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Personal Factors (personal + factor)
Selected AbstractsDupuytren's disease: Personal factors and occupational exposureAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2008Gérard Lucas Abstract Background The etiology of Dupuytren's disease is unknown, and the role of occupational exposure is still debated. Our objective was to study the association between occupational exposures, personal risk factors and Dupuytren's disease. Methods In this cross-sectional survey, nine occupational physicians performed clinical examinations, focused on Dupuytren's disease, of 2,406 French male civil servants employed at the Equipment Ministry in 1998 and interviewed them about medical history, leisure manual exposure and occupational biomechanical exposure to vibrations and manual work. A cumulative occupational exposure score was defined, with three levels of exposure. Results Dupuytren's disease was diagnosed in 212 men (8.8%). The occupational exposure score was significantly higher in this group of cases than in the rest of the sample (377 (SD280) vs. 223 (SD250), respectively; P,<,0.0001). Occupational exposure was associated with Dupuytren's disease (adjusted Odds Ratio,=,2.20 [1.39,3.45] for the intermediate and 3.10 [1.99,4.84] for the high exposure groups), with adjustment for age, leisure physical activities, alcohol consumption (,5 servings per day), history of diabetes, epilepsy, hand trauma, and familial history of Dupuytren's disease. Conclusion Manual work exposure was associated with Dupuytren's disease after adjustment for personal risk factors. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these results. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:9,15, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Psychosocial Factors Affecting Adults With Intellectual Disabilities With Psychiatric Disorders in Cali, ColombiaJOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2009Miguel Ángel Verdugo Abstract Increases in life expectancy have heightened concerns for people with intellectual disability (ID) who are growing old and who have be designated as "dually diagnosed",that is, who have, apart from their ID, a psychiatric disorder, and who because of this conjoint condition, are subjected to social exclusion due to three factors: old age, cognitive limitation, and mental illness. The objective of this study was to describe the psychosocial factors associated with the comorbidity between ID and psychiatric disorder of adults in the city of Cali, Colombia. Subjects were 50 dyads consisting of a carer and a person with ID. The Caregivers Questionnaire and the Integral Quality of Life Scale were adapted for use in the study. The analysis of information was based on three factors: person, family, and society. In the case of the personal factor, an adequate level of physical well-being and a good level of self-care were found in more than 60% of the adults with dual diagnosis, good adherence to treatment in 82%, and medium satisfaction in the individual-context relationship in 54%. With regard to the family factor, a high level of satisfaction of needs (84%) was found. Good family functioning was observed in 86%, while family participation in rehabilitation was reported to be between moderate and deficient in 60% of the cases. With respect to the social factor, cases of support between moderate and deficient were found in 68%, and a regular inclusion was observed in 48%. The authors conclude that the family functioning aspect appeared as the major protective factor, while the inclusion and social support were shown as the main risk factors. [source] Social functioning and communication in children with cerebral palsy: association with disease characteristics and personal and environmental factorsDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2010JEANINE M VOORMAN Aim, The objective of this longitudinal study was to describe the course of social functioning and communication in children with cerebral palsy (CP) over a 3-year period, its difference with the normative course, and its relationship with disease characteristics and personal and environmental factors. Method, Participants in this study were 110 children with CP (70 males, 40 females) with a mean age of 11 years and 3 months (SD 1y 8mo). Social functioning and communication were measured with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Comparisons were made with normative data; data were analysed with generalized estimating equations. According to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), 50 of the 110 children were categorized as GMFCS level I, 16 as level II, 13 as level III, 13 as level IV, and 18 as level V. Results, The course of social functioning over a 3-year period showed an increase in restrictions in children with CP (p<0.001). Restrictions in communication increased more in children with the most severe forms of CP (p<0.001). In addition to disease characteristics (GMFCS category, presence of epilepsy, and speech problems), personal factors (externalizing behaviour problems) and environmental factors (having no siblings, low parental level of education, and parental stress) were associated with greater restrictions in social functioning and communication. Interpretation, The results indicate that it is important to focus not only on the medical treatment of children with CP, but also on their behavioural problems and social circumstances, and to support the parents so that social functioning and communication in these children may be improved. [source] Content validity of the expanded and revised Gross Motor Function Classification SystemDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 10 2008Robert J Palisano PT ScD The aim of this study was to validate the expanded and revised Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS-E&R) for children and youth with cerebral palsy using group consensus methods. Eighteen physical therapists participated in a nominal group technique to evaluate the draft version of a 12- to 18-year age band. Subsequently, 30 health professionals from seven countries participated in a Delphi survey to evaluate the revised 12- to 18-year and 6- to 12-year age bands. Consensus was defined as agreement with a question by at least 80% of participants. After round 3 of the Delphi survey, consensus was achieved for the clarity and accuracy of the descriptions for each level and the distinctions between levels for both the 12- to 18-year and 6- to 12-year age bands. Participants also agreed that the distinction between capability and performance and the concept that environmental and personal factors influence methods of mobility were useful for classification of gross motor function. The results provide evidence of content validity of the GMFCS-E&R. The GMFCS-E&R has utility for communication, clinical decision making, databases, registries, and clinical research. [source] Cannabis and crime: findings from a longitudinal studyADDICTION, Issue 1 2010Willy Pedersen ABSTRACT Aim To examine the association between cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood, and subsequent criminal charges. Methods Data were obtained from the Young in Norway Longitudinal Study. A population-based sample (n = 1353) was followed from 13 to 27 years of age. Data were gathered on cannabis use, alcohol consumption and alcohol problems, and use of other illegal substances such as amphetamines, cocaine and opiates. In addition, extensive information on socio-demographic, family and personal factors was collected. This data set was linked to individual-level information from official Norwegian crime statistics. Findings We found robust associations between cannabis use and later registered criminal charges, both in adolescence and in young adulthood. These associations were adjusted for a range of confounding factors, such as family socio-economic background, parental support and monitoring, educational achievement and career, previous criminal charges, conduct problems and history of cohabitation and marriage. In separate models, we controlled for alcohol measures and for use of other illegal substances. After adjustment, we still found strong associations between cannabis use and later criminal charges. However, when eliminating all types of drug-specific charges from our models, we no longer observed any significant association with cannabis use. Conclusions The study suggests that cannabis use in adolescence and early adulthood may be associated with subsequent involvement in criminal activity. However, the bulk of this involvement seems to be related to various types of drug-specific crime. Thus, the association seems to rest on the fact that use, possession and distribution of drugs such as cannabis is illegal. The study strengthens concerns about the laws relating to the use, possession and distribution of cannabis. [source] A socio-cognitive interpretation of the potential effects of downsizing on software quality performanceINFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010Paul J. Ambrose Abstract Organizational downsizing research indicates that downsizing does not always realize its strategic intent and may, in fact, have a detrimental impact on organizational performance. In this paper, we extend the notion that downsizing negatively impacts performance and argue that organizational downsizing can potentially be detrimental to software quality performance. Using social cognitive theory (SCT), we primarily interpret the negative impacts of downsizing on software quality performance by arguing that downsizing results in a realignment of social networks (environmental factors), thereby affecting the self-efficacy and outcome expectations of a software professional (personal factors), which, in turn, affect software quality performance (outcome of behaviour undertaken). We synthesize relevant literature from the software quality, SCT and downsizing research streams and develop a conceptual model. Two major impacts of downsizing are hypothesized in the conceptual model. First, downsizing destroys formal and informal social networks in organizations, which, in turn, negatively impacts software developers' self-efficacy and outcome expectations through their antecedents, with consequent negative impacts on software development process efficiency and software product quality, the two major components of software quality performance. Second, downsizing negatively affects antecedents of software development process efficiency, namely top management leadership, management infrastructure sophistication, process management efficacy and stakeholder participation with consequent negative impacts on software quality performance. This theoretically grounded discourse can help demonstrate how organizational downsizing can potentially impact software quality performance through key intervening constructs. We also discuss how downsizing and other intervening constructs can be managed to mitigate the negative impacts of downsizing on software quality performance. [source] The need for nurses to have in service education to provide the best care for clients with chest drainsJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Cert., DANIELA LEHWALDT BNS The need for nurses to have in service education to provide the best care for clients with chest drains Chest drains are a widespread intervention for patients admitted to acute respiratory or cardiothoracic surgery care areas. These are either inserted intraoperatively or as part of the conservative management of a respiratory illness or thoracic injury. Anecdotally there appears to be a lack of consensus among nurses on the major principles of chest drain management. Many decisions tend to be based on personal factors rather than sound clinical evidence. This inconsistency of treatment regimes, together with the lack of evidence-based nursing care, creates a general uncertainty regarding the care of patients with chest drains. This study aimed to identify the nurses' levels of knowledge with regard to chest drain management and identify and to ascertain how nurses keep informed about the developments related to the care of patients with chest drains. The data were collected using survey method. The results of the study revealed deficits in knowledge in a selected group of nurses and a paucity of resources. Nurse managers are encouraged to identify educational needs in this area, improve resources and the delivery of in service and web-based education and to encourage nurses to reflect upon their own knowledge deficits through portfolio use and ongoing professional development. [source] Personal and non-occupational risk factors and occupational injury/illnessAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2006Brian N. Craig PhD Abstract Background The materials handling industry performs is an essential function in the world economy, however, it is plagued with occupationally related injuries and illnesses. Understanding the risk factors may assist this industry in alleviating these injuries and illnesses, as well as their associated costs. Methods Forty-eight personal and non-occupational risk factors were measured and evaluated for statistically significant relationships with occupational injury in 442 volunteer manual material handlers who worked for three different companies, at nine US locations, with 15 different job descriptions. OSHA 200 logs were used to ascertain evidence of occupational injury within this population for 1 year after the testing and measurement was completed. Results Higher occurrences of injury were significantly associated with six risk factors in the univariate model (odds ratios 1.51,4.00). The significantly (P,<,0.05) related risk factors in the univariate model were aerobic power, smoking status, perceived fitness level, fishing/hunting as a hobby, speed limit obeyance, and witnessing or being involved in a violent fight. In the multivariate analysis, five risk factors (aerobic power, smoking status, percent body fat, body mass index, and sit-and-reach measured flexibility) were significantly (P,<,0.05) associated with occupational injury. Odds ratios in the multivariate analysis varied from 1.42 to 10.11. Conclusion Evidence of an association of occupational injury occurrence with certain risk factors presented in personal and non-occupational univariate and multivariate models is shown. In industry, effective injury reduction programs should go beyond traditional methods of job-related ergonomic risk factors and include personal factors such as smoking, weight control, and alcohol abuse. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:249,260, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Information provision to clients with stroke and their carers: Self-reported practices of occupational therapistsAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010Louise Gustafsson Background:,The literature promotes the use of a wide range of educational materials for teaching and training clients with chronic conditions such as stroke. Client education is a valuable tool used by occupational therapists to facilitate client and carer ability to manage the stroke-affected upper limb. The aim of this study was to identify what information was provided to clients and carers, how this information was delivered, when the information was delivered and the client factors that influenced the method of information provision. Methods:,Convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit occupational therapists working in stroke. Twenty-eight participants completed the study questionnaire anonymously and their responses were summarised descriptively. Results:,There was a clinically important trend for carers to receive less information than clients. Written and/or verbal information was the favoured method for delivering information related to handling (57%), soft-tissue injury minimisation (46.4%) and oedema management (50%). Information was delivered with decreasing frequency from admission (86%) to discharge (64%). More than 90% of participants indicated that the client's cognitive ability, visual ability, level of communication, primary language and perceptual ability were considered prior to the delivery of information. Discussion:,Participants regularly conveyed information to clients and carers with respect to management of the stroke-affected upper limb. However, an increased emphasis on the development of practical self-management skills, awareness of the impact of personal factors and a timeline for information provision may prove useful. [source] Recruitment and retention issues for occupational therapists in mental health: Balancing the pull and the pushAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2010Justin Newton Scanlan Background/aim:,Recruitment and retention issues for mental health occupational therapists have been the subject of significant concern for many years. This paper describes recruitment and retention issues as reported by mental health occupational therapists employed by a large Area Health Service in metropolitan Sydney. Method:,Thirty-eight mental health occupational therapists (response rate 84%) completed a survey in the first half of 2008. Key themes investigated were: overall satisfaction; attractive elements of positions; positive aspects of positions; constraints of positions; factors associated with leaving positions; supervision; professional development; career pathways; and interest in and access to management positions. Results:,Key elements that kept respondents in positions included the nature of the work, being in a supportive team and the opportunity to use occupational therapy skills. Elements that prompted people to consider leaving positions were the desire for new and different types of work, a desire to work closer to home, insufficient time or high workloads, feeling ,bored' or ,stale', organisational change or juggling multiple demands, working in unsupportive or dysfunctional teams and family or other personal factors. Conclusions:,The results supported the development of a ,push and pull' conceptualisation of recruitment and retention issues, including job-related (intrinsic) and non-job-related (extrinsic) issues. This conceptualisation allows organisations to closely examine factors that attract practitioners to positions and those that support or damage staff tenure. [source] Discretion unbound: Reconciling the Charter and soft lawCANADIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA, Issue 4 2002Lorne Sossin This study explores the relationship between discretion and the Charter and argues for a broader, more contextual approach to remedying the source of unconstitutional discretion. Guidance as to how to exercise broad discretionary authority comes in the form of "soft law," which encompasses a variety of non-legislative instruments such as policy guidelines and training materials, and which, more informally, extends to administrative culture. Administrative discretion involves choices and judgements usually shaped by a range of legal, bureaucratic, social and personal factors. Under present jurisprudence, the less precise a statutory discretion and the greater the reliance on non-legislative guidelines, the more difficult that discretion will be to subject to constitutional scrutiny. This article challenges this logic and concludes that respect for governmental accountability and the rule of law require bringing soft law out of the constitutional shadows. The first part of the analysis examines the regulation of discretion generally and soft law specifically outside the Charter. The second part analyses the leading case law on the regulation of discretion under the Charter. The third section explores the intersection of discretion, soft law and the Charter. Finally, the fourth section considers the problem of remedying unconstitutional exercises of discretionary authority. Alternative principles are suggested for the development and application of soft law, which envisions a central role for the Charter in rendering the discretionary decision-making process more accountable and just. A version of this paper was first presented at a workshop for the Twenty Years Under the Charter Conference, Association of Canadian Studies, Ottawa, 19 April 2002. The author is associate professor, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. He is grateful to those who participated in that workshop for their suggestions and comments, as well as to Robert Chamey, David Dyzenhaus, Ian Greene, Nicholas Lambert, Ian Morrison and David Mullan, who commented on an earlier version of this paper. He is also indebted to his colleagues Sujit Choudhry and Kent Roach, who have shared their work on related themes. He would like to thank Laura Pottie and Aaron Delaney for their superb research assistance. He wishes to acknowledge the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, and the Connaught Foundation for their generous financial support of this research. Finally, he acknowledges the Journal's anonymous reviewers for their comments. [source] Lay constructions of decision-making in cancerPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2002M.J. Henman In recent years there has been increased emphasis on involving people in decision-making about their medical care. However, few studies have addressed the questions of why women with cancer want information, and what they believe to be the important factors influencing their decision-making. In order to examine these questions 20 women with cancer were interviewed via telephone 2 weeks after their first consultation with one of 6 medical oncologists. Recruitment continued until informational redundancy was achieved. While women cited the risk of recurrence, life expectancy, side-effects, and quality of life as influencing their decisions, they placed at least as much emphasis on their personal relationship with the specialist. These ,personal' factors included: feeling that the doctor cared for, understood and respected them; that they could trust and have confidence in the doctor; that the doctor would give them enough time; that they would be listened to; and that the doctor would be open and honest. If these factors were felt to be present, many women were happy to accept the doctor's recommendation, confident that they would receive the optimum treatment. However, many women felt there was no decision to be made: further treatment must be undertaken to reduce risk, and minor variations in the treatment protocol were of little significance. These results underline the importance of establishing patient priorities and concerns before embarking on discussions about treatment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||