Psychosocial Hazards Research Articles

GAMBARAN HAZARD KERJA PADA PERAWAT DI SMC RS TELOGOREJO

The hospital environment has the potential for disease transmission, nurses as implementing nursing care are at risk of contracting infectious diseases in carrying out their duties. In hospitals, there are occupational hazards including biological hazards, chemical hazards, ergonomic hazards, physical hazards, and psychosocial hazards. The purpose of this study was to describe the occupational hazard of nurses at SMC RS Telogorejo. This research is a descriptive survey by conducting observations and interviews, the technique of determining the sample is non-probability sampling, the type of purposive sampling with a large sample of 228 respondents. The results of this study illustrate that the majority of nurses have exposure to physical work hazards (cold climate), biological work hazards (airborne), chemical hazards (use of disinfectant liquids and handscoons), ergonomic work hazards (medical measures), and psychosocial work hazards (workload). From this study it was found that overall, nurses at SMC RS Telogorejo were exposed to occupational hazards in the mild category. It is expected that the SMC RS Telogorejo will monitor and evaluate the implementation of K3RS for nurses in carrying out their duties and responsibilities so as to improve the performance, safety and health of nurses.

A participatory ergonomics intervention to re-design work and improve the musculoskeletal health of paramedics: protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundIn this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of a participative risk management intervention to address work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The aims of the study include to evaluate the implementation process and the impact of the intervention on work related musculoskeletal pain and discomfort and exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards in paramedics over a 12-month period.MethodsThe intervention in this study is to implement A Participative Hazard Identification and Risk Management (APHIRM) toolkit in an ambulance service. Eighteen work groups containing eligible participants (registered paramedics) will be randomised into the intervention or wait-list control arm in one of three rolling recruitment periods. The APHIRM toolkit survey will be offered at baseline and 12 months later, to all current eligible participants in each work group allocated to the trial. The intervention work groups will receive the remainder of the APHIRM toolkit procedures. Identifying data about individual participants will not be collected in the survey, to protect participant privacy and encourage participation. Changes in primary (musculoskeletal pain and discomfort) and secondary (exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards at work) outcomes measured in the survey will be analysed comparing the baseline and follow up response of the cluster. A process evaluation is included to analyse the implementation and associated barriers or facilitators.DiscussionThis study is important in providing a comprehensive approach which focusses on both physical and psychosocial hazards using worker participation, to address WMSDs, a well-known and significant problem for ambulance services. The effectiveness of the intervention in work groups will be rigorously evaluated. If significant positive results are observed, the intervention may be adopted in ambulance services, both nationally and internationally.Trial registrationISRCTN77150219. Registered 21 November 2021.

Work Stressors Before and During COVID-19 Pandemic and Factors Related to Workers in the Heavy Equipment Manufacturing Industry of PT.X

Psychosocial hazards are a major public health problem, so it is necessary to prevent and manage them so as not to cause mental and physical harm to workers. This study aims to determine changes in work stressors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors to workers in the PT.X Heavy equipment manufacturing industry. The study used a retrospective cohort design from 2018 and 2021 Medical Check-Up (MCU) data with a Stress Diagnosis Survey (SDS) questionnaire. Research was conducted from October 2021 until July 2022 with samples of 146 obtained. Bivariate analysis using proportion and mean test. The research found that the increase in moderate-severe stressors before and during the pandemic was role ambiguity, role conflict, quantitative workload, and career development. On the other hand, qualitative workloads and responsibility for others decreased during the pandemic. The most worsened was role ambiguity and responsibility for others. Based on the type of production and non-production work, there was a significant relationship to quantitative workload before the pandemic (p=0.043), and not significant during the pandemic. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship with qualitative workload during the pandemic (p = 0.043), and it was not significant before the pandemic. It can be concluded that the Pandemic conditions caused an increase and decrease in work stressors analysed in workers in the heavy equipment manufacturing industry.

Psychosocial Safety and Health Hazards and Their Impacts on Offshore Oil and Gas Workers

The offshore oil and gas working environment is an inherently dangerous one, with risks posed to physical safety on a daily basis. One neglected field of research is the added psychosocial stressors present in this environment. This research examined the experiences of offshore oil and gas workers through one-on-one online interviews which were recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed through the qualitative software NVivo, which generated themes and patterns for the responses given to questions that were developed through a focus group. The results of the analysis showed that multiple psychosocial stressors are present in this population, such as fear of speaking up, unsatisfactory company-provided facilities, work–life interference, work status, micromanaging, gender harassment and bullying. In addition, interviews identified that production and time pressures, along with fatigue, can influence accidents and mistakes. Climate factors also cause discomfort. However, these are managed according to best practices by organizations. Due to the timing of the study, COVID-19 was a significant stressor for some, but not all, employees. In conclusion, offshore oil and gas workers face multiple stressors in a dangerous environment that may lead to devastating consequences.

Employees with mental disorders seeking support from the workers compensation system - experiences from Denmark.

In Europe it is commonly accepted that psychosocial hazards may influence the mental health of employees. However, mental disorders such as depression are generally not acknowledged as an occupational disease covered by the workers compensation system. Studies indicate that workers compensation claim processes may affect employee's health negatively due to a demanding case process. If filing a workers' compensation claim can harm the employees' health, it is highly relevant to pay attention to employees with mental health claims, as they are most likely vulnerable and face a very low chance of compensation. This study investigates how employees with work-related mental disorders experience the process of seeking workers compensation from the Danish Workers' Compensation System. Interview (N = 13) and questionnaire (N = 436) data from claimants were analysed. Analysis showed that even though many employees wished for the claim to influence the conditions at the workplace, there seemed to be a lack of preventive health and safety initiatives in the workplaces. Central stakeholders such as health and safety representatives were often not involved. Management involvement was often experienced negatively, and the Danish Working Environment Authority rarely conducted workplace inspections. Employees experienced inadequate information about the workers' compensation process and experienced a lack of coordination between stakeholders. A more supportive and coordinated approach in the Workers' Compensation System is recommendable. The processes in the system could be evaluated using the Social Insurance Literacy concept, to ensure sufficient support of the claimants and reduce potential harmful aspects of the process.

The Prevalence of Occupational Accidents and the Associated Factors Among Janitorial Staff at a University Teaching Hospital in South Ethiopia.

The healthcare industry is widely regarded as a high-risk environment for workers' occupational health and safety. As a result, healthcare workers are constantly exposed to a wide range of hazards, including biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial hazards. Consequently, janitorial staff are the most vulnerable section of the healthcare workforce to occupational injuries when compared to others due to the nature of their work. Therefore, this study aims at assessing the magnitude of occupational accidents and associated factors among Janitorial staff at Dilla University Teaching Hospital. This cross-sectional institutional-based study was conducted from August to September 2022 at a University Teaching Hospital in South Ethiopia. A total of 105 janitorial staff were included in the study with a response rate of 93.8%. The data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7.2.5 and exported to IBM SPSS statistics 22 for further cleaning and analysis. The binary logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of occupational accidentsand variables with a p-value of <0.05 during the multivariable analysis were considered statistically significant. The prevalence of occupational accidents is 61% (95% CI: 51.4, 70.5). Of the total study participants, 52 (45.5%) and 33 (31.4%) of the participants had reported that they have experienced chemical splash and needle stick injury, respectively. The age of participants was one of the factors for occupational accidents. The participants who did not receive training were 3 times [AOR=2.9, 95% CI (1.04, 8.02)] more likely exposed. Having good practice was protective against occupational injuries. The study highlights the high prevalence of occupational accidents, particularly chemical splashes, and needle stick injuries, among janitors in the study settings. The study emphasizes the importance of age, training, awareness, and adherence to infection prevention and control strategies as factors influencing the likelihood of experiencing occupational injuries.

Effects of Casualisation on Mental Wellbeing and Risk Management in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

This qualitative study was conducted with the aim of identifying psychosocial hazards in Australian offshore oil and gas facilities. Twenty-nine offshore oil and gas workers were interviewed via video link. Results indicated that, apart from the presence of a high-risk work environment as a source of mental and physical strain, there are organisational-specific stressors that cause workers' significant distress. Research results from NVivo analysis revealed that casualisation of the workforce was a major psychosocial hazard for offshore oil and gas workers, which resulted in feelings of insecurity, vulnerability and disconnection from work teams. In addition, a lack of stable income, an absence of opportunities to plan for the future and unsettled living arrangements worsen an already precarious existence. Findings show that a culture of blame and fear persists in some organisations, along with a lack of accountability and fear of making mistakes. The process of hiring, firing and rehiring was found to be a common practice by organisations in order to avoid their duty under the Fair Work Act amendments to offer casual conversion to their employees. Findings can be used to help inform organisational policies and assist in the development of risk control measures to minimise psychosocial hazards for offshore workers.

Do work-family conflict or family-work conflict mediate relationships between work-related hazards and stress and pain?

Previous research has identified associations between work-family conflict (WFC) and health outcomes (e.g., musculoskeletal pain). This study investigated whether WFC and family-work conflict explain relationships between exposure to work-related hazards and musculoskeletal pain and stress for workers undertaking some or all of their work at home. Possible differences by home workspace location were also explored. Longitudinal survey data were collected from workers in Australia engaged in work from home for at least two days per week. Data was collected at four timepoints approximately 6 months apart (Baseline [October 2020] n = 897; Wave 1 [May/June 2021] n = 368; Wave 2 [October/November 2021] n = 336; Wave 3 [May 2022] n = 269). Subjective measures of work-related psychosocial hazards, occupational sitting and physical activity, musculoskeletal pain, and stress were collected via an online questionnaire. Mediation analyses were conducted using the R package "mediation." Analyses were also conducted with the data set stratified by home office location, using R version 4.1.3. Both WFC and family-work conflict acted as mediators between psychosocial work-related hazards and musculoskeletal pain and stress. WFC mediated more relationships than family-work conflict. Location of home workspace was important, particularly for those working in a space at home where they may be subject to interruptions. Addressing WFC is a legitimate means through which musculoskeletal pain and stress can be reduced. Organizational risk management strategies need to address all work-related risks, including those stemming from work-life interaction.

Work-related burnout among public secondary school teachers is significantly influenced by the psychosocial work factors: a cross-sectional study from Ethiopia.

Work-related burnout (WRB) is the degree of physical and psychological fatigue and exhaustion perceived by individuals as related to their work. Even though the condition is widespread across various occupations, teachers inevitably experience high levels of burnout in their work, which can have long-term effects on their health and well-being. However, in developing countries such as Ethiopia, the lack of reliable data on psychosocial hazards, including work-related burnout, often encumbers officials from planning preventive measures. This study investigated the prevalence and contributing factors of work-related burnout among public secondary school teachers in Gondar City, northwestern Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2022. A sample of 588 teachers was recruited using simple random sampling. Work-related burnout was assessed using a standardized seven-item Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered into EpiData and analyzed using SPSS. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with work-related burnout. The overall response rate was 94.05% (N = 553). The majority of participants, 356 (64.4%), were male. The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 38.74 (±7.65) years. This study demonstrated that the prevalence of work-related burnout among school teachers in the past 12 months was 37.4% (n = 207). High job demands, job stress, job dissatisfaction, low role clarity, and student demotivation were found to be the psychosocial work factors that significantly influenced the prevalence of work-related burnout among school teachers. This study highlights the high prevalence of work-related burnout among public secondary school teachers. Psychosocial work factors such as job demands, job stress, job satisfaction, role clarity, and student demotivation were significant factors influencing work-related burnout. To reduce the condition, it is recommended to take measures to cope with high job demands, improve stress management skills, promote job satisfaction strategies, clarify teachers' responsibilities, and use effective teaching practices to motivate students. In general, addressing psychosocial work factors needs to be central to efforts to prevent teacher burnout.

Occupational hazards of Indian shrimp farm workers

The paper reviews a range of global aquaculture health and safety literature to inform and contribute to the development of a socio-economic profile of Indian shrimp farm workers including the occupational hazards and injuries they face. In addition, 60 shrimp farm workers were interviewed from each of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The study revealed that all shrimp farm workers were male, 58% were migrants, and ages ranged from 23 to 53 years with work experience of 5 to 24 years. Few workers (14%) had no formal schooling and many had secondary-level education. Reported physical hazards were high (93%) followed by biological (82%), chemical (77%), ergonomic (71%) and psycho-social (71%) hazards. The majority of physical injuries reported related to slips, falls and cuts (51%), electric shocks (44%), sunburn (41%), dehydration/headaches (40%) and fractures (27%). Approximately 30%–39% had some chemical injury with skin infections/breathing problems. Indian shrimp farm workers face similar occupational hazards and injuries to shrimp farm workers in other countries. The occupational health and safety of shrimp farm workers should be integrated into the concept of ‘One Health’ to ensure aquaculture sustainability and safe, meaningful and good quality employment to workers.

Psychosocial hazards play a key role in differentiating MSD risk levels of workers in high-risk occupations

ObjectivesWorkplace management practices targeting risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) fail to reflect evidence that risk is affected by psychosocial as well as physical hazards. To promote improved practices in occupations where MSD risk is highest, better information is needed on how psychosocial hazards, combined with physical hazards, affect risk of workers in these occupations. MethodsSurvey ratings of physical and psychosocial hazards by 2329 Australian workers in occupations with high MSD risk were subjected to Principal Components Analysis. Latent Profile Analysis of hazard factor scores identified different combinations of hazards to which latent subgroups of workers were typically exposed. Survey ratings of frequency and severity of musculoskeletal discomfort or pain (MSP) generated a pre-validated MSP score and its relationship with subgroup membership was analysed. Demographic variables associated with group membership were investigated using regression modelling and descriptive statistics. ResultsAnalyses identified three physical and seven psychosocial hazard factors and three participant subgroups with differing hazard profiles. Profile group differences were greater for psychosocial than physical hazards, and MSP scores out of 60 ranged from 6.7 for the low hazard profile (29% of participants) to 17.5 for the high hazard profile (21%). Differences between occupations in hazard profiles were not large. ConclusionsBoth physical and psychosocial hazards affect MSD risk of workers in high-risk occupations. In workplaces such as this large Australian sample where risk management has focused on physical hazards, actions targeting psychosocial hazards may now be the most effective way to reduce risk further.

The Golden Age of the Big Data Audit: Agile Practices and Innovations for E-Commerce, Post-Quantum Cryptography, Psychosocial Hazards, Artificial Intelligence Algorithm Audits, and Deepfakes

Since the audit of the Parthenon in the 5th century, the audit has remained unchanged, focusing backward on financial statements. Global regulatory pressures are mounting for audit professionals and public accounting firms to make structural changes. In the 21st century, a new type of audit, the EPSAC value audit, is emerging, focusing on non-financial information, including operational data from company business functions and processes, and big external data, including social media. In addition, EPSAC focuses on the critical engagement areas of e-commerce, post-quantum cryptography, psychosocial hazards, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and tackling deepfakes. While a talent shortage of subject matter experts exists, auditors can use artificial intelligence knowledge bases to deliver the value audit. Such knowledge bases extend to the key EPSAC domains of cybersecurity and ESG, creating proxies for virtual team members. For example, industry 5.0, combining A.I. and IoT innovations, requires auditors to augment their skill sets with knowledge bases beyond traditional financial expertise to effectively navigate the complexities of the changing business environment, enhance the quality of audits, and provide valuable insights and assurance to stakeholders.

Determinants of Home Economics Lecturers’ Psychological Work Hazards in Southeast Nigerian Universities

Nigerian schools are diverse, resulting in psychological hazards for most workers, particularly teachers. It is common for teachers to suffer from psychosocial work hazards in Nigeria, yet no research has been conducted to examine how teachers' demographics influence such hazards. Therefore, this study investigated the psychological hazards faced by Home Economics lecturers based on their age and location. The researcher employed an ex-post fact design and a quantitative approach to study 62 Home Economics lecturers in southeast Nigerian universities. In the study, researchers devised a 28-item questionnaire to collect data about work deviant behavior. A reliability index of 0.76 was estimated for the items of the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The findings revealed a high prevalence of Psychological job hazards among Home Economics lecturers in Southeast Universities. Psychological job hazards of Home Economics lecturers were not significantly influenced by their age or location. This implies that psychosocial job risks are not greatly influenced by the age and location of Home Economics lecturers. In conclusion, it was recommended that secondary school authorities consider teacher age and location when assessing psychosocial work hazards.

Health Research in the Wake of Disasters: Challenges and Opportunities for Sensor Science.

Disaster events adversely affect the health of millions of individuals each year. They create exposure to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards while simultaneously exploiting community and individual-level vulnerabilities that allow such exposures to exert harm. Since 2013, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has led the development of the Disaster Research Response (DR2) program and infrastructure; however, research exploring the nature and effects of disasters on human health is lacking. One reason for this research gap is the challenge of developing and deploying cost-effective sensors for exposure assessment during disaster events. The objective of this commentary is to synergize the consensus findings and recommendations from a panel of experts on sensor science in support of DR2. The NIEHS convened the workshop, "Getting Smart about Sensors for Disaster Response Research" on 28 and 29 July 2021 to discuss current gaps and recommendations for moving the field forward. The workshop invited full discussion from multiple viewpoints, with the goal of identifying recommendations and opportunities for further development of this area of research. The panel of experts included leaders in engineering, epidemiology, social and physical sciences, and community engagement, many of whom had firsthand experience with DR2. The primary finding of this workshop is that exposure science in support of DR2 is severely lacking. We highlight unique barriers to DR2, such as the need for time-sensitive exposure data, the chaos and logistical challenges that ensue from a disaster event, and the lack of a robust market for sensor technologies in support of environmental health science. We highlight a need for sensor technologies that are more scalable, reliable, and versatile than those currently available to the research community. We also recommend that the environmental health community renew efforts in support of DR2 facilitation, collaboration, and preparedness. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12270.

Evaluation of Occupational Hazards among Workers in Selected Abattoirs in Port Harcourt

Aim: The study aimed at investigating the occupational hazards among abattoir workers in selected abattoirs in Port Harcourt.&#x0D; Study Design: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in order to determine and evaluate the prevalent occupational hazards that abattoir workers were exposed to using a well-structured questionnaire. Three abattoirs were randomly selected for the study which involved abattoir workers, randomly picked from three different abattoirs in Port Harcourt. The study was conducted using a well-structured questionnaire and 140 respondents participated in the study.&#x0D; Methodology: Five categories of occupational hazards namely physical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial and chemical hazards were investigated. Z-test analysis was carried out to determine if there existed any significant impact posed by these hazards and the results of the analysis showed that the hazards were significant among abattoir workers. In addition, the data obtained was also analyzed using the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) in order to rank the prevalence of these hazards posed to abattoir workers.&#x0D; Results: Biological hazard was ranked as a Class 1 hazard with a 71.53% percentage occurrence. This was closely followed by ergonomic and physical hazards ranked as Class 2 hazards with percentage occurrences of 64.29% and 54.28% respectively. Psychosocial hazard was ranked as Class 3 hazards having a percentage occurrence of 60.95% while chemical hazard was ranked as Class 4 hazards with a percentage occurrence of 35.24%.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study thus confirmed the presence of the aforementioned hazards as critical in influencing abattoir workers. It was therefore recommended that abattoir workers be trained to increase their level of awareness and knowledge of these occupational hazards in order to protect their health and safety at work.

Examining the Predictors of Turnover Behavior in Newly Employed Certified Nurse Aides: A Prospective Cohort Study

BackgroundThe turnover rate of nurse aides in Taiwan is high. However, the predictors of turnover behavior in the newly employed are still unclear. ObjectiveTo examine the predictors of turnover behavior in newly employed licensed nurse aides. MethodsA longitudinal study design was used and subjects were newly employed certified nurse aides from a nurse aid training association in Taiwan. A total of five questionnaire surveys were conducted. The questionnaire was mainly used to collect information on turnover behavior, personal socioeconomic background, workplace psychosocial hazards, worker health hazards, and musculoskeletal disorders. ResultsA total of 300 participants were recruited in the study. Cox regression analysis results showed that short working experience (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.21, p < 0.01), work as non-home nurse aides (HR = 0.58, p = 0.01), low monthly salary (HR = 0.68, p < 0.01), high work mental load (HR = 1.01, p = 0.01), low workplace justice (HR = 0.97, p < 0.01), high workplace violence (HR = 1.60, p < 0.01), high burnout (HR = 1.01, p = 0.04), poor mental health (HR = 1.06, p = 0.04), and high total number of musculoskeletal disorder sites (HR = 1.08, p = 0.01) contribute to a higher risk of turnover. ConclusionThe results indicated that employment period, work as a home nurse aide, monthly salary, work mental load, workplace justice, workplace violence, work-related burnout, mental health, and total number of musculoskeletal disorder sites are predictors of turnover behavior in newly employed certified nurse aides.

Work Challenges and Health of Immigrant Hotel Housekeepers: Part 2.

Hotel housekeepers' major responsibility is to perform cleaning tasks. In the course of performing their duties, hotel housekeepers are disproportionately exposed to multiple workplace hazards (i.e., physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards) that put them at risk of adverse health consequences. This study aims to discover the occupational and health challenges encountered by immigrant hotel housekeepers in Orlando, Florida, and help hotel management to develop strategies to improve their occupational health. This study adopted an interviewer-administered survey method for data collection. Data were collected from members of the United Here Union, Local 7373 in Orlando, Florida. Trained Spanish-English bilingual associates of the Union administered the surveys through interviews with participants. Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression were employed to analyze data (n = 140) using SPSS 22. This study shows that Florida hotel housekeepers participating in this study worked under great time pressures, endured excessive workloads, did not have enough time to rest and recover, and often skipped or shortened lunch breaks. Participants believed that their employers valued work productivity more than their safety and health. More than half of the respondents experienced racial discrimination at their workplaces. The article brings an important contribution to the awareness of housekeepers' feelings toward their work and the need for effective safety and health policies and programs.

Psychosocial hazards affecting mental health in the construction industry: a qualitative study in Australia

PurposeMental health problems are a grave concern in construction. Although the distinction between high job demands and low job resources, as reflected in the Job Demands-Resources (JD–R) model, has been used to examine the extent to which psychosocial hazards influence mental health for construction practitioners, limited research has reflected on the nature of these psychosocial hazards by exploring experiences of site-based construction practitioners.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a phenomenological approach to examine people’ experiences and thoughts of the complex phenomena of psychosocial hazards and mental health in construction. In total, 33 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with site-based construction practitioners in Australia to unveil construction-focused psychosocial hazards and their effects on mental health. The data were analysed via content analysis, employing an interpretation-focused coding strategy to code text and an individual-based sorting strategy to cluster codes.FindingsEighteen psychosocial hazards were identified based on the JD–R model. Six of these represented a new contribution, describing salient characteristics inherent to the construction context (i.e. safety concerns, exposure to traumatic events, job insecurity, task interdependency, client demand and contract pressure). Of particular importance, a number of interrelationships among psychosocial hazards emerged.Originality/valueThe significance of this qualitative research lies in elucidating psychosocial hazards and their complex interrelatedness in the context of the mental health of construction practitioners, enriching the understanding of this central health and safety issue in the high-risk setting of construction work. The findings contribute to addressing mental health issues in the Australian construction industry by identifying higher order control measures, thereby creating a mentally healthy workplace.

Impacts of university lecturers demographic characteristics on their psychosocial work hazards

There are a number of psychological risks associated with work for the majority of workers, and lecturers in particular. Nigerian workplaces are known to present psychosocial dangers, however, no studies have examined how the lecture attributes may affect these risks. In order to determine whether demographic factors can affect psychological workplace risks of academics, researchers examined factors such as age, education, and location of the university. A sample of 185 lecturers from universities in southeast Nigeria participated in the study, which utilized a qualitative research strategy and an ex-post facto research design. The study's data were collected using an adapted Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. A reliability index of 0.87 was calculated for the survey items. In order to analyze the data, we applied the statistical procedure called analysis of variance. While lecturers' ages and university location affected their psychosocial occupational hazards, their educational qualification did not play a significant role. As a result, lecturers are more likely to experience psychological workplace risks as they grow older. It is recommended that University authorities should consider the age of candidates when making their hiring decisions in order to avoid recruiting lecturers more likely to suffer psychological hazards.

A Bayesian Network Model for the Impacts of Psychosocial Hazards on the Mental Health of Site-Based Construction Practitioners

Although the influence of psychosocial hazards on mental health has been widely recognized, the complex pattern of psychosocial hazards in the prediction of mental health still needs to be identified. Bayesian networks serve as an important, and as yet untapped, method to achieve this aim. As such, a Bayesian network (BN) was developed to assess the influence of psychosocial hazards on mental health based on survey data from 186 site-based construction practitioners and informed by the literature and expert knowledge. Results indicated that 66% of this target population suffered from poor mental health (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe states). Poor physical environment, contract pressure, and lack of coworker support were the root nodes in the model, which played an important role in determining the probability of other psychosocial hazards. Lack of job control, lack of coworker support, role ambiguity, role conflict, and lack of supervisor support were, relatively, the most influential hazards to mental health. Jointly controlling multiple psychosocial hazards was found to be better for increasing the probability of good mental health than controlling one individual hazard. The predictive inference revealed that managing the combination of lack of job control, lack of coworker support, role conflict, and job insecurity achieved the highest probability (77%) of good mental health among all four-hazard scenarios. Based on this particular scenario, further optimizing poor physical environment resulted in the highest probability (83%) of good mental health for five-hazard scenarios. The proposed BN model can be used as a powerful decision support tool to improve mental health in the construction industry via managing a more targeted subset of psychosocial hazards.