Design and Validation of a Health Literacy Assessment Tool for COVID-19 Among Iranian Workers.

BACKGROUND: The workforce is an organization's most important asset, and ensuring their health and safety is crucial for achieving the organization's mission and goals. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to design and validate a health literacy tool for COVID-19 among Iranian workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 201 participants. A personal information questionnaire was administered, and The Health Literacy Assessment (HLA) Tool was used to collect data specifically related to COVID-19. The HLA for COVID-19 was designed and developed, and the validity of the tool was evaluated through face, content, convergent, and construct validity analyses. To examine convergent validity, the Perceived Stress Scale was used. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using internal consistency measures, such as Cronbach's alpha coefficient. KEY RESULTS: The mean content validity index was 0.93, indicating high content validity. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the five-dimensional structure of the tool. Significant correlations were found between the HLA for COVID-19 and perceived stress levels. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all items was 0.84, indicating high internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The HLA for COVID-19 is a concise, reliable tool for measuring health literacy related to COVID-19 among Iranian workers. Assessing COVID-19 health literacy in this population can be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of government officials, the media, and the medical and scientific community in providing necessary information. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(2):e62-e68.].

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The workforce is an organization's most important asset, and ensuring their health and safety is crucial for achieving the organization's mission and goals. The objective of this study was to design and validate a health literacy tool for COVID-19 among Iranian workers.The HLA for COVID-19 is a concise, reliable tool for measuring health literacy related to COVID-19 among Iranian workers. Assessing COVID-19 health literacy in this population can be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of government officials, the media, and the medical and scientific community in providing necessary information. Health literacy plays a crucial role in disease prevention, including the control of epidemics. It can be particularly valuable in empowering societies affected by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a profound impact on all aspects of human life. In international studies focused on assessing health literacy during the pandemic, researchers utilized public health literacy scales. However, only one study developed a specific scale to evaluate people's health literacy concerning COVID-19.

Development and Validation of a Resilience Skills Questionnaire for Health Sector Professionals Based on Social Cognitive Theory.

Good resilience skills support effective and timely adjustment to demanding situations in the workplace. Existing tools are insufficient to develop and evaluate workplace interventions to improve employee's resilience skills. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a Resilience Skills Questionnaire (RSQ) using the key constructs of social cognitive theory-self-efficacy, self-regulation, and social support-as a theoretical framework. Following DeVellis' guidelines for scale development, first an expert panel of thirteen professors was recruited to support the item development stages and determine content validity. At this stage, the initial pool of 38 items was reduced to 25 items and CVR and CVI were calculated as 0.92 and 0.93, respectively, indicating good content validity. A second panel of ten health professionals confirmed face validity. An online survey comprised of the 25 developed items was then completed by 336 health professionals working in urban healthcare centers in Shiraz, Iran, in November 2021. The data were used to assess the psychometrics of the questionnaire according to its hypothesized three-dimensional structure. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a final model of seventeen items in three dimensions, self-efficacy (six items), social support (six items), and self-regulation (five items), with good psychometric properties (χ2/df = 2.44 (p < 0.001), RMSEA = 0.06, GFI = 0.92, AGFI = 0.90, IFI = 0.93, CFI = 0.93). All standardized factor loadings were significant (p < 0.001). Internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach's alpha, was very good: RSQ (0.90), self-efficacy (0.86), social support (0.83), and self-regulation (0.86). Based on these results, the RSQ can be used as a standard and valid measure to develop and evaluate the effect of educational intervention programs to improve resilience skills and reduce job stress.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of Proactive-Safety Role Orientation questionnaire (PRO-SAFE).

BACKGROUND: Participation and initiative of workers are effective in promoting safety in the workplace. Proactive-Safety Role Orientation questionnaire (PRO-SAFE) is a proper tool to evaluate the psychological drivers that support the proactive orientation of individuals toward workplace safety. This study was conducted to translate and measure the psychometric properties of the Persian version of PRO-SAFE. METHODS: The PRO-SAFE was translated into Persian using procedures for translation and cross-cultural adaptation. To collect data, 252 employees of a steel complex were selected. To measure the validity of the questionnaire, face, content, convergent, and construct validity was utilized. The questionnaire's reliability was evaluated by assessing its internal consistency. RESULTS: The mean of the content validity index and content validity ratio was equal to 0.83 and 0.85, respectively. We found a positive correlation between PRO-SAFE and safety behavior dimensions (r = 0.372 to 0.792, P < 0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis showed the Persian version of the PRO-SAFE questionnaire had an excellent six-factor model consistent with the original questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha of the Persian version of the PRO-SAFE questionnaire was obtained between 0.717 to 0.880. CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of the PRO-SAFE questionnaire was found to have appropriate psychometric properties, indicating that it can be confidently used as a valid tool for assessing proactive role orientation toward safety management among Iranian employees.

Developing a model for predicting safety performance of nurses based on psychosocial safety climate and role of job demands and resources, job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion as mediators.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to develop a model for predicting the safety performance of nurses based on psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and the role of job demands and resources, job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion as mediators. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out among nurses in Iran. Data were collected using the Psychosocial Safety Climate questionnaire, Neal and Griffin's Safety Performance Scale, the Management Standards Indicator Tool, the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, the Michigan Organizational Assessment Job Satisfaction subscale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. RESULTS: Surveys were distributed to 340 nurses provided informed consent. After removing incplete surveys, data from 280 partipants were analysed. The completion rate was 82.35%. The SEM results indicated that PSC can directly and indirectly predict nurses' safety performance. The final model showed an acceptable goodness of fit (p = 0.023). It indicated that PSC, job demands, and job satisfaction were directly related to safety performance, and also that PSC, emotional exhaustion, job resources, and job demands were all indirectly related to safety performance. Also, PSC had a significant relationship with all mediator variables, and job demands had direct effect on emotional exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: The current study presented a new model for predicting safety performance in nurses in which PSC, both directly and indirectly, plays an important role. In addition to paying attention to the physical aspects of the workplace, healthcare organizations should also take into account PSC to improve safety. Next steps in reducing safety issues in nursing is to develop intervention studies using this new evidence-based model as a framework.

Understanding risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in Iranian housewives: Development of a comprehensive health promotion behavior model.

BACKGROUND: Chronic musculoskeletal problems are a major source of disability, reduced productivity and poor quality of life. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian housewives is particularly high. Understanding how housework causes the injuries, mobility restrictions and pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders is vital to developing health promotion behavior models to support intervention. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of housewives with musculoskeletal disorders and, according to the risk factors identified, to develop a comprehensive behavior change framework to facilitate implementing a musculoskeletal health-promoting training intervention for women. METHODS: Twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted with Iranian housewives aged 20-65 years experiencing musculoskeletal pain over a 13-month period from September 2020 to October 2021. The conventional content analysis approach was used to interrogate the data. The transcript of each interview was considered a unit of analysis, and data analysis was performed using MAXQDA2018 software. RESULTS: The analysis of the interview data provided 1432 meaning units. From these codes, a conceptual framework was developed. This comprehensive model is comprised of 24 subcategories, eight categories and three themes: Individual and social predictors of MSDs and their control, Risk factors for MSDs, and Prevention and treatment of MSDs. Altogether the developed conceptual framework specified the multiple risk factors for MSDs in housewives. The findings were aligned to various health promotion models, and it was seen that ecological models, especially the Theory of Triadic Influence, can be very helpful as a supportive roadmap to implementing multilateral interventions to improve the quality of life of housewives. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed an evidence based comprehensive model that identifies the individual, psychosocial, and cultural factors that influence the status of MSDs in women's domestic work to support the development and implementation of effective ergonomic interventions to manage potentials for MSDs.

Effectiveness of a transactional model-based education programme for enhancing stress-coping skills in industrial workers: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a stress management educational intervention programme based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) among industrial workers. Participants were 106 employees of a power plant in Iran, randomly assigned into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention comprised active and participatory methods to enhance employees coping skills and it was delivered in six face-to-face sessions. Data was collected using the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale at baseline and three months after the intervention. We found mean scores of distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support, escape-avoidance, planned problem-solving, positive reappraisal, total coping skills, perceived social support, and spiritual well-being significantly differed at follow-up compared to baseline in the intervention group, but not in the control group. There was also a significant difference in the mean score of perceived stress between the two groups. We conclude that the educational intervention based on the TMSC was effective in improving coping skills and reducing perceived stress. We suggest that interventions based on the TMSC model can be supportive in workplaces where job stress is common.

Development and validation of a task load index for process control room operators (PCRO-TLX).

Process control room operators (PCRO) perform a range of complex cognitive safety-critical tasks. The aim of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to develop an occupation specific tool to measure the task load of PCRO using NASA Task Load Index (TLX) methodology. Participants were 30 human factors experts and 146 PCRO at two refinery complexes in Iran. Dimensions were developed via a cognitive task analysis, a research review, and three expert panels. Six dimensions were identified: perceptual demand, performance, mental demand, time pressure, effort, and stress. Data from 120 PCRO confirmed that the developed PCRO-TLX has acceptable psychometric properties, and a comparison with the NASA-TLX confirmed that perceptual, not physical, demand was relevant for measuring workload in PCRO. There was a positive convergence of scores of the Subjective Workload Assessment Technique and the PCRO-TLX. This reliable tool (α = 0.83) is recommended for risk assessing the task load of PCRO.Practitioner summary: There are benefits of having a specific tool to measure task load in safety critical roles. Thus, we developed and validated an easy-to-use targeted tool, the PCRO-TLX, for process control room operatives. Timely use and response will assure optimal production alongside health and safety in an organisation.Abbreviations: PCRO: process control room operator; TLX: task load index; PCRO-TLX: process control room operator task load index; NASA-TLX: National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index; SWAT: subjective workload assessment technique; DALI: driving activity load index; SURG-TLX: surgery task load index; SIM-TLX: virtual reality simulation task load index; VACP: visual, auditory, cognitive and psychomotor; CVI: content validity index; CVR: content validity ratio; RMSEA: root mean square of error approximation; GFI: goodness of fit index; AGFI: adjusted goodness of fit index; CFI: comparative fit index; ANOVA: analysis of variance; CI: confidence interval.

The study protocol for the randomized controlled trial of the effects of a theory-based intervention on resilience, social capital, psychological wellbeing, and health-promoting lifestyle in healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: The workplace has been identified as a key determinant of health status. There is evidence of innumerable health problems among employees, particularly healthcare workers. Against this background, a holistic-systemic approach together with a good theoretical framework is required to reflect on this issue, and to support the design of effective interventions to promote the health and wellbeing of the given population. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving resilience, social capital, psychological wellbeing, and health-promoting lifestyle in healthcare workers, utilizing the Social Cognitive Theory integrated into the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will be performed on a large sample of the employees working in two healthcare centers in the city of Shiraz, Iran. The study will proceed with the healthcare workers of one city being given the educational intervention and the healthcare workers of the other city serving as a control group. Using a census method, all healthcare workers in the two cities will be informed of the trial and its purpose, and then invitations to join the study will be issued. The minimum sample size required has been calculated as 66 individuals in each healthcare centers. Recruitment to the trial will by systematic random sampling of eligible employees who submit an expression of interest in joining the trial, and subsequently give informed consent. Data will be collected through a self-administered survey instrument at three stages: at baseline, and both immediately and three months after the intervention. The experimental group members should participate in at least eight of the ten weekly educational sessions of the intervention and complete the surveys in the three stages. There is no educational intervention for the control group, and they simply experience some routine programs, and complete the surveys at the same three timepoints. DISCUSSION: The findings will provide evidence for the possible effectiveness of a theory-based educational intervention to improve resilience, social capital, psychological wellbeing, and health-promoting lifestyle among healthcare workers. If the educational intervention is found to be effective, then its protocol will be exploited in other organizations to boost resilience. Trial registration IRCT20220509054790N1.

Visual ergonomics, performance and the mediating role of eye discomfort: a structural equation modelling approach.

The purpose of this study was to model the visual ergonomic factors affecting performance in human-computer interaction. A cross-sectional study using structural equation modelling was performed with a sample of 200 participants. The measuring instruments included the office lighting survey questionnaire, performance assessment questionnaires, visual ergonomics assessment and an eye discomfort assessment. The hypothetical model evaluated workplace lighting status and visual ergonomics as precursors, performance as the output and eye discomfort as a mediator. The results showed that eye discomfort directly affected performance. Visual ergonomics also had a significant direct effect on eye discomfort. The final model suggested a significant new path between the quality of lighting and visual ergonomics. Also, the quality of lighting had an indirect effect on eye discomfort and performance, and the effect of visual ergonomics on performance was the same. Improving the lighting quality and visual ergonomics can reduce eye discomfort and increase performance.

The role of demographic, job-related and psychological characteristics on the prevalence of repetitive patient safety incidents among Iranian nurses.

BACKGROUND: Job-related psychosocial factors have a substantial effect on the occurrence of adverse events among healthcare professionals. OBJECTIVE: An analytical and descriptive survey was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of patient safety incidents and psychological factors. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 177 nurses who were asked about patient safety events over six months. Repetitive patient safety incidents were selected by examining medical records and interviewing specialists. Also, psychological factors were assessed using job content questionnaire (JCQ). RESULTS: Repetitive patient safety incidents were involved medication administration error, pressure ulcer and skin-muscular injuries, patient falls, inability to CPR patients, blood transfusion reactions, and death due to human error. The findings showed that 92 participants (52%) had at least one case of patient safety incident. Among patient safety incidents, medication administration error and death due to human error had the highest and lowest repletion, respectively. Nurses training, job insecurity and peer support were significant predictors of different aspects of patient safety (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Proper collaboration between new and experienced nurses can have a significant impact to reduce patient safety incidents. In addition, nursing training can be a good way to understand risk points in medical errors.

Persian version of the work design questionnaire: measurement of its psychometric characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Work design questionnaire (WDQ), as a comprehensive and integrative tool, is one of the most important instruments frequently used to assess work characteristics. The aim of this study was to measure the psychometric characteristics of the Persian version of WDQ. METHODS: Translation and cross-cultural adaptation procedures were applied in translating the original WDQ into Persian. A total of 270 participants participated in this study. The validity of the questionnaire were measured using face validity, content validity, convergent validity, and construct validity based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was assessed through internal consistency. RESULTS: Mean content validity index was 0.95. The CFA results indicated support for a 21-factor solution. There were significant correlations between dimensions of WDQ and both job satisfaction and perceived stress. Cronbach's alpha of all items was 0.87. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that the WDQ exhibited very good psychometric properties and can be applied as a useful tool to assess work characteristics among Iranian employees. Accordingly, the authors recommend its administration in future studies. The work characteristics was significantly associated with job satisfaction and job stress. Therefore, improved work design would reduce negative consequences, such as job stress, and increase positive behaviors, such as job satisfaction.

Assessment of Masks Used by Healthcare Workers: Development and Validation of a Mask Qualitative Assessment Tool (MQAT).

Background: Respiratory masks can provide healthcare workers with protection from biological hazards when they have good performance. There is a direct relationship between the visual specifications of a mask and its efficacy; thus, the aim of this study was to develop tools for qualitative assessment of the performance of masks used by healthcare workers. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used to develop a qualitative assessment tool for medical face masks (MFM) and particle filtering half masks (PFHM). The development of domains and items was undertaken using observation and interviews, the opinions of an expert panel, and a review of texts and international standards. The second phase evaluated the psychometric properties of tools. Finally, the validated Mask Qualitative Assessment Tools (MQAT) were used to assess six samples from 10 brands of the two types of masks. Results: MQAT-MFM and MQAT-PHFM shared 42 items across seven domains: "cleanliness," "design," "marking, labeling and packaging," "mask layers," "mask strap," "materials and construction," and "nose clip." MQAT-MFM included one additional item. MQAT-PHFM included another nine items associated with an eighth "Practical Performance" domain, and the valve version had another additional "Exhalation Valve" domain and six items. The evaluation indicated 80% compliance for MFM and 71% compliance for PFHM. "Marking, labeling and packaging" and "Layers" were associated with the least compliance in both types of masks and should be checked carefully for defining mask quality. Conclusion: MQAT can be used for immediate screening and initial assessment of MFM and PHFM through appearance, simple tools, and visual inspection.

The relationship between osteoporosis and depression.

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease. The complications of osteoporosis have influence on people's lives and lead to anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between osteoporosis and depression among Iranian patients. This cross-sectional analytical survey study conducted among 500 patients referred to a Bone Densitometry Center in Iran. They were assigned into with osteoporosis group (n = 250) and non-affected group (n = 250). The Persian version of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression. ANOVA, independent t-test, chi-square were used to compare the data. All analyses were done using SPSS version 22 software. A P value ≤ 0.05 represented statistical significance. The majority of people with osteoporosis (86.9%), suffered from mild to moderate depression and the majority of normal people (84.6%) were non-depressed. The mean scores (SD) of depressions in the patients with osteoporosis and normal status was 6.94 (2.39) and 2.50 (1.01), respectively. Statistical analyses showed that the mean scores of depressions significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). The results indicate that depression is associated with osteoporosis. As a result, physicians are expected to pay attention to depression in people with osteoporosis and to treat it.

The mediator role of safety motivation and knowledge between safety culture and safety performance: The results of a sociotechnical and macroergonomics approach.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, although the effect of positive safety culture on improving safety performance has been confirmed, the mechanisms of this effect are somewhat ambiguous. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of safety culture on safety performance based on a sociotechnical and macroergonomics approach. METHODS: The participants consisted of 276 workers, supervisors, and managers in an oil and gas refinery complex. The data collection conducted using questionnaires including safety culture in accordance with the organization's sociotechnical characteristics with 12 dimensions (effectiveness of safety management, management's attitude towards safety, training, awareness and safety policy, peer support, work schedule, job demands, confrontation of tasks and safety, behavioural features and commitment to safety, work equipment and tools, personal protective equipment, workplace hazards, and external environmental factors), safety motivation and safety knowledge as mediators between safety culture and safety performance, and safety compliance and safety participation as the components of safety performance. RESULTS: The examination of paths in three structural models indicated that in the presence of the direct effect, the indirect paths were not approved due to the lack of confirmation of safety motivation ⟶ safety performance and safety knowledge ⟶ safety performance. In the model without the direct effect, indirect paths were confirmed; however, a low amount of safety performance variance was explained by safety culture. CONCLUSIONS: The safety culture tool explained the highest value of variance for the direct path due to the use of industry-related factors.

Cross-cultural translation and psychometric properties of the Persian version Manchester respiratory activities of daily living questionnaire (MRADLQ-P).

PURPOSE: The present study was an attempt to investigate cross-cultural adaptability and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Manchester respiratory activities of daily living questionnaire ((MRADLQ-P). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we selected 260 patients with severe respiratory diseases who needed to be admitted to the respiratory wards of this city hospital. The process of cultural localization of the questionnaire was performed based on a standard and valid process. Psychometric properties of the instrument were confirmed based on face and content validity assessments, convergent validity, discriminative validity and internal consistency. Data collected by demographic questionnaire, MRADL questionnaire and work ability index. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), Spearman correlation coefficient, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 48.8 ± 20.1 years. 176 (71.5%) were male. face content validity including content validity index (CVI) was 0.82 and content validity ratio and it was good. The questionnaire was measured at the same time as the work ability index, which Mann-Whitney test showed that the questionnaire has good differential power. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.9 indicates a very good reliability of the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The results show that intercultural psychometrics of MRADL questionnaire has good validity, reliability, and differential power that can be a good tool for use in future studies. Also, the translation of this checklist included translation into the target language, backward translation of the Persian versions into the original language, and comparisons and ambiguities to obtain a final and acceptable version.

Effects of an ergonomic intervention program based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for reducing work-related health problems and exposure risks among emergency medical dispatchers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention program based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model in terms of improving exposure risks and work-related health problems in emergency medical dispatchers. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study used an interrupted time series design. Participants were 55 employees working in an Emergency Medical Communications Center in Iran. The intervention program was based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and included five face-to-face training sessions and installing auxiliary equipment according to best ergonomic principles. Direct observations of the emergency medical dispatchers' working postures using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment and a survey which included a modified Nordic Questionnaire, Work Ability Score, Visual Fatigue Questionnaire, and a Behavioral Factors Questionnaire were used at three time points: baseline, 1 month post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. RESULTS: The modified Nordic Questionnaire showed significant reductions in pain intensity scores for neck, lower back, knee and ankle after the ergonomic intervention program. In addition, there were considerable post-training improvements in behavioral factors (knowledge and enabling factors) and working postures. No significant changes were observed in Work Ability Scores, or visual symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: An ergonomic intervention program based on a systematic framework such as the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and on-site interventions can be effective in improving and enhancing the working conditions of emergency medical dispatchers. Therefore, it is suggested that ergonomic interventions be implemented based on standard and valid behavioral change models such as PRECEDE-PROCEED model in other work environments in which musculoskeletal pain and digital eye strain are common.

Assessing the ergonomic status of commonly used chairs in Iran's universities based on combinational equations and anthropometric indices.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate design of chairs and disproportion with students' body dimensions can influence their physical and mental health as well as their educational efficiency and concentration. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the ergonomic status of commonly used chairs in Iran's universities using combinational equations and anthropometric indices. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were 166 students in Iran. Eleven anthropometric parameters of the students and nine dimensions in seven types of commonly used chairs in Iran's universities were measured. Combinational equations were used to determine the fitness of the chairs. RESULTS: There was a major mismatch between most students' anthropometric measurements and the dimensions of the chairs. Backrest height and seat height were the best and the worst features, respectively, according to ergonomic recommendations for chairs. The recommended measurements of seat height, seat depth, seat width, desk height, desk width, desk length, backrest width, backrest height, and desk distance were 332, 420, 436, 245, 95, 511, 426, 550, and 281 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: None of the commonly used chairs in Iran's universities were found to be a good fit to the students' anthropometric dimensions. Therefore, in order to prevent inappropriate body postures, chair designs have to reviewed, and made to fit with Iranian students' anthropometric data. The recommended measurements obtained in this study can be used to design a suitable ergonomic chair to match with a high percentage of Iranian students.

Cognitive demands and mental workload: A filed study of the mining control room operators.

Cognitive demand and mental workload assessment are essential for the optimal interaction of human-machine systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive demands and mental workload as well as the relationship between them among the mining control room operators. This cross-sectional study was performed on 63 control room operators of a large mining plant located in Iran. Cognitive demands and mental workload were assessed using cognitive task analysis (CTA) and NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), respectively and the analysis was performed using SPSS version 21. Independent samples T-test, Mann-Whitney U test and multivariate linear regression were used for data analysis. Twelve cognitive demands were extracted after observing the tasks and conducting semi-structured interviews with the control room staff. The mean scores of total cognitive demands and MWL were 6.60 and 72.89, respectively, and these two indicators showed a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.286; P = 0.023). The participants' demographic characteristics such as age, education, and work experience did not affect mental workload, but the two cognitive demands (memory and defect detection) affected MWL. High cognitive demands and mental workload indicate poor interaction between humans and machines. Due to the effect of memory load and defect detection on mental workload, it is recommended to assign cognitive tasks based on memory and defect detection to the machine to reduce the mental workload and improve human-machine interaction.

A macroergonomics perspective for exploring safety culture factors: a qualitative content analysis approach.

Objective. Although assessing safety culture is a useful approach in reducing occupational accidents, there are no qualitative examinations of it based on a systems approach. This study was conducted with the aim of explaining the experiences of gas refinement personnel on safety issues and extending safety culture constructs using a macroergonomics approach. Methods. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. Data were collected by 18 semi-structured interviews based on a work subsystems model as a guiding framework. Results. From the interviews, 420 codes were extracted. By placing codes into subsystems, five categories in the organization subsystem, two categories in the job subsystem, one category in the human subsystem, two categories in the technology subsystem and two categories in the environment subsystem emerged. In addition to the common factors in assessment scales, factors such as work schedule, safety standards in new technologies and external factors of the organization like financial conditions were considered effective for workers' attitudes and safety behaviors. Conclusion. Investigating personnel perspectives about safety in the workplace based on a macroergonomics approach developed distinct factors in safety culture. It seems that industry features, environment and technology along with organizational factors are important in assessing safety culture.

Structural equation modeling of safety performance based on personality traits, job and organizational-related factors.

Purpose. This study investigated the relationship between three selected personality traits and contextual factors with safety performance. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out among the operational staff of a gas refinery (n = 487) in Iran. Structural equation modeling was used to model the factors affecting safety performance based on personality traits and job and organizational-related factors including consideration of future safety consequence, safety locus of control and impulsiveness, safety climate, job insecurity and role overload, and mediator roles of safety knowledge and safety motivation. Results. Structural equation modeling results indicated that consideration of future safety consequence was directly correlated with safety performance. Impulsiveness and safety locus of control were indirectly associated with safety performance through the mediator role of safety knowledge and motivation. Furthermore, job insecurity and role overload were partially and directly correlated with safety performance. Moreover, safety climate had a significant relationship with safety performance. Conclusion. Consideration of future safety consequence is a valid personality trait for predicting safety performance. It can therefore be used as an indicator in the employee selection process. Moreover, improving employee safety performance necessitates increased safety knowledge and motivation as well as improved occupational characteristics and safety climate.