The purpose of this study was to explore, from readily available data, the best predictors of medical claims costs at Ball State University (BSU). Multiple regression equations were developed to predict BSU's medical claims costs from selected demographic and health-related measures among 1,799 BSU employees. The predictors were chosen from data previously collected during the three-year study period: July 1, 1995 to June 30, 1998. Regression equations were developed for the entire BSU population and the high-cost population. The linear composite of number of emergency room visits, number of chronic health problems, gender and age predicted 17.86% of the variation in transformed medical claims costs for the entire BSU population. The linear composite of age, number of emergency room visits and gender predicted 9.95% of the variation in transformed medical claims costs for high-cost BSU employees. Logistic regression, performed on the entire BSU population, did not differentiate low and highcost employees well: only 15.0% of high-cost employees were classified correctly. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

A exposição a tintas, as quais contêm solventes orgânicos e metais, pode levar a danos no DNA e formação de espécies reativas (ER), que podem lesar diversas classes de moléculas. Em vista disso, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar possíveis danos oxidativos, genotóxicos e mutagênicos em 33 indivíduos, do sexo masculino, ocupacionalmente expostos a tintas há, no mínimo, 6 meses. Para o grupo controle, foram selecionados 29 indivíduos saudáveis, não expostos a tintas, pareados em idade com o grupo exposto. A fim de verificar a influência do descanso do fim de semana, foram realizadas coletas na segunda-feira pela manhã e na sexta-feira ao final da jornada de trabalho. Os danos oxidativos foram avaliados pelos produtos de reação com o ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS), proteínas carboniladas (PC) e atividade das enzimas antioxidantes superóxido dismutase (Sod) e catalase (Cat). Foram medidos, ainda, o ácido hipúrico (AH) e o ácido deltaaminolevulínico (ALA), marcadores urinários de exposição ao tolueno e ao chumbo, respectivamente. A genotoxicidade foi avaliada pelo ensaio cometa (em sangue periférico) e pelo teste de micronúcleos (MN) (em linfócitos e células da mucosa bucal). Não foi observado aumento significativo nos níveis de TBARS no grupo exposto quando comparado ao grupo controle. Entretanto, verificou-se, neste grupo, um maior índice de danos aos lipídeos nas amostras coletadas na sexta-feira comparado com as amostras coletadas na segunda-feira (p = 0,008; z = -2,637). Ao final da semana (amostras coletadas na sexta-feira), os indivíduos expostos a tintas apresentaram mais danos às proteínas em comparação com o grupo controle (p = 0,032; z = -2,14). Observou-se também, que os trabalhadores expostos a tintas tiveram uma diminuição nas atividades de Sod (p = 0,003; z = 2,935) e Cat (p = 0,025; z = -2,247) nas amostras de segunda-feira, bem como valores mais elevados de AH (p = 0,010; z = - 2,591) e de ALA (p = 0,000; z = -4,487). A exposição a tintas induziu um aumento significativo dos danos ao DNA (principalmente classes um e dois), tanto nas amostras coletadas na segunda (p = 0,000; z = - 5,356) quanto nas de sexta-feira (p = 0,000; z = -6,456). Apesar de não ter sido encontrado um aumento na frequência de MN em linfócitos ou em células da mucosa bucal no grupo exposto, observou-se um aumento de nuclear buds (NBUDs) (segunda-feira, p = 0,004, z = - 2,894), uma diminuição do índice de divisão nuclear (IDN) (sexta-feira, p = 0,000, z = -4,78) nos linfócitos e um aumento na frequência de células com cromatina condensada nas células da mucosa bucal (segunda-feira, p = 0,000, z = -4,503; sexta-feira, p = 0,000, z = -5,203), indicativo de amplificação gênica e indução de mecanismos apoptóticos nestas células. Observou-se uma correlação positiva entre o índice de danos no DNA (ensaio cometa) e o tempo de exposição a tintas (r = 0,376; p = 0,031), assim como entre o tempo diário de exposição a tintas e a frequência de micronúcleos (segunda-feira, r = 0,450; p = 0,018) e de NBUDs (sexta-feira, (r = 0,402; p = 0,038) nos indivíduos expostos. Embora outros estudos sejam necessários, esses resultados mostram que a exposição ocupacional a tintas pode induzir um aumento de danos no DNA, os quais parecem estar sendo reparados durante o descanso do final de semana. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-05-29T19:53:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Carina Cassini.pdf: 626115 bytes, checksum: 4477a810de80e2c9702e22c8302fba89 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-29T19:53:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Carina Cassini.pdf: 626115 bytes, checksum: 4477a810de80e2c9702e22c8302fba89 (MD5) / Organic solvents and metals, widely used in paints, can lead to DNA damages and reactives species (RS) generation. The aim of this study was to evaluate possibles oxidative, genotoxic and mutagenic damages in 33 male workers exposed for at least six months to paint. To constitute the control group 29 healthy individuals were choosen, without paint exposure, which matched in age with exposed group. Two sampling were performed to verify a possible DNA repair during the weekend: in the beginning and at the end of work week. The oxidative damages were evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reaction products (TBARS), carbonylated proteins (CP), superoxide dismutase (Sod) and catalase (Cat) activities. Hippuric acid (HA) and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) were used as toluene and lead markers exposure, respectively. The genotoxicity was evaluated by comet assay (in peripherical blood) and by micronucleus (MN) test (in limphocytes and exfoliated buccal cells). The results showed no significant increase in TBARS levels in exposed group in relation to the control group. However, the lipidic damages was higher in Friday samples comparing to Monday samples (p = 0.008; z = -2.637). The proteins damage was higher in exposed group in comparison to control group exclusively in Friday samples (p = 0.032; z = -2.14). It was also observed that the workers exposed to paints showed lower Sod (p = 0.003; z = 2.935) and Cat (p = 0.025; z = -2.247) activities in Monday samples. The exposed group presented HA levels (p = 0.010; z = - 2.591) and ALA levels (p = 0.000; z = -4.487) higher than the control group. The workers exposed to paints presented a significant increase in DNA damage in both Monday (p = 0.000; z = -5.356) and Friday (p = 0.000; z = -6.456) samples. No increase was observed in MN frequency in limphocytes and buccal cells. However, the individuals exposed to paints showed an increase in nuclear buds (NBUDS) (Monday samples, p = 0.004, z = -2.894), a reduction in nuclear division index (NDI) (Friday samples, p = 0.000, z = -4.78) in lymphocytes and an increase in condensed chromatin frequency in buccal cells (Monday samples, p = 0.000, z = -4.503; Friday samples, p = 0.000, z = -5.203), indicating genic amplification and apoptosis induction. The DNA damage index (comet assay) correlated positively with average working time (r = 0.376; p = 0.031). It was also observed a positive correlation between time daily exposure and MN (Monday samples, r = 0.450; p = 0.018) and NBUDs (Friday samples: r = 0.402; p = 0.038) frequency. These results showed that paint exposure is able to generate DNA damages and these damages are being repaired during the weekend.

A exposição a tintas, as quais contêm solventes orgânicos e metais, pode levar a danos no DNA e formação de espécies reativas (ER), que podem lesar diversas classes de moléculas. Em vista disso, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar possíveis danos oxidativos, genotóxicos e mutagênicos em 33 indivíduos, do sexo masculino, ocupacionalmente expostos a tintas há, no mínimo, 6 meses. Para o grupo controle, foram selecionados 29 indivíduos saudáveis, não expostos a tintas, pareados em idade com o grupo exposto. A fim de verificar a influência do descanso do fim de semana, foram realizadas coletas na segunda-feira pela manhã e na sexta-feira ao final da jornada de trabalho. Os danos oxidativos foram avaliados pelos produtos de reação com o ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS), proteínas carboniladas (PC) e atividade das enzimas antioxidantes superóxido dismutase (Sod) e catalase (Cat). Foram medidos, ainda, o ácido hipúrico (AH) e o ácido deltaaminolevulínico (ALA), marcadores urinários de exposição ao tolueno e ao chumbo, respectivamente. A genotoxicidade foi avaliada pelo ensaio cometa (em sangue periférico) e pelo teste de micronúcleos (MN) (em linfócitos e células da mucosa bucal). Não foi observado aumento significativo nos níveis de TBARS no grupo exposto quando comparado ao grupo controle. Entretanto, verificou-se, neste grupo, um maior índice de danos aos lipídeos nas amostras coletadas na sexta-feira comparado com as amostras coletadas na segunda-feira (p = 0,008; z = -2,637). Ao final da semana (amostras coletadas na sexta-feira), os indivíduos expostos a tintas apresentaram mais danos às proteínas em comparação com o grupo controle (p = 0,032; z = -2,14). Observou-se também, que os trabalhadores expostos a tintas tiveram uma diminuição nas atividades de Sod (p = 0,003; z = 2,935) e Cat (p = 0,025; z = -2,247) nas amostras de segunda-feira, bem como valores mais elevados de AH (p = 0,010; z = - 2,591) e de ALA (p = 0,000; z = -4,487). A exposição a tintas induziu um aumento significativo dos danos ao DNA (principalmente classes um e dois), tanto nas amostras coletadas na segunda (p = 0,000; z = - 5,356) quanto nas de sexta-feira (p = 0,000; z = -6,456). Apesar de não ter sido encontrado um aumento na frequência de MN em linfócitos ou em células da mucosa bucal no grupo exposto, observou-se um aumento de nuclear buds (NBUDs) (segunda-feira, p = 0,004, z = - 2,894), uma diminuição do índice de divisão nuclear (IDN) (sexta-feira, p = 0,000, z = -4,78) nos linfócitos e um aumento na frequência de células com cromatina condensada nas células da mucosa bucal (segunda-feira, p = 0,000, z = -4,503; sexta-feira, p = 0,000, z = -5,203), indicativo de amplificação gênica e indução de mecanismos apoptóticos nestas células. Observou-se uma correlação positiva entre o índice de danos no DNA (ensaio cometa) e o tempo de exposição a tintas (r = 0,376; p = 0,031), assim como entre o tempo diário de exposição a tintas e a frequência de micronúcleos (segunda-feira, r = 0,450; p = 0,018) e de NBUDs (sexta-feira, (r = 0,402; p = 0,038) nos indivíduos expostos. Embora outros estudos sejam necessários, esses resultados mostram que a exposição ocupacional a tintas pode induzir um aumento de danos no DNA, os quais parecem estar sendo reparados durante o descanso do final de semana. / Organic solvents and metals, widely used in paints, can lead to DNA damages and reactives species (RS) generation. The aim of this study was to evaluate possibles oxidative, genotoxic and mutagenic damages in 33 male workers exposed for at least six months to paint. To constitute the control group 29 healthy individuals were choosen, without paint exposure, which matched in age with exposed group. Two sampling were performed to verify a possible DNA repair during the weekend: in the beginning and at the end of work week. The oxidative damages were evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reaction products (TBARS), carbonylated proteins (CP), superoxide dismutase (Sod) and catalase (Cat) activities. Hippuric acid (HA) and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) were used as toluene and lead markers exposure, respectively. The genotoxicity was evaluated by comet assay (in peripherical blood) and by micronucleus (MN) test (in limphocytes and exfoliated buccal cells). The results showed no significant increase in TBARS levels in exposed group in relation to the control group. However, the lipidic damages was higher in Friday samples comparing to Monday samples (p = 0.008; z = -2.637). The proteins damage was higher in exposed group in comparison to control group exclusively in Friday samples (p = 0.032; z = -2.14). It was also observed that the workers exposed to paints showed lower Sod (p = 0.003; z = 2.935) and Cat (p = 0.025; z = -2.247) activities in Monday samples. The exposed group presented HA levels (p = 0.010; z = - 2.591) and ALA levels (p = 0.000; z = -4.487) higher than the control group. The workers exposed to paints presented a significant increase in DNA damage in both Monday (p = 0.000; z = -5.356) and Friday (p = 0.000; z = -6.456) samples. No increase was observed in MN frequency in limphocytes and buccal cells. However, the individuals exposed to paints showed an increase in nuclear buds (NBUDS) (Monday samples, p = 0.004, z = -2.894), a reduction in nuclear division index (NDI) (Friday samples, p = 0.000, z = -4.78) in lymphocytes and an increase in condensed chromatin frequency in buccal cells (Monday samples, p = 0.000, z = -4.503; Friday samples, p = 0.000, z = -5.203), indicating genic amplification and apoptosis induction. The DNA damage index (comet assay) correlated positively with average working time (r = 0.376; p = 0.031). It was also observed a positive correlation between time daily exposure and MN (Monday samples, r = 0.450; p = 0.018) and NBUDs (Friday samples: r = 0.402; p = 0.038) frequency. These results showed that paint exposure is able to generate DNA damages and these damages are being repaired during the weekend.

The key objective of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout (measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)), work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale), and sense of coherence (measured by the Orientation of Life Questionnaire developed by Antonovsky (1987)). A quantitative study using a cross-sectional survey research design was conducted on a randomly selected sample (N = 178) of nurses at a central hospital in Kwa-Zulu Natal. A theoretical relationship was established between the variables. The empirical relationship revealed statistically significant negative relationship between burnout and work engagement. A statistically significant negative relationship was also established between burnout and SOC. The findings add valuable knowledge to industrial and organisational psychology and can be applied to promote employee and organisational wellness. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The key objective of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout (measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)), work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale), and sense of coherence (measured by the Orientation of Life Questionnaire developed by Antonovsky (1987)). A quantitative study using a cross-sectional survey research design was conducted on a randomly selected sample (N = 178) of nurses at a central hospital in Kwa-Zulu Natal. A theoretical relationship was established between the variables. The empirical relationship revealed statistically significant negative relationship between burnout and work engagement. A statistically significant negative relationship was also established between burnout and SOC. The findings add valuable knowledge to industrial and organisational psychology and can be applied to promote employee and organisational wellness. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)