This study examined the pressure volumetric characteristics (compliance) of Jobst, Barton-Carey, and Tubigrip pressure garments for arms following repeated saturation with lubricating substances and repeated washing/drying cycles. The three treatment groups were each composed of one sleeve from each of the manufacturers. Each treatment group was subjected to 20 washing/drying cycles. In addition the sleeves in treatment groups 2 and 3 were saturated with cocoa butter and Lubiderm moisturizer respectively prior to each cycle. Circumferential measurements were taken on the proximal forearm of the sleeve at varying degrees of pressure (mmHg) using a Grafco Standard Sphygomanometer and a Gulick anthropometric tape measure. Measurements were taken initially and following every fifth washing/drying cycle. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant results for the main effects and some interactions at the ,01 level. Results showed that the Jobst garments stretched with moisturisers but overall were smaller than the Barton-Carey garments which showed no change with moisturizers. The Tubigrip garments stretched more than the other garments with moisturizers but showed an overall inconsistent pattern.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine whether a workplace environmental intervention would improve work-related outcomes including productivity, presenteeism and cognition. The secondary aim was to investigate whether work-related outcomes are correlated to observed changes in sitting time, physical activity, and sleep. The study was introduced as part of a naturalistic environmental change in which university staff and faculty were relocated into a new building (n=23). The comparison group consisted of university staff within the same college with no imminent plans to re-locate during the intervention period; there were no environmental changes to this workplace (n =10). Participants wore two behavioral monitoring devices, activPAL and GeneActiv, for 7 consecutive days at two time points (immediately prior and 16 weeks following the office relocation). Measures of productivity and presenteeism were obtained via four validated questionnaires and participants underwent cognitive performance testing. Baseline adjusted analysis of covariance statistical analyses were used to examine differences between groups in work-related outcomes. A residual analysis in regression was conducted to determine the differences between observed changes in sitting time, physical activity and sleep, and work-related outcomes. The results showed that a reduction in work hour sitting time was not detrimental to work related outcomes. Decreased sitting was observed to potentially improve presenteeism and absenteeism. Additionally, physical activity was shown to modestly improve productivity, presenteeism and absenteeism. Poor sleep patterns were associated with work impairment and increased absenteeism. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Exercise and Wellness 2014

<p> Entry-level retail employees are rarely researched, and their experience with the performance appraisal system also lacks solid research. The field of Industrial/Organizational psychology studies the performance appraisal system and its importance, and even highlights different examples of the process, what is lacking in prior research is how lower-level retail employees experience the process. This study focuses on Victor Vroom&rsquo;s expectancy theory and how it relates to the sample population of retail employees. The study aims to determine the experience of the performance appraisal system by the entry-level retail employee. Grounded theory qualitative research methodology was used to determine the experience of the performance appraisal process by the participants. Constructivist grounded theory was applied to the study to show the experiences of the participants and learn how they experience the process. In the findings, the participants lacked knowledge about the performance appraisal system used to evaluate their performance and were not immersed in the process. Additionally, the participants believed their work efforts deserved higher ratings than those they received from their evaluators. The researcher found that a new model to approach to the performance appraisal system with entry-level retail employees may be necessary.</p><p>

<p> Introduction: In double disaster cohorts responders are exposed to two potentially hazardous situations. Experience with one disaster may affect how responders behave in the second. We evaluate associations of injuries and exposures, with rescue work performed by WTC responders enrolled in the WTCHR who responded 11 years later to Superstorm Sandy. </p><p> Methods: An 84 question Sandy survey was given to 8870 WTCHR enrollees. Outcome measures included total number of injuries, extremity sprains and lacerations and the exposures encountered. A "home danger" variable includes all the reparation and clean- up activities. All analyses were conducted with SAS 9.4. Using multivariable logistic regression, unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were calculated to estimate association strength between work and volunteer status, age, race, gender, education and 9/11 rescue worker status. </p><p> Results: A total of 4558 (51%) of enrollees participated. 56% were male, 45-64 years of age (62.9%), non-Hispanic white (71.1%) and 44.28% had 2010 income > $75,000. Among 1,044 Sandy responders, 64% of paid workers and 42% of volunteers were also 9/11 workers. Volunteers had increased odds ratios for >1 injury: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.42(95% CI: 1.60-3.64), compared to non-rescue workers. Exposure to Home Danger hazards had an adjusted odds ratio of 7.53 (5.16-10.99) for multiple injuries, suggesting the importance of evacuation and hazard education </p><p> Discussion: Our study shows that volunteers exposed to Sandy have increased odds of having more than one injury and for extremity injury.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to evaluate strategies for emotional self-regulation (EMSR) in highly sensitive people (HSPs) under pressure. Specifically, a model of EMSR was evaluated through a moderated-mediation design with two manipulations across two experiments. A total of 445 individuals participated in the current study (52% female), all of which were US citizens. Results suggested that the relationship between sense of purpose (SoP) and EMSR was moderated by focus on potential (FoP). Specifically, SoP significantly impacted FoP, <i> b</i> = .89, <i>t</i> = 5.23, p &lt; .01, FoP significantly impacted EMSR, <i>b</i> = 1.11, <i>t</i> = 5.88, <i> p</i> &lt; .01, and the Sobel test suggested a significant indirect effect, <i> z</i> = 3.91, <i>p</i> &lt; .01. </p><p> The hypothesis that sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) moderates the relationship between FoP and EMSR was not supported, <i>b</i> = .29, <i>t</i> = 1.50, <i>p</i> = .13, 95% CI [-.09, .66]. Supplemental analyses were conducted to evaluate the extent to which SPS moderated the relationship between SoP and FoP. Aguinis&rsquo;s (2009) ALTMMR program was used to evaluate homoscedasticity for the relationship between SPS and FoP within both conditions of SoP. DeShon and Alexander&rsquo;s (1996) rule of thumb for homoscedasticity was not met, <i>M</i> = 6.24, <i> p</i> &lt; .01. To correct for the violation, James&rsquo;s test was used to evaluate the simple slopes of the moderation. Results indicated that differential slopes were present, <i>U</i> = 5.57, <i>p</i> &lt; .05. Alexander&rsquo;s test also indicated differential slopes, <i> A</i> = 5.47, p = .02. These results suggest that SPS moderated the relationship between SoP and FoP. </p><p> Because several of the measures used were contextualized for the current study (i.e., SoP, FoP, and EMSR), exploratory factor analyses were conducted to establish discriminate validity. Results indicated that each scale was distinct from the others, and was comprised of the items intended to measure it&rsquo;s respective construct. </p><p> Beyond hypothesis testing, an important finding from the current study was the power of priming through vignettes. Manipulation check results indicated that the morally constructed primes were successful at impacting participants FoP and EMSR.</p>

<p> The purpose of the present study is to examine the impact or lack thereof on parental influence on leadership style, specifically for individuals that work in a field that is primarily dominated by the female gender. In addition, this study is looking to see if there is a direct relationship between the participants&rsquo; results of their gender identity classifications of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny and their results in terms of consideration and initiating structure leadership styles. One hundred and forty-one undergraduate nursing students filled out multiple questionnaires collecting demographics, parental influence, evaluating leadership and sex role identification. The results revealed that both male and female participants identified being more heavily influenced by their mothers when considering their own leadership style. It was assumed that due to nursing being female-dominated that the majority of participants would yield results of a feminine leadership style, however, it appeared to have no impact regarding leadership style. The majority of participants, regardless of actual gender, upon taking the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, did result in a classification of feminine but the results also revealed a classification of masculine. These findings suggest that although nursing is a female-dominated field, the participants in this study possess similar levels of feminine and masculine qualities in both leadership style and gender identity.</p>

The Multicultural Communication Bridge Program, an ongoing project at the Broward Correctional Institution, utilizes creative movement, writing, and drawing as treatment modalities with long-term incarcerated women. This type of programming is new in the prison system thus literature and research supporting the outcomes with this population are lacking. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to determine the efficacy of the program. Nine inmates, who have been involved in the program for at least one year, were interviewed to gather information about their personal experiences as a result of their participation. Common themes that were noted include an increase in trust, the expression of emotions, an increase in self esteem, and an improvement in interactions with others. These attributes are believed to be beneficial to these women to ensure a successful community reintegration upon their release from prison.

The current study assessed the effects of participation in an Arthritis Foundation sponsored water exercise program on self-reported functioning and health status. Nine older community living women with various forms of arthritis took part in this pre to post-test design study, along with a comparison group of eleven older women also regularly engaged in differing forms of exercise. Both groups completed a standardized questionnaire, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2, twice over an eight week period. Twelve scales and additional questions measured physical, social, and psychological aspects of daily functioning. Aquacize participants reported significant improvements in the Physical Component area of functioning from pre to post-test, as well as more improvements in Arm Function and Household Tasks than the comparisons. Occupational therapists need to be aware of the efficacy of programs to which they refer their arthritic clients. Findings support, regular participation in aquacize has a positive influence on health.

The purpose of this study was to compare age-related differences in self-reported health and self-reported functional abilities from 1971 individuals surveyed in the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Survey of Elders 60 years and Older in Dade County. The responses were divided into four age groups: (a) 60 to 64 years, (b) 65 to 74 years, (c) 75 to 84 years, and (d) 85 years and older and results compared. The study found that self-reported health ratings were significantly different across the four age groups and exhibited a gradual decrease in favorable health ratings with age. For all ages, at least 60% of the respondents rated their health as either "excellent" or "good", but this percentage decreased from 68.10% in the youngest group to 60.7% in the oldest. The study also found significant differences across age groups in functional abilities as measured by reported difficulties with eight activities of daily living (ADLs) and eight instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). For all ADLs and IADLs, the percentage of respondents reporting difficulty increased with age, but this increase was most dramatic in the oldest age group (85+ years). There was a positive relationship between self-reported health and functional ability in the four age groups and as the number of difficulties with ADLs or IADLs increased, self-reported health became poorer. However, the relationship between self-reported health and functional ability tended to weaken with age. Pearson correlation coefficients between self-reported health and difficulties with ADLs decreased from the youngest age group (r=.463) to the oldest group (r=.310). Similarly, the correlation between self-reported health and difficulties with IADLs was higher in the two younger age groups (r=.326 and r=.420) than the two older groups (r=.249 and r=.215). Pairwise z-tests revealed that the correlations of the oldest age group were significantly different from the other age groups. The study also found gender differences across age groups. The findings from this study suggest that there is a relationship between self-reported health and functional abilities and this relationship tends to weaken with age. The implications of these findings for occupational therapy with elderly clients are discussed.

A study was conducted in order to describe and understand the occupational role behavior of gay men with particular interest on understanding the impact of an HIV diagnosis on their roles and life satisfaction. A 137- item questionnaire was developed for this study and distributed through various gay community groups in south Florida. The process resulted in ranked description of 24 valued occupational roles of gay men (n = 80) along with a general understanding of potential shifts that may occur in those roles as a result of becoming infected with HIV. The study concludes that a diagnosis of HIV infection impacts gay men both by altering their value for particular roles and by darkening the images they hold of their future. The study also identified key factors which may contribute to the greater life satisfaction of gay men including greater confidence in personal knowledge of HIV, a more optimistic outlook on life, the use of stronger coping styles, and perceiving stronger social support and lower stress.