Macroergonomic intervention for work design improvement and raw materials waste reduction in a small footwear components company in Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil

This article presents a macroergonomic intervention carried out in a small footwear components company located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The company's demand was related to the waste of the expensive raw-material (thermoplastic polyurethane or TPU) used to manufacture the components (high heels pegs). According to the managerial staff, the waste was workers responsibility due to the craft characteristic of the process. A participative method was used to evaluate the problems, propose and implement solutions, as well as evaluate their impact on the workers and the Company. Improvements in the work conditions resulted in increase of workers' satisfaction with the work and in 31.5% waste reduction.     

Macroergonomic analysis of two different work organizations in a same sector of a luminary manufacturer

This article presents the analysis of the effect of two different types of work organization (the traditional and a new mechanized, more segmented one) in the packing sector of a luminary manufacturing company in Curitiba, Brazil. A macroergonomic analysis was conducted to evaluate the workers satisfaction with the job; the possible associated postural risk, the level of body pain/discomfort and to compare the two models (traditional and mechanized). The mechanized model showed to involve higher postural risk, to generate more pain and less satisfaction, even in relation to the temperature, illumination, uniform and salary, which are the same for the two groups. Excluding job rotation that was well evaluated and should be adopted for all workers, the new model proved to be worse than the traditional although it also needs improvements.     

The perception of fear when using urban furniture

This article presents a study on the perception of fear related to the use of three different types of urban furniture, qualitatively evaluated based on interviews while people were using them in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil: the bus shelter, the playground, and the gymnastic equipment. The fear related to the lack of safety of the urban space was associated with the use of the three types of products. The fear experienced by the use of the playground and the bus shelter was related to the occurrence of accidents, since both products are often unsafe and do not fulfill ergonomic parameters. The fear experienced from the use of the gymnastic equipment is related to the possibility of incorrect use of the product and the occurrence of harassment. Both ergonomics and emotion are important aspects to be considered in design, in order to make the use of social/ collective products a pleasant experience.     

Accidents related to the use of products and services in the city of São Luis, Brazil

This article presents a study on the accidents related to the use of products and services, as recorded at two emergency hospitals at the city S?o Luís, Brazil. The goal of the study was to evaluate the main types and causes of unintentional accidents as well as the more frequent injuries for further improvement of products and services. The study evaluated the victims profile (gender and age), the circumstances (activity, local and time) that lead to the accidents and the type of resulted injury. Non-parametric statistics showed that 83.64% of the accidents were related to products (57.6% of them being consumer products) and 8.6% are related to maintenance services. 57.6% of the victims were children under 15 years old, and 58.4% were male. 50.2% of accidents occurred at home, more often (44.7%) in the afternoon. The most common injury was musculoesqueletal (48.6%), 49.0% being cranioencephalic trauma and 15.2% fractures.     

Experiencing and writing Indigeneity, rurality and gender: Australian reflections

This paper has two interrelated aims. The first is to contribute to knowledge about rurality, gender and Indigeneity. This is undertaken by the first author, Bebe Ramzan, an Indigenous woman living in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Bebe shows similarities across rural and remote areas in Australia and details her knowledge and experience of home, rurality, rural communities, land and gender. The second aim of the paper is to examine issues surrounding the involvement of academic white women in Indigenous research. Writing from the position of feminist white women Barbara Pini and Lia Bryant reflect on theories of whiteness as cultural practice and in this paper contest representations of rurality in rural studies as white.     

Daily Fantasy Sports Players: Gambling,Addiction, and Mental Health Problems

Studies point to a relationship between fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports (DFS) play and gambling behavior. However, little is known about the nature of those relationships, particularly regarding the development of gambling problems. This study investigates the nature, frequency, and preferences of gambling behavior as well as problem gambling severity and comorbid conditions among DFS players. Data were collected from an epidemiologic survey of 3634 New Jersey residents on gambling and leisure activities. Participants were contacted by phone (land-line and cell) and online to obtain a representative, cross-sectional sample of non-institutionalized adults, aged 18 years or older. Excluding non-gamblers, the remaining 2146 participants, included in these analyses, indicated they had either played DFS (n = 299) or had gambled but not played DFS (1847) in the past year. Univariate comparisons and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the most significant characteristics and predictors of DFS players. Overall, a higher number of gambling activities, high frequency gambling, male gender, and reports of suicidal thoughts in the past year were most predictive of DFS players. Being Hispanic (vs. Caucasian) and/or single (vs. married or living with a partner) also doubled the odds of DFS play. Findings suggest that DFS players are characterized by high gambling frequency and problem severity and comorbid problems, notably suicidal ideation. Future research should examine the motivations and possible etiological sub-types of DFS players and the nature and course of DFS play, particularly in relation to gambling behavior and the development of gambling and other problems.     

The Effects of Gender Identity and Heavy Episodic Drinking on Alcohol-Related Violence

This study examines the impact of masculinity and femininity on violence enacted while under the influence of alcohol. Our review of the literature, data analysis, and interpretations are framed by feminist pathways theorizing and a critique of existing gender research in the area of alcohol use and violence. Data come from a survey of Midwest university students (N = 422). The relationships between masculinity, femininity, heavy episodic drinking and three forms of alcohol-related violence (against strangers, friends/acquaintances, and intimate partners), are assessed with a series of logistic regressions. Results suggest that even when controlling for sex, gender is an important predictor for alcohol-related violence. We situate these findings within a sociology-of-gender framework.     

Suicidality and depression among youth gamblers: a preliminary examination of three studies

Both suicide and problem gambling among youth are two growing areas of public health concern, though studies have yet to characterise the relationship between these issues. Youth report higher prevalence rates of problem gambling than adults, but no studies to date have investigated whether they are likewise prone to higher risks of gambling‐related suicidality. This article explores the relationship of depression, suicidality, and problem gambling in youth in three studies of middle and high‐school students (total N = 3,941; males n = 1,937, females n = 2,004) conducted in 1996, 2000, and 2001 in Quebec and Ontario. All studies reported significantly higher rates of suicidality among problem and pathological gamblers as compared to non‐gamblers and social gamblers, irrespective of gender, grade, or level of depression. The implications for future investigations are discussed.     

Withdrawal and Tolerance Phenomenon in Problem Gambling

The phenomenological similarities between gambling and substance dependence have led to the conceptualization of pathological gambling as an addictive disorder. Tolerance and withdrawal are important features of both disorders, suggesting commonalities in the neurobiological processes associated with neuroadaptational underpinnings. However, there are few empirical studies supporting the presence of tolerance and withdrawal reported in the gambling literature. Moreover, there are no studies comparing the equivalence of tolerance and withdrawal between gambling and alcohol dependence. This study compared tolerance and withdrawal features in samples of gamblers, alcoholics and gamblers who also met criteria for alcohol dependence. In contrast to the addiction model, findings indicate that, while a majority of participants increased bet size, the motivation to do so was not for excitement or to maintain arousal levels as indicated by the DSM-IV-TR but because of cognitive factors related to winning. Results supported the notion that pathological gamblers experienced similar levels of withdrawal symptom severity as alcohol-dependent participants. Further research is needed to evaluate whether those symptoms result from the inability to gamble or from the loss of an avoidant stress coping strategy.