Individual differences,exercise and leisure activity in predicting affective well-being in young adults

This study focuses on the prevalence of exercise and health-related leisure activities (smoking, drinking), across groups of subjects, defined by personality and gender, in relation to subjective well-being. Results from a cross-sectional survey of 187 participants are reported. Males (n = 80) reported more drinking (p < 0.001) and smoking (p < 0.001) than females, though they also reported higher habitual physical activity levels (p < 0.001). Females (n = 107) reported more frequent use of social support coping (p < 0.01). There was a positive association between extraversion and self-reported habitual physical activity as well as alcohol consumption (even when controlling for gender). Neuroticism was not related to any of the exercise and leisure activity variables. Multiple regression analyses predicted 34% of variance for the depression-enthusiasm and 39% of the variance for the anxiety-contentment measures of affective well-being. Neuroticism (p < 0.001) and avoidance coping (p < 0.05) were the only significant predictors of both anxiety-contentment and depression-enthusiasm. It is concluded that the influence of individual differences such as personality and gender on coping behaviour and well-being is consistent with social learning theory research. Limitations of cross-sectional research designs necessitate caution with inferring causal paths. Recommendations for future research are presented concerning the use and value of repeated measures designs within research into exercise and well-being.     

The who and the what of usage of two cancer online communities

The explosion of use of Internet-based communication for health requires attention to the ways survivors of specific diseases and those close to them participate in using resources. This research focuses on two cancer groups – breast and prostate – and how they use WebMD asynchronous bulletin boards. Four hundred and eighty two messages were coded for communicator (survivors, spouses, others) and content of messages. Most common communicators were survivors, but the two groups differed in percentages of communicator. Of four main categories of content – medical/treatment, intimacy/sexuality, emotional expression, and support – most common were support and medical/treatment. The groups differed significantly on those four categories, with breast cancer more support-dominated and prostate more medical/treatment-dominated and more intimacy/sexuality messages. There were no group differences in emotional-toned vs. social support seeking vs. providing support, or positive vs. negative emotions expressed. Generally, there was considerable commonality, and the differences found primarily supported gender-specific notions of communication and need.     

Business Continuity Management: A Standards-Based Approach

ABSTRACT

Business enterprises are increasingly realizing the importance of business continuity management (BCM). Availability BS 25999 Standard has facilitated a consistent methodology that organizations can follow in designing their BCM System. This paper intends to provide a conceptual understanding of BCM right from BCM Policy to BCM maturity by describing the steps involved in the implementation of BCM Standard – BS 25999 – to ensure business continuity in the event of an outage. The key BCM tasks have been categorized into three phases of business continuity – Pre-event Preparation, Event Management, and Post-event Continuity. This paper also highlights some of the challenges experienced by the author in carrying out Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis. The Business Continuity Maturity Model® of Virtual Corporation is provided (with their permission) as a tool to strengthen business continuity maturity or organizations.     

Review Essay A personal perspective on aging and productivity,with particular reference to physically demanding work

The influence of the aging process upon productivity is briefly reviewed, with particular reference to the paradox that decreases in aerobic power, muscle strength, sensory acuity, and cerebral function, together with reduced tolerance of adverse environments and poor health, are not associated with the anticipated losses in ability to undertake work that is physically or mentally demanding. The performance of heavy physical work by an older worker can be improved substantially through a combination of appropriate initial selection of employees, subsequent exercise and lifestyle programmes to maximize function, and ergonomic measures ranging from more frequent rest pauses and a shorter working day to task redesign or automation. Compulsory retirement is an inequitable response to the declining performance of some workers, because there are large inter-individual differences in biological age. Current laboratory and field tests of work capacity also have limited reliability and validity, and it may thus be necessary to rate the performance of older employees on the job. The decision whether to retire in the face of ill-health is currently coloured by financial concerns, but in the future automation may allow increased pension payments, so that the decision to retire would be always made voluntarily.     

Work organization and Low back pain in nursing personnel

Nursing personnel are at a high risk from occupational low back injury. Work organization has been suggested as one factor playing a part in the aetiology of occupational low back pain. Baseline data for a prospective epidemiology study were gathered by means of a questionnaire. One part of the questionnaire elicited characteristics of work organization, perceived autonomy, the relationship with head nurse and satisfaction in the relationship with co-workers. Information on history of musculoskeletal problems, reported frequency of lifting and personal characteristics was also gathered. Of 787 nursing staff at two acute care hospitals, 154 (19-6%) reported troublesome low back pain occurring within the previous 6 months. From univariate analyses, such characteristics of work organization as shift, type of schedule and primary versus functional nursing were not associated with low back pain. The relationship with head nurse and perceived autonomy of the job also were not related to recent back pain. Recent low back pain was significantly associated with younger age, the job category ‘registered nurse’ and greater satisfaction in relationships with co-workers. These associations were confirmed in multivariate analysis. None of the work organization factors examined, with the exception of satisfaction with co-workers, were associated with back pain in this study. Moreover, the positive association of satisfaction with coworkers suggests that interventions to improve working relationships may not be helpful in prevention programmes. To some extent, these results are susceptible to biases resulting from selective attrition from nursing and selective participation in the study.     

绿色电脑

随着电脑的普及,日常生活中越来越多的接触电脑,对电脑的环保要求越来越高,同时人们也在不断地关注使用电脑过程中的健康问题。     

Can participatory ergonomics become 'the way we do things in this firm'- The Scandinavian approach to participatory ergonomics

Under the label ‘participatory ergonomics’ the idea of establishing changes in working conditions through participatory approaches has been a central issue within ergonomics. Tools and procedures have been developed and demonstrated beneficial. But how this approach can be established as the way changes are made in firms have only had limited attention. In the Scandinavian countries legislation has, through mandatory joint working environment committees, tried to establish an organizational unit promoting direct participation. Several studies have showed that the intentions of the legislators are not automatically fulfilled, and they have reviled preconditions for more successful acheivement. This opens for many supplementary regulatory strategies to improve activities in firms, but one has been in focus: establishing formalized management systems within occupational health and safety. This strategy may be contrary to the general intentions in the laws. Some of the conditions which must be taken into consideration are discussed.     

基于PDA和WLAN的体检信息系统的设计与研究

该文主要对体检信息系统进行了研究,在此基础上,研究和设计了基于PDA和WLAN的体检信息系统,该系统解决了传统体检系统的弊端,使体检信息直接数字化,实现了移动检测,为检查者争取治疗时间,有效的提高了医疗服务质量和水平。     

ICT in higher education: evaluating outcomes for health education

Abstract This paper presents an investigation that examined and compared the effectiveness of collaborative tutorial activities carried out in both web-based and face-to-face learning environments within an undergraduate health education subject. Effectiveness of the different learning environments was measured in terms of observed learning outcomes, analysis of learner interactions and reported perceptions of the learners regarding their experience. Results demonstrated that web-based environments, with embedded collaborative activities, can effectively foster rich learning experiences that result in attaining positive learning outcomes.     

Psychometric properties of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire

Several instruments have been designed to measure problems associated with excessive, compulsive, or addictive use of the Internet. One such instrument, the 18-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, was recently published with data supporting a three subscale model (Demetrovics et al., 2008). These researches utilized an online format with a sample taken from the general population of Hungary. We utilized an American college student sample and a paper and pencil format to perform a confirmatory factor analysis of the PIUQ. In addition, we examined the reliability and construct validity of the PIUQ by examining the scales’ relationship with several indices of psychological and physical health. CFA results indicate a barely adequate and not completely problem free three factor model for the PIUQ (χ² = 477.40; root mean square error = .097; comparative fit index = .831; Tucker Lewis coefficient = .804). Cronbach’s α for the total scale was .91 while the Cronbach’s α for each subscale were .81, .77, and .79. Construct validity for the model is demonstrated with significant correlations between the subscales and several indices of psychological and physical health. Suggestions for further research are provided.