The case of the disappearing teaspoons: longitudinal cohort study of the displacement of teaspoons in an Australian research institute.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine the overall rate of loss of workplace teaspoons and whether attrition and displacement are correlated with the relative value of the teaspoons or type of tearoom.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Research institute employing about 140 people.

Subjects

70 discreetly numbered teaspoons placed in tearooms around the institute and observed weekly over five months.

Main outcome measures

Incidence of teaspoon loss per 100 teaspoon years and teaspoon half life.

Results

56 (80%) of the 70 teaspoons disappeared during the study. The half life of the teaspoons was 81 days. The half life of teaspoons in communal tearooms (42 days) was significantly shorter than for those in rooms associated with particular research groups (77

SUBMITTER: Lim MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1322240 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature