High Level Of Autonomy Research Articles

One size fits most: On the emergence of differentiated regional policy in Poland

Abstract In recent years, Poland has experienced exceptional and consistently high levels of economic growth. An important component of this growth has been the role played by regional policy. However, while Polish regions generally enjoy high levels of autonomy and have received considerable support from the EU, the changing structure and orientation of Polish regional development strategies remains an understudied area. This paper uses recent advances in the field of text mining to identify the similarity of regional strategies to identify whether Polish regions differentiate regional policy in their regional development strategies. Our results indicate that Polish regional development strategies have diverged significantly during the years covered by the two periods studied and that this degree of change appears to be strongly influenced by spatial factors. This increased divergence supports the notion of the greater use of differentiated regional policy in Poland.

Helping the ‘Helping hands’: supporting Māori postgraduates to advance community aspirations for environmental research

ABSTRACT Postgraduate research is complex enough, but Indigenous students face unique challenges and additional expectations. For instance, they are often strongly motivated for their tertiary education to support their community’s aspirations but distanced from those communities. We are wāhine (women) Māori researchers working to restore various local, natural environments in alignment with our iwi/hapū (tribe/subtribe) interests. We all gained funding to support this work through contestable postgraduate scholarships or research revenue, enjoying a high level of autonomy to design projects, under incentives designed to support Māori capability and potential. Using digital collective autoethnography, we reflected upon and articulated how our iwi/hapū and whānau (family) aspirations shaped our study and research, and how university and external research funding supported these pursuits. Through these narratives, we highlight the driving influence of iwi/community aspirations, consider how universities and the research sector currently align with these, identify barriers, and finally discuss what deep tautoko (support) looks like. We also reflect on how our postgraduate experiences and learnings have influenced and guided our subsequent work. Our collective experiences encompass potentially transformative approaches in community-driven, publicly funded, tertiary research; so, we finish by identifying specific mechanisms that could amplify these approaches.

PERCEPTIONS ON THE INTEGRATION OF AGILE PRINCIPLES IN IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES. STUDY FROM ROMANIA

This research paper aims to provide insights into the impact generated by the introduction of Agile methodologies in Romanian industrial environments which used to work exclusively with Waterfall methodologies for the delivery of IT products and services. Through this study, the authors aim to uncover perceptions provided by knowledge workers working in the area of IT Service Management who have experienced first-hand this transition in ways of working from Waterfall to Agile, followed by suggestions on how to improve the process of integrating new elements in future transition activities. In order to achieve this aim, a qualitative research exercise has been performed, by conducting interviews with experienced knowledge workers who carry out IT Service Management activities. The results of the research present both breakthrough and setback points with this activity. Breakthrough points focus on the perception of knowledge workers having higher levels of autonomy and ownership of daily activities and dependency on ITIL/ISO process alignment for achieving auditing requirements. Setback points include the need for guidelines availability to ensure better integration between Waterfall and Agile elements, design of metrics to reflect Agile elements integration, and optimisation of tools usage to avoid redundant activities. Following this research, the authors recommend development of more focused research in the area of ITSM activities, as this is an untapped source of improvement for organisations. These findings help contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of IT Service Management processes and builds a basis for further research on change initiatives of IT processes.

Citizen journalism revisited: A case study of Kenya’s kibera news network

In an evolving media landscape, the prominence and influence of citizen journalism has grown markedly, challenging historical norms and providing alternative narratives. While traditional journalism has been guided by objectivity, autonomy, and ethics, its representation has been questioned, especially in marginalised communities like Kibera, a neighbourhood in Nairobi, Kenya. Scholars have shed light on the transformational role of journalism and the ensuing need for democratisation in its practice, acknowledging the challenge it faces in representing diverse sections of the population. Using Kibera News Network (KNN) as a case study, this mixed methods study looks at the extent to which citizen journalists, despite lacking formal training, uphold and perhaps even redefine traditional journalistic principles. Utilising a qualitative content analysis of KNN videos and in-depth interviews with citizen journalists in Kibera, findings suggest that these citizen journalists exhibit a solid commitment to ethical reporting, emphasising accuracy and fairness, perhaps due to these journalists being citizens in their community—a community that has been marginalised and misrepresented—and thus experience a heightened sense of belonging. KNN citizen journalists also demonstrate high levels of autonomy and journalism ethics and are unburdened by the political and financial pressures that shape some mainstream media narratives. Taken together, findings suggest that the citizen journalist work of KNN contributes to multiple civic outcomes, including neighbourhood belonging and collective efficacy, which leads to civic participation.

Robotic exploration of Martian caves: Evaluating operational concepts through analog experiments in lava tubes

Caves on Mars are a tantalizing target for exploration, as they could harbor evidence of extinct or extant life, clues to the planet’s geological history, and even potential future human habitation. However, the inherent challenges of navigating unknown and challenging terrain, coupled with limited communication capabilities, pose significant obstacles for robotic exploration in these caves. This paper presents the results of an effort to evaluate different operational concepts for a mission dedicated to exploration of caves on Mars. We conducted a series of analog exploration experiments in lava tubes on Earth, testing two hypotheses: (1) that two robots are more effective than one, and (2) that high levels of autonomy are more effective than low levels of autonomy. Our findings suggest that two robots are indeed more effective, except in low autonomy cases, where more operational resources are required. We also found that full autonomy is more efficient than low autonomy, as it enables quicker exploration and detection of targets of interest. However, the low autonomy cases benefited from the operator input to acquire higher quality data, an area of autonomy requiring further development. This paper provides insight into the design of our experiments, as well as detailing the results and implications for the design of future missions to explore caves on Mars. By shedding light on the operational concepts tested and their corresponding outcomes, we contribute to the knowledge base required to formulate optimal strategies for the realization of successful cave exploration missions on the Red Planet.

A qualitative investigation of dental internships in Saudi Arabia: Exploring the experiences of dental interns.

For dental graduates, internships are a vital transitional phase that gives them the invaluable opportunity to close the gap between their academic studies and the reality of professional dentistry. Research on dental internships remains limited and most of the existing studies focus on the clinical aspects of dental internships with little attention given to dental interns' experiences overall. This study aims to bridge this gap in the literature by gaining an in-depth understanding of Saudi dental graduates' range of experiences as dental interns. To achieve the research objective, this study adopted a qualitative approach. Using purposive and snowball sampling, the study recruited 23 dental interns from Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, who had completed at least nine months of their internship. Data was gathered across three months via diaries and virtual semi-structured interviews based on participants' preferences. The data was then analysed thematically using an inductive analytical strategy. The data analysis revealed three major themes and four sub-themes regarding the experiences of dental interns. The core three themes were "activities", "autonomy" and "transitioning to a balanced life" whereby interns have the time and freedom to explore their interests, rekindle their social lives and focus on self-care, resulting in a better work-life balance. This study suggests that dental interns will benefit from the retention and strengthening of key internship activities such as research, community work and clinical rotations. Additionally, the experiences of dental interns can be improved by encouraging interns to progress in their clinical training with a high level of autonomy. Also, due to the limited research in this area, further studies are required to improve our understanding of the lived experiences of dental interns and dental internships in general.

The freedom to run: developing an autonomous robot matching the needs of visually impaired citizens to technology opportunities

Purpose: Visual impairment poses significant challenges in daily life, especially when navigating unfamiliar environments, resulting in inequalities and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs and perspectives of visually impaired people in sports-related contexts through surveys and focus groups, and to understand whether their needs are being met by current technological solutions. Materials and methods: To accomplish this, opinions gathered from focus groups and interviews were compared to the technological solutions found in the literature. Since many unmet needs were identified, participants from associations and organizations were asked to identify key characteristics for the development of a robot guide. The results underscored the paramount importance of an easy-to-use guide that offers accurate and personalized assistance. Participants expressed a strong desire for advanced features such as object recognition and navigation in complex environments, as well as adaptability to the user’s speed while providing the necessary safety features to ensure a high level of autonomy. Results: This research serves as a bridge between technological advances and the needs of the visually impaired, contributing to a more accessible and inclusive society. By addressing the unique challenges faced by the visually impaired individuals and tailoring technology to meet their needs, this study takes a significant step toward reducing disparities and improving the independence and quality of life for this community. Conclusions: As technology continues to advance, it has the potential to be a powerful tool in breaking down barriers and fostering a world where everyone, regardless of their visual ability, can navigate the world with confidence and ease.

Boundary work in a project-based organization: Flow across interdependent boundaries in interorganizational programs

Project-based organizations (PBOs) increasingly initiate the strategic change to work in interorganizational programs. Establishing such a change is challenging due to the short-term focus, high levels of autonomy, and the varying involvement of interorganizational actors in projects. We adopt a boundary work lens to study how public PBOs operating in infrastructure address the parent organization – program, parent organization – project, and project – project boundaries that emerge when organizing work in programs. Based on two in-depth qualitative case studies, we identified the importance of establishing a continuous and predictable flow in projects, processes, and learning in achieving effective collaboration in interorganizational programs. We find that boundary work at any individual boundary is insufficient to reap the benefits of such programmatic collaboration. Our study offers novel insights into boundary work and program management literature by shedding light on the interdependent nature of boundaries in the strategic change to work in interorganizational programs in PBOs.

Intelligent assistance system for people with visual impairments

Subject of the Research: The creation of an intelligent assistance system for people with visual impairments. Nowadays, the task of developing effective intelligent assistance systems that allow people with vision problems to achieve maximum independence is important and relevant, as existing systems have a number of drawbacks, such as limited autonomy, limited integration with other devices and systems, limited analysis of dynamic obstacles, and limited user feedback capabilities, which in most cases are restricted to voice guidance. Objective: The objective of this work is to create a generalized functional model of an intelligent assistance system for people with visual impairments, which has enhanced autonomy, integration with other devices and systems, the ability to analyze dynamic objects and predict their movement trajectory, and provide diverse feedback to the user. Tasks: To achieve the set objective, the following tasks were accomplished: a generalized functional model of the proposed intelligent assistance system for people with visual impairments was created; the functional dependencies of the components of the developed model were substantiated; a review of the basic modules of the proposed system model was conducted. Methods: The methods used include functional modeling methods and system analysis methods. Results: The following results were obtained: a functional model of an intelligent assistance system for people with visual impairments was proposed. This system surpasses existing analogs in a number of functional capabilities: detection of static and dynamic obstacles with prediction of dynamic obstacles’ movement trajectory, the ability to operate in various conditions (indoors, outdoors, in light or dark, in different weather conditions), support for integration with other systems and devices, and a high level of autonomy. Conclusions: The developed system model has enhanced autonomy, integration with other devices and systems, the ability to analyze dynamic objects and predict their movement trajectory, and provides diverse feedback to the user.

Administration of local taxes and fees: experience of European countries and current trends in Ukraine

The paper is devoted to the study of the experience of local tax administration in advanced European countries. The paper further delves into the intricacies of the local tax administration by examining the impact of cultural, economic, and political factors on the effectiveness of tax models in Germany, France, and Poland. It also explores the challenges and successes of implementing European practices within the Ukrainian framework, highlighting the need for a tailored approach that considers Ukraine’s unique socio-economic landscape. The purpose of the study is to analyze local taxation models in Germany, France and Poland, identify their advantages and disadvantages, assess the current state and prospects for the development of the local taxation system in Ukraine. A comparative analysis of legal frameworks, organizational structures and local tax administration processes in selected countries is carried out. On the basis of the collected data, a SWOT analysis is carried out, which allows to highlight the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each of the administration models. Analysis of local tax administration models in selected countries showed that the German model is characterized by a high level of autonomy of local authorities, which contributes to the efficiency of tax collection and adaptability to local conditions. The French model is characterized by a centralized approach that ensures uniformity and control, but can limit local initiative. The Polish model integrates elements of decentralization and centralization, which allows adaptation to the specifics of the transition economy and contributes to the harmonization of the taxation system. In the Ukrainian context, modern reforms of local taxation are analyzed, introduced initiatives are studied, and the possibilities of applying the best European practices are considered. The results of the study make it possible to formulate recommendations for improving the system of local tax administration in Ukraine in order to increase its efficiency and transparency. The paper will be useful to scientists, practitioners in the field of local taxation, representatives of state bodies and all parties interested in improving the tax system.

Factors Influencing Autonomy in Middle-Aged and Elderly Women with Urinary Incontinence.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is relatively common among middle-aged and elderly women and can have significant impacts on patients' physiological, psychological, and quality-of-life aspects. A higher level of autonomy can encourage better health behaviors in patients, so as to promote rehabilitation of the disease and improve their quality of life. The study is aimed at exploring the level of autonomy and influencing factors among middle-aged and elderly women with UI. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Shenzhen, China. Middle-aged and elderly women were asked to complete the Index of Autonomous Functioning scale (IAF), the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and the Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) scale. Data were collected in January 2024 to March 2024. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, bivariate correlation and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze data. A total of 646 women completed the questionnaire. The means and standard deviations (SD) of the IAF section were 45.40 ± 8.92, those of the ICIQ-UI SF section were 11.54 ± 3.67, and those of the I-QOL section were 43.95 ± 9.83. Multivariate linear regression models for the IAF revealed that questionnaire scores were independently associated with family's monthly income, education level, regular exercise, UI severity, and I-QOL score (p < 0.05). The factors influencing the level of autonomy among middle-aged and elderly women with UI include family's monthly income, education level, regular exercise, UI severity, and I-QOL score. Higher levels of autonomy were observed among women with high family income, high education level, regular exercise habits, mild to moderate UI, and high quality of life.

Mixed-methods study of medical students’ attitudes toward peer physical examinations in Japan

BackgroundMost Japanese medical schools likely continue to rely on peer physical examination (PPE) as a tool to for teaching physical examination skills to students. However, the attitudes of medical students in Japan toward PPEs have not be identified. Therefore, we evaluated students’ attitudes toward PPE in a Japanese medical school as a preparation for developing a PPE policy tailored to the context of Japanese culture.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study with an explanatory sequential approach, in which qualitative data were used to interpret the quantitative findings. Surveys and interviews were conducted with medical students and junior residents at a Japanese university. A total of 63 medical students and 50 junior residents responded to the questionnaire. We interviewed 16 participants to reach theoretical saturation and investigated the attitudes of medical students toward PPE and the themes emerging from the interview data, providing detailed descriptions of the quantitative findings.ResultsFemale participants were significantly more likely than male participants to report varying degrees of resistance to being a model patient during PPE (male: 59.7%, female: 87%, p < 0.001). Most of the participants who took on the role of patients that involved undressing were males. The participants expected improvements in issues related to the guarantee of freedom to refuse to be a model patient and measures to protect confidentiality. Approximately 22% of the participants reported that they witnessed incidental findings (including variations within the normal range) in front of other students during PPE.ConclusionsThe findings imply that medical students expect high levels of autonomy and confidentiality when volunteering as model patients during PPE. Thus, developing a PPE policy suitable for Japanese culture may be effective in establishing a student-centered PPE environment.

Autonomy and Respect among Postnatal Mothers during Maternity Care in a Tertiary Level Hospital

Background: Lack of respectful maternity care act as more powerful deterrents to skilled birth care utilization than other more commonly recognized deterrents such as geographic and financial obstacles. Ensuring high level of respectful maternity care encourage the women to utilize facility-based care, which is essential for improving maternal and neonatal health. Thus, the objective of the study is to find out autonomy and respect during maternity care among the postnatal mothers in a tertiary level hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 postnatal mothers receiving child birth services from the facility were selected by using non-probability purposive sampling technique. Analysis of data was done by using descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and chi- square test was used for association between autonomy and respect and selected socio-demographic variables. Results: The study result indicated that (74.8%) of the respondents had high level of autonomy. Similarly, (71%) of the respondents reported that they experience high level of respect. A significant association was present between autonomy of postnatal mothers with caste (p=.027) and parity (p=.005) and a significant association was present between respect of postnatal mothers with type of delivery is with p value (.001). Conclusions: Hence, level of autonomy and respect tends to be high among postnatal mothers during maternity care and is associated with caste, parity and type of delivery. Continuous professional development programme for all cadres of health personnel should be conducted in respectful maternity care of maternity ward.

Heavy vehicle driver fatigue: Observing work and rest behaviours of truck drivers in Australia

The extant transport literature suggests that truck driver fatigue is a leading contributor in truck crashes. Various factors are known to affect a truck driver’s ability to comply with work and rest requirements, including long working hours, irregular work schedules, sleep deprivation and driving at night. In Australia, while control measures restrict the number of hours of work a truck driver may undertake without rest, they travel vast distances and work with a high level of autonomy. This makes it difficult for transport companies to monitor and manage truck drivers’ work and rest compliance; thereby relying on them to self-manage driver fatigue at designated rest-stops. However, there is little Australian research examining rest-stop behaviour of truck drivers in relation to driver fatigue compliance. To better understand how truck drivers manage driver fatigue, an exploratory participant observation study of truck drivers (N = 378) was undertaken at two Australian truck rest stops in rural New South Wales. The findings indicate that while most truck drivers comply with rest requirements regarding driver fatigue, load type, driver changeovers, access to parking, and time spent on work-related activities at the rest areas affects the time truck drivers spend at rest, and these factors are likely to increase the risk of truck drivers not complying with driver fatigue regulation. They are also likely to increase the number of truck drivers involved in fatigue related crashes.

Exploring trends and autonomy levels of adaptive business intelligence in healthcare: A systematic review.

In order to comprehensively understand the characteristics of Adaptive Business Intelligence (ABI) in Healthcare, this study is structured to provide insights into the common features and evolving patterns within this domain. Applying the Sheridan's Classification as a framework, we aim to assess the degree of autonomy exhibited by various ABI components. Together, these objectives will contribute to a deeper understanding of ABI implementation and its implications within the Healthcare context. A comprehensive search of academic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies, selecting AIS e-library (AISel), Decision Support Systems Journal (DSSJ), Nature, The Lancet Digital Health (TLDH), PubMed, Expert Systems with Application (ESWA) and npj Digital Medicine as information sources. Studies from 2006 to 2022 were included based on predefined eligibility criteria. PRISMA statements were used to report this study. The outcomes showed that ABI systems present distinct levels of development, autonomy and practical deployment. The high levels of autonomy were essentially associated with predictive components. However, the possibility of completely autonomous decisions by these systems is totally excluded. Lower levels of autonomy are also observed, particularly in connection with prescriptive components, granting users responsibility in the generation of decisions. The study presented emphasizes the vital connection between desired outcomes and the inherent autonomy of these solutions, highlighting the critical need for additional research on the consequences of ABI systems and their constituent elements. Organizations should deploy these systems in a way consistent with their objectives and values, while also being mindful of potential adverse effects. Providing valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to comprehend the diverse levels of ABI systems implementation, it contributes to well-informed decision-making in this dynamic field.

Cable-driven agribot prototype: Enabling precision agriculture through innovative design

The ongoing depopulation of rural areas and the increasing demand for high-quality food, along with the need to improve the quality of work in terms of stress, injuries, and social disputes, needs significant attention towards rethinking and organizing agricultural practices to meet these needs and improve the quality of life. These changes call for the implementation of new reforms, incentive systems, and the exploration of innovative systems for field operations. In this context, the research, design, and commercialization of electrified autonomous and collaborative systems capable of precision agriculture applications, known as agribots, are gaining paramount importance. This article presents an innovative multi-robot for smart farming. The agribot is composed by a lightweight cart designed to traverse crop field rows through a cable-way system installed on two heavy carts equipped with a power train system and PV rooftop panels. The agribot is conceived to achieve a high level of autonomy, reduce energy consumption, and minimize soil compaction while working on flat fields with low-height crops. The article is structured in two parts: the first part describes the agribot's ICT network, the heavy carts electric grid and the power systems, providing an energy consumption analysis related to the traversing of a crop field row.The second part focuses on the control, actions coordination, and supervision system (supervisor), implemented using Robot Operating System (ROS). The supervisor system, driven by a decision-making system based on a finite state machine, oversees the execution of path planning for the agribot, providing high modularity and flexibility to adapt to various system actions.

Transformational leadership, well-being, morale, and readiness: The mediating role of empowerment

ABSTRACT Transformational leadership is embedded in the value system of the Canadian military ethos. Research suggests that transformational leadership can be viewed as a form of empowering leadership facilitating empowered psychological states among their followers, which in turn, enhances their performance, wellbeing, and engagement. The current study examined the associations between transformational leadership and Canadian Armed Forces members’ psychological distress, morale, and pre-deployment readiness and the mediating role of psychological empowerment in these relationships. A path analysis model of the data collected through a pre-deployment survey completed by Canadian Armed Force (CAF) members (N = 2,391) revealed that transformational leadership was associated with lower psychological distress and greater morale and these relationships were partly explained by increased feelings of empowerment, namely higher levels of autonomy, competence, and meaning. Furthermore, transformational leadership was also associated with higher perceptions of pre-deployment readiness, and this was partly explained by increased feelings of meaning and competence. The results of this research suggest that transformational leadership is an effective strategy to bolster psychological resources and readiness in the CAF.

Design and Control of a Climbing Robot for Autonomous Vertical Gardening

This paper focuses on the development of a novel climbing robot that is designed for autonomous maintenance of vertical gardens in urban environments. The robot, designed with a unique five-legged structure, is equipped with a range of electrical and mechanical components, enabling it to autonomously navigate and maintain a specially designed vertical garden wall facilitating interactive maintenance and growth monitoring. The motion planning and control of the robot were developed to ensure precise and adaptive movement across the vertical garden wall. Advanced algorithms were employed to manage the complex dynamics of the robot’s movements, optimizing its efficiency and effectiveness in navigating and maintaining the garden structure. The operation of the robot in maintaining the vertical garden was evaluated during a two-week trial where the robot successfully performed nearly 8000 leg movements, with only 0.6% requiring human intervention. This demonstrates a high level of autonomy and reliability. This study concludes that the pentapod robot demonstrates significant potential for automating the maintenance of vertical gardens, offering a promising tool for enhancing urban green spaces.

The blessing and curse of "no strings attached": An automated literature analysis of psychological health and non-attachmental work in the digitalization era.

Amidst tremendous changes in the worlds of work in light of digitalization, non-attachmental work designs, where individuals gain income without being bound by a fixed administrative attachment to an employer, hold promises of self-actualization along with threats of insecurity. Today's technology boom and the consequent flexibility and uncertainty it brings into workers' lives may translate into inspiring growth opportunities or overloading pressure, contingent upon mental health and wellbeing impacts. This paper first provides a conceptualization of the non-attachmental work designs of the 21st century, before proceeding to an extensive mapping of literature at their intersection with psychological health. This involves a machine-learning-driven review of 1094 scientific articles using topic modeling, combined with in-depth manual content analyses and inductive-deductive cycles of pattern discovery and category building. The resulting scholarly blueprint reveals several tendencies, including a prevalence of positive psychology concepts in research on work designs with high levels of autonomy and control, contrasted with narratives of disempowerment in service- and task-based work. We note that some psychological health issues are researched with respect to specific work designs but not others, for instance neurodiversity and the role of gender in ownership-based work, self-image and digital addiction in content-based work, and ratings-induced anxiety in platform-mediated task-based work. We also find a heavy representation of 'heroic' entrepreneurs, quantitative methods, and western contexts in addition to a surprising dearth of analyses on the roles of policy and technological interventions. The results are positioned to guide academics, decision-makers, technologists, and workers in the pursuit of healthier work designs for a more sustainable future.

OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC INFLAMMATION: EVIDENCE FROM THE HRS

Abstract There is substantial evidence from the occupational health, psychology, and environmental health literatures to suggest that inflammation is a biologically plausible mechanism through which physical, psychosocial, and environmental occupational characteristics influence risks of several health conditions at older ages. However, there is limited empirical evidence of the linkages between occupational characteristics and biomarkers of inflammation in representative studies of older adults, precluding a thorough understanding of how working conditions affect the distribution of inflammation among the older population. We use data from 1,997 individuals who were aged 51-60 and working for pay in the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to assess how occupational characteristics are associated with a summary measure of chronic inflammation constructed from seven inflammatory biomarkers included in the 2016 HRS Venous Blood Study. In addition to HRS respondents’ reports of their job characteristics, we use data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). We use Poisson models to predict the count of high-risk inflammatory biomarkers from occupational characteristics, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs. We find that individuals employed in occupations with higher levels of physical demands, higher levels of harmful workplace exposures, and those working long hours have higher levels of inflammation. Higher levels of autonomy or job control were associated with reduced levels of inflammation. These results suggest that common job conditions may contribute to chronic inflammation at older ages.