Showing 324 results for Type of Study: Research
Abbasali Jafari Nodoushan, Amirabbas Abouei Mehrizi, Fateme Sadat Mosavi Nodoushan,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: COVID-19 virus pandemic and quarantine implementation have different effects on students' psychological aspects and musculoskeletal disorders. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 virus on musculoskeletal disorders and the mental health of Meybod University students.
Methods: For this purpose, a random sample of 350 students of Meybod University was selected in 2021. Data were collected based on three questionnaires Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorders, Mental Health, and Corona Disease Anxiety Scale. The Logistic regression and Chi-square test.
Results: The results showed that the anxiety caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has a significant effect on students' mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic has also caused musculoskeletal disorders in most parts of the student body. The grade, exercise, daily sports, and the number of people infected with the virus are the variables that significantly affect organ disorders and the mental health of students in this condition.
Conclusion: Due to the importance of students' physical and mental health, it is necessary to plan students' classrooms properly. Also, with virus outbreaks and the need to comply with restrictions, planning for sports and simple stretching exercises can reduce disorders and increase students' vitality.
Mohammad Reza Omidi, Nabi Omidi, Hadi Meftahi, Maryam Panahi,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Considering the role of human resources in every organization, it is very important to address issues that lead to the reduction of occupational injuries in the workplace, it is clear that preventing the occurrence of job burnout in improving people's mental health. It plays an important role. One of the topics that can be useful in reducing job burnout is the application of ergonomic knowledge and compliance with safety principles, which is the purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of workplace ergonomic principles on job burnout with the moderating role of safety culture.
Methods: The current research is descriptive survey research, the statistical population of this research is all the employees of Ilam Petrochemical Company, which was obtained by using the Cochran formula, and the sample size is equal to 310 people; The main tools for collecting information in this research include demographic profile questionnaires, ergonomic principles, job burnout, and safety culture. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the professors using face and content validity methods, and the reliability was also confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In this research, structural equations based on path analysis in SMART PLS software were used to analyze and test research hypotheses.
Results: The impact of ergonomic principles on the burnout of Ilam Petrochemical employees is negative and significant with coefficients (T = 12.26, R2 = -0.42), and the cultural impact of safety on burnout is also negative and significant with coefficients
(T = 14.07, R2 = -0.32). is, the test of the main hypothesis shows that safety culture moderates the effect of ergonomic principles on job burnout and causes more reduction of job burnout.
Conclusion: Compliance with the principles of ergonomics in the work environment and the existence of a safety culture in Ilam Petrochemical will reduce job burnout.
Fereshteh Hosseini, Mehrnaz Haghighi, Seifollah Gharib,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Effectiveness assessment of multifaceted long-term ergonomics interventions in an automotive company Introduction: Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders requires evaluation and improvement of work situations using ergonomic posture assessment methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of multifaceted and long-term ergonomic interventions in a developing automobile manufacturing company using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method.
Methods: A long-term multifaceted intervention study was conducted on 70 office employees of an automotive engineering service company in three stages from 2016 to 2022. Interventions were carried out according to the scores obtained in the sub-areas of the ROSA method including chair, mouse and keyboard, telephone, and monitor. The interventions included technical-engineering and educational interventions. Finally, descriptive statistics and paired t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.
Results: The average score of ROSA in 2016 was 5.9 with a standard deviation of 0.66, while the average score of ROSA in 2022 was 3.85 with a standard deviation of 1.19. There was a statistically significant difference between the final score of ROSA in 2016 and 2022 (P < 0.001). Statistical tests showed that only the technical-engineering intervention had a significant effect on the ROSA final score.
Conclusion: The results of the present study have shown a favorable reduction in the final risk level of the physical condition of the employees during work due to the improvement of the physical condition as a result of the technical-engineering intervention along with the educational intervention in accordance with the components of the ROSA method.
Hamideh Abbasi, Mahmood Hoseini Boroojeni,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Proactive personalities, which refer to a person's ability with active behaviors to affect meaningful changes in the environment, are an important factor that affects the formation of job adaptability. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of active personality on job adaptation with the role of mediator of flourishing at work.
Methods: The research has been a descriptive-analytical survey in terms of practical purpose and terms of data collection. The method of collection was using a questionnaire. In the current research, the standard questionnaire measuring flourishing at work, job adaptability, and active personalities have been used. The statistical population studied was all the employees of the Jundishapur University of Ahvaz, numbering 500 people. According to Morgan's table, the sample size is calculated as 271 people. In this research, the reliability of Cronbach's alpha method and the validity of the method has been confirmed through face validity. The method of analysis, description, and inference has been. IMOS software was used to test the hypotheses.
Results: The findings show that active personalities are effective for a job with a mediating role of flourishing at work. The effect of flourishing at work on job adjustment, the effect of active personality on job adjustment, and the effect of active personality on flourishing in the workplace have been confirmed.
Conclusion: The results show what personalities make people progress in the workplace, which in turn improves job adaptability. It is recommended that career counselors design interventions to promote career adjustment.
Keyvan Hejazi,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: The study of physical and health-related fitness and body composition indicators in workers is very important to prevent performance degradation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate such indicators among the employees of Izogam Shargh Company.
Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 150 workers from 150 stations in Mashhad city were selected by stratified random sampling and divided into three age groupsnamely. 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 years. Two -way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc test were performed to compare the variables in the three age groups.
Results: Significant differences were found in body composition indicators, i.e., weight between the age groups 25-34 years with 35- 44 years (P=0.008) and 35-44 years with 45- 54 years (P=0.001), body mass index between the age groups 25-34 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001) and 35-44 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001), body fat percentage between the age groups 25-34 years with 45- 54 years (P = 0.006), maximum oxygen consumption between the age groups 25-34 years with 35-44 years (P=0.001), 25-34 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001), and 35-44 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001). In addition, significant differences were found in all physical and health-related fitness indicators, i.e., agility, explosive strength, flexibility, abdominal muscle endurance, and shoulder girdle muscle endurance, between the age groups 25-34 years with 35-44 years (P=0.001), 25-34 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001), and 35-44 years with 45-54 years (P=0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study show that the level of physical fitness of employees decreases with age. Therefore, it is suggested that the managers of companies create the necessary conditions and incentives for employees to engage in regular physical activity.
Dariush Azimi, Hossein Ghamari Givi, Ali Rezaeisharif, Ali Sheykholeslami,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: School counselors are responsible for addressing academic, personal/social, and career development needs through the design, implementation, evaluation, and enhancement of a comprehensive school counseling program that results in improved student achievement. Therefore The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the intervention based on the empowerment model on the job performance of school counselors.
Methods: The method of the current research was a mixed sequential exploratory type. For this purpose, a semi-experimental method with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group was used to check the effectiveness of the training package. The statistical population of the research included all the school counselors working in the first secondary school of Ardabil city (areas 1 and 2) in the academic year 2021-2022, among them based on the cut-off point of the school counselor occupational performance scale (score 86) and taking into account the entry criteria For the research, 30 people were selected as a sample by random sampling method and according to the results of the pre-test, they were randomly replaced in two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The members of the experimental group received the desired educational content in one introductory session and 11 sessions of 120 minutes, while the members of the control group did not receive any intervention. The follow-up test was also done after 3 months. The obtained data were analyzed using spss software and multivariate analysis of covariance test.
Results: The results showed that the intervention based on empowerment has a positive and significant effect on the job performance components of school counselors. This means that school counselors as a result of participating in training sessions based on the empowerment model, in the dimensions of knowledge (F = 0.20 and P = 0.001), skills (F = 0.69 and P = 0.001) and attitude and behavior (F=0.47 and P=0.001) had a positive and significant performance.
Conclusion: Teaching the content related to the empowerment model is an effective way to improve the performance of school counselors.
Hamideh Abbasi, Sarah Hajatpour,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: One of the best ways to maintain and improve human resources is to increase employee job satisfaction. Managers with a transformational leadership style are also one of the most important factors in improving job satisfaction. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of transformational leadership on the job satisfaction of employees with regard to the mediating role of psychological empowerment.
Methods: The statistical population of this research consisted of 1,500 employees of the central headquarters of the Tehran Social Security Organization, Tehran, Iran. The sample size (n=306) was calculated using the random sampling method and using Cochran's formula. Data collection tools were the Avolio and Bass standard transformational leadership questionnaire, Minnesota job satisfaction questionnaire, and Spretitzer psychological empowerment questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaires was measured by face and content validity. The reliability of these tools was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, whose value was calculated as 0.79 for the transformational leadership questionnaire, 0.83 for the empowerment questionnaire, and 0.82 for the job satisfaction questionnaire. Analysis of research data was done in SmartPLS software using path analysis and the structural equation model.
Results: Based on the findings, all research hypotheses were confirmed. The results obtained from the Sobel test showed that the indirect effect of transformational leadership style on job satisfaction through employee empowerment was 0.556; the positive value of beta (0.556) indicated the positive intensity of the effect.
Conclusion: The results of the research demonstrated that the role of transformational leadership by the managers of the organization would be effective in the feeling of job satisfaction and its improvement through creating working conditions that provide the empowerment of employees.
Sinaz Niazi, Farzaneh Gandomi, Laila Ghazaleh, Parviz Soufivand,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Chronic neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that has a great impact on people's quality of life, health, and work efficiency. Due to the high costs of drug treatments, the search for simple and low-cost treatment solutions is inevitable. Stretching and tissue release techniques are effective solutions for correcting skeletal-muscular disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate their effectiveness in controlling pain and improving the performance of people suffering from non-specific chronic neck pain.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study with parallel groups and pre-test-post-test design, 39 patients with non-specific chronic neck pain with an average age of 25 to 45 years, in a non-random and available form, were selected from the office workers. Individuals were randomly assigned into three groups of traction stretch, release, and control, and received interventions for six weeks. At the beginning and after the completion of the interventions, pain intensity, qualitative fatigue, and quality of life were evaluated using the visual measure of pain, multidimensional fatigue questionnaire, and SF36 questionnaire, respectively. To compare the averages, one way ANCOVA a mixed analysis of variance test was used.
Results: Intra-group comparisons showed that pain intensity, quality of life, and fatigue improved significantly in both intervention groups (P<0.05). Stretching and release exercises both had a significant effect on improving the variables (P<0.05). However, the results of the release exercises group were more significant.
Conclusion: Six weeks of releasing and stretching techniques in non-specific chronic neck pain patients reduces pain and fatigue and increases their quality of life.
Mohammad Reza Omidi, Hadi Meftahi, Nabi Omidi,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Employees in the oil and gas industry face various anxieties. The occurrence of corona disease and its rapid spread may increase the anxiety level of these people. The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of burnout in the relationship between corona anxiety and work stress.
Methods: The present study is a descriptive survey conducted in 1400. The statistical population of this research is all operational employees of Engineering and Construction Company of Oil Industries; Cochran formula was used to obtain a sample size of 310 people; the main instrument used to collect information is Corona Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, Job Burnout Questionnaire and Questionnaire. In this research, path analysis in SMART PLS software was used to analyze and test the research hypotheses.
Results: Corona anxiety has a significant effect on job burnout with coefficients (T=11.22 = 0.42, R^2) and job stress with coefficients (T=9.24 = 0.48, R^2). The effect of burnout on job stress is also significant with coefficients (T=9.24 = 0.38, R^2). The VAF effect coefficient for the effect of corona anxiety on job stress with the mediating role of burnout is equal to 0.51 and its significance coefficient is 7.52. Therefore, the mediating role of job burnout between the two variables corona anxiety and job stress was confirmed.
Conclusion: Corona anxiety has a direct and indirect negative effect on employees, and the level of corona anxiety in different industries should be reduced to improve employee performance.
Nadere Seyedahmadi, Alireza Heidari, Parviz Askari,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (5-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the effect of stress inoculation treatment (SIT) on occupational stress, COVID anxiety, resilience, and sleep quality of healthcare workers.
Methods: The current study was conducted based on a pre-test-post-test design with the control group. The research community consisted of healthcare workers in Ahvaz, and the research participants included 40 cases who were selected by purposeful sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The research instruments were the COVID-19 anxiety scale, resilience scale, sleep quality scale, and job stress scale. The data were analyzed in SPSS software using univariate and multivariate covariance analysis.
Results: The results of the present study demonstrated F ratios of univariate analysis of covariance for sleep quality (F=304.08 and P<0.001), COVID anxiety (F=212.99 and P<0.001), resilience (F=152.37 and P<0.001) and job stress (F=124.59 and P<0.001).
Conclusion: Due to the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on the studied variables, this training seems necessary for the health and treatment staff.
Mohammad Amin Mououdi, Arezoo Sammak Amani, Mohammad Taghipour,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Nowadays, workers are less mobile and more sedentary due to the use of modern technologies in the workplace, and the complications resulting from static work and fixed posture have caused numerous disorders, including musculoskeletal disorders. This study was conducted to evaluate the comfort and usability of the ergonomic sit-stand desk converter with the aim of preventing disorders caused by constant sitting in workers.
Methods: 30 employees and faculty members of a university voluntarily participated in this study and provided informed consent. After the necessary explanations, subjects were provided with two researcher-created questionnaires ( Local Perceived Discomfort (LPD) and Sit-Stand Desk Converter Usability Questionnaire (SSDCUQ)), two methods of posture analysis, two methods of Workstation evaluation and general satisfaction along with 20-8-2 software and an ergonomic desk converter. After the test period, the data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 software and statistical tests such as mean, standard deviation, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: The overall mean LPD in the different body parts was 0.48 ± 0.87, indicating that the converter functions in the range of no problem to very little discomfort. The average overall satisfaction with the function of the converter was 3.18 ± 1.08 ,which is in the medium to good range. When analysing the different sitting and standing postures, a significant correlation was also found between the different situations of using the converter (P<0.0005), which indicates an improvement in sitting and standing posture while using the converter.
Conclusion: Height-adjustable workstations are a good choice to reduce sitting time and improve posture. Despite the improvement in sitting and standing posture when using the converter, there are limitations, such as ignoring the software warnings for sitting and standing in the mechanical converter studied.
Ali Salmaninejaad, Maryam Hasani, Sahar Rezaian,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Psychological load, such as workload, not only disrupts work performance but can also directly affect employee safety leadin to accidents. However, despite this issue, not much effort has been made to develop an assessment tool to measure the psychological burden related to the occupational safety and health of employees. Therefore, the present study was designed to validate the psychological burden scale of workers by Kim et al. (2018) from the perspective of occupational health and safety.
Methods: The statistical population of the research consisted of all the workers employed in the Eastern Alborz Company of Shahroud city, and 349 workers participated in the research using a simple random sampling method. In the present study, the mental load scale by Kim et al. (2018), the Copenhagen psychosocial scale (COPSOQ), and the occupational stress scale (HSE) were used. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient tests and confirmatory factor analysis using SPSS version 22 statistical software and Lisrel version 8.5.
Results: The results showed that all the components of workers' psychological burden including the overall score and the psychosocial scale and occupational stress scale have a positive and significant relationship. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis also indicated a good fit of the model in determining the factors in the initial form as proposed by Kim et al. (2018). To determine the reliability of the scale, the value of Pearson's correlation coefficient was obtained at 0.82 in the test and retest phases. Additionally, the results of this study showed that 26.1 percent of workers experienced low psychological burden, 49.6 percent experienced moderate psychological burden, and 24.4 percent experienced severe psychological burden.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the current research, the workers' mental burden scale (Kim et al., 2018) is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to evaluate the psychological burden of workers in research and intervention studies.
Ali Davoodizadeh, Mohsen Aliabadi, Majid Habibi Mohraz, Maryam Farhadian, Masoud Shafiee Motlagh,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cooling vests based on nanofibers and packages of phase change materials (PCM) in reducing the thermal stress of medical personnel in hot workplaces.
Methods: In this experimental study, 20 males were exposed to 10 combined scenarios of temperatures of 24°C and 32°C in a room simulating atmospheric conditions and having 5 samples of cooling vests. Physiological parameters, including skin surface temperature, tympanic temperature, and oral temperature were measured before and after exposure to air temperature conditions by simulating the activity metabolism of hospital workers. The normal distribution of the data was checked with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and the analysis of the effect of the scenarios was performed through the analysis of variance with repeated measurements.
Results: The results confirmed that in the condition without a vest, the air temperature of 32°C compared to the air temperature of 24°C had a greater effect in increasing the tympanic body temperature (P<0.05). The significant effect of using nanofiber vests along with PCM packages was observed in reducing skin temperature, tympanic temperature, and oral temperature in hot temperature conditions with effect sizes of 0.498, 0.568, and 0.349, respectively (P<0.05). The effect size of increasing the air temperature was lower than that of the type of cooling vests on the physiological responses, indicating that the effectiveness of the designed vests is enhanced with an increase in temperature (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The use of nanofiber cooling vests and PCM packages is effective in maintaining the body temperature stability of medical personnel in hot environments due to ideal weight and acceptable effect size.
Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, Armin Lahouri, Ataalah Barati, Hadi Miri,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: In today's advanced world, musculoskeletal problems are among the most serious problems. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between ergonomics and postural abnormalities in manufacturing workers.
Methods: The statistical population of this research consists of 210 male employees working in two production units. Among this population, 134 cases were included in the study according to Morgan's table and based on the inclusion criteria. The pain in different parts of the body was assessed by the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) was utilized to evaluate workplace ergonomics, and the body posture was evaluated by the New York Posture Rating. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 26). The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to investigate the normality of data distribution. Moreover, a linear regression statistical test was utilized to assess the relationship between research variables. The significance level was set at <0.05.
Results: The obtained results pointed to a significant and negative relationship between the ergonomics score and the physical condition assessment (P=0.00; R=0.60). In addition, the results highlighted the presence of skeletal-muscular disorders in different parts of the body, with the highest prevalence in the back (53.73%).
Conclusion: According to the high and negative correlation of the variables, it was found that unfavorable ergonomic conditions can lead to poor physical condition and numerous musculoskeletal consequences.
Mohammad Babamiri, Ramin Rahmani, Rashid Heydari Moghadam, Mehraneh Shabani,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: In work environments, job stress is the main factor that can make employees lose control and provide the opportunity for the occurrence of aggression in employees. Therefore, this study investigated the role of the effort-reward imbalance model in the occurrence of bullying in the workplace.
Methods: This study was descriptive-analytical in nature. The research population consisted of employees of one of the petrochemical plants located in the south of the country. The samples (n=202) were selected using the census sampling method. In this research, two self-report questionnaires, namely the Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale and the Questionnaire of bullying actions, were used to measure the variables. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 18 software using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression.
Results: The mean scores of the participants’ age and work experience in this study were 40.13±9.32 and 15.9±9.50 years, respectively. Among the participants, 72.8% were female and 86.1% were married. In terms of educational status, 10.9% had an associate's degree, 81.2% had a bachelor's degree, and the rest had a master's degree or higher. About three-quarters of the participants were public service employees, and the rest were working on a contract basis. Based on the results of the multivariate regression model, among the variables investigated in this study, effort-reward imbalance and extreme commitment were able to significantly predict the changes in the bullying score (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Employees who feel imbalanced between inputs and outputs in the job, as well as those who have the characteristic of excessive responsibility, are more likely to display negative behaviors in the form of bullying in the workplace.
Atefeh Elyasi Gomari, Behzad Fouladi Dehaghi, Saeed Ghanbari, Abbas Mohammadi,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are widespread and important health and social problems in industrialised society, reducing productivity, increasing treatment costs and affecting the quality of life of workers. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of workload, fatigue, sleep quality and physical condition on musculoskeletal disorders among workers in the steel industry.
Methods: The present study is a descriptive and analytical study conducted on a population of 540 workers working in the steel industry in the city of Dezful. Based on simple random sampling, 400 people were selected as samples. The instruments used in this study are the Demographic Information Questionnaire, the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire (CMDQ), the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory(SOFI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality (PSQI) and the NASA-TLX workload index. The Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) was used. Descriptive statistical indices were used to analyze the data, and the relationships between observed and hidden variables were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) The data were analyzed at a significance level of 0.05 and in SPSS software version 25.
Results: According to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, back pain ranked first with a mean and standard deviation of 52.39±25.44 and knee pain ranked second with a mean and standard deviation of 46.46±26.45, indicating that the prevalence of these disorders is high among steel industry workers. The results of the correlation analysis showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between workload, fatigue, sleep quality and body condition and musculoskeletal disorders (p<0.05). The RMSEA index of less than 0.1 shows that the model proposed in this study fits well and demonstrates the role of workload variables, fatigue, sleep quality and body position in the direct and indirect causation of musculoskeletal disorders.
Conclusion: The results of this study show that improving workplace ergonomics, reducing workload and fatigue, and improving sleep quality can reduce the likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders in workers.
Roholah Hosseini, Mojtaba Chekideh,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Human resources are the most important capital and strategic factor in any organization, especially hospitals. Managers need to employ suitable strategies to decrease and remove job stressors to utilize this capital more effectively for enhancing the quality of hospital services. Reducing occupational plays a significant role in improving the morale and motivation among the hospital's human resources. In this research, management strategies were investigated to reduce occupational stress among human resources in Imam Reza Hospital, Zarandiya, Iran.
Methods: The current applied research was conducted based on the descriptive-analytical method. The data were collected using the field survey method. The statistical population of the research included all experts working at the Imam Reza Hospital. The samples (n=28) were selected using a snowball sampling method. The data collection tool in this research was a researcher-made matrix questionnaire in the context of the research problem. The data were analyzed by the Taxonomy technique.
Results: According to the data analysis based on the calculation of the importance coefficient of the research indicators, self-confidence with Wj = 28.1% and employee motivation and morale with Wj = 27.1% were identified as effective indicators, Moreover, based on the data analysis obtained in this research with the Taxonomy technique, among different management strategies to reduce job stress, strengthening the work environment by intimacy (confidence interval [CI]=0.469), transparency of job goals (transparency in roles and tasks, CI=5.521), and participatory management (CI=3.798) were prioritized.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, hospital managers need to develop and execute strategies focused on creating a more intimate work environment, transparent roles, and a collaborative management approach to alleviate employee occupational stress.
Moein Darestani, Leili Tapak, Mostafa Mirzaie Aliabadi, Neda Mahdavi,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Today we are witnessing tremendous growth in construction and the use of heavy machinery. As a significant portion of human errors is attributed to cognitive failures, there is a need for robust tools to assess these cognitive failures. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to investigate the psychometrics of the current Occupational Cognitive Failures Questionnaire for Heavy Machinery Operators in Road and Urban Construction.
Methods: A total of 84 drivers of road and urban construction machinery were selected by simple random sampling method. Initially, job-related items for these people were selected for inclusion in the questionnaire, irrelevant items were removed, and proposed items were added. To assess structural validity, the tool was administered to 10 experts. Then, content validity ratios (CVR) and content validity indices (CVI) were determined for each of the items and evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis conducted in AMOS software (version 23). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to measure reliability. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 20).
Results: The final questionnaire comprised 16 items, with CVR and CVI leading to their inclusion in the final structure. The CVR of the questionnaire was 0.90. Additionally, the indices of the fitted model included CMIN/DF, TLI, CFI, IFI, GFI, AGFI, and RMSE, which were obtained at 1.16, 0.851, 0.88, 0.898, 0.86, 0.802, and 0.044, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated at 0.633.
Conclusion: The psychometrics of the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire demonstrated suitable validity and reliability for heavy machinery operators in road and urban construction. It can be effectively used for ergonomic evaluations.
Yousef Ghanbari, Farzaneh Gandomi,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Musculoskeletal disorders and associated pains are represent significant and prevalent factors contributing to occupational injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of online upper cross syndrome-based exercises and the posture retraining on pain, disability, fatigue, and mental workload of experienced by dentists in Shahrekord city.
Methods: A total of 33 dentists were selected as the statistical sample and randomly assigned to three groups including, control (n = 11), Online National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) based corrective exercises (n=11), and posture retraining (n=11) groups. Baseline assessments were conducted, and outcomes were examined immidietly after the interventions. The experimental groups underwent the study interventions for six weeks, while the control group maintained their regular daily activities during this period. Primary outcome measure was pain, and secondary measures included disability, perceptual fatigue, mental workload, and quality of life. Within-group comparisons were analyzed using paired sample t-tests, and between-group comparisons utilized one-way analysis of variance.
Results: The results indicated that both exercise interventions positively affected pain, disability, perceptual fatigue, mental workload, and quality of life among dentists (P<0.05). Notably, correction of the upper crossed syndrome demonstrated a more significant effect compared to the posture retraining intervention (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The utilization of online NASM-based corrective exercises and posture retraining could have positive effects in reducing pain and disability and also improving the overall performance of dentists.
Mohsen Arefian, Fatemeh Raeesi, Mohammadjavad Hadianfard,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2023)
Abstract
Objectives: Work-related musculoskeletal pains (WMSPs) are considered one of the major factors affecting the quantity and quality of work and threatening the physical and psychological health of employees. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and prediction of WMSPs based on body posture, work-related stress, mental health, and psychological flexibility among the employees of an industrial company in Shiraz.
Methods: To this end, among the employees of an industrial company in 2023, 147 people (51 women and 96 men) were selected and evaluated by 1. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, 2. Quick Exposure Check, 3. Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, 4. General Health Questionnaire, and 5. Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 26) using regression analysis test.
Results: Descriptive findings demonstrated that the most common WMSPs in the sample group were back pain(76.19%), neck pain (69.38%), and lower back pain (56.46). Moreover, the mean hours of physical exercise per week were significantly associated with WMSPs (P<0.05). Based on the findings, body posture had the greatest ability to predict neck, shoulder, hand, and back pain (P<0.01). Furthermore, work-related stress, mental health, and psychological flexibility significantly predicted WMSPs (P<0.05).
Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, body posture education may contribute greatly to the mitigation of WMSPs.Moreover, work-related stress management and the promotion of employees’ psychological flexibility will reduce WMSPs.
