Correction: Morning boost on individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing indicators with supportive, dynamic lighting in windowless open-plan workplace in Malaysia.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207488.].
Correction: Morning boost on individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing indicators with supportive, dynamic lighting in windowless open-plan workplace in Malaysia.
PloS one 20181228 12
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207488.]. ...[more]
Project description:Workplace architectural lighting conditions that are biologically dim during the day are causing healthy individuals to experience light-induced health and performance-related problems. Dynamic lighting was reported beneficial in supporting individuals' psychological behavior and physiological responses during work period in Europe. It has yet to be investigated in workplaces with minimal/no natural daylight contribution in tropical Malaysia. Hence, an exploratory experimental study was initiated in an experimental windowless open-plan workplace in Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang. The aim was to identify dynamic lighting configurations that were more supportive of a morning boosting effect than the control constant lighting, to support dayshift individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing indicators during the peak morning work period. The immediate impact of a 2-hour morning exposure to overhead white LED (6500 K) with different horizontal illuminance levels and oscillations (lighting patterns) were investigated on physiological indicator limited to urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, and psychological indicators for alertness, mood, visual comfort, cognitive and visual task performance. Not all of the investigated dynamic lighting configurations were supportive of a morning boost. Only configurations 500increased to750 and 500increased to1000 lx therapeutically supported most of the indicators. Both these configurations suppressed urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, and improved alertness, cognitive performance, positive affect, and visual comfort better than 'visit 1: 500constant500' lx (control). The increasing oscillation was observed more beneficial for the morning boost in tropical Malaysia, which is in reverse to that specified in the human rhythmic dynamic lighting protocol developed by researchers from the Netherlands for application during winter. The findings from this study present the feasibility of dynamic architectural lighting acting as an environmental therapeutic solution in supporting the individuals' psychophysiological wellbeing indicators in windowless open-plan workplace in tropical Malaysia. Further investigations on the two prospective configurations are recommended to determine the better supportive one for the morning boosting effect in Malaysia.
Project description:Organizations typically deploy multiple health and wellbeing practices in an overall program. We explore whether practices in workplace health and wellbeing programs cohere around a small number of archetypal categories or whether differences between organizations are better explained by a continuum. We also examine whether adopting multiple practices predicts subsequent changes in health and wellbeing. Using survey data from 146 organizations, we found differences between organizations were best characterized by a continuum ranging from less to more extensive adoption of practices. Using two-wave multilevel survey data at both individual and organizational levels (N = 6968 individuals, N = 58 organizations), we found that, in organizations that adopt a wider range of health and wellbeing practices, workers with poor baseline psychological wellbeing were more likely to report subsequent improvements in wellbeing and workers who reported good physical health at baseline were less likely to report experiencing poor health at follow-up. We found no evidence that adopting multiple health and wellbeing practices buffered the impact of individuals' workplace psychosocial hazards on physical health or psychological wellbeing.
Project description:BackgroundThe lighting environment in intensive care units (ICUs) is markedly different from natural light, potentially disrupting patients' circadian rhythms and impacting staff wellbeing. New lighting technologies may mitigate these effects.MethodsA mixed methods service evaluation was conducted in a London ICU using Dyson Lightcycle™ luminaires (DLs) to evaluate staff wellbeing. Wellbeing assessments and user perceptions of the built environment were conducted using validated questionnaires before, during, and after DL deployment. Existing ambient light usage was measured using HOBO devices installed on the ceiling. Additionally, data on DL usage (including spectral data) were collected continuously using Raspberry Pi™ sensors.ResultsDL usage was high (>70% per 24 h), primarily as supplementary lighting. Users found DLs easy to control and beneficial for clinical and administrative tasks. Participants assigned a 12.5% higher satisfaction score rated from 0 to 8 of lighting overall during deployment compared to pre-deployment (6.06 ± 0.29 and 5.06 ± 0.60, respectively; p = 0.20). Control variables for the built environment (noise, temperature and air quality) remained unchanged. Staff reported improvements in mood (38%, p < 0.001), fatigue (17.7%, p < 0.001), and sleep quality (21.2%, p = 0.01) during DL use.DiscussionIn the first pilot feasibility service evaluation of its kind, the relationship between ICU lighting quality and staff wellbeing was investigated using DLs. We show that it is feasible to equip an ICU with a novel mode of lighting to evaluate both illuminance and user-centred outcomes. The study suggests a positive association between DL use and staff wellbeing, with notable improvements in mood, fatigue and sleep quality. The nature of the emitted light may enhance the space rather than simply illuminate, thus further adding to a feeling of wellbeing. These findings support data from studies which report effects of light brightness and colour on mood. Additionally, there appears to be a signal towards benefit to the user when additional lighting is provided, compared to the current overhead fluorescent luminaires prevalent in most ICUs. In this service evaluation these benefits were demonstrated in ICU staff operating the device. However, it is conceivable that effects such as improved mood and reduced sleep disturbance may have patient benefits too.ConclusionLocal lighting systems like DLs show promise in enhancing ICU staff wellbeing. Their impact on patient outcomes and the potential for broader implementation deserve further investigation in appropriately designed and powered larger-scale trials.
Project description:The purpose of the work was to identify the influence of functional class and degree of damage to extremities on psychophysiological indicators of Paralympians. The study involved 33 elite athletes with musculoskeletal system disorders of the 6 (n = 15) and 10 (n = 18) functional classes in table tennis, aged 21⁻25 years old. Parameters characteristic for determining the psychophysiological state and typological characteristics of the nervous system were analyzed with the help of computer programs for psychophysiological testing. We determined the latent time of simple and complex reactions in different testing modes. Dispersion analysis was also used. We applied single-factor multidimensional dispersion analysis: one-way analysis of variance and General Linear Model, Multivariate. The indicators of psychophysiological testing were applied as dependent variables. The values of the functional class of athletes were used as the independent variable. To study the influence of damage degree of the upper or lower extremities on psychophysiological indicators, the extremities damage degree was applied as an independent variable. The time in the Paralympic 6 functional class to reach the minimum signal exposure in feedback mode was significantly longer compared with the 10 Paralympic functional class (p < 0.05). Comparing psychophysiological indicators when Paralympians are divided into groups more differentiated than functional classes (that is, according to the nature of the disease or the degree of limb lesions), significant differences were found in all psychophysiological indicators between the athletes of different groups. The greatest impact on psychophysiological indicators was a lesion of the lower extremities. The training of Paralympians in table tennis should consider the reaction rate indicators. In addition, when improving the functional classification of Paralympians in table tennis, a more differentiated approach should be taken when considering their capabilities, including psychophysiological indicators. During training and functional classification of Paralympic athletes in table tennis, it is important to consider their functional class as well as the degree of damage to upper and lower extremities and the level of psychophysiological functioning.
Project description:IntroductionWorkplace bullying (WPB) among trainee doctors is a concerning problem in Malaysia. However, there is still limited understanding regarding the influence of trainee doctors' personality traits on WPB. Furthermore, the impact of contract employment status on WPB among trainee doctors is not yet well-defined. To address these gaps, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of WPB among trainee doctors and to examine the association of sociodemographic characteristics, job characteristics, and personality traits with WPB among trainee doctors in Malaysia.MethodsA multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted with 264 trainee doctors in Selangor, Malaysia. Eligible participants were provided with sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, job characteristics questionnaire, WPB questionnaire, and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10). Chi-square tests were used to examine the association between: (i) sociodemographic characteristics and WPB, (ii) job characteristics and WPB; and (iii) personality traits and WPB. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between the significant independent variables (as determined from Chi-square tests) and WPB.ResultsThe prevalence of WPB was 45.1 %, with verbal abuse being the most common form of bullying (46.2 %). Chi-square test showed that only marital status and low agreeableness were significantly associated with WPB. Subsequently, multiple logistic regression demonstrated that being married (OR: 1.866; 95 % CI: 1.077-3.234) and low agreeableness (OR: 2.287; 95 % CI: 1.169-4.473) were significant predictors of WPB.ConclusionThe high prevalence of WPB among trainee doctors could be attributed by marriage and low agreeableness personality traits in this population. In order to minimise WPB and maximise workforce potential, it is essential for healthcare institutions and medical training programmes to recognise this vulnerabilities and take steps to protect and support trainee doctors who are married and/or with low agreeableness personality trait.
Project description:Facial expressions provide insight into a person's emotional experience. To automatically decode these expressions has been made possible by tremendous progress in the field of computer vision. Researchers are now able to decode emotional facial expressions with impressive accuracy in standardized images of prototypical basic emotions. We tested the sensitivity of a well-established automatic facial coding software program to detect spontaneous emotional reactions in individuals responding to emotional pictures. We compared automatically generated scores for valence and arousal of the Facereader (FR; Noldus Information Technology) with the current psychophysiological gold standard of measuring emotional valence (Facial Electromyography, EMG) and arousal (Skin Conductance, SC). We recorded physiological and behavioral measurements of 43 healthy participants while they looked at pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral scenes. When viewing pleasant pictures, FR Valence and EMG were both comparably sensitive. However, for unpleasant pictures, FR Valence showed an expected negative shift, but the signal differentiated not well between responses to neutral and unpleasant stimuli, that were distinguishable with EMG. Furthermore, FR Arousal values had a stronger correlation with self-reported valence than with arousal while SC was sensitive and specifically associated with self-reported arousal. This is the first study to systematically compare FR measurement of spontaneous emotional reactions to standardized emotional images with established psychophysiological measurement tools. This novel technology has yet to make strides to surpass the sensitivity of established psychophysiological measures. However, it provides a promising new measurement technique for non-contact assessment of emotional responses.
Project description:An extremely useful theoretical approach to understanding the nature of work, health, and wellbeing is the job demand-control (JDC) model and the job demand-control-support (JDCS) model. In order for professional workers in the nongovernmental organization (NGO) sector to do their job, it is necessary for them to have a feeling of wellbeing. Despite this, in Europe, studies regarding the effects of the JDCS model in relation to workers' wellbeing have not been carried out. This study is expected to fill this important gap in research by analyzing the relationship of wellbeing with work demands, work control, and social support. In order to corroborate the proposed hypotheses, an analysis of these constructs in employees in European nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) was developed and, using structural equation models, these relationships were tested. The results confirm the main hypothesis of the job demand-control-support (JDCS) model and the causal relationship among physical and psychological demands, work control, and support from supervisors and colleagues with the level of employee wellbeing.
Project description:BackgroundPatient-powered research networks (PPRNs) have been employing and exploring different methods to engage patients in research activities specific to their conditions. One way to intensify patient engagement is to partner with payer stakeholders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two common payer-initiated outreach methods (postal mail versus email) for inviting prospective candidates to participate in their initiatives.MethodsThis descriptive study linked members of a nationally-representative private insurance network to four disease-specific PPRN registries. Eligible members meeting diagnostic criteria who were not registered in any of the four PPRNs by 02/28/2018 were identified, and randomly assigned to either the mail or email group. They were contacted in two outreach efforts: first on 04/23/2018, and one follow-up on 05/23/2018. New registration rates by outreach method as of 8/31/2018 were determined by relinking. We compared registrants and non-registrants using bivariate analysis.ResultsA total of 14,571 patients were assigned to the mail group, and 14,574 to the email group. Invitations were successfully delivered to 13,834 (94.9%) mail group and 10,205 (70.0%) email group members. A small but significantly larger proportion of mail group members, (n = 78; 0.54, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] {0.42-0.67%}) registered in PPRNs relative to the email group (n = 24; 0.16, 95% CI {0.11-0.25%}), p < 0.001. Members who registered had more comorbidities, were more likely to be female, and had marginally greater medical utilization, especially emergency room visits, relative to non-registrants (52.0% vs. 42.5%, p = 0.05).ConclusionA health plan outreach to invite members to participate in PPRNs was modestly effective. Regular mail outperformed less costly email. Providing more value-add to participants may be a possible way to increase recruitment success.
Project description:This study offers a new perspective on the role of relative humidity in strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of office workers. A lack of studies of sufficient participant size and diversity relating relative humidity (RH) to measured health outcomes has been a driving factor in relaxing thermal comfort standards for RH and removing a lower limit for dry air. We examined the association between RH and objectively measured stress responses, physical activity (PA), and sleep quality. A diverse group of office workers (n = 134) from four well-functioning federal buildings wore chest-mounted heart rate variability monitors for three consecutive days, while at the same time, RH and temperature (T) were measured in their workplaces. Those who spent the majority of their time at the office in conditions of 30%-60% RH experienced 25% less stress at the office than those who spent the majority of their time in drier conditions. Further, a correlational study of our stress response suggests optimal values for RH may exist within an even narrower range around 45%. Finally, we found an indirect effect of objectively measured poorer sleep quality, mediated by stress responses, for those outside this range.