Showing 31 results for Mental
Faramarz Gharagozlou, Jebraeil Nasl Saraji, Adel Mazloumi, Ali Nahvi, Ali Motie Nasrabadi, Abbas Rahimi Foroushani, Mohammadreza Ashouri, Mehdi Samavati,
Volume 1, Issue 1 (9-2013)
Abstract
Introduction: Driver fatigue is one of the major causes of
accidents in roads. It is suggested that driver fatigue and drowsiness
accounted for more than 30% of road accidents. Therefore, it is important to
use features for real-time detection of driver mental fatigue to minimize
transportation fatalities. The purpose of this study was to explore the EEG
alpha power variations in sleep deprived drivers on a car driving simulator.
Materials and Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was
achieved on nineteen healthy male car drivers. After taking informed written
consent, the subjects were requested to stay awake 18 hrs before the
experiments and refrain from caffeinated drinks or any other stimulant as well
as cigarette smoking for 12 hrs prior to the experiments. The drivers sleep
patterns were studied through sleep diary for one week before the experiment.
The participants performed a simulated driving task in a 110 Km monotonous
route at the fixed speed of 90 km/hr. The subjective self-assessment of fatigue
was performed in every 10 minute interval during the driving using Karolinska
Sleepiness Scale (KSS). At the same time, video recordings from the drivers
face and their behaviors were achieved in lateral and front views and rated by
two trained observers. Continuous EEG and EOG records were taken with 16
channels during driving. After filtering and artifact removal, power spectrum
density and fast Fourier transform (FFT) were used to determine the absolute
and relative alpha powers in the initial and final 10 minutes of driving. To
analyze the data, descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman coefficients and
paired-sample T test were employed to describe and compare the variables.
Results: The findings showed a significant increase in
KSS scores in the final 10 minutes of driving (p<0.001). Similar results
were obtained concerning video rating scores. Meanwhile, there was a
significant increase in the absolute alpha power during the final section of
driving (p=0.006).
Conclusion: Driver mental fatigue is considered as one of
the major implications for road safety. This study suggests that alpha brain
wave rhythm can be a good indicator for early prediction of driver fatigue.
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Shirazeh Arghami, Abolfazl Ghoreishi, Koorosh Kamali, Masoud Farhadi,
Volume 1, Issue 1 (9-2013)
Abstract
Introduction: Mental fatigue is defined as body or soul
tiredness which can be caused by stress, overwork, excessive use of drugs or
physical or mental illnesses. Fatigue is one of the reasons of productivity
loss as well as occurring accidents. Therefore, mental fatigue measurement is
of great importance. This study was aimed to determine the consistency of
mental fatigue measurement by self-reported VAS and the flicker fusion
apparatus.
Material and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 30 students.
After they had accomplished mental tasks (i.e. mathematical problem solving and
responding to MMPI questionnaire), mental fatigued was measured by
self-reported VAS and flicker fusion apparatus. To analyze the results, paired
sample T-test and Spearman correlation test were applied in SPSS software
version 11.5 (P<0.05).
Findings: The results of mental fatigue measurements by
both methods of self-reported VAS and the flicker fusion apparatus showed
significant increase in mental fatigue after finishing each of the mental
tasks. But the findings revealed no consistency between the two methods.
Conclusion: Since
self-reported VAS is a subjective technique, it seems that the lack of
consistency between the two methods is due to its inefficiency in the mental
fatigue measurement. Therefore, further studies with more precise methods such
as EEG is suggested.
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Shirazeh Arghami, Maryam Moradi, Fatemeh Habibi,
Volume 3, Issue 3 (12-2015)
Abstract
Background: Driver’s fatigue is a major factor contributing to the prevalence of road accidents. A vast number of city dwellers in most countries use public transport bus services to move around the city. Driver’s fatigue causes job burnout and affects the risk of a traffic accident injuring the public. Several methods have been used to date for evaluating mental fatigue however, using questionnaires tends to be a less time-consuming and more accessible technique. The present study was therefore conducted to develop a mental fatigue questionnaire for public transport bus drivers.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted based on the criteria used for qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were held with public transport bus drivers using probing questions and data were collected until their saturation so as to enable access to a direct description of mental fatigue by the bus drivers. Data saturation occurred with 30 interviews and sampling was then discontinued. The analysis of the interviews led to the extraction of the themes and an initial list of questionnaire items was then developed. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were then evaluated through examining the content validity and internal consistency of the items. The content validity of the items was calculated using Lawshe’s table. A minimum CVR of 0.99 and a minimum CVI of 0.75 denoted an acceptable content validity for the items. To determine the internal consistency of the items, 200 bus drivers completed the final version of the questionnaire. The data obtained were then analyzed in SPSS-16 using Cronbach's alpha to measure the reliability of the questionnaire and considering an acceptance level of 0.7.
Results: The interviews conducted at the beginning of the study with 30 drivers led to the emergence of an initial list with 26 items. A total of 9 items with a CVR less than 0.99 were omitted from the list and 17 items with adequate simplicity, clarity and correlation between them and which had a minimum CVI of 0.75 were kept. The questionnaire had a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.87 and was therefore considered a reliable tool.
Conclusion: The questionnaire developed in this study has a good validity and reliability and can therefore be used to assess mental fatigue in public transport bus drivers.
Majid Fallahi, Majid Motamedzade, Zahra Sharifi, Rashid Heidari Moghaddam, Alireza Soltanian,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (12-2016)
Abstract
Introduction: Advances in technology and the use of complex systems at work have imposed high mental workloads to operators; so, continuous monitoring of mental workload can help to prevent mental problems and maintain mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of mental workload on physiological and subjective responses.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was performed on 16 healthy university students in 2014 at a laboratory setting. Physiological parameters of surface electromyography and electrocardiography in six blocks (resting, high mental work, moderate, low, very low and recovery) were measured using NeXus-4. After performing each block, the NASA-TLX questionnaire was completed. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 21.0. A 5% significance level was adopted in all the tests.
Results: The results showed significant differences for the average score of NASA-TLX between the different levels of mental work load (P < 0.05). Also, the analysis of repeated measures variance showed significant differences for heart rate and heart rate variability parameters in the six blocks (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed for the shoulder muscles activity.
Conclusions: Different levels of mental work load can impact on people's subjective responses and some of their physiological responses. Thus, in such workplaces, it will be necessary to conduct an ergonomic program to manage mental health.
Mojgan Zoaktafi, Seyed Abolfazl Zakerian, Alireza Choobine, Samane Nematolahi,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (12-2016)
Abstract
Introduction: The progress of technology and modern technology has changed today’s workplaces and imposed more mental and cognitive demands to workers. Control room is an example of these workplaces. Currently, assessment of mental workload is a key point in the research and development of human-machine relationships in workplaces. This study aimed to validate an analytical approach in evaluating demanded mental workloads for control room operators in Pars combined cycle power plant.
Methods: This was a fundamental-practical and cross-sectional study. First of all, a task analysis was used to understand the operation steps of control room operators. Then, the Visual, Auditory, Cognitive, Psychomotor (VACP) technique was applied to determine the mental workload demanded for performing each step of the works. Finally, the assigned ratings of the VACP method were validated by the analysis of Pearson’s correlation with the answers of the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) questionnaire, collected from the control room operators.
Results: Based on the results, the correlation between the assigned ratings of VACP technique and the answers of the NASA-TLX questionnaire was positive and significant.
Conclusions: Due to the high correlation between the assigned ratings of VACP technique and the answers of the NASA-TLX questionnaire, the proposed VACP technique, which can be carried out in the early stage of the design, was suitable as an analysis tool for predicting metal workloads of control room operators.
Mojgan Firouzbakht, Aram Tirgar,
Volume 5, Issue 1 (6-2017)
Abstract
Introduction: The working population spends an increasing amount of waking times at work that is full of social relationship and meaningful resource of social capital. With regard to relationship between workplace social capital and employee health, this systematic review was performed with aim to evaluate the effects of workplace social capital in health workforce.
Materials & Methods: This is a systematic review study. The articles were in full text and in English language that were cited in Pubmed, Scopus, and Google scholar database with key words such as "workplace social capital" ,"health", "hypertension", "diabetes", "depression" without time limit were selected, at least 14 articles were eligible.
Results: Workplace social capital was related with cardio-vascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and depression among the employees.
Conclusions: Workplace social capital should be considered as one of the most important issue in health promotion.
Rostam Golmohammadi, Mohsen Mehdinia, Reza Shahida, Ebrahim Darvishi,
Volume 5, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Abstract
Introduction: Lighting affects many non-visual functions such as Circadian rhythm, alertness, core body temperature, hormone secretion and sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lighting on human cognitive and mental performance.
Methods: In this systematic review, databases including ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, PubMed and Science Direct were searched to access the relevant studies. The search was performed using the keywords "Lighting" and "Illumination" and "Cognitive Performance", "Mental Performance", "Memory ", "Attention", and "Concentration" by title, keyword and abstracts of articles published in mentioned databases from 2010 to 2016.
Results: Lighting affects human cognitive performance in three areas of psycho-cognitive (visual comfort, visual perception, color recognition, identification of symbols, attention, working memory, learning, reaction time and brain function), biocognitive area (alertness, mood, vitality, subjective feelings, motivation, well-being and quality of sleep) and mental workload (amount of workload, psychological stress, and mental fatigue). The best light to regulate cognitive, biological (circadian rhythm) and mental processes is bright daylight in the morning with a short wavelength (wavelength 420-480 nm) and high intensity (1000lx).
Conclusions: Lighting design in addition to providing comfort and visual needs should provide the non-visual and cognitive needs such as attention, alertness, mood, sleep quality and decrease mental fatigue and eventually well-bing.
Tayebe Rahimi Pordanjani, Ali Mohamadzade Ebrahimi,
Volume 5, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Abstract
Introduction: Nurses as the most important part of human resources in the health service system are often faced with problems associated with shift work. The present study aimed to examine a mediating role of sleep quality in the relationship between workload and physical and mental health among nurses.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 236 nurses working in three educational hospitals in Bojnord city. To collect data, the survey of shiftworkers (SOS) questionnaire was used. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling by AMOS-21 and SPSS 19 software packages. In addition, the Preacher and Hayes’ SPSS Macro program was used for testing mediation.
Results: The results showed that the proposed model fitted the data properly. Also, workload directly affected only physical health, and the quality of sleep had a mediator role in the relationship between workload and physical and mental health.
Conclusions: Sleep quality as an important variable can mediate the relationship between workload and physical and mental health in nurses. So, it is suggested that interventional interventions to improve the health of the staff be focused on adjusting and shifting job shifts and teaching the principles of sleep hygiene to them.
Mohammadamir Abbasian Fard, Mastooreh Sedaghat,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (11-2017)
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to compare personality characteristics, job satisfaction and mental health of the personnel who experienced and didn’t experience a disaster in Zamyad Company.
Methods: This is a casual-comparative study. The population consisted of all company personnel in Tehran (2500). Using random sampling, 120 people were selected, of whom 60 people had already experienced an accident and 60 had never experienced one. To collect the required information the mental health questionnaires GHQ, job satisfaction and Ruth Barry field and 5-factor personality inventory (NEO-FFI) were used. For data analysis, statistical methods, measures of central tendency (ANOVA) and independent t-test and chi-square test were used to compare each variable between personnel were who injured and those who weren’t.
Results: Results showed that there is a significant difference among three characteristic components (agreement F: 23.158, being open to experience F: 6.902, nervousness F: 5.476) of the people who were or were not injured. There is also difference between the two groups in job satisfaction (0.000); those who had never experienced an accident were more satisfied with their jobs. The health components (physical symptoms F: 4.804, stress disorders F: 8.652, depression symptoms F: 7.559) also were significantly different between the two groups.
Conclusion: Planning for control and improvement of mental and psychosocial factors and factors such as job satisfaction, personality traits and mental health in the workplace seems necessary. This can achieve higher levels of health and safety for the staff.
Fakhradin Ahmadi Kanrash, Iraj Alimohammad, Jamileh Abolaghasemi, Kazem Rahmani,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (5-2019)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Noise pollution is one of the most harmful physical factors in working environments in developed and developing countries, which has significant impacts on the workers’ quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate mental and physiological effects of chronic exposure to noise.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out randomly in 2018 on 250 workers in the automotive Industry. To measure the subjects’ aggression and annoyance levels, the Buss and Perry’s Aggression Questionnaire was used as well as an annoyance questionnaire. In this study, blood pressure measurement was also done using ALPK2 mercuric pressure gauge.
Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and noise annoyance in the groups with a lower-than-85 and higher-than-85 dB sound pressure levels (P<0.001). Besides, the results of multivariate regression showed that the annoyance level and sound pressure level had a significant relationship with the workers’ blood pressure (P<0.01). Also, there was a significant correlation between aggression components and sound pressure level (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The results of this study clearly showed that chronic exposure to noise in work environments was associated with psychological and physiological changes, such as increased blood pressure and aggression levels. Hence, implementation of preventive programs can help reduce the incidence of the psychological and physiological disorders.
Behzad Fouladi Dehaghi, Abbas Mohammadi, Leila Nematpour,
Volume 7, Issue 2 (9-2019)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Mental fatigue is a condition triggered by prolonged cognitive activity. Mental fatigue causes brain over-activity. This is a condition where the brain cells become exhausted, hampering person productivity, and overall cognitive function. The aim of this study was to assess students’ mental fatigue using brain indices.
Methods: The present descriptive - analytic study has been conducted on 20 students of the Faculty of Health mean age (SD) of 24.40 (3.73) years old in Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences (2019). To assess the performance of the participants, they were asked to study a text with spelling errors and correct those errors. This activity was performed in five stages, each lasting 15 min and EEG was recorded at all stages, and at each stage, the visual analog scale was completed by participants. Data analysis was done by SPSS 24.
Results: The results showed that the activity of alpha, beta, and theta signals in the first 15 minutes was 0.89±0.30, 0.70±0.33, and 1.19±0.36, and the last 15 minutes, 0.63±0.34, 0.55±0.26, and 1.03±0.34 respectively. Reducing the activity of the signals indicated there has been an increase in the amount of mental fatigue in individuals. Also, using visual analog scale, the individuals have acknowledged that they have experienced symptoms of mental fatigue. Finally, there was no significant relationship between students’ EEG and visual analog scale.
Conclusion: The results showed that alpha, beta and theta indices could be suitable indicators for evaluating mental fatigue. Also, mental fatigue can be one of the factors that affect the accuracy and performance of individuals, so that it can reduce their attention and efficiency.
Hamed Amani, Seyed Hossein Shojaei, Hemn Zarei,
Volume 8, Issue 1 (5-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: A good work environment is a place where one can feel relaxed and focused. In the field of environmental psychology, color is one of the environmental factors that greatly influence human perception and behavior. The purpose of this systematic review study was to investigate the effect of color on work environment.
Methods: This article is a systematic review study. Full-text and English-language articles published in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar were searched using the following keywords: Color perception, color ergonomics, color psychology, color effect, mental health and Workplace. The search was without time limit, and 45 eligible articles were reviewed.
Results: Initially, 262 articles were identified from different databases. Among them, 93 articles met the criteria for entering the study. After that, 48 articles were removed from the study due to lack of experimental studies and 45 articles were selected for final review. A total of 18 studies focused on color priority, 25 studies on mood and emotions, 6 studies on health outcomes, and 19 studies on the effect of workplace color on work-related outcomes. The results showed that color has a significant effect on emotions (eg mood), well-being (eg stress, comfort, well-being) and performance (eg productivity, creativity).
Conclusion: Workplace color should be considered as one of the main ways to promote the (mental and physical) health of individuals.
Fatemeh Rostami, Maryam Feiz Arefi, Amin Babaei-Pouya, Azam Ahangirimehr,
Volume 8, Issue 2 (6-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Nurses are the main staff of the hospital. The large number of clients, the high volume of work and the shortage of staff increase the mental workload of nurses. On the other hand, reducing the control of the work process leads to mental stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of job control and explaining the relationship between job satisfaction and mental workload in nurses.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 188 nurses of educational hospitals in Shushtar and Ardabil cities, Iran, in 2019. Research tools included demographic information questionnaire, NASA-TLX questionnaire, Job description index (JDI) questionnaire, and job control questionnaire. For Data analysis the correlation coefficient and regression analysis with SPSS-18 and AMOS-18 software were used.
Results: Based on the results, the final model had good fitness (GFI=0.859, CFI=0.921, RMSEA=0.067). The results also showed that there is a significant relationship between mental workload and job satisfaction (P<0.001, r=-0.33) and this relationship has increased with the presence of job control (P<0.001, r=-0.42).
Conclusion: High levels of job control are associated with increased job satisfaction and reduced workload. As a result, in order to reduce the mental workload and increase job satisfaction, job control of nurses can be increased to improve working conditions.
Alireza Aghighi, Mahdi Rezaeetale, Ali Lahotian, Saied Shahabinia,
Volume 8, Issue 3 (10-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The present study seeks to explain the effect of organizational change on employees' mental health with respect to the moderating role of job support and control.
Method: This method is descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of the study was the staff of Farshchian Sina Hospital in Hamadan, a total number of 200 people. Sample size was determined based on Morgan table to be 132 people which were randomly selected. Standard questionnaires of organizational change, general health, job support and job control were used to measure the variables. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 23 and smart SPLS version 2.
Results: Findings indicate that 43% of employees' mental health changes are explained by organizational change. Organizational change, considering the moderating effect of job support, has a positive effect on employees' mental health. The standardized coefficient between the two variables shows that 24% of mental health changes are explained by organizational change, taking into account the adjustment effect of job support. Organizational change, considering the moderating effect of job control, also has a positive effect on the mental health of employees. The standardized coefficient between the two variables also shows that 29% of mental health changes are explained by organizational change by considering the moderating effect of job control. Therefore, organizational change has a positive effect on the mental health of Farshchian Hospital staff in Hamadan.
Conclusion: The results of the research indicate that making organizational changes in Farshchian Hospital in Hamadan, considering the supportive role and control of managers, improves the mental health of employees.
Ghazale Sadeghzade, Somaye Rahmati, Fatemeh Sadeghi, Amjad Mohammadi Bolbanabad, Ebrahim Darvishi,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (10-2021)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: The pandemic and the crisis caused by the COVID-19 have challenged health care organizations around the world, causing human casualties and health concerns around the world and in Iran. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mental workload and job burnout of medical employees during the Covid-19 pandemic in Iran.
Method: The present descriptive-analytic research has been conducted on 510 medical and diagnostic staff in the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, and Sanandaj. The mental workload and the job burnout of staff have been evaluated using NASA-TLX software and the job burnout Maslach, respectively. Statistical tests including t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze the data using a STATA-14 software package.
Results: The mean mental workload of employees associated with patients suffering COVID-19 and those not associated was estimated at 83.7±8.1 and 79.9±9.6 respectively. The mean of job burnout was estimated at 79.6±16.2 and 79.7±16.9, respectively, which were not statistically significant. The results of linear regression showed that being married (coefficient = -6.57, P value=0.003), employment as a Tarh (coefficient = -12.71, P value=0.002), inverse relationship and Work in Isfahan hospitals (coefficient = 21.21, P value<0.001) was directly related to burnout. Women (coefficient = 3.61, P value<0.001), having a relationship with COVID-19 patients (coefficient = 5.9, P value<0.001) had a direct relationship with the amount of mental work.
Conclusion: The mental workload and job burnout in medical employees during the COVID-19 pandemic are high, and warning and the mental workload in employees associated with patients suffering COVID-19 are higher than other employees.
Seyed Abolfazl Zakerian, - Bahram Kouhnavard,
Volume 9, Issue 3 (12-2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Electroencephalography is one of the non-invasive and relatively inexpensive methods that can be used to evaluate neurophysiology and cognitive functions. This systematic review study was performed with the aim of using electroencephalography (EEG) in ergonomics.
Methods: In this review study, all articles published in Persian and English on the application of electroencephalography (EEG) in ergonomics from March 20, 2010 to March 21, 2021 were reviewed. For this purpose, a systematic search of articles was performed using the keywords cognitive ergonomics, mental fatigue, electroencephalography, EEG and brain waves in the databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of science, SID, Scopus, Magiran Iran Medex.
Results: Most studies were conducted between 2015 and 2020 (41 papers) and most of the subjects were car drivers. Selected articles were reviewed in seven areas of mental fatigue, mental workload, mental effort, visual fatigue, working memory load, emotions, stress, and error diagnosis. The journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, followed by Applied Ergonomics, published the largest number of related articles.
Conclusion: In the reviewed articles, the assessment of a person's mental states, especially when driving a vehicle, has been further studied and through it, tracking, monitoring and various tasks of working memory have been followed. Future research should focus on the use of computational methods that take into account the dynamic and unstable nature of EEG data. Such an approach could facilitate the development of fatigue detection systems and automated adaptive systems.
Mrs Laleh Nazari, Dr Azadeh Shahcheraghi, Dr Iraj Etessam,
Volume 9, Issue 3 (12-2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Job satisfaction and improving employee performance due to direct relationships with individual and environmental factors is one of the most important issues in optimizing the industrial environment. Since the main lever of decreasing or increasing productivity is human resources, one of the issues that will engage the leading managers in the coming decade is trying to increase employee productivity. Regarding the disposal of some affairs to the private sector and lack of adequate health supervision, in some cases, we witness an increase in this disorder in our country. The physical environment of the built environment affects mental health directly and indirectly, meaning that the physical environment, such as the residence and workplace, is a place for human life and some of its psychological effects are unknown.
Methods: The purpose of this research is to explain the model optimization model of labor and the industrial environment through architectural standards. This research is an applied research. In this research, the opinions were gathered through interviews. Then using grounded theory and open, axial and selective coding, the model was developed. In the following, confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the validity of the items by Lisrel software.
Results: The results showed that indices such as environmental and physical ergonomics, visual contrast of space, environmental psychology, spatial separation of space, attention to voice and color are influential.
Conclusion: Psychological comfort is an inevitable aspect of user satisfaction studies. These findings help designers, architects, planners, and facility managers to develop workplace design principles.
Abbasali Jafari-Nodoushan, Mohammad Reza Zare Banadkouki, Niloufar Naddafi,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, staff's job satisfaction and mental health potentially threatened especially in health care centers. The study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 virus on job satisfaction and mental health of staff health care centers of Yazd city in 2020.
Methods: The study is a descriptive-survey study and was conducted by selecting 265 stratified random samples among the staff of health care centers in Yazd city. Research tools include the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire, and the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale. Data analysis was performed by ANOVA, Chi-square independence, and Pearson correlation tests.
Results: The results showed that staff's job satisfaction and mental health were moderate and serious respectively, and COVID-19 anxiety has a significant correlation with staff's job satisfaction (r = -0.611, P = 0.009) and mental health (r = -0.826, P = 0.001). Age, gender, and marriage had a significant impact on job satisfaction, mental health, and COVID-19 anxiety (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: It is suggested that healthcare providers increase their financial and moral support to healthcare staff during conditions like the COVID-19 outbreak. Also, introducing rotational staff and hiring new staff is a considerate action that can be taken by the relevant managers to improve the staff's job satisfaction and mental health.
Davood Afshari, Maryam Nourollahi-Darabad, Noorollah Karimi, Maryam Seyed Tabib,
Volume 10, Issue 1 (7-2022)
Abstract
Objectives: Nurses are at the front line of treatment and coping with COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the present study investigates the pandemic’s impact on nurses ’mental workload and determines its predictive factors.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was done on 234 nurses in two groups working at COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards in 2020. The criteria for entering the study were the absence of psychological problems. Data was gathered using the General Health Questionnaire, NASA-TLX, and Demographic Questionnaire.
Results: The mean of the overall mental workload score in the group of nurses working at the Covid-19 wards (70.09 ± 2.51) was higher than the group of nurses working in the non-COVID-19 wards (66.55 ± 2.02). This difference was significant (P = 0.01). There was a significant difference between the mean score of the mental demand, the physical demand, the temporal demand, and the frustration level of the two groups. With the exception of performance, the group of nurses working in the corona ward had a higher mean score in all aspects. In the proposed linear model, 16% of the overall changes in mental workload depended on two variables, which were age and work experience. The work experience was the most influential factor in predicting nurses' mental workload.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed the importance of paying attention to the mental workload of nurses as well as personal and occupational factors affecting mental workload in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, control and management of effective factors can help reduce mental workload, especially during pandemic conditions.
Gholamabbas Shirali, Abbas Mohammadi, Atefe Elyasigomari,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Abstract
Objectives: Psychological parameters are among the most important components in determining the job performance of employees in the workplace and can be strongly affected by the epidemic of infectious diseases like COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on mental workload and Occupational burnout of medical staff in Iran.
Methods: This case-control study was performed among the healthcare staff of two hospitals in Tehran province in 2021. All employees working in two hospitals were included by census method. The total number of people studied was 412 personnel. NASA-TLX and Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaires were used to assess mental workload and burnout, respectively. Data were analyzed using Independent t-test and Chi-square.
Results: The present study results revealed that the mean age, work experience, daily working hours, and body mass index of the studied employees were 36.70 ± 11.48 years, 12.53 ± 7.13 years, 9.64 ± 3.13 hours, and 23.89 ± 4.73 kg/m2, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups of cases and controls in the values of mental workload (P = 0.011) and burnout (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: The present study's findings revealed that the prevalence of COVID-19 could increase the values of mental workload parameters and burnout of health care personnel in medical settings. Therefore, control measures and psychological interventions to improve healthcare personnel's mental and physical health during the COVID-19 epidemic are mandatory.