Interactions between task repetition and psychosocial factors

Psychosocial factors, individual factors, workplace requirements, and workplace organizational factors have all been reported as being associated with the risk of musculoskeletal disorders [11]. Huang, Feuerstein, and Sauter [5] described the various concepts and models proposed to link occupational stress and work-related upper extremity disorders, as well as the difficulty in verifying the suggested linkages. Huang et al. [5] suggested that decomposing a complex model would be an appropriate method to begin the investigations of the proposed models. Task repetition is a workplace requirement that is considered a potential risk factor for cumulative trauma and its relationship to psychosocial factors was investigated. The study found only weak to no statistically significant relationship between task repetition and reported psychosocial factors of job stress in workers in Taiwan.     

Interventions to prevent needle stick injuries among health care workers

Needle stick injuries (NSIs) are frequently reported as occupational injuries among health care workers. The health effects of a NSI can be significant when blood-to-blood contact occurs from patient to health care worker. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the number of NSIs decreased among health care workers at risk in one Dutch academic hospital after introduction of injection needles with safety devices in combination with an interactive workshop. In a cluster three-armed randomized controlled trial, 23 hospital divisions (n=796 health care workers) were randomly assigned to a group that was subjected to the use of a 'safety device plus workshop', to a group that was subjected to a 'workshop only' or to a control group with no intervention. The combined intervention of the introduction of needle safety devices and an interactive workshop led to the highest reduction in the number of self-reported NSIs compared to a workshop alone or no intervention. For practice, the use of relatively simple protective needle safety devices and interactive communication are effective measures for reducing NSI's.     

Noise analysis in professional office chairs

The noise caused by the movement of users on their chairs in the work environment may indicate structural weaknesses and risk, and still significantly reduce productivity by increasing employees stress level. By understanding the activities to be developed in a work place one may understand what should be necessary to a good development, thereafter a search for improvement of labor activity with the aim of better use of resources in the operation of product use may be done. The analysis of the incremental variation of noise in professional chairs aims to identify its origin and the time the emission of noise starts during the period of use, its development and the major causative agents. Determining the characteristics of the sound of different materials and adjustments mechanisms of the chair can determine how different materials interact with each other. The measurement of these noises in an acoustic isolated room using directional microphones, if recorded and analyzed properly makes it possible to investigate and orientate to suspect elements in order to propose solutions and identify the quality of other similar chairs. Based on the results recommendations can be established for the orientation of users, managers and people responsible for the acquisition of the products, inducing them to review the employment of materials and the choice of the processes of production. These aspects are not covered in the Brazilian ergonomics norms and standards in the use of chairs.     

What schools are doing around career development: implications for policy and practice

This article describes the role that schools are playing in supporting career development for young people. It examines the history of career-related programming in schools, including school-to-work programs, career and technical education, the college and career readiness movement, and current school reform initiatives. This understanding of schools' history, roles, opportunities, and constraints can help practitioners and policymakers think about how to build a system that supports youth development.     

The relationship between ethnicity and fertility in New Zealand

While there is a global shift towards smaller families, some groups maintain relatively high fertility rates. The 2013 New Zealand census data were used to investigate the nature of fertility between ethnicities in New Zealand. The NZ Deprivation Index 2013 was used as a measure of socioeconomic status to determine the relationships with fertility. The results mirror research outside of New Zealand in that socioeconomic status is inversely correlated to fertility. Using crude average fertility rates, sole-ethnicity Pasifika and Māori ethnic groups still have substantially higher fertility than sole-ethnicity Europeans and Asians ethnic groups, even when simultaneously accounting for age, socioeconomic status, education, and religious affiliation. Christians have more children than individuals reportedly without any religion, and fertility rates drop on average for mothers who have higher formal qualifications. Our findings suggest that cultural, or other ethnic-specific factors differentially affect fertility for Māori, Pasifika, New Zealand European, and Asians as aggregated ethnic categories, respectively.     

Child Obesity and the Interaction of Family and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Context

Population Research and Policy Review - The literature on neighborhoods and child obesity links contextual conditions to risk, assuming that if place matters, it matters in a similar way for...     

Exploring the intersection of transnationalism and critical race theory: a critical race analysis of international student experiences in the United States

International student mobility to the United States (US) has increased over the past two decades. Despite the increase in numbers, international students may experience racism, nativism, and other forms of discrimination within the US context. Much of the existing literature focus on how international students can assimilate and cope with these issues rather than interrogating the systems of oppression that create negative student experiences. Thus, we utilized critical race theory (CRT) as a framework for interrogating how international student experiences are portrayed in current literature. Although CRT is grounded in US-based legal theory, we argue that CRT must move beyond the rigid confinement within US borders and expand to consider how transnationalism and global exchange contributes to the fluidity and applicability of this theory. We also provide recommendations for critical race praxis, with an emphasis on implications for practice, theory, and future research.     

Mosque-Based Social Support and Collective and Personal Self-Esteem Among Young Muslim American Adults

This study investigated the association between congregational relationships and personal and collective self-esteem among young Muslim American adults. Mosque-based emotional support and negative interactions with congregants were assessed in relation to personal and collective self-esteem. Data analysis was based on a sample of 231 respondents residing in southeast Michigan. Results indicated that receiving emotional support from congregants was associated with higher levels of collective self-esteem but was unassociated with personal self-esteem. Negative interaction with congregants was associated with personal self-esteem. Together, these findings indicate that mosque-based emotional support and negative interactions function differently for personal and collective self-esteem, which provides evidence that although personal and collective self-esteem are interrelated constructs, they are also conceptually discrete aspects self-evaluations.     

Was <Emphasis Type="Italic">that</Emphasis> Racist? An Experimental Study of Microaggression Ambiguity and Emotional Reactions for Racial–Ethnic Minority and White Individuals

This study examined racial–ethnic minority and white identified participants’ perceptions of racial microaggressions in four video scenarios involving a white professor and a black student. Participants (N = 261) were randomly assigned to observe a one of the four video conditions. The video involved an interaction with no microaggression, a very ambiguous microaggression, an ambiguous microaggression, or an overt microaggression. Participants rated their observations of (a) negative emotions toward the committer (white professor) and receiver (black student) of the microaggression, (b) positive emotions toward the committer and receiver of the microaggression, (c) perceptions on the degree of biasedness of committer, and (d) degree of positive perceptions of the committer. Analysis compared ratings of two groups, including racial–ethnic minority and white observers. We found a significant difference between the overt condition and other three conditions on negative emotions, positive emotions, and attributions of the professor (i.e., cultural biasedness and positive perceptions). However, there were no differences between the no microaggression, very ambiguous, and ambiguous conditions. No significant differences between racial–ethnic minority and white participants’ ratings were detected. Implications for training, practice, and future research are offered in our discussion.