This study explored employees' perceptions of organisational change as a stressor within a public sector work place undergoing significant change. A number of major stress-producing factors in that environment were examined and data collected of employees' perceptions of the nature of stress, changes in health status and data gathered of stress-related compensation claims. Data was also collected of employees' perceptions of effective strategies for coping with change from an individual and organisational perspective. The research design was a case study with embedded units of analysis incorporating elements of quantitative analysis. The method was chosen to flesh out the limited choices offered by many standard questionnaires. A case study approach and various categories of stress-related factors were selected measures to evaluate the perceived effects of work place change on stress levels. The eight females and three males, aged 27�50 were each interviewed for an hour for their perceptions of stress and reports of stress related illness, relationship changes and other reported changes�diet, sleep, heart disease, asthma, anxiety and headaches. Workplace changes to the Division were analysed, Departmental claims officers were interviewed and Comcare data analysed. Results show participants appeared to feel or experience "stress" in a way which they distinguished as different from feelings or experiences which were nonstressful states and they appeared able to separate these states and ascribe to each particular qualities. They also seemed able to identify that the stressful state occurred in response to some form of demands. Some subjects (36%) reported developing strategies for managing their stress. The majority of subjects (82%) believed work place change was inevitable and a number of subjects (45%) reported they believed implementation of change to be poorly managed, while some subjects (36%) perceived change impacting negatively on the work place. On the basis of the results, it would appear that a human resource management framework may enable more successful implementation of change in public sector organisations.

Bakgrund: Stressrelaterad ohälsa och utmattningssyndrom ökar i Sverige vilket leder till fler långtidssjukskrivningar. Detta innebär ett stort lidande för de drabbade och höga kostnader för samhället. Stress som kvarstår under längre tid påverkar kroppen negativt och leder till kognitiv utmattning, sömnproblematik, utbredd trötthet, somatiska besvär, irritabilitet och negativ affekt. Utsatta personer är även i riskgrupper för allvarliga somatiska sjukdomar. Syfte: Att beskriva förekomsten av stressrelaterad ohälsa och utmattningssyndrom i en storstads-region. Metod: Data samlades in genom ett tvärsnittsurval bland kvinnor och män i arbetsför ålder boende i en storstadsregion. Mätinstrumentet som användes var Karolinska Exhaustion Scale (KES) (26). Korrelationsanalyser gjordes för att sedan jämföras med en tidigare studie där patienter diagnostiserade med utmattningssyndrom ingick i urvalet. Resultat: Respondenterna uppgav att symtom på fatigue och sömnsvårigheter var mest utbredda följt av irritabilitet. Ingen signifikant skillnad påvisades mellan kvinnor och män, ensam- eller sammanboende i urvalsgruppen. Studien påvisar en statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan studiens urvalsgrupp och en patientgrupp från en tidigare studie. Detta indikerar sämre stressrelaterad hälsa bland patientgruppen. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar fatigue och sömnsvårigheter var mest förekommande av symtomen på stressrelaterad ohälsa i urvalsgruppen. Någon slutsats om skillnader mellan kön, ensamboende och sammanboende inom urvalsgruppen har inte kunnat konstateras. Stor signifikant skillnad kunde påvisas mellan urvalsgruppen och patientgruppen från en tidigare studie. Klinisk betydelse: Sammanställd data från studien kommer att användas för vidare forskning. / Background: Stress related illness and burnout are increasing which contributes to further long term sick leaves in Sweden. This causes great suffer for the individual and high expenses to the society. Being a subject to long term stress will have a negative impact on the body and may lead to cognitive exhaustion, disturbed sleep, excessive fatigue, somatic symptoms, irritability and negative affectivity. Exposed people are also at risk for other severe somatic illness. Aim: To describe the presence of stress related illness and burnout in a conurbation. Method: Data was gathered from cross-sectional samples consisting of women and men in a working age living in a conurbation. The study’s instrument was the Karolinska Exhaustion Scale (KES) (26). Correlation analyses were employed to compare with a sample from a previous study with patients diagnosed with burnout. Result: The findings show that individuals in the study had most difficulties with symptoms referring to fatigue and disturbed sleep, followed by irritability. No conclusion was made referring to differences between men and women or between those living alone and the cohabitants as no significant difference could be proven. There was a significant difference between the sample of the study and the sample from patients of the previous study. Conclusion: The findings of the study shows that of all the symptoms of stress related illness fatigue and disturbed sleep had the highest prevalence among the sample. Conclusions referring to differences between gender, individuals living alone and the cohabitants could not be proven. High significance level was found when comparing the sample of the study with a sample from a previous study with patients diagnosed with burnout. Clinical implication: Gathered data from the study will be used for further research. / <p>Röda Korsets sjuksköterskeförening stipendium 2014</p>

The Department of Correctional Services is the South African Government Department that is responsible for the smooth running of the South African correctional system. Correctional facilities have to be staffed twenty four hours a day and therefore correctional officials have to work fixed or rotating shifts to ensure that the needs of offenders are taken care of. The number of staff members in many South African correctional centres is not sufficient to ensure proper care and management of offenders, but staff shortages during the night is even more chronic compared to staff shortages experienced during the day. It is vital that correctional officials be alert and vigilant at all times and therefore these staff shortages contribute to high levels of stress, lack of motivation and feelings of being overwhelmed by the work load. Shift work is a phenomenon that is increasing worldwide. It is important to understand the impact of work schedules as more people seem to be working shifts that do not conform to the standard work week. Shift workers seem very healthy when their illnesses are compared to that of the general public. Many health problems have been detected in shift workers, including stress related conditions, as any work schedule can act as a stressor if the needs of the individual worker are not taken into consideration. Sleeping patterns during the day differ from sleeping patterns at night. Shift work disrupts a person’s circadian rhythms and therefore contributes to poorer physical and psychological health. It further causes poorer productivity and increases the possibility of becoming involved in accidents. Working night duty is very stressful to the night shift worker who has to cope with challenges at work and at home. There is a variety of common stressors at work that affect shift workers physiologically (cardiovascular, stroke, digestive problems, back pain and arthritis, headaches, increased blood pressure and hormonal), psychologically (burnout, depression, anxiety, family problems, sleep problems and job dissatisfaction) and behaviouraly (absence, tardiness, substance abuse, accidents, sabotage / violence, poor decision making, poor job performance and a high personnel turnover). This study focused on understanding the positive and negative impact of working permanent night duty on correctional officials. The findings of this study will be helpful to correctional officials who work permanent night duty in addressing employee workplace support. / Dissertation (MSW (Health Care))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Health Care) / Unrestricted

Bakgrund: Det finns få studier gjorda av vilka åtgärder en arbetsplats bör genomföra för att få en effektiv och hållbar återgång till arbetet, för personer med stressrelaterad ohälsa. Syfte: Syftet med studien var därför att beskriva hur personer som tidigare varit sjukskrivna för stressrelaterad ohälsa, upplevde stöd från arbetsplatsen vid återgång i arbetet. Metod: Deltagarna bestod av sex personer som varit sjukskrivna under olika tidsperioder de senaste fem åren. Datainsamlingen skedde genom enskilda intervjuer med öppna frågor som gav tolkningsutrymme för deltagarna. Intervjutexterna analyserades därefter enligt en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysen mynnade ut i två huvudkategorier: ”Anpassningar av arbetssituationen främjar arbetsåtergången” och ” Den sociala miljön påverkar arbetsåtergången”. Dessa innehöll vardera tre underkategorier. Slutsats: Slutsatsen av studien är att stödet från arbetsplatsen behöver ges efter individens kapacitet i förhållande till arbetsmiljön, såväl som i arbetsuppgifternas krav.

Syftet med vår studie var att studera trädgårdsterapins roll i människors tillfrisknande från stressrelaterad ohälsa. Studiens frågeställningar var: (1) vilka faktorer beskrivs som stressreducerande i natur och trädgård? (2) på vilket sätt kan personer med stressrelaterad ohälsa bli hjälpta genom trädgårdsterapi? För att besvara våra frågeställningar användes en kvalitativ metod med hjälp av en kunskapsöversikt. Våra analysverktyg har varit KASAM och Coping. Slutsatsen av studien är att trädgård och natur kan stärka återhämtningsprocessen för människor med stressrelaterad ohälsa. Trädgård och natur kan bidra med stressreducerande faktorer som gör att återhämtningen påskyndas och stärks, såsom att hitta lugn, känna trygghet och få utrymme för reflektion. Även samtal och aktiviteter är viktiga delar för återhämtning i trädgårdsterapin. Sökord vi använt oss av är: trädgårdsterapi, terapiträdgårdar, grön rehabilitering, restorativ trädgård och stressrelaterad ohälsa. / The aim of this study was to study the role of horticultural therapy in people´s recovery from stress-related illness. Study questions were: (1) what factors are described as stress-reducing in nature and gardening? (2) in what way can people with stress-related illness be helped by garden therapy? In order to answer our questions, a qualitative methodology using a research synthesis has been made. Our analysis tools were Sense of Coherence and Coping. The study shows that garden and nature can enhance the recovery process for people with stress-related illness. Garden and nature can help with stress-reducing factors that make recovery accelerated and strengthened, such as finding peace, feeling safe and have a space for reflection. Also conversations and activities are important elements for recovery in the horticultural therapy. Keywords we have used are: horticultural therapy, healing gardens, garden therapy, therapeutic gardens, green rehabilitation, restorative garden and stress related illness.

Inledning: Stressrelaterad ohälsa är ett växande folkhälsoproblem som skapar lidande för individer och stora kostnader för samhället. Det finns behov av hälsofrämjande och förebyggande metoder för att motverka denna ohälsa. MBSR är en metod som visat lovande effekter på stressreducering och olika dimensioner av stressrelaterad ohälsa.                     Syfte: Syftet med litteraturöversikten var att beskriva effekter av Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) på ohälsosam stress i friska populationer.                                                                                                 Metod: En litteraturöversikt med tio vetenskapliga artiklar som analyserades systematiskt för att identifiera teman i effekter av MBSR-program på stressrelaterad ohälsa.                                                                                                                    Resultat: Samtliga vetenskapliga studier visar hur MBSR-programmet ger positiva effekter på hälsan som ökad mindfulness, reducerad stress samt bättre psykisk och emotionell hälsa. Diskussion: MBSR har i tidigare studier visat sig vara effektiv för ökad livskvalitet och copingförmåga vid kroniska smärttillstånd samt olika fysiska och psykiska diagnoser. Mindre uppmärksamhet har riktats mot möjliga fördelar hos friska populationer. Resultatet av litteraturöversikten visar hur MBSR är en lovande metod för att främja hälsa och förebygga stressrelaterad ohälsa hos friska populationer i det korta perspektivet, vilket stöds av tidigare publicerade studier. / Introduction: Stress-related illness is a growing public health concern which induces suffering for individuals and high costs for society. There is a need for health promotion and prevention methods to counteract this illness. MBSR is a method which demonstrates promising effects on stress reduction and different dimensions of stress-related illness.                                       Aim: The aim of this literature review was to describe the effects of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on stress in healthy populations.                                                                                                      Methods: A literature review of ten scientific articles were systematically analyzed to identify themes in effects of MBSR on stress-related ill health.                                       Results: All scientific studies show how MBSR has positive health effects such as increased mindfulness, reduced stress as well as better mental and emotional health.               Discussion: In previous studies MBSR has proven to be effective in enhancing quality of life as well as management of chronic pain conditions and various physical and mental disorders. Less attention has been paid to possible benefits in healthy population. The result of this literature review show how MBSR can be a promising method to promote health and prevent stress-related illness in healthy populations in the short perspective, as confirmed by previous studies.

Stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa är ett stort problem i dagens samhälle som orsakar stora samhällskostnader och ett stort lidande hos de drabbade. Forskning tyder på att självkritik kan vara en sårbarhetsfaktor för utvecklandet av stressproblematik. För att kunna bidra med kunskap till hur psykologiska interventioner kan utformas kan det vara av värde att undersöka individers upplevelser av självkritik och stress närmare. Syftet med studien var följaktligen att öka kunskapen om självkritik hos individer med stressymtom, vilket undersöktes genom följande frågeställning: Hur upplever vuxna personer med stressymtom självkritik? Fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes och analyserades kvalitativt utifrån en generisk analysmetod. Analysen resulterade i fem huvudkategorier, som speglar olika aspekter av upplevelsen av självkritik: Höga inre krav, Negativ bedömning av sig själv, Rädsla för omgivningens reaktioner, Överträdande av egna gränser och Försämrat psykiskt mående. Sammantaget framkom flera olika aspekter av självkritiska tankar och beteenden hos studiedeltagarna, vilket indikerar att självkritik kan vara en viktig faktor att ta hänsyn till vid utvecklandet av interventioner för patienter med stressproblematik. / Stress-related mental illness is a major problem in today's society that causes great social costs and great suffering for those affected. Research indicates that self-criticism can be a vulnerability factor for the development of stress problems. In order to contribute knowledge to how psychological interventions can be designed, it may be of value to examine individuals' experiences of self-criticism and stress more closely. The aim of the study was therefore to increase the knowledge of self-criticism in individuals with stress symptoms, which was investigated through the following question: How do adults with stress symptoms experience self-criticism? Five semi-structured interviews were conducted and qualitatively analyzed based on a generic analysis method. The analysis resulted in five main categories, which reflect different aspects of the experience of self-criticism: High internal demands, Negative assessment of oneself, Fear of the reactions of others, Violation of own boundaries and Deteriorated psychological well-being. To conclude, several different aspects of self-critical thoughts and behaviors emerged among the study participants, which indicates that self-criticism can be an important factor to take into account when developing interventions for patients with stress problems.