Influence of environmental variables on students' cognitive performance in indoor higher education environments.

BACKGROUND: Educational environments can have environmental conditions that are incompatible with the needs of students, compromising their well-being and affecting their performance. OBJECTIVE: To identify the environmental variables that influence the performance of university students and measure this influence through an experiment in indoor environments. METHODS: The study applied an experimental methodology for three consecutive days in seven educational environments located in different regions of Brazil, measuring the environ-mental conditions, the students' perception of the environment, and their cognitive performance. The impact of environmental variables and environmental perception on student performance was analyzed using Generalized Linear Models and a Structural Equation Model. RESULTS: Students who took the test at air temperatures between 22.4°C and 24.7°C had a 74.20% chance of performing better than those outside this range. Air temperatures between 26.2°C and 29°C were associated with an 86% chance of taking less time to complete the test. High illuminance levels increased the chance of taking longer to answer the test by 41.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Three environmental variables (relative humidity, lighting and air temperature) and two perceptual dimensions (light and thermal perception) directly influence student performance.

Quantitative analysis of the influence of air temperature variability on thermal perception of Brazilian university students.

BACKGROUND: The scientific literature has already identified the influence of thermal conditions on health and performance of students. However, users' opinions are often overwhelmed by normative evaluations, not receiving the necessary attention. OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively compare the influence of air temperature variability on the thermal perception of students from six air-conditioned teaching environments located in four regions of Brazil. METHODS: Three-day experiments were carried out in six environments. A thermal condition was proposed for each day. From that, the environmental parameters were measured and a questionnaire about the thermal perception was applied. Then, Generalized Linear Models were applied to obtain a measure of effect and hypothesis test and confidence interval were used to find comfort zones and compare environments. RESULTS: The results showed that students from environments A, B, C and E felt less the effects of the increase in air temperature compared to students from environments D and F. In addition, students from environments A, B, C and E showed less perceptual variability compared to students from environments D and F. CONCLUSIONS: Students acclimated to higher thermal conditions felt less the effects of the increase in air temperature, showed less perceptual variability and a higher degree of thermal adaptability.

Relation between mental workload and hospital infection in the ICU.

BACKGROUND: Nursing is among the most stressful professions. Studies that examine possible factors that influence the mental workload (MWL) of nurses are of fundamental importance, because through these results, efforts can be concentrated on improving their working conditions more efficiently. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of hospital infection on the MWL of nurses in an intensive care unit (ICU). METHOD: Cross-sectional and descriptive study, with a quantitative approach. Three research instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and the Nursing Work Index-Revised Brazilian version (B-NWI-R). The sample consisted of 30 nurses from the ICU of a public hospital in João Pessoa city, Brazil, during the daytime period, and the Spearman correlation test (α= 0,05) was applied to verify associations. RESULTS: There was a high MWL among nurses, with a NASA-TLX weighted average of 66.38 (SD±15.0). Correlations were found between the levels of hospital infection in the ICU and the MWL of the nurses (r = 0.654, p < 0.01); in the nurses' care of patients with urinary tract infection, the correlation is 0.546, p < 0.01; if care is provided to patients with lung problems, the correlation is 0.563, p < 0.01 The ICU presented a favorable environment to nursing practices, with means lower than 2.5, according to the B-NWI-R. CONCLUSION: The MWL of the nurses was associated with the hospital infection levels of the intensive care sector studied. It was found that the MWL of nurses in relation to hospital infection in the ICU increased by 42.8%. This MWL is impacted by 29.8% when nurses' care is linked to patients with urinary infection. But if care is provided to patients with lung problems, this percentage rises to 31.7.

Sickness absence from work in the footwear industry: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Studies on illness in the footwear industry have prioritized specific work sectors and diseases. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the main factors related to sickness absence and the indicators of illness in terms of recurrence and workdays lost among workers at a footwear company, ranging from storage of raw material to distribution of the final product. METHODS: A total of 9072 cases of absence from work were investigated in shoe production units from 2014 to 2017. Univariate models estimated the risk of bodily dysfunction (physiological and psychological) and the severity of recurrence and work days lost. RESULTS: (1) Most production units and work sectors were related to one or more affected bodily functions; (2) Neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions and the work sectors of prefabrication; cutting, assembly and finishing; and quality inspection of the final product required a longer recovery time before return to work and had a greater recurrence of leave; and (3) Women seemed to be more affected than men in terms of the reappearance of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Illness differs according to occupational sectors. The production sectors present more serious situations due to physical overload, intense rhythm and concentration, monotony and low autonomy.

Team Workload and Performance of Healthcare Workers with Musculoskeletal Symptoms.

In healthcare professionals, musculoskeletal complaints are the most frequent health disorders with the greatest potential for productivity losses. The teamwork developed by these professionals can be a coping strategy, but it can also be one more demand for the maintenance of performance. For this reason, this research aimed to investigate the relationship between team workload and performance in healthcare workers with different intensities of musculoskeletal symptoms. A survey was conducted with health professionals from 24 institutions of the Brazilian public health system, recruited by stratified probability sampling. Through non-hierarchical cluster analysis, the sample was allocated into three groups based on the intensity of musculoskeletal symptoms. We analyzed the approximation between the variables of "team workload" and "performance" of the groups formed in the previous phase through multiple correspondence analysis. In the group with higher musculoskeletal symptom scores, there was lower performance and a worse team workload. As the intensity of symptoms decreased, team workload and performance became closer variables in a two-dimensional space, indicating that the relationship between team workload and performance is improved in situations of low musculoskeletal symptom intensity.

Assessment of the influence of psychosocial factors on musculoskeletal disorder symptom intensity.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have observed that psychosocial factors are associated with an increase in work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in European countries. However, the influence of psychosocial factors on the WMSD symptoms has not been studied in detail. Additionally, working conditions differ between developing and developed countries. OBJECTIVE: In this study, the influence of psychosocial factors on WMSD symptoms among men and women in the footwear industry in northeastern Brazil is investigated. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate workers' perceptions of psychosocial factors and WMSD symptoms. The influence of psychosocial factors on WMSD symptom trends was observed through ordinal logistic regression models. RESULTS: It was found that different psychosocial factors are related to WMSD symptom intensification. Factors such as "job insecurity" and "low social support," which are not associated with the worsening of WMSD symptoms in developed countries, showed a noticeable influence in the sample analyzed. CONCLUSION: These findings may be associated with differences in working conditions and economic problems in developing countries, suggesting that some psychosocial factors have a different effect on workers' perceptions in developing countries.

A Systematic Review of Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Instruments for the Selection of Assistive Technologies.

This article presents a systematic review, for which research was carried out in the following electronic databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ERIC, in which several articles were found (n = 560). The results were analyzed based on the information obtained in the titles and abstracts, and the remaining studies were read in full for the analysis. The aim of this article was to identify the different questionnaires used for selecting items of assistive technology, describe and evaluate the translation and transcultural adaptation procedures, characterize the thematic domains of each resource, evaluate the cultural adaptation process adopted, and describe the psychometric properties. Data extraction and evaluation of the methodological quality of the eligible studies were performed in accordance with the COSMIN verification list with a checklist of 4 points. The publication of systematic review studies and others that synthesize research results is fundamental to provide support for change in the behavior of professionals in the field of health, and not only to access the available literature but also to incorporate this information into daily clinical practice. The results of this review could provide subsidies that would enable the planning, execution, identification, and choice of specific instruments for a determined study within the context of assistive technology, with a view to helping researchers and health professionals in clinical and investigatory practices.

Sociodemographic and organizational factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms among intensive care unit professionals.

BACKGROUND: The heavy and complex work routine in the intensive care unit (ICU) involves high workload, long working hours, high levels of tension, exposure to extreme situations and to hazards of different nature. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of sociodemographic and organizational factors on the development of musculoskeletal pain, tension and fatigue among ICU professionals. METHODS: We interviewed 128 professionals from seven public hospitals in João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil.The data were analyzed using a logistic regression model, and differences between professional categories by means of the likelihood ratio, the Wald and χ2 tests, with significance level set to <0.05. RESULTS: The risk to develop musculoskeletal symptoms differed as a function of the participants' professional category.The odds of nursing technicians to simultaneously develop musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and tension were 4.968 times higher (p=0.023) compared to physicians, nurses and physical therapists.This difference was mediated by factors such as sex, body mass index and number of ICU jobs.Nursing technicians were the most exposed group, and thus they require more attention as concerns workplace health interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The participants had long working hours, and differed in regard to the most frequent musculoskeletal complaints as a function of the specificities inherent to the activities of each professional category.

INTRODUÇÃO: O trabalho intenso e complexo das unidades de terapia intensiva (UTI) envolve alta carga e longas jornadas de trabalho, contato direto com situações limite, elevado nível de tensão e exposição a riscos de diversas naturezas. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a interferência dos fatores sociodemográficos e organizacionais no surgimento de dor, tensão e fadiga musculoesquelética em profissionais nas UTIs. MÉTODOS: Entrevistaram-se 128 profissionais de sete hospitais da rede pública da cidade de João Pessoa, Paraíba.Os dados foram analisados usando o modelo de regressão logística, e as diferenças entre as categorias profissionais, pelo teste de Wald, razão de verossimilhança e teste de χ2, considerando como nível de significância <0,05. RESULTADOS: Identificou-se que as categorias profissionais são distintas em relação aos riscos para o surgimento de sintomas musculoesqueléticos.Os profissionais técnicos de Enfermagem apresentaram chance 4,968 (p=0,023) vezes maior de ter simultaneamente as queixas musculoesqueléticas de dor, fadiga e tensão se comparados aos profissionais médicos, enfermeiros e fisioterapeutas, mediadas por fatores como gênero, índice de massa corpórea e quantidade de UTIs em que atuam, sendo, dessa forma, os profissionais mais expostos e que requerem mais atenção para intervenções de saúde no trabalho. CONCLUSÕES: Têm-se profissionais com altas cargas horárias semanais, distintos em relação às queixas musculoesqueléticas de maior frequência decorrentes das especificidades inerentes de cada atividade.

Analysis of air temperature changes on blood pressure and heart rate and performance of undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND: The increase in air temperature has been associated with human deaths, some of which are related to cardiovascular dysfunctions, and with the reduction of physical and cognitive performance in humans. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) and the cognitive performance of students who were submitted to temperature changes in classrooms. METHODS: The university students answered a survey that was adapted from the Battery of Reasoning Tests over 3 consecutive days at different air temperatures while their thermal state and HR were measured. During those 3 days, BP and HR were evaluated before and after the cognitive test. RESULTS: The average and final HR increased at high temperatures; the tests execution time was reduced at high temperatures; and the cognitive tests was related to Mean BP at the beginning of the test, the maximum HR during the test and the air temperature. CONCLUSIONS: The cognitive performance of undergraduate students in the field of engineering and technology will increase while performing activities in a learning environment with an air temperature of approximately 23.3°C (according to their thermal perception), if students have an initial MBP of 93.33 mmHg and a 60 bpm HRmax.

School furniture and work surface lighting impacts on the body posture of Paraíba's public school students.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of school furniture and work surface lighting on the body posture of public Middle School students from Paraíba (Brazil). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The survey was carried out in two public schools and the target population for the study included 8th grade groups involving a total of 31 students. Brazilian standards for lighting levels, the CEBRACE standards for furniture measurements and the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO) for the postural misalignment assay were adopted for the measurements comparison. The statistic analysis includes analyses of parametric and non-parametric correlations. RESULTS: The results show that the students' most affected parts of the body were the spine, the regions of the knees and head and neck, with 90% of the total number of students presenting postural misalignment. The lighting levels were usually found below 300 lux, below recommended levels. The statistic analysis show that the more adequate the furniture seems to be to the user, the less the user will complain of pain. CONCLUSIONS: Such results indicate the need of investments in more suitable school furniture and structural reforms aimed at improving the lighting in the classrooms, which could fulfill the students' profile and reduce their complaints.

Analysis on the relationship between the school furniture and the work surface lighting and the body posture of public Middle School students from João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of school furniture and work surface lighting on the body posture of two public Middle School students from Paraíba (Brazil). The target population included 8th grade groups involving 31 students. Brazilian standards for lighting levels, the CEBRACE standards for furniture measurements and the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO) for the postural misalignment assay were adopted for the measurements comparison. The statistic analysis includes analyses of parametric and non-parametric correlations. The results show that the students' most affected parts of the body were the spine, the regions of the knees and head and neck and about 90% of the students presented postural misalignment. The lighting levels were usually found below 300 lux, below recommended levels. Such results indicate the need of investments in more suitable school furniture and structural reforms aimed at improving the lighting in the classrooms, which could fulfill the students' profile and reduce their complaints.