Occupational Barriers Research Articles

Working with clients of higher weight in Australia: Findings from a national survey exploring occupational therapy practice.

Occupational therapists are key members of the multidisciplinary team and regularly work with people of higher weight across age groups and practice settings. There is limited existing research regarding the occupational therapy role with this client group. The aim of this study was to explore occupational therapy practice and barriers to service provision for Australian occupational therapists working with clients of higher weight. A cross-sectional study design using a self-administered online survey was distributed to members of the national occupational therapy professional association. The survey was designed to identify common assessments and interventions used with clients of higher weight and explore occupational therapists' perspectives on their knowledge and confidence and the barriers to service delivery. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise rating scales, and open-ended responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Eighty Australian occupational therapists working in a range of settings and with varied experience levels participated in the study. Participants described the most common areas of occupational therapy assessment and intervention when working with clients of higher weight to be self-care, equipment prescription, home modifications and pressure care. Respondents were least confident in interventions related to psychosocial, leisure and employment interventions. Barriers to service delivery included accessibility and cost of equipment, lack of training and weight stigma. Occupational therapy practice promotes and enables participation in everyday occupations with people of higher weight. This study highlights not only the occupational therapy skills and unique approach to the person, their environment and occupations but also the challenges faced by occupational therapists when working with people of higher weight. Occupational therapists could consider utilising the weight-inclusive paradigm to broaden their contribution from self-care to other important aspects of participation and well-being.

Sex work community participation in criminalized environments: a community-based cohort study of occupational health impacts in Vancouver, Canada: 2010\u20132019

BackgroundSex work criminalization and occupational stigma pose barriers to sex workers’ access to support services, including community participation — engagement with sex work specific community organizing at both formalized and grassroots capacities. In light of gaps in evidence regarding impacts of community participation on sex workers’ occupational health in higher-income settings, we evaluated engagement in community participation and associations with occupational sexual health outcomes among sex workers in Vancouver, Canada.MethodsProspective data from a community-based cohort of 943 women sex workers in Vancouver, British Columbia (2010–2019). We used logistic regression with generalised estimating equations (GEE) to model correlates of community participation, and a confounder modeling approach to examine the association of community participation on sexually transmitted infection (STI) seropositivity.ResultsAmong participants, 38.1% were Indigenous, 31.4% identified as women of colour (e.g., East Asian, Southeast Asian, Black) and 29.3% were im/migrants to Canada. Over a quarter (28.3%, n = 267) serviced in informal indoor spaces, while 38.0% (n = 358) serviced clients in outdoor/public and 31.4% (n = 296) in formal in-call spaces. 8.9% of participants reported sex work community participation at least once over the 9-year study. In multivariable GEE analysis, Indigenous (adjusted odds ratio(aOR) 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–3.32) and trans women (aOR 4.69, 95%CI 2.43–9.06) had higher odds of community participation; women of colour had lower odds (aOR 0.18, 95%CI 0.06–0.57). In a multivariable GEE confounder model, community participation was independently associated with lower odds of STI seropositivity (aOR 0.66, 95% CI0.45–0.96).ConclusionSex workers who engaged in sex work community participation faced reduced odds of STI seropositivity. Building off reserach evaluating community interventions in low and middle income contexts, our study provides some of the first quantitative evidence on community participation among sex workers in Canada, and is the first to examine this in relation to sexual health outcomes. This research demonstrates the need to scale up community participation access for sex workers, via linguistically diverse community spaces, anti-stigma initiatives, and decriminalization to reduce barriers faced by racialized sex workers and support occupational health and rights for all sex workers.

Mental health and help seeking among trauma-exposed emergency service staff: a qualitative evidence synthesis

ObjectivesTo identify factors and contexts that may contribute to mental health and recovery from psychological difficulties for emergency service workers (ESWs) exposed to occupational trauma, and barriers and facilitators to...

Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward tobacco control among rural community health care workers of primary subcenters in Belagavi district, Karnataka.

ABSTRACTContext:Tobacco is the common cause to a number of illnesses affecting millions of individuals all over the world. Primary care physicians are the initial point of contact for tobacco users, yet reaching everyone is impossible. Therefore, it is important to understand community health workers attitude to render community services in tobacco cessation counseling.Aim:To assess knowledge, attitude, practices, and occupational barriers toward tobacco control among community health care workers in Belagavi district, Karnataka.Settings and Design:This cross-sectional study was conducted in various subcenters of Belagavi district, Karnataka.Methods and Material:Simple random sampling technique was employed and 220 participants were interviewed using an interviewer administered questionnaire comprising of 22 close ended questions. Reliability of the questionnaire assessed with Cronbach’s a value of 0.85, face validity 84%, and content validity ratio 0.78.Statistical Analysis Used:The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi square analysis, correlation, and regression.Results:The mean knowledge score among Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers was 4.77 ± 2.11 and it was lower in Anganwadi workers 2.93 ± 2.55. There was a statistically significant difference in the attitude scores (P < 0.05) between the community health workers. The majority of the ASHA workers would spread awareness, on the other hand, Anganwadi workers did not take any specific step which showed statistically significant difference with a P value of 0.018.Conclusion:ASHA workers had been superior to Anganwadi workers with regard to knowledge and attitude toward tobacco control. However, knowledge regarding tobacco and its ill effects was below optimal level among community health workers which desires to thoroughly educate in the aspects of oral health and disorders as part of their training.

Economic Freedom in the Period of Invisible Punishment: Occupational and Business Licensing Barriers That Restrict Access to Work for Those with Criminal Records

Economic Freedom in the Period of Invisible Punishment: Occupational and Business Licensing Barriers That Restrict Access to Work for Those with Criminal Records

Flight attendant occupational nutrition and lifestyle factors associated with COVID-19 incidence

In the era of COVID-19, essential workers are plagued with unforeseen and obfuscated challenges. Flight attendants are a unique subgroup of essential workers who face a multitude of health risks attributed to occupational exposures that are accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Such risks can be ameliorated with strategies that target factors which enhance COVID-19 risk, including modifiable factors of diet and lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to detect occupational dietary and lifestyle factors which could increase COVID-19 incidence amongst flight attendants. To identify potential risk factors, a questionnaire was administered to eighty-four flight attendants and examined the participants’ diet and lifestyle, and COVID-19 incidence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression indicated that the participants’ perceived dietary quality at work (p = 0.003), sleep disruptions which impacted their consumption of a healthy diet (p = 0.013), job tenure (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.46:0.98) and frequency of reported cold/flu (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.014–2.189) were all factors associated with confirmed/suspected COVID-19 incidence. This study also revealed that a lack of infrastructure for food storage and time limitations are considerable occupational barriers for flight attendants to consume healthy foods. Additional investigation can further elucidate these relationships and related solutions to mitigate COVID-19 risk in the future.

Getting back to work: Experiences of the individual placement and support model from those with mental health conditions, an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Evidence continues to build on the value of Individual Placement and Support (IPS), enabling those with long-term mental health conditions to find mainstream employment. Many of these individuals would like to work; however, unemployment for this population remains high. IPS research thus far has targeted the effectiveness of the model, with less emphasis on how individuals perceive and experience IPS and the return to work. This study explores the barriers, enablers, meaning and personal experience of being supported to find work through IPS, for individuals with long-term mental health conditions. Findings based on lived experiences of nine participants from two Scottish centres running IPS, should be useful to enhance and develop services. This study involves qualitative data collection, using semi-structured interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Transcript analysis revealed three master themes: 1) "Working is good for me": positive aspects to working; 2) "Rome wasn't built in a day": time-unlimited supported journey and 3) "My inner critic": negative aspects to working. Participants praised IPS for the on-going practical and emotional support in overcoming self-identified occupational barriers. Paid employment was greatly associated with financial freedom, social inclusion, increased self-esteem and alleviation of depressive symptoms. Participants described the person-centred, time-unlimited approach taken by the employment specialists (ESs) or occupational therapists (OTs), as the main enabler to maintaining paid employment. Barriers, such as anxiety and work-related stress were identified, however, participants felt supported to overcome some of these negative symptoms.

Factors Involved in Praxis in Nursing Practice: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Praxis is a process of applying knowledge in nursing practice to advance emancipatory goals in society and in the world and to eliminate any injustice and discrimination in care. Praxis requires the coherent application of patterns of knowing in nursing practice; however, understanding nursing knowledge is complex and using experiential knowledge alone cannot help us achieve it. The aim of this study was to determine the factors involved in praxis in nursing practice.Methods: The method adopted was qualitative. The researcher interviewed 19 nurses and attended eight observation sessions in different hospital departments. The findings were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: Findings from analyzing interviews and observations indicated that desirable and humanistic attributes and effective nurse-patient communication are facilitators of praxis. In contrast, prejudice, occupational barriers, negative thoughts, and discriminatory beliefs are barriers of praxis in nursing practice. Conclusion: If we consider praxis as the simultaneous application of all patterns of knowing alongside efforts to create social justice, factors that drive nurse performance toward social justice, facilitate praxis, and factors that contribute to varied degrees of discrimination and injustice, inhibit praxis. By identifying these factors, nurses may identify and eliminate social justice barriers to care.

First Contact Practitioners\u2019 (FCPs) and General Practitioners\u2019 Perceptions Towards FCPs Delivering Vocational Advice to Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Qualitative Investigation of the Implementation Potential of the I-SWAP Initiative

Purpose Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is a common cause of work absence. The recent SWAP (Study of Work And Pain) randomised controlled trial (RCT) found that a brief vocational advice service for primary care patients with MSK pain led to fewer days’ work absence and provided good return-on-investment. The I-SWAP (Implementation of the Study of Work And Pain) initiative aimed to deliver an implementation test-bed of the SWAP vocational advice intervention with First Contact Practitioners (FCP). This entailed adapting the SWAP vocational advice training to fit the FCP role. This qualitative investigation explored the implementation potential of FCPs delivering vocational advice for patients with MSK pain. Methods Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 10 FCPs and 5 GPs. Data were analysed thematically and findings explored using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT). Results I-SWAP achieved a degree of ‘coherence’ (i.e. made sense), with both FCPs and GPs feeling FCPs were well-placed to discuss work issues with these patients. However, for many of the FCPs, addressing or modifying psychosocial and occupational barriers to return-to-work was not considered feasible within FCP consultations, and improving physical function was prioritised. Concerns were also raised that employers would not act on FCPs’ recommendations regarding return-to-work. Conclusion FCPs appear well-placed to discuss work issues with MSK patients, and signpost/refer to other services; however, because they often only see patients once they are less suited to deliver other aspects of vocational advice. Future research is needed to explore how best to provide vocational advice in primary care settings.

Beyond professional closure: Uncovering the hidden history of plain accountants

The received narrative about accounting organisation largely originates from within the walls of the profession, assuming closure, and is not sufficiently informed by an understanding of the actions, experiences and perspectives of those who did not engage in the professional project. Our data offer another perspective, that of the majority of accountants in the field, who prospered for a prolonged period without pursuing strategies of closure or seeking a corporate identity. With a Bourdieusian framing, we explore a rich dataset of almost 3000 individual records from the 1901 and 1911 Irish censuses, supplemented by professional records and trade directories, to examine the diversity of the accounting field in Dublin.Our exploration of this cohort, largely hidden from history, reveals a majority of accountants acting independently in the field, with no strategies to act in concert or to erect occupational barriers to entry. The small minority of accountants pursuing professionalisation came from a background that was already elite. However, in a late colonial context with a weakened state, this broader group of accountants did not present as either excluded or subaltern. Instead, what emerges is evidence of a wider cadre of “Plain” accountants displaying a level of economic progress over a ten-year period that outstrips that of their professionalised peers. Conscious of the ‘imprecision of hierarchies’ in the field (Bourdieu 1988, p. 20), this allows us to consider the role of ‘accountant’ separate from the idea of professional accreditation and to question the seeming inevitability of their conflation.

Latinx adolescents' ethnic-racial discrimination and expected future barriers over time.

Expecting discrimination in one's future occupation is known to have negative implications for adolescents' career pathways. However, little is known about how such discriminatory expectations emerge. The current contentious sociopolitical climate toward immigrants, especially those of Latinx heritage, has contributed to heightened discrimination against adolescents in this group. The present study examined how experiences of discrimination over time relate to youths' expectations of future occupational barriers among 148 Latinx adolescents at 3 annual waves (82% U.S.-born; 53% female; Mage = 13.54 at Wave 1). Results suggest that Latinx youth report increasing exposure to ethnic-racial discrimination and objectification as a perceived foreigner over time. Moreover, as Latinx youth perceived more ethnic-racial discrimination and foreigner objectification over the course of adolescence they increasingly expected to face racial and ethnic barriers in their future occupations. Implications of these findings for an increasing Latinx youth and working-age population in the United States are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparing psychological characteristics with organizational conflicts and occupational innovation barriers

PurposeThis study aims to assess the auditor's psychological characteristics (self-consciousness, envy, prejudice, trust, cautiousness, happiness, agility, shyness, aggressiveness, forgiveness) on organizational conflicts and occupational innovation barriers in Iraqi audit firms. In other words, the study attempts to answer the question that “whether the psychological characteristics of the auditor can settle the organizational conflicts and occupational innovation barriers of audit firms or not.”Design/methodology/approachThe statistical population includes 195 employed auditors in Iraqi audit firms, among whom 131 participants are selected using the Cochran sampling method in 2020.FindingsThe results show a positive and significant relationship between auditors' psychological characteristics, organizational conflicts and occupational innovation barriers in audit firms.Originality/valueSince no study is carried out so far on the effect of different types of psychological characteristics on organizational conflicts and occupational innovation barriers in Iraqi audit firms, this paper can provide useful information and contribute to science and knowledge development.

Torn between the Old and New World of Work: Insights into the Modernised Semi-Profession of the Fashion IndustryDate submitted: December 31, 2019Date accepted after double-blind review: February 1, 2021

This paper explores how persistent gender inequalities of the old world of work are amplified by the new world of work. Focusing on the fashion industry of Berlin, the article offers insight into a female-dominated field of labour as a particular field of labour of the cultural and creative industries (CCI). The CCI is regarded as a role model for new work. However, they entail deep gender inequalities in terms of segregation, low status and low pay. The paper addresses the question of how these gendered inequalities in the fashion industry are intertwined with its professional mechanisms and training structures. Based on a qualitative study, I argue that the fashion industry is a modernised semi-profession, which has been undergoing a market-driven professionalisation. However, this new pathway into the fashion industry fails to fully professionalise that industry. On contrary, it erects new occupational barriers into the field of labour that help establish high qualified and low qualified fashion work that also aids in polarising the still mostly female workforce in terms of status and rewards. Overall, it should become clear that the fashion industry is torn between the old and new world of work which helps to maintain or even reinforce traditional gender inequalities.

Migrant Worker Safety, Occupational Health Equity, and Labor Trafficking

The US Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 has helped reduce workplace fatalities and injuries. However, fatalities in migrant workers have disproportionately increased. This editorial discusses 1) how inequitably beneficial this health law has been for migrant workers 2) the unique occupational health risks labor trafficked migrants face 3) the role public health can play in addressing the needs of labor-trafficked migrant workers. Physical and emotional hazards, intrinsic to the notably dangerous occupations, are disproportionately felt by migrant workers due to systemic barriers including but not limited to economic hardship and coercion, language barriers, fear of legal repercussions, lack of protective equipment, racism and xenophobia. Labor trafficked workers also face additional significant occupational health risks and barriers to accessing medical care. Our recommendations to protect labor trafficked migrant workers involve improvements in research, policy, medical education, and health care delivery

Labor Market Effects of Spatial Licensing Requirements: Evidence from CPA Mobility

ABSTRACTWe exploit the staggered introduction of CPA Mobility provisions in the United States to study the effects of spatial licensing requirements on the labor market for accounting professionals. Specifically, we examine whether the removal of licensing‐induced geographic barriers affects CPA wages and employment levels, as well as the pricing and quality of professional services. We find that, subsequent to the adoption of CPA Mobility provisions, wages of accounting professionals decrease, whereas employment levels are unaffected. The documented wage effect stems from smaller CPA firms, is more pronounced for CPAs holding senior positions, and persists over time. We also find that service prices decline and that this effect is concentrated in local CPA firms. Moreover, we document that the increased wage and price pressure is not associated with deteriorating service quality. Collectively, our results suggest that the removal of occupational licensing barriers has sizable effects on labor supply and service prices. Our findings inform the current regulatory debate on occupational licensing.

Differences in the Occupational Engagement and Career Barriers Depending on the Clusters of the sub-dimensions of the meaning in life

본 연구는 삶의 의미추구와 의미발견을 서로 독립적인 요인으로 보고, 군집분석을 사용하여 두 변인 간의 상호작용에 따른 대학생의 삶의 의미 발달 유형별 진로관여행동과 진로장벽 수준을 살펴보고자 하였다. 이를 위해 216명의 대학생을 대상으로 설문을 수집하고 군집분석을 실시하였다. 그 결과 4개의 군집이 도출되었다. 각 집단의 의미추구와 의미발견 특성에 따라 군집 1은 ‘의미발견 중심형(의미추구 저-의미발견 고)’, 군집 2는 ‘의미 부재형(의미추구 저-의미발견 저)’, 군집 3은 ‘의미추구 중심형(의미추구 고-의미발견 저)’, 군집 4는 ‘의미 성취형(의미추구 고-의미발견 고)’로 분류되었다. 다변량 분산분석을 실시하여 진로관여행동 및 진로장벽 수준 차이를 확인한 결과, 군집 간에 차이가 있었다. ‘의미 성취형(군집 4)’이 진로관여행동 수준이 가장 높고 진로장벽 수준이 제일 낮은 반면, ‘의미 부재형’(군집 2)은 진로관여행동 수준이 제일 낮고 진로장벽 수준이 제일 높았다. 본 연구는 삶의 의미를 의미추구와 의미발견 수준에 따라 구분하여 각 집단에 따른 진로발달 상태 차이를 살펴봄으로써 진로상담 및 교육 장면에서 서로 다른 특성을 가진 대학생들을 위한 개입 방법을 모색하는데 필요한 단서를 제시한 점에 의의가 있다.

Multiracial Feminism: An Intersectional Approach to Examining Female Officers’ Occupational Barriers in Federal Law Enforcement

There has been a rise in scholarship targeting women’s experiences in federal law enforcement. Missing, however, are the women of color, as all previous studies capture women as a homogeneous group without regard to race/ethnicity. Using a combined survey dataset from sworn female officers (n = 1,189) employed by two federal law enforcement agencies, this article employs multiracial feminism as a framework to differentiate women’s experiences in the workplace and provides an exploratory analysis of occupational barriers utilizing an intersectional approach to race and gender. Specifically, this study employs an independent-samples t-test to explore the responses between White women and minority women, as well as each minority racial/ethnic group. The findings suggest women of color collectively, as well as individual minority racial/ethnic groups, have varying workplace experiences and perspectives in comparison to White women, especially in response to a perceived glass ceiling to promotions, an inclusive work culture, and experiencing sex discrimination.

Does Agency Type Matter for Female Federal Agents? Exploring the Offices of Inspectors General

Recent scholarship has examined the barriers women experience in well-known federal law enforcement agencies. However, there is scant research that examines a unique subgrouping of agents within the federal Offices of Inspectors General (OIGs). Drawing on survey data from 249 female agents, this study compares responses between female agents working in the OIGs and female agents working in all other federal law enforcement agencies to differentiate their experiences. Findings suggest that female agents in the OIGs experience less occupational barriers, namely, reduced number of relocations and incidences of sexual harassment, as well as higher agency adoption of family-friendly policies to promote work–life balance, resulting in women’s higher representation at those agencies.

Occupational barriers to accessing and adhering to antiretroviral therapy for female sex workers living with HIV in South Africa

ObjectivesWhile female sex workers (FSW) are nearly 14 times more likely to be living with HIV than non-FSW, less than 40% of FSW living with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy...

Heat-related knowledge, perceptions, and barriers among oil spill cleanup responders

Despite increased risk for heat-related illnesses (HRI) among oil spill cleanup responders, little research has examined factors related to the issue. This study assessed occupational heat-related knowledge, perceptions, and barriers among responders during cleanup activities. A total of 65 responders completed an online survey which examined occupational heat stress during cleanup activities. Of the respondents, most had 25 or more years’ experience, worked for companies with 19 or fewer employees, were not classified as safety and health professionals, had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, and worked in the northern or central regions of the United States. While most respondents were knowledgeable of heat stress, the items in which respondents were least knowledgeable were: identifying the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the appropriate use of salt tablets, the effects of air conditioning on acclimatization, and previous heat-related illness (HRI) as a risk factor. For knowledge of heat stress, there was a significant difference in the employment classification scores for non-safety and health professionals and safety and health professionals. Respondents reported that they tended to perceive that heat stress can be severe and that HRI’s may affect workers. Regarding self-efficacy, most respondents felt confident in contacting emergency medical services for HRI, recognizing signs and symptoms of HRI, and knowing what to do if a coworker became ill. Oil spill cleanup responders are at high risk for HRI, injury, and death and findings illustrate the need to improve heat stress knowledge within training programs with emphasis on non-professionals.