Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Aim: This study investigated burnout and depression among medical doctors in the context of work-related conditions and the role of resilience as a modifiable factor. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on all consenting medical doctors (N=132) working at Cape Town metropole primary health care facilities of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. Data were collected from doctors at 27 facilities by means of a self-administered questionnaire battery containing socio-demographic information, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results: Of 132 doctors included in the analysis, 76 % experienced burnout, as indicated by high scores on either the emotional exhaustion or depersonalisation subscales. In addition, 27% of doctors had cut-off scores on the BDI indicating moderate depression, while 3 % were identified with severe depression. The number of hours, work-load, working conditions and system-related frustrations were ranked as the most important contributing factors to burnout. More experienced doctors and those with higher resilience scores had lower levels of burnout as evident by lower scores on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation domains of the MBI. Conclusion: Both burnout and depression are prevalent problems among doctors working at district level and in communities. Resilience appears to be protective and may be a useful target for future intervention.

Thesis (MA (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In the new service economy organisations have to distinguish themselves from their competitors in terms of the quality of their service delivery. In order to attain this new goal organisations realise the important role that customers play in their success. Organisations also recognize that modern day customers have different wants and higher expectations regarding service delivery compared to only a decade ago. To live up to these new challenges a novel form of conducting business was introduced to the global labour market: Telephone call centres provide quality and efficient service in the most cost-effective way possible by, inter alia, utilising customer service representatives (CSRs) to attend to clients’ each and every need – this job demand is termed emotional labour. Due to the way in which the CSRs’ work is structured and the wide-ranging demands placed on them, these individuals experience countless and varied stressors on the job. The result, in a nutshell, is that CSRs become emotionally exhausted and eventually leave the call centre. The purpose of the present research study is, therefore, to identify to what extent emotional labour influences CSRs’ feelings of emotional exhaustion, and whether the latter results in detrimental outcomes that undermine organisations’ success and competitive advantage in the marketplace. A large organisation’s call centre operators participated in the study (n = 84). Seven focus groups were conducted for the purpose of qualitative data collection: Six groups consisted of CSRs (N = 30) and one group consisted of team leaders (N = 4). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the focus group interviews. The participants (n = 84) also completed questionnaires measuring emotional labour, emotional exhaustion, supervisor support, organisational commitment, and intentions to leave. Analysis of the interview data supported the existence of the five theoretical constructs and additional sources of job stress, over and above emotional labour, were identified. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was used to analyse the questionnaire data, followed by multiple regression analysis with organisational commitment and intentions to leave as dependent variables, and the remaining constructs as the predictors. After determining the fit of the measurement model, consisting of the five constructs, a structural model was tested. Both the measurement and structural models produced acceptable goodness-of-fit statistics. The results of the structural model did not indicate a significant correlation between the total construct emotional labour and emotional exhaustion. Significant correlations were found between emotional labour and supervisor support, emotional exhaustion and organisational commitment and intentions to leave respectively, and organisational commitment and intentions to leave. Multiple regression analysis indicated emotional exhaustion is a significant predictor of both lowered organisational commitment and increased intentions to leave. Structural equation modelling indicated emotional exhaustion is causally related to intentions to leave through organisational commitment. The findings are congruent with previous research on the detrimental effect of emotional exhaustion on organisational outcomes and illuminate the complex relationship between emotional labour and emotional exhaustion. Interventions minimising the impact of both emotional labour and emotional exhaustion, within a call centre environment, are explored.

This study investigated the effects of an individually administered versus a group-administered stress management training program on various measures of stress, job satisfaction, and burnout among mental health workers. A total of 36 subjects, who were employed in Texas community mental health facilities, participated in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an experimental group (N = 12) which received training on an individual basis, an experimental group (N = 12) which received training in small groups of four to six subjects, and a control group (N = 12) which did not receive training. Both didactic and experimental modes were utilized during the six-week training program. All experimental subjects practiced relaxation daily and were exposed to a broad range of coping skills for stress management.This study investigated the effects of an individually administered versus a group-administered stress management training program on various measures of stress, job satisfaction, and burnout among mental health workers. A total of 36 subjects, who were employed in Texas community mental health facilities, participated in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an experimental group (N = 12) which received training on an individual basis, an experimental group (N = 12) which received training in small groups of four to six subjects, and a control group (N = 12) which did not receive training. Both didactic and experimental modes were utilized during the six-week training program. All experimental subjects practiced relaxation daily and were exposed to a broad range of coping skills for stress management.

The present investigation sought to explore the efficacy of stress inoculation in the management of pain with severely burned adults. Subjects were 16 adult burn patients randomly assigned to either the stress-inoculation or no-treatment comparison group. The focus of the analysis was the amount of change or improvement from pretreatment to posttreatment periods. The stress-inoculation group showed significant improvement on all nine dependent measures, while the no-treatment group improved significantly on only two (physical and emotional self-ratings). The overall comparison of the amount of change between groups revealed that the stress-inoculation group showed significantly greater improvement in pain management than the no-treatment group during this time. It was concluded that stress inoculation, as a flexible treatment package, was efficacious in the management of pain experience of burn patients.

No Rio Grande do Sul (RS), a prática de queimadas está relacionada principalmente com a renovação do pasto e agricultura. Embora o RS não seja o Estado com maior incidência de queimadas no Brasil, centenas de focos são identificados por dados de satélites anualmente. O uso de dados de sensores remotos para identificar focos de queimadas vem sendo utilizado há décadas, com o desenvolvimento de novos algoritmos. Uma técnica que vem sendo utilizada consiste na obtenção da Potência Radiativa do Fogo (PRF), a partir de dados de sensores remotos. A PRF é uma medida da energia radiante liberada no processo de queima de biomassa. Estudos demonstram que a PRF possui uma relação linear positiva com a biomassa em processo de combustão, permitindo gerar valores de coeficientes de consumo de biomassa. O conhecimento dos valores destes coeficientes pode determinar o total de biomassa queimada quando multiplicados pela PRF obtida por sensores remotos, no momento da passagem do satélite, em tempo quase real. A determinação dos coeficientes de consumo, por sua vez, depende da tipologia vegetal submetida à queima. Devido à pequena quantidade de dados sobre as queimadas no RS, o objetivo deste trabalho consiste em estimar o coeficiente de consumo de biomassa por queima de vegetação campestre no RS, através da utilização da Potência Radiativa do Fogo (PRF), obtida a partir de dados do sensor MODIS e dados de campo de biomassa. A área de estudo escolhida foi o município de André da Rocha, por possuir focos de queimadas identificados pelo MODIS (pelo produto MYD14 - Thermal Anomalies/Fire products), e dados sobre a quantidade de biomassa em áreas frequentemente queimadas. Também foram obtidos dados de experimentos in situ do comportamento do fogo em área campestre no RS. Foi identificada e quantificada a área queimada, a partir do uso de uma cena do satélite Landsat. A obtenção de dados de experimentos de campo e da cicatriz da área queimada permitiu a obtenção da taxa média de consumo de biomassa e a obtenção dos valores de PRF pelo produto MYD14 permitiu obter o valor da PRF média na área de estudo. Pela relação linear existente entre esses dois parâmetros, foi obtido o coeficiente médio de consumo de biomassa. O valor do coeficiente de consumo foi de 0,24 kg/MJ, resultado esse próximo do encontrado por outros autores. A metodologia utilizada neste trabalho difere da metodologia utilizada em trabalhos anteriores para a obtenção do coeficiente de consumo de biomassa. De qualquer maneira, o dado obtido é uma estimativa preliminar para novos estudos e experimentos em campo. / In Rio Grande do Sul (RS), the practice of burning is mainly related to the renewal of pasture and agriculture. Although the RS is not the state with the highest incidence of fires in Brazil, hundreds of fire focuses are identified by satellite data annually. The use of remote sensing data to identify burning areas has been used for decades with the development of new algorithms. One technique that has been used consists in obtaining the Fire Radiative Power (FRP) from remote sensing data. The FRP is a measure of the radiant energy released in the process of burning biomass. Studies have shown that the FRP has a positive linear relationship with the biomass in the combustion process, allowing to generate coefficient values biomass consumption.The knowledge of the values of these coefficients can determine the total biomass burned when multiplied by FRP obtained by remote sensors at the time of passage of the satellite, in near real time. The determination of the coefficients of consumption, in turn, depends on the type of plant subject to burning. Due to the small amount of data on fires in the RS, the objective of this study is to estimate the coefficient of biomass consumption by burning Campos grassland in RS, by using the FRP obtained from MODIS (from the product MYD14 - Thermal Anomalies / Fire products) and field biomass data. The chosen study area was André da Rocha, for having fires focus identified by MODIS and data from biomass often burned. Experiment data in situ of the fire behavior in campos grassland in RS were also been obtained. The scar burned area was identified and quantified from the use of a Landsat scene. Data of the field and the burned scar area allowed to obtain the average rate of consumption of biomass, and FRP values from MODIS allowed to obtain the average value of the FRP in the study area. The coefficient value was calculated from the linear relationship between these two parameters. The coefficient of consumption obtained was 0.24 kg/MJ, a result close to that found by other authors. The methodology used in this study differs from the method used in previous studies. Anyway the data is a preliminary estimate for new studies and field experiments.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo entre os dois modelos de cultivo mais usados hoje no Estado de Roraima que são o derruba e queima e Sistemas Agroflorestais, onde se analisou as técnicas utilizadas e o desenvolvimento socioeconômico proveniente dos mesmos, utilizando-se da metodologia de pesquisa participativa, DRR (diagnóstico rápido rural), DRP (diagnóstico rápido participativo) e Sondagem, estruturadas sob a forma de questionários semi-estruturados, em formulários próprios e pela obtenção de fotografias nas áreas dos agricultores familiares da vicinal 7 do projeto de colonização do Apiaú, situado no município de Mucajaí, em Roraima. A escolha desta área foi devido a mesma apresentar os dois modelos de trabalho da terra. Verificou-se neste trabalho, entre outros itens: o tempo de ocupação do lote, nível tecnológico, acessibilidade à utilização das novas tecnologias disponíveis e os métodos de escoamento e comercialização dos produtos, além das receitas e despesas provenientes ou não da área produtiva destes agricultores familiares. Neste estudo observaram-se algumas diferenças nos dois grupos, como a de que, os agricultores familiares que trabalham com SAFs se sobressaem ao grupo do derruba e queima no que diz respeito à educação, tempo no lote, bem-estar geral, e principalmente na parte econômica, onde este grupo consegue manter uma receita razoável através da comercialização feita pelos produtos provenientes dos diferentes consórcios por eles utilizados e das criações, o que os diferencia dos que utilizam o derruba e queima que usam o fogo, que acaba prejudicando o meio ambiente, e trabalham basicamente com culturas de subsistência. Após análise realizada vimos que a continuação dos trabalhos com SAFs depende diretamente de subsídios para que eles possam produzir com qualidade e produtividade, e de políticas públicas que consigam manter os agricultores e principalmente os jovens no lote, trazendo desta forma o desenvolvimento sustentável para o Estado de Roraima. Porém, isso ainda não ocorre, o que continua causando um grande êxodo rural na região estudada. / This work presents a comparative study between two most common cultivating models presently under use in state of Roraima, witch are slash and burn and agroforestry systems (SAF’s), where the technics utilized were analized among with socioeconomical development derived from them, by utilization of participative research methodology, DRR (rapid rural diagnostic), DRP (rapid participative diagnostic) and sounding, organized as semi-structurated questionnaire, under proper forms and trough pictures obtained from smalholders farms at vicinal 7 from Apiau colonization project situated in the municipality of Mucajaí, in Roraima. The definition of this área was due the presence of both land use models. Parameters assessed in this study were period of land tenure, technological level, accessibility for utilization of available knew technologies, methods for taking products away and commercialize them, besides incomes and costs derived or not from productive areas of these smalholders. In this study, differences were observed between these two groups, that is smalholders that develop agroforestry systems outstand slash and burn group concerning to education, period of land tenure, well-being mainly concerning to economical aspects, were this group maintain a reasonable income trough commercialization of products derived from diferent crop associations utilized by them and from livestock, making them different from those who make use of slash and burn who use fire, wich ends being harmfull to environment, and cultivate basically subsistence crops. Considering analisis of this study, one may stipulate that work continuity with SAF’s depend directly on subsidies in order to them produce with quality and productivity, and on public policies that are efficient in maintaining smalholders and specialy young ones within the farms, resulting in this way in sustainable development for State of Roraima, although this still does not happen, causing a great abandonment in the region under suty.

Burnout is reflected in pathological emotional depletion and maladaptive detachment that is a secondary result of exposure prolonged occupational stress. It is comprised of three dimensions, namely, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment. It is becoming increasingly recognized as one of the most serious occupational hazards for nurses who work in critical care units. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of burnout among a sample of nurses who worked in the critical care units in a particular hospital in Kenya, to analyze factors that contributed to the development of burnout and to identify measures for the mitigation of burnout. For this study, the researcher utilized a mixed methods research design in two phases. Phase one assessed the prevalence of burnout in nurses working in the critical care units by making use of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey. Focus groups discussions were then held in Phase two to investigate the factors that the nurses perceived as the main causes of burnout and to solicit their ideas about it could be mitigated. Convenience sampling and purposive sampling were used in the two phases of the study respectively. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Employees in the workplace face many challenges that cause stress. Despite these stresses many cope and remain positive. This study investigated positive psychological functioning among civil servants and explored how they functioned despite stressors in the work environment. The constructs of locus of control, sense of coherence, engagement and their relationship to the burnout construct (viewed as the opposite end of the wellness continuum) were used to examine this behaviour. Results showed that high sense of coherence, locus of control and engagement scores resulted in low burnout scores. Internal control and meaningfulness were found to be significant predictors of engagement. Employees will therefore be engaged in their work only if and when they display and/or are allowed to exhibit emotional meaningfulness in their work and their relationships, and when they behave and make decisions from an internal motivation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MA (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Estudos sobre cronificação têm se mostrado cada vez mais importantes, visto que, tanto na medicina humana, quanto na medicina veterinária, tem sido comum a ocorrência de lesões crônicas, que muitas vezes apresentam dificuldade de cicatrização com terapia convencional. Por este motivo, o presente trabalho tem por objetivo estabelecer modelo de ferida crônica em ratos Wistar, com o uso de agentes químicos, comumente utilizados na rotina clínica como antissépticos, em doses consideradas tóxicas ao leito da ferida. Para isso, foram utilizados 48 ratos Wistar, machos, divididos em quatro grupos de 12 animais cada. (Controle, Polivinilpirrolidona - PVPI 1%, Clorexidina 1% e H2O2 35%). Os animais foram submetidos a anestesia inalatória e sofreram lesão circular de 1cm de diâmetro, confeccionada com o uso de trépano corneal. Foram realizadas duas feridas simétricas paralelas e em seguida à confecção iniciou-se a aplicação tópica dos agentes químicos, com auxílio de pipeta de 50μl, sendo instilados duas vezes ao dia, durante 15 ou 30 dias. As avaliações macroscópicas das feridas induzidas cirurgicamente eram realizadas a cada dois dias, através de medição com paquímetro, além de observação quanto a presenças de sangramentos e outras secreções. Foram avaliadas também através de histologia e imuno-histoquímica. Como resultados o grupo PVPI teve maior taxa de contração, cicatrizando em menor tempo que o grupo controle, embora essa diferença de tempo não tenha sido significativa estatisticamente; apesar das feridas se apresentarem cicatrizadas macroscopicamente, à avaliação histológica foi possível perceber que haviam alterações, dignas de processo cicatricial em curso; o grupo H2O2 proporcionou resultados positivos perante aquilo que foi proposto. Sugere-se que novos estudos sejam realizados, com o H2O2, nos quais os períodos de uso do agente sejam prolongados, superiores aos usados no presente estudo, utilizando ainda material de silicone, fixado nas bordas da ferida, com o intuito de evitar cicatrização por contração. Sugere-se também o uso de doses elevadas de analgésicos durante todo o tempo de experimento. / Research on chronic lesions have been of increased interest in both human and veterinary medicine, as different conditions can delay and lead to difficulties on wound healing, even after conventional therapy has been instituted. Although there are several reports on experimental models for the study of acute wound healing, the establishment of chronic lesions using chemical agents, for scientific purposes, is scarce. This study pursued the development of a chronic skin wound model with chemical substances routinely used as antiseptics, in concentrations considered detrimental to injured tissue. For that, forty-eight Wistar rats were divided in four groups of 12 animals each, for of one of the topical treatments: povidone-iodine solution, 1% chlorhexidine, 35% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and control with 0.9% saline solution (NaCl). Under general anesthesia, two circular full skin defects, with 1cm diameter, were produced (with a corneal trephine) in the dorsal cervical region of all the animals. Immediately after the incisions, 50μl of one of the treatments were administrated twice daily, for either 15 or 30 days. Macroscopic evaluations were performed every other day, recording wound size (with a pachymeter) and occurrence of bleeding or exudates. Microscopically, at day 15 or 30, histologic and immunohistochemical studies were carried out with the complete removal of the wound or cicatricial region. Macroscopically, the povidone-iodine group showed faster wound contraction and healing rate than the control, yet, this difference was not statistically significant. Although, under clinical observation, the incised regions presented scar tissue, the histopathological evaluation of the respective specimens showed uncompleted healing process features. The hydrogen peroxide demonstrated promising results to the proposed intent. However, a bigger sample is needed to ascertain the found evidences. Furthermore, studies with longer or more frequent periods of substance exposure, along with devices to circumvent wound contraction and higher doses of analgesics, are recommended.

The thesis deals with the issue of stress in teachers. The concepts of teacher, stressor, stress and burn out syndrome are explained, as well as the connection between them. The theoretical part is focused on the stress prevention and the defense against stress. The aim of the practical part is to detect the main stressors in teachers, as well as the frequency and the intensity of their stress and negative emotions experience with regard to their professional age, sex and specialization. Further, teachers' knowledge about stress and their effort to prevent themselves from experiencing it are investigated.