A Qualitative Study of Stress in Individuals Self-Employed in Solo Businesses

This qualitative study involved 54 individuals who were self-employed in a variety of solo businesses. All participants were administered a semistructured interview that inquired into various aspects of their work experience with the data subject to reliability and validity checks. The study identified stressful incidents, coping strategies, and emotional strains arising from those stressful incidents. Uncertainty about income was a common background stressor. Recent specific stressors included dramatic slowdowns in business, reputational threat, betrayal, unreasonable customers, and medical problems. Commonly occurring strains included apprehension/anxiety, frustration, anger, and sadness/depression. The self-employed used problem-focused coping much more often than emotion-focused coping. We also identified a third kind of coping that we labeled humanitarian coping. A number of questions/hypotheses for future research emerged, including identifying (a) a tipping point bearing on when the psychological benefits of self-employment (e.g., autonomy) are overtaken by business losses outside the individual’s control and (b) the coping strategies that are most useful in managing work-related stressors

Investigation of the Barriers and Facilitators to Making Healthy Choices at Work

This project aims to examine how workplace barriers and facilitators can affect an employee’s healthy choices. Barriers are factors that prevent the employee from making a healthy choice, whereas facilitators are factors that encourage the employee to make a healthy choice. It is imperative to understand how these barriers and facilitators affect the employee’s ability to make healthy choices in order to understand the importance of their presence within the workplace. The results of this study will further support previous research findings related to this topic, as well as support future attempts aimed to improve the overall well-being of employees in the workplace

Strengths and Limitations of Qualitative Approaches to Research in Occupational Health Psychology

Like all research methods, qualitative methods have strengths and limitations. This chapter describes seven strengths and five limitations. With an understanding of their strengths and limitations and how to minimize and/or balance them, occupational health psychology (OHP) researchers can benefit from qualitative methods. It is important to understand that qualitative findings do not establish generalizable cause-effect relations. However, qualitative methods can help an OHP researcher develop a theory of causality and derive hypotheses related to the theory and, thus, motivate quantitatively organized research designed to test the hypotheses. The challenge for the OHP researcher is to be mindful of what qualitative research can and cannot do, and exploit what qualitative research can do for the benefit of the research enterprise. It is incumbent upon the investigator to create from the qualitative data hypotheses that are testable given well designed, mixed-method and quantitatively organized studies

Implementation considerations for a point-of-care Neisseria gonorrhoeae rapid diagnostic test at primary healthcare level in South Africa : a qualitative study

ADDITIONAL FILE 1 : IDI protocols. Interview protocols used in this study during the pre-implementation, initial use, 3-month (mid-assessment) and 6-month (post-evaluation) implementation phase.ADDITIONAL TABLE 1 : Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ): 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups.ADDITIONAL TABLE 2 : NPT Constructs as defined for the implementation of the NG-LFA.BACKGROUND : South Africa maintains an integrated health system where syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections (STI) is the standard of care. An estimated 2 million cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) occur in South Africa every year. Point-of-care diagnostic tests (POCT) may address existing STI control limitations such as overtreatment and missed cases. Subsequently, a rapid lateral flow assay with fluorescence-based detection (NG-LFA) with a prototype reader was developed for N. gonorrhoeae detection showing excellent performance and high usability; however, a better understanding is needed for device implementation and integration into clinics. METHODS : A qualitative, time-series assessment using 66 in-depth interviews was conducted among 25 trained healthcare workers involved in the implementation of the NG-LFA. Findings were informed by the Normalization Process Theory (NPT) as per relevant contextual (strategic intentions, adaptive execution, and negotiation capacity) and procedural constructs (coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, reflexive monitoring) to examine device implementation within primary healthcare levels. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed using a thematic approach guided by NPT to interpret results. RESULTS : Overall, healthcare workers agreed that STI POCT could guide better STI clinical decision-making, with consideration for clinic integration such as space constraints, patient flow, and workload. Perceived NG-LFA benefits included enhanced patient receptivity and STI knowledge. Further, healthcare workers reflected on the suitability of the NG-LFA given current limitations with integrated primary care. Recommendations included sufficient STI education, and appropriate departments for first points of entry for STI screening. CONCLUSIONS : The collective action and participation by healthcare workers in the implementation of the NG-LFA revealed adaptive execution within the current facility environment including team compositions, facility-staff receptivity, and STI management experiences. User experiences support future clinic service integration, highlighting the importance of further assessing patient-provider communication for STI care, organizational readiness, and identification of relevant departments for STI screening.Sub-award via FIND (primary recipient Cecilia Ferreyra), from the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) (https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/theglobal-amr-innovation-fund).https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.comhj2024Medical MicrobiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Current trends in cannulation and neuroprotection during surgery of the aortic arch in Europe†‡

OBJECTIVES To conduct a survey across European cardiac centres to evaluate the methods used for cerebral protection during aortic surgery involving the aortic arch. METHODS All European centres were contacted and surgeons were requested to fill out a short, comprehensive questionnaire on an internet-based platform. One-third of more than 400 contacted centres completed the survey correctly. RESULTS The most preferred site for arterial cannulation is the subclavian-axillary, both in acute and chronic presentation. The femoral artery is still frequently used in the acute condition, while the ascending aorta is a frequent second choice in the case of chronic presentation. Bilateral antegrade brain perfusion is chosen by the majority of centres (2/3 of cases), while retrograde perfusion or circulatory arrest is very seldom used and almost exclusively in acute clinical presentation. The same pumping system of the cardio pulmonary bypass is most of the time used for selective cerebral perfusion, and the perfusate temperature is usually maintained between 22 and 26°C. One-third of the centres use lower temperatures. Perfusate flow and pressure are fairly consistent among centres in the range of 10-15 ml/kg and 60 mmHg, respectively. In 60% of cases, barbiturates are added for cerebral protection, while visceral perfusion still receives little attention. Regarding cerebral monitoring, there is a general tendency to use near-infrared spectroscopy associated with bilateral radial pressure measurement. CONCLUSIONS These data represent a snapshot of the strategies used for cerebral protection during major aortic surgery in current practice, and may serve as a reference for standardization and refinement of different approache

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk

Workplace Nutrition and Exercise Climate: Scale Development and Preliminary Model

Obesity is a major concern in the United States and has a multitude of negative physical and mental health consequences. Proper nutrition and exercise are important elements to initiating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Since most people spend a large amount of their time working, it is important that organizations create an atmosphere that is conducive to employees being able to eat healthy diets and exercise regularly. The social and environmental climate in terms of health was examined through the construct of a Workplace Nutrition and Exercise Climate (WNEC), defined here as the situational, social, and environmental factors within an organization that encourage and provide support to employees interested in eating healthy and exercising. This study sought to develop a scale for this construct and test its reliability, validity, and relationships to important health behavior and outcome variables. One-hundred and fifty-six participants were recruited to take an online survey, as well as provide contact information for 2 co-workers. Forty-three of these participants were successfully matched directly to 1 or 2 co-workers in their organization. The scale showed evidence for reliability, through high internal consistency and interrater reliability. The results showed that the scale should be considered a single construct, but that individual nutrition or exercise can be measured if the user has empirical evidence that it is necessary for their research question. The scale also improved on a previous measure of health climate in a number of ways. The construct was directly related to organizational health benefits, self-reported healthy diet, job satisfaction, and depression. Additionally, while the initial simple mediation model proposed was not supported by the data (neither proper diet nor exercising behaviors individually mediated the relationship between the new construct of workplace nutrition and exercise climate and the physical and mental health variables), some exploratory moderation models showed promising leads for future researchers. Specifically, males and females differed on their relationships between the current climate construct and the self-reported healthy diet and total exercise frequency variables. Given the wealth of previous research that shows the negative effects of obesity, if these findings continue to be supported, it may indicate that WNEC plays a crucial, primary prevention role in helping employees get and/or stay healthy. Future research should continue to look at this new construct of WNEC, design studies that allow for aggregation and investigation of the shared climate, and determine how researchers and practitioners can create a healthy WNEC in an organization

Moderating effect of negative affectivity on the job satisfaction-turnover intentions and justice-turnover intentions relationships

Although many people experiences dissatisfaction with their jobs at some time or another, not all of them quit their jobs because of it. Why do some employees simply continue to work in an unsatisfying environment? In this study, it is hypothesized that part of the reason is based on the individual\u27s personality, specifically their scores on positive and negative affectivity. Results showed that neither NA nor PA moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intentions/job search, contrary to previous literature. This study suggests that the moderation effect of personality on this relationship, either does not exist or is more complicated than formerly thought

Workplace Nutrition and Exercise Climate: Scale Development and Preliminary Model

Obesity is a major concern in the United States and has a multitude of negative physical and mental health consequences. Proper nutrition and exercise are important elements to initiating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Since most people spend a large amount of their time working, it is important that organizations create an atmosphere that is conducive to employees being able to eat healthy diets and exercise regularly. The social and environmental climate in terms of health was examined through the construct of a Workplace Nutrition and Exercise Climate (WNEC), defined here as the situational, social, and environmental factors within an organization that encourage and provide support to employees interested in eating healthy and exercising. This study sought to develop a scale for this construct and test its reliability, validity, and relationships to important health behavior and outcome variables. One-hundred and fifty-six participants were recruited to take an online survey, as well as provide contact information for 2 co-workers. Forty-three of these participants were successfully matched directly to 1 or 2 co-workers in their organization. The scale showed evidence for reliability, through high internal consistency and interrater reliability. The results showed that the scale should be considered a single construct, but that individual nutrition or exercise can be measured if the user has empirical evidence that it is necessary for their research question. The scale also improved on a previous measure of health climate in a number of ways. The construct was directly related to organizational health benefits, self-reported healthy diet, job satisfaction, and depression. Additionally, while the initial simple mediation model proposed was not supported by the data (neither proper diet nor exercising behaviors individually mediated the relationship between the new construct of workplace nutrition and exercise climate and the physical and mental health variables), some exploratory moderation models showed promising leads for future researchers. Specifically, males and females differed on their relationships between the current climate construct and the self-reported healthy diet and total exercise frequency variables. Given the wealth of previous research that shows the negative effects of obesity, if these findings continue to be supported, it may indicate that WNEC plays a crucial, primary prevention role in helping employees get and/or stay healthy. Future research should continue to look at this new construct of WNEC, design studies that allow for aggregation and investigation of the shared climate, and determine how researchers and practitioners can create a healthy WNEC in an organization

Generalized Assignment with Nonlinear Capacity Interaction

The utility of the generalized assignment problem (GAP) is well known in regard to resource allocation problems arising in the areas of production planning, scheduling, and facility location. This paper introduces an important generalization of the GAP, which is called the 0-1 generalized assignment problem with nonlinear capacity constraints (NLGAP) and which allows for capacity interaction among tasks assigned to the same agent. For example, NLGAP can be used to model the hierarchical production planning problem involving the assignment of product families to production facilities in the case where process changeover gives rise to nonlinear capacity interaction among product families assigned to be produced at the same facility. Other applications of NLGAP occur readily throughout the areas of production planning and scheduling. We define a branch-and-bound algorithm for the NLGAP. This algorithm draws upon the underlying structure of the problem by combining in a novel manner recent advances in both nonlinear 0-1 programming and bounding techniques for the GAP. A heuristic for obtaining approximate solutions to NLGAP is also defined. We discuss computational experience with both the exact algorithm and the heuristic. The computational results demonstrate that the heuristic is extremely effective in obtaining near-optimal solutions and that the branch-and-bound algorithm can solve to optimality NLGAPs with 5 agents, 20 tasks, and over 1000 nonlinear terms per constraint.nonlinear 0-1 programming, assignment and allocation