 based on empirical analysis. The paper closes with some conclusions and a policy outlook.

Analysis of differential code biases and inter-system biases for GPS and NavIC satellite constellations

<abstract> <p>Multi Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) plays an essential role in navigation and geodesy fields for positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services. The predominant challenge of multi-GNSS is hardware bias errors such as Differential code Bias (DCB) and Inter System Biases (ISB). The estimation of DCB and ISB are essential for analyzing the GNSS system performance to improve the positional accuracy. Navigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC) system consists of the entire constellation of seven Geo-Stationary satellites to cater to Position Navigation Time (PNT) services over India and adjacent areas. In this paper, the relation between DCB and ISB of Global Positioning System (GPS) and NavIC systems is investigated using two ground-based NovAtel GPS and three Accords NavIC Receivers data (January to April 2019) at Koneru Lakshamaiah Education Foundation (K.L. Deemed to University), Guntur, India (16.47°N, 80.61°E). The correlation results indicate that NavIC GSO satellites are more stable than GEO satellites from DCB and ISB analysis due to low elevation angles and multipath effects. A systematic bias error is observed between NavIC and GPS satellite systems from ISB and DCB results. The current research work outcome would be beneficial for modeling GNSS ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) for high precision multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS systems.</p> </abstract>

Helping women transition out of sex work: study protocol of a mixed-methods process and outcome evaluation of a sex work exiting program

Background For women who want to, exiting sex work can be challenging. Numerous programs strive to help women wanting to exit sex work and secure alternative sources of income by providing targeted support at key moments during the transition, yet few of those initiatives are rigorously evaluated. In 2017 “Exit Doors Here”, a 9-month sex work exiting program based on the critical time intervention (CTI) approach, was developed to provide wrap-around support services (e.g., health, addiction, housing, education, and employment supports) to women wishing to transition towards exiting sex work. Methods We present the design of an evaluation study of Exit Doors Here which combines quantitative and qualitative methods to assess participant recruitment and retention into the program, program fidelity, and relationships with service providers (process evaluation), as well as progress made by participants in terms of strengthening their social support networks and moving closer to achieving their housing, pre-employment (i.e., educational, training and volunteering), and income-related goals, as well as their involvement in sex work (outcome evaluation). Each year for 4 years, between 25 and 30 Exit Doors Here clients will be invited to complete an interviewer-administered questionnaire at the beginning and after completing the program, and to share data from their CTI charts and related documentation. Once a year, program staff and peer workers will be interviewed, and service providers will be surveyed. Discussion Conducting a formative (process) evaluation will allow us to inform program implementation and improve program delivery early on for maximum benefit. The summative (outcome) evaluation will provide much needed evidence on the effectiveness of CTI in supporting a traditionally underserved population to achieve the housing, pre-employment and income-related goals they value, and their progress towards reducing their involvement in, and eventually exiting, sex work.

Masterbuilder as a Team Interdisciplinary Project Team. An Attempt at Analysis

It's a striking fact that in a world of highly specialized professions (stimulated by the development of science and technology) as well as precise legal regulations defining rules of standalone practice in building industry, we've lost a single person capable of providing full knowledge necessary for completing building venture, as it was common 100 years ago. It's not a good time for a master builder, we know from middle ages. Every planning venture, whether its purpose is to create a chair or a city, requires appropriate preparations. What distinguishes these two extreme examples, in particular, is the scope of knowledge necessary for their execution. While a chair is a relatively simple task to complete, it can be planned and executed by a single person, a contemporary building or a city requires the cooperation of various specialists. Interdisciplinary cooperation, although sometimes perceived as a problem and an unpleasant necessity, can be an opportunity for a unique work outcome. The article is an attempt of analysis of this complex problem, which by reviewing selected reference material - including both scientific studies and testimonials of outstanding practitioners - introduces its concise characteristics, problems, and advantages, but, most importantly, tries to define the conditions required for successful collaboration.

AB1177 METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DESIGN, ANALYSES AND REPORTING OF STUDIES WITH WORK PARTICIPATION AS OUTCOME DOMAIN IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS: RESULTS OF TWO SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEWS INFORMING EULAR POINTS TO CONSIDER

Background:Inflammatory arthritis (IA) has substantial impact on work participation (WP). However, methodological issues hamper interpretation, comparison and meta-analyses of studies with WP as outcome domain. Sources of heterogeneity and methodological choices should be assessed in order to improve the quality of future studies.Objectives:To summarize methodological choices in studies with WP as outcome domain in IA and other chronic diseases.Methods:A EULAR task force on ‘points to consider (PtC) when designing, analysing and reporting studies with WP as outcome domain among patients with IA’ outlined the scope of the systematic literature review (SLR) and identified 6 areas of potential concern (Table 1). Two searches were conducted (Figure 1): Search 1 (S1): original studies in IA (RCTs and longitudinal prospective observational studies); S2: systematic reviews in other chronic diseases. Two reviewers independently identified eligible studies and extracted data for the pre-defined methodological areas.Table 1.Methodological issues across the 6 pre-defined areas (search 1, n=62)AreaMethodological issues*1. Study design- 16/62 (26%) and 8/62 (13%) studies aligned the target population and sample size with the study’s work outcome.- 9/39 (24%) of the interventional studies aimed to assess changes of work status (employment/disability) over a very short follow-up time (≤6 months).2. Work outcome domains- 7/33 (21%) of studiesdefined work status.- 30/30 (100%), 38/38 (100%) and 7/7 (100%)defined absenteeism, presenteeism and unpaid work, respectively.3. Work outcome measurement instruments- 22/62 (35%) studies usednon-validated instruments(e.g. self-reported days of sick leave/impact of disease on productivity, n=16/62, 26%).4. Contextual factors- 54/62 (87%) studies neglected work-related contextual factors.5. Data analysesOf the studies measuring absenteeism and/or presenteeism:- 10/38 (26%) accounted forskewnessof the work outcome.- 30/38 (79%) tookinterdependencebetween outcomes as part of work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire into account.6. Reporting- 62/62 (100%) studies reported the size and characteristics of the (sub)groups in which the analyses were performed.- 1/62 (2%) reported loss to follow-up and work-related reasons for drop-out.- 42/62 (68%) studies presentedaggregatedresults; 11/62 (18%) presented results aspercentages according to meaningful thresholds; 9/62 (14%): both forms.- 21/24 (88%) studies reportingproductivity costs,provided data on natural volumes (days/hours) used to calculate costs.*The number of studies in denominators vary by methodological issue.Results:We included 62 original studies in IA (23 RCTs, 16 interventional and 23 non-interventional observational studies) and 28 SLRs in other chronic diseases. The methodological aspects most often neglected in original studies (Table 1) were: the choice of the study design in relation to the work-related study objective; definitions of the WP outcome domains considered; accounting for skewness of the work outcome; consideration of work-related contextual factors; reporting attrition and its reasons and reporting both aggregated results as well as proportions of individuals based on predefined meaningful thresholds. SLRs on other chronic diseases confirmed high heterogeneity and methodological flaws in all the 6 key methodological areas without identifying new problematic areas.Conclusion:High methodological heterogeneity was observed in studies with WP. Consensus around the key methodological aspects is needed to homogenise and improve the quality of future studies. This review informs the EULAR PtC for the conduction and reporting of studies with WP as an outcome domain in IA.Disclosure of Interests:Alessia Alunno: None declared, Mary Lucy Marques: None declared, Annelies Boonen Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Consultant of: Galapagos, Lilly (all paid to the department), L. Falzon: None declared, Sofia Ramiro Grant/research support from: MSD, Consultant of: Abbvie, Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme, Speakers bureau: Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Polina Putrik: None declared