Occupational Health

This research aims to evaluate how a structured productivity training program affects nurses' perceived job stress and their attitudes toward productivity. The study is designed as a randomized controlled experimental trial with assessments before the training, immediately after, and three months later. Researchers want to see if nurses who receive the training report lower stress and better productivity attitudes compared to those who do not. The study involves two groups: an experimental group that receives a three-week productivity training totaling 20 hours, and a control group that receives no training during the same period. The training covers nursing productivity concepts, time and stress management, teamwork, leadership, digital tools, and coping with job stress. Various teaching methods like lectures, case studies, simulations, and group work are used to improve cognitive, emotional, and practical skills. Participants will complete assessments using the Nurses' Attitudes Toward Productivity Scale and the Perceived Job Stress Scale at three time points: before training, right after the training, and three months later. The control group also completes these assessments without receiving training during the study but will get access to the training materials afterward. The total study duration includes the training period plus follow-up assessments to monitor lasting effects.

Researchers are investigating the effects of the PAX Good Behavior Game (GBG) in Swedish primary schools to address growing concerns of mental health issues among children and stress-related symptoms in teachers. This cluster-randomized controlled trial involves 28 schools and about 84 teachers, aiming to improve student well-being and reduce teacher stress. The study compares PAX GBG to active control interventions that also provide teacher training but with different content. The trial includes extensive measurements over two years, including self-assessments, classroom observations, sound level monitoring, sick leave data, and qualitative interviews. Teachers randomized to the PAX GBG group receive a two-day training on ten specific tools designed to promote prosocial and focused behaviors in classrooms, including a team-based game rewarding good behavior. Control schools choose between two alternatives: 'Count On Me!', a math fluency application for pupils, or a Collegial Learning Community intervention focused on professional development for teachers. Both groups receive similar amounts of training and supervision, including multiple sessions during the school year. The interventions are integrated into regular classroom activities starting in grade 1 through grade 3. Participants include approximately 2200 pupils and their teachers, with data collected through various methods such as questionnaires, standardized tests, observer ratings, and registry data. Measurements occur at multiple time points over two years, focusing on pupil well-being, teacher stress, classroom behavior, noise levels, and implementation fidelity. The study also evaluates cost-effectiveness by comparing health outcomes and related expenses. Safety and adverse events are monitored through teacher reports and interviews, ensuring comprehensive assessment of the interventions' impact.

Road traffic accidents cause significant health problems worldwide, leading to many injuries and deaths. This research evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Integrative Group Treatment Protocol for Ongoing Traumatic Stress (EMDR-IGTP-OTS) to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression, and anxiety, and to improve quality of life in people who survived traffic accidents. The study uses a randomized control design involving adults aged 18 to 45 years, assessing outcomes before treatment, after treatment, and at one-month follow-up. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the EMDR-IGTP-OTS group therapy, which combines EMDR eight-phase protocols with the Butterfly hug technique, or to a control group with no intervention. The study evaluates how well this group therapy works and how acceptable it is for people recovering from ongoing traumatic stress due to road accidents. During the study, participants are assessed at three points using the Urdu Impact of Event Scale-Revised (UIES-R), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The research team will monitor symptom changes and quality of life improvements over four weeks. The total study duration spans from enrollment through a one-month follow-up, aiming to support trauma-focused care in diverse and resource-limited settings.

Healthcare professionals often face severe stress, which can lead to sick leave and affect their well-being. This research aims to evaluate whether a five-week internet-based compassion course can help reduce stress of conscience and work-related stress, while improving professional quality of life and self-compassion. The study compares this compassion course with a general internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) stress management course and a waitlist group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a therapist-guided internet compassion course, a therapist-guided general internet CBT stress management course, or a waitlist for 10 weeks followed by the general CBT course. Both courses are structured self-help programs lasting five weeks, including weekly reports and therapist feedback delivered online. The compassion course focuses on compassion-focused therapy methods, while the CBT course uses traditional CBT techniques. Throughout the study, participants will complete assessments at baseline, 5, 10, and 15 weeks, and again at 6 months. These assessments measure changes in stress of conscience, professional quality of life, work-related stress, and self-compassion. Data are collected through self-assessment forms, and the study tracks progress over time to understand the effects of the courses. The total participation time spans up to 6 months to monitor longer-term outcomes and maintenance of benefits.

Researchers are evaluating the impact of live and recorded music-based interventions on patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. The study aims to measure changes in vital signs, stress biomarkers, and self-reported pain, anxiety, and mood before and after the music sessions. It also explores how prior musical experience and preferences might influence responses to music in reducing stress and anxiety. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: simulated live music, recorded music using a Steinway Spirio M player piano, or no music as a control. The study uses a randomized controlled design to compare these interventions. Each participant will receive their assigned music intervention before surgery, and the study will monitor physiological and psychological responses. During the study, participants will provide demographic information and complete questionnaires, including the Brief Musical Experience Questionnaire (BMEQ), to assess their musical background. Researchers will monitor stress and mood changes as primary outcomes throughout the study, along with serum and plasma stress biomarkers. The study will continue assessing these outcomes through completion, with a focus on understanding the effects of music on preoperative stress and pain.

Researchers are investigating the use of Clemastine Fumarate combined with engineered sound to treat age-related central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), a condition affecting many people over 40 and causing difficulty hearing in noisy environments. This trial aims to test if the therapy, called Localized Oligodendrocyte Optimization Therapy (LOOT), which showed promise in animal studies, can improve hearing in noise for humans. The study is designed to compare the effectiveness of the drug with or without engineered sound in a controlled, randomized setting. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: Clemastine Fumarate with engineered sound, Clemastine Fumarate with placebo sound (white or pink noise), placebo drug with engineered sound, or placebo drug with placebo sound. The drug dosage is carefully controlled and given orally over 30 days, while participants listen to the assigned sound stimulation through headphones for one hour daily. The trial includes an adaptive design allowing adjustment of study arms based on interim results. Throughout the study, participants will undergo hearing tests to measure their ability to hear in noisy environments, both before and after treatment. Additional assessments include questionnaires on speech and tinnitus, auditory brainstem response tests, physical exams, blood tests, and EKGs to monitor health and safety. The treatment period lasts one month, with evaluations scheduled around weeks five or six. Safety and hearing improvements are carefully monitored to assess the therapy's impact.

This research aims to evaluate an acceptance-based educational program designed for patients with pneumoconiosis, a condition characterized by symptoms like cough and shortness of breath that can lead to psychological issues such as depression and anxiety. Avoidance of daily activities due to symptoms may cause lung function decline and increase risks of stroke and heart failure. The study is a pilot randomized controlled trial with two groups, focusing on the effects and feasibility of the program in improving health outcomes. The study involves 80 participants randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group in equal numbers. The intervention consists of a 6-week group-based program delivered in four biweekly 60-minute face-to-face sessions. These sessions cover knowledge about pneumoconiosis, exercises to maintain lung function, healthy diet, and home safety. The intervention group receives the program first during weeks 1 to 6, followed by the waitlist control group who receive it during weeks 8 to 14. Participants will be assessed at baseline, week 6, and week 14 for psychological health, healthy lifestyle practices, and cardiometabolic indicators such as blood pressure, weight, waist circumference, and glycated hemoglobin. The program's feasibility will be evaluated through participant interviews. Data will be analyzed statistically to understand the program's impact and inform future integration of acceptance-based interventions for chronic lung diseases. The total study duration includes initial assessment, intervention periods, and follow-up evaluations.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group therapy for improving mental health in people with mixed neurological disorders, including those with post-COVID conditions. These disorders often involve cognitive difficulties that can affect psychotherapy outcomes. This study focuses on whether the therapy improves mental health symptoms and how executive functions, especially abstract thinking, relate to social participation and mental health after therapy. The study involves an ACT-based group therapy program adapted from a manual for neurological conditions. Participants join groups of three to six people and attend eight weekly 100-minute sessions led by licensed psychotherapists. Before the therapy, participants spend eight weeks on a waiting list. The therapy uses metaphors and imagery and aims to improve psychological flexibility. Participants will be assessed before and after the waiting list period and therapy using various psychological tests and questionnaires measuring depression, anxiety, stress, and cognitive functions. Researchers will monitor therapy motivation, cognition, and language ability. The total participation includes the waiting period and therapy sessions, with outcomes measured approximately eight weeks apart to evaluate changes in mental health and executive function.

This research aims to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and early benefits of the ACT Together program for parents of children with disabilities receiving care in pediatric outpatient clinics. ACT Together is based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which helps individuals manage stress and difficult feelings while focusing on meaningful goals. The study will explore if parents and occupational therapists can complete the program activities as planned and assess the mental health and coping improvements parents may experience. The ACT Together program includes six weekly self-paced web-based ACT modules for parents along with six brief phone coaching sessions led by trained occupational therapists. The coaching sessions follow structured guidance and are delivered after each module at a mutually agreed time. Occupational therapists also complete training materials and support delivery of coaching. All program activities and assessments are completed remotely using secure online platforms. Participants will complete questionnaires before and after the program to measure outcomes such as depression, anxiety, stress, quality of life, and psychological flexibility. Parents will also take part in an interview about their experience with the program. Engagement data and coaching session checklists will be collected to track adherence and implementation. The study will last approximately 7-8 weeks, with all data securely stored and privacy carefully maintained.

Researchers are evaluating whether short exercise breaks at work can prevent muscle and joint pain in workers. The study compares two types of exercise programs to see if strength exercises help workers move better and feel less pain, and whether they are more effective than stretching exercises. This quasi-experimental study is conducted in collaboration with Recuperación Funcional Gurea S.Coop.Peq at various companies in the Basque Country, focusing on musculoskeletal disorder prevention. Participants are divided into two groups based on their workplace or preference. One group performs a strength-based active pause program involving high-intensity resistance exercises targeting the shoulder, back, and legs using elastic bands or body weight. The other group follows a mobility active pause program with low-intensity joint mobility and static stretching exercises. Both programs last 8 weeks, with daily 5-minute sessions and one supervised session per week. Participants complete physical tests such as the 30-second Sit-to-Stand test and strength measures of handgrip and shoulder abduction at baseline, after 8 weeks, and again 3 months later. They also answer surveys about pain, work ability, and vitality using the Senior Working Life Questionnaire. Adherence to the intervention is monitored throughout the 8 weeks. The total study duration includes initial assessment, intervention, and follow-up evaluation up to 20 weeks.