SOFTWARE ERGONOMICS: EFFECTS OF COMPUTER APPLICATION DESIGN PARAMETERS ON OPERATOR TASK PERFORMANCE AND HEALTH

Evidence is reviewed that the operating characteristics of computer application systems, in addition to physical characteristics of display units (CRTs), are the cause of many observed effects on operator health and task effectiveness. These effects are hypothesized to occur through changes in task structure, and the man-machine redivision of labor that results when computer application systems are introduced into work settings. First, the association between task dimensions and models of operator performance effectiveness and well-being are reviewed. Second, application system design parameters that affect task structure are identified. Then, empirical evidence supporting this three part causal linkage - application system parameters to task characteristics to operator effectiveness and health - is presented. The findings suggest that by improving dialogue quality, taking advantage of two way communication to reduce uncertainty, using smaller and less integrated systems and matching system performance to operator needs a job can be created that is likely to improve both operator well-being and effectiveness.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Topical Hydroxyurea and Psoriasis

Hydroxyurea, as a 10% cream, produces a significant involutionary effect on psoriatic plaques when used under continuous plastic film occlusion. When used with only partial occlusion, however, the effect is only slightly better than that of the base alone. Further studies with the use of metabolically active derivatives of hydroxyurea and/or different vehicles are warranted

Nativity Status and Workplace Discrimination in Registered Nurses : Testing the Mediating Role of Psychosocial Work Characteristics

Abstract Aim To examine: 1) whether nativity status was associated with workplace discrimination, 2) whether this association was mediated through psychosocial work characteristics (job strain, job demands and job control) among registered female nurses. Design Cross-sectional survey with a self-report questionnaire was conducted. Methods A random sample of 610 native Registered Nurses and a total sample of 188 foreign-born Registered Nurses working in Finland were used. Data were collected between September - November of 2017 and analyzed using a counterfactual approach in the causal mediation framework. Results After adjusting for several potential confounders, foreign-born nurses scored higher on workplace discrimination than native nurses. Approximately 20% of the association between nativity status and workplace discrimination was mediated through job control. Job demands and job strain were unlikely to mediate this association. Conclusion The study provides further evidence that migrant status is associated with a higher risk of workplace discrimination among nurses. Lower levels of control over one's own job may partly contribute to the higher risk of workplace discrimination in foreign-born women nurses. Impact Our study addresses the relationship between nativity status and workplace discrimination among female nurses and its mediating factors. The findings suggest that health care organization leaders need to be aware of the increased risk of workplace discrimination among migrant nurses. Moreover, health care organizations need to consider psychosocial work characteristics, including job control, in the efforts aimed to prevent and reduce discrimination against their foreign-born employees.Peer reviewe

SOFTWARE ERGONOMICS: EFFECTS OF COMPUTER APPLICATION DESIGN PARAMETERS ON OPERATOR TASK PERFORMANCE AND HEALTH

Evidence is reviewed that the operating characteristics of computer application systems, in addition to physical characteristics of display units (CRTs), are the cause of many observed effects on operator health and task effectiveness. These effects are hypothesized to occur through changes in task structure, and the man-machine redivision of labor that results when computer application systems are introduced into work settings. First, the association between task dimensions and models of operator performance effectiveness and well-being are reviewed. Second, application system design parameters that affect task structure are identified. Then, empirical evidence supporting this three part causal linkage - application system parameters to task characteristics to operator effectiveness and health - is presented. The findings suggest that by improving dialogue quality, taking advantage of two way communication to reduce uncertainty, using smaller and less integrated systems and matching system performance to operator needs a job can be created that is likely to improve both operator well-being and effectiveness.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Retirements of Coal and Oil Power Plants in California: Association With Reduced Preterm Birth Among Populations Nearby.

Coal and oil power plant retirements reduce air pollution nearby, but few studies have leveraged these natural experiments for public health research. We used California Department of Public Health birth records and US Energy Information Administration data from 2001-2011 to evaluate the relationship between the retirements of 8 coal and oil power plants and nearby preterm (gestational age of <37 weeks) birth. We conducted a difference-in-differences analysis using adjusted linear mixed models that included 57,005 births-6.3% of which were preterm-to compare the probability of preterm birth before and after power plant retirement among mothers residing within 0-5 km and 5-10 km of the 8 power plants. We found that power plant retirements were associated with a decrease in the proportion of preterm birth within 5 km (-0.019, 95% CI: -0.031, -0.008) and 5-10 km (-0.015, 95% CI: -0.024, -0.007), controlling for secular trends with mothers living 10-20 km away. For the 0-5-km area, this corresponds to a reduction in preterm birth from 7.0% to 5.1%. Subgroup analyses indicated a potentially larger association among non-Hispanic black and Asian mothers than among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic mothers and no differences in educational attainment. Future coal and oil power plant retirements may reduce preterm birth among nearby populations

Occupational and leisure time physical activity in contrasting relation to ambulatory blood pressure

Background: While moderate and vigorous leisure time physical activities are well documented to decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease, several studies have demonstrated an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in workers with high occupational activity. Research on the underlying causes to the contrasting effects of occupational and leisure time physical activity on cardiovascular health is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the relation of objective and self-report measures of occupational and leisure time physical activity with 24-h ambulatory systolic blood pressure (BP). Methods: Results for self-reported physical activity are based on observations in 182 workers (60% male, mean age 51 years), while valid objective physical activity data were available in 151 participants. The usual level of physical activity was assessed by 5 items from the Job Content Questionnaire (high physical effort, lifting heavy loads, rapid physical activity, awkward body positions and awkward positions of head or arms at work) and one item asking about the general level of physical activity during non-working time. On a regular working day, participants wore an ambulatory BP monitor and an accelerometer physical activity monitor during 24 h. Associations were examined by means of Analysis of Covariance. Results: Workers with an overall high level of self-reported occupational physical activity as well as those who reported to often lift heavy loads at work had a higher mean systolic BP at work, at home and during sleep. However, no associations were observed between objectively measured occupational physical activity and BP. In contrast, those with objectively measured high proportion of moderate and vigorous leisure time physical activity had a significantly lower mean systolic BP during daytime, while no differences were observed according to self-reported level of leisure time physical activity. Conclusions: These findings suggest that workers reporting static occupational physical activities, unlike general physically demanding tasks characterized by dynamic movements of large muscle groups, are related to a higher daily systolic BP, while high objective levels of moderate and vigorous leisure time physical activity are related to lower daytime systolic BP. Ambulatory systolic BP may be a physiological explanatory factor for the contrasting effects of occupational and leisure time physical activity

Instrument development, data collection, and characteristics of practices, staff, and measures in the Improving Quality of Care in Diabetes (iQuaD) Study

Peer reviewedPublisher PD