Prevalence of COVID-19 in health professionals and occupational psychosocial risks

Introduction: Health professionals who provide clinical care are exposed to patients potentially infected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2), namely physicians and nurses; consequently, these professionals face higher risks of infection. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the prevalence of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) cases among health professionals and the frequencies of risk factors and psychosocial risk. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study targeted at health professionals working in Portugal during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire available online at the websites of medical and nursing boards, among other sources. We performed a univariate analysis, calculating absolute and relative frequencies, and a bivariate analysis with a Pearson's chi-squared test. Results: We studied 4,212 health professionals, of which 36.7% (n = 1,514) worked in areas dedicated to the treatment of sick or suspected COVID-19 patients. Of these, 2.11% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among all participants, 76.7% and 79.1% presented moderate to severe levels of fatigue and anxiety, respectively. Fatigue levels were significantly higher in professionals working in areas dedicated to the treatment of patients with COVID-19 (80.5% p = 0.01), but this difference was not observed regarding anxiety (79.5% p = 0.681). Conclusions: The percentage of health professionals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 was 2.11%. The reported high levels of fatigue and anxiety should determine a better protection of the health and safety of those who provide health care in the current pandemic.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

a retrospective cohort study

Objective: To analyse the variation in the rate of adverse events (AEs) between acute hospitals and explore the extent to which some patients and hospital characteristics influence the differences in the rates of AEs. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Chi-square test for independence and binary logistic regression models were used to identify the potential association of some patients and hospital characteristics with AEs. Setting: Nine acute Portuguese public hospital centres. Participants: A random sample of 4250 charts, representative of around 180 000 hospital admissions in 2013, was analysed. Intervention: To measure adverse events based on chart review. Main Outcome Measure: Rate of AEs. Results: Main results: (i) AE incidence was 12.5%; (ii) 66.4% of all AEs were related to Hospital-Acquired Infection and surgical procedures; (iii) patient characteristics such as sex (female 11%; male 14.4%), age (≥65 y 16.4%; <65 y 8.5%), admission coded as elective vs. urgent (8.6% vs. 14.6%) and medical vs. surgical Diagnosis Related Group code (13.4% vs. 11.7%), all with p < 0.001, were associated with a greater occurrence of AEs. (iv) hospital characteristics such as use of reporting system (13.2% vs. 7.1%), being accredited (13.7% vs. non-accredited 11.2%), university status (15.9% vs. non-university 10.9%) and hospital size (small 12.9%; medium 9.3%; large 14.3%), all with p < 0.001, seem to be associated with a higher rate of AEs. Conclusions: We identified some patient and hospital characteristics that might influence the rate of AEs. Based on these results, more adequate solutions to improve patient safety can be defined.publishe

a balance between science and art?

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Telework during the COVID-19 epidemic in Portugal and determinants of job satisfaction: a cross-sectional study

Background:Telework satisfaction is a Public Health concern, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its determinant factors may be related with the negative health effects of teleworking. However, there is still little research exploring this issue. This study aimed to characterize telework during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Portugal and to identify the major predictors of telework satisfaction. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study aimed at all teleworkers working in Portugal, during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic. Data were collected through a Google Forms platform online questionnaire distributed by a snowball method on social networks. Descriptive statistics included crude and relative frequency data. The associations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health, organization of working time, concentration at work, work-life balance, work disconnection, working conditions, and organizational demands (flexibility and organizational trust based on E-work Life Scale) with telework satisfaction were estimated through logistic regression. Results: This study included 1004 participants. Teleworkers satisfaction levels were high (69%). Better concentration at work (OR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.01–2.34); the satisfaction with the balance between work life and extra work when teleworking (OR = 1.79; 95%CI 1.17–2.74); and higher work flexibility (OR = 2.26; 95%CI 1.46–3.49) were good predictors of greater levels of satisfaction with telework. However, its major predictors were the company’s trust in teleworkers (OR = 4.50; 95%CI 2.89–7.02) and feeling good in the workspace at home (OR = 3.72; 95%CI 1.46–9.49). Conclusions: Our findings point that work environment and organizational culture play a crucial role in affecting telework satisfaction. More studies are needed to monitor telework satisfaction and its effects on physical and mental health, so that Public and Occupational Health (and Safety) can be able to identify and implement the best interventions that allow promoting individual health and foster a healthy work environment for teleworkers.Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia, IP national support through CHRC (UIDP/04923/2020)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occupational risk perception and occupational and work-related diseases prevention

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is health and safety at work a real occupational health and safety policy concern or just a political topic?

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a contribution to strengthen assessment towards quality improvement in interventional cardiology

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How firms develop resources-capabilities that are in the origin of its competitive advantage over time : case study : José Maria da Fonseca : Vinhos SA

Nowadays, going global is one of the finest solutions to conquer a superior and stable position in such globalized world. When companies are concerned about their businesses and growth, the diversity of geographies becomes an important issue, since it can multiply revenues and create greater brand awareness. Therefore, it is necessary to develop capabilities that allow a company of having sustainable competitive advantage in changing environments. Thus, it is through firm‟s internal organization of its critical resources that companies can gain such advantage. This dissertation aims to analyze how a medium-sized enterprise developed capabilities that underlie its competitive advantage over time. During the analysis, the resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities theories helped addressing the research question, focusing essentially in the internal and external context to the company, respectively. In this case, we tested how José Maria da Fonseca, a Portuguese wine producer, developed its capabilities in order to triumph either at national or international level. This study, not only identifies José Maria da Fonseca‟s strategies on becoming a recognized brand over the years as well as its international-market dependency; but also its capability‟s development which allowed it competing in new markets.Num mercado tão globalizado como aquele em que vivemos nos dias de hoje, é necessário marcar uma posição forte e sólida em relação aos nossos concorrentes que operam na mesma indústria. Diversificação, tanto em termos de modelos de negócio como de geografias, é um dos caminhos mais sustentáveis para prosperar, criando reconhecimento da marca no mercado. Assim, é necessário desenvolver bem como organizar capacidades que permitam à empresa ter vantagens competitivas em envolventes em mudança. A presente dissertação pretende analisar como é que, num contexto de pequenas e médias empresas, é possível desenvolver capacidades que resultam em vantagem competitiva ao longo do tempo. A teoria baseada nos recursos e a teoria das capacidades dinâmicas, estando relacionadas, respectivamente, com o contexto interno e externo à empresa, ajudaram a responder à pergunta de investigação associada a este case study. Neste caso, é feita uma aplicação concreta ao caso da José Maria da Fonseca, uma produtora portuguesa de vinho, que desenvolveu capacidades ao longo do tempo, de maneira a vingar tanto a nível internacional como a nível nacional. Este estudo, para além de analisar as estratégias da empresa José Maria da Fonseca que contribuíram para uma fortificação da marca em termos nacionais e internacionais; proporciona também uma investigação ao desenvolvimento da sua capacidade o que permitiu à empresa competir em novos e existentes mercados com mais eficiência

Endemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Nurses' Risk Perceptions and Attitudes

Dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most difficult challenges for prevention, control, and treatment of health care-associated infections. A survey and interviews were conducted on nurses from a hospital center. We found that most nurses' perceived risk of acquiring MRSA related to themselves (72%), other nurses (88.5%), and patients (97.8%). This perception influences attitudes, leading to compliance with the existing recommendations