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Background: The HIV burden still persists to date, as a public global health challenge despite numerous prevention interventions that have been proposed toward achieving 95% of all people living with HIV aware of their HIV status by 2030. Therefore, this study set out to examine the effect of a workplace-based HIV self-testing intervention on the use of HIV self-testing among unskilled workers in Wakiso Uganda. Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted among 46 participants systematically and randomly selected. Data was collected via a validated structured self-administered questionnaire and analysed using the paired samples t-tests and hierarchical multiple regression analysis in SPSS v27. Results: A comparison of the mean differences between the pre-post-test scores for the intervention group showed a statistically significant difference for HIVST knowledge [M=-1.38, SD = 0.719, t=-13.0, df = 45, p ≤.05], perceived susceptibility [M=-0.92, SD = 0.867, t=-7.20, df = 45, p ≤.05], perceived benefits [M=-0.92, SD = 0.593, t=-5.63, df = 45, p ≤.05], perceived barriers [M=-1.22, SD = 1.12, t=-5.63, df = 45, p ≤.05], and HIVST use [M=-1.22, SD = 1.12, t=-5.63, df = 45, p ≤.05]. However, it's noteworthy to state that perceived barriers increased exponentially than earlier hypothesized amidst the knowledge acquired. Multiple regression model showed that HIVST knowledge and individual beliefs predict 37.2% [F(11,34) = 3.485, p ≤.05] of the variance in HIVST use and the overall biggest predictor of HIVST use was perceived susceptibility 53.7% (Beta = 0.537, t = 2.44, p ≤.05). Conclusions: Efforts should be directed toward advocating for frequent knowledge sharing about self-testing such as this study has provided among unskilled working populations in Uganda. Organizations, alongside HIV testing implementing partners, should awaken people operating in risky environments and those engaging in risky sexual acts on the threat of succumbing to HIV as this greatly increases HIVST and repeat testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The authors characterized the demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial work factors associated with performance of unskilled manual work, and then identified the modifiable psychosocial work factors that affected the psychological well-being of these workers.Material and Methods: This study analyzed data from the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey conducted in 2017. The study subjects were 37 081 Korean employees. The occupational classes investigated were: managers, professionals, and clerks; service and sales workers; and skilled or unskilled manual workers.Results: Unskilled manual workers were more likely to be elderly and less educated, to have low income, to work fewer hours weekly, to have a shorter work duration, to perform temporary or daily jobs, and to report poor subjective health and well-being. Unskilled manual workers were also more likely to experience psychosocial hazards, such adverse social behaviors, a lack of job satisfaction, a lack of support from managers, and a poor social climate. However, with statistical adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial work factors, unskilled manual work was no longer associated with poor psychological well-being, but psychosocial work factors were associated with poor psychological well-being.Conclusions: The poor psychological well-being of unskilled manual workers cannot be explained by the intrinsic nature of this type of work. Instead, the poor psychological well-being of these workers is associated with unfavorable psychosocial work factors, such as a poor employment status, a lack of job satisfaction, a lack of support from managers, and a bad social climate. These results thus suggest that the modification of psychosocial work factors may improve the psychological well-being of unskilled manual workers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(6):789-804. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse to what extent regional economies' specialization in unskilled-intensive productive sectors accounts for higher early school leaving rates in their school systems. Using panel data for 17 Spanish autonomous regions (2000-2013), we fi nd strong empirical evidence to support the fact that regional economies specializing in sectors like the construction industry, agriculture and services (excluding the public sector) have bigger school dropout rates than those where the public sector is more important. Our results complement those of microdata-based studies of the determinants of early school leaving rates that focus on individual preferences, the parental status and social framework. The conclusion that can be drawn from our study is that education policies aimed at reducing school drop-out rates should be designed to take the productive structure of the regions where they will be implemented into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the EU, ambitious objectives have been set for education and training since the adoption of the Lisbon Agenda in 2000. The policies aim among other things to empower the individual through participation in lifelong learning which is seen as both a right and a duty: ‘People need to want and to be able to take their lives into their own hands - to become in short, active citizens’ (CEC, 2000, p. 7). However, not all citizens are taking part in lifelong learning and consequently the EU and its member states have set up policies with a ‘particular focus on active and preventative measures for the unemployed and inactive persons’ (CEC, 2006, p.1). ‘Inactive’ persons comprise different groups which are marginalised in terms of participation in lifelong learning, among others ‘low-skilled’ who have a lower participation rate in education and training activities (Cedefop, 2013). In this article, the aim is to destabilize the political discourse on ‘low-skilled’ through individual narratives of being in low-skilled jobs. Whereas the problem of being low-skilled from a political perspective is represented as psycho-social problems of the individual, the narratives point to the complexity of people in low-skilled jobs and the role of structure to ‘low-skilledness’. The narratives open up issues of power and the historical arbitrary distinctions between skilled and unskilled in the Danish labour market. It opens up for how the educational structures produce ‘low-skilled’ people, especially in the transition from basic vocational education and training into an apprenticeship. The article points to the narrow focus of policies on the ‘supply’ side of lifelong learning and less on the ‘demand’ side of a ‘needy’ global labour market in which precarious jobs are no longer limited to low-skilled. The article draws on Bacchi’s ‘What’s the Problem Represented to Be?’ (1999, 2009) and narrative inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A home scale pedal-powered cassava grater was designed, fabricated and tested. Most of the common graters are electrically powered and hence depends on electricity which in Nigeria, is presently erratic in supply or not available at all in most rural areas. The erratic power supply, scarcity and high cost of petroleum products necessitate the need to address this issue to certain extent by developing a mechanism that will make life easier in food processing for rural dwellers and improve their economic wellbeing. This pedal-powered cassava grater consists of pedal chain mechanism connected to a belt drive which turns the shaft on which the grater drum is mounted; where the cassava tubers are grated. About 60 kg of peeled cassava tubers can be grated per hour and the machine is cheap, economically viable and can be used by unskilled workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to explore the potential for health promotion from the perspective of participants in a particular situation. This study focuses on experiences of well-being and the potential for health promotion among unskilled workers in the kitchen and laundry room in an acute care hospital in Iceland. These experiences are analysed in light of the material and structural factors that shape working conditions. The research method used was grounded theory. The data were formal and informal interviews, and participant observation. The findings revealed considerable differences between the two work groups. At both sites strain on the body, caused by excessive noise, heavy lifting and uncomfortable working arrangements, were identified. Similarly, the work was often experienced as monotonous and demanding. Human relations were identified as a key factor in ameliorating the conditions that led to experiences of strain by the workers at both work sites. This was however where the two work places differed. In the laundry room, the workers felt respected and acknowledged by their coworkers and managers. Belonging to the work group was important and they felt listened to by the supervisor. Very little cohesiveness was observed among the workers in the kitchen. The managers seemed to be absent from the floor, workers were divided into work groups that sometimes showed antagonism towards each other and few channels were available for complaints and suggestions for improvement. The workers in the laundry room, on the other hand, related positive experiences of work. They felt that steps were taken by managers to improve working conditions to the extent possible and participated in those attempts by bringing up suggestions, implementing change and developing their own ways of coping with the work. This study gives important directions for health promotion in the workplace, emphasizing human relations at work, rather than individual health behaviour away from the work setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]