From fear to empowerment: the impact of employees AI awareness on workplace well-being – a new insight from the JD–R model

PurposeThe primary purpose of the study was to explore the impact of health workers’ awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) on their workplace well-being, addressing a critical gap in the literature. By examining this relationship through the lens of the Job demands-resources (JD–R) model, the study aimed to provide insights into how health workers’ perceptions of AI integration in their jobs and careers could influence their informal learning behaviour and, consequently, their overall well-being in the workplace. The study’s findings could inform strategies for supporting healthcare workers during technological transformations.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative research design using a survey methodology to collect data from 420 health workers across 10 hospitals in Ghana that have adopted AI technologies. The study was analysed using OLS and structural equation modelling.FindingsThe study findings revealed that health workers’ AI awareness positively impacts their informal learning behaviour at the workplace. Again, informal learning behaviour positively impacts health workers’ workplace well-being. Moreover, informal learning behaviour mediates the relationship between health workers’ AI awareness and workplace wellbeing. Furthermore, employee learning orientation was found to strengthen the effect of AI awareness on informal learning behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the study provides valuable insights, it is important to acknowledge its limitations. The study was conducted in a specific context (Ghanaian hospitals adopting AI), which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other healthcare settings or industries. Self-reported data from the questionnaires may be subject to response biases, and the study did not account for potential confounding factors that could influence the relationships between the variables.Practical implicationsThe study offers practical implications for healthcare organizations navigating the digital transformation era. By understanding the positive impact of health workers’ AI awareness on their informal learning behaviour and well-being, organizations can prioritize initiatives that foster a learning-oriented culture and provide opportunities for informal learning. This could include implementing mentorship programs, encouraging knowledge-sharing among employees and offering training and development resources to help workers adapt to AI-driven changes. Additionally, the findings highlight the importance of promoting employee learning orientation, which can enhance the effectiveness of such initiatives.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the existing literature by addressing a relatively unexplored area – the impact of AI awareness on healthcare workers’ well-being. While previous research has focused on the potential job displacement effects of AI, this study takes a unique perspective by examining how health workers’ perceptions of AI integration can shape their informal learning behaviour and, subsequently, their workplace well-being. By drawing on the JD–R model and incorporating employee learning orientation as a moderator, the study offers a novel theoretical framework for understanding the implications of AI adoption in healthcare organizations

Multiple health-related behaviours among Fly-In Fly-Out workers in the mining industry in Australia : A cross-sectional survey during the COVID-19 pandemic

Funding: The study received funding from Mineral Resources Limited (Australia). Mineral ResourcesLimited provided AUS$ 200 shopping voucher to the winner of a raffle draw as reimbursement for study participation. Mineral Resources Limited (Australia) provided support for this study in the form of salaries to authors MS and CH. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. Employees of Mineral Resources Limited played role in the datacollection, interpretation of study findings, preparation and decision to submit this manuscript for publication but not in the design of the study and data analysis. The preparation of this manuscript was supported by the Aberdeen-Curtin Alliance International Postgraduate Research Scholarship scheme awarded to BY-AA.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

It’s a woman’s thing: gender roles sustaining the practice of female genital mutilation among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana

Introduction The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM/C) in traditional African societies is grounded in traditions of patriarchy that subjugate women. It is widely assumed that approaches to eradicating the practice must therefore focus on women’s empowerment and changing gender roles. Methods This paper presents findings from a qualitative study of the FGM/C beliefs and opinions of men and women in Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana. Data are analyzed from 22 focus group panels of young women, young men, reproductive age women, and male social leaders. Results The social systemic influences on FGM/C decision-making are complex. Men represent exogenous sources of social influence on FGM/C decisions through their gender roles in the patriarchal system. As such, their FGM/C decision influence is more prominent for uncircumcised brides at the time of marriage than for FGM/C decisions concerning unmarried adolescents. Women in extended family compounds are relatively prominent as immediate sources of influence on FGM/C decision-making for both brides and adolescents. Circumcised women are the main source of social support for the practice, which they exercise through peer pressure in concert with co-wives. Junior wives entering a polygynous marriage or a large extended family are particularly vulnerable to this pressure. Men are less influential and more open to suggestions of eliminating the practice of FGM/C than women. Conclusion Findings attest to the need for social research on ways to involve men in the promotion of FGM/C abandonment, building on their apparent openness to social change. Investigation is also needed on ways to marshal women’s social networks for offsetting their extended family familial roles in sustaining FGM/C practices

Burden of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among adults in nursing and care homes:a systematic review

BackgroundOlder adults in nursing and care homes (NCHs) are vulnerable to severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, hospitalisation, and death. This study aimed to gather data on RSV disease among older adults in NCHs and identify reported risk factors for RSV hospitalisation and case fatality.MethodsThe study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022371908). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health databases to identify articles published between 2000 and 2023. Observational and experimental studies conducted among older adults in NCHs requiring assistive care and reporting RSV illness were included and relevant data were extracted.ResultsOf 18,690 studies screened, 32 were selected for full-text review and 20 were included. Overall, the number of NCH residents ranged from 42 to 1,459 with a mean age between 67.6 and 85 years. Attack rates ranged from 6.7 – 47.6% and annual incidence ranged from 0.5 – 14%. Case fatality rates ranged from 7.7 – 23.1%. We found similar annual incidence rates of RSV-positive acute respiratory infection (ARI) of 4,582 (95% CI: 3,259 – 6,264) and 4,785 (95% CI: 2,258 – 10,141) per 100,000 reported in two studies. Annual incidence rate of RSV-positive lower respiratory tract infection was 3,040 (95% CI: 1,986 – 4,454) cases per 100,000 adults. Annual RSV-ARI hospital admission rates were between 600 (95% CI: 190 -10,000) and 1,104 (95% CI: 350 – 1,930) per 100,000 person-years. Among all RSV disease cases, commonly reported chronic medical conditions included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, cerebrovascular accident, malignancies, dementia, and those with a Charlson comorbidity score > 6.5.ConclusionData on RSV infection among NCH residents are limited and largely heterogeneous but document a high risk of illness, frequent hospitalisation, and high mortality. Preventive interventions, such as vaccination should be considered for this high-risk population. Nationally representative epidemiologic studies and NCH-based viral pathogen surveillance could more precisely assess the burden on NCH residents

Mental Well-Being during COVID-19 : A Cross-Sectional Study of Fly-In Fly-Out Workers in the Mining Industry in Australia

Funding: This study was funded by the Mineral Resources Limited (Australia). Mineral Resources Limited provided AUD 200 shopping voucher to the winner of a raffle draw as reimbursement for study participation. Mineral Resources Limited played role in the data collection, interpretation of study findings, preparation and decision to submit this manuscript for publication but not in the design of the study and data analysis. The study was supported by Aberdeen-Curtin Alliance Curtin International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (CIPRS) in the writing of the manuscript. B.Y.-A.A. is a recipient of Aberdeen-Curtin Alliance PhD Curtin International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (CIPRS) and Research Stipend Scholarship. Acknowledgments: We express our profound gratitude to the Mineral Resources Limited, Australia for their support in advertising the study and allowing for us undertake this study among their workers. We also extend our appreciation to all the FIFO workers who took time to participate in this study.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Mental health and well-being of unpaid caregivers: a cross-sectional survey protocol

Introduction: Unpaid caregiving, care provided by family/friends, is a public health issue of increasing importance. COVID-19 worsened the mental health conditions of unpaid caregivers, increasing substance/drug use and early development of chronic disease. The impact of the intersections of race and ethnicity, sex, age and gender along with unpaid care work and caregivers’ health and well-being is unknown. The aim of this study is to describe the inequities of caregiver well-being across the intersections of race and ethnicity, sex, age and gender using a cross-sectional survey design. Methods and analysis: We are collaborating with unpaid caregivers and community organisations to recruit a non-probability sample of unpaid caregivers over 18 years of age (n=525). Recruitment will focus on a target sample of 305 South Asian, Chinese and Black people living in Canada, who represent 60% of the Canadian racial and ethnic populations. The following surveys will be combined into one survey: Participant Demographic Form, Caregiver Well-Being Index, interRAI Self-report of Carer Needs and the GENESIS (GENdEr and Sex DetermInantS of Cardiovascular Disease: From Bench to Beyond-Premature Acute Coronary Syndrome) PRAXY Questionnaire. Sample characteristics will be summarised using descriptive statistics. The scores from the Caregiver Well-Being Index will be dichotomised into fair/poor and good/excellent. A two-stage analytical strategy will be undertaken using logistic regression to model fair/poor well-being and good/excellent well-being according to the following axes of difference set a priori: sex, race and ethnicity, gender identity, age, gender relations, gender roles and institutionalised gender. The first stage of analysis will model the main effects of each factor and in the second stage of analysis, interaction terms will be added to each model. Ethics and dissemination: The University of Toronto’s Health Sciences Research Ethics Board granted approval on 9 August 2022 (protocol number: 42609). Knowledge will be disseminated in pamphlets/infographics/email listservs/newsletters and journal articles, conference presentation and public forums, social media and through the study website.publishedVersio

Buruli-RifDACC: Evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampicin on outcomes in Mycobacterium ulcerans disease, a protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Ghana [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) can lead to disfiguring ulcers and permanent disability. The 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) calls for major scaling up in diagnosis and management to eliminate disability due to the disease. Current treatment for BU is with daily oral rifampicin (10mg/kg dose) and clarithromycin (15mg/kg dose) for eight weeks, combined with standard gauze wound dressings. Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated dressings have been shown to irreversibly bind bacteria on wound surfaces resulting in their removal when dressings are changed.  This trial aims to determine whether combining a high-dose oral rifampicin regimen with DACC dressings can improve the rate of wound healing relative to standard-dose oral rifampicin combined with DACC dressings. Methods: This is an individual, multi-centre Phase 3 randomised controlled trial, which will be conducted in three clinical sites in Ghana. The primary outcome measure will be the mean time to clearance of viable mycobacteria. Cost and health-related quality of life data will be collected, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Discussion: The findings from this trial could lead to a change in how BU is treated. A shorter but more efficacious regimen would lead to improved treatment outcomes and potentially substantial financial and economic savings. Trial registration Pan African Clinical Trials Repository (registration number; PACTR202011867644311). Registered on 30th November 2020

Buruli-RifDACC: Evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampicin on outcomes in Mycobacterium ulcerans disease, a protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Ghana [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) can lead to disfiguring ulcers and permanent disability. The 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) calls for major scaling up in diagnosis and management to eliminate disability due to the disease. Current treatment for BU is with daily oral rifampicin (10mg/kg dose) and clarithromycin (15mg/kg dose) for eight weeks, combined with standard gauze wound dressings. Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated dressings have been shown to irreversibly bind bacteria on wound surfaces resulting in their removal when dressings are changed.  This trial aims to determine whether combining a high-dose oral rifampicin regimen with DACC dressings can improve the rate of wound healing relative to standard-dose oral rifampicin combined with DACC dressings. Methods: This is an individual, multi-centre Phase 3 randomised controlled trial, which will be conducted in three clinical sites in Ghana. The primary outcome measure will be the mean time to clearance of viable mycobacteria. Cost and health-related quality of life data will be collected, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Discussion: The findings from this trial could lead to a change in how BU is treated. A shorter but more efficacious regimen would lead to improved treatment outcomes and potentially substantial financial and economic savings. Trial registration Pan African Clinical Trials Repository (registration number; PACTR202011867644311). Registered on 30th November 2020

Buruli-RifDACC: Evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampicin on outcomes in Mycobacterium ulcerans disease, a protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Buruli ulcer (BU) can lead to disfiguring ulcers and permanent disability. The 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) calls for major scaling up in diagnosis and management to eliminate disability due to the disease. Current treatment for BU is with daily oral rifampicin (10mg/kg dose) and clarithromycin (15mg/kg dose) for eight weeks, combined with standard gauze wound dressings. Dialkylcarbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated dressings have been shown to irreversibly bind bacteria on wound surfaces resulting in their removal when dressings are changed.  This trial aims to determine whether combining a high-dose oral rifampicin regimen with DACC dressings can improve the rate of wound healing relative to standard-dose oral rifampicin combined with DACC dressings. METHODS: This is an individual, multi-centre Phase 3 randomised controlled trial, which will be conducted in three clinical sites in Ghana. The primary outcome measure will be the mean time to clearance of viable mycobacteria. Cost and health-related quality of life data will be collected, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. DISCUSSION: The findings from this trial could lead to a change in how BU is treated. A shorter but more efficacious regimen would lead to improved treatment outcomes and potentially substantial financial and economic savings