This paper investigates in 2 studies the role of invulnerability in predicting young workers’ intentions to speak up about hazards. I propose a model in which perceptions of hazardous work are related to safety voice intentions via fear of injury, and that higher invulnerability buffers (a) the extent to which potential hazards generate fear of injury and (b) the extent to which fear of injury motivates voice. In Study 1, I randomly assigned participants (n = 115, aged 15-25) to an unsafe or safe scenario. Participants with lower invulnerability reported higher safety voice intentions across all levels of fear of injury. Participants with higher invulnerability reported as high safety voice intentions only when fear of injury was high, and reported much lower safety voice intentions than those with low invulnerability when fear of injury was low. Study 2 replicates this model using field data from young workers (n = 67).

Head injuries are very common in daily life and in war field. Head injuries are classified into open and closed. The mechanical mechanisms involved in closed head injuries are very different from those in open head injuries. Closed head injuries are more often re-ported with the use of protective device such as helmets. Helmets were found effective in reducing open head injuries, but less effective for closed head injuries. Finite element modeling is an effective and efficient tool for investigating head injuries. In this thesis, a two-dimensional finite element model was constructed based on a Mag-netic Resonance Image (MRI) scan data from a patient. MATLAB programming was used to extract the information from the MRI scan data. The finite element model was then used to investigate factors affecting closed head injuries. As a new contribution to closed head injury study, the fluid component in the human head, CSF, was studied by a group of comparative simulations. The other three factors, elasticity modulus of the cra-nium, contact area of impact, and impact duration were also investigated. Their effects on reducing the strain values in the brain were measured. Investigation results show that, increasing elasticity modulus of the cranium, contact area of impact and impact duration are very helpful to reduce the strain values in the brain. Helmet is helpful to protect people from closed head injuries because it can change all these three factors by using different shell stiffness and different padding material. The cerebrospinal fluid is effective in protecting the brain from impacts, as a fluid is able to reduce normal strains and filter nearly all shear strains transferred to the brain. It indicates that if a layer of fluid could be added as a layer in a protective helmet, the helmet would be more effective in protecting the brain. Conclusions obtained from the investigations are helpful for preventing closed head injuries and for improving design of protective devices such as helmets.

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The thesis comprises literature reviews which present arguments novel to the field and two discrete but related studies, which in combination make a contribution to the classification, assessment of risk and prevention of pressure sores. The first study, a randomised controlled trial involving 446 patients undergoing vascular, general and gynaecology surgery, the use of a dry visco-elastic polymer pad intra-operatively reduced the probability of pressure sore development by half. Pressure sore incidence was 11 % (22/205) for patients allocated to the dry polymer pad and 20% (43/211) for patients allocated to the standard operating table mattress. Both studies explored key prognostic factors using multi-variate methods. Analysis of data derived from the randomised controlled trial found four factors to be independently associated with post-operative pressure sore development including intra-operative hypotensive episodes, Day I Braden mobility scale and intraoperative mean core temperature. The second study, a prospective cohort study involving 101 patients identified non-blanching erythema, pre-operative albumin, weight loss preceding admission and intra-operative minimum diastolic blood pressure. Results are consistent with findings from the literature review which identified key factors in the prediction of pressure sore development (reduced mobility, nutrition, perfusion, age and skin condition). The second study also explored the clinical significance of erythema in defining and classifying the term 'pressure sore'. Using laser Doppler imaging it was determined that blanching and non-blanching erythema are characterised by high blood flow of differing intensity. Discriminant analysis identified three general patterns in skin blood flow, which enabled scan classification with good agreement between clinical and predicted classifications. The results confirm data derived from the prospective observations of skin suggesting that non-blanching erythema is not indicative of irreversible ischaemic damage and resolves in approximately two thirds of cases. The point at which non-blanching erythema becomes irreversible remains unknown

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Acquired brain injury (ABI) during adolescence presents even greater challenges to youth already facing complex issues in this transitory period. Studies have demonstrated that youth with ABI suffer from social and community withdrawal as a result of their injuries. However, a lack of research focusing on interventions designed to promote community integration has left the effectiveness of these programs difficult to assess. The current study aimed to collect pilot data about the effectiveness of an expressive arts-based therapeutic program in helping to improve community integration of these youth, as these therapies have been shown to be useful for individuals with similar cognitive and behavioural issues. Results over 2 stages of testing suggest that expressive arts therapy is a promising intervention strategy to help promote social and community integration skills. The findings also suggest that more research is needed to develop improved measures of community integration for adolescents with ABI.

Acquired brain injury (ABI) during adolescence presents even greater challenges to youth already facing complex issues in this transitory period. Studies have demonstrated that youth with ABI suffer from social and community withdrawal as a result of their injuries. However, a lack of research focusing on interventions designed to promote community integration has left the effectiveness of these programs difficult to assess. The current study aimed to collect pilot data about the effectiveness of an expressive arts-based therapeutic program in helping to improve community integration of these youth, as these therapies have been shown to be useful for individuals with similar cognitive and behavioural issues. Results over 2 stages of testing suggest that expressive arts therapy is a promising intervention strategy to help promote social and community integration skills. The findings also suggest that more research is needed to develop improved measures of community integration for adolescents with ABI.

The aim of this 13 week prospective study was to investigate whether differences in hip, knee, ankle, subtalar, or first metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) range of motion and physical activity levels increase a person's likelihood of developing medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS)." --p.2. / Master of Applied Science