Lessons Learned from Working from Home: Exploring factors considered critical to supporting successful working from home during the pandemic

This research study explores the experiences of those who transitioned from working within a traditional office setting to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore the factors individuals, consider critical to successfully working from home during the pandemic, this investigation draws inferences from Herzberg’s two-factor theory (1959) and the job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) and their underlying components. Data was collected from 294 participants through the distribution of a qualitative survey during the first phases of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data.Our findings identified four factors necessary for successful working from home. These four themes presented as a working-from-home framework are: (1) the Home Office Environmentt; (2) Technical Set-up; (3) Social Capital, and (4) the New Reality. This framework illustrates that implementing long-term successful working from home is a balancing act, and that organizations must consider not only the hygiene factors and motivators of Herzberg’s theory, but also the positive and negative indications and outcomes of an employee’s well-being as set out in the JD-R model. Consequently, Herzberg’s theory and the JD-R model must be considered equally when developing a long-term working-from-home strategy. Understanding and addressing these factors will support organizations in unlocking the full potential of working from home to enhance employee productivity, satisfaction, and well-being.As data was gathered during the first phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research also provides unique insights into workers' experiences transitioning from office work to working from home during COVID-19.

A Latent Class Analysis of Nutrition Impact Symptoms in Cancer Survivors

Those with a cancer diagnosis report experiencing a wide range of nutrition impact symptoms with prevalence varying by study, group and cancer type. We aimed to identify groups of cancer survivors with specific patterns of nutrition impact symptoms. Two hundred and twenty-nine individuals attending oncology day ward and outpatient clinics completed a series of questionnaires and physical measurements. A latent class analysis was performed to identify subgroups based on 13 nutrition impact symptoms taken from the Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment Short Form. The identified classes were subsequently compared using analysis of variance and chi-square tests, by sociodemographic, clinical and nutritional variables as well as by Global Health Status (GHS) and five functioning scales determined using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Three latent subtypes were identified: (1) Fatigue (n=58, 28%); (2) Low Symptom Burden (n=146, 64%) and (3) High Symptom Burden (n=25, 11%). Those in the High Symptom Burden group were more likely to be female, currently receiving any form of treatment, diagnosed ≥two years and have consumed less food than usual in the last month compared to those in the Low Symptom Burden group. Those in the Fatigue group were more likely were less likely to have reported their food intake to be unchanged and more likely to be diagnosed ≥two years than those in the Low Symptom Burden group. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 functioning and GHS scores were all significantly different between the three nutrition impact symptoms classes (p<0.001). This is the first study to examine heterogeneity of nutrition impact symptoms in Irish Cancer Survivors. The findings of this work will inform and allow for more individualised nutrition care

Applying the thresholds for clinical importance for fourteen key domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30: A Latent Class Analysis of Cancer Survivors.

A person’s quality of life is impacted from the beginning of their oncology experience. One of the most common tools to measure quality of life is the EORTC QLQ-C30. The absolute scores it produces can be difficult to interpret in the clinical setting, and thresholds to help identify those who require intervention have recently been introduced. The aim of this research was to identify heterogeneity of these thresholds for clinical importance using latent class analysis in cancer survivors (those undergoing and those who have completed treatment) attending a hospital in the northwest of Ireland. We identified 3 distinct classes of cancer survivors, using Mplus 6.11: high clinical impact (13.9%), compromised physical function (40.3%) and low clinical impact (45.9%). The compromised physical function group were slightly more likely to be older (OR = 1.042, p < .05, CI = 1.000–1.086), not employed (OR = 8.347, p < .01, CI = 2.092–33.305), have lower PG-SGA scores (OR = .826, p < .001, CI = .755–.904), and not have been diagnosed in the last 2 years (OR = .325, p < .05, CI = .114–.923) compared to the high clinical impact group. The low clinical impact group were more likely to be female (OR = 3.288, p < .05, CI = 1.281–1.073), not employed (OR = 10.129, p < .01, CI = 2.572–39.882), have a lower BMI (OR = .921, p < .05, CI = .853–.994), and lower PG-SGA scores (OR = .656, p < .001, CI = .573–.750) than the high clinical impact group. Functional and symptom issues impact on quality of life, and therefore, identifying those of clinical importance is crucial for developing supportive care strategies

A Latent Class Analysis of Nutrition Impact Symptoms in Cancer Survivors

Purpose: Those with a cancer diagnosis report experiencing a wide range of nutrition impact symptoms with prevalence varying by study, group and cancer type. We aimed to identify groups of cancer survivors with specific patterns of nutrition impact symptoms.Methods: 229 individuals attending oncology day ward and outpatient clinics completed a series of questionnaires and physical measurements. A latent class analysis was performed to identify subgroups based on 13 nutrition impact symptoms taken from the Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment Short Form. The identified classes were subsequently compared using analysis of variance and chi-square tests, by sociodemographic, clinical and nutritional variables as well as by Global health status (GHS) and five functioning scales determined using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Results: Three latent subtypes were identified: (1) Fatigue (n=58, 28%); (2) Low Symptom Burden (n=146, 64%) and (3) High Symptom Burden (n=25, 11%). Those in the High Symptom Burden group were more likely to be female, currently receiving any form of treatment and have consumed less food than usual in the last month compared to those in the Low Symptom Burden group. Those in the Fatigue group were more likely were more likely to have reported consuming less food in the previous month and less likely to have reported their food intake to be unchanged than those in the Low Symptom Burden group. Those who received their diagnosis two years+ ago were most likely to be classed in the Fatigue group. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 functioning and GHS scores were all significantly different between the three nutrition impact symptoms classes (p&lt;0.001)Conclusion: This is the first study to examine heterogeneity of nutrition impact symptoms in Irish Cancer Survivors. The findings of this work will inform and allow for more individualised nutrition care.<br/