Search

PurposeRealist evaluation seeks to answer the question of “what works for whom in which circumstances?” through developing and testing middle range theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how certain mechanisms of an intervention work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. In this paper, the authors tested an initial MRT about the mechanism of participation. The authors used evidence from a participatory organisational intervention in five worksites of a large multi-national organisation in the US food service industry.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data from 89 process tracking documents and 24 post-intervention, semi-structured interviews with intervention stakeholders were analysed using template analysis.FindingsThe operationalised mechanism was partial worksite managers’ engagement with the research team. Six contextual factors (e.g. high workload) impaired participation, and one contextual factor (i.e. existing participatory practices) facilitated participation. Worksite managers’ participation resulted in limited improvement in their awareness of how working conditions can impact on their employees’ safety, health, and well-being. Based on these findings, the authors modified the initial MRT into an empirical MRT.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the understanding of “what works for whom in which circumstances” regarding participation in organisational interventions.

Although organisational interventions have shown promising results in improving employees' health and wellbeing, reviews of the effectiveness of such interventions conclude results are inconsistent. Realist synthesis is considered an appropriate method of literature review to improve the consistency of empirical evidence by developing generalisable statements of ‘what works for whom in which circumstances’. In this article, to identify and synthesise existing evidence from the empirical studies of organisational interventions, we conducted a realist synthesis according to the RAMESES publication standards. We reviewed 28 articles. Six realist programme theories were developed that explain how different mechanisms of organisational interventions may bring about different outcomes in different contexts. These realist programme theories are based on the process mechanisms of implementation adherence, communication, employees' participation, senior management support, middle management support and external consultants/researchers support. This realist synthesis enhances the understanding of how organisational interventions may improve employees' health and wellbeing, in which contexts, and for which group of employees. As such, it makes an important potential contribution to designing, implementing and evaluating future organisational interventions.

Objective Examine the association of discrimination and short sleep and the buffering effect of people-oriented culture in the workplace among nurses and patient care associates. Methods Used a mixed-methods design from the 2018 Boston Hospital Workers Health Study (N = 845) and semi-structured interviews among nurse directors (N = 16). Results We found that people-oriented culture reduced the odds of short sleep and slightly attenuated the association of discrimination and short sleep. People-oriented culture did not buffer the effects of discrimination on short sleep. Qualitative findings showed that discrimination occurred between co-workers in relation to their job titles and existing support in the workplace does not address discrimination. Conclusions Healthcare industries need to implement specific programs and services aimed at addressing discrimination which can potentially improve health outcomes among workers.

Introduction: Symptoms of depression and anxiety are a common consequence of occupational injury regardless of its cause and type. Nevertheless, mental health care is rarely covered by workers’ compensation systems. The aim of this study was to assess the use of mental health care post-injury. Methods: We used a subsample of patient-care workers from the Boston Hospital Workers Health Study (BHWHS). We matched one injured worker with three uninjured workers during the period of 2012–2014 based on age and job title (nurse or patient-care associate) and looked at their mental health care use pre- and post-injury using medical claims data from the employer sponsored health plan. We used logistic regression analysis to assess the likelihood of mental health care use three and six months post-injury controlling for any pre-injury visits. Analyses were repeated separately by job title. Results: There were 556 injured workers between 2012 and 2014 that were matched with three uninjured workers at the time of injury (n = 1,649). Injured workers had a higher likelihood of seeking mental health care services than their uninjured counterparts during the six months after injury (OR = 1.646, 95% CI: 1.23–2.20), but not three months post-injury (OR = 0.825, 95% CI: 0.57–1.19). Patient-care associates had a higher likelihood to seek mental health care post-injury, than nurses (OR: 2.133 vs OR: 1.556) during the six months period. Conclusions: Injured workers have a higher likelihood to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety based on their use of mental health care post-injury and use is more predominant among patient-care associates; however, our sample has a small number of patient-care associates. Practical Applications: Treating depression and anxiety as part of the workers’ compensation system has the potential of preventing further physical ailment and improving the return to work process regardless of nature of injury.

Objective The aim was to recommend an integrated Total Worker Health (TWH) approach which embraces core human factors and ergonomic principles, supporting worker safety, health, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Background COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented challenges to workplace safety and health for workers and managers in essential businesses, including healthcare workers, grocery stores, delivery services, warehouses, and distribution centers. Essential workers need protection, accurate information, and a supportive work environment with an unwavering focus on effective infection control. Method The investigators reviewed emerging workplace recommendations for reducing workers’ exposures to the novel coronavirus and the challenges to workers in protecting their health. Using a theoretical framework and guidelines for integrating safety and health management systems into an organization for TWH, the investigators adapted the framework’s key characteristics to meet the specific worker safety and health issues for effective infection control, providing supports for increasing psychological demands while ensuring a safe work environment. Results The recommended approach includes six key characteristics: focusing on working conditions for infection control and supportive environments for increased psychological demands; utilizing participatory approaches involving workers in identifying daily challenges and unique solutions; employing comprehensive and collaborative efforts to increase system efficiencies; committing as leaders to supporting workers through action and communications; adhering to ethical and legal standards; and using data to guide actions and evaluate progress. Conclusion Applying an integrative TWH approach for worker safety, health, and well-being provides a framework to help managers systematically organize and protect themselves, essential workers, and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Application By using the systems approach provided by the six implementation characteristics, employers of essential workers can organize their own efforts to improve system performance and worker well-being during these unprecedented times.

Objective: Food-service workers’ health and wellbeing is impacted by their jobs and work environments. Formative research methods were used to explore working conditions impacting workers’ health to inform intervention planning and implementation and to enhance the intervention’s ‘fit’ to the organization. Methods: Four qualitative methods (worker focus groups; manager interviews; worksite observations; multi-stakeholder workshop) explored in-depth and then prioritized working conditions impacting workers’ health as targets for an intervention. Results: Prioritized working conditions included: ergonomics; work intensity; career development and job enrichment. Data revealed necessary intervention mechanisms to enhance intervention implementation: worker and management communication infrastructure; employee participation in intervention planning and implementation; tailored worksite strategies; and ensuring leadership commitment. Conclusions: These targeted, comprehensive methods move away from a typical focus on generic working conditions, e.g. job demands and physical work environment, to explore those conditions unique to an organization. Thereby, enhancing ‘intervention-fit’ at multiple levels within the company context.

Background Many organizational interventions aim to improve working conditions to promote and protect worker safety, health, and well-being. The Workplace Organizational Health Study used process evaluation to examine factors influencing implementation of an organizational intervention. This paper examines the extent to which the intervention was implemented as planned, the dose of intervention implemented, and ways the organizational context hindered or facilitated the implementation of the intervention. Methods This proof-of-concept trial was conducted with a large, multinational company that provides food service through contractual arrangements with corporate clients. The 13-month intervention was launched in five intervention sites in October 2018. We report findings on intervention implementation based on process tracking and qualitative data. Qualitative data from 25 post-intervention interviews and 89 process tracking documents were coded and thematically analyzed. Results Over the 13-month intervention, research team representatives met with site managers monthly to provide consultation and technical assistance on safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. Approximately two-thirds of the planned in-person or phone contacts occurred. We tailored the intervention to each site as we learned more about context, work demands, and relationships. The research team additionally met regularly with senior leadership and district managers, who provided corporate resources and guidance. By assessing the context of the food service setting in which the intervention was situated, we explored factors hindering and facilitating the implementation of the intervention. The financial pressures, competing priorities and the fast-paced work environment placed constraints on site managers’ availability and limited the full implementation of the intervention. Conclusions Despite strong support from corporate senior leadership, we encountered barriers in the implementation of the planned intervention at the worksite and district levels. These included financial demands that drove work intensity; turnover of site and district managers disrupting continuity in the implementation of the intervention; and staffing constraints that further increased the work load and pace. Findings underscore the need for ongoing commitment and support from both the parent employer and the host client. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered with the Clinical Trials. Gov Protocol and Results System on June 2, 2021 with assigned registration number NCT04913168.

Total Worker Health® (TWH) interventions that utilize integrated approaches to advance worker safety, health, and well-being can be challenging to design and implement in practice. This may be especially true for the food service industry, characterized by high levels of injury and turnover. This paper illustrates how we used TWH Implementation Guidelines to develop and implement an organizational intervention to improve pain, injury, and well-being among low-wage food service workers. We used the Guidelines to develop the intervention in two main ways: first, we used the six key characteristics of an integrated approach (leadership commitment, participation, positive working conditions, collaborative strategies, adherence, data-driven change) to create the foundation of the intervention, second, we used the four stages to guide integrated intervention planning. For each stage (engaging collaborators, planning, implementing, evaluating for improvement), the Guidelines provided a flexible and iterative process to plan the intervention to improve safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. This paper provides a real-world example of how the Guidelines can be used to develop a complex TWH intervention for food service workers that is responsive to organizational context and addresses targeted working conditions. Application of the Guidelines is likely transferable to other industries.

(1) Background: Realist evaluation is a promising approach for evaluating organisational interventions. Crucial to realist evaluation is the development and testing of middle range theories (MRTs). MRTs are programme theories that outline how the intervention mechanisms work in a specific context to bring about certain outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, no organisational intervention study has yet developed initial MRTs. This study aimed to develop initial MRTs based on qualitative evidence from the development phase of an organisational intervention in a large multi-national organisation, the US food service industry. (2) Methods: Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with the organisation′s managers, five focus groups with a total of 30 employees, and five worksite observations. Template analysis was used to analyse data. (3) Results: Four initial MRTs were developed based on four mechanisms of participation, leadership commitment, communication, and tailoring the intervention to fit the organisational context to formulate ‘what may work for whom in which circumstances?’ in organisational interventions, (4) Conclusions: Our findings provide insights into ‘how’ and ‘which’ initial MRTs can be developed in organisational interventions.

Although tobacco use is declining in several countries including India (dropping from 35% in 2009–10 to 29% 2016–17 among adults)—it still poses a huge burden on India, as the world’s second largest consumer of tobacco products. In Bihar state, with a prevalence of 25%, the Bihar School Teachers Study (BSTS) successfully enlisted teachers as role models for encouraging quitting and changing social norms pertaining to tobacco. The study used a mixed-methods approach to identify factors associated with teachers’ quitting. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups with teachers and school principals. Quantitative data were collected through a written survey administered to school personnel post-intervention. Key findings from focus groups were that teachers and principals quit using tobacco and promoted cessation because they wanted to model positive behaviors; specific information about tobacco’s harms aided cessation; and the BSTS intervention facilitated a school environment that supported quitting. Survey results indicated teachers who reported knowing people who quit using tobacco in the prior year were far more likely to quit as were teachers who reported that their school’s tobacco policy was completely enforced. The combination of qualitative and quantitative data yielded important insights with strong implications for future interventions.

Objectives. To test whether a comprehensive safe patient-handling intervention, which successfully reduced overall injury rates among hospital workers in a prior study, was differentially effective for higher-wage workers (nurses) versus low-wage workers (patient care associates [PCAs]). Methods. Data were from a cohort of nurses and PCAs at 2 large hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. One hospital received the intervention in 2013; the other did not. Using longitudinal survey data from 2012 and 2014 plus longitudinal administrative injury and payroll data, we tested for socioeconomic differences in changes in self-reported safe patient-handling practices, and for socioeconomic differences in changes in injury rates using administrative data. Results. After the intervention, improvements in self-reported patient-handling practices were equivalent for PCAs and for nurses. However, in administrative data, lifting and exertion injuries decreased among nurses (rate ratio [RR] = 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.41, 1.00) but not PCAs (RR = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.74,1.63; P for occupation × intervention interaction = 0.02). Conclusions. Although the population-level injury rate decreased after the intervention, most improvements were among higher-wage workers, widening the socioeconomic gap in injury and exemplifying the inequality paradox. Results have implications for public health intervention development, implementation, and analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine gender differences in under-reporting hiring discrimination by building a prediction model for workers who responded “not applicable (NA)” to a question about hiring discrimination despite being eligible to answer.METHODS: Using data from 3,576 wage workers in the seventh wave (2004) of the Korea Labor and Income Panel Study, we trained and tested 9 machine learning algorithms using “yes” or “no” responses regarding the lifetime experience of hiring discrimination. We then applied the best-performing model to estimate the prevalence of experiencing hiring discrimination among those who answered “NA.” Under-reporting of hiring discrimination was calculated by comparing the prevalence of hiring discrimination between the “yes” or “no” group and the “NA” group.RESULTS: Based on the predictions from the random forest model, we found that 58.8% of the “NA” group were predicted to have experienced hiring discrimination, while 19.7% of the “yes” or “no” group reported hiring discrimination. Among the “NA” group, the predicted prevalence of hiring discrimination for men and women was 45.3% and 84.8%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: This study introduces a methodological strategy for epidemiologic studies to address the under-reporting of discrimination by applying machine learning algorithms.

Background: Many organizational interventions aim to improve working conditions to promote and protect worker safety, health, and well-being. The Workplace Organizational Health Study used process evaluation to examine factors influencing implementation of an organizational intervention. This paper examines the extent to which the intervention was implemented as planned, the dose of intervention implemented, and ways the organizational context hindered or facilitated the implementation of the intervention.Methods: This proof-of-concept trial was conducted with a large, multinational company that provides food service through contractual arrangements with corporate clients. The 13-month intervention was launched in five intervention sites in October 2018. We report findings on intervention implementation based on process tracking and qualitative data. Qualitative data from 25 post-intervention interviews and 89 process tracking documents were coded and thematically analyzed.Results: Over the 13-month intervention, research team representatives met with site managers monthly to provide consultation and technical assistance on safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. Approximately two-thirds of the planned in-person or phone contacts occurred. We tailored the intervention to each site as we learned more about context, work demands, and relationships. The research team additionally met regularly with senior leadership and district managers, who provided corporate resources and guidance. By assessing the context of the food service setting in which the intervention was situated, we explored factors hindering and facilitating the implementation of the intervention. The financial pressures, competing priorities and the fast-paced work environment placed constraints on site managers’ availability and limited the full implementation of the intervention.Conclusions: Despite strong support from corporate senior leadership, we encountered barriers in the implementation of the planned intervention at the worksite and district levels. These included financial demands that drove work intensity; turnover of site and district managers disrupting continuity in the implementation of the intervention; and staffing constraints that further increased the work load and pace. Findings underscore the need for ongoing buy-in and support from both the parent employer and the host client.Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered with the Clinical Trials.Gov Protocol and Results System on June 2, 2021 with assigned registration number NCT04913168.

ObjectivesTo validate and test the dimensionality of six constructs from the Workplace Integrated Safety and Health (WISH) assessment, an instrument that assesses the extent to which organisations implement integrated systems approaches for protecting and promoting worker health, safety and well-being, in a sample of nursing homes in the USA.DesignValidation of an assessment scale using data from a cross-sectional survey.SettingNursing homes certified by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare services in three states of the USA: Ohio, California and Massachusetts.Participants569 directors of nursing from nursing homes serving adults and with more than 30 beds participated in the study.ResultsGraded response Item Response Theory (IRT) models showed that five out of six constructs were unidimensional based on balanced interpretation of model fit statistics—M2 or C2 with p value >0.05, Comparative Fit Index >0.95, lower bound of the root mean squared error of approximation 90% CI 1, β2, β3 typically below 0). A few items were recommended to be dropped from future administrations of the instrument based on empirical and substantive interpretation.ConclusionsThe WISH instrument has utility to understand to what extent organisations integrate protection and promotion of worker health, safety and well-being; however, it is most informative in organisations that present lower scores.

Background and Aims Nursing home research may involve eliciting information from managers, yet response rates for Directors of Nursing have not been recently studied. As a part of a more extensive study, we surveyed all nursing homes in three states in 2018 and 2019, updating how to survey these leaders effectively. We focus on response rates as a measure of non‐response error and comparison of nursing home's characteristics to their population values as a measure of representation error. Methods We surveyed Directors of Nursing or their designees in nursing homes serving adult residents with at least 30 beds in California, Massachusetts, and Ohio (N = 2389). We collected contact information for respondents and then emailed survey invitations and links, followed by three email reminders and a paper version. Nursing home associations in two of the states contacted their members on our behalf. We compared the response rates across waves and states. We also compared the characteristics of nursing homes based on whether the response was via email or paper. In a multivariable logit regression, we used characteristics of the survey and the nursing homes to predict whether their DON responded to the survey using adjustments for multiple comparisons. Results The response rate was higher for the first wave than for the second (30% vs 20.5%). The highest response rate was in Massachusetts (31.8%), followed by Ohio (25.8%) and California (19.5%). Nursing home characteristics did not vary by response mode. Additionally, we did not find any statistically significant predictors of whether a nursing home responded. Conclusion A single‐mode survey may provide a reasonably representative sample at the cost of sample size. With that said, however, switching modes can increase sample size without potentially biasing the sample.

BACKGROUND: With the growth the food service industry and associated high injury and illness rates, there is a need to assess workplace factors that contribute to injury prevention. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to describe the development, application, and utility of a new instrument to evaluate ergonomics and safety for food service workers. METHODS: Starting with a similar tool developed for use in healthcare, a new tool was designed through a collaborative, participatory process with the stakeholders from a collaborating food service company. The new instrument enables the identification and assessment of key safety and health factors through a focused walkthrough of the physical work environment, and structured interviews exploring the organizational work environment. The researchers applied the instrument at 10 of the partnering company’s worksites. RESULTS: The instrument identified factors related to both the physical work environment and organizational and contextual environment (e.g., vendor-client relationships) impacting worker safety and health. CONCLUSIONS: Modern assessment approaches should address both the physical and organizational aspects of the work environment, and consider the context complexities in which the worksites and the industry operate.

PURPOSE Tobacco-related deaths are rising rapidly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). In India, approximately 1.2 million people die each year from tobacco-related causes. Reducing tobacco-related deaths in LMICs will require large-scale implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) that promote tobacco control. Currently, implementation of tobacco control EBIs in LMICs relies on in-person training, which has inherent logistical challenges that limit the ability to scale up these programs. New training models are needed to ensure tobacco control EBIs can be implemented broadly and at low cost, especially in rural and under-resourced areas where tobacco use is prevalent. In India, schoolteachers are respected community leaders and role models, representing an important channel for promoting tobacco control. We previously demonstrated the effectiveness of the Tobacco-Free Teachers, Tobacco-Free Society (TFT-TFS) program in increasing tobacco use cessation. To scale this EBI, we will compare two TFT-TFS-training models for headmasters—in-person versus smartphone-based—and examine the effect of each model on TFT-TFS program implementation and effectiveness. METHODS Using a cluster-randomized design, we will randomize school headmasters in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh to receive in-person or smartphone training. Once trained, headmasters in both groups will implement TFT-TFS within their schools. Accordingly, our aims are to (1) use a participatory, qualitative approach to develop the in-person and smartphone-based training models; (2) compare program implementation fidelity, effectiveness, and cost for both training models using process evaluation and survey data; and (3) identify factors affecting program implementation using mixed methods. RESULTS This study will establish the effects of smartphone vs. in-person training on TFT-TFS implementation, effectiveness, and cost within schools in a low-resource setting. CONCLUSION Our findings will provide insight into scaling up tobacco control EBIs in schools across India and other LMICs and inform the application of smartphone-based training for other public health-related EBIs in resource-constrained areas.

Objectives To describe the process used to build capacity for wider dissemination of a Total Worker Health® (TWH) model using the infrastructure of a health and well-being vendor organization. Methods A multiple-case study mixed-methods design was used to learn from a year-long investigation of the experiences by participating organizations. Results Increased capacity for TWH solutions was observed as evidenced by the participation, plans of action, and experience ratings of the participating organizations. The planning process was feasible and acceptable, although the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic only afforded two of the three worksites to deliver a comprehensive written action plan. Conclusions A suite of services including guidelines, trainings, and technical assistance is feasible to support planning, acceptable to the companies that participated, and supports employers in applying the TWH knowledge base into practice.

© 2020 The Authors Work plays a central role in health. A conceptual model can help frame research priorities and questions to explore determinants of workers' safety, health, and wellbeing. A previous conceptual model focused on the workplace setting to emphasize the role of conditions of work in shaping workers' safety, health and wellbeing. These conditions of work include physical, organizational, and psychosocial factors. This manuscript presents and discusses an updated and expanded conceptual model, placing the workplace and the conditions of work within the broader context of socio-political-economic environments and consequent trends in employment and labor force patterns. Social, political and economic trends, such as growing reliance on technology, climate change, and globalization, have significant implications for workers’ day-to-day experiences. These structural forces in turn shape employment and labor patterns, with implications for the availability and quality of jobs; the nature of relationships between employers and workers; and the benefits and protections available to workers. Understanding these patterns will be critical for anticipating the consequences of future changes in the conditions of work, and ultimately help inform decision-making around policies and practices intended to protect and promote worker safety, health, and wellbeing. This model provides a structure for anticipating research needs in response to the changing nature of work, including the formation of research priorities, the need for expanded research methods and measures, and attention to diverse populations of enterprises and workers. This approach anticipates changes in the way work is structured, managed, and experienced by workers and can effectively inform policies and practices needed to protect and promote worker safety, health and wellbeing.

Background Adolescence is an influential stage in students' lives when lifelong behaviours such as tobacco use are formed. During these years, school teachers are important role models for tobacco control among students. A study was conducted among school personnel and administrators to understand the key drivers for implementing an evidence-based school tobacco control program. Methodology A cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted in five districts of Assam, India. The quantitative study was conducted among 565 school personnel across 40 Government-aided schools. Data was collected by means of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was generated from 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) among 146 participants - District Program Officers, Block Education Officers, Cluster Coordinators, Headmasters and Teachers. Results While the prevalence of smoked tobacco was low (3%), the use of smokeless tobacco was higher (40%), and the prevalence of use of areca nut without tobacco (65%) was still higher among school personnel. They were aware of the school policies prohibiting the use of tobacco among students within or outside school buildings or during school-sponsored activities (81%); they had rather limited knowledge about policy for themselves (58%). There was lack of access to training materials about prevention of tobacco use among youth. The FGDs amongst school personnel resulted in several constructive suggestions on tobacco control in schools mainly in training school teachers, monitoring the program and incentives for execution of the program. However, there was a reluctance to implement a smokeless tobacco control programme since many were current users of smokeless tobacco and areca nut. Conclusion Tobacco control policies as well as training school personnel in schools need to improve and further measures must be taken to prohibit use of areca nut, which contains carcinogens. The existing system of the education department can be utilised to implement tobacco control programmes effectively.

We assessed the ability of high-risk criteria developed by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program to identify increased mortality during a 10-year cohort study (January 2000–December 2009) of 445 unsheltered adults. To qualify as high-risk for mortality, an individual slept unsheltered for six consecutive months or longer plus had one or more of the following characteristics: tri-morbidity, defined as co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and addiction diagnoses; one or more inpatient or respite admissions; three or more emergency department visits; 60 years old or older; HIV/AIDS; cirrhosis; renal failure; frostbite, hypothermia, or immersion foot. A total of 119 (26.7%) individuals met the high-risk criteria. The remaining 326 individuals in the cohort were considered lower-risk. During the study, 134 deaths occurred; 52 (38.8%) were among high-risk individuals. Compared with sheltered individuals, the age-standardized mortality ratio for the high-risk group was 4.0 (95% confidence interval 3.0, 5.2) times higher and for the lower-risk group was 2.2 (1.8, 2.8) times higher. The hazard ratio, a measure of survival, for the high-risk group was 1.7 (1.2, 2.4) times that of the lower-risk group. High-risk criteria predicted an increased likelihood of mortality among unsheltered individuals. The lower-risk group also had high mortality rates compared with sheltered individuals.

Objective:There is growing interest in the NIOSH Total Worker Health® program, specifically in the process of designing and implementing safer, health-promoting work and workplaces. A Total Worker Health (TWH) Research Methodology Workshop was convened to discuss research methods and future needs.Me

Firefighters are at an increased risk for many types of cancer. Although most studies on this topic focus on exposures encountered while fighting fires, exposures at the fire station are also cause for concern. This pilot study aimed to describe air quality within a few fire stations in and around Boston, Massachusetts, and to investigate physical and organizational factors that may influence levels of contaminants in stations.Air sampling of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was completed at four fire stations in Spring, 2016. Sampling occurred in the kitchen, truck bay, and just outside the station. Data were analyzed to assess differences between and within stations. Interviews (n =7) were conducted with officers at each station to explore health and safety-related organizational policies and practices. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic content.At each station, levels of contaminants were higher in the truck bays than either the outdoors or kitchen, and varied the most throughout the day. The station with the highest exposures in the truck bay had the lowest levels in the kitchen, which was possibly explained by new building materials and effective separation between building zones. The age and layout of the stations appeared to determine the extent to which policies favoring exhaust capture were implemented.Levels of PM2.5 and PAH inside fire stations may contribute to firefighter cancer risk. Through understanding contaminant variability, we can begin to design and test interventions that improve cancer prevention.

A dearth of practical resources is available for evaluating ergonomic risk factors in dynamic health care work environments. Of particular need are tools for inspecting patient care environments for hazards. The goal of this study was to describe the development and application of an inspection tool and a process for identifying hazards inherent in the modifiable aspects of the physical environment to reduce injury risk to hospital workers. Through an iterative and participatory process, the tool and inspection process were developed with three purposes in mind: (a) create a framework for the inspection of physical work environments and physical conditions of work associated with injury risk (hazards), (b) document the physical conditions, and (c) provide feedback to decision makers. The tool and process were used by an ergonomics researcher on four patient care units as part of the Be Well, Work Well Total Worker Health® intervention. The resulting inspection process provided a structured method for recognizing hazards in the dynamic modifiable physical work environment and reporting both observations and recommendations to decision makers. The development and implementation of the inspection tool provided guidance to modify the physical work environment by implementing ergonomic solutions. The tool allowed the organization to plan and prioritize ergonomic hazard abatement (e.g. resource allocation and tracking trends). Within a Total Worker Health® framework, this tool can measure work practices which can then be used to inform organizational programs and policies within a health care setting.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between worksite organizational characteristics (size, industrial sector, leadership commitment, and organizational supports) and integrated approaches to protecting and promoting worker health implemented in smaller enterprises. METHODS We analyzed web-based survey data of Human Resource Managers at 114 smaller enterprises (

Objective To review the publications of a Total Worker Health Center of Excellence, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Work, Health, and Well-being, in order to identify research findings relevant to either organizational or public policies. Methods Two researchers independently reviewed 57 publications from 2011 to 2019 to identify cross-cutting themes that focus on working conditions or related health outcomes and their organizational and public policy implications. Results Twelve cross-cutting themes were identified with their respective organizational and public policy implications. Several policy implications cut across work-related themes. Conclusions Policy implications of TWH research will aid in setting priorities to translate this from research into practice in future studies and help identify gaps that we and others can use to plan future TWH research.

This paper addresses a significant gap in the literature by describing a study that tests the feasibility and efficacy of an organizational intervention to improve working conditions, safety, and wellbeing for low-wage food service workers. The Workplace Organizational Health Study tests the hypothesis that an intervention targeting the work organization and environment will result in improvements in workers&rsquo, musculoskeletal disorders and wellbeing. This ongoing study is being conducted in collaboration with a large food service company. Formative evaluation was used to prioritize outcomes, assess working conditions, and define essential intervention elements. The theory-driven intervention is being evaluated in a proof-of-concept trial, conducted to demonstrate feasibility and potential efficacy using a cluster randomized design. Ten worksites were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. The 13-month intervention uses a comprehensive systems approach to improve workplace policies and practices. Using principles of participatory engagement, the intervention targets safety and ergonomics, work intensity, and job enrichment. The evaluation will provide a preliminary assessment of estimates of the intervention effect on targeted outcomes and inform understanding of the intervention implementation across worksites. This study is expected to provide insights on methods to improve working conditions in support of the safety and wellbeing of low-wage workers.

Work is a major contributor to our health and well-being. Workers’ thriving is directly influenced by their job design, work environment and organization. The purpose of this report is to describe the qualitative methods used to develop the candidate items for a novel measure of Thriving from Work through a multi-step iterative process including: a literature review, workshop, interviews with experts, and cognitive testing of the candidate items. Through this process, we defined Thriving from Work as the state of positive mental, physical, and social functioning in which workers’ experiences of their work and working conditions enable them to thrive in their overall lives, contributing to their ability to achieve their full potential in their work, home, and community. Thriving from Work was conceptualized into 37 attributes across seven dimensions: psychological, emotional, social, work–life integration, basic needs, experience of work, and health. We ultimately identified, developed and/or modified 87 candidate questionnaire items mapped to these attributes that performed well in cognitive testing in demographically and occupationally diverse workers. The Thriving from Work Questionnaire will be subjected to psychometric testing and item reduction in future studies. Individual items demonstrated face validity and good cognitive response properties and may be used independently from the questionnaire.

Objectives Underreporting of occupational injuries is well documented, but underreporting patterns may vary by worker characteristics, obscuring disparities. We tested for racial and ethnic differences in injury reporting patterns by comparing injuries reported via research survey and administrative injury database in the same group of healthcare workers in the US. Methods We used data from a cohort of 1568 hospital patient-care workers who were asked via survey whether they had been injured at work during the year prior (self-reported injury; N=244). Using the hospital’s injury database, we determined whether the same workers had reported injuries to the hospital’s occupational health service during that year (administratively reported injury; N=126). We compared data sources to test for racial and ethnic differences in injury reporting practices. Results In logistic regression models adjusted for demographic and occupational characteristics, black workers’ odds of injury as measured by self-report data were 1.91 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.04–3.49] compared with white workers. The same black workers’ odds of injury as measured by administrative data were 1.22 (95% CI 0.54–2.77) compared with white workers. Conclusions The undercount of occupational injuries in administrative versus self-report data may be greater among black compared to white workers, leading to underestimates of racial disparities in workplace injury.

With increasing emphasis on early and frequent mobilisation of patients in acute care, safe patient handling and mobilisation practices need to be integrated into these quality initiatives. We completed a programme evaluation of a safe patient handling and mobilisation programme within the context of a hospital-wide patient care improvement initiative that utilised a systems approach and integrated safe patient equipment and practices into patient care plans.Baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys of 1832 direct patient care workers assessed work practices and self-reported pain while an integrated employee payroll and injury database provided recordable injury rates collected concurrently at 2 hospitals: the study hospital with the programme and a comparison hospital.Safe and unsafe patient handling practice scales at the study hospital improved significantly (p0.0001 and p=0.0031, respectively), with no differences observed at the comparison hospital. We observed significant decreases in recordable neck and shoulder (Relative Risk (RR)=0.68, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.00), lifting and exertion (RR=0.73, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.89) and pain and inflammation (RR=0.78, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.00) injury rates at the study hospital. Changes in rates at the comparison hospital were not statistically significant.Within the context of a patient mobilisation initiative, a safe patient handling and mobilisation programme was associated with improved work practices and a reduction in recordable worker injuries. This study demonstrates the potential impact of utilising a systems approach based on recommended best practices, including integration of these practices into the patient's plan for care.

There is increasing recognition of the value added by integrating traditionally separate efforts to protect and promote worker safety and health. This paper presents an innovative conceptual model to guide research on determinants of worker safety and health and to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of integrated approaches to promoting and protecting worker health. This model is rooted in multiple theories and the premise that the conditions of work are important determinants of individual safety and health outcomes and behaviors, and outcomes important to enterprises such as absence and turnover. Integrated policies, programs and practices simultaneously address multiple conditions of work, including the physical work environment and the organization of work (e.g., psychosocial factors, job tasks and demands). Findings from two recent studies conducted in Boston and Minnesota (2009–2015) illustrate the application of this model to guide social epidemiological research. This paper focuses particular attention on the relationships of the conditions of work to worker health-related behaviors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and occupational injury; and to the design of integrated interventions in response to specific settings and conditions of work of small and medium size manufacturing businesses, based on a systematic assessment of priorities, needs, and resources within an organization. This model provides an organizing framework for both research and practice by specifying the causal pathways through which work may influence health outcomes, and for designing and testing interventions to improve worker safety and health that are meaningful for workers and employers, and responsive to that setting’s conditions of work.