Construct validity of a physical work environment satisfaction questionnaire.

Many theories of behavior at work fail to consider the effects of the physical environment on employees' behavior and attitudes. The purpose of this research was to gather evidence of the construct validity of the Physical Work Environment Satisfaction Questionnaire (PWESQ) and of the validity of the physical work environment satisfaction construct. Evidence of the construct validity of the PWESQ was sought through its administration, along with a number of established measures of work attitudes, to 641 employees in 8 organizations. The data provided evidence of the validity of both the physical work environment satisfaction construct and the PWESQ as a valid measure of that construct. Practical and theoretical implications, as well as implications for future research, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of extrapolating nonresponse bias from mail questionnaire follow-ups.

To study the accuracy with which nonresponse bias in mail questionnaires can be extrapolated from the trend derived from the several coordinate values of initial and follow-up response groups for any given variable, data were obtained on 7 variables for 3 groups. Of the 7 biographical data variables considered, 5 were found to be consistent with the hypothesis that the response-nonresponse probability function indicates the presence and direction of non-response bias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of personal signature on the initial rate of return of a mailed questionnaire.

Tested the assumption that a personal signature on the cover letter is a sine qua non for yielding higher rates of return of mailed questionnaires. 3,091 university faculty members were sent questionnaires concerning their uses of and attitudes toward audiovisual instructional materials. 1,546 were sent a cover letter bearing the researcher's personal signature, and 1,545 were sent a cover letter indentical to the 1st group's except that the researcher's signature was a mimeographed facsimile. No difference was found between the initial return rates for the 2 groups even when the rank of the faculty member was identified. It is concluded that, for the sample studied, a personal signature was no greater an inducement to respond than a mimeographed facsimile. (37 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efforts of health promotion teams to improve the psychosocial work environment.

This study evaluated the actions of 12 departmental "health promotion teams" and the means they used to improve the psychosocial work environment of a metal factory in a 3-year project. The teams included 80 members and were supported by organizational psychologists twice a year. A survey feedback process was applied in the beginning among all 773 employees, including management (response rate 94%). At the end, a questionnaire on perceived changes was filled out (response rate 94%). The teams guided the developmental process and initiated various activities in cooperation with the personnel. The planned activities were mainly directed at improving physical fitness and social climate. The majority of the personnel participated in these activities and were satisfied with them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work satisfaction of health personnel in primary care

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of work satisfaction of health professionals working in Primary Care and to establish the social, demographic and professional factors which determine it. DESIGN: An observational, crossover study using a self-administered questionnaire. SETTING: Primary Care. PARTICIPANTS: All the doctors and nurses working in the Primary Care teams in the Albacete Health Area (468 in all). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The scale of work satisfaction of health professionals in Primary Care teams was used. Social, demographic and professional data were collected. 9 dimensions or components of work satisfaction were identified through a factorial analysis. The lowest scores were for motivation, opportunities for professional development and coordination with specialists. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show, in general, indifference as to work satisfaction or lack of it in areas such as motivation and opportunities for professional development. The differences observed in those polled relate to their job and work-place, and also, in the case of doctors, to specialist training.     

Rehabilitation psychology in primary care: Preparing for a changing health care environment.

Restructuring of health care delivery systems has deemphasized tertiary and specialty services with a resultant increase in primary medical care. These reform efforts are anticipated to continue, highlighting the need for rehabilitation psychologists to expand beyond tertiary care settings to sustain the growth and prosperity of their profession. New models of service delivery and training are needed to help them transition into the new health care environment. A recently developed model for integrating behavioral medicine into primary care may serve as a guide. In this paper we discuss a model for integrating behavioral science into the medical management of primary care patients. The model is applicable to the functions and philosophy of rehabilitation psychologists. A discussion of the new model and its relation to rehabilitation psychology is provided along with implications for predoctoral training and strategies for overcoming barriers to primary care integration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of organizational and team commitment in a self-directed team environment.

A model hypothesizing differential relationships among predictor variables and individual commitment to the organization and work team was tested. Data from 485 members of sewing teams supported the existence of differential relationships between predictors and organizational and team commitment. In particular, intersender conflict and satisfaction with coworkers were more strongly related to team commitment than to organizational commitment. Resource-related conflict and satisfaction with supervision were more strongly related to organizational commitment than to team commitment. Perceived task interdependence was strongly related to both commitment foci. Contrary to prediction, the relationships between perceived task interdependence and the 2 commitment foci were not significantly different. Relationships with antecedent variables help explain how differential levels of commitment to the 2 foci may be formed. Indirect effects of exogenous variables are reported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optometric record keeping in a comprehensive health care environment

We determined the relative shear bond strength (SBS) to dentine and cementum and the microleakage of All-Bond 2 universal dental adhesive and OptiBond multi-use filled adhesive. We found that for both systems the SBS increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 15 minutes to 24 hours and 7 days, but there was a slight significant (p < 0.001) weakening towards 30 days. At each time point the shear bond strength of All-Bond 2 and OptiBond were also compared and it was found that OptiBond had significantly higher values (p < 0.05) at all times except at 15 minutes. Optibond also had the lower value for the microleakage (p < 0.001). This study showed that OptiBond had significantly higher shear bond strengths to and lower microleakage in dentine which may increase the longevity of the material in the clinical situation.     

Protection of health care personnel against tuberculosis]

Protection of people who are working in health care against tuberculosis has been evaluated recently in several publications and guidelines. The following aims of guidelines are the reduction of emission from infections patients, limitation of aerosol transmission and protection of personnel and other patients against inhalation of infections particles. Because these protective means cannot abolish risk, a survey of the exposed personnel is mandatory as well as a preventive treatment of those infected.     

Measuring job stressors and studying the health impact of the work environment: An epidemiolgic commentary.

This article provides a commentary on 5 articles in the special section that marshal a substantial amount of information about 4 instruments for measuring work stress. The perspective is that of psychosocial epidemiology and highlights the differences between the environmental and the psychological traditions of studying stress and health. Several issues are addressed: (a) placing the 4 measures in a broader taxonomy of dimensions of work environment and evaluating the measures in that context, (b) discussing alternative strategies for measuring job strains, (c) analyzing some of the issues in the triviality debate, and (d) reconsidering a number of issues in the ongoing debate about "subjective" versus "objective" measurement approaches to work dimensions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical nutrition: opportunity in a changing health care environment

This article summarizes presentations from a satellite symposium, "Clinical Nutrition: Opportunity in a Changing Health Care Environment," held July 26, 1997, at the 37th annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition in Montreal. The symposium was cosponsored by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. The diverse topics served as a practical forum for sharing information on innovative responses, concerns, and impediments in the rapidly evolving practice environment.     

Preserving workers' compensation benefits in a managed health care environment

Managed care techniques are increasingly being applied in the workers' compensation setting. Many workers, labor representatives and public health advocates fear that the introduction of managed care into workers' compensation may reflect a broader employer-driven campaign to erode benefits, tighten eligibility criteria, and weaken employees' control over health care and compensation issues. The potential threats to workers can be mitigated by involving them in the design of the workers' compensation health plan and selection of provider organization, assuring access to appropriate specialists and diagnostic testing, minimizing delays, increasing accountability through contract provisions and government oversight, and enhancing communications through the use of ombudsmen and alternative dispute resolution approaches. Additional outcomes studies assessing the long-term impact of managed care in workers' compensation are needed.     

An examination of differences between managerial effectiveness and response patterns on a structured job analysis questionnaire.

Three cost-related measures of effectiveness were obtained for each of 146 store managers. Multivariate ANOVA revealed that no significant differences exist in the way effective and ineffective store managers rated the importance of and time spent on 7 major work activities as well as the importance of 30 worker characteristics needed for successful job performance. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Outcomes measurement in today''s health care environment

The effects of smoking habits on thyroid function, echo-texture (nodules and/or cysts) and thyroid gland volume were determined by using ultrasound and measuring serum Thyroxin (T4), Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyrotropin (TSH) and TPO antibodies (ab-TPO) in 189 healthy smokers and non-smokers, randomly selected (111 females and 78 males) among the employees of our hospital and their relatives. When the entire group of subjects was considered the mean ratio of thyroid gland volume/body weight was found to be significantly higher in male (P < 0.05) and female (P < 0.05) smokers compared with non-smokers. In female smokers, mean serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was lower (P < 0.05) and the degree of smoking was positively correlated with the ratio of thyroid gland volume/body weight (P < 0.05). However, when the subjects with a family history of goitre in first degree relatives were excluded from our study (14 females and 9 males), no significant differences in mean ratio of thyroid volume/weight or TSH between the remaining smokers and non-smokers were detected. In both sexes, the correlation between the degree of smoking and thyroid volume, although positive, did not reach statistical significance. No difference in prevalence of abnormal echogenicity and echo-texture (nodules and cysts) between smokers and non-smokers was detected. It is concluded that smoking habits present a goitrogenic effect only in subjects with a family history of goitre but have no influence on thyroid gland texture.     

Adjustment, mental health opinions, and proficiency of child care personnel.

Intercorrelated MMPI validity and K-corrected diagnostic scale scores, responses to a mental health opinion questionnaire, biographical data, and job performance ratings of 52 child care personnel. There were significant (p     

Application and evaluation of a mailed questionnaire for an epidemiologic study of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in horses

Adoptive immunotherapy using MHC-nonrestricted-lymphocytes, peripheral blood gammadelta T cells and NK cells was devised. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (3 x 10(7)) were selected by immobilization to anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody for 4 days and cultured for 2 weeks in the presence of IL-2. Thereafter they were reactivated by 500 U/ml of IFN-alpha and 1000 U/ml of IL-2 for 1 hour. Enhancement of NK and LAK activities was confirmed. Peripheral blood gammadelta T cells proliferated in response to immobilized anti-CD3 antibody (3% to 30%). Approximately 6 x 10(9) BRM-activated killer (BAK) cells composed of CD56+ gammadelta T cells and CD56+ NK cells, were dispensed to cancer patients via intravenous drip infusion. Nine patients were treated with BAK cells every 2 weeks or every month on an outpatient basis. During the course of adoptive immunotherapy, the crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis (CAIE) pattern of serum immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) was analysed. Both the production and glycosylation pattern of IAP is changed in response to tumor enlargement and may therefore act as a marker of the disease progression. During the course of BAK therapy, the glycosylation IAP pattern of 6 patients changed from tumor (T) to normal (N). In addition, the performance status of all patients was maintained at 90-100% of the Karnofsky scale and any side effects including fever were not observed during treatments with BAK cells. Moreover, the overall quality of life (QOL) of the patients, scored at the Face scale was favorable. In addition, blood levels of activated gammadelta T cells producing IFN-gamma were assayed as an indication marker of BAK therapy. The normal range of IFN-gamma producing gammadelta T cells comprised 6.9 +/- 0.9% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), according to a single cell FACScan analyses of PBMCs derived from normal individuals. IFN-gamma producing gammadelta T cells of Patients No. 8 and 9, who received extensive chemotherapy before initiation of BAK therapy, comprised only 0.2% and 2% of PBMC, respectively. These patients died 3 and 6 months after beginning BAK therapy. Peripheral blood gammadelta T cells of Patients Nos. 1-7 proliferated in response to immobilized anti-CD3 antibody and the frequency of IFN-gamma producing gammadelta T cells in PBMC preparation of these patients were over 3% before initiation of BAK therapy. Since our data show a positive correlation between survival time and initial gammadelta T cell counts, a low frequency of these cells may contraindicate BAK therapy.