Validation of a video-based system to determine heart rate for stress monitoring

Studies estimate that about 50% of all lost workdays are related to occupational stress. Academic researchers have been using heart rate variability (HRV) as an indicator of stress. As a way of providing the needed heart rate data, an unobtrusive approach points to video plethysmography, being a recent method that needs further investigation and validation. Specific barriers such as room lighting conditions and face movement have been identified as the main risks for software progression. The present chapter presents a validation protocol of a video-based system to determine heart rate for stress monitoring, under different illuminance levels and position conditions. We present an in-depth protocol on how to assess the reliability of a video facial recognition software on collecting physiological data (heart rate), and our software results when compared to the gold standard, Electrocardiogram (ECG).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Psychomedical interventions with transgender people in Portugal and Brazil: a critical approach

This study aims to analyze biopsychomedical interventions with transgender people. For this purpose, we carried out 35 semi-structured interviews with people who self-identify as transsexuals and transvestites in Brazil and Portugal. The responses of the study participants were systematized according to a thematic analysis, which led to the emergence of the following three main themes: “institutional power”, “expectations of trans-bodies”, and “experiences in health services”. This study demonstrates how some trans people perform bodily modifications to fight the transphobia they experience throughout their lives. In addition, they believe that, by making their bodies conform to each other, they may become more attractive and desirable. The process of cisnormativity is, furthermore, conveyed by the idea present in the answers of some respondents: that having “integrated” bodies means facing less discrimination and that they will, therefore, obtain more satisfactory ways of personally and socially experiencing their identities. This study contributes to a deepening critical reflection on the experiences/exclusions of trans people, especially in the psychomedical context of “normalization” devices. Hence, just as social structures produce and sustain transphobia, the same structures are responsible for combating it

Errors in preparation and medication management in nursing professionals

The preparation and administration of medications is one of the most common and relevant functions of nurses, demanding great responsibility. Incorrect administration of medication, currently constitutes a serious problem in health services, and is considered one of the main adverse effects suffered by hospitalized patients. Objectives: Identify the major errors in the preparation and administration of medication by nurses in hospitals and know what factors lead to the error occurred in the preparation and administration of medication. Methods: A systematic review of the literature. Deined as inclusion criteria: original scientiic papers, complete, published in the period 2011 to May 2016, the SciELO and LILACS databases, performed in a hospital environment, addressing errors in preparation and administration of medication by nurses and in Portuguese language. After application of the inclusion criteria obtained a sample of 7 articles. Results: The main errors identiied in the pr eparation and administration of medication were wrong dose 71.4%, wrong time 71.4%, 57.2% dilution inadequate, incorrect selection of the patient 42.8% and 42.8% via inadequate. The factors that were most commonly reported by the nursing staff, as the cause of the error was the lack of human appeal 57.2%, inappropriate locations for the preparation of medication 57.2%, the presence of noise and low brightness in preparation location 57, 2%, professionals untrained 42.8%, fatigue and stress 42.8% and inattention 42.8%. Conclusions: The literature shows a high error rate in the preparation and administration of medication for various reasons, making it important that preventive measures of this occurrence are implemented

Acidentes de trabalho em meio hospitalar: custos associados

O ambiente hospitalar constitui de per si um complexo meio propício ao surgimento de acidentes de trabalho com os custos associados. Estudar os acidentes de trabalho em meio hospitalar e os custos associados. Participantes e Métodos: Estudo longitudinal retrospetivo. A amostra foi constituída por 164 trabalhadores, que no período de 2006/2010, tiveram acidente de trabalho notificado numa unidade hospitalar do norte de Portugal. A recolha dos dados foi realizada no período de 01/12/2011 a 30/04/2012 no Departamento de Recursos Humanos, através dos boletins de participação dos acidentes e da ficha de registo de urgência, junto do responsável pelo departamento. Recorreremos à estatística descritiva e à inferencial através do teste ANOVA. Os resultados revelaram as variáveis que se associaram significativamente com os custos e foram: grupo profissional (p=0,048); parte do corpo atingida (p=0,002); ação que conduziu à lesão (p=0,031); exames auxiliares de diagnóstico (p<0,001); agente da lesão (p<0,001) e dias de trabalho perdidos (p<0,001). Os médicos foram o grupo com maior média (7 605,60 €) nos custos por acidente e os enfermeiros os mais acidentados (55,5%). O grupo etário mais acidentado situou-se nos 50-54 anos com predominância feminina (82,3%) e mais de 10 anos de serviço (89,0%), sendo a principal causa, a picada de agulha (32,3%). Os esforços excessivos/movimentos inadequados foi a lesão que apresentou média de custos (6 501,96€) mais elevada. As mãos foram a parte do corpo mais lesionada, sendo a cabeça a que apresentou maior média de custos (9 633,58 €). O maior número de acidentes registou-se entre as 8-16 horas (62,8%) e nos serviços de internamento médico (29,3%). Os trabalhadores com ausências faltaram em média 50,93 dias. Os custos dos acidentes de trabalho são uma realidade com repercussões económicas significativas, afetando não só os trabalhadores individualmente mas também as instituições e a sociedade em geral

Avaliação do ambiente térmico em piscinas cobertas

Este estudo teve como objectivo avaliar as condições do ambiente térmico em piscinas cobertas através de duas abordagens distintas. A abordagem objectiva consistiu na análise da temperatura da água e dos parâmetros de ambiente térmico. A abordagem subjectiva teve por base a aplicação de um questionário. Os resultados dos parâmetros físicos apresentaram-se elevados na maioria das situações avaliadas, nomeadamente no que respeita à temperatura da água e à humidade relativa. A análise subjectiva evidenciou percentagens de insatisfeitos inferiores à obtida na análise objectiva. Verificou-se ainda que os utilizadores das piscinas preferem ambientes considerados ligeiramente quentes ou quentes.This study aimed analyzed the thermal environment conditions in covered pools by two different approaches. The objective approach had consisted on the water temperature and thermal environment parameters analysis. The subjective approach was based on a questionnaire application. The results of physical parameters presents high to the most of assessed situations, namely in relation to water temperature and relative humidity. The subjective approach showed percentages of dissatisfied people below the expected by objective approach. It was also found that the users by pools prefer environments considered slightly warms or warms

Determination of Professional Musicians’ Level of Exposure to Noise: A Methodological Problem?

Exposure to excessive noise is frequently pointed as one of the main avoidable sources of permanent hearing loss. This problem is well documented for industrial workers; however, for other professional groups, such as musicians, the exposure profile and the procedures for its determination are not yet well established.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An unobtrusive stress detection software: Protocol design to assess the reliability of video plethysmography

Software solutions for stress detection have been emerging. Existing solutions still largely rely on supervised learning methods, requiring extremely large sets of labeled data for each situation. Stress assessment using video plethysmography is a recent method that needs further investigation. The room lighting conditions and the person’s movement have been identified as the main barriers to the software progression. Thus, it is necessary to build a laboratory pilot that will take into account these difficulties. We present an in-depth protocol on how to assess the reliability of a video facial recognition software on collecting physiological data (heart rate and blinking).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk assessment in industry using expected utility: An application to accidents’ risk analysis

Expected utility theory can be relevant for decision-making under risk, when different preferences should be taken into account. The goal of this paper is to present a quantitative risk analysis methodology, depending on expected utility, where the risk consequences are determined quantitatively, the risk is modelled using a loss random variable and the expected utility loss is used to classify and rank the risks. Considering the relevance of risk management to reduce workers’ exposure to occupational risks, the methodology is applied to the analysis of accidents in industry, where six different contact mode of injury categories are distinguished. The ranking of the injury categories is determined for three different utility functions. The results indicate that the slope of the utility function influences the ranking of the contact mode of injury categories. The choice of the utility function may thus be relevant for the risk classification in order to prioritize different aspects of risk consequences

Determination of maximum acceptable weight of schoolbag carriage in one shoulder

Pain and discomfort are prevalent symptoms among children and adolescents in school age. Carrying heavily loaded schoolbags or carrying it improperly, such as in a single shoulder, has been related to this symptomatology. In view of this, it is important to better understand the students' perceptions about what they consider to be a safe weight to carry.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio