Occupational Perceptions Research Articles

A percepção das ocupações de pessoas sob cuidados paliativos oncológicos diante das dimensões de ser e fazer de Wilcock

Abstract Introduction Ann Allart Wilcock, focusing on the occupational science, idealized the dimensions of being, doing, becoming and belonging, relating health, well-being, and occupation. In her academic and professional journey, she sought to present the interdependence of the dimensions with the person and community. When a person suffers a partial or total break in their occupations, they may suffer biopsychosocial, spiritual and occupational repercussions. Cancer is still seen as a diagnosis related to death, however, given early identification, treatments, and advances in research, it is possible to promote well-being and quality of life. Among the treatments, palliative care has as one of the principles to guarantee completeness in care, control and management of symptoms, multidisciplinary monitoring of the person, their family, caregivers, and community, from diagnosis to the post-death mourning process. Objective To understand the perceptions of occupations of people in oncological palliative care, from Wilcock's perspective. Method Qualitative research, with an action-research procedure. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out from July to August 2022, in palliative care clinics. Results The findings were presented in the categories of being and doing, presenting the perceptions and occupational relationships of the person with themselves and their surroundings. Conclusion The relationships between being and doing in everyday life and how occupational therapists can identify impaired occupations through the dimensions and provide support to the hospitalized person. The aim is to stimulate new knowledge in academic and professional communities based on the object of study in occupation and the contexts of occupational therapists in the national scenario, as well as ensuring evidence-based practice.

Indoor Thermal Comfort Perception at Atrium Zone: Case Study of Naturally Ventilated Public Market

Public markets are normally designed with passive design strategies such as natural ventilation and lighting. Besides, the atrium has become one of the architectural features to be designed in this building. The atrium attracts more visitors due to its spacious space. However, issues with inadequate ventilation, uncomfortable smell, overheating, and uneven daylight distribution might affect the condition of occupants in the zone. Therefore, this research is to study the thermal comfort perception of occupants in the public market, especially the traders, and investigate the indoor thermal comfort level for the atrium zone in the public market. Data was documented via the survey questionnaire and field measurement in the atrium environment. Two case studies were recognized as the main focuses namely Pasar Siti Khadijah (PSK) and Pekan Rabu (PR). The study was mainly conducted in the atrium zone of the building. The thermal comfort parameters such as air temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity were recorded, and the data were correlated to the result of the survey questionnaire. The results of the analysis show the traders felt slightly dissatisfied with the indoor air temperature and air velocity. The average air temperature of both atriums was not within the suggested comfort temperature by previous studies. A few suggestions have been highlighted to improve the thermal comfort of both atriums.

A year-long field investigation on the spatio-temporal variations of occupant's thermal comfort in Chinese traditional courtyard dwellings

Multiple researchers have proven the different thermal perceptions of occupants living in naturally ventilated dwellings. As one of the representatives of Chinese traditional dwellings, courtyard-style vernacular residence is the result of human wisdom in adapting to the natural thermal environment through architectural forms. Exploring whether such classical building form still meets the thermal comfort needs of contemporary residents can help architects generate relevant design concepts when dealing with energy-saving-oriented projects in the context of carbon neutralization and rural revitalization. A year-long follow-up investigation is conducted on a typical courtyard dwelling in Wufu Town, Fujian Province. Based on the built digital twin platform, relevant parameters were monitored by various sensors from different investigation points throughout the year. Additionally, year-round monthly thermally neutral temperatures are obtained from over 1000 Thermal Sensation Vote questionnaires. By applying the adaptive thermal comfort theoretical model, which is widely recognized in the field of thermal assessment on naturally ventilated buildings, the linear relationship between indoor neutral temperature and outdoor air temperature can be generated. According to ASHRAE Standard 55, the time-series predicted acceptable thermal comfort ranges are then calculated to evaluate the measured operative temperature. Results show no large gap between the actual temperature and the predicted acceptable range in semi-open spaces and interior spaces. With suitable optimized renovations and the application of several low-power conditioning equipment, such courtyard dwellings are still capable of providing occupants comfortable thermal environment throughout the year.

Opportunities to increase the attractiveness of the German Public Health Service as an employer

Abstract For decades, the public health service in Germany (PHS) experienced shortages of young professionals and challenges in recruiting qualified personnel. To sustainably counteract this challenge, it is necessary to understand the reasons of the perceived low attractiveness of PHS as a potential employer among students and young professionals. Two cross-sectional online surveys were conducted to assess the attitudes of medical, public health, and health science students towards the PHS as a potential employer. Wave 1, conducted from 2019-12 to 2020-04, focused on factors associated with high and with low interest in working for the PHS. Wave 2 was conducted from 2020-06 to 2020-09 to capture changes that may have resulted from the newfound attention of the PHS during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Participants in both waves were asked about opportunities to increase the attractiveness of the PHS, which were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. In total 3040 students participated. Low interest in the PHS was associated with limited knowledge about public health, primary interest in clinical medicine, and a negative image of the public service. The qualitative analysis indicated as major obstacles: low visibility of and low awareness about the PHS, a perception of hierarchical and bureaucratic workplaces, and perceptions of repetitive occupations, among others. The participants suggested: improving awareness about the PHS in the population, including PHS in curriculum, and reducing entry barriers for non-medical students. The results of the largest survey of students on the attractiveness of the ÖGD in Germany provide valuable insights for ongoing reform processes. In addition to approaches to increase external visibility, existing processes and procedures within the ÖGD should be considered. Key messages • To counteract the shortage of skilled workers, the PHS must become more attractive to young professionals. This requires both, greater external visibility and modernization of internal structures. • Successful inclusion of the perspective of young professionals in the current modernization processes introduces opportunities to increase the attractiveness of the PHS in the long-term.

Environmental and socio-psychological drivers of building users’ behaviours: a case study of tertiary institutional offices in Auckland

PurposeBetter identification of comfort preferences and occupant behaviour drivers is expected to improve buildings’ user-centred designs and energy operations. To understand the underline drivers of occupant behaviours in office buildings, this study aims to evaluate the inter-relationships among occupant energy behaviours, indoor environmental quality satisfaction, user control and social-psychological factors influencing occupant behaviours in New Zealand offices.Design/methodology/approachUsing an occupant perception survey, this study identifies the occupant behaviour patterns based on multi-domain comfort preferences. A case study was conducted in five office spaces of a university in Auckland, New Zealand. Data were collected from 52 occupants and analysed using descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis. Indoor environmental quality, user control, motivational, opportunity and ability factors were the independent variables considered. A model to predict the behaviours using environmental, building and social-psychological aspects was developed.FindingsThe results showed that the primary sources of indoor environmental quality discomfort were related to thermal and air quality, while occupants’ indoor environmental quality satisfaction correlated with their comfort preferences. The outcomes emphasise how the connection between building systems and occupants’ comfort preferences affect the choice of occupant behaviours in offices. Also, the primary occupant behaviours were drinking hot and cold beverages, opening/closing windows and internal doors and adjusting clothing. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that occupants’ perceived user control satisfaction is the main driver for increasing window actions. No other independent variable showed a statistically significant association with other behaviours.Originality/valueThis study adopted a novel approach to assess the combined effects of comfort preferences, occupant energy behaviours and various environmental, building and socio-psychological factors for modelling energy-saving behaviours in office buildings.

Perception of work in the IT sector among men and women-A comparison between IT students and IT professionals.

Lack of gender balance within STEM fields is caused by many complex factors, some of which are related to the fact that women do not perceive certain occupations as congruent with their career and personal goals. Although there is a large body of research regarding women in STEM, there is a gap concerning perception of occupations within different STEM industries. IT is a domain where skilled employees are constantly in demand. Even though the overall female representation in STEM fields is rising and that the IT industry is undertaking numerous interventions to attract women to careers in IT, the representation of women in this domain is still disappointingly low. Therefore, the goal of our study was to examine the possible differences among male and female IT and non-IT students and employees in terms of their perception of IT and other key factors influencing the feeling of aptness of IT as a potential sector one's career: goal congruence, sense of belonging and self-efficacy. In this paper we present the results of a study conducted in Poland among working IT professionals (N = 205) and IT students (N = 127) that we compare with individuals from non-IT sectors (N = 222 employees, 107 students). Our results showed significant gender differences between IT students and IT professionals. We found that communal goals are more important for IT employees than for IT students (both male and female) and that a sense of social belonging is stronger among female IT employees than among male IT employees and IT students. Women employed in IT also had the same level of sense of social belonging as women in non-IT group. These findings suggest that after entering IT positions, women's perception of the domain might become potentially more favorable and attuned with their needs. We also found that female IT students value agentic goals more than communal goals which was not the case for female IT employees. The results highlight the importance of investigating women's perception of the IT sector at different levels of career in terms of their goals and other work-related variables. Such lines of research will help develop more effective interventions in attracting women to enter the IT field.

A field study on indoor environmental quality and energy savings of an office building integrated with underfloor air conditioning system in India

This study aimed to examine the real-time indoor environmental quality (IEQ) factors in an office space environment with a dedicated underfloor air conditioning system. Nevertheless, underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system buildings in India do not have reliable studies to record the impact of occupant perception and IEQ factors. This study was conducted in the UFAD office building during the peak monsoon period of 16th – 25th October 2019 in a warm and humid climate region of Mumbai, India. IEQ factors of indoor thermal, air quality, lighting, and noise comfort were examined using an occupant questionnaire survey for sensation, preference and overall acceptability, as well as physical measurements. Furthermore, energy consumption and energy utilization coefficient were determined at different room set-point temperatures. Four hundred and thirty-five responses were collected during the field study. The comfort zone temperature was obtained between 22.24–25.3 °C with near-zero (±0.5) tolerance range. Moreover, 80-95% of the occupants felt comfortable and acceptable within the thermal environment of the room set-point at 22-25 °C. Results showed that the real-time IEQ score was perceived between 0.663-0.846. The real-time IEQ score can be used as a building management strategy that simultaneously improves thermal comfort and indoor air quality.

Heroes from above but not (always) from within? Gig workers’ reactions to the sudden public moralization of their work

How do individuals react to the sudden public moralization of their work and with what consequences? Extant research has documented how public narratives can gradually moralize societal perceptions of select occupations. Yet, the implications of how workers individually respond and form self-narratives in light of—or in spite of—a sudden moralizing event remain less understood. Such an understanding is even more critical when workers are weakly socialized by their organization, a situation increasingly common today. During the COVID-19 pandemic, radically shifting public narratives suddenly transformed grocery delivery work, previously uncelebrated, into highly moralized “heroic” pursuits. Drawing on interviews (n = 75), participant artifacts (n = 85), and archival data (e.g., newspaper articles), we find that these workers (here, shoppers on the platform organization Instacart), left mainly to themselves, exhibited varying responses to this moralizing and that their perceived relations to the organization, customers, and tasks shaped these responses. Surprisingly, those who facilely adopted the hero label felt morally credentialled, and they were thus likely to minimize their extra-role helping of customers and show low commitment to the organization; in contrast, those who wrestled with the hero narrative sought to earn those moral credentials, and they were more likely to embrace extra-role helping and remain committed to moralized aspects of the work. Our study contributes to literatures on the moralization of work and narratives by explaining why some workers accept a moralized narrative and others reject or wrestle with it, documenting consequences of workers’ reactions to such narratives, and suggesting how a moralized public narrative can backfire.

Dental Students’ Anxiety Level, Awareness of Dental Anxiety, and Attitudes in Treating Patients with Dental Anxiety

Background: Successful treatment of patients with dental anxiety requires particular attitudes and knowledge. Dentists who have severe stress, inadequate knowledge, or less sensitivity to anxious patients may affect the success of the treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the general anxiety level and occupational perceptions of the final-year dental students and their attitudes to and knowledge level about anxious patients.Methods: The anxiety levels of the dental students were assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory. A questionnaire that evaluated professional perceptions, dental anxiety awareness, attitude, and knowledge level was conducted. The answers between the groups were compared, and differences were assessed statistically.Results: One hundred fifty-nine final-year dental students answered the questionnaire. No statistical difference was found between the anxiety levels of the students. 69,2% of students agreed that patients evaluate dentists with their style or behavior rather than their perceived technical competence. Female students and the students with adverse patient experiences perceived dentistry as a more stressful profession (respectively p=0,001, p=0,003). 39,6% of students had never taken a course related to dental anxiety. 25,8% of students thought that there is a relationship between dental anxiety and wound healing, and 37,1% of students thought that dental anxiety aggravates the inflammatory disease.Conclusion: The final-year dental students need more training in managing their stress and increasing their knowledge about anxious patients. There is a need for further studies involving dental anxiety management strategies with a higher number of dental students or dentists.

Detskoe vospriyatie vojny i okkupacii (1941—1944 gg.): na materialah Severo-Zapada RSFSR

This article forms and substantiates the principles of reconstructing the experience of everyday life of children and adolescents in the occupied territory of the NorthWest of the RSFSR in 1941-1944. The authors show the peculiarities of the perception of occupation by children and adolescents on the basis of a comprehensive study of various sources (archival documents, diaries and post-war memories). The article shows that the image of war and occupation in children’s perception is associated with constant hunger and the need to search for food, constant bombing, destruction and casualties, attempts to evacuate outside the occupied areas, life in the forests. Children and teenagers became eyewitnesses and victims of the punitive operations of the Nazis, their experiences during the occupation were associated with the loss of loved ones, labor mobilizations and forced labor in Germany.

Assessment of the Perception of Sustainability for Occupants of Residential Buildings: A Case Study in the UAE

The residential sector is multi-faceted by nature. Although evidence shows that the UAE is among the countries in the world that take sustainability seriously, there is a lack of information about the perception of sustainability by occupants in the residential sector in the UAE. The aim of this paper is to assess the perception of sustainability of the residential sector in the UAE, which is achieved by following a methodological framework using the relevant literature review and experts’ knowledge. An online survey was distributed to the targeted population, followed by a statistical analysis to fulfill the aim of the paper. Results confirm the correlation between social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability. Additionally, structural equation modeling reveals that the perception of sustainability is significantly influenced by economic and environmental aspects in the residential sector in the UAE. Comparative analysis shows a statistical difference in the perception of sustainability among gender, educational level, employment status, and monthly income. Finally, a predictive classification model is built to classify the perception of occupants based on their attributes using decision tree algorithms. The outcomes of this study would be beneficial to policy and decision makers, developers, contractors, designers, and facility management entities to enhance overall sustainability in the residential sector.

Occupational Risk Perceptions in the COVID-19 Era

The objective of this paper is to review the theoretical, conceptual and empirical frameworks around the perception of risk as a rational, deliberate, planned and systematic process of contingencies and threats. A documentary and retrospective study was carried out with a non-probabilistic selection of sources indexed in international repositories, considering the journal's impact factor and the author's citation index. A model was established based on the evaluative consensus of expert judges in the subjects, although the research design limited these findings to the study scenario, suggesting the extension of the work towards lines of research concerning normative, technological and strategic trust with respect to to civil protection.

Applying unsupervised machine learning clustering techniques to hospital soundscapes

Noise in hospitals can be problematic for both patients and staff and is consistently rated poorly on national patient satisfaction surveys. Previous studies have linked negative outcomes of hospital noise to numerous patient and staff challenges, such as reduced sleep and disrupted communication. Existing articles and guidelines commonly use equivalent sound pressure level as a primary noise metric. Additional insights into typical sound levels experienced by occupants can be found through more detailed statistical analyses of sound, such as by applying unsupervised machine learning clustering techniques. In this talk, clustering techniques will be explored in an effort to provide a more detailed analysis of the soundscape and various patterns of room activity. Noise data collected in three adult, inpatient hospital units will be analyzed using clustering techniques and compared against patient satisfaction scores. This more thorough, statistical characterization of the hospital soundscape can lead to better understanding of patterns of noise conditions and resultant occupant perceptions.

To be a marketer or to do what marketers do? Using a mixed methods approach to explore the aspiring marketer mind-set

Both anecdotal and evidential testimonies posit marketing as a “wicked” endeavor, in thrall to sales and profit and at odds with society's needs. Using social identity theory as our primary frame of reference we look to obtain some foreground understanding of those flowing through the educational/occupational transition system and towards this occupation. We explore how aspiring marketers perceive both marketing and marketing practitioners and evaluate how those perceptions contribute to a sense of social-self at an early-stage of career formulation. Our aim is to evaluate the potential for a link between reported marketer behavior, occupational perceptions and group character. A qualitative/quantitative mixed-model research approach is adopted combining both projective techniques and personality testing. Results, derived from UK university cohorts spanning three levels of study, suggest respondents focus primarily on externally oriented aspects of marketing work, with occupational aesthetics and conspicuous representation seen as both object and subject of a marketer role. Respondents self-report as strong on traits associated with promotion and persuasiveness but less on those related to an espoused creativity. We conclude there is evidence suggesting the study group perceives being a marketer at least as important as doing what marketers do and discuss the implications this might have for how and why marketing is practiced as it is.

Seasonal Effects of Daylight Conditions on Occupant Perception and Skin Temperature

Current research on the relationship between daylight and well-being has shown that access to daylight plays a relevant role both in terms of light perception and with respect to physiological mechanisms not directly related to vision. The aim of this paper is to analyze changes in reported light perception and in physiological responses, represented in this case by the skin temperature of research participants (n = 16) across three seasons (winter, spring and summer seasons) in a temperate, mid-latitude location, Karlsruhe, in southern Germany (49°N, 8.5°E). Sessions have been held in thermally stable rooms of a climate chamber, with daylight exposure to two opposing solar orientations of the glazed façade, namely equatorial and non-equatorial orientations, over 5-h morning sessions. Differences in light perception as well as changes in physiology have been observed. Results showed an increased sensitivity of the individuals in terms of light perception to changes in daylight in winter while such sensitivity dropped in spring and summer, with greater daylight availability and diminished lighting variability during sessions. Due to the intrinsic relationship between light perception and circadian entrainment, the same was verified for changes in skin temperature, which were also found to be significantly related to daylight availability. Seasonal influence suggests that variability of brightness and correlated color temperature (CCT) of natural light can affect both psychological and physiological patterns in humans.

Building performance evaluation of low-energy dwellings with and without smart thermostats

Smart thermostats allow continuous learning, remote scheduling and control of indoor temperature. This paper empirically evaluates indoor environmental conditions, occupant experiences and prevalence of summertime overheating in three low-energy dwellings with smart thermostats and compares the results with three similar dwellings with standard programmable thermostats. The study uses building performance evaluation methods combining time-series data on temperature, relative humidity and window opening with survey data on occupant perception of thermal comfort and heating control over the period 2019–2020. While there was little difference observed in the measured and perceived indoor temperatures between dwellings with and without smart thermostats, the six dwellings were different in the way they heated their homes and controlled their indoor environment. A wide indoor temperature range of 16oC–22oC was observed in dwellings with smart thermostats during the heating season. The majority of dwellings also experienced summertime overheating with temperatures in bedrooms going up to 34oC. Individual heating preferences dominated the use of smart or standard thermostats ranging from Cool Conserver, On-off Switcher to On-demand Sizzler. It is vital that energy models consider a range of heating preferences to avoid a gap between expectation and reality. Practical application: Actual in-use performance of dwellings with smart thermostats is necessary for their large-scale deployment. A wide range of thermostat behaviours are documented; therefore, it is vital that energy models consider a range of heating preferences to minimise the gap between energy models and reality. As smart home appliances and controls become more commonplace, the findings demonstrate their need for resident training and trouble-shooting support to ensure smart thermostats deliver their expected benefits. Since most of the case study dwellings experienced summertime overheating, it is also vital that building design tackles overheating through passive measures.

Lighting conditions in home office and occupant's perception: Exploring drivers of satisfaction

This paper depicts lighting home office conditions within different countries and continents, emphasizing the user's satisfaction with the visual environment. The scope of this article is to investigate the drivers of participants' satisfaction with the lighting conditions at the home office. The study was developed by a team of international experts working together on Subtask A: User perspective and requirements, Task 61 IEA (International Energy Agency): Solutions for daylighting and electric lighting. An online survey was launched in December 2020 and closed on March 2021. The survey was implemented in the native languages of six participant countries (Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Italy, Poland, and Japan) using Google Forms, and its dissemination was via various social media platforms. Measures of association between variables and predictive tests were run to explore which investigated aspects drove participants' satisfaction with the lighting conditions at the home office. We found some differences in satisfaction due to participants' sex, occupation, and participants' continent of residence. Females were more satisfied with daylight than males. Associations between the perception of seven light descriptors and satisfaction showed differences between East Asians and the rest of the participants, which might be related to the high dependence of the formers on electric lighting even when daylight is available. Design features as southern facades, the distance from the working area to the window, type of internal sun shading were related to daylighting satisfaction. Moreover, satisfaction with the general light level and the electric light was higher for those participants who did not need to switch on the ceiling, floor, or desk lamp when daylight was available. We found that an external view composed of 3 layers and the sky's visibility afforded a higher satisfaction with the window view. Having an independent room for the home office appeared to be related to a higher willingness to continue in the home office. Likewise, higher satisfaction with the overall visual environment and window view appeared to increase the willingness to continue working from home. Bridging the gap amid cultural differences and daylighting and lighting satisfaction is needed, particularly, relational studies between design features –as a response of cultural, climatic, and local practices- and occupants' preferences and acceptability. Thus, our understanding of occupants' responses will be more comprehensive. Engaging further research and measures to improve the visual environment and overall indoor environmental quality in dwellings is now a necessary step.

The Impact of Covid 19 Pandemic on Maritime Students’ Perceptions of Their Profession

There is no doubt that the covid 19 pandemic has formed a global impact in many sectors. It is a notable fact that the maritime industry, which is a respectable part of the global supply chain, is also affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. Along with these, it is though that there are radical changes in the education sector with the Covid 19 pandemic. That These changes exist, when combined with the changes of covid 19 in the sector, is created a considerable impact on maritime students' perceptions of their profession. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effect of Covid-19 on students' occupational perceptions. On this paper, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on maritime students’ perceptions of their profession is investigated using the Five Point Likert Type Survey method. Recent developments resulting from Covid-19 have led to a renewed interest in maritime students’ perceptions of their profession. Accordingly, the study provides a better understanding of maritime students' opinions in order to help maritime regulatory bodies construct future policies that best match seafarer needs.

The impact of security countermeasures on human behavior during active shooter incidents

Active shooter incidents represent an increasing threat to American society, especially in commercial and educational buildings. In recent years, a wide variety of security countermeasures have been recommended by public and governmental agencies. Many of these countermeasures are aimed to increase building security, yet their impact on human behavior when an active shooter incident occurs remains underexplored. To fill this research gap, we conducted virtual experiments to evaluate the impact of countermeasures on human behavior during active shooter incidents. A total of 162 office workers and middle/high school teachers were recruited to respond to an active shooter incident in virtual office and school buildings with or without the implementation of multiple countermeasures. The experiment results showed countermeasures significantly influenced participants’ response time and decisions (e.g., run, hide, fight). Participants’ responses and perceptions of the active shooter incident were also contingent on their daily roles, as well as building and social contexts. Teachers had more concerns for occupants’ safety than office workers. Moreover, teachers had more positive perceptions of occupants in the school, whereas office workers had more positive perceptions of occupants in the office.

The perceptions of nursing students regarding coronavirus and occupation according to gender: A qualitative study.

Outbreaks are experienceddifferently based on gender. In the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, students' perceptions of the nursing profession, their feelings related to themselves, their social circle, nursing, and the appropriateness of nursing practices are important. This study aimed to determine the perceptions of nursing students of the Coronavirus and their occupation according to gender. Twenty nursing students were interviewed using the semi-structured interview method. Content analysis and MAXQDA were performed. Five categories were identified: Visual perceptions regarding the nursing occupation and Covid-19, future nurses' occupational perceptions according to gender of pandemics such as the Coronavirus, the effect of the pandemic on occupational perception, perceptions of the people around them of their profession in relation to the pandemic, and the approach toward any pandemic in the future in terms of their profession as a nurse. Pandemics such as Covid-19 can affect the occupational perceptions of nursing students.