Medical Surveillance Research Articles

Multisensory nature exposure in the workplace: Exploring the restorative benefits of smell experiences

Previous research has extensively documented several benefits of interacting with nature. Biophilic design applications aimed at connecting the built environment back to nature have been shown to improve employee health, well-being, and productivity at workplaces. However, most research regarding restorative environments has prioritized the visual qualities of nature experiences, neglecting other sensory modalities. The significance of the sense of smell in the restoration process has been largely ignored. This research investigates the combined effects of multi-domain nature experiences within workplace contexts. Specifically, the restorative benefits of combined multisensory elements, including visual, olfactory, and auditory, and the relative contributions of each sensory cue to the restoration process were examined. A pretest-posttest experimental approach was employed to compare the restorative outcomes of workplaces under two conditions, one lacking natural elements vs another offering multi-domain experiences of nature. Thirty-two participants engaged in a multisensory virtual reality simulation replicating the environmental conditions of an actual workplace in Sydney, Australia. The results revealed that the multisensory biophilic workplace significantly improved cognitive performance, reduced stress levels, and enhanced mood states compared to the non-biophilic one. There was a statistically significant association between the sense of smell and restorative benefits. Although visual elements emerged as the primary means of creating restorative workplace environments, our results suggest that the sense of smell plays a significant role in the restoration process. This paper provides empirical evidence on the paramount importance of olfactory cues in nature-based experiences, contributing to the knowledge within the realms of biophilia and architectural discourse.

To Study the Relationship Between Assertiveness and Job Satisfaction in the Workplace

The following study aims at establishing the relationship between assertiveness and job satisfaction in the workplace environment. Assertiveness, that involves the capability of freely advocating for one’s self and assertive rights whilst respecting other people’s rights in organizational relationships is a core interpersonal competence. Employees’ job satisfaction, on the other hand, is a critical measure of their level of satisfaction in their workplace that influences productivity, turnover and subsequently organizational outcomes. Survey questionnaire was used to obtain data from a diverse sample of employees that include the level of assertiveness and job satisfaction. Researched questions and hypotheses testing were based on correlation and one way ANOVA procedures with a view of ascertaining the nature and extent of relationship between assertiveness and job satisfaction. The present research reveals that assertiveness bears a positive though insignificant association with job satisfaction. Gender does not significantly influence job satisfaction; however, gender plays a crucial role in determining assertiveness levels. On the same note, no significant differences were found in assertiveness and job satisfaction among the age groups

Associations between Chronic Medical Conditions and Persistent Dietary Supplement Use: The US Military Dietary Supplement Use Study.

This longitudinal study examined associations between chronic medical conditions (CMCs) and persistent dietary supplement (DS) use. On two separate occasions, 1.3 ± 0.2 years apart, military service members (SMs) (n = 5778) completed identical questionnaires concerning their DS use in the past 6 months and their demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Medical conditions were obtained from a medical surveillance system six months before the first questionnaire and during the period between questionnaires. Diagnoses were grouped into 19 major (largely systemic) and 9 specific CMCs. Conditions diagnosed in both periods (CMCs) were examined in relation to DS use reported on both questionnaires (persistent DS use). After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors, higher odds of persistent DS use were found in 7 of the 19 major CMCs and 5 of the 9 specific CMCs. SMs with a CMC had 1.25 (95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.10-1.41) higher adjusted odds of persistent DS use. The three specific CMCs with the highest adjusted odds of persistent DS use were anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 2.30, 95%CI = 1.36-3.89), depression (OR = 2.12, 95%CI = 1.20-3.73), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (OR = 2.02, 95%CI = 1.02-4.04). Among DS categories, participants with a CMC had higher adjusted odds of persistent vitamins or mineral use (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.12-1.53). Participants with CMCs had a higher prevalence of persistent DS use, especially individual vitamin and mineral use.

Assessing the impact of small firm dynamics on public mental health amid the pandemic in Latin America

ObjectiveThe aim of our study is to examine the relationship between the economic activity of small firms and the mental well-being of the population in five Latin American countries in the early stages of the pandemic.MethodsWe utilize the search volume of certain keywords on Google Trends (GT), such as “boredom,” “frustration,” “loneliness,” “sleep”, “anxiety”, and “depression”, as an indicator of the well-being of the population. By examining the data from Facebook Business Activity Trends, we investigate how social attention reacts to the activity levels of different economic sectors.ResultsIncreased business activity is generally associated with reduced levels of boredom, loneliness, sleep problems and anxiety. The effect on depression varies by sector, with positive associations concentrated in onsite jobs. In addition, we observe that strict Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) tend to exacerbate feelings of boredom and loneliness, sleep issues, and anxiety.ConclusionsOur findings suggest a strong association between different indicators of psychological well-being and the level of activity in different sectors of the economy. Given the essential role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in generating employment, especially during crises like the pandemic, it is imperative that they remain resilient and adaptable to support economic recovery and job preservation. To accomplish this, policymakers need to focus on providing financial stability and support for SMEs, fostering social support networks within companies, and incorporating mental health services into workplace environments. This comprehensive strategy can alleviate mental health challenges and enhance public health resilience.

Sustainability in the Workplace: Evaluating Indoor Environmental Quality of a Higher Education Building in Riyadh

Sustainable building design has gained global significance as a strategy to address environmental challenges and promote healthier living spaces. This concept is particularly relevant in Saudi Arabia, where there is a growing emphasis on integrating sustainable practices into the design and operation of buildings, especially in educational settings. Amidst the global push for sustainability in workplaces, this study’s core lies in assessing and comparing the satisfaction levels with the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a Saudi Arabian higher education building against those in international green buildings, considering factors that comprise thermal comfort, air quality, lighting, acoustic quality, office arrangement, furnishings, cleanliness, and maintenance. Employing the Center for the Built Environment (CBE) IEQ survey tool, a comprehensive study was conducted among the building’s occupants. A literature review and benchmarking studies complemented this to gather data on international green buildings. This study aims to assess and compare the satisfaction levels with the IEQ of a Saudi Arabian higher education building against international green buildings. The comparative analysis aims to expose the commonalities and differences in satisfaction levels, exploring how various factors influence overall satisfaction with the IEQ. The research found that there is overall satisfaction with the IEQ parameters of the building under investigation, except with two parameters: acoustics and thermal comfort. The building is generally in alignment with the IEQ of international buildings. This research is presumed to contribute significantly to sustainability initiatives in educational buildings, fostering a healthier and more sustainable workplace environment.

Towards Health Workplace Environment: Managing the Antecedents and Consequences of Job Stress in Saudi Arabia

Towards Health Workplace Environment: Managing the Antecedents and Consequences of Job Stress in Saudi Arabia

Credentials, Perpetual “Foreignness”, and Feeling out of Place: Three Stories of Resilience from Teachers of Refugee Background

This qualitative research project seeks to examine the obstacles faced by educators who come to the U.S. as refugees. The three participants in this study are from Iraq, Sudan, and Turkey. While there are similarities between them, there are also differences in terms of race, sex, and religion. While this work examines practical barriers, such as those related to credentialing, it also considers how these educators negotiate their identity in the workplace. Using labeling theory, the impact of the category of refugee and how that label impacts work life is interrogated. Partially as a result of the labels associated with being a refugee, findings indicate that, for educators from refugee backgrounds, there are significant barriers to credentialing, their knowledge and experience from outside of the U.S. is rarely taken seriously in many workplace environments, and, consequently, a lack of confidence can easily develop. Despite all of this, educators from refugee backgrounds often have extensive experience in education and can more easily connect to diverse student populations and their families. Suggestions for how best to expand the hiring of educators from refugee backgrounds are provided, as well as implications for future research.

Face Recognition based Attendance System

In today’s era, facial recognition emerges as a pivotal tool, offering security, authentication, and identification benefits across various sectors. This paper introduces an automated attendance system that incorporates real-time face recognition technology. The system aims to overcome the limitations and inefficiencies associated with traditional manual attendance methods, particularly in educational institutions and workplace environments. Two approaches are outlined: one utilizing local servers and AWS cloud recognition API, and the other relying solely on AWS resources for processing. Both approaches entail constructing a database of individuals’ images and utilizing algorithms such as Haar-Cascade and Local Binary Pattern Histogram for face detection and recognition. By automating attendance through live video streams, the system mitigates issues like proxy attendance and inaccuracies. Technologies such as OpenCV, dlib, and MySQL are leveraged to streamline implementation. This integration of face recognition with cloud computing promises to revolutionize attendance tracking, offering scalability, efficiency and accountability.

The impact of authentic leadership on workplace bullying in the tourism and hotel industry: The mediating roles of psychological empowerment and organizational health

This study examines how workplace bullying (WB) is affected by authentic leadership (AL). It also investigates the mediating roles of psychological empowerment (PE) and organizational health (OH). Responses were collected from the employees of the five-star hotels and category (A) travel agencies in Egypt. 622 valid responses were collected and analyzed by PLS-SEM. The results depicted a negative link between authentic leadership and workplace bullying and a positive link between authentic leadership with psychological empowerment and organizational health. A negative link between psychological empowerment and organizational health with workplace bullying also existed. In addition, the results revealed a mediating role of psychological empowerment and organizational health in the relationship between authentic leadership and workplace bullying. This study contributes theoretically to bridging the gap in studies on AL, PE, and OH concerning WB, especially in the tourism and hotel industry. In practice, the research provides hotel and tourist enterprises with recommendations for improving the workplace environment.

Rethinking informal workplace learning in times of complexity

PurposeFast-changing global environment, hybrid and virtual work, today’s workplace is confronted to an unprecedented level of complexity. This conceptual paper aims to explore ways to re-think and adapt informal workplace learning to those recent changes and important dimensions to consider when designing successful learning strategies in the future.Design/methodology/approachTo let emerge interesting tensions and explore new ways to approach informal workplace learning, the authors first look at recent trends in the workplace environment, then go back to some key concepts and ideas from the literature on informal learning. The authors then present two real-life cases they experimented with as scholar-practitioners that demonstrate the importance of a relational learning environment that encompasses virtuality, adaptive challenges and vertical development.FindingsThe new environment calls for new ways to think about informal workplace learning and how to support it. More than ever, organisations should support a culture that promotes collaboration and interactions across areas of expertise, a key condition for finding solutions to complex problems. In this complex environment, where there is no one right solution, organisations will need to rely on leaders who can become role models and show others how to overcome the silo mentality, engage into collaborative reflections, generate alternatives, experiment and learn quickly from what does or does not work.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature about workplace learning. It extends the understanding of some benefits that informal workplace learning provides to employees in an attempt to become agile practitioners as the work environment quickly changes and becomes more complex.

Toxic leadership in higher education: a typology of behaviours

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to create a psychometrically valid and reliable toxic leadership scale (TLS) for use in higher education workplace environments. The TLS was administered to a sample of 482 faculty members employed by three public universities in Jordan. Another aim of the study was to determine the level of toxic leadership based on the perceptions of faculty members. In addition, the current study sought to ascertain how perceptions of toxic leadership varied according to differences in gender, level of education, experience, and academic rank. The findings of the study revealed that the TLS is composed of 15 items spread over three factors named managerial harassment, falsified show, and dictatorship. Results also indicated the presence of toxic leadership in public higher education with a low degree for the managerial harassment factor. However, moderate degrees of toxic leadership were found for the falsified show and dictatorship factors. Regarding the demographics of faculty members, the findings showed that lower academic ranks and less experienced faculty members had lower views of toxic leadership, while men had greater perceptions of toxic leadership. The study provided numerous recommendations for theory development and practitioners in higher education.

Nivel de riesgo psicosocial en carga de trabajo y tipo de contrato en trabajadores de H. Matamoros, Tamaulipas

The objective of the work was to identify whether there is a difference between the level of psychosocial risk associated with the workload, and the type of contract of the workers of a factory in the city of H. Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The followingwork of investigation is merely descriptive, transversal, correlationaland non-experimental. The sample was 1240 workers distributed in administrativepositions, indirect personnel of confidence, indirect unionized and direct unionized personnel. The instrument used was aquestionnaire to identify psychosocial risk factors and evaluate the organizational environment in workplaces,generated by the Secretariat of Labor and Social Security, through the Official Mexican Standard 035 of 2018. The results show that trusted personnel, both base and indirect, have a high prevalence of psychosocial risk associated with the workload.

Neurological and neurobehavioral effects of welders in Egypt exposed to manganese containing welding fumes.

Welders are more likely to develop neurobehavioral disorders because of their exposure to neurotoxic metals such as manganese. This study aimed to measure the neurobehavioral performance of welders occupationally exposed to manganese at welding enterprises and its relationship with the workplace environment. It is a comparative cross-sectional study carried out on 130 welders working at 50 welding enterprises in Menoufia governorate, Egypt, compared to 130 non-occupationally exposed controls. It was found that the environments of the studied welding enterprises had levels of respirable dust, manganese, and total welding fumes that exceeded internationally permissible limits. In addition, the mean blood manganese levels were significantly higher among welders (4.16 ± 0.61) than the controls (1.72 ± 0.41). Welders had a significantly higher prevalence of neurological manifestations and lower performance of neurobehavioral tests. Lower neurobehavioral performance among welders was significantly correlated with increased work duration and blood levels in some tests. To lessen the fumes in the breathing zone of workers, it is therefore strongly recommended to regularly wear high-quality personal protective equipment, especially masks, and to ensure proper ventilation.

Health-care Professionals' Perception toward Medical Device Postmarket Surveillance Practices: A Cross-sectional Study in India.

A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted to assess the health-care professionals (HCPs)' perception toward existing medical device postmarket surveillance (PMS) practices in India. A total of 1756 responses (medical practitioners [19.8%], nurses [22.5%], pharmacists [21.4%], and biomedical engineers [13.8%]) were recorded and analyzed. About 71.2% of participants were aware about the ongoing PMS program, 87.5% were aware that medical devices are under regulation in India, and 83.3% were aware about who can report medical device adverse event (MDAE). About 56.3% of participants agreed that they take regular feedback from patients after using high-risk medical device. Majority of participants (69.4%) were aware about tools for reporting MDAE and the online reporting form is the most preferable tool among users. About 76.2% of participants were agreeing that reporting of MDAE is their professional/ethical responsibility. This study reveals that Indian HCPs show a good understanding of PMS practices and a positive perception toward MDAE reporting. However, underreporting still remains a challenge in India.

Workplace menstrual health in the private sector: Results from a pilot study in Kenya and Nepal

ABSTRACT Menstrual health (MH) efforts have not focused on challenges experienced by working adults. For individuals who identify as women, managing one's periods outside the home is especially difficult when working in male-dominated workplaces. In response, USAID Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Partnerships for Learning and Sustainability implemented four workplace interventions in Kenya and Nepal to improve MH conditions, promote women's economic empowerment, and garner support from company leadership for workplace MH programs. Over 9–11 months, interventions focused on (i) menstrual products and WASH infrastructure; (ii) workplace policy environment; and (iii) education and behavior change. Pre–post, mixed methods evaluations revealed that awareness and confidence regarding MH increased in all workplaces. Improved access to menstrual products increased women's comfort and lowered anxiety. In both countries, improved toilets and reduction of supervisory barriers to toilet use during working hours helped women employees to change products regularly. Changing the social and institutional workplace environments through policy recommendations, education and behavior change efforts increased social support and reduced menstruation-related stigma, leading to improved work performance and job satisfaction. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of implementing workplace MH programs and improving working conditions for menstruating employees in pursuit of economic empowerment and better business outcomes.

My home is my new office: The relationship between environmental comfort, workplace attachment, and psychological needs in the context of remote working

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more organizations have implemented remote working, and more and more workers have experienced an overlap between home and work environments. Home environments, therefore, had to be readjusted in their spatial configurations to meet and satisfy the needs of workers. Through the lens of Self-Determination Theory, the study aims to investigate how perceived remote workplace environment quality indicators (PRWEQIs) can contribute to greater home working engagement through the satisfaction of autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs and attachment to the home workplace. The research consists of two cross-sectional studies. The first one examines how the place-related needs of autonomy, competence, and relationship, satisfied by the home working place features, can mediate the effect of perceived comfort on home workplace attachment. The second study analyzes how comfort and workplace attachment can contribute to satisfying the same needs referred to the job activities, thus generating greater engagement in the home worker. The research provides supportive empirical evidence that workplace attachment can also be developed under home working conditions.

Familiarity matters: corporate philanthropy and employee workplace giving and volunteering

Employees create and enact corporate philanthropy (CP) programmes, which are a central strategy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. Employers rely on employees to donate and volunteer through the workplace. From a survey of more than 500 employees at a large corporation based in the United States, we determined that employees’ likelihood of participating in CP is affected by their length of job tenure, managerial responsibilities and work location (on- or off-site). Using structural equation modelling, we found that employee familiarity with the company’s CP programmes mediates the relationship between giving and volunteering with management positions and working on-site. Employee perception also matters. Employees who think highly of CP programmes’ community impact and workplace environment outcomes (CP ‘walk’) are more likely to give and volunteer. Conversely, perceptions of the company ‘standing out’ (CP ‘talk’) in its industry are negatively related to volunteering with the company. Findings contribute to the development of meso-level dynamics in workplace giving.

YOLO-Based Personal Protective Equipment Monitoring System for Workplace Safety

Occupational health and safety are of paramount importance in industrial environments and various work fields. In this context, tracking personal protective equipment (PPE) is highly necessary. This article investigates the performance and application of deep learning-based object detection models to enhance the accuracy and speed of tracking personal protective equipment for ensuring occupational health and safety. These models detect personal protective equipment in images, enabling monitoring of their correct usage and intervention when necessary. The study aims to minimize damage resulting from accidents through the use of protective equipment and to prevent possible accidents. In our study, a dataset consisting of 2581 images, encompassing different workplace environments and workers, was prepared. This dataset was evaluated for performance using deep learning models. Popular deep-learning models such as YOLO-NAS, YOLOv8, and YOLOv9 were utilized in the comparisons. During the training of the models, the number of epochs was kept consistent for fair comparison. Upon examining the results, it is observed that the YOLO-NAS and YOLOv9 models generally exhibit similar and high performance.

UNDERSTANDING AND ENHANCING CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

Culture is a global phenomenon that is derived from social, economic, legal, political, and religious norms, values, and traditions of the society. Culture shapes the behavior of individuals to act accordingly in different situations faced by individuals in all spheres of life. Thus, from the last few decades of the 20th century until now, organizational culture has been researched extensively. Culture exerts influence over every facet of individuals' conduct within a particular society. Consequently, individuals raised in disparate countries with varying cultural norms cultivate distinct patterns of behavior and cognition. Organizational culture is an important determinant of organizational success. The workplace environment is crafted through the interactions of employees, forming organizational culture. In the new Malaysia, the focus has shifted towards embracing the diversity of cultures and interests, necessitating attention. In an era marked by polarization and limited social mobility, cultural intelligence emerges as a crucial asset across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups. In a heterogeneous society like Malaysia, the capacity to collaborate with diverse cultures will provide disadvantaged individuals with a competitive advantage and enhance social mobility. This conceptual paper aims to investigate the Model of Cultural Intelligence, examining how employees in Malaysia embrace a diverse range of cultures in their daily activities.

Reactions and Perspectives of Healthcare Workers against Workplace Violence: A Cross-sectional Study at Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan

Background: Workplace violence encompasses acts or threats of physical violence, intimidation, harassment, or disruptive behavior occurring within the workplace environment. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, focusing on healthcare workers including doctors, nursing staff, and pharmaceutical staff. A predefined questionnaire gathered data on demographics, workplace details, experiences of violence, reactions to violence, and attitudes towards workplace violence. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), with the Chi-square test used to assess significant associations (p ≤ 0.05). Results: The study included 192 participants, primarily females (52.08%), with 148 doctors (77.1%) and a majority aged 21-30 years (78.13%). Violence was most prevalent during nighttime shifts and among those with 16-20 years of work experience. Verbal violence was reported by 65.1% of participants (p = 0.011). Staff shortages and increased workload were identified as primary causes of violence by 62.4% of respondents (p = 0.017). Relatives were the most common source of violence, accounting for 61.07% of cases. Following incidents, 61.4% of doctors and 38.6% of nurses reported heightened vigilance (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The study highlights a significant prevalence of workplace violence in healthcare settings, particularly verbal abuse and threats from relatives. Staff shortages and increased workloads were identified as major contributing factors. Organizational interventions and training programs are crucial to mitigate the impact of workplace violence on healthcare workers' well-being.