Alicia G. Dugan

Understanding the roles of subjective and objective aspects of time in the work-family interface

The experience of time has been posited as an important predictor of work-family conflict; however, few studies have considered subjective and objective aspects of time conjointly. This study examined the reported number of hours dedicated to work and family as indices of objective aspects of time, and perceived time pressure (in the work and family domains respectively) as an important feature of the subjective nature of temporal experiences within the work-family interface. Results indicate that the stress of having insufficient time to fulfill commitments in one domain (i.e., perceived time pressure) predicts work-family conflict, and that perceived time pressures predict the amount of time allocated to a domain. Additionally, findings suggest that domain boundaries are not symmetrical, with work boundaries being more rigidly constructed than family boundaries. Work-to-family and family-to-work conflict were generally related to overall health, turnover intentions, and work performance, as expected.

Dissemination and Implementation Research for Occupational Safety and Health

The translation of evidence-based health innovations into real-world practice is both incomplete and exceedingly slow. This represents a poor return on research investment dollars for the general public. U.S. funders of health sciences research (e.g., NIH, CDC, NIOSH) are increasingly calling for dissemination plans, and to a lesser extent for dissemination and implementation (D&I) research, which are studies that examine the effectiveness of D&I efforts and strategies and the predictors of D&I success. For example, rather than merely broadcasting information about a preventable hazard, D&I research in occupational safety and health (OSH) might examine how employers or practitioners are most likely to receive and act upon that information. We propose here that D&I research should be seen as a dedicated and necessary area of study within OSH, as a way to generate new knowledge that can bridge the research-to-practice gap. We present D&I concepts, frameworks, and examples that can increase the capacity of OSH professionals to conduct D&I research and accelerate the translation of research findings into meaningful everyday practice to improve worker safety and health.

Work Characteristics as Predictors of Correctional Supervisors' Health Outcomes.

Objective: This study examined associations among health behaviors, psychosocial work factors, and health status. Methods: Correctional supervisors (n = 157) completed a survey that assessed interpersonal and organizational views on health. Chi-square and logistic regressions were used to examine relationships among variables. Results: Respondents had a higher prevalence of obesity and comorbidities compared with the general US adult population. Burnout was significantly associated with nutrition, physical activity, sleep duration, sleep quality, diabetes, and anxiety/depression. Job meaning, job satisfaction, and workplace social support may predict health behaviors and outcomes. Conclusions: Correctional supervisors are understudied and have poor overall health status. Improving health behaviors of middle-management employees may have a beneficial effect on the health of the entire workforce. This paper demonstrates the importance of psychosocial work factors that may contribute to health behaviors and outcomes.

Workplace cohort studies in times of economic instability.

BACKGROUND A prospective study directed to musculoskeletal health in the manufacturing workforce. METHODS A 36-month longitudinal study using mixed method; surveys with work and non-work psychosocial variables, physiologic measurements physical performance, interviews and focus groups, and direct observation of work activity. RESULTS Changing economic conditions introduced barriers requiring recruiting a larger number of study sites. Study adherence was unexpectedly high. Coincident with their economic concerns, participants perceived an increase in workplace stress, but not physical demand. New instruments were added to assess economic effects on retirement planning and the physical and emotional costs of caregiving responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS The economic conditions required adaptive alterations in design due to workforce volatility but presented opportunities for studying the link between working conditions and health. Nevertheless, study size expectations were met through an adaptive approach that suggests a potential effect of the economy on health and well-being.

Associations among Work and Family Health Climate, Health Behaviors, Work Schedule and Body Weight

Objectives: Correctional employees exhibit elevated obesity rates. This study examines interrelations among health behaviors, health climate, body mass index (BMI), and work schedule. Methods: Using survey results from correctional supervisors (n = 157), mediation and moderated-mediation analyses were performed to examine how health behaviors explain relationships between obesity, work health climate (WHC) and family health climate (FHC), and work schedule. Results: Over 85% of the sample was overweight/obese (mean BMI = 30.20). Higher WHC and FHC were associated with lower BMI, mediated by nutrition, and physical activity. The interaction effect between health behavior and work schedule revealed a protective effect on BMI. Overtime shift work may share a relationship with BMI. Conclusions: Findings may have implications for reexamining organizational policies on maximum weekly overtime in corrections. They provide direction for targeted obesity interventions that encourage a supportive FHC and promote healthy behaviors among supervisors working overtime.

Associations of eldercare and competing demands with health and work outcomes among manufacturing workers

ABSTRACT Employees juggling eldercare and work report work–family conflicts and poor health-related outcomes, but little is known about eldercare demands (ECDs) in the context of competing demands in the manufacturing workforce. This study determines how ECDs vary by age, gender, income, and job category, and how ECDs and competing demands are associated with health-related and work-related outcomes, among manufacturing workers. Employees from six manufacturing companies completed questionnaires. ECDs were defined as providing assistance to an adult aged 65 and older due to disability or chronic illness; those with ECDs were asked how many care-hours per week and whether assistance included personal care. Workers over age 45 were more likely than younger workers to report ECDs. After adjusting for competing demands and socio-demographic characteristics, ECDs were associated with greater depressive symptoms and family-to-work conflict (FWC), providing 5 or more hours of eldercare weekly was associated with greater depressive symptoms, and providing personal care was associated with greater FWC.

Differences in the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among female and male custodians

BACKGROUND The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among custodians is high. We sought to compare musculoskeletal symptoms between female and male custodians and to explore how task might affect this relationship. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed among 712 custodians who completed a survey assessing upper extremity, back, and lower extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and exposure to cleaning tasks. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to test for associations between gender, cleaning tasks, and musculoskeletal symptoms. RESULTS Gender was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in χ(2) tests and multivariate analyses. The prevalence ratio of symptoms among women was roughly 50% higher than men, regardless of the tasks that workers performed. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms differed for female and male custodians and appeared to be consistent across a range of job tasks. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:841-852, 2016.

Services in the Workplace

It has been said that in the course of our lives, we spend more time working than doing any other activity except sleeping. Therefore, it stands to reason that the ways in which we spend that enormous amount of our time (i.e., what we do for work, how we carry out our work tasks, when and how long we work, with whom we work, the environment in which we work, and how we feel about our work) are powerful factors influencing our experience of daily living.

Working mothers’ second shift, personal resources, and self-care

ABSTRACT The stress of feeling rushed and busy are contemporary facts of life as evidenced by research on time pressure and overload. This is explained by conservation of resources theory which posits that when life demands (i.e. paid work, home/family work) excessively drain time and energy resources, stress can result. The purpose of this study was to examine working mothers as a population at risk for such stress, because in addition to paid work roles, most face a heavy second shift (i.e. home/family workload). Our path model tested hypothesized relationships pertaining to drained resources, opportunities for self-care and stress reduction, and well-being. Working mothers (440) completed web-based surveys and path analysis was used to fit the model. Findings showed mothers’ second shift was associated with fewer time and energy resources, and resource availability was associated with increased self-care behaviors and decreased stress. Self-care was associated with several well-being and work-related outcomes, and stress partially mediated some relationships between self-care and outcomes. Future research should further investigate the benefits of self-care for working mothers, including social and emotional forms of self-care, to develop and disseminate targeted interventions to improve their well-being.