Comparative Cross-sectional Survey Research Articles

A comparative study of oral health in preclinical and clinical years of undergraduate dental students of Peshawar by using (DMFT) index.

Objectives: The present study aim was to compare oral health status among the undergraduate dental students of the preclinical and clinical years. Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative survey. Setting: Preclinical and clinical Dental students of all dental colleges of district Peshawar. Period: 15 December 2016 to 14 May 2017. Material & Methods: Clinical examination was conducted among the undergraduate students in all the dental colleges of district Peshawar. The sample was drawn from both the preclinical first year and the clinical final years. Examination was done to evaluate decayed tooth component of DMFT. The questionnaire included demographic details and questions on the students’ oral health practices. A clinical oral examination was done to evaluate decayed tooth component of DMFT. Data Analysis and Results: Chi-square analysis was performed for group comparisons of data. Statistically there is a trend of significance (0.074). In the pre-clinical group almost 66.3% of students had bad oral health status while in the clinical group comparatively a low percent of students (33.7%) had poor oral health status. Conclusion: Oral health status and oral hygiene practices of dental students had improved as they advances towards clinical years.

STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND RISK OF COMMITTING MEDICATION ERRORS IN TWO SCHOOLS OF PHARMACY IN NIGERIA

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge of prescription errors, the certainty of such knowledge, and the risk of committing medication errors among pharmacy students in two universities in Nigeria.
 Methods: This study was a cross-sectional comparative survey between pharmacy students of two universities in Nigeria: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka. Study variables were measured using four simulated prescriptions and questionnaires. Chi-square test, independent t-test, and ordinal regression analyses were used to assess study outcomes.
 Results: A total of 339 pharmacy students (239 in UNN and 100 in NAU), with a mean age of 24 (2.8) years and 57.2% (n=194) male students, participated in this study. Their accurate knowledge of each of the prescriptions were 294 (86.72%), 166 (48.97%), 199 (58.70%), and 248 (73.16%) for prescriptions with error of drug allergy, error of drug interaction, no error, and wrong dose of a drug, respectively. Students from UNN were more likely to commit a statistically significant high risk of error compared to NAU students in prescriptions with a drug allergy and wrong dose, while students in the 4th year class had a statistically significant higher odds of committing a drug interaction prescription error compared to final year students.
 Conclusion: Pharmacy students evaluated in this study had good knowledge of medication error detection. The risk of these pharmacy students committing a prescription error was evident in nearly all prescriptions tested and the students’ school was the major predictor of these risks.

Caregiver Burden among Parents of Hearing Impaired and Intellectually Disabled Children in Pakistan

Caregiver burden is a multidimensional response to physical, psychological, emotional, social and financial stressors, usually associated with the experience of caring and can be objective or subjective. The objective of current study was to explore the caregiver burden among parents of hearing impaired and intellectually challenged children in Pakistan. A Comparative cross sectional survey was conducted on n=162 parents of hearing impaired (HI) and intellectually challenged (IC) children from July 2018 to February 2019. Convenient sampling technique was used to collect the data from Parents of hearing impaired and intellectually challenged children with age range 1-16 years in National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Al-Farabi Special Education Institute Islamabad. Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to assess the caregiver burden. The results showed a greater need for respite and other services in both groups. Parents of intellectually challenged children need more respite and other services as compared to hearing impaired children (60.62±11.43 ver. 45.74±11.20, p<0.001). A total of 3 (4.0%) parents of hearing impaired children reported rare need for respite and other services, 32(42.7%) reported sometimes and 40(53.3%) reported frequent need. On the other hand 12(13.8%) parents of intellectually disabled children reported sometimes, 66(75.9%) reported quite frequently and 9(10.3%) nearly always a greater need for respite and other services. The parents of hearing impaired or intellectually challenged children face significant burden of their disabled child. In addition, due to cognitive deficits that lead to behavioural abnormalities the parents of intellectually challenged children face more burden and stress.

The Extent of Psychosocial Distress among Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Homecare Nurses—A Comparative cross Sectional Survey

In times of demographic change, most developed countries are increasingly looking to cover the growing domestic demand for healthcare by hiring nurses from abroad. The evidence concerning the health of immigrant care workers is inconsistent since studies report that it is either better or more impaired than that of their non-immigrant counterparts. This study compared the extent of occupational psychosocial stressors and resources affecting immigrant and non-immigrant homecare nurses. The cross-sectional survey was conducted in the homecare nursing service sector in Hamburg. Psychosocial distress, depressive symptomatology, generalized anxiety, somatic symptom burdens, homecare-specific qualitative stressors, as well as resources, have been measured using a standardized questionnaire. There was no significant difference in the extent of psychosocial distress experienced by immigrant and non-immigrant homecare nurses. Somatic symptom burdens most strongly predicted nurses’ psychosocial distress, in general. For immigrant nurses, greater influence and freedom at work, as well as fixed-term employment, was related to increased levels of distress, while age, working full time, and working overtime predicted distress in non-immigrant nurses. A functioning relationship with colleagues and superiors had a declining effect on immigrant nurses’ psychosocial distress, while shift work arrangements benefitted non-immigrant nurses. Even though the extent of psychosocial distress experienced by immigrant and non-immigrant nurses did not significantly differ, the nurse’s individual explanatory model of psychosocial health should be considered in every occupational and political context.

The Influence of Left-Behind Experience on College Students' Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study.

China’s rapid development and urbanization have created large numbers of migrant laborers, with increasing numbers of young adults and couples migrating from rural areas to large cities. As a result, a large number of children have become left-behind children (LBC), who were left behind in their hometown and cared for by one parent, grandparents, relatives or friends. Some of these LBC have a chance to be college students, who are called college students with left-behind experience. Some studies have indicated that the absence of these college students’ parents during childhood may cause them to have some mental health problems. Therefore, we want to examine the effects of left-behind experience on college students’ mental health and compare the prevalence of mental health problems in left-behind students and control students (without left-behind experience). For this purpose, a cross-sectional comparative survey was conducted in a coastal city of Shandong province, Eastern China. First, 1605 college students from three universities (national admissions) were recruited, including 312 students with left-behind experience and 1293 controls. Their mental health level was measured using Symptom Check-list 90 (containing ten dimensions: somatization, obsessive-compulsion (OCD), interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia, psychoticism, and other symptoms). The results showed that left-behind experience was a significant risk factor for the mental health problems of college students (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.73 to 2.97). A comparison of the two groups, after controlling the confounding factors using the coarsened exact matching (CEM) algorithm, showed that the prevalence of mental health problems was 35.69% (n = 311) among the left-behind students, while it was 19.68% (n = 1194) among the controls. The two groups were significantly different in terms of these ten dimensions of the SCL-90 scale (p < 0.001), and the prevalence of each dimension among the left-behind students was consistently higher than that among the controls. In addition, different left-behind experiences and social supports during childhood had different effects on mental health problems.

A comparative study on patient safety culture among emergency nurses in the public and private hospitals of Tabriz, Iran.

AimTo appraise patient safety culture in emergency departments of Iranian public and private hospitals.DesignA comparative cross‐sectional survey design was used.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was conducted from January–March 2019. For data collection, the Hospital Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire was employed. The study sample comprised 256 participants. Independent t test and analysis of variance were performed to report the mean differences in total patient safety culture perception according to the participants' characteristics and according to hospital ownership.ResultsThere was no significant difference in overall perceptions of patient safety culture in public and private sectors (2.94 vs. 2.84, p > .05). There are no solid areas regarding patient safety found neither in public nor in private sectors. Out of 12 dimensions of patient safety culture, different perceptions of nurses working in public and private hospitals belonged to “Organizational learning” (t = 2.13, p = .034) and “Handoffs and transitions” (t = 2.91, p = .004). Regarding the participants' characteristics, no significant difference was observed as to the perspectives of nurses on patient safety culture. However, there was a meaningful difference in the attitudes of nurses working in public hospitals according to their employment status (t = 2.07, p = .039).

Modern endodontic practices among dentists in India: A comparative cross-sectional nation-based survey.

Introduction:More than 41,000 root canal treatments (RCTs) are performed every day and about 25 RCTs are performed every week by an endodontist. The success rate of endodontic treatment ranges between 86% and 98%; however, the failure rates cannot be ignored which can range up to 20% of the treated cases due to a varied number of reasons including incorrect adoption of working techniques and usage of inappropriate materials. The present study aimed at comparing the practices of various levels of dentists toward RCT in their daily practice.Methodology:A cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire-based study was conducted among the dental practitioners who have completed the Masters of Dental Surgery (MDS) curriculum in India and postgraduate students in various dental colleges in India. The sample size was achieved to be 1601 at the completion of the study. The response rate for the study was 80.05%. All the dentists practicing RCT either in the clinic or in the college and willing to participate in the study were included in the study. A self-structured questionnaire was used as study tool. SPSS was used to analyze the data.Results:A total of 26.7% of the PG students (endodontists) used rubber dam. Majority of the dentists preferred hand instruments (62.36%) over rotary. Almost half (53.09%) of the postgraduates belonging to other branches reported to prescribe drugs.Conclusion:The present study showed a varied profile of the dentists with most of them following the basic protocols and techniques of international standards.

Nigeria's street children, epitome of oral health disparity and inequality.

Introductionit has been close to four years since the authors highlighted the total neglect of the oral health of street children in the Journal of Public Health Policy. Since then, the authorities appear to have simply turned the blind eye making this follow-up imperative. This follow-up report specifically examines the resultant oral health disparity between Nigeria's street children and Private, fee-paying secondary school students in Northern Nigeria.Methodswe conducted a cross-sectional comparative survey of randomly selected 12-14 years old street children (children of Quranic informal educational institutions) in Northern Nigeria while fee paying, private secondary school children served as controls. A simple close-ended questionnaire translated into Hausa language was used to assess oral health knowledge and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index used to categorize oral hygiene status of the participants.Resultsthe mean age (SD) of the participating street children was 12.7 (0.86) while that of the private secondary school students (PSSS) was 13.05 (0.96). The majority (89%) of parents of street children compared with that (7%) of parents of students of private secondary schools had no western education. Only 6% of street children compared with 90% of PSSS cleaned their teeth for the right reasons. Only 5% of street children compared with 90% of private secondary school students used a fluoride-containing toothpaste. Though both groups of children have poor knowledge (street children 3%, private secondary school students 16%) on the use of dental floss, the mean oral hygiene score (SD) for street children was 4.42 (0.85) compared with 1.90 (0.09) for private secondary school students. There were striking differences in knowledge and practice with only 4% of street children compared with 69% of PSSS with knowledge about fluoride and its use (p < 0.0005). Also, 2% of street children compared with 40% of PSSS were aware of the benefits of regular dental visits. Sixty five (65%) of street children used finger and water only for tooth cleaning, none of the secondary school students practiced this (p = 0.0005).Conclusionthere is disparity in oral health practice between Nigeria's street children and private secondary school children. This disparity may be attributed to lack of western education and socio-economic status.

The Role of Microfinance Institutions in Empowering Women in Eritrea

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of microfinance on women's empowerment. A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Eritrea. This study used a quasi-experimental design that requires treatment and control groups. The data collected from a sample of 399 new and old women clients of the saving and microcredit program were used to analyze the role of microcredit services on women empowerment. Evidence from this study shows that participation in saving and microcredit programs (SMCP), increases the purchase of personal consumer goods, the degree of respect for women clients from their spouses, and next in kin and women's degree of social recognition. On the other side, the majority of participants asserted that decision-making ability in children's education, food expense, savings, business purchases, use of loans, and profits is shared with their spouses regularly. The findings of the study can help policymakers to design strategies that encourage more women to participate in microcredit programs to achieve their empowerment. Keywords : Decision making, Microcredit, Saving, Women Empowerment DOI : 10.7176/EJBM/11-36-09 Publication date: December 31 st 2019

Factors associated with disabling low back pain among nursing personnel at a medical centre in Japan: a comparative cross-sectional survey

ObjectivesLow back pain (LBP) is a common cause of disability among nursing personnel. Although many studies regarding the risk factors for LBP among nursing staff have focused on the physical...

Catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment in households of persons with depression: a cross-sectional, comparative study in rural Ethiopia

BackgroundThe extent of catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment associated with depression in low-and middle-income countries is not known. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and intensity of catastrophic out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure, level of impoverishment and coping strategies used by households of persons with and without depression in a rural Ethiopian district.MethodsA comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted, including 128 households of persons with depression and 129 households without. Depression screening was conducted using the Patient Health Questionnaire, nine item version (PHQ-9). People in the depression group were classified into high and low disability groups based on the median value on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) polytomous summary score.Health expenditure greater than thresholds of 10 and 25% of total household consumption was used for the primary analyses. The poverty headcount, poverty gap and normalized poverty gap were estimated using retrospective recall of total household expenditure pre- and post-OOP payments for health care. Linear probability model using binreg command in STATA with rr option was used to estimate risk ratio for the occurrence of outcomes among households with and without depression based on level of disability.ResultsCatastrophic OOP payments at any threshold level for households with depression and high disability were higher than control households. At the 10% threshold level, 24.0% of households of persons with depression and high disability faced catastrophic payments compared with 15.3% for depression and low disability and 12.1% for control households (p = 0.041). Depression and high disability level was an independent predictor of catastrophic OOP payments: RR 2.1; 95% CI:1.1, 4.6.An estimated 5.8% of households of persons with depression and high disability were pushed into poverty because of paying for health care compared with 3.5% for households of persons with depression and low disability and 2.3% for control households (p = 0.039).ConclusionsHouseholds of people with depression and high disability were more likely to face catastrophic expenditures and impoverishment from OOP payments. Financial protection interventions through prepayment schemes, exemptions and fee waiver strategies need to target households of persons with depression.

The Outcome of Primary Architectural Distortion in Mammography: Which are the Important Factors?

Background: Architectural distortion is an important mammographic finding for non-palpable breast cancer, which is a difficult part of mammographic reporting. Objectives: In this study, we assessed the relationship between architectural distortion without mass or history of previous breast intervention with pathological findings, as well as the risk of malignancy associated with architectural distortion. The factors that might increase the chance of malignancy in architectural distortion were also evaluated. Methods: In this descriptive, comparative cross sectional survey, 30 consecutive patients with mammographic primary architectural distortion were enrolled. The pathological findings were determined through core needle biopsy and compared across the other variables. Results: The pathological results were fibrocystic changes, carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, other benign pathology, and high-risk lesion of adenosis sclerosing with 5 (16.7%), 5 (16.7%), 13 (43.3%), 6 (20%), and 1 (3.3%) patients, respectively. Higher BI-RADS category (P = 0.064), accompanying mammographic lesion (P = 0.004), positive clinical symptoms (P = 0.040), and positive ultrasonography finding (P = 0.013) were related to greater chance of malignant pathology result. Conclusions: Based on our findings, it can be concluded that architectural distortion in imaging is accompanied by malignancy in 60% of the cases and there are some important factors that can increase the risk of malignancy for architectural distortion (AD).

Catastrophic out-of-pocket payments for households of people with severe mental disorder: a comparative study in rural Ethiopia

BackgroundThere are limited data on healthcare spending by households containing a person with severe mental disorder (SMD) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This study aimed to estimate the incidence and intensity of catastrophic out-of-pocket (OOP) payments and coping strategies implemented by households with and without a person with SMD in a rural district of Ethiopia.MethodsA comparative cross-sectional community household survey was carried out from January to November 2015 as part of the Emerald programme (emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries). A sample of 290 households including a person with SMD and 289 comparison households without a person with SMD participated in the study. An adapted and abbreviated version of the World Health Organization SAGE (Study on global Ageing and adult health) survey instrument was used. Households were considered to have incurred catastrophic health expenditure if their annual OOP health expenditures exceeded 40% of their annual non-food expenditure. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with catastrophic expenditure and types of coping strategies employed.ResultsThe incidence of catastrophic OOP payments in the preceding 12 months was 32.2% for households of a person with SMD and 18.2% for comparison households (p = 0.006). In households containing a person with SMD, there was a significant increase in the odds of hardship financial coping strategies (p < 0.001): reducing medical visits, cutting down food consumption, and withdrawing children from school. Households of a person with SMD were also less satisfied with their financial status and perceived their household income to be insufficient to meet their livelihood needs (p < 0.001).ConclusionsCatastrophic OOP health expenditures in households of a person with SMD are high and associated with hardship financial coping strategies which may lead to poorer health outcomes, entrenchment of poverty and intergenerational disadvantage. Policy interventions aimed at financial risk pooling mechanisms are crucial to reduce the intensity and impact of OOP payments among vulnerable households living with SMD and support the goal of universal health coverage.

Association of the quality of antenatal care with neonatal mortality: meta-analysis of individual participant data from 60 low- and middle-income countries.

We investigated the quality of antenatal care (ANC) and its effect on neonatal mortality in 60 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We used pooled comparable cross-sectional surveys from 60 LMICs (n=651 681). Cox proportional hazards multivariable regression models and meta-regression analysis were used to assess the effect of the quality of ANC on the risk of neonatal mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to describe the time-to-event patterns of neonatal survival in each region. Pooled estimates from meta-analysis showed a 34% lower risk of neonatal mortality for children of women who were attended to at ANC by skilled personnel. Sufficient ANC advice lowered the risk of neonatal mortality by 20%. Similarly, children of women who had adequate ANC had a 39% lower risk of neonatal mortality. The pooled multivariable model showed an association of neonatal mortality with the ANC quality index (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.93). Improvement in the quality of ANC can reduce the risk of neonatal mortality substantially. Pursuing sustainable development goal 3, which aims to reduce neonatal mortality to 12 per 1000 live births by 2030, should improve the quality of ANC women receive in LMICs.

Swedish Operating Room Nurses and Nurse Anesthetists' Perceptions of Competence and Self-Efficacy

To compare perceived competence and self-efficacy (SE) among Swedish operating room (OR) nurses and registered nurse anesthetists (RNAs), and to evaluate the relationship between SE and competence, gender, age, and years of experience. Comparative cross-sectional survey. Two validated questionnaires, Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised and General Self-Efficacy Scale, were sent to members of the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (n = 2,902). The response rate was 39% (n = 1,033). OR nurses showed significantly higher scores on Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised subscale foundational knowledge and leadership as well as General Self-Efficacy Scale scores compared with RNAs. The RNA group showed significantly higher empathy scores compared with OR nurses. Among the OR nurses professional development made the strongest contribution to SE and proficiency among the RNAs. These results suggest that there are differences in perceived competence and SE between OR nurses and RNAs. Gender may be an independent factor affecting SE.

The Comparison of BMI in Cricket, Football and Hockey Athletes: A comparative cross-sectional Survey

The Comparison of BMI in Cricket, Football and Hockey Athletes: A comparative cross-sectional Survey

Anxiety, depression, self-esteem among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents.

Context:Children of alcoholics (COAs) face risks of behavioral problems during childhood and mental health problems in adult life. Identifying these problems at the earliest can significantly reduce the problems in future.Aims:To compare the anxiety, depression, and self-esteem between COA and non-COA parents.Settings and Design:A cross-sectional comparative survey research design was adopted for the present study. The study was conducted at selected government high school located in Bangalore urban.Subjects and Methods:The simple random sampling technique was used. A total of 200 children comprising 100 children of each alcoholic parents and nonalcoholic were recruited for the study. A screening test (modified) was used for identifying COA. Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used to assess anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, respectively.Statistical Analysis Used:Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software package (version 23).Results:The results show that there is statistically significant difference between COA and non-COA group with regard to anxiety, depression, self-esteem, separation anxiety, social phobia, obsessive compulsive problems, and physical injury.Conclusion:The study concludes that COAs are having higher rate of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem compared with children of nonalcoholics.

Knowledge and attitudes of primary healthcare physicians toward the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease following an educational intervention: A comparative analysis

Background/Aims:Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that requires early diagnosis and proper management. Patients with early symptoms of IBD are typically evaluated first by primary healthcare (PHC) physicians, who in turn refer patients with suspected IBD to specialists. Therefore, we aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of PHC physicians toward IBD.Materials and Methods:We conducted a comparative cross-sectional survey of PHC physicians practicing at the Ministry of Health PHC centers in Jeddah, KSA. Demographics and data on the knowledge and practices of physicians were collected through a predefined and tested questionnaire that included three domains (Eaden, Leong, and Sign/Symptom Awareness). A subgroup of the cohort was educated about IBD referral criteria (group A, n = 65) prior to study initiation and their responses were compared with those from the remaining group (group B, n = 135). Regression analysis was used to test associations with the significance threshold set at 5%.Results:A total of 211 PHC physicians were surveyed with a response rate of 95%. Female physicians comprised 66.5% of the cohort and the mean age was 32.26 ± 6.6 years. About 91% of physicians were Saudi nationals, and 75.5% were MBBS degree holders. The majority of the respondents (93%) reported seeing zero to five patients with IBD per month, and almost half of the physicians preferred to always refer patients to specialists (49.5%). Most of the respondents were uncomfortable (3.27 ± 1.4 to 4.35 ± 1.2) with initiating or managing specific medical therapies (maintenance therapy, therapy for acute flare, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biologics) for patients with IBD. With regard to knowledge, group A had higher scores in all three domains especially in the Sign/Symptom Awareness domain (mean score 6.17 ± 1.1 vs. 3.5 ± 1.01, P < 0.001). According to multivariate analyses, both groups’ knowledge showed no significant relationship with any of the medical therapies, except for the Sign/Symptom Awareness domain which was shown to be significantly affecting the comfort of doctors in managing maintenance therapy among patients with IBD [odds ratio (OR) =1.61, P = 0.008]. Gender, nationality, and qualifications were found to have a significant influence on the comfort in initiating specific medical therapies. Group A was identified as a significant factor in predicting comfort with managing corticosteroids (OR = 8.25, P = 0.006) and immunomodulators (OR = 6.03, P = 0.02) on patients with IBD.Conclusion:The knowledge and comfort of PHC physicians with IBD medication prescription appears to be higher when education is provided. This observation is important, since PHC physicians are responsible for early identification and referral of patients suspected of having IBD, to specialists.

Evaluation of patients with schizophrenia satisfaction with out-patient care: a comparison of two diverse psychiatric settings in Nigeria

Background Patient satisfaction with care is an important construct in determining the quality of care and adherence to treatment. This study was aimed at comparing patients with schizophrenia’s satisfaction with outpatient care in community caremental health setting with that of typical psychiatric hospital and identifies factors accounting for suchthe difference if any. Methods This is a comparative cross-sectional survey of patients who with the diagnosis of schizophrenia attending the outpatient clinic of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital (NPH), and the State Community Psychiatric Services Centre (OSCPSC), Oke Ilewo, both in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Patients’ satisfaction was assessed using the Charleston Psychiatric Outpatient Satisfaction Scale (CPOSS). Frequency distribution, mean scores with standard deviations, independent t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were calculated as deemed appropriate. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results Out of the 260 patients sampled, 22 opted out, thus giving a response rate of 91.5%; 121 from NPH and 117 from OSCPSC. Their ages ranged between 15-70 years with a mean of 37.78±11.50 years. With the exception of employment status, the two centers did not differ significantly on other socio-demographic variables. The overall mean CPOSS scores for the respondents at NPH and OSCPSC were 63.22 ±9.93 and 64.48 ±8.16 respectively (p = 0.287). Meanwhile, most items on CPOSS were significantly scored higher by participants at OSCPSC relative to those at NPH. comparable (p = 0.287). Meanwhile, participants at OSCPSC were significantly more satisfied with record officers’ help, clinic hours, waiting time and cost of treatment (p

Self-reported work conditions in Canada: examining changes between 2002 and 2012.

To examine changes in self-reported work conditions over a 10-year time period in Canada, as measured using two comparable cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2002 and 2012. Population-based data were obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Work conditions (psychosocial work conditions, work hours, work demands, job satisfaction) were measured using the same modules across survey cycles. Regression models provided estimates for trends in work conditions, adjusting for differences in socio-demographic and survey administration characteristics over time. We observed changes in self-reported work conditions across cycles, including higher levels of co-worker/supervisor support and job security; lower levels of psychological demands; and increases in shorter/regular workhours over time. These findings were consistent in both the base and adjusted models. Although skill discretion, decision authority, and job satisfaction improved over time in our base models, these findings were attenuated towards the null in adjusted models. Respondents in 2012 had a greater odds of reporting a physically demanding work environment compared to 2002. Differential time trends were observed by geographic region. Our study found improvements in some self-reported measures of the psychosocial work environment in Canada over time. These changes were not accounted for by socio-demographic or survey administration differences across survey cycles. Despite these overall trends, absolute levels of some work conditions have not changed. Given the relevance of work conditions as a determinant of health, a continued focus on improving all aspects of the work environment should remain a public health priority to improve the health of working-aged Canadians.