SLASH: a program for analysing the functional groups in molecules

The authors examined the impact of a number of job stressors, including sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination, on female construction workers' level of job satisfaction and psychological and physical health. Results from a telephone survey with 211 female laborers indicated that having responsibility for others' safety and having support from supervisors and male coworkers was related to greater job satisfaction. Increased reported psychological symptoms were also related to increased responsibility, as well as skill underutilization, experiencing sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination from supervisors and coworkers, and having to overcompensate at work. Perceptions of overcompensation at work and job uncertainty were positively associated with self-reports of insomnia. Finally, sexual harassment and gender discrimination were positively related to reports of increased nausea and headaches.     

General practitioner involvement in hospital in the home. The hospital's view

INTRODUCTION: Programs involving hospitals and general practitioners (GPs) have become more commonplace, with a greater emphasis on integration of health services emerging over the last generation. Hospital in the home (HIH) refers to the delivery of acute hospital services such as intravenous therapy, anticoagulation and wound care to patients in their own homes. This study sought to determine the extent to which HIH units had involved urban GPs, issues related to GP involvement, and the likely future of such involvement. METHOD: Telephone administered structured survey to all urban HIH coordinators/directors in Melbourne, Australia. RESULTS: All 14 identified HIH coordinators were interviewed. Five units reported a direct role for GPs, six reported no role and three reported a limited role in managing intercurrent illnesses. Coordinators felt that variability of GP response and skills, GP availability and patient control were significant issues. An increase in future GP involvement was uncertain and conditional. DISCUSSION: One-third of urban hospitals surveyed have involved GPs in their programs. However, issues such as variability in skills, enthusiasm and availability threaten expansion of such involvement. This calls for a review in the way GPs are involved in hospital programs, and for better relationships with hospital nursing staff. Limiting the number of involved GPs in any hospital-GP program may offer advantages to both groups. Despite the movement of hospital work into the community, GP involvement in such work is not guaranteed.     

Stressors and adverse outcomes for female construction workers.

The authors examined the impact of a number of job stressors, including sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination, on female construction workers' level of job satisfaction and psychological and physical health. Results from a telephone survey with 211 female laborers indicated that having responsibility for others' safety and having support from supervisors and male coworkers was related to greater job satisfaction. Increased reported psychological symptoms were also related to increased responsibility, as well as skill underutilization, experiencing sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination from supervisors and coworkers, and having to overcompensate at work. Perceptions of overcompensation at work and job certainty were positively associated with self-reports of insomnia. Finally, sexual harassment and gender discrimination were positively related to reports of increased nausea and headaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job strain, social support and mental health: a study on the male heavy manufacturing workers

OBJECT: The aim of this study is to explore the influence of work experience on workers' psychological function. Specifically, the researchers will examine the effect of job demand, decision latitude, job strain, and social support at worksite on the mental health status of male heavy manufacturing workers. METHOD: By purposive sampling, from October 1994 to March 1995, the present investigators implemented a self-administered questionnaire survey on the workers in southern Taiwan. The Karasek job strain model and its measure were embedded in the questionnaire to evaluate workers' perceptions of their job conditions. In addition, Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) was utilized to evaluate the workers' status of mental health. RESULT: Totally, 1,117 workers were selected for this survey. An unviriate analysis showed the younger the workers, the lower their monthly income, and the newer their employment, were more likely to be classified as high risk in mental health status. The workers with more decision latitude and higher social support would be better in mental health status. In addition, it also showed that workers under high job strain were more likely to be in poor mental health status. Result from multivariate logistic regression showed those who served longer, had more decision automony, and had higher social support, were less likely to be in poor mental health status. Instead, those who sustained high job strain were more likely to be in poor mental health status. DISCUSSION: The implication from those findings for the implementation of health promotion program. would be raised, and the limitation of this inference would also be discussed.     

Wives' employment and husbands' attitudes toward work and life.

Previous research has established that wives' employment has a positive association with the mental health of wives but a negative association with the mental health of husbands. The present study investigated the connections between wives' employment and husbands' work life, using data from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey on 208 couples in which both husband and wife worked and 408 couples in which only the husband worked. Data indicate that wives' employment had nonspurious negative associations with husbands' job and life satisfaction. Husbands of working wives felt less adequate as family breadwinners than did husbands of housewives, and this appeared to account for their lower levels of job and life satisfaction. Findings suggest that the occupational domain is particularly important to understanding the negative relations between wives' employment and husbands' job and life satisfaction. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health and turnover of working mothers after childbirth via the work–family interface: An analysis across time.

This study examined organizational levers that impact work–family experiences, participant health, and subsequent turnover. Using a sample of 179 women returning to full-time work 4 months after childbirth, we examined the associations of 3 job resources (job security, skill discretion, and schedule control) with work-to-family enrichment and the associations of 2 job demands (psychological requirements and nonstandard work schedules) with work-to-family conflict. Further, we considered subsequent impact of work-to-family conflict and enrichment on women's health (physical and mental health) 8 months after women returned to work and the impact of health on voluntary turnover 12 months after women returned to work. Having a nonstandard work schedule was directly and positively related to conflict, whereas schedule control buffered the effect of psychological requirements on conflict. Skill discretion and job security, both job resources, directly and positively related to enrichment. Work-to-family conflict was negatively related to both physical and mental health, but work-to-family enrichment positively predicted only physical health. Physical health and mental health both negatively influenced turnover. We discuss implications and opportunities for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Classification of the spoilage flora of raw and pasteurized bovine milk, with special reference to Pseudomonas and Bacillus

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of job satisfaction to job difficulty and worthiness, reported by the clinical psychologists who worked at medical institutions. A mail survey of 748 clinical psychologists working at hospital and clinics revealed the following results. First, job satisfaction was related more to job situation than job content. Also, job satisfaction was low among those who worked at non-university psychiatric or geriatric hospitals, who did not practice psychotherapy, and who were not in education, research, or management. In addition, compared to the high job satisfaction group, the low group perceived more incongruity between institutional climate and their psychological work, felt being less valued by other professionals, were less able to function fully as a practicing psychologist, and experienced more role ambiguity as a clinical psychologist in a hospital setting.     

Work Stress, Support, and Mental Health in Construction

Construction professionals are subjected to a plethora of occupational demands that can have a negative effect on their psychological wellbeing. Such demands can have an adverse influence on individual and organizational performance. To investigate the nature of self and social supports and mental health among construction professionals, an exploratory study was undertaken using the Stress and Mental Health Survey. The survey was distributed to construction professionals throughout Australia and 449 responses were received. Analysis revealed that those working for a contracting organization on-site reported higher levels of poor mental health and greater work stress than consultants. Those working on-site also experienced greater levels of self-stress, whereas consultants reported higher levels of self and work support. Work support was a significant predictor of poor mental health for consultants. Good health, however, was predicted by self, situational, and work support, whereas those working for a contractor only self-support predicated good mental health. It is concluded that while supports are essential in the fostering of good mental health, the absence of these supports can have a significant impact on poor mental health.     

Organizational and individual factors affecting mental health and job satisfaction: A multilevel analysis of job control and personality.

This study evaluated variation at the individual and work unit levels in the relations of job control, hostility, and trait anxiety to mental health and job satisfaction. Questionnaire data from a sample of 2,900 employees working at 152 hospital wards were analyzed by means of multilevel regression analyses. Results showed that mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12), varying mainly at the individual level, was explained mostly by hostility and trait anxiety. Job satisfaction varied significantly at the individual and the ward level. Job control accounted for most of this multilevel variation. Thus, this study demonstrated the significance of individual characteristics and organizational effects in explaining the mental health and job satisfaction of employees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stroke services in general practice--are they satisfactory?

BACKGROUND: The contribution of general practice and primary care teams to stroke care has received surprisingly little attention despite research evidence on the importance of coordinated care. AIM: To determine general practitioners' (GPs') and their patients' satisfaction with hospital and community services for stroke patients in Grampian Region, Scotland. METHOD: A questionnaire survey of 138 stroke patients and their GPs was carried out six weeks after each patient was discharged home between June 1995 and January 1996. Outcomes measured were GP and patient satisfaction with services, Barthel Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scores, London Handicap Score, and Homsat and Hospsat scores (satisfaction with stroke services). RESULTS: Response rates of 95% (131) for GPs and 91% (125) for patients were obtained. GPs and patients were generally satisfied with services. Stroke patients were more likely to have had contact with their GP than with any other service. Adverse comments from GPs focused on problems with hospital discharge letters. At six weeks, patients received an average of 2.5 community services and 1.5 hospital services, but there was wide variation across disability groups. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of satisfaction were high, but the wide range and variation in services used by patients emphasized the complexity of the primary care of stroke patients; the need for coordination, review and effective links with hospital; and the key role of the GP.     

The impact of interpersonal violence in adulthood on women's job satisfaction and productivity: The mediating roles of mental and physical health.

Objective: With growing awareness of the prevalence of interpersonal violence victimization among women, research has begun to examine the impact of these experiences on employment. To date, much of this work in the United States has centered on low-income women moving from public assistance to paid employment and research gaps in our understanding of a broader range of working women's experiences still exist. The present study explored the impact of multiple types of victimization (sexual violence, physical intimate partner violence, psychological abuse, and stalking) on a range of work outcomes (job satisfaction, job benefits, job interference). Method: A random-digit-dial telephone survey of 1,079 women living in New Hampshire was conducted. Measures included questions about victimization in adulthood and current perceptions of employment. Results: A multivariate analysis of variance and regression analyses showed clear links between victimization experiences and negative work outcomes. Mental and physical health symptoms represent important mediators explaining these links. Conclusion: Results support the need for workplace policies and supports that provide safety nets for survivors and encourages the development of community norms that assist survivors in accessing such supports. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional conditions and satisfaction in general practice in 1993. Practice profile of Norwegian primary physicians

European study of General Practice (GP) task profiles was carried out in 30 European countries in 1993. We analyzed the Norwegian results. 164 primary care physicians, 51% of a random sample, answered a questionnaire. 147 kept a diary on their practice for one week. Compared with results from two earlier studies performed 15 years ago, the proportion of female GPs had doubled to 25%, there were more group practices, more time was spent on vocational training and continuous education, and night service was less frequent than in 1978. 45% were specialists in general practice and 7% in community medicine. Job satisfaction was high, and highest for women, fee-for-service GPs on contract, and GPs who cooperated with other health professionals.     

Gendered Work Conditions, Health, and Work Outcomes.

This cross-sectional study of nonfaculty university employees examined associations among gendered work conditions (e.g., sexism and discrimination), job demands, and employee job satisfaction and health. Organizational responsiveness and social support were examined as effect modifiers. Comparisons were made by gender and by the male-female ratio in each job category. The relationship of gendered conditions of work to outcomes differed on the basis of respondents' sex and the job sex ratio. Although the same predictors were hypothesized for job satisfaction, physical health, and psychological distress, there were some differing results. The strongest correlate of job satisfaction was social support; perceived sexism in the workplace also contributed for both men and women. Organizational factors associated with psychological distress differed between female- and male-dominated jobs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Afferent mechanism of cortical myoclonus studied by proprioception-related SEPs

This questionnaire study examined perceived sources of stress and satisfaction at work among 121 mental health staff members. Five factors were derived from principal component analysis of sources of work stress items (stress from: role, poor support, clients, future, and overload), and accounted for 70% of the total variance. Four factors were derived from the items related to sources of job satisfaction (satisfaction from: career, working with people, management, and money), accounting for 68% of the variance. The associations of these factors with sociodemographic and job characteristics were examined, and they were entered as explanatory variables into regression models predicting mental health, burnout, and job satisfaction. Stress from "overload" was associated with being based outside an in-patient ward, and with emotional exhaustion and worse mental health. Stress related to the "future" was associated with not being white. Stress from "clients" was associated with the "depersonalization" component of burnout. Higher job satisfaction was associated with "management" and "working with people" as sources of satisfaction, whereas emotional exhaustion and poorer mental health were associated with less "career" satisfaction.     

Work stress and health

OBJECTIVES: This article describes work stress experienced by the employed population. It examines associations between job strain, job insecurity, physical demands, low co-worker support and low supervisor support, and four health outcomes: migraine, work injury, high blood pressure and psychological distress. DATA SOURCE: The data are from the household component of the 1994/95 National Population Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. Results are based on a sample of 9,023 employed Canadians aged 18 to 64. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES: Multivariate analyses were used to estimate associations between work stress and health problems, while controlling for other potential stressors. MAIN RESULTS: Among men, job strain was associated with migraine and psychological distress, and among women, with work injury. Job insecurity was associated with migraine among women. High physical demands were related to work injury in both sexes. Low co-worker support was related to migraine among men, and to work injury and psychological distress among women.     

Protective buffering and emotional desynchrony among spousal caregivers of cancer patients.

Objective: To examine protective buffering and emotional desynchrony among spousal caregivers of cancer survivors. Design: Repeated measures; 42 caregivers engaged in 2 videotaped, oral emotional expression exercises: 1 in the presence of their patient and 1 in the absence of their patient. Main Outcome Measures: Felt emotion (self-report) and expressed emotion (lexical expression or words uttered and coder-derived facial expression). Other measures assessed mental and physical health, dyadic satisfaction, and dispositional emotional inhibition. Results: Protective buffering differed by communicative channel (lexical vs. facial). Caregivers' facial expressions were more positive when the patient was present versus absent. In contrast, the valence of caregivers' words did not differ per patient presence. Facial protective buffering was unrelated to health and dyadic outcomes. Lexical protective buffering was inversely related to both caregiver and patient marital satisfaction. Dispositional emotional inhibition was inversely related to caregiver mental health and marital satisfaction. Desynchrony occurred when the patient was present but was counter to prediction; felt emotion was more positive than expressed emotion. Conclusion: Results provide behavioral evidence of facial protective buffering. To the extent that lexical buffering occurs, it poses a dyadic risk, and chronic inhibition poses both psychological and dyadic risks. Future research is needed to refine the operational definition of desynchrony and to examine the biopsychosocial sequelae of buffering. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Employee age as a moderator of the relation between perceived work alternatives and job satisfaction.

This study was designed to explore whether employee age influences the relation between perceived work alternatives and job satisfaction. Moderated regression analyses were conducted using the survey responses of 226 employees between the ages of 24 and 50 who worked for a mental health institution. The analyses revealed that a Perceived Work Alternatives?×?Employee Age interaction significantly predicted job satisfaction. Neither organizational tenure nor employee educational level accounted for job-satisfaction variance beyond that accounted for by perceived work alternatives alone, nor did they interact with perceived work alternatives to predict job satisfaction. These findings indicate that employee age is associated with the relation between perceived alternatives and job satisfaction. They also provide some insight into which of a number of age-related effects may be most pertinent to this relation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The 1990 GP contract: modelling variation in minor surgery provision

Logistic regression was used to determine the extent to which general medical practices undertake the maximum amount of minor surgery activity allowed for in the GP contract. Data on activity for 89 practices in the Grampian region of Scotland was available for two consecutive financial years: 1992-93 and 1993-94. Comparison of the regression models developed in each year showed that rural location and practice size were consistently associated with the maximization of minor surgery activity under the terms of 1990 GP Contract. In 1993-94 practices with a greater proportion of deprived patients were also more likely to be 'maximizers'. Quantitative modelling allows the performance of GPs to be assessed and also helps to identify factors which are a barrier to service development. It seems likely that, in Grampian, GPs who were able to exploit fully the provisions of their contract were those whose patients had the greatest capacity to benefit from minor surgery. Currently the GP contract is nationally negotiated, but in the future local negotiated remuneration is likely to become widespread. Modelling will have an important role in the design and monitoring of incentive structures, and help to ensure that service provision equates to local needs.