Irwin B. Horwitz

The Effects of Team Diversity on Team Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review of Team Demography

Over the past few decades, a great deal of research has been conducted to examine the complex relationship between team diversity and team outcomes. However, the impact of team diversity on team outcomes and moderating variables potentially affecting this relationship are still not fully answered with mixed findings in the literature. These research issues were, therefore, addressed by quantitatively reviewing extant work and provided estimates of the relationship between team diversity and team outcomes. In particular, the effects of task-related and bio-demographic diversity at the group-level were meta-analyzed to test the hypothesis of synergistic performance resulting from diverse employee teams. Support was found for the positive impact of task-related diversity on team performance although bio-demographic diversity was not significantly related to team performance. Similarly, no discernible effect of team diversity was found on social integration. The implications of the review for future research and practices are also discussed.

TRANSFORMATIONAL, TRANSACTIONAL, AND PASSIVE-AVOIDANT LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF A SURGICAL RESIDENT COHORT: ANALYSIS USING THE MULTIFACTOR LEADERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPROVING SURGICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUMS

INTRODUCTION The need for leadership training has become recognized as being highly important to improving medical care, and should be included in surgical resident education curriculums. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surgical residents (n = 65) completed the 5x-short version of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire as a means of identifying leadership areas most in need of training among medical residents. The leadership styles of the residents were measured on 12 leadership scales. Comparisons between gender and postgraduate year (PGY) and comparisons to national norms were conducted. RESULTS Of 12 leadership scales, the residents as a whole had significantly higher management by exception active and passive scores than those of the national norm (t = 6.6, P < 0.01, t = 2.8, P < 0.01, respectively), and significantly lower individualized consideration scores than the norm (t = 2.7, P < 0.01). Only one score, management by exception active was statistically different and higher among males than females (t = 2.12, P < 0.05). PGY3-5 had significantly lower laissez-faire scores than PGY1-2 (t = 2.20, P < 0.05). Principal component analysis revealed two leadership factors with eigenvalues over 1.0. Hierarchical regression found evidence of an augmentation effect for transformational leadership. CONCLUSION Areas of resident leadership strengths and weaknesses were identified. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was demonstrated to be a valuable tool for identifying specific areas where leadership training would be most beneficial in the educational curriculum. The future use of this instrument could prove valuable to surgical education training programs.

Workplace violence in Oregon: an analysis using workers' compensation claims from 1990-1997.

One of the most serious occupational problems in the workplace is the occurrence of violent assaults. This study examined 2028 workers’ compensation claims of workplace violence from Oregon between 1990 and 1997, and used Current Population Survey data for risk analysis. The rate of workplace violence was 1.86 per 10,000 employees annually (95% confidence interval, 1.78–1.94), with females and workers under 35 years of age experiencing the most violence. The average claim resulted in approximately 40 days of indemnity and

Multilevel Predictors of Inconsistent Condom Use Among Adolescent Mothers

6200 in costs. Workers on evening and night shifts had significantly higher rates of being victims of violence, as did those working on weekends. Preventative interventions should be targeted at younger workers and those with less tenure. Special measures should be focused on ensuring the safety of evening/night-shift workers and weekend employees.

Occupational eye injury and risk reduction: Kentucky workers’ compensation claim analysis 1994–2003

OBJECTIVES We used Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory to identify factors that predicted never or sometimes using condoms in a multiethnic cohort of adolescent mothers. METHODS We interviewed adolescent mothers within 48 hours of delivery and surveyed them 6 and 12 months after delivery (n = 636). We used multinomial logistic regression to identify individual-, dyad-, family-, and peer and community-level factors associated with never or sometimes using versus always using condoms during intercourse at 12 months postpartum. RESULTS Pregnancy status, partner refusal to use condoms, intimate partner violence, and race/ethnicity predicted both never and sometimes using condoms. Condom use 6 months earlier and church attendance also predicted never using condoms, whereas maternal monitoring was an additional predictor for sometimes using condoms. CONCLUSIONS Overlapping yet distinct risk profiles predicted never or sometimes using versus always using condoms. Factors from multiple levels of influence affected the condom use behaviors of adolescent mothers indicating that multilevel interventions are needed to promote safer sexual practices among these young women.

Occupational injury among Rhode Island adolescents: an analysis of workers' compensation claims, 1998 to 2002.

Background: Occupational eye injuries are a significant source of injury in the workplace. Little population-based research in the area has been conducted, and is necessary for developing and prioritising effective interventions. Methods: Workers’ compensation data from the state of Kentucky for the years 1994–2003 were analysed by demographics, injury nature and cause, cost, and occupational and industrial characteristics. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey was utilised to compute injury rates for demographic and occupational groups. Results: There were 10 545 claims of ocular injury, representing 6.29 claims per 10 000 workers on average annually. A substantial drop in the claim rate was found after the state passed monetary penalties for injuries caused by employer negligence or OSHA violations. Claims by men were over three times more likely than those by women to have associated claim costs (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.85; p = 0.009). The highest eye injury rates per 10 000 of 13.46 (95% CI 12.86 to 14.07) were found for the helpers/labourers occupation, and of 19.95 (95% CI 18.73 to 21.17) for the construction industry. The total cost of claim payments over the period was over

Workers' compensation claims from latex glove use: a longitudinal analysis of Minnesota data from 1988 to 1997.

3 480 000, and average cost per claim approximated

Addressing dysfunctional relations among healthcare teams: improving team cooperation through applied organizational theories.

331. Conclusions: Eye injuries remain a significant risk to worker health, especially among men in jobs requiring intensive manual labour. Evidence showed that increased legislative regulation led to a decline in eye injuries, which was consistent with other recent findings in the area. Additionally, targeting groups most at risk, increasing worker training, providing effective eye protection equipment, and developing workplace safety cultures may together reduce occupational eye injuries.

Improving health care quality through culturally competent physicians: leadership and organizational diversity training

Objectives: We sought to examine occupational injuries sustained by adolescent workers during a 5-year period. Methods: Workers’ compensation claims from Rhode Island were used to assess injuries of 15- to 19-year-old employees (n = 8321) from 1998 to 2002. Baseline employee population estimates were derived using the Current Population Survey. Results: The annual estimated adolescent claim rate was 6.6 per 100 workers (95% confidence interval = 6.1–7.1), with annual average costs of

Have Health Conditions Associated With Latex Increased Since the Issuance of Universal Precautions

614,182. Injury rates increased with employee age, hours worked, and for day and nightshift employees relative to evening shift workers. The highest proportion of claims by industry was in eating establishments, and the average indemnification duration was 13.0 days. Conclusions: Specific emphasis should be placed on increasing safety training and preventative interventions for teenagers in hazardous occupations and for those working longer hours.