Absence Rates Research Articles

Determinants of long-term sickness absence trajectories among 19–39-year-old employees with pain

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown higher long-term sickness absence (LTSA) rates among employees with pain as compared to those not reporting pain. We examined distinct developmental patterns in LTSA (≥10 consecutive working days) among young and early midlife employees with pain at baseline, and factors associated with LTSA trajectories. Methods The study population consisted of 19-39-year-old employees (n = 1685) of the City of Helsinki who reported current pain at baseline in 2017. Data on all-cause LTSA days through March 2020 were collected from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify distinct all-cause LTSA trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations of pain characteristics, lifestyle- and occupational factors with trajectory group membership. Results Three distinct LTSA-trajectory groups were identified; No LTSA (74%), Decreasing (18%), and Increasing (8%). Compared to the No LTSA trajectory, employees in the Decreasing trajectory were more likely to have chronic (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.04-1.73) or multisite (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.36-2.41) pain, smoke (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.18-2.03), have obesity (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.21-2.38), manual or routine non-manual occupation (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.31-2.67) and high physical workload (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.14-1.90), after adjusting for age and gender. Predictors of the Increasing trajectory were not identified. Conclusions Distinct LTSA-trajectories were identified among young and early midlife employees with pain, of whom a majority had no LTSA during follow-up. Chronic and multisite pain, unhealthy lifestyle, lower occupational class, and higher physical workload are related to a pattern with more LTSA. Future intervention studies could examine opportunities to prevent LTSA through supporting younger employees who work with pain and have these risk factors. Key messages • Distinct trajectories of LTSA were identified among younger employees with pain, of whom most had no LTSA. Pain characteristics, lifestyle and occupational factors predicted trajectory membership. • Future intervention studies could examine opportunities to prevent LTSA through support to employees who work with pain and have pain-, lifestyle- and occupation related risk factors of LTSA.

The DrinksRation Smartphone App for Modifying Alcohol Use Behaviors in UK Military Service Personnel at Risk of Alcohol-Related Harm: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Consumption of alcohol is synonymous with military populations, and studies have shown that serving personnel drink more than age- and sex-matched civilian populations. While ingrained in the military culture, excessive alcohol use is associated with increased rates of disciplinary issues, sickness absence, and loss of productivity, as well as contributing to a burden of acute and chronic health problems. Alcohol brief interventions can reduce alcohol use in civilian populations, but there is a paucity of evidence relating to the effectiveness of similar interventions in military populations. The DrinksRation smartphone app was designed to have a basis in behavior change technique theory and focuses on providing interactive behavioral prompts tailored to a military population. It has previously been shown to be effective in a help-seeking veteran population. The primary aim of the Military DrinksRation randomized controlled trial study is to determine whether it is similarly effective in a serving military population. We compare the effectiveness of the DrinksRation smartphone app with treatment as usual for personnel identified at risk of alcohol-related harm using the Military DrinksRation study that is a 2-arm, single-blind, 1:1 randomized controlled trial of the UK Armed Forces population. It is hypothesized that the DrinksRation app will be more efficacious at reducing alcohol consumption compared to treatment as usual. Recruitment will be predominantly from routine, periodic dental inspections all service personnel regularly undertake, supplemented by recruitment from military-targeted media messaging. The primary outcome is the change in alcohol units consumed per week between baseline and day 84, measured using the timeline follow-back method. Secondary outcome measures are a change in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score, a change in the quality of life assessment, and a change in drinking motivations and app usability (intervention arm only) between baseline and day 84. A final data collection at 168 days will assess the persistence of any changes over a longer duration. The study is expected to open in August 2023 and aims to enroll 728 participants to allow for a study sample size requirement of 218 per arm and a 40% attrition rate. It is expected to take up to 12 months to complete. The results will be published in 2024. The Military DrinksRation study will assess the efficacy of the smartphone app on changing alcohol use behaviors in service personnel. If a positive effect is shown, the UK Defence Medical Services would have an effective, evidence-based tool to use as part of an alcohol management clinical pathway, thereby providing better support for military personnel at risk of harm from alcohol drinking. ISRCTN Registry 42646;. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14977034. PRR1-10.2196/49918.

Reconstruction of incomplete flow fields based on unsupervised learning

The loss of flow field data is a common challenge in experimental techniques and data transmission processes. Traditional methods often rely on another complete or high-fidelity dataset to compensate for missing information regarding fluid characteristics. However, obtaining such complete data is not always feasible. In this study, we propose an unsupervised learning approach that efficiently, swiftly, and cost-effectively reconstructs the complete flow field by leveraging the inherent properties of the flow field itself, without the need for high-fidelity data integration. Our proposed methods primarily encompass three techniques: Fourier basis function interpolation, the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model (ARIMA), and AMF (ARIMA-Median Filter). The first two methods are founded on the temporal evolution characteristics of the flow field and reconstruct the missing fluid information by extrapolating from the available data. The AMF method, building upon the ARIMA reconstruction outcomes, employs a median filtering approach to eliminate noise and outliers introduced by the lack of spatial correlation. All three methods perform well, with the AMF method exhibiting superior performance, particularly in cases involving scatter missing data with higher absence rates. While ARIMA and AMF entail longer computational times, they offer stability and are less prone to overfitting during the reconstruction process, rendering them more suitable for reconstructing flow fields with varying degrees of missing data. The Fourier basis function interpolation method, with its shorter runtime, is better suited for swiftly reconstructing flow fields with lower rates of missing data. However, it is worth noting that improper parameter selection for this method can lead to overfitting. Additionally, the non-stationarity of the flow field has an impact on reconstruction accuracy, with regions exhibiting stronger non-stationarity resulting in more noticeable reconstruction errors. For the ARIMA method, which relies on temporal correlation for reconstruction, the missing structures have a relatively minor effect. However, in the case of flow fields with block missing data, the improvement in reconstruction accuracy when using median filtering compared to ARIMA is not substantial.

PDMS-PIM45 prevents encrustation and prevents/impedes colonization of uropathogens

Catheters are the most widely used medical device and on the same note, catheter associated infections are also prevalent in health and medical care, globally. Among them, urinary catheters associated infections (CAUTI) pre-dominates the nosocomial infections. Antimicrobial/antifouling catheter innovations to overcome infections has escalated exponentially in recent years. Imidazolium-based polymer antimicrobial (PIM45) is a potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial and incorporation of PIM45 in PDMS matrix (PDMS-PIM45 biomaterial) proved to produce a robust, long-lasting antimicrobial biomaterial and could be recycled up to 45 days. Thus, exhibiting beneficial potential for development of medical devices that display inherent antimicrobial propensity. In this study, using a continuous flow model of artificial urine, we proved that PDMS-PIM45 could eradicate the CAUTI causative pathogens, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus sp, completely at 106 CFU/ml loading. Though colonization was not inhibited, lower rate of infection and absence of biofilm development was observed for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a newly emerging CAUTI pathogen. Importantly, we have also shown that PDMS-PIM45 could prevent encrustation following Proteus mirabilis infection, and maintain the low pH of artificial urine over 7 days in continuous flow model.

Meeting User Needs through Building Automation and Control Systems: A Review of Impacts and Benefits in Office Environments

Smart building technologies and building automation and control systems (BACS) can offer a range of additional benefits beyond energy savings, in particular by improving building responsiveness to user needs. Although in recent years these technologies have gained popularity as a means of reducing energy consumption and improving building performance, a clear picture of the role of BACS in providing a wider range of benefits is still missing. This review identifies and collects BACS impacts in office buildings with a special emphasis on improving indoor environmental quality by adapting building operation to changing conditions and guaranteeing feedback and real-time interaction with occupants. The resulting benefits, such as increased employee productivity, fewer occurrences of sick leave, and lower rates of absenteeism are highlighted. Offices represent an interesting field of application, as small improvements in the built environment can have a significant impact on labour costs which are the predominant share of the total operating costs. Furthermore, quantitative relationships between physical factors of the indoor environment and benefits have been displayed where available. This literature review aims at establishing an approach that comprehensively evaluates BACS across their entire spectrum, leading to the promotion of novel business cases.

THU429 Improvement Of Osteoporosis Evaluation And Management In Patients Admitted With Hip Fractures At A Tertiary Level Academic Healthcare Institution In Manhattan

Abstract Disclosure: K. Haridas: None. K. Cuan: None. R. Agarwal: None. Objective: Osteoporosis is a widely prevalent disorder responsible for 1.5 million fractures annually resulting in high morbidity, mortality and financial sequelae. We conducted a quality improvement project to improve the diagnosis, evaluation and management of underlying osteoporosis in patients admitted with fragility hip fractures at our healthcare institutions and to understand the barriers to follow-up and thus, in setting up a fracture liaison clinic. Method: Patients admitted with pathological hip fractures were identified and provided educational handouts. Referrals were placed to outpatient Endocrinology for further evaluation and treatment. The status of follow up appointments in Endocrinology and other specialties was noted to evaluate barriers leading to attrition. Relevant steps were taken to address barriers by creating and implementing appropriate strategies. Effectiveness of the strategies was assessed by monitoring rates of outpatient follow up and strategies then permanently instituted or modified as appropriate. Results: 300 patients were included in the study. 278 patients (93%) had follow-up appointments scheduled, while 22 discharged patients did not due to scheduling deficits. Only 56 patients (21%) were present at their follow up appointments. All the patients who were seen at the clinic had appropriate evaluation and treatment of osteoporosis. Of the 79% of patients who cancelled their scheduled appointments, one third of patients (94 patients/ 33%) had a high rate of cancellation or absenteeism to other scheduled appointments as well, while 5 patients attended telehealth appointments only. Discussion: Only 10 to 20% of patients are treated for underlying osteoporosis after a fragility hip fracture. Fracture liaison services are interdisciplinary healthcare models for secondary and tertiary prevention of osteoporosis related complications in a population. Our project was designed to facilitate transition to this model. Despite high rates of designated follow up, significant attrition was noted. Debility due to old age, lack of understanding the need for timely treatment, socio-economic and logistic obstacles contribute to the same. In order to overcome the above barriers, steps proposed include having a designated member of staff meet with the patients during admission to coordinate further follow up for osteoporosis management, and to schedule telemedicine visits to bypass the barriers for physical attendance. In addition, patients will be liable to pay a no-show fee in the event of not attending follow-up appointments without prior notice. We also aim to contact providers in Orthopedics to coordinate referral of patients to Endocrinology during outpatient follow up visits post hospitalization and create a Fragility fracture Order set on Epic, containing a list of first line investigations and nutrient supplementation at discharge. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Implementation of the SGSST to reduce the level of risk in the company Molino Agroindustria Alexander S.A.C.

The benefit of an excellent implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) is reflected in the well-being and quality of work life, the decrease in absenteeism rates due to illness, the reduction of accident and mortality rates due to work accidents and the increase in business productivity, which is why it was decided to implement an OSHMS to reduce the risk level in the company Molino Agroindustria Alexander S.A.C. The research methodology responds to an explanatory level, with a pre-experimental design. After the application of the SGSST, the level of risk in the company decreased, being 50% in the trivial level, 33% in the tolerable level and 17% in the moderate level. Therefore, it is concluded that the Management System reduces the labor risks in the company Molino Agroindustria Alexander S.A.C.

Impact of Motivation, Compensation, and Work Environment on Production Employee Performance: A Quantitative Analysis

This quantitative study aims to analyze the influence of motivation, compensation, and the work environment on the performance of production employees. The research is motivated by the persistently high absenteeism rate among production staff. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the study encompasses a population of 108 production employees. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 18.0. The results indicate that motivation, compensation, and the work environment individually have a partial impact on employee performance. Moreover, when considered together, motivation, compensation, and the work environment significantly affect employee performance. Notably, among these factors, the work environment emerges as the most influential contributor to the performance of production employees. This study underscores the importance of fostering a conducive work environment to enhance employee performance in similar contexts.Highlights :
 
 This study examines the impact of motivation, compensation, and the work environment on production employee performance.
 High absenteeism rates among production staff serve as the motivation for this research.
 Findings reveal that the work environment plays a pivotal role in influencing employee performance, emphasizing the importance of creating a conducive workplace.
 
 Keywords: Motivation, Compensation, Work Environment, Employee Performance, Quantitative Analysis

EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM AT INDIAN DESIGNS AND EXPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED, BANGALORE

Employee absenteeism is a chronic issue refers to the habitual or unexpected absence of employees from work, that affects organizations worldwide, leading to disruptions in productivity, work quality, and for employees and employers, it has a significant impact on the workplace and the overall functioning of an organization. An organization with lower absenteeism rates often has a competitive advantage. They can attract and retain top talent more easily, maintain consistent service levels, and build a positive reputation as an employer of choice. This paper focuses on Employee Absenteeism at Indian Designs and Exports, aiming to identify the various reasons behind absenteeism and assess its impact on routine work and aims to gauge employee satisfaction with overall management practices, and it will contribute to a better understanding of the factors contributing to absenteeism in the specific context of Indian Designs and Exports. Keywords: Employee absenteeism, workplace behaviour, organizational impact, employee satisfaction.

Who Hurt You at Work? Results From a Nationwide Survey of Association Between Absenteeism and Workplace Violence, Stratified by Perpetrator.

This study aimed to determine the association between workplace violence and sickness absenteeism. We analyzed the data from the fifth and sixth waves of the Korean Working Conditions Surveys. Individuals younger than 18 years and self-employed or unpaid family workers were excluded. Descriptive statistics, χ 2 tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted. After adjusting for sociodemographic, occupational, and job-related characteristics, we found that the workers who had experienced workplace violence had higher rates of sickness absenteeism, especially when the perpetrator of violence was a coworker. Daily contact with the perpetrator at the workplace can cause distress and recollection of painful memories; thus, the aftermath of being harassed inside the workplace can be even more devastating than the event itself. A sensitive approach to recognizing the perpetrators of violence is needed.

E61 Prevalence and related factors of spinal pain in Tunisian children and adolescents

Abstract Introduction The prevalence of back and neck pain is common in children and adolescents, and in some series the numbers are alarming. Various risk factors have been identified, although some are controversial. Objective To determine the prevalence of neck and back pain in children and adolescents and to investigate the potential association with various risk factors identified in the literature. Methods We established a questionnaire targeting parents of children and adolescents aged between 6–18 years old in Tunisia. The recruitment of participants was done online using the Google Forms application. The questionnaire was divided into 2 parts: Part one collected the sociodemographics characteristics of the participants: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), exposure to passive smoking, the practice of a physical activity, puberty status and age at puberty if applicable, type and weight of the schoolbag, mean daily time spent on electronic devices, type of school the child attends (private/public), mode of transport from home to school, parental history of neck and/or back pain, posture of the sitting position of the child, and finally whether the child reports neck/back pain. The second part was aimed at parents whose child reported neck and/or back pain. We asked about the weekly frequency of neck/back pain, school absenteeism due to neck/back pain, whether it prevented the child from practicing physical activity and, finally, whether the child had ever seen a doctor/chiropractor/physiotherapist for their neck/back pain. For all statistical tests, the significance threshold was fixed at 0,05. Results Eighty-two participants (sex-ratio = 1) answered the questionnaire. Mean age was 11.4 ± 3.8[6–18]. Thirty (36.6%) were pubescent. Fifty-three children practiced regularly an extracurricular physical activity (swimming n = 11, basketball n = 9, football = 9, tennis = 9, gymnastics= 6, ballet = 5, horseback riding n = 3, krav maga = 2, running n = 1, volley ball n = 1). Mean schoolbag weight according to the participants was 7.6 ± 1.6 kg [1–9]. Fifty-seven children (69.5%) attended private school. Mode of transport was walking, taking public transport and driving the family car respectively in 10 and 1 and 71 children. Parental history of neck and/or back pain was positive in 47 participants (57.3%). Forty-four participants (53.7%) reported bad sitting position of their child. Neck pain, dorsal pain and low back pain (LBP) were reported respectively in 21 (25.6%), 15 (18.3%), 25 (30.5%) participants. Four children (4.9%) had neck, dorsal and low back pain. Among participants who reported neck or back pain, the average weekly frequency was 1.6 [0–7] and 3.7% had a history of missing school due to neck/back pain with a mean truancy per trimester of 3.6 times [1–12]. Spinal pain prevented 9 participants from engaging in physical activity. Twelve participants (14.6%) revealed that their spinal pain made them see a doctor and three (3.7%) a chiropractor/physiotherapist. The analytical study didn’t show an association between neck/back pain and gender, physical activity, type of school and mode of transport to school. A positive parental history of neck or back pain was significantly associated with the presence of neck, dorsal and LBP (P = 0.043, P = 0.011 and P < 0.0001 respectively). The presence of neck pain and LBP were both associated with a bad sitting position (P = 0.05 and P = 0.02 respectively). Presence of LBP was associated with a positive puberty status (P = 0.016), use of a backpack (P = 0.05), and exposure to passive smoking (P = 0.001). No significant correlations were found between neck/back pain and age at puberty, time spent daily on electronic devices, weekly duration of physical activity, schoolbag weight and absenteeism rate. LBP was significantly associated with higher BMI (P = 0.001) and higher age (P = 0.003). Similarly, dorsal pain was associated with higher age (P = 0.03). Conclusion The prevalence of spinal pain was frequent in our series. A positive parental history of spinal pain, a bad posture while sitting, passive smoking, use of backpack, higher age and higher BMI were potential associated factors.

The importance of treatment integrity: Examining the relationship between dosage and writing intervention outcomes.

This study explored the relationship between 391 third-grade students' writing productivity and the amount of intervention dosage received over a 6-week period. In addition, the association between gender and the amount of intervention dosage received was examined. Results indicated that intervention dosage had a statistically significant relationship with students' writing productivity at the conclusion of intervention implementation. In addition, there was not a statistically significant difference in the amount of intervention dose received between female and male students. Notably, less intervention dosage may be indicative of higher rates of school absenteeism, which is associated with adverse academic outcomes. Implications and future research directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Coordinators in the return-to-work process: Mapping their work models.

In recent decades, many countries have implemented return-to-work coordinators to combat high rates of sickness absence and insufficient collaboration in the return-to-work process. The coordinators should improve communication and collaboration between stakeholders in the return-to-work process for people on sickness absence. How they perform their daily work remains unexplored, and we know little about to what extent they collaborate and perform other work tasks to support people on sickness absence. This study examines which work models return-to-work coordinators use in primary healthcare, psychiatry and orthopaedics in Sweden. A questionnaire was sent to all 82 coordinators in one region (89% response rate) with questions about the selection of patients, individual patient support, healthcare collaboration, and external collaboration. Random forest classification analysis was used to identify the models. Three work models were identified. In model A, coordinators were more likely to select certain groups of patients, spend more time in telephone than in face-to-face meetings, and collaborate fairly much. In Model B there was less patient selection and much collaboration and face-to-face meetings. Model C involved little patient selection, much telephone contact and very little collaboration. Model A was more common in primary healthcare, model C in orthopaedics, while model B was distributed equally between primary healthcare and psychiatry. The work models correspond differently to the coordinator's assignments of supporting patients and collaborating with healthcare and other stakeholders. The differences lie in how much they actively select patients, how much they collaborate, and with whom. Their different distribution across clinical contexts indicates that organisational demands influence how work models evolve in practice.

E20 Factors associated with school and work impairment in patients with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common arthropathy of childhood. It is frequently associated with chronic pain and physical disability. Moreover, it can persist over many years and can lead to disability and dysfunction in adulthood. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with school or work absenteeism and poor school functioning in patients with JIA. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study including patients with JIA according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR). Sociodemographic data as well as disease characteristics were collected from patient’s medical records. A detailed questionnaire was completed for each participant by interviewing them about their school level and their educational and work performance. The rate of absenteeism due to health complications was noted. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.5. A P-value cut-off of 0,05 to determine significance was fixed. Results We studied 31 JIA patients. There were 11 males (35.5%) and 20 females (64.5%). The mean age of participants was 28.6 years [9–45]. The mean age at onset was 6.65 years [2–13]. The mean disease duration was 256.5 months [36–444]. The distribution of the different subtypes in patients was as follows: RF-positive polyarthritis (n = 10), oligoarthritis (n = 7), RF-negative polyarthritis (n = 6), Enthesitis-related arthritis (n = 4) and systemic arthritis (n = 4). Nineteen patients were receiving corticosteroids. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were used by 18 patients: methotrexate (n = 11), sulfasalazine (n = 3), leflunomide (n = 4) and biologics (n = 13). Twelve patients developed complications: coxitis (n = 11), growth retardation (n = 9) and uveitis (n = 4). Joint replacement was required in 7cases. The mean DAS28 ESR was 2.71 [0.76–5.23] and the mean CHAQ was 0.85 [0–2.30]. The mean number of tender and swollen joints was 0.45[0–8] and 0.29 [0–5] respectively. The mean amount of CRP and ESR was respectively 12.71 mg/l [0–91] and 21.23 mm/h[0–84]. Seven patients were illiterate (26.9%), 11 had dropped out of school (42.3%). Twenty-two patients (70.9%) reported repeated absences due to illness. A year of schooling was repeated by 43.6% of patients. Fourteen out of 26 patients over the age of 20 attended university. Almost 77% of patients were exempted of physical education. Among the adult patients, 10 had an intellectual job (38.4%), 12 had a manual job (46.1%) and 4 were unemployed (15.3%). A total of 37% of the schooled patients and 18.4% of adult patients missed 2 weeks or more of school or work during the past year. A total of 26.3% of the patients had poor school functioning. A significant association was found between absenteeism and tender joints (P = 0.044). However, there were no significant association between the school-related problems, the socio-demographic characteristics and the other parameters of clinical and biological activity studied. Conclusion Our study suggested that JIA negatively affected patients schooling and adults work performances. Therefore, proper management of these patients is important to increase their academic and professional performance.

Sickness absence due to mandatory COVID-19 certificates in the workplace

BackgroundAs vaccines for COVID-19 became available, many countries introduced an obligation in 2021 for employees to prove their COVID-19 status at work, known in Germany as the 3G rule (vaccinated, recovered, tested). In view of the controversial debate, there was concern that employees might try to avoid providing mandatory COVID-19 certificates by taking sick leave. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mandatory COVID-19 tests in the workplace led to such an evasive response.MethodFor an empirical panel analysis, we collected data from official sources and combined aggregated health insurance data on sick leave, epidemiological data on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infections, and vaccination rates for the German states from September 2021 to January 2022. We used a regional panel data analysis to estimate the impact of the mandatory COVID-19 certificates at the workplace on workers’ sick leave. The regional vaccination rate reflected differences in treatment intensity.ResultsThis study contributes to the limited evidence on the potential impact of introducing mandatory COVID-19 certificates at the workplace on sickness absence rates. In fact, our results showed that after controlling for infection rates, a one percentage point lower vaccination rate led to a 0.021 percentage point increase in the sickness absence rate when the 3G rule came into effect. This effect was measured with high statistical precision. In addition, in robustness checks, we controlled for a number of other possible influencing factors that may have affected sickness behaviours, such as time-varying labour market situations. However, the results remained robust.ConclusionsThe results of our empirical panel analysis implied that mandatory COVID-19 certificates in the workplace led to evasive responses and to additional days of sick leave of a relevant magnitude. Testing obligations were meant to help contain the epidemic. However, when introducing controversial obligations, it is important to consider evasive responses and to design the rules appropriately and communicate them convincingly.

The Effect of Suspensions on Student Attendance in a High-Absenteeism Urban District

I examine the effect of out-of-school suspensions (OSS) on attendance in a large midwestern urban district with high rates of chronic absenteeism. I do so from an ecological perspective and using daily attendance and discipline data. Out-of-school suspension has a modest and persistent negative effect on subsequent attendance, particularly for students who were not chronically absent and in schools with harsher discipline climates. I find not only that reducing OSS rates can improve attendance but also that addressing in-school factors such as OSS alone will not be sufficient for substantially reducing high-absenteeism rates in the context of broader social and economic inequalities.

How to treat stiffness after proximal humeral fractures?

Shoulder stiffness is a frequent complication after proximal humeral fractures treated with or without surgery. Shoulder stiffness is associated with high rates of absence from work and a significant financial burden for the healthcare system. Secondary stiffness is characterized by additional extracapsular adhesions, including subacromial, subcoracoid, and subdeltoid spaces, usually derived from post-fracture or post-surgical extraarticular hematomas. Several secondary causes may coexist with capsular and extracapsular adhesions decreasing the shoulder motion, such as malunion, nonunion, metalwork failure, infection, and osteoarthritis, among others. Conservative treatment, usually prescribed for primary shoulder stiffness, has shown unfavorable results in secondary stiffness, and surgical intervention may be required. Surgical interventions need to be patient-specific. Usually, open or arthroscopic fibro-arthrolysis and subacromial release are performed, together with plate removal and biceps tenotomy/tenodesis. In severe osteoarthritis, shoulder replacement may be indicated. Ruling out infection is recommended in every case.

Out-of-school suspensions in U.S. public schools: relations with chronic teacher absenteeism

Out-of-school suspensions (OSSs) put students at risk for an array of negative social and academic outcomes. The rates of the use of OSS vary considerably from one school to another; however, school-level characteristics have not been studied extensively. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which chronic teacher absenteeism predicted the overall rates of OSS, as well as racial/ethnic disparities in its use. Although research has established that teachers are one of the most significant school-based factors affecting student success and learning, they need to be present in the classroom for students to derive these benefits. Using a national sample of public schools in the United States, the study's findings confirmed that schools with higher rates of chronic teacher absenteeism also had higher rates of the use of suspension. Moreover, within a school, higher proportions of chronic teacher absence were related to greater disparities in the rates of suspensions for Black students relative to white students. It was concluded that chronic absenteeism represents a significant risk factor that is related to the use of OSS with students in a school.

Children's lived experience and perceptions of community members' influence on their schooling: a study in Uganda.

Global and national initiatives have successfully increased access to public education in low- and middle-income countries. However, many students in rural regions in these countries have high rates of absenteeism and drop-out, and low levels of academic engagement. Together, these significantly limit children's academic performance and achievement. One strategy that addresses these barriers seeks to engage members of the wider local community in schools. Most previous research focuses on adults' perspectives even though the potential benefit of community engagement is greatest when learners perceive it to be positive. Past research has also focused on community members structured engagement in activities within schools. This research provides a wider exploration of children's lived experience and perceptions concerning community members' influence on their schooling and learning. The aim was to gain a rich picture of how primary school students in rural Uganda perceive that community members' behavior helps or hinders their education. Qualitative data from students 10 to 13 years of age were collected through individual interviews that used the draw-and-talk technique (n = 20) and four focus group discussions. Seven broad categories of community members' actions were perceived to be positive (conflict resolution; supporting students' physical well-being; encouraging learning and positive behavior; reducing truancy; providing food and financial support; collective community work; and political representation). Four categories of community members' actions were perceived to have a negative influence (creating barriers to attending school; noise and other distractions; insecurity; and theft and vandalism). We conclude that carefully structured community involvement in schooling may improve the emotional and material support that facilitates students' continued school attendance and their motivation for learning. However, we also identify some limits on the role that local communities may be able to play in overcoming the challenges facing education in low- and middle-income countries.

Minimization of Personnel Absenteeism with the Application of Proposed Ergonomic Model in a Plastics Manufacturing Industry

This research article focuses on the ergonomic design of the workstations for the plastics industry plant to reduce the postural load that improves the workers’ productivity and the operators’ absenteeism due to musculoskeletal disorders. This article develops an innovative solution to deal with one of the main problems of the plastic industry, namely, the high rate of worker absenteeism generated by musculoskeletal disorders due to the high postural load at the stations of work in this industry. The research is divided into four stages, namely the Determination of the objectives through the analysis of the problem and its root causes, the Redesign of the work methodologies in the productive area, the Improvement in the activities and tools used in the production chain, and Evaluations of the different impacts that the proposal entails. A proposed model validated with the Delmia V5 software and evaluation methods such as RULA, REBA, and OCRA, made possible a reduction in the level of risk of 50% and 66.7% in the different jobs analyzed and obtained 42,929 PEN in savings per year in respect to the total costs generated by the absenteeism presented. The result of the new workstations satisfies the ergonomic aspects and the needs of the workers. The study focuses on an analysis of risk levels that occurred in each of the high-density bag production activities, where non-conformity was found regarding the high risks presented, those leading causes with inappropriate postures by the staff, non-optimal working conditions, and absence of ergonomic furniture. This research serves as the basis for future lines of research and other companies with similar characteristics to implement the model.