Work-related Activities Research Articles

Being and becoming a teacher: Professional Wellbeing Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 has a significant impact on higher education worldwide, not just in the Philippines. This study described the professional quality of life of the college teachers in terms of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. This study ascertained the relationship of socio demographic profile of the college teachers and their professional quality of life. This study used a quantitative-descriptive method of research. Convenience sampling was used in this study. A total of 76 college instructors were surveyed (44 from public schools and 32 from private schools). Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that the college teachers have high compassion satisfaction for getting satisfaction from being able to teach people, being proud of what they can do to teach, and being happy to their chosen profession. These college teachers have exposure work related secondary traumatic stress on a moderate degree level by having a feeling of worn out because of their work as a teacher and feeling overwhelmed because of their teaching load and other work-related activities. However, the secondary traumatic stress of college teachers did not result to having high level of burnout, though college teachers still experience burnout but in low degree level only.

“My smartphone is an extension of myself”: A holistic qualitative exploration of the impact of using a smartphone.

Six billion people worldwide will be using smartphones in 2020 (Jonsson et al., 2017). The devices pose convenient solutions for leisure and work-related activities (Kuss, 2017). However, psychometric and addiction-based guidelines increasingly align smartphone over-use with technological addictions (Billieux et al., 2014). A more holistic exploration of smartphone use might help to highlight how everyday use interacts with or underpins more addictive forms of behaviours. Thus, this study aimed to explore in-depth experiences of smartphone use to understand from a holistic perspective what the perceptions and experiences of the devices are to smartphone users, using a qualitative focus group study (n=21, 11 females). Data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory. Results indicated smartphones were entwined with users’ lives as they formed an ‘extension of the self’. Subcategories highlighted that the devices hold value by ‘externalising identity’, ‘constant connectivity’, ‘mediating intimacy’, ‘authenticating experiences’, and ‘forfeiting agency’. In conclusion, the usability of the smartphone may create an interactive relationship with the sense of self. Close relationships with smartphones appear to shape interpersonal relationships. Additionally, participants held an expectation that the user has agency over their actions, which is at odds with evidence of un-autonomous, compulsive behaviours. Regarding the study’s public significance, this false perception of control may pose challenges for interventions which aim to reduce problematic smartphone use. Further research should contrast user perceptions using real-time smartphone data to understand the degree of true insight users have over their own behaviours.

Equity of access to library and information services and education support at Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality: the case of King William’s Town, South Africa

Access to library and information services is a major element in the growth, stability, independence and empowerment of communities. The study sought to investigate the equity of access to library and information services and education support at Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in a descriptive survey. The main research instrument was a questionnaire, supported by face-to-face interviews with librarians. A total of 297 questionnaires were distributed and 200 were returned, giving a response rate of 67.3%. The quantitative data, which were collected through questionnaires, is presented using graphs and tables, while the content of the qualitative data was analysed manually using the notes that were taken by the researcher from the respondents during the interview sessions and, in some instances, is reported verbatim. The findings showed that most respondents, 130 (56%), use the library for schooling. Only thirteen (5.6%) respondents said they used the library for leisure, while fifty-two (22.4%) respondents used the library for personal development and thirty-seven (15.9%) for work-related activities. In addition, findings of the study revealed that the Buffalo City Metro public libraries had a diversity of users, ranging from different age groups and social standing. Additionally, Buffalo City Metropolitan public library users had little knowledge about literacy programmes that were taking place at the library. The study concluded that Buffalo City public libraries should create an integrated system for all libraries in the metropolitan municipality that encourages adult literacy programmes to raise awareness of information literacy.

Relationship between job rotation and work-related low back pain: a cross-sectional study using data from the fifth Korean working conditions survey.

BackgroundJob rotation was introduced in various industries as a strategic form of work for improving workers' job skills and health management. This study aims to examine the relationship between job rotation and work-related low back pain (LBP), one of the typical work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of Korean workers.MethodsWe conducted this study using the data of the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). As the subject of this study, 27,163 wage workers were selected, and classified into three groups according to occupational type (white-collar, service and sales, and blue-collar). In this study, job rotation means to change the work-related activities with other colleagues periodically and work-related LBP was defined as whether there was work-related LBP in the last 12 months. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between job rotation and work-related LBP.ResultsOut of 27,163 workers, 2,421 (8.9%) answered that they had job rotation and 2,281 (8.4%) answered that they experienced work-related LBP. According to the results from logistic regression, job rotation was significantly associated with low prevalence of work-related LBP among blue-collar workers (odds ratio [OR]: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58–0.88), whereas no significant relationship was observed among white-collar, service and sales groups. In addition, the negative association between job rotation and work-related LBP among blue-collar workers was more pronounced when exposed to ergonomic risk factors (uncomfortable posture OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64–0.98; heavy work OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57–0.96; repetitive work OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.60–0.92).ConclusionsJob rotation was associated with low prevalence of work-related LBP among workers in the blue-collar occupational group in Korea. It is necessary to evaluate the effect of job rotation by occupational type and introduce an appropriate method of job rotation to reduce workers' work-related musculoskeletal symptoms.

Mapping Assessments Instruments for Headache Disorders against the ICF Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disability.

Headache disorders have a strong impact on sufferers’ lives. However, the “content” of assessment instruments addressing concepts, such as disability and quality of life (QoL), has not comprehensively been addressed. We searched SCOPUS for research papers in which outcome measures were used in adult populations of patients with migraine, tension-type headache (TTH), and cluster headache (CH). The content of single instruments was then mapped against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. A total of 150 papers and 26 instruments were included: 15 addressed disability or impact, two addressed work-related difficulties, and nine addressed QoL. Few instruments were commonly used across the conditions and covered domains of functioning were impact on daily life activities, homework, school, and work-related tasks, leisure time, informal and family relations, pain, emotional difficulties, energy level, and impulse control. Most of the research is based on instruments that were developed for migraine, which is critical for CH, and the impact of headache disorders on work-related activities is poorly acknowledged. Further research is needed to expand the scope of headaches impact on daily life activities, and on environmental factors relevant to headache disorders to raise knowledge on the less represented areas, e.g., TTH impact.

Musculoskeletal Health and Physical Fitness Assessment among Hairdressers in Belagavi City, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hairdressers are a group of workers whose working ability and health condition may be affected by specific work related activities. They are also at risk of developing Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) and lack of physical fitness due to working condition and work related exposures. Prevalence of WRMSDs and level of physical fitness in hairdressers is lacking in Indian population. Hence, present study aimed to find prevalence of musculoskeletal problems and levels of physical fitness among hairdressers. It was a cross-sectional observational study. A total of 161 hairdressers were recruited by cluster sampling with samples representing south and north regions of Belagavi city, India. The participants were assessed for WRMSDs using Nordic questionnaire while physical fitness levels were assessed for strength and flexibility of upper and lower limbs along with cardio-vascular endurance. Out of 161 hairdressers, prevalence of WRMSDs was among 101 (62.11%). Lower back was the most affected body region with 56.5% followed by neck 11.8%. 101 hairdressers had first experience of musculoskeletal discomfort after becoming a hairdresser. When assessed for physical fitness, it was noted that the strength of upper limb was affected in 129 (80%) hairdressers while flexibility of lower limb was affected in 130 (80.7%) hairdressers. There is a high prevalence of WRMSDs in hairdressers of Belagavi city, India with lower back and neck being the most affected body regions. In terms of physical fitness, strength of upper limb and flexibility of lower limb were the most affected.

The experience of social distancing for families with children and adolescents during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Uruguay: Difficulties and opportunities

The social distancing measures implemented to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide have created a series of emotional and economic challenges. The aim of the present work was to explore the experiences of families with children and adolescents during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Uruguay. An online study was conducted in March 2020 with 1725 parents with children under 18 years old. A series of closed and open-ended questions about their family life since the implementation of social distancing measures were asked, addressing the following topics: how they had felt, changes they had experienced in their daily life, children's daily routine, changes implemented in relation to child-care, changes they had perceived in children's eating patterns, changes in their relationship with their children, changes in their children's mood and behavior, and their reaction to those changes. Results showed that the coronavirus pandemic elicited negative feelings in the majority of participants, mainly related to worry, fear, anxiety and uncertainty. Social distancing measures caused a major disruption in daily habits, which were mostly attributed to changes in work-related activities and the closure of educational institutions. Changes in children's mood and behavior were perceived by the majority of the participants, who mainly referred to boredom, agitation and restlessness. Although some participants reported difficulties to cope with children's behavior during social distancing, others valued the opportunity of spending more time with their children. In terms of children's eating patterns, changes related to both an increase and a decrease in the consumption of healthy foods were observed. Results from the present work have relevant implications for public health policy and practice by highlighting the importance of providing emotional and psychological support to people during social distancing measures and providing insights for the design of communication campaigns and interventions.

Evaluation of a Music Intervention on Well-being and Behavior of People with Dementia Using Dementia Care Mapping

Introduction: Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) was originally developed as an observation tool to examine person-centered care in long-term care facilities and to evaluate the quality of life and well-being of people with dementia (PwD). However, the effects of a music intervention using this tool have not been investigated so far. This leads to the following research question: How does a music intervention which involves music therapy and other music-based interventions affect the observed well-being and behavior of PwD living in nursing homes? Methods: In this 14-week, non-controlled music intervention study, data from 30 PwD aged between 52 and 97 (M = 81.4 years) were analyzed. DCM coding involves continuous observation for five hours on four days in the baseline and intervention phase. In the follow-up phase PwD were mapped on two days for five hours. The DCM method were used to measure well-being and certain behaviors of PwD. Results: The well-being during the observation remained almost constant and corresponds to a neutral state of affect and focused contact, with no indication of positive or negative sensations. Significant improvements in certain behaviors were observed in the course from baseline to intervention phase. For example, it was shown that physical activities of the participants, such as (instructed) sports exercises, strengthening or physically challenging exercises in the intervention phase were significantly higher (M = 0.99, SD = 1.82) than at baseline phase (M = 0.00, SD = 0.00) (z = -2.37, p = .02, n = 26). Similar results were shown for expressive/creative activities or work-related activities (e.g. washing dishes). Conclusion: In summary, it can be stated that music interventions can promote communication and movement. However, musical stimulation is not one of the essential components of improving behavioral and psychological symptoms or well-being for PwD in nursing homes.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders amongst undergraduate nursing students at the University of Johannesburg.

BackgroundWork-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) present as pain or discomfort in the musculoskeletal system that individuals experience from work-related activities. Substantial research evidence exists on qualified nurses with WRMSDs, but there is a distinct lack of research regarding nursing students and their work environment in South Africa.AimThe primary aim of this study was to establish a baseline prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst undergraduate nursing students. The secondary aim was to identify the role of certain occupational and biopsychosocial factors in the development of MSDs.SettingThe University of Johannesburg, Health Sciences Faculty, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa.MethodA cross-sectional quantitative study conducted through a questionnaire (from 24 June to 29 July 2019) was initiated amongst the undergraduate nursing students at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. All 250 undergraduate nursing students were given the opportunity to participate by completing the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire-Extended (NMQ-E). A total of 125 questionnaires were collected and used in the study. Data analysis consisted of frequencies, descriptives and custom tables. The Chi-square test for association was used to test the associations between variables.ResultsThe study found an 83% prevalence of MSDs. Musculoskeletal disorders occurred most commonly in the lower back (81.1%), neck (65.9%) and shoulder (63.6%) regions. Factors that showed associations with overall MSDs were female gender (p = 0.002), height (p = 0.009) and studying at home (p = 0.040). Stress and tablet or smartphone use had significant associations with certain body regions.ConclusionThe findings indicate a high prevalence of MSDs in undergraduate nursing students in this sample, substantially higher than in other similar studies in which lower back disorders were most prevalent.

Transformational Leadership is Shaping the Research & Development Culture of Pakistani Universities: A Case Analysis

This research analyses 629 university leaders and investigates the effect of personality attributes and cross cultural experiences as predictors of dynamic cross cultural competencies in an research and developemnt setting. The study finds out and suggests that transformational leadership develops through work related and non-work related activities of cultural as well as personality characteristics. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Cross Culture, Personality Attributes, Global Leaders.

The effects of after-hours work activities and job-related social activities on recovery and job engagement

Although academic and social interests in the effects of long working hours and after-hours job-related activities on recovery from work have increased, few empirical studies have investigated the effects of after-hours job-related social activities on recovery and job effectiveness. We hypothesized and examined a mediation model that job-related social activities and after-hours work activities could influence next day ego depletion and job engagement through psychological detachment. Data from 377 employees who responded twice a day (morning and evening) for two weeks were collected using a daily diary survey. Multi-level analyses showed that as employees spent more time at both job-related social activities and after-hours work activities, their psychological detachment decreased, resulting in a higher ego depletion and a lower job engagement on the following day. Interestingly, after-hours job-related social activities had a larger effect on ego depletion than after-hours work activities. Finally, the direct effects of after-hours work activities and job-related social activities on ego depletion were also significant. These findings suggest that after-hours work-related activities can affect ego depletion through alternative or multiple paths, as opposed to solely a psychological detachment. The findings of this study could help us contribute to understand the harmful effects of after-hours work activities and job-related social activities on the recovery process. They also have important implications in terms of interventions for recovery.

Racial Disparities in Financial Security, Work and Leisure Activities, and Quality of Life Among the Direct Care Workforce.

Personal care, home health, and nursing aides provide the majority of care to chronically ill and disabled older adults. This workforce faces challenging working conditions, resulting in high turnover and workforce instability that affect the quality of care for older adults. We examine financial security, work-life balance, and quality of life of Black, Hispanic, and workers of other race/ethnicity compared to White workers. We hypothesize that Black and Hispanic workers experience greater financial insecurity, spend more time on work-related activities and have less time available for leisure activities, and have a lower quality of life compared to White workers. To test these hypotheses, we analyze the American Time Use Survey using descriptive analyses and multivariable and compositional regression. Black and Hispanic individuals were 2-3 times more likely to live in poverty than White individuals. The time use analysis indicated that Black and Hispanic workers spent more time on work-related activities and less time on nonwork-related activities, including longer work commutes and less time exercising. In analyses of aggregated paid/unpaid work and leisure, Black workers were the only group that spent significantly more time working and less time on leisure activities compared to White workers. This may explain the lower quality of life that we only observed in Black workers. Racial/ethnic disparities in well-being among direct care workers may affect the care older adults receive and contribute to widening inequities in this workforce and society. Policymakers should direct efforts toward securing funding for workers, incentivizing employer provisions, and implementing racial equity approaches.

Development and validation of Work-Related Activities during Non-Work Time Scale (WANTS) for doctors.

Work-related activities during non-work time may influence the intershift recovery of post-work fatigue. Currently there is no valid and reliable scale available to measure the frequency for such activities among doctors. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate ‘Work-Related Activities during Non-Work Time Scale’ (WANTS) that measure the frequency of work-related activities during non-work time for doctors. This was a scale development and validation study among doctors involving item generation, content and construct validation, and reliability assessment. 23-item seven-point Likert-type scale was developed through deductive (literature search) and inductive (interview with source population, authors’ experiences, and expert opinion) methods. The content-validated scale was pre-tested, and the improved scale was subsequently administered to randomly-selected 460 doctors working at public hospital setting. Response rate was 77.76% (n = 382). Initial exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with principal axis factoring (PAF) using varimax rotation revealed unstable six-factor structure consisting of 17 variables; thus, we tested one- to six-factor model, and found that four-factor model is the most stable. Further analysis with principal component analysis (PCA) with a single component on each factor found that 17-variables four-factor model is stable. These factors were labelled as ‘work-related thought’, ‘work-to-home conversation’, ‘task spillover’ and ‘superior-subordinate communication’. It showed good internal consistency with overall alpha value of 0.837. The scale is thus valid and reliable for measuring the frequency of each construct of work-related activities during non-work time among doctors.

The South African Nurse’s Knowledge of Occupational Human Immunodeficiency Virus Postexposure Prophylaxis in the Era of Controlled and Stable HIV Prevalence

Knowledge is a crucial aspect of nursing. Nurses, just like any other healthcare workers (HCWs), are empowered with the knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) protocol to be followed, including post-exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs). The utilization of HIV PEP demonstrated its capabilities to prevent HCWs from HIV infections. However, the practice in healthcare settings remains a challenge, as many HCWs do not adhere to the protocol. This study investigated how knowledgeable nurses are about HIV PEP in the era of controlled and stable HIV prevalence. Ninety-four nurses completed a self-administered questionnaire to provide information. A biostatistician assisted with data analysis, using Microsoft Excel converted to the STATA 13 format. Most (77.0%) were female with a mean age of 30 ± 9 years. The degree of knowledge was low, although the results showed that 90.43% of nurses had been informed about HIV PEP. Eighty (84%) did not know where to access HIV PEP, and (55.32%) were unaware of HIV PEP guidelines. A comparison between knowledge and work experience revealed that those with five years and less experience are less knowledgeable. There is a need to improve nurses’ knowledge of HIV PEP to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition from work-related activities.

Time Use, Unemployment, and Well-Being: An Empirical Analysis Using British Time-Use Data

We use nationally representative data from the UK Time-Use Survey 2014/2015 to investigate how a person’s employment status is related to time use and cognitive and affective dimensions of subjective well-being. We do not find clear indications that employed and unemployed persons experience different average levels of emotional well-being when they engage in the same kinds of activities. For the employed, working belongs to one of the least enjoyable activities of their day. They also spend a large share of their time at work and on work-related activities. The unemployed, instead, spend more time on leisure and more enjoyable activities. When looking at duration-weighted average affective well-being over the entire waking time of the day, the unemployed experience, on average, more enjoyment than the employed. For the employed, the more hours they have to work on a specific day, the lower the average enjoyment they experience on that day. Differentiating the analyses by weekdays and weekends supports the finding that being able to freely allocate one’s non-work time is associated with higher levels of affective well-being. In line with previous studies on cognitive well-being, we find that the unemployed report substantially lower levels of life satisfaction than the employed.

Quality Of Life In Patients With Chronic Dermatophytosis

Introduction: The term “chronic dermatophytosis” can be described as patients who have suffered tinea infections for more than 6 months, with or without recurrence. Since last few years we are facing an onslaught of chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis. These infections are increasingly becoming debilitating with severe symptoms like itching and increasingly showing lack of response to traditional treatment, hence it has become utmost important to assess impact of dermatophytosis today on quality of life of patients.
 Objectives: To determine quality of life in patients with chronic dermatophytosis using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).
 Materials and Methods: Adult literate patients having chronic dermatophytosis which was confirmed by KOH mount were included in the study. History, clinical features and other relevant details were included in a proforma. All patients were asked to fill DLQI questionnaire in Hindi. Controls having disease for less than six months were also included. Data thus obtained was collected and tabulated. The data was analysed using SPSS software and relevant statistical tests were used.
 Results: Total number of cases collected were 263, 137 controls were also included. In gender distribution, cases had 71.86% males and 28.14% female while controls had 63.5% males and 36.5% females. Mean DLQI of cases was 14.28+/-5.16 and controls was 11.56+/-3.60. DLQI distribution of cases -162(61.6%) had very large effect, 64(24.33%) had moderate effect, and 32(12.17%) had extremely large effect on DLQI. Domains of Symptoms and feelings (72.67%), work and school related activities (69%) and treatment related problems (67.67%) posed maximum impairment. Quality of life derangement increased significantly with presence of lesions on both exposed and non exposed sites and increase in body surface area.
 Conclusion: While superficial dermatophytosis affects quality of life (QoL) in all patients, chronic dermatophytosis has a significantly more derogatory effect on the QoL of a person with some of the patient also showing extremely large effect on QoL.

Long term functional outcomes after minimally invasive surgical decompression in upper limb chronic exertional compartment syndrome in 30 patients

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) of the upper limbs is less well known than its equivalent in the lower limbs, thus its diagnosis is often delayed. Our goals were to evaluate the impact of CECS on activities of daily living and work-related activities and to report the functional outcomes after minimally invasive fasciotomy. This was a retrospective study of patients with CECS of the upper limb who were operated at two hospitals between 2008 and 2019. Thirty patients were reviewed an average of 5 years after minimally invasive fasciotomy: 26 had CECS of the forearm, 3 of the thenar compartment and 1 of the first interosseous compartment. For the evaluation, patients were asked to assess their pain on a visual analog scale (VAS), complete the QuickDASH questionnaire and rate their satisfaction with the outcome. Preoperative pain on the VAS was 7.45/10 with a negative impact on activities of daily living in 97% of patients, and on work-related activities in 77% of patients with 17% requiring a career change. The mean time to surgical treatment was 5 years. The mean QuickDASH at the final assessment was 6.0 (0–31.8) with a significant decrease in pain on VAS of 1.9/10 (p < 0.01). Seventy-seven percent of patients had very good results while 13% had good results. Full healing was achieved in 63% of patients and physical performance improved in 50%. Seventy-seven percent of patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome. One patient had a recurrence requiring surgical revision. CECS affects athletes of all levels and impacts both activities of daily living and work-related activities. We need to greatly expand our education and prevention efforts for CECS. Mini-open fasciotomy yields good results.

Concurrent musculoskeletal complaints in elbows, shoulders, and necks after common hand and forearm injuries or conditions: A cross-sectional study among 600 patients

Study designThis is a cross-sectional study among 600 patients. IntroductionIsolated hand and forearm injuries or conditions are common in the emergency and orthopedic departments. So far, little is known about whether these patients suffer from concurrent musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) besides their hand and forearm complaints. Neglecting concurrent MSCs in the upper limbs and necks could hamper rehabilitation and prolong the time taken to return to daily and work-related activities. Purpose of the studyThe purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of concurrent MSCs in the elbow, shoulder, and neck after common hand and/or forearm injuries or conditions. MethodsThis study included 600 patients with any type of diagnosis referred to rehabilitation after hand and/or forearm injuries or conditions. Basic characteristics, diagnoses, and location of patients' symptoms were collected and analyzed. ResultsThe overall prevalence of concurrent MSCs was 40%. Twenty-eight percent of the whole sample developed concurrent MSCs after the hand and forearm injury or condition. The gender distribution was 68% women and 32% men. The most common location for complaints was the shoulder (62%), followed by the elbow (49%), and the neck (32%). DiscussionThe present results suggest that MSCs from the elbows, shoulders, or necks are very common in patients with hand and/or forearm injuries or conditions. ConclusionClinicians treating patients with isolated hand and forearm injuries or conditions should be aware of the high prevalence of concurrent MSCs. Future research should investigate if specific rehabilitation, focusing on concurrent MSCs, may influence the outcome in this population.

Fatigue and recovery among Malaysian doctors: the role of work-related activities during non-work time.

ObjectivesThis paper aims to estimate the level of acute fatigue, chronic fatigue and intershift recovery among doctors working at public hospitals in Malaysia and determine their inter-relationship and their association with work-related activities during non-work time.DesignCross-sectional.SettingSeven core clinical disciplines from seven tertiary public hospitals in Malaysia.ParticipantsStudy was conducted among 330 randomly-sampled doctors. Response rate was 80.61% (n=266).ResultsThe mean score of acute fatigue, chronic fatigue and intershift recovery were 68.51 (SD=16.549), 54.60 (SD=21.259) and 37.29 (SD=19.540), respectively. All these scores were out of 100 points each. Acute and chronic fatigue were correlated (r=0.663), and both were negatively correlated with intershift recovery (r=−0.704 and r=−0.670, respectively). Among the work-related activities done during non-work time, work-related ruminations dominated both the more frequent activities and the association with poorer fatigue and recovery outcomes. Rumination on being scolded/violated was found to be positively associated with both acute fatigue (adjusted regression coefficient (Adj.b)=2.190, 95% CI=1.139 to 3.240) and chronic fatigue (Adj.b=5.089, 95% CI=3.876 to 6.303), and negatively associated with recovery (Adj.b=−3.316, 95% CI=–4.516 to –2.117). Doing work task at workplace or attending extra work-related activities such as locum and attending training were found to have negative associations with fatigue and positive associations with recovery. Nevertheless, doing work-related activities at home was positively associated with acute fatigue. In terms of communication, it was found that face-to-face conversation with partner did associate with higher recovery but virtual conversation with partner associated with higher acute fatigue and lower recovery.ConclusionsWork-related ruminations during non-work time were common and associated with poor fatigue and recovery outcomes while overt work activities done at workplace during non-work time were associated with better fatigue and recovery levels. There is a need for future studies with design that allow causal inference to address these relationships.

Pilot Clinical Trial of a Website-Delivered Motivational Interviewing Program for Engaging Veterans in Paid Work

ABSTRACT: A web-based adaptation of a benefits counseling intervention was specifically developed to encourage veterans applying for service-connection to engage in work-related activities by explaining the limited risk of Veterans Administration (VA) benefit reduction if the beneficiary is employed. This study reports the efficacy of this web-based benefit counseling intervention. Altogether, 150 veterans applying for service-connection for a mental health condition were randomly assigned to a benefits counseling website or a control website. The benefits counseling website directed participants to a web-adapted benefits counseling program. The control website directed participants to a website with government links to general information about the service-connection process and VA benefits. Employment outcomes were assessed by phone at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after randomization. Three quarters ( n = 117, 78%) of veterans logged into their assigned website and were included in the analysis. Web-based benefits counseling had a modest impact on attitudes toward work and benefits, but there was no significant change in employment.