In many parts of Australia the climate is such that people are working long hours in the heat. Consequences of excessive environmental heat stress range from reduction in safety due to impairment of concentration, to heat illness, which in extreme cases can be fatal. A critical factor in tolerance of workers to environmental heat stress is their level of hydration. Maximising productivity without compromising the health and safety of the work force requires quantification of the degree of stress posed by the thermal environment. For this purpose a number of heat stress indices have been developed. A recently introduced index is the Thermal Work Limit (TWL), which has been widely adopted and implemented in the underground mining industry in Australia. The field use of TWL and protocols in the mining industry with resultant reduction in heat illness and lost production is a practical endorsement of the index, and its validity under controlled conditions has been confirmed by a preliminary study. The further work needed to complete this validation forms part of this thesis. TWL was found to reliably predict the limiting workload in the controlled environment, reinforcing the validity of the algorithm and its application in the workplace. To date TWL has largely been used in the underground environment, however as the algorithm is equally applicable to the above ground environment where radiant heat forms a significant component of the thermal load, field studies were carried out at mining installations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to evaluate this application of the index. The current industry standard index of heat stress is the Wet bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). / The shortcomings of this index are widely acknowledged and in practice it is frequently ignored as it is seen to be unnecessarily conservative in many situations. The sensitivity of TWL to the cooling effect of air movement implied that TWL would be more relevant than WBGT as a predictor of the impact of environmental heat stress in outdoor work environments and this was supported by the results. On the strength of this, recommended management protocols linked to TWL similar to those already in place in many underground workplaces, were developed for the management of thermal risk in outdoor work environments. Maintaining adequate hydration is the single most important strategy to counteract the effects of thermal stress. No heat stress index can protect workers from the combined effects of dehydration and thermal stress. To document the hydration status of the outdoor workforce in the Pilbara, the hydration level of groups of workers was assessed from the specific gravity of their urine. To further evaluate whether the fluid replacement behaviour of the workers is adequate to replace fluids lost in sweat, a fluid balance study was carried out to quantify average fluid intakes and sweat fluid losses. The majority of workers were found to be inadequately hydrated at the start of the shift and their fluid intakes were in general well below the requirements to replace sweat losses - let alone improve hydration. Recommendations for fluid intakes based on documented rates of sweat loss are included in the thesis. Based on the findings of this study workable management strategies have been recommended to minimise the risk to outdoor workers in thermally stressful environments.

Extensive changes are taking place in working life and creating new and important areas for research. New knowledge is needed in order for individuals and organizations to be able to maintain long-term development. The aim of this thesis is to increase our understanding of how change and (im)mobility in the labor market are related to employees’ health, wellbeing, and work-related attitudes. The thesis comprises three studies, based on questionnaire data from different samples. Study I examined the potential consequences of downsizing in two organizations that had implemented change in two different ways (proactively and reactively). A proactive approach seems to lessen change-related demands and provide an opportunity for increased participation, which helps lessen the negative effects on employee work attitudes and wellbeing. The descriptive data from a representative sample in Study II revealed that 28 percent of the permanent and 50 percent of the temporary employees did not work in their preferred occupations. The results indicate that those individuals who were involuntarily embedded (locked-in position), especially among the permanent employees, had more health problems and less development at work. Study III utilizes a newly developed construct (work-related health attributions) that focuses on the individual’s perception of the relation between work and health. The results indicate that it seems to be a promising construct for predicting job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. For employees to have the opportunity to participate in organizational change, as well as the opportunity to exercise mobility and alter their circumstances when the organization, occupation, or job is not contributing to their better health appear to be factors that help improve health and sustainability for both employees and organizations.

La tesi è una raccolta di tre saggi sul processo di invecchiamento, salute e disabilità in Italia. Il primo capitolo esplora la relazione tra gli indicatori di salute. Il secondo guarda all'associazione tra condizioni di cattiva salute e la qualità del lavoro in un'ottica multidimensionale e di genere. Infine il terzo studia la disabilità in Italia con l'ausilio del capability approach. / The thesis is a collection of three essays on ageing, health and disability for Italy. The first chapter explores the complex structure of un-health among older people in Italy. The second investigates the connection of un-health and quality of work by adopting a multidimensional view and a gender perspective. The third explores disability by adopting the capability approach.

Personality disorder has been and continues to be a contested diagnosis. Those who attract this form of diagnosis have been particularly vulnerable to the effects of stigma and have tended to be excluded from service provision. This thesis provides an examination of how recent developments in law, policy and practice have impacted upon the status of personality disorder as a diagnosis of exclusion in Scotland. The theoretical framework that provides this thesis with its structure is derived from the post-empiricist approach proposed by Derek Layder. This approach seeks to contextualise emergent inductive findings within a broader historical and contemporary analysis. In the case of this research the broader context consists of the interplay between mental health law, policy and practice in the field of mental health and the diagnosis of personality disorder more specifically. The empirical enquiry at the core of this thesis is based upon an analysis of the views, beliefs and expectations of front-line staff (psychiatrists and social workers qualified as mental health officers) involved in the process of assessment and service provision. In addition to front-line staff (n = 27) a range of key informants who were in a position to shed light on the strategic imperatives underpinning recent developments in law and policy were also interviewed. This analysis is contextualised within a review of key developments in law and policy that have particular significance for anyone who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder. Despite the ostensibly inclusive approach towards those who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder evident within the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the reality is a highly selective and very limited inclusion of those who attract this form of diagnosis. The effective inclusion of those who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder has been obstructed by several key impediments: 1: an insufficiently robust policy framework to drive forward the process of inclusion; 2: residual ambivalence towards the legitimacy of the diagnosis of personality disorder itself and the legitimacy of the claims made upon services by those who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder; 3: insufficient and inadequately focused resources; 4: service structures that have not been redesigned sufficiently to engage successfully with service users who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder. As a consequence of these impediments to inclusion, the majority of those who may attract a diagnosis of personality disorder in Scotland are likely to continue to face high levels of marginalisation and exclusion.

A inserção das Equipes de Saúde Bucal no Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) representa um desafio na mudança do modelo de atenção, tradicionalmente centrado no indivíduo e na doença para uma abordagem integral do indivíduo inserido em seu contexto familiar, comunitário e social. A formação do cirurgião-dentista, eminentemente técnica e voltada para o mercado privado, não contribui para subsidiar o serviço público com profissionais preparados, com conhecimento da realidade social e necessidades de saúde da população usuária do Sistema Único de Saúde. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo principal conhecer o processo de trabalho das Equipes de Saúde Bucal no Programa de Saúde da Família do Município de Petrópolis, a partir das perspectivas dos profissionais cirurgiões-dentistas e identificar as tendências no manejo de situações-problema emergentes, no intuito de contribuir para o processo de Educação Permanente em Saúde. Com caráter exploratório e qualitativo, os métodos empregados foram a entrevista em grupo no formato de Grupo Focal, e inquérito realizado com o universo dos profissionais para caracterizar as atividades realizadas pelos cirurgiões-dentistas no PSF. Subsidiariamente foram incluídas informações provenientes de participação observante da autora. A análise do inquérito permite caracterização das atividades dos cirurgiões-dentistas no PSF, cuja visibilidade é ainda restrita, apontando condições de trabalho que permitem a realização da maioria das ações preconizadas nos documentos oficiais. A análise dos Grupos Focais pode subsidiar iniciativas de Educação Continuada e Permanente, destacando-se as seguintes temáticas: trabalho em equipe, organização e planejamento da assistência clínica e das ações coletivas, fortalecimento da supervisão, ferramentas para realização de diagnóstico coletivo e apoio à integração da saúde bucal ao processo de trabalho no Programa de Saúde da Família.

A inserção das Equipes de Saúde Bucal no Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) representa um desafio na mudança do modelo de atenção, tradicionalmente centrado no indivíduo e na doença para uma abordagem integral do indivíduo inserido em seu contexto familiar, comunitário e social. A formação do cirurgião-dentista, eminentemente técnica e voltada para o mercado privado, não contribui para subsidiar o serviço público com profissionais preparados, com conhecimento da realidade social e necessidades de saúde da população usuária do Sistema Único de Saúde. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo principal conhecer o processo de trabalho das Equipes de Saúde Bucal no Programa de Saúde da Família do Município de Petrópolis, a partir das perspectivas dos profissionais cirurgiões-dentistas e identificar as tendências no manejo de situações-problema emergentes, no intuito de contribuir para o processo de Educação Permanente em Saúde. Com caráter exploratório e qualitativo, os métodos empregados foram a entrevista em grupo no formato de Grupo Focal, e inquérito realizado com o universo dos profissionais para caracterizar as atividades realizadas pelos cirurgiões-dentistas no PSF. Subsidiariamente foram incluídas informações provenientes de participação observante da autora. A análise do inquérito permite caracterização das atividades dos cirurgiões-dentistas no PSF, cuja visibilidade é ainda restrita, apontando condições de trabalho que permitem a realização da maioria das ações preconizadas nos documentos oficiais. A análise dos Grupos Focais pode subsidiar iniciativas de Educação Continuada e Permanente, destacando-se as seguintes temáticas: trabalho em equipe, organização e planejamento da assistência clínica e das ações coletivas, fortalecimento da supervisão, ferramentas para realização de diagnóstico coletivo e apoio à integração da saúde bucal ao processo de trabalho no Programa de Saúde da Família.

Este estudo trata de uma pesquisa cartográfica na micropolítica do serviço de atenção a pessoas vivendo com hanseníase no município de Ilhéus - Bahia. O foco da análise está direcionado à produção do cuidado e a subjetividade do trabalhador de saúde em seu processo de trabalho e, também, à percepção do usuário portador de deformidades físicas irreversíveis com relação a essa doença e a atenção dispensada pelos serviços de saúde as suas necessidades. Além da cartografia outras estratégias também foram utilizadas em uma perspectiva de triangulação metodológica: pesquisa documental, entrevistas semiestruturadas, estudo de caso e observação direta. Os resultados indicam que o Programa de Controle da Hanseníase no município de Ilhéus tem sido negligenciado na organização dos serviços e infraestrutura necessária para atender as demandas dos doentes. Com relação aos trabalhadores de saúde constatou-se que alguns profissionais foram capturados, em suas subjetividades, pela racionalidade instrumental dos protocolos em detrimento da utilização de tecnologias relacionais. Ainda, a maioria dos profissionais que atuam no serviço analisado, apesar das dificuldades operacionais enfrentadas, buscam alternativas externas aos fluxos organizacionais para resolver as demandas dos usuários. O foco no usuário com deformidades mostrou que, apesar da adversidade provocada pela hanseníase em seu corpo, marcado por severas deformidades físicas, este se mostrou capaz em superar as dificuldades impostas pelo processo de adoecimento, além de reconhecer de forma positiva o cuidado dispensado pela equipe do serviço de atenção as pessoas vivendo com hanseníase no município As experimentações deste estudo produziram nesta pesquisadora a ampliação do seu compromisso ético-estético com a vida. É relevante destacar a necessidade de entendimento, por parte dos coletivos envolvidos na produção do cuidado a pessoa vivendo com hanseníase, sobre a importância da interpretação da realidade como disparadora de processos de autoanálise que possam produzir dispositivos auto - gestores na equipe para a produção do cuidado em saúde que atenda as necessidades desses usuários / This study is a cartographic research on the micropolitics of the support service offered to the people who are living with leprosy in the city of Ilhéus-Bahia. The focus of this analysis is directed to the production of care and the subjectivity of the health worker during their process of work, to the perception of the user who bears irreversible physical deformities caused by leprosy and the attention given by the health care systems to the needs of the users. Besides the cartography, other strategies were used in a perspective of a methodological triangulation: desk research, semi-structured interviews, case studies and direct observation. The results imply that the Program of Leprosy Control in the city of Ilhéus has been neglected regarding the organization of the services and the infrastructure which is necessary to meet the demands of the patients. As for the health workers, it was found that some professionals were captured, in their subjectivities, by the instrumental rationality of the protocols over the use of relational technologies. However, the majority of professionals who work in the analyzed service, despite facing operational difficulties, look for external alternatives that can replace the organizational flows in order to meet the demand of the users. The focus on the user with deformities showed that despite the adversity caused by the leprosy in the body, marked by severe physical deformities, showed that the patient was able to overcome the difficulties imposed by the disease process and that the patient acknowledges positively the care given by the team which provides the service to the people in Ilhéus who live with leprosy. The experimentations conducted during this research made this researcher amplify her ethical and aesthetic commitment to life. It is relevant to emphasize the need for understanding, by the collective involved in the production of the care of the person who lives with leprosy, of the importance of the interpretation of reality as the trigger which starts processes of self-analysis which may product self-managed devices on the team in order to produce a health care service that meets the demands of these users

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O projeto de pesquisa âAcessibilidade da pessoa portadora de deficiÃncia fÃsica e / ou sensorial aos serviÃos de saÃde: estudo das condiÃÃes fÃsicas e de comunicaÃÃoâ tem por objetivos identificar as barreiras arquitetÃnicas que dificultam ou impedem o acesso do portador de deficiÃncia aos serviÃos bÃsicos de saÃde e aos hospitais gerias, procura, ainda, estudar as dificuldades de comunicaÃÃo entre estas pessoas e membros da equipe de saÃde. A participaÃÃo nesse projeto despertou para o tema e originou esta dissertaÃÃo, que tem por objetivo mapear as condiÃÃes arquitetÃnicas de acesso do portador deficiÃncia fÃsica aos serviÃos hospitalares na cidade de Sobral-Ce. O referencial teÃrico apÃia-se na Lei n 7.853 de 24/10/1989 que estabelece normas que asseguram o exercÃcio dos direitos individuais e sociais das pessoas portadoras de deficiÃncia e sua efetiva integraÃÃo social. Estudo quantitativo que utilizou instrumento de coleta de dados tipo cheque lista elaborado consultando a lei, foram incluÃdos no estudo os quatro hospitais gerias da cidade, a coleta ocorreu no mÃs de maio de 2004 e foram alguns dados documentados fotograficamente. A anÃlise estatÃstica constatou no que se refere Ãs suas adjacentes aos hospitais a ausÃncia de faixas, para pedestres e de rebaixamento de meio fio em pontos estratÃgicos (25 %); obras pÃblicas e particulares desprotegidas de tapumes (100%) , avenidas livres de buracos (50%); calÃadas que nÃo estÃo livres de buracos e desnivelamento (100%), placas de sinalizaÃÃo de trÃnsito visÃveis (75%); o percurso para a instituiÃÃo està sinalizado (100%); mas nÃo hà semÃforos em pontos estratÃgicos (100%). Quanto ao acesso ao hospital, possuem rebaixamento de guias (50%); ausÃncia do sÃmbolo internacional de acesso (100%); hà rampas de acesso (100%); escadaria sem corrimÃo (50%); as portas possuem a largura ideal (100%); as de vai e vem nÃo possuem visor (100%). As caracterÃsticas internas dos hospitais mostram que as Ãreas de circulaÃÃo possuem obstÃculos (100%), o piso das rampas à antiderrapante (50%); as rampas e escadas possuem corrimÃo (50%), mas fora do padrÃo legal. Um hospital tem apenas um pavimento os outros trÃs contam com 13escadas internas com degraus ideais; os balcÃes atendem a legislaÃÃo (80%) e assentos pÃblicos tambÃm (32%). Os bebedouros sÃo acessÃveis, mas os telefones nÃo. Conclui-se que hà barreiras arquitetÃnicas no percurso casa/hospital, no acesso direto ao hospital e nas suas dependÃncias internas. A legislaÃÃo vigente que garante o acesso do portador de deficiÃncia fÃsica aos serviÃos de saÃde està sendo desrespeitadas o que demonstra desconhecimento e descaso do serviÃo pÃblico, bem como, dos profissionais da saÃde que sÃo co-responsÃveis na garantia do exercÃcio da cidadania desta populaÃÃo. / The search plan of the Nursing Department of the Federal University of Cearà called: accessibility of physically and/or sensorial deficient people to health care: the object of physical conditions and communication study is to point out any architectonic obstacles making difficult or obstructing any physically deficient people (pdp) to access basic health cares and general hospitals and study the communication problems amongst such people and health caring team members. My participation in such a plan called my attention to such a theme and gave rise to this dissertation, the objects of which are to map the architectonic conditions for the physically deficient people to access any hospital cares in the city of Sobral-CE and point out any internal architectonic obstacles and also in the hospitals for the physical move of PDPs. The theoretical system of reference is based on Law No. 7,853, dated 10/24/1989, which sets up rules to ensure the exercise of individual and social rights of physically deficient people and the effective social integration thereof. Such study is quantitative and used an instrument of data collection of check-list type made by consultation under law. Four general hospitals of the city were included in such study and data collections were performed in the month of May 2004. Some of them have been documented on photos The statistic analysis found out in connection with the areas around hospitals that there no crosswalks (100%) and lowering of curb at strategic points (75%); public and private works with no fence made of planks (100%); pavements with holes and unlevellings (100%); avenues with no holes (50%); visible transit signs (75%); the way going to the institution is signaled (100%), but there are no traffic lights at strategic points (100%). Concerning access to hospitals, there is no lowering of curbs (75%); there is no parking area for PDPs signalized with the International Access Symbol (100%); there is sloping roadway (100%), flight of stairs with no handrail (50%); doors are well sized (100%); swing doors has no appropriate visors (100%); the inner features of the hospitals show that the transit areas have obstacles (100%); the pavement on the outer sloping roadways are non skid. (100%); the inner sloping roadways and stairs have handrails available (50%) but not in compliance wit the lawful standard. One of the hospitals has one floor but the other three ones have three inner stairs; counters are in accordance with legislation (80%) and the public seats as well (33%). Drinking places and telephones are not accessible (95.5%) It was concluded that there are architectonic obstacles in the way from house to hospital, in the direct access to hospital in the inner rooms thereof. The legislation in force assuring the physically deficient people to access the health care has not been complied with. This means that the public service has obviously not been aware of such legislation and has been negligent. The health caring professionals who are also responsible for assuring the citizenship of such portion of population to be exercised have been negligent as well.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-09-27T20:23:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 thaysvalledocarmoaragao.pdf: 1227327 bytes, checksum: 4f3c06fb6527e962705b406d79a75349 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-09-28T14:13:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 thaysvalledocarmoaragao.pdf: 1227327 bytes, checksum: 4f3c06fb6527e962705b406d79a75349 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-28T14:13:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 thaysvalledocarmoaragao.pdf: 1227327 bytes, checksum: 4f3c06fb6527e962705b406d79a75349 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / A urgência e emergência, em especial as Unidades de Pronto Atendimento (UPAs), ocupam importante espaço na rede de atenção à saúde, funcionando como porta de entrada do sistema, sendo locais com potencialidades para salvar vidas e aliviar sofrimentos. Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar o trabalho do assistente social nas UPAs de Juiz de Fora, buscando compreender as condições para sua realização, as demandas, competências, desafios e possibilidades, instrumentos e estratégias, desvendando as determinações e especificidades do exercício profissional nesse espaço sócio-ocupacional. Para tanto, além do estudo teórico acerca das categorias que auxiliam na compressão do objeto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo, de abordagem qualitativa, com os assistentes sociais que possuem experiência no trabalho da urgência e emergência desenvolvido nas três UPAs da cidade. O estudo revelou que o trabalho dos assistentes sociais tem se realizado pela via da garantia e efetivação dos direitos dos usuários, ultrapassando práticas pontuais e imediatas. A falta de planejamento e avaliação, no entanto, foram identificados como pontos frágeis do trabalho dos assistentes sociais, havendo risco da ação profissional ser “devorada” pela rotatividade e intenso fluxo de atendimentos, impactando na intervenção junto aos usuários. / The urgency and emergency, especially the Unidades de Pronto Atendimento (UPAs) [Emergency Care Units (PSUs)], occupy important space in the health care network, functioning as a gateway to the system, being places with potential to save lives and alleviate suffering. The objective of this study was to analyze the work of the social worker in the UPAs of Juiz de Fora, seeking to understand the conditions for their accomplishment, the demands, skills, challenges and possibilities, tools and strategies, unveiling the determinations and specificities of the professional exercise in this social-occupational space. For this, besides the theoretical study about the categories that aid in the compression of the object, a field survey was carried out, with a qualitative approach, with social workers who have experience in the work of the emergency and emergency work developed in the three UPAs of the city. The study revealed that the work of social workers has been carried out by means of guaranteeing and enforcing users' rights, surpassing punctual and immediate practices. The lack of planning and evaluation, however, were identified as fragile points of the work of social workers, with the risk of professional action being "devoured" by the rotation and intense flow of care, impacting on the intervention with the users.

The worldwide ageing of the population, with an increase in associated chronic diseases, will inevitably escalate the demand for social work services at individual, group and community level. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the conditions associated with a population that is growing older. The disease was first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and is characterised by progressive declines in cognitive and body functions, eventually resulting in death. It is estimated that 25 to 30 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and that in 2050, 106.2 million people will be living with the disease, causing a looming global epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease (Brookmeyer, Johnson, Ziegler-Graham & Arrighi, 2007:186). At some stage in the disease’s process, most, if not all people with Alzheimer’s, require some form of care. This care is generally provided by informal (family) caregivers in the community. Providing care to an older person with Alzheimer’s disease present multiple challenges with many factors influencing the caregiving experience. When the needs of caregivers are not met, caregiver burden may result. For the many families living in rural and impoverished areas, this additional responsibility may come as an extraordinary burden and cause unwarranted stress. The goal of the study was to explore the needs and experiences of caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease living in black rural communities in Mpumalanga. The guiding research question was: What are the needs and experiences of caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease living in black rural communities in Mpumalanga? A qualitative research approach was followed with a collective case study research design. The population for this study was caregivers providing care to persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease living within the Ehlanzeni and Nkangala Rural Districts Municipalities of Mpumalanga. Non-probability purposive sampling was utilised to generate a sample. Eleven participants who were caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease living in communities within the above-mentioned municipalities were selected. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with participants. Interviews were voice recorded with the permission of the participants, and were transcribed by a contracted transcriber. The data gathered were analysed by the researcher and themes and sub-themes were identified. The research findings were presented by providing a profile of research participants followed by a thematic analysis of the themes and sub-themes from the transcriptions. Literature control and verbatim quotes were used to support the findings. The themes include the following: Theme One – The Alzheimer’s disease caregiver; Theme Two – Indigenous issues with regards to Alzheimer’s disease; Theme Three – Caregivers’ understanding of Alzheimer’s disease; Theme Four – The impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the caregiver and Theme Five – Support services in the community. The conclusions of this study reflect that caregivers in black rural communities in Mpumalanga have a number of needs and challenges in providing care to a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the challenges include the absence of caregiving training, stigmatisation due to indigenous beliefs, traditional healers’ diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, limited knowledge of caregivers about Alzheimer’s disease, adverse physical, social and psychological outcomes associated with caregiving, negative experiences with the public health care system, and the limited availability and accessibility of support services in the community. The recommendations offered by this study can be used by professionals working in the field of gerontology to understand the needs and experiences of Alzheimer’s caregivers. Social workers can use the recommendations to find ways to make their services known to the communities, and improve their intervention and support to these caregivers. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted