The studies exploring the mechanisms by which organisational changes may impact health outcomes are lacking. The objectives of the study were to examine the prospective associations of organisational changes with the deterioration of psychosocial work factors. The study was based on the prospective data of the national French working conditions survey collected in 2013, 2016, and 2019. The study sample included 5200 employees working in the private sector. A large set of organisational changes and psychosocial work factors were collected from employers and employees respectively. Multilevel mixed-effects robust Poisson regression models were used. Organisational changes were prospectively associated with the deterioration of psychosocial work factors related to job insecurity, role stressors, and job demands. The strongest prospective association was found between downsizing and the increase in job insecurity. The associations between organisational changes and health outcomes may be mediated by psychosocial work factors.

Background: Platform work offers flexibility and autonomy to workers, but there are concerns about the impacts of excessive labor control exercised by digital platforms using algorithmic management. This study assessed the level of labor control exerted by digital platforms and explored its associations with psychosocial work conditions and workers' mental well-being. Methods: A total of 487 location-based platform workers in Taiwan, encompassing ride-hailing, delivery, and house chore services, participated in this questionnaire survey. A 5-item scale was created to assess platform-mediated labor control. Psychosocial work conditions, including demands, job control, work rewards, and mental well-being, including burnout and self-rated mental health status, were assessed using validated instruments. Cronbach's α and principal component analysis were employed to assess the validity of the labor control scale. Logistic regression analysis and path analysis were conducted to investigate the relationship between labor control and workers' mental health. Results: Exploratory factor analyses confirmed the structural validity and the internal consistency of the scale. Logistic regression models revealed that higher levels of labor control were associated with an increased risk of burnout and poorer mental health. Path analyses further indicated that higher labor control through digital platforms raised mental health risks by increasing job demands. Conclusion Algorithmic management is associated with increased stress among platform workers as they try to meet the platform's performance metrics.

Background: The study was planned to determine the attitudes of medical faculty students in clinics toward patient safety. Methods: It is a mixed-design study using quantitative and qualitative methods. The “student information form” and the “Attitudes toward Patient Safety Culture Questionnaire (APSQ)” created using “Google Forms” were e-mailed to clinical students of the medical faculty. Quantitative data were collected from 125 students. Then, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with six students from each class. The data were obtained through video and audio recordings of the 45-minute interviews through the Zoom program. Results: According to the results, 86% of the 125 students did not receive any training on patient safety. The total score of the students on the APSQ was 94.87 ± 14.32. Six main themes and twenty sub-themes emerged from the qualitative data. The main themes are students' awareness of patient safety, students' misconceptions about “patient safety,” students' knowledge about the scope of patient safety, students' experiences with medical errors, deficiencies in educational processes on patient safety, and suggestions for educational approaches to patient safety. Conclusions After completing undergraduate medical education, physicians typically assume roles as general practitioners in various healthcare settings, such as hospital’s emergency departments, home care, or community health centers. The lack of awareness among medical students about patient safety is a significant concern that needs to be addressed. As stakeholders in their education, students recognize the importance of being well-prepared to provide safe and effective patient care in their future roles as physicians.

Background: Agriculture is vital for economic growth and livelihoods in northern Thailand, yet it is challenged by hazardous practices such as improper chemical use and machinery accidents. This study aimed to evaluate the risk and determine the relationship between pesticide exposure and knowledge, attitudes, and safety behaviors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2017 in the San Pa Tong district of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with 280 farmers. Results: The findings indicated that knowledge and safety behavior scores varied significantly with educational attainment and training received. Farmers with higher education levels or those who had undergone training exhibited better knowledge and safer behavioral practices, whereas income levels did not significantly affect knowledge or safety behaviors. The pesticide exposure risk level was associated with the study variables, with those recognizing a ‘normal’ risk level demonstrating greater knowledge and safer behaviors than those who reported the risk level as safe or at risk. A strong positive correlation between knowledge and safety behavior was observed, indicating that increased awareness can result in more cautious practices. These findings suggest that educational and training programs are crucial for promoting safer pesticide use among farmers. Although attitudes toward pesticide safety varied based on income, education, and training positively influenced knowledge and behavior. Conclusion The study concludes that understanding farmers’ perceptions of pesticide risks is essential for designing and implementing effective educational interventions.

Workers and employers in the informal economy are often outside the scope of legal frameworks of occupational safety and health (OSH) service in South Asia. The present study aimed to find practical support measures to improve their safety and health. International Labour Organization’s participatory training activities in five selected informal economy workplaces comprising waste collection and recycling in India, sewage cleaning in Pakistan, home-based manufacturing in Nepal, small-scale construction in Nepal, and cotton farming in India were studied. The common steps taken in the training were collaboration with local trade unions and employer organizations to reach informal economy workplaces, collection of local good practices in OSH for designing participatory training contents, training worker and employer OSH trainers, assisting trained worker and employer trainers in conducting cascading training activities in their own workplaces, and follow-up visits for support and sustainability. It was found that working with local trade unions and employer organizations had the strong potential to reach various informal economy workplaces. Applying the easy-to-apply participatory training methodologies was vital in delivering practical OSH support.

Background: Long working hours and caregiving responsibilities are prevalent in many societies. These demands can lead to stress and adverse mental health outcomes. This study examines the associations of long working hours and family caregiving on psychological well-being and their interactions among South Korean wage workers. Methods: Using data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey, this cross-sectional study involved 33,063 participants. Long working hours were categorized as 40 and 52 hours a week, and caregiving was assessed through self-reports of non-work-related caregiving activities. The World Health Organization Well-Being Index was used to measure psychological well-being, with Poisson regression models analyzing the associations and interactions between working hours, caregiving activities, and psychological well-being. Results: The prevalence of low psychological well-being was significantly higher among individuals with both long working hours and caregiving responsibilities than among those with either or neither stressor (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.81; 95% confidence interval: 1.42–2.31, multiplicative scale = 1.32; 95% confidence interval: 1.00–1.73). Conclusion This study highlights the significant mental health implications of combining long working hours with caregiving responsibilities in the Republic of Korea. The synergistic interaction between these factors suggests that interventions and policies aimed at reducing work-related stress and supporting caregivers could have substantial benefits for mental health.

Background: Firefighting is risky and impacts the mental and physical health of personnel. While most research focuses on men firefighters, recent work has highlighted mental health concerns among women including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Social support is a known protective factor for mental health; however, women may be excluded from the supportive peer network of the firehouse. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared the prevalence of perceived stress, peer (functional) support, anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic work discrimination and harassment, resilience, and job satisfaction in recruit (n=184) and incumbent (n=200) career women firefighters. Results: While depression and perceived stress did not differ between recruits and incumbents, recruits were more likely to score in the range of concern for anxiety (26.1% and 15.5%, respectively). Incumbents were more likely to score at risk for PTSD (16.5% and 10.3%, respectively) and more likely to report sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexist behaviors in the workplace. Compared to the low stress group, those who reported moderate or high stress were more likely to score in the range of concern for anxiety (OR=3.86, CI=1.76-8.89) and PTSD (OR=1.30, CI=1.15-1.47), and report poor organizational cohesion (OR=1.13, CI=1.02-1.25). Conclusion Addressing mental health in the context of women firefighters requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach including collaboration between fire departments, mental health professionals, advocacy groups, and the broader community.

Background: In the Chinese coal industry, widespread blame avoidance behavior (BAB) greatly impacts coal mine accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to stop the BAB of coal mine managers and raise the management level of coal mine enterprises for the safe development of Chinese coal industry. Methods: Based on the semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys (20 middle-level managers in coal mines), this paper used the Grounded Theory and Nvivo Software qualitative research methodology to open, spindle, and selectively encode the interview data. Then, an index system of factors influencing BAB of coal mine managers was constructed. The influence degree, affected degree, centrality degree, cause degree of each influencing factor were calculated and the hierarchical model of influencing factors of BAB of coal mine managers was established by the DEMATEL-ISM method which is a decision support tool used to evaluate and analyze the interdependencies between influencing factors. Results: Index system of factors influencing BAB of coal mine managers included four levels and 12 influencing factors: individual, organizational, institutional environmental, and situational factors. The hierarchical model identified eight causal factors and four consequential factors, of which safety management (15.355), work attitude (14.380), and work group performance (14.281) in the top three of the centrality rankings are the key factors affecting the avoidance behavior of coal mine managers; A 3-level multilevel structure was constructed to reflect the interactions among the factors influencing the BAB of coal mine managers in terms of direct, indirect, and root causes, and corresponding improvement measures were proposed. Conclusion This study offers a theoretical complement and practical guidance for stopping BAB of coal mine managers.

Background: Work organization and psychosocial factors influencing sleep patterns may be significant risk factors for developing obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the impact on the health of working patterns in the fishing sector is not well characterized. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of MetS and its components in fishermen and to analyze occupational-specific risk factors contributing to metabolic alterations. Methods: One hundred forty-three male fishermen from Apulia (Southern Italy) and 93 male university workers age-matched and from the same geographical area were included in this cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was administered to investigate socio-demographic variables, work activity, health status, and dietary habits. All subjects underwent clinical evaluation and blood sampling to depict their metabolic profile. Results: A higher body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (p < 0.001) were observed in fishermen than in university workers. No significant difference between the two groups was observed in the prevalence of MetS (15.4% fishermen vs 16.1% university workers) and its relevant diagnostic criteria, except abdominal obesity (42.7% fishermen vs 29.0% university workers, p = 0.021). The Castelli risk index, the monocyte/c-HDL ratio, and the Sokolow index were significantly greater in fishermen (p < 0.001). In the fishermen group, the total number of sleeping hours on working days was negatively correlated with WC (r = -0.17; p = 0.04), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (c-LDL) (r = -0.21; p = 0.02), and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index (r = -0.19; p = 0.02). Conclusion The higher prevalence of obesity and the imbalance of the metabolic profile observed in fishermen could be related to occupational factors, including the specific working pattern that influences their sleeping hours and sleeping-waking rhythms.