Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hamidreza Mokarami, Rosanna Cousins, Haji Omid Kalteh
Summary: The study compared the relationship of the 7-item Work Ability Index (WAI) and the single-item Work Ability Score (WAS) with individual and work-related factors, and investigated their predictive role for health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The results showed that both WAI and WAS were significant predictors of HRQOL and its dimensions, explaining a similar amount of variance. Additionally, both WAS and WAI were significantly related to job type, work schedule, smoking, and exercise habits.
INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mamunur Rashid, Marina Heiden, Annika Nilsson, Marja-Leena Kristofferzon
Summary: This study found a relationship between work ability and return to work among women with long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain. The Work Ability Index (WAI) was able to discriminate between those who returned to work and those who did not, while the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11) could not.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joaquin Calatayud, Alvaro Morera, Yasmin Ezzatvar, Ruben Lopez-Bueno, Lars L. Andersen, Ferran Cuenca-Martinez, Luis Suso-Marti, Enrique Sanchis-Sanchez, Laura Lopez-Bueno, Jose Casana
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between frequency and intensity of strength training participation and work ability among physical therapists. The results showed that performing high-intensity strength training three times per week was associated with excellent work ability among physical therapists.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marcial Velasco-Garrido, Robert Herold, Elisabeth Rohwer, Stefanie Mache, Claudia Terschuerenm, Alexandra M. Preisser, Volker Harth
Summary: The study found that in the pilot police stations, the implementation of the restructured shift schedule resulted in improved work ability, quality of life, and self-rated health among police officers in the first year, but these differences diminished in the 5-year follow-up.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
K. C. Prakash, Marianna Virtanen, Mika Kivimaki, Jenni Ervasti, Jaana Pentti, Jussi Vahtera, Sari Stenholm
Summary: The study identified trajectories of work ability over 16 years leading up to retirement age and found that stable excellent work ability was associated with extended employment beyond retirement age, while low or declining work ability were not.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Matteo Bonzini, Anna Comotti, Alice Fattori, Daniele Serra, Marco Laurino, Francesca Mastorci, Pasquale Bufano, Catalina Ciocan, Luca Ferrari, Valentina Bollati, Cristina Di Tecco
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between workability, cognitive skills, and biological age in a population of ageing workers. It also aims to assess the impact of occupational exposures on workability, cognitive skills, and biological age through a cross-sectional analysis. The study will provide insights into the interactions between risk factors and their impact on both perceived and biological health in order to promote well-being for older workers.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wojciech Tanski, Krzysztof Dudek, Tomasz Adamowski
Summary: This study aimed to assess the relationship between QoL and the risk of work disability in RA patients, finding a correlation between lower QoL and higher risk of work disability, especially in the physical and psychological health domains.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Manuela Ortega-Gil, Antonio Mata Garcia, Chaima ElHichou-Ahmed
Summary: This study analyzes data from 33 European countries and finds that factors such as arrears of people aged 65 and over are positively correlated with life satisfaction, while income of people aged 65 and over is negatively correlated. Environmental issues and inequality show different relationships with life satisfaction at different levels of satisfaction.
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Qing Zhong, Cheng Chen, Shulin Chen
Summary: Life review and reminiscence therapy have a positive impact on improving the quality of life and life satisfaction among older adults. Individual sessions of life review and reminiscence therapy are more effective in improving quality of life, while six to eight intervention sessions can enhance life satisfaction more effectively.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Nelson Gregio Neto, Melissa Sproesser Alonso, Joao Marcos Bernardes, Carlos Ruiz-Frutos, Juan Gomez-Salgado, Adriano Dias
Summary: This study evaluated the work ability of 70 informal caregivers in Brazil and found that factors such as quality of life and self-perceived physical fitness can improve work ability, while age, burden, and poor sleep quality may reduce work ability. Public health policies need to be developed to support informal caregivers who are often overlooked as workers.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Anita Dyb Linge, Chris Jensen, Petter Laake, Stal Kapsto Bjorkly
Summary: This study investigated the positive changes in work ability score and degree of work participation for participants in a new 1-year vocational rehabilitation program for individuals with obesity or obesity-related problems. The results showed significant improvements in work ability score, work participation, health-related quality of life, BMI, and return-to-work self-efficacy over the course of the program. Changes in health-related quality of life were found to be important for improving work ability score, while having high return-to-work expectancy was essential for achieving work participation. Future studies on vocational rehabilitation programs with lifestyle interventions for individuals with obesity are recommended.
DIABETES METABOLIC SYNDROME AND OBESITY-TARGETS AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael Briga, Simon Verhulst
Summary: The study found that basal metabolic rate decreases linearly with age while standard metabolic rate increases linearly with age. The absolute standardized change with age was faster for basal metabolic rate compared to standard metabolic rate, and the within-individual correlation of age related change was negligible. Sex did not show specific differences in metabolic rate or metabolic ageing rate.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Tomislav Vlaski, Marija Slavic, Reiner Caspari, Harald Fischer, Hermann Brenner, Ben Schoettker
Summary: A prospective study in Germany found that colorectal cancer patients often experience fatigue, poor ability to work, and low quality of life after therapy. Fatigue is strongly correlated with quality of life, and moderately correlated with the ability to work. The study showed significant improvement in fatigue, quality of life, and ability to work from the start of rehabilitation to the three-month follow-up, with little change afterward in the first year after rehabilitation.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bettina Thauerer, Johannes Puespoek, Werner Kullich, David Felder, Bibiane Steinecker-Frohnwieser, Martin Skoumal
Summary: GVA is a valuable preventive health measure that leads to a holistic increase in well-being and can also ensure the maintenance of the ability to work.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Ioana Ramia, Malina Voicu
Summary: The older population is increasing globally, and active ageing has been a key focus in Europe for enhancing the quality of life of older people. This study examines the impact of active ageing on subjective quality of life using data from a European survey. The findings suggest that remaining active in later life does not always lead to improvements in subjective quality of life, and different strategies are at work to maintain life satisfaction and happiness.
SOCIAL INDICATORS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Itay Coifman, Rodger Kram, Raziel Riemer
Summary: This study aimed to quantify the metabolic cost of running with additional leg mass. The results showed that for every 1000 g of added mass per leg, gross metabolic power increased by approximately 16% (foot) and 11% (shank) for females, which was slightly greater than the 11% and 8% increases for males, respectively. For thigh loading, metabolic power only increased by 4% per 1000 g in both sexes.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Itay Coifman, Rodger Kram, Raziel Riemer
Summary: The study analyzed the biomechanical response to running with added leg mass, finding that joint moments and powers were dramatically affected, particularly during the swing phase. However, kinematic changes were only moderate. These findings have implications for shoe designs, individuals using added leg mass for running or strength training, and the design of wearable devices.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Wenxiu Yang, Tingshu Chen, Renke He, Richard Goossens, Toon Huysmans
Summary: This study collected autonomic response data (heart rate and skin conductance) from 30 landmarks in the head, neck, and face of 31 participants experiencing pressure discomfort and pain. The results showed that pressure stimulation can change heart rate and skin conductance, with skin conductance being more useful in assessing pressure discomfort and possessing a faster arousal rate. There were gender differences in subjective pressure thresholds and autonomic responses, but no linear correlation between them. This study has significant implications for resolving ergonomic issues associated with head-related products.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Kai Huang, Guozhu Jia, Qun Wang, Yingjie Cai, Zhenyu Zhong, Zeyu Jiao
Summary: In the era of Industry 5.0, human-centered smart manufacturing (HSM) has emphasized the role of humans in collaboration with machines. This study proposes a method that combines deep learning-based 3D pose reconstruction with rapid entire body assessment (REBA) to assess the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in HSM. The proposed method improves the accuracy of risk assessment by introducing weights between different risk levels, leading to a precision rate of 99.31% in experiments conducted on an automobile production line.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Jan Healey, Sue Hignett, Diane Gyi
Summary: This study explores the delivery of home care in England and examines the barriers that impact worker performance and whether these barriers affect the quality and safety of care. The findings highlight the importance of an Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) systems perspective in understanding and improving home care.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Jule Bessler-Etten, Leendert Schaake, Jaap H. Buurke, Gerdienke B. Prange-Lasonder
Summary: This article investigates the development of discomfort caused by repetitive and prolonged forces exerted through a rigid cuff. The study found that repetitive force application triggers discomfort but generally does not result in pain and there are no significant differences between different repetitive loading patterns. The design and use of exoskeletons should consider comfort thresholds specific to prolonged repetitive loading.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
S. Thuillard, L. Audergon, T. Kotalova, A. Sonderegger, J. Sauer
Summary: This study compared the effects of human-induced and machine-induced social stress on task performance and subjective state. The results showed that social stress did not directly affect performance, affect, or self-esteem, but human-induced social stress impaired perceived justice.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Stephen Dooley, Sunwook Kim, Maury A. Nussbaum, Michael L. Madigan
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of arm- and back-support exoskeletons on reactive balance after slip-like and trip-like perturbations on a treadmill. The study found that the exoskeletons did not significantly increase the probability of failed recovery after the perturbations, but did make balance recovery more challenging. Reactive balance differed when wearing different types and activation states of exoskeletons.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Eirini Balta, Andreas Psarrakis, Argiro Vatakis
Summary: Research has shown that mental workload modulates time perception, making timing behavior a reliable index of cognitive demand. This study tested the timing behavior of air traffic controllers in a real aviation environment under different levels of cognitive load. Results showed significant overestimation of time intervals during the high-load landing phase and greater overestimation when landing two helicopters compared to one.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Kremer Lisanne, Gehrmann Jonathan, Rohrig Rainer, Breil Bernhard
Summary: This study aims to investigate whether eye movement measures are suitable for measuring mental workload in healthcare settings. The results indicate significant differences in both objective and subjective workload measures across different task levels. Additionally, there are indications of overload and fatigue in pupil data.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
John Kang, Stephanie C. Payne, Farzan Sasangohar, Ranjana K. Mehta
Summary: This exploratory longitudinal field study aimed to examine the changes in subjective, performance-based, and physiological fatigue measures over time across different shift types in offshore environments. The findings revealed that workers' performances on the psychomotor vigilance test deteriorated over time across all shift types. The study also found correlations between different multimodal fatigue measures.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Hayoung Jung, Wonsup Lee, Sujin Moon, Heecheon You
Summary: This study measured 12 palmar dimensions to analyze the impact of wrist posture on hand size changes during power grip. The findings showed that hand dimensions decreased significantly during grip, with wrist posture and finger position also exerting significant effects on hand size.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Ido Morag, Avi Parush
Summary: This study indicates that there is a relationship between gender and wayfinding performance, and verbal instructions can influence this relationship. Male participants perform better in terms of accuracy and speed in wayfinding, while females rely more on specific routes. Additionally, applying survey knowledge to females may improve their indoor wayfinding ability.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Junfeng Ma, Yu Wang, Sayali Joshi, Haifeng Wang, Carlton Young, Adam Pervez, Yingge Qu, Shey Washburn
Summary: The U.S. is facing a national nurse shortage, and the application of immersive Virtual Reality technology in nursing education is not fully understood. This study explored the effectiveness and efficacy of immersive Virtual Reality nursing education through a comparative pilot study, and the results showed that the method performed well in terms of effectiveness and efficacy.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
N. Zhang, M. Fard, J. Xu, J. L. Davy, S. R. Robinson
Summary: Driver drowsiness is a significant factor in serious motor vehicle accidents. This study found that specific frequencies of whole-body vibration can induce driver drowsiness and impair attention and driving performance. These findings provide evidence for establishing transportation safety standards.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2024)