Valerie J. Rice

Prediction of Performance on Two Stretcher-Carry Tasks

Pre-placement screening for physically demanding jobs should result in better job performance and fewer injuries, if the test components reflect job demands. The purpose of this study was to determine how seven strength measures, three Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) scores, and three physical descriptors relate to performance on two stretcher-carry tasks: 1) a repeated short-distance carry and 2) a continuous long-distance carry. Twelve men and 11 women completed both tasks with and without (hand-carry) a shoulder harness. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients compared independent variables and forward stepwise multiple regression analyses were used for predictions. For repeated short distance stretcher-carrying, two-mile run time and handgrip were the best predictors of performance (hand-carry: r2=0.79, p<0.01; harness-carry: r2=0.75, p<0.01). The grip, which was more predictive during the hand-carry, required a sudden maximal contraction to peak force, followed by immediate release, while a sudden maximal contraction to peak force maintained for four seconds, was more predictive of the harness-carry. For the continuous hand-carry, the best predictor was a gradual buildup to a 6-second sustained grip strength (r2=0.74, p<0.01). These results illustrate the necessity for tailoring preplacement tests to accurately reflect job demands.

The effects of gender, team size, and a shoulder harness on a stretcher-carry task and post-carry performance. Part I. A simulated carry from a remote site

This study examined the effects of gender, two- vs. four-person teams, and use of a shoulder harness vs. a hand carry on the ability of participants to simulate the transport of patients during a prolonged stretcher carry, and to simulate the defense and medical treatment of patients following the stretcher carry. Participants carried a 6.8-kg stretcher containing an 81.6-kg manikin at a constant rate of 4.8 km/h for as long as possible, up to a half hour. Dependent measures included carry time, weapon firing, fine-motor coordination, heart rate, oxygen uptake, perceived exertion, and subjective symptoms. Analysis of variance and post-hoc Newman-Keuls comparison of means revealed that men carried stretchers longer than women (p < 0.05). Harness use resulted in the stretcher being carried longer (23.1 ± 8.9 vs. 6.1 ± 5.9 min), at lower heart rates (141.9 ± 17.9 vs. 149.9 ± 14.7 beats per min), at slightly higher intensity (46 ± 8 vs. 42 ± 7% VdotO2max) (p < 0.05), and with less fatigue in the forearm and hand (p < 0.05). Four-person teams maintained pre-carry fine-motor and marksmanship scores and carried longer (16.9 ± 11.0 vs. 12.3 ± 11.4 min), while working at a slightly lower intensity (43 ± 8 vs. 45 ± 8% VdotO2max), compared with two-person teams (p < 0.05). Use of four-person teams with a harness resulted in an 8-fold increase in carry time, compared with two-person hand-carry teams (24.5 ± 9.0 vs. 3.0 ± 1.8 min). Four-person teams with a shoulder harness are therefore recommended for prolonged carries.

The effects of gender, team size, and a shoulder harness on a stretcher-carry task and post-carry performance. Part II. A mass-casualty simulation

Abstract This study examined repeated, short-distance stretcher carries and the effects of gender, a shoulder harness, and team size on simulated transportation, defense, and medical treatment of patients. Participants carried a 6.8-kg stretcher, loaded with an 81.6-kg manikin, for a distance of 50 m, lifted it onto a simulated ambulance, and returned 50 m to retrieve the next patient. Participants completed as many cycles as possible in 15 min. Dependent measures included number of carries, weapon firing, fine-motor coordination, heart rate, perceived exertion, and physical symptoms. Analysis of variance and post-hoc Newman-Keuls comparison of means revealed that men completed more carries than women (18.0 ± 1.6 vs. 14.5 ± 2.0 carries, p

Self-reported health status of students in-processing into military medical advanced individual training.

It is important to be aware of the health and injury status of students in military training settings in order to adequately plan for their progression through required physical training and provision of health care to meet their needs. This paper describes the self-reported health status of students arriving in two medical training Battalions at Ft. Sam Houston. The results revealed that 43% of arriving soldiers had musculoskeletal symptoms and 35% had symptoms that interfered with their ability to accomplish the normal daily activities required as students. The most common sites of symptoms were knee (17 and 18%), foot/toe (16 and 13%), ankle (9 and 10%), and lower leg (9 and 12%) for the 232nd and 187th Medical Battalions respectively. Risk factors for those with musculoskeletal injury (MSI) symptoms that interfere with their abilities to do their jobs include gender, past history of injury, and self-reported stress and fitness levels. Other risk factors for medical specialties other than combat medic include being older (over 24 yrs of age), active duty status, being overweight, and use of smokeless tobacco. This information can help identify soldiers considered at risk of incurring a MSI during AIT. With this knowledge, physical training can be designed to help soldiers achieve fitness without additional injury and health care facilities can be designed to provide appropriate staffing of the health care professionals needed for evaluation and treatment.

Ergonomics and Health Care

This article provides a brief history of the field of ergonomics and explores the interrelationship between health care and ergonomic professions. Health care practitioners contribute a unique perspective to an ergonomic research and intervention team. This singular perspective is based on knowledge of health issues, disease and injury etiology and prognosis, and the psychosocial impact of illness. Topics for collaboration between health care practitioners and ergonomists are identified.

General Self-Reported Health as it Relates to Self-Esteem, Situational Self-Efficacy and Coping among Soldiers

As an indicator of broad-spectrum health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance scales frequently use a single question on general self-reported health (GSRH). However, little information exists on whether a single question of GSRH is related to indices of a person’s mental health. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between GSRH and indices of self-esteem, self-efficacy and coping. During their first two weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT), 579 US Army Health Care Specialist Trainees completed demographic and self-report data, including GSRH, the Revised Ways of Coping Checklist (RWCCL), the Situational Self-Efficacy Scale (SSE), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES). Spearman Rho correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data with Stata statistical software (StataCorp, 2005). GSRH was positively correlated with SSE, the SES, and problem focused and social support seeking methods of coping, (p < .05). GSRH was negatively correlated with blaming self, wishful thinking, and avoidance methods of coping (p < .05). Results indicate that, among active duty service members attending medical AIT, a single question on general selfreported health appears to be a good representation of a persons’ perception of his or her self-esteem, selfefficacy and coping skills.

Human Factors Issues Associated with Teaching Over a Virtual World

Second Life (SL) is one of the most popular Virtual Worlds (VW) available on the web, with over 15 million registered accounts and over 50,000 registered users online at any given time (de Freitas, 2008). A number of universities offer classes taught via VWs, however little information is available on the human factors issues associated with teaching and learning via a VW. This paper is a practice-oriented analysis of information gathered during a pilot test of didactic and behavioral training offered over SL, using Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as a test case. Results indicate that human factors issues including social, communication, and technological concerns impact class interactions and feelings of trust. Participants report gaining didactic knowledge, a willingness to recommend VW training to others, and being open to future training via a VW. Recommendations to modify in-person training for VW use include targeted, early education of class members to potential differences in VW training, alteration of teaching strategies, and use and upkeep of technologies.

Demographics, Military Status, and Physical Health as Indicators of Personal Resilience Among U.S. Active Duty Service Members and Veterans

Personal resilience refers to the ability to constructively adjust and move forward with ones’ life following tragic events or situations. However, few studies have examined the characteristics of highly resilient active duty military or veterans. This study examined the relationships between personal resiliency scores (The Resiliency Scale), demographics, general Self-Reported Health (SRH), and health symptomatology (Patient Health Questionnaire-15) among 263 U.S. active duty and veteran service members. Pearson Product-Moment Correlations, an Analysis of Variance, and Regression Analysis were used with a significance level of 0.05. Results showed that active duty service members were more resilient than the veterans in this population (p < 0.05). Findings also demonstrated that a higher education level, longer time on active duty, higher SRH, and lower symptomology were correlated with (p < 0.05) and contributed to greater resilience [F(4, 258) = 26.18, p < 0.01), R2 = 0.54]. These results demonstrate the importance of health and education, perhaps pointing toward a protective qualities that may also include longer service time.

Environmental Design in Education and Training: What Do We Know and Where are We Going?

Increasingly, individuals are using more blended, hybrid, and online deliver formats in education and training. Although research exists about how the physical and social environment impact learning and training in traditional face-to-face settings, we have limited knowledge about how the environment affects learners when they are interacting with technology in their learning situations. In particular, concerns arise about levels of engagement, whether learning is enhanced, the impact or helpfulness of robotics, and how the social dynamics change. These five panelists bring expertise in education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, training within industry and the military, and the use of various teaching and training methods. The panelists will present their perspectives to several questions relative to how the environment can (or cannot) accommodate enhanced learning in education and training when technology is involved. Ample time will remain for audience participation.

Designing for Children: What Do Human Factors Professionals Need to Know?

Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) research, projects, expert witness cases, and product designs that target children and their caretakers require a unique set of knowledge and skills. Panelists will describe some of their professional child-focused practices and explain how their education and experiential backgrounds prepared them for this work. In cases where traditional HF/E training was not sufficient, panelists will describe how they met this challenge. The discussion between panelists and attendees will focus on suggestions for preparing HF/E professionals for working with this target market.