Workforce Characteristics Research Articles

New Linked Employee-Employer Data Show Workforce Composition Is Associated With Health Insurance Offers Among Small Employers.

Decades of research shows that small firms are much less likely to offer health insurance than large firms, but less is known about differences among small employers. We examine this issue using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Insurance Component with Administrative Records (MEPS-ICAR), a unique employer-employee linked data set that is constructed by matching the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Insurance Component (MEPS-IC) to Internal Revenue Service administrative records and the Decennial Census. Multivariate analyses show that among firms with fewer than 50 workers, the probability that workers receive an insurance offer is positively associated with higher median workforce incomes, and conditional offers of dependent coverage increase when the majority of workers are married or from a family with at least three members. This first application of the MEPS-ICAR highlights the significance of workforce characteristics in shaping small employer insurance benefits and the data's usefulness for expanding analyses of policy changes, wage-benefit tradeoffs, and health insurance benefits.

Evaluating Occupational Workforce and Practices in New York Metropolitan Nail Salons.

This study investigated workforce characteristics, work practices, protective measures, and health symptoms among nail salon workers in New York and New Jersey following the implementation of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) regulations in New York. An online survey conducted from 2022 to 2023 targeted registered nail salons and manicurists in both states (N = 146). The majority of respondents were Asian, primarily Korean (52.1%) and Chinese (26%). In New York, 79% of salons had a mechanical ventilation system, including LEV, while in New Jersey, where no ventilation regulation exists, only 52% of nail salons had mechanical ventilation systems. A substantial proportion of manicurists reported health-related concerns (40.5%) and symptoms related to chemical exposure (67.6%). The study emphasizes the need for continuous and improved illness prevention strategies, including the use of safer products, comprehensive health and safety training, and effective ventilation practices, to better protect nail salon workers.

Wellbeing and retainment of healthcare workers in Wales from 2020 to 2023

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the wellbeing of healthcare workers (HCWs) due to stress, longer hours, and risks of infection during an uncertain time. Post-pandemic, we need to understand the extent of the lasting impacts on wellbeing and staff retainment. ApproachUsing linked administrative health and workforce records within the SAIL Databank, we conducted a cohort study of HCWs employed directly by the National Health Service in Wales between 2020 and 2023. We investigated trends in HCW turnover by fiscal quarter and staff group and the prevalence of occupational health issues per primary care records, including authorised sick leave. We analysed time until leaving the profession using Cox regression incorporating workforce, demographic and health characteristics. ResultsFrom January 2020 to December 2023, HCW employment grew from 101,600 to 121,970 (+20.0%). During this period, 34,760 people left the profession, averaging a turnover of 4.4% per fiscal quarter. Equally, an average of 1.9% of HCWs were diagnosed with a mental health issue, and 17.9% received a related prescription per fiscal quarter. We present further results highlighting how staff turnover has increased over time and differed across staff groups. We also show the extent to which leaving the profession is associated with workforce, demographic and health characteristics. ConclusionThe rate of mental health issues and increases in turnover from the profession highlight the need for additional support. Healthcare systems need to prioritise the welfare of their workforce to ensure sustained resilience and quality of care.

Factors That Influence Medical Retrieval Decisions in Remote Central Australia

Introduction Medical retrieval services play a key role in the transportation of unwell patients from remote communities across Australia. Decision to retrieve a patient from a remote community is dependent on unique characteristics of remote locations and thus different to urban and rural retrievals. The study aims to explore various factors that affect medical practitioner decisions to retrieve patients from remote central Australian communities. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 staff involved in medical retrieval processes in central Australia. The data collection and analyses were part of a broader study evaluating a newly implemented medical retrieval model in central Australia. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were co-coded inductively by two researchers using NVivo software. Similar codes were grouped into themes, one of which related to the range of factors that affect decisions to retrieve a patient or request a retrieval which is the focus of this paper. Results: Decision-making about who, when and how to retrieve patients was complex and involved trade-offs. Severity of patient illness, resource availability (e.g. transport infrastructure, remote area staff workload and fatigue), the skills, experience and relationships with community of primary health care and medical retrieval staff, strength of primary health care systems in remote communities, specific primary health care and retrieval policies, and innovations in disease prevention and management influenced medical retrieval decisions. Conclusion: It is critical to understand that both general and contextual factors unique to remote communities affect medical retrieval decisions. Decisions are highly complex and necessitate trade-offs, frequently related to resource scarcity, which are somewhat different from those of urban retrieval services. Resource allocation in the context of providing retrieval services for remote populations must account for differences in burden of disease, cultural requirements, workforce characteristics and overall access to health care compared to urban populations.

Strategic Workforce Analysis: Identifying Skills and Gaps Among Frontline Public Health Workers Amidst Transformation.

Recent shifts in public health (PH) include consistent budget cuts, workforce attrition, and loss of vital skills and institutional knowledge followed by heightened pandemic-driven attention, new responsibilities, and renewed funding. This study investigates whether frontline employees working in different types of public health departments have different educational characteristics and whether these characteristics are associated with differentials in skill gaps toward informing targeted interventions to nurture a competitive workforce. Utilizing 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) data, we document variations in educational qualifications, skill gaps, and workforce characteristics among frontline workers in different sizes of health departments and examine attributes associated with skill gaps: level and field of education, years of experience, program areas, and job classifications using a negative binomial model. Skill gaps in resource management, systems and strategic thinking, and change management persist across all local health departments (LHDs), but the extent of these gaps is greater in small LHDs. Small LHDs also have few employees with graduate and public health degrees. Additionally, whereas public health degrees were not associated with fewer skill gaps, tenure in public health was, suggesting people learn on the job. The results highlight the role regional training centers can play in emphasizing the need for strategic skills and foundational public health concepts, as well as customizing training content by agency size and educational levels to improve accessibility, particularly for small LHDs with resource constraints.

804 Exploring the Characteristics of ENT Senior House Officers: Insights for Workforce Planning

Abstract Aim The current healthcare climate has adversely impacted the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, particularly Senior House Officers (SHOs), who play an important role in the provision of ENT services. Consequently, there has been a shift in the characteristics of applicants for SHO positions. We examined applicant characteristics for a Trust Grade ENT SHO position at The Royal London Hospital. Method Data was collected from all applications made for the position, evaluating qualifications, experience, academic achievements, skills, and fitness to practice. Essential characteristics included a medical degree, surgical experience, <2 years' ENT experience, foundation program completion, and English proficiency. Desirable features encompassed MRCS exam success, NHS experience, peer-reviewed publications, teaching and research qualifications, and participation in audits and quality improvement projects. Results There were 110 applicants; 94% qualified outside the UK. Whilst 74% met all essential criteria, significantly fewer satisfied desirable criteria such as passing surgical membership examinations (0-5%) and prior NHS experience (7%). 2% to 4% reported experience of performing basic ENT procedures under supervision, and only 4% reported previously assisting in theatre. 1 applicant satisfied all desirable characteristics. Conclusions The current healthcare climate has significantly impacted the characteristics of the ENT SHO workforce. A lack of NHS experience and limited ENT exposure necessitates intensive support for new SHOs. Departments must consider how to balance the provision of support, for example with the implementation of registrar hot weeks or funding for additional staffing, with key economic and educational interests.

Pre-Pandemic Landscape of the Oklahoma Public Health Workforce: A Case Study From the Region 6 Training Needs Assessment Survey, 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a well-trained public health workforce prior to the public health crisis. Public health training centers regularly assess workforce needs and their pre-pandemic data play vital roles in guiding public health workforce development beyond the crisis. In 2019, Oklahoma partners of the Region 6 South Central Public Health Training Center (R6SCPHTC) co-conducted an online survey of the public health workforce located in the Health Resources & Services Administration Region 6. Between March and April, the R6SCPHTC collected 503 surveys, including 201 surveys from Oklahoma. Questions inquired about demographic and workforce characteristics, work contexts, training needs and interests, training access and logistics, and knowledge of R6SCPHTC online resources. Key findings included that two-thirds of the pre-pandemic Oklahoma public health workforce consisted of employees age 40 or older with few holding public health or medical degrees. The majority of respondents worked for health departments and Tribes, and almost half were frontline workers. Although at least half of the participants interested in training on public health activities and topics were familiar with them, confidence in their abilities related to these activities and topics was expressed by less than half. Qualitative data provided details on training needs addressed quantitatively and described new training areas. Survey participants expressed interest in diverse training delivery methods and technological devices. Most respondents were not familiar with the free trainings available through the R6SCPHTC. Similar to the regional and national public health workforce, Oklahoma's workforce needed training and support already before COVID-19. Time and resources need to be invested into the current and future workforce. While addressing priority public health skills and topics remains important, training on current and emerging topics is needed. Providing accessible trainings with expanded content will prepare Oklahoma's public health workforce for the future.

Team climate, job satsfaction and burnout: results from a national survey of staff in general practice in England.

Measures are needed to address recruitment and retention problems in general practice. A good team climate (relational processes of team working) can mitigate the effects of pressured work environments, but little is known about it in British general practice. To assess team climate, explore practice characteristics and workforce combinations associated with favourable team climates, and analyse associations between practice team climate and job satisfaction, intention to remain in post, burnout and measures of practice performance. An online questionnaire distributed to practices (for all their staff) via Clinical Research Networks, mid 2022, comprising validated measures: 14 item Team Climate Inventory (TCI) and single items on job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion/burnout; a question on intention to remain in post; participant role, age group, gender. Anonymous completion; submission through the Oxford RCGP RSC. Responses received from 4.8% of national staff headcount, n = 9835, (21.6% GP, 22.9% nurse/direct patient care, 55.5% non-clinical). Mean TCI score, 3.73 (scale 1-5 best); 78.3% were satisfied in their jobs; 26.1% reported high burnout. GPs perceived significantly better team climate, and reported lower job satisfaction, higher burnout (especially male GPs) and lower intention to quit than other groups. After adjusting for practice and workforce characteristics, team climate was better in smaller practices and associated with more job satisfaction, less burnout, increased intention to remain and improved patient-reported experiences; climate was unrelated to QOF performance. Team climate could be used to improve morale and patient experience. Micro teams might be beneficial in larger practices.

Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review

BackgroundThis study involved a scoping review to explore factors influencing dental hygienist demand and supply in high-income countries.MethodsA six-stage scoping review was conducted with separate search strategies tailored to four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Google) plus a targeted scan of dental hygienist organization websites. This yielded 2,117 unique citations, leading to 148 articles included in the review.ResultsNearly half of the articles (47%) focused on the United States, with 11% on Canada. Most articles (91%) were in English, alongside 13 in Korean and one in French. Journal articles comprised 62% of the publications, followed by reports/working papers (11%) and websites (11%). Other types included conference abstracts, policy briefs, and presentation slides. Content-wise, 47% were original research, with analysis articles (14%), commentaries (11%), and reviews (8%) also present. The articles were coded into three main categories: workforce characteristics/projections, factor-specific analyses, and workforce opportunities. The articles on workforce characteristics covered demographic, geographic, and employment aspects of dental hygienists, along with projections for supply and demand using simulation modelling and geospatial analyses. Factor-specific articles investigated the (1) working environment, (2) policy/regulatory/training environment, (3) job/career satisfaction and related human resource issues, and (4) scope of practice. The third key category of articles highlighted opportunities for expanding the workforce through alternative models in different sectors/settings (e.g., public health, primary care, long-term care, hospitals, mobile outreach, and non-clinical roles including research, education and leadership) and for a range of vulnerable or underserved populations (e.g., geriatric and pediatric populations, persons with disabilities, those living in rural/remote areas, Indigenous peoples, and incarcerated people).ConclusionsThis review provides a comprehensive documentation of the current state of the dental hygienist workforce, compiling factors affecting demand and supply, and highlighting opportunities for the dental hygienist workforce in Canada and other high-income countries. The findings offer a foundation for future research, highlighting the need for more focused and rigorous reviews and underscoring the necessity of high-quality studies to verify the effectiveness of various interventions and policies. This is crucial to address dental hygienist workforce challenges and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of oral health care delivery.

Erratum: Workforce Characteristics of Early Career Neonatologists and Comparison of Practice Sites.

Erratum: Workforce Characteristics of Early Career Neonatologists and Comparison of Practice Sites.

Workforce strategies to address children's mental health and behavioural needs in rural, regional and remote areas: A scoping review.

Children living in rural, regional and remote locations experience challenges to receiving services for mental illness and challenging behaviours. Additionally, there is a lack of clarity about the workforce characteristics to address the needs of this population. To scope the literature on the rural, regional and remote child mental health and behavioural workforce and identify barriers and enabling mechanisms to mental health service provision. A scoping review utilising the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A database search was undertaken using Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest and Scopus to identify papers published 2010-2023. Research articles reporting data on mental health workforce characteristics for children aged under 12 years, in rural, regional or remote locations were reviewed for inclusion. Seven hundred and fifty-four papers were imported into Covidence with 22 studies being retained. Retained studies confirmed that providing services to meet the needs of children's mental health is an international challenge. The thematic analysis of the review findings highlighted four workforce strategies to potentially mitigate some of these challenges. These were: (1) The use of telehealth for clinical services and workforce upskilling; (2) Role shifting where non mental health professionals assumed mental health workforce roles; (3) Service structure strategies, and (4) Indigenous and rural cultural factors. A range of potential strategies exists to better meet the needs of children with mental health and behavioural issues. Adapting these to specific community contexts through co-design and production may enhance their efficacy.

Changes in the Workforce Characteristics of Providers Who Care for Adult Patients With Rheumatologic and Musculoskeletal Disease in the United States.

The aim of this study was to describe the adult rheumatology workforce in the United States, assess change in rheumatology providers over time, and identify variation in rheumatology practice characteristics. Using national Medicare claims data from 2006 to 2020, clinically active rheumatology physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) were identified. Each calendar year was used for inclusion, exclusion, and analysis, and providers were determined to be entering, exiting, or stable based upon presence or absence in the prior or subsequent years of data. Characteristics (age, gender, practice type, rural, and region) of rheumatologists were determined for 2019 and in mutually exclusive study periods from 2009 to 2011, 2012 to 2015, and 2016 to 2019. The location of rheumatology practice was determined by billing tax identification and mapped. Demographics of physicians exiting or entering the rheumatology workforce were compared separately to those stable by logistic regression. The clinically active adult rheumatology workforce identified in US Medicare in 2019 was 5,667 rheumatologists and 379 APPs. From 2009 to 2020, the number of rheumatologists increased 23% and the number of APPs increased 141%. There was an increase in female rheumatologists over time, rising to 43% in 2019. Women and those employed by a health care system were more likely to exit, and those in a small practice or in the South were less likely to exit. The overall number of clinically active rheumatology providers grew more than 20% over the last decade to a high of 6,036 in 2020, although this rate of growth appears to be flattening off in later years.

Critical care pharmacy service provision and workforce in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centres: a multicentre cross-sectional survey.

There is good evidence describing pharmacy workforce and service provision in general critical care units. However, no data exist from adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centres. To describe workforce characteristics, pharmacy service provision, and pharmaceutical care activities in critical care units (CCUs) providing an adult ECMO service in the United Kingdom (UK) and compare to national staffing standards for CCUs. We conducted a multicentre, cross-sectional electronic survey inviting one pharmacy professional response per UK ECMO centre. We collated information on workforce, service provision, and pharmaceutical care activities provided by pharmacy teams in adult CCUs with an ECMO service. The survey response rate was 90.9%: representatives of 10/11 tertiary hospitals providing ECMO services responded. Median critical care pharmacist to critical care bed was 1:12.1 (IQR: 1:9.4-1:14.9). Most centres (90.0%) did not meet national standards for pharmacy professionals to critical care bed staffing ratios for weekday services. Total critical care beds covered by the critical care pharmacy team varied across the UK: median (IQR) - 45 (37-80) beds. Two centres funded pharmacist time for ECMO activity, and one centre funded a pharmacy technician post. Median peak ECMO activity was 4 ECMO patients in a single day (IQR: 3-5). Most respondents reported reduced pharmacy service at weekends compared to weekday, with limited on-site support. Most responding ECMO centres in the UK reported pharmacy staffing ratios below nationally agreed critical care standards. There was high variability in clinical pharmacy services to ECMO patients over 7days.

Demographic insights into the periodontology workforce in Saudi Arabia: A descriptive study

ObjectiveThis study assessed the demographic characteristics of the periodontal workforce in Saudi Arabia. MethodsThis was a retrospective study of periodontists practicing in Saudi Arabia from January 2000 through May 2023. The data were requested from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and included the number of periodontists and dentists, the number of Saudi and non-Saudi periodontists, the sex distribution of periodontists, their ranking, and the geographic distribution across the 13 regions. ResultsThis study identified 700 practicing periodontists, representing 2.2 periodontists per 100,000 people. Consultant periodontists composed 31% of the population, mostly Saudi nationals. Approximately 53% of practicing periodontists resided in Saudi Arabia, mostly in the Riyadh, Makkah, and Eastern Provinces. Al Bahah, Najran, and the Northern Borders had fewer periodontists. ConclusionThis study provides valuable insights into shaping the periodontal workforce in Saudi Arabia. Future studies on the factors related to the periodontology workforce can assist policymakers in implementing effective strategies to significantly improve the current workforce.

Workforce Characteristics, Work Satisfaction, Stress, Burnout and Happiness of Early Career Music Therapists in the United States

As part of a larger, multi-step survey, 507 early career music therapists in the United States completed a series of 26 survey questions that focused on their work lives, stress, burnout and happiness. Descriptive analysis of responses to these questions suggest the majority of these early career professionals were satisfied with their jobs and work conditions, and worked in ways they found fulfilling and meaningful. However, these data also suggest a number of challenges for early career professionals that included low salary satisfaction, high stress and burnout, and overall lower happiness than music therapists with more work experience. In particular, low levels of access to supervision and support for continuing education suggest that some early career music therapists may not be receiving the professional support they need to grow and thrive. Recommendations, along with focus areas for additional research, provide a lens through which these concerns may be addressed.

Spatial analysis of labor in the brass crafts industry for study non-natural disaster mitigation in Cepogo District, Boyolali

Socio-economic activities such as the handicraft industry have a probability of non-natural disasters such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Workers in the brass handicraft industry have group activities that trigger the transmission of Covid-19 or other non-natural disasters. The brass handicraft industry has developed rapidly in Cepogo District, Boyolali Regency. The purpose of this study is to map the distribution of labor to industrial locations where there is human movement and activity in relation to non-natural disasters. The research method is in the form of field surveys and interviews to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the industrial workforce and the movement of their economic activities. The results of this study indicate that the workforce can be classified based on age, education, and domicile to analyze spatial movements and opportunities for the spread of the Covid-19 disease as non-natural disasters. The spatial pattern of the distribution of domiciles varies greatly, but the movements are concentrated so that the spread of the disease follows this pattern.

Exploring visual communication in corporate sustainability reporting: Using image recognition with deep learning

AbstractPhotographs and images in sustainability reports can affect readers' impressions of a company. This study conducts an exploratory analysis to investigate the impact of visual content on sustainability reporting and identify corporate reporting strategies. Using image recognition with deep learning technology, we analyse how 1025 global companies, publishing reports in English, incorporate images into their sustainability reports. The study also identifies factors influencing image selection and utilisation, assessing the images based on these factors' impact. Our findings highlight that economic development, cultural preferences and industry type contribute to variations in image usage. Moreover, these influences differ according to disclosure medium (i.e., integrated or sustainability reports), revealing industry‐specific image trends and providing insights into workforce characteristics. Leveraging deep learning, the study delves into facial expressions and demographic differences in the images, providing a comprehensive understanding of corporate communication strategies.

State scope of practice restrictions and nurse practitioner practice in nursing homes: 2012-2019.

Increased engagement of nurse practitioners (NPs) has been recommended as a way to address care delivery challenges in settings that struggle to attract physicians, such as primary care and rural areas. Nursing homes also face such physician shortages. We evaluated the role of state scope of practice regulations on NP practice in nursing homes in 2012-2019. Using linear probability models, we estimated the proportion of NP-delivered visits to patients in nursing homes as a function of state scope of practice regulations. Control variables included county demographic, socioeconomic, and health care workforce characteristics; state fixed effects; and year indicators. The proportion of nursing home visits conducted by NPs increased from 24% in 2012 to 42% in 2019. Expanded scope of practice regulation was associated with a greater proportion and total volume of nursing home visits conducted by NPs in counties with at least 1 NP visit. These relationships were concentrated among short-stay patients in urban counties. Removing scope of practice restrictions on NPs may address clinician shortages in nursing homes in urban areas where NPs already practice in nursing homes. However, improving access to advanced clinician care for long-term care residents and for patients in rural locations may require additional interventions and resources.

The national profile of the prosthetic and orthotic workforce in the UK: Sociodemographics and employment characteristics.

Prosthetists and orthotists (POs) are essential members of the health care workforce and one of the United Kingdom's (UK's) allied health professions. There is a paucity of information on their demographics, which is essential for the development of the profession. To fill this void, this study has attempted to comprehensively explore the sociodemographics and work-related characteristics of the entire workforce. Data were collected in 2022 through multiple sources, including surveys of POs, private companies employing POs, and freedom of information requests to National Health Service Trusts/Health Boards and higher education institutes offering programs leading to registration as a prosthetist/orthotist. The workforce survey had 641 respondents (74% response rate). The estimated national ratio of POs per million population was 13, with all bar of the 12 regions below the World Health Organization minimum recommendation of 15 POs per million population. Most of the survey respondents were female (47.6%) and younger than male respondents, were British (75.8%), and in the White ethnic group (74.3%). Most of them were employed by private companies (59.9% vs. 31.4% employed by the National Health Service) and had clinical duties (94%), permanent contracts (90%), worked full-time (75%), and treated a wide range of clinical conditions. The national UK prosthetist and orthotist ratio falls below the recommended international standards. The versatility and broad skill set of POs highlight their crucial role in multidisciplinary teams. Establishing a centralized prosthetist and orthotist workforce database system is recommended for data-driven strategic planning.

“Smart” Lead Time Prediction in SMEs environments: a theoretical framework proposal

One of the most challenging tasks in Production Planning and Control (PPC) is Lead Time (LT) prediction. This problem is particularly acute in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which are typically labor-intensive environments where operators "dominate" the production process rather than being subjected to pure automation. In these environments, characterized by high product variability, such as Engineer-to-Order (ETO) or Make-to-Order (MTO) production systems, lead times are usually treated as static data or often outdated, and it is difficult to predict them when a new order arrives in the system. The scientific literature reveals the absence of tools to support SMEs in this planning task and the lack of integration of workforce characteristics and related data in LT prediction methods. To fill these gaps, the main objective of the study is the development of a preliminary theoretical framework for forecasting LT, according to a double planning horizon, which represents the starting point for the development of a decision support system adapted to SME characteristics.