Borupward6785

BACKGROUND Altering the horizontal position of the weight in a backpack will influence the magnitude of the external torque it creates but the effect on posture is unclear. OBJECTIVE To use photogrammetry to determine if changes in the horizontal position of a fixed backpack weight affect external measures of craniovertebral posture in 150 asymptomatic young adults. METHODS A backpack was attached to a steel frame with a bar protruding posteriorly. A fixed load (5% body mass) was placed at three distances along the bar -0 m, 0.20 m, and 0.40 m. Sagittal and frontal plane photogrammetry was used to measure the craniovertebral angle (CVA), upper cervical gaze angle (UCGA) and lateral head tilt angle (LHTA). A comparison was made across unloaded (no backpack) and loaded conditions. RESULTS There was a significant decrease in the CVA between unloaded and loaded conditions. Changes in the UCGA were small and, while significant, may not have practical importance. There were no differences in the LHTA between the conditions. CONCLUSIONS Changes in the horizontal position of a fixed load affect external measures of craniovertebral posture so consideration needs to be given to not only the weight of a backpack but how the weight is positioned within the backpack.BACKGROUND Knowledge management is a central resource in achieving the goals of occupational safety efforts. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between the implicit (tacit) and explicit (formal) safety knowledge of employees and their effects on employee propensity to follow safe practices at work. METHODS A survey with seven safety constructs 1) tacit safety knowledge, 2) explicit safety knowledge, 3) attitudes toward safety psychological aspects, 4) attitudes toward safety emotional aspects, 5) safety culture behavioral aspects, 6) safety culture psychological aspects, and 7) propensity to follow safety regulations and safe work practices (safety at work), was designed and used for data collection. A total of 468 production workers from three manufacturing companies located in southeastern Poland provided valid responses to the self-administered survey. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data. RESULTS The results support the hypothesized relationships among tacit and explicit knowledge of safety requirements, procedures, and practices, and the propensity of employees to follow work practices at work through the mediating variables of safety culture (with behavioral and psychological factors) and attitudes toward safety (with psychological, emotional, and behavioral factors). CONCLUSIONS While both tacit and explicit safety knowledge affect safe practices, tacit knowledge has an important influence on the use of explicit safety knowledge at work.BACKGROUND Many ophthalmic lens manufacturers are currently marketing blue-blocking filters, which they claim will reduce symptoms of Digital Eye Strain (DES). However, there is limited evidence to support the proposal that DES results from the blue light emitted by electronic screens. OBJECTIVE This investigation compared the effect of blue-blocking filters on DES symptoms with a no-filter lens, using a double-blind methodology. METHODS Twenty-four subjects were required to perform a 20-minute reading task from a tablet computer. They wore either lenses containing a blue-blocking filter (TheraBlue 1.67 or TheraBlue polycarbonate) or a CR-39 control lens which did not include a filter. Immediately following each session, subjects completed a questionnaire to quantify symptoms of DES. RESULTS While a significant increase in symptoms was observed immediately following the near vision task (p = 0.00001), no significant difference in symptoms was found between the 3 lens conditions (p = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS There is little evidence at this time to support the use of blue-blocking filters as a clinical treatment for DES. read more Management of other ocular factors, as well as the creation of an optimal environment for screen viewing, are more likely to provide greater success in minimizing symptoms.BACKGROUND People with visual impairment or blindness face a wide range of daily barriers, both at school and at work. OBJECTIVE This article describes the development process of an online resource, addressing Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), accessible for students with visual impairment or blindness. METHODS This study was framed in a Design-Based Research methodology involving the analysis, design, development and implementation of a digital resource. In the analysis stage, a first list of accessibility challenges was created allowing the design of strategies and specific technical solutions to approach them. RESULTS The development process has shown that online digital resources can be accessible for users with visual impairment or blindness and even the most visual contents and activities (based on images and videos) can be easily adjusted. CONCLUSIONS Online accessible resources should be based on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) guidelines, allowing the proper description of all contents by screen readers, using audio description, accessible features and providing keyboard navigation. Further research must be conducted to deepen knowledge on the role of educational digital resources for students with visual impairment or blindness, namely regarding OSH barriers that workers with visual impairment or blindness face at the workplace (as visual safety signs and pictogram labels).BACKGROUND Occupational therapists have a long history of addressing community performance and participation challenges faced by individuals with complex, chronic conditions, including those with serious mental illnesses (SMI) and cognitive issues that present with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Healthcare reform has shifted incentives to support practices that promote successful community life for people with complex medical conditions. Community based care models emphasizing integrated primary care, such as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are emerging, and a generalist role for occupational therapy is being defined. Those with complex comorbid conditions such as mental illness, substance abuse and traumatic brain injury are at risk for negative health outcomes that are further compounded by homelessness. There is a critical need to understand effective treatment options for this population to reduce the negative effects of chronic health conditions. As occupational therapists further define a role serving traditional clients in less traditional settings, such as the FQHC, it is helpful to explore the perceptions of the utility of OT services on the part of provider referrers.