Breaking through the Glass Ceiling: Consumers in Mental Health Organisations' Hierarchies.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Brett; Bocking, Julia; Happell, Brenda

2017-05-01

Contemporary mental health policies call for consumers to be engaged in all levels of mental health service planning, implementation, and delivery. Critical approaches to traditional healthcare hierarchies can effectively challenge barriers to better engagement with consumers in mental health organisations. This qualitative exploratory study analyses how particular strategies for consumer leadership facilitate or hinder relationships between consumers and mental health services, and how these strategies influence hierarchical structures. Fourteen participants from a range of mental health organisations were interviewed. These interviews were analysed using thematic analytic and discursive psychological techniques. The findings highlight several benefits of having consumers within mental health organisational hierarchies, and elaborate on ways that employees within mental health services can support integration of consumers into existing hierarchies. Specific barriers to consumers in hierarchies are discussed, including a lack of clarity of structures and roles within hierarchies, and resistance to consumers reaching the highest levels of leadership within organisations. Alternative hierarchical models which privilege consumers' control over resources and power are also discussed. Mental health organisations are encouraged to integrate consumer leaders into their hierarchical structures to improve their organisational offerings, their reputation, and their service innovation.

Understanding the organisational culture of district health services: Mahalapye and Ngamiland health districts of Botswana.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkomazana, Oathokwa; Mash, Robert; Phaladze, Nthabiseng

2015-11-30

Botswana has a shortage of health care workers, especially in primary healthcare. Retention and high performance of employees are closely linked to job satisfaction and motivation, which are both highest where employees' personal values and goals are realised. The aim of the study was to evaluate employees' personal values, and the current and desired organisational culture of the district health services as experienced by the primary health care workers. The study was conducted in the Ngamiland and Mahalapye health districts. This was a cross sectional survey. The participants were asked to select 10 values that best described their personal, current organisational and desired organisational values from a predetermined list. Sixty and 67 health care workers completed the survey in Mahalapye and Ngamiland districts, respectively. The top 10 prevalent organisational values experienced in both districts were: teamwork, patient satisfaction, blame, confusion, job insecurity, not sharing information and manipulation. When all the current values were assessed, 32% (Mahalapye) and 36% (Ngamiland) selected by health care workers were potentially limiting organisational effectiveness. The organisational values desired by health care workers in both districts were: transparency, professional growth, staff recognition, shared decision-making, accountability, productivity, leadership development and teamwork. The experience of the primary health care workers in the two health districts were overwhelmingly negative, which is likely to contribute to low levels of motivation, job satisfaction, productivity and high attrition rates. There is therefore urgent need for organisational transformation with a focus on staff experience and leadership development.

[The current and future organisational structure of the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health)].

Science.gov (United States)

Crespo León, F; Ruiz Mercader, J; Sabater Sánchez, R; Rodríguez Ferri, E F; Crespo Azofra, L

2003-12-01

The authors analyse the organisational structure of the OIE (World organisation for animal health), highlighting the roles of the Central Bureau, the Specialist Commissions, Regional Commissions, working groups and ad hoc groups, Regional Representations, Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres. The paper also includes some suggestions as to how the OIE could work more closely with its 'customers', that is, the Member Countries. These suggestions are based on current theories of organisational flexibility, and take into account not only the current organisational structure of the OIE, but also the Strategic Plan and the Working Plan, which were adopted at the 69th General Session of the OIE International Committee in 2001.

Understanding the organisational culture of district health services: Mahalapye and Ngamiland health districts of Botswana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oathokwa Nkomazana

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Botswana has a shortage of health care workers, especially in primary healthcare. Retention and high performance of employees are closely linked to job satisfaction and motivation, which are both highest where employees’ personal values and goals are realised. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate employees’ personal values, and the current and desired organisational culture of the district health services as experienced by the primary health care workers. Setting: The study was conducted in the Ngamiland and Mahalapye health districts. Method: This was a cross sectional survey. The participants were asked to select 10 values that best described their personal, current organisational and desired organisational values from a predetermined list. Results: Sixty and 67 health care workers completed the survey in Mahalapye and Ngamiland districts, respectively. The top 10 prevalent organisational values experienced in both districts were: teamwork, patient satisfaction, blame, confusion, job insecurity, not sharing information and manipulation. When all the current values were assessed, 32% (Mahalapye and 36% (Ngamiland selected by health care workers were potentially limiting organisational effectiveness. The organisational values desired by health care workers in both districts were: transparency, professional growth, staff recognition, shared decision-making, accountability, productivity, leadership development and teamwork. Conclusions: The experience of the primary health care workers in the two health districts were overwhelmingly negative, which is likely to contribute to low levels of motivation, job satisfaction, productivity and high attrition rates. There is therefore urgent need for organisational transformation with a focus on staff experience and leadership development.

Organising Life-cycles in Supply Chains: Linking Environmental Performance to Managerial Designs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagelaar, J.L.F.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.; Marcelis, W.J.

2005-01-01

In recent years increasing attention has been given to continual environmental performance improvement. Although we support the thesis that organisations are able to continuously improve their environmental performance, we state that truly higher levels of environmental care are reached only via

Effect of professional self-concept on burnout among community health nurses in Chengdu, China: the mediator role of organisational commitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xiaoyi; Chen, Lin; Tian, Lang; Diao, Yongshu; Hu, Xiuying

2015-10-01

To examine the associations among professional self-concept, organisational commitment and burnout, and to analyse the mediating role of organisational commitment on the relationship between professional self-concept and burnout among community health nurses in Chengdu, China. Previous studies have focused on work environmental variables that contributed to burnout in nurses. However, no study has explored the mediating effect of organisational commitment on the correlation between professional self-concept and burnout in community health nurses. A cross-sectional descriptive study. This study was conducted at 36 community health centres in Chengdu, China with 485 nurses sampled using a two-stage sampling method. The measures used in our study included Nurses' Self-concept Questionnaire, Organisational Commitment Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. The results of structural equation model techniques indicated that, in the direct approach, positive professional self-concept resulted in increased organisational commitment and reduced burnout. Higher organisational commitment resulted in less burnout. In the indirect approach, organisational commitment performed as a partial mediator on the correlation between professional self-concept and burnout. Positive perception of professional self-concept can result in reduced burnout via enhancing organisational commitment. It is crucial for nursing administrators to develop effective intervention strategies such as skills escalator training and assertive training, and establishing a supportive working environment to enhance nurses' professional self-concept and organisational commitment, and decrease burnout. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health policy in interwar Greece: the intervention by the League of Nations Health Organisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Theodorou, Vassiliki; Karakatsani, Despina

2008-01-01

The first serious attempts to deal with public health problems in Greece were undertaken between 1925 and 1935. This period also witnessed setbacks to developments in public health, caused by the lack of welfare infrastructure for social relief, as well as extensive health problems brought about by the settlement in Greece of 1,300,000 refugees from Asia Minor. In 1928 following the example set by other European countries, the Liberal Government appealed to international health organisations for support in order to effectively deal with these problems. This contribution constitutes a case study addressing the following issues: a) the impact the League of Nations Health Organisation intervention had on the establishment of public health services; b) the framework for a collaboration of the Rockefeller Foundation and the League of Nations Health Organisation; and c) the factors that led to the failure of the health care reorganisation.

Goals and organisational structure of the movement for global mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Minas, Harry; Wright, Alexandra; Kakuma, Ritsuko

2014-01-01

The Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH), established in 2008, is in a period of transition, as is the field of global mental health. The transfer of Secretariat functions from the Centre for International Mental Health to the Public Health Foundation of India was a suitable time to reflect on the goals of MGMH and on the form of organisational structure that would best serve the organisation in its efforts to achieve its goals. An online survey was sent to the 4,000 registered members of MGMH seeking the views of the membership on both the goals of MGMH and on the preferred form of organisational structure. There was near unanimous (95%) agreement with the MGMH goals as stated at the time of the survey. The current form of organisation of MGMH, a loose network of individuals and organisations registered through the MGMH website, was the least preferred (29.9%) form of organisation for the future of MGMH. More than two thirds (70.1%) of respondents would prefer a formal legal structure, with 60% of this group favouring a Charitable Organisation structure and 40% preferring an international Association structure. The response rate (7%) was too small and too skewed (predominantly academics and health professionals from high income countries) to allow any clear conclusions to be drawn from the survey. However, both the fact that responses were too few and skewed and the preferences expressed by respondents raise issues for careful consideration by the current MGMH Secretariat. The global mental health field and MGMH are in a time of transition. The move to the new secretariat is an opportunity for systematic consideration of the organisational structure and governance arrangements that will best serve the goals of MGMH.

Does it matter who organises your health care?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paresh Dawda

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: As the prevalence of long-term and multimorbid conditions is increasing, patients increasingly require consultations with multiple health care professionals and coordination of their care needs. Methods: This study is based on a 2011 survey of older Australians which draws on sub-populations of people with diabetes aged 50 years or over, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and members of Nationals Seniors Australia. We develop a composite coordination measure and examine differences in the measure with different care coordination indicators using both descriptive and regression methods. Three categories of respondent-perceived care organisers are used: health care professionals; “no one”; and patients, their partner, relative or friend. Results: Of the 2,540 survey respondents (an overall response rate of 24%, 1,865 provided information on who organised their health care, and composite coordination measures were calculated for 1,614. Multivariate analysis showed the composite score was highest where a health care professional coordinated care, followed by care organised by self or a carer, and then the group reporting no organiser. Conclusion: In moving towards care coordination there are opportunities to improve the care coordination process itself, and the key enablers to improving care coordination appear to be the availability and communication of clinical information and the role of the clinical team. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE Organising for self-advocacy in mental health: Experiences from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: This paper reports on overarching strategies which supported the establishment and sustainability of 9 mental health self-help organisations in seven African countries. Method: Eleven key informants were identified through snowballing and interviewed regarding their experience in the organisations. Thematic ...

Managerial strategies to reorient hospitals towards health promotion: lessons from organisational theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Röthlin, Florian

2013-01-01

Reorienting health services towards health promotion is one of the major health promotion strategies stipulated by the Ottawa Charter). Important contradictions, tensions and barriers to health promotion implementation associated with organisational structures have, thus far, been underexposed in the hospital health promotion discourse. This paper aims at identifying risks and the chances for hospital management to strategically and sustainably reorient their hospitals towards health promotion. The paper combines theories and findings from organisational science and management studies as well as from capacity development in the form of a narrative literature review. The aim is to focus on the conditions hospitals, as organisational systems with a highly professionalised workforce, provide for a strategically managed reorientation towards health promotion. Models and principles helping managers to navigate the difficulties and complexities of health promotion reorientation will be suggested. Hospital managers have to deal with genuine obstacles in the complexity and structural formation of hospital organisations. Against this background, continuous management support, a transformative leadership style, participative strategic management and expert governance can be considered important organisational capacities for the reorientation towards a new concept such as health promotion. This paper discusses managerial strategies, effective structural transformations and important organisational capacities that can contribute to a sustainable reorientation of hospitals towards health promotion. It supports hospital managers in exploring their chances of facilitating and effectively supporting a sustainable health promotion reorientation of their hospitals. The paper provides an innovative approach where the focus is on enhanced possibilities for hospital managers to strategically manage the reorientation towards health promotion.

The effect of perceived organisational support on burnout among community health nurses in China: the mediating role of professional self-concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xiaoyi; Chen, Lin; Tian, Lang; Diao, Yongshu

2016-01-01

To examine the mediating effect of professional self-concept on the association between perceived organisational support and burnout among community health nurses in Chengdu, China. Burnout is a common phenomenon among nurses and previous studies have focused on work environmental factors contributing to burnout. Limited studies have examined the effects of perceived organisational support and professional self-concept on burnout among community health nurses. This was a cross-sectional study with 551 community health nurses in Chengdu, China, which included a two-stage sampling method. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships among perceived organisational support, professional self-concept and burnout. The final sample included 456 nurses (82.7%). Perceived organisational support was a significant positive direct predictor for professional self-concept and a significant negative direct predictor for burnout. Professional self-concept was a significant negative direct contributor to burnout. Professional self-concept had a mediating effect on the relationship between perceived organisational support and burnout. Perceived organisational support may result in reduced burnout by facilitating the development of positive professional self-concept. Strategies such as establishing a supportive work environment and professional competence training may be effective methods for burnout prevention and management among community health nurses. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Organisational justice and mental health: a systematic review of prospective studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ndjaboué, Ruth; Brisson, Chantal; Vézina, Michel

2012-10-01

The models most commonly used, to study the effects of psychosocial work factors on workers' health, are the demand-control-support (DCS) model and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model. An emerging body of research has identified Organisational Justice as another model that can help to explain deleterious health effects. This review aimed: (1) to identify prospective studies of the associations between organisational justice and mental health in industrialised countries from 1990 to 2010; (2) to evaluate the extent to which organisational justice has an effect on mental health independently of the DCS and ERI models; and (3) to discuss theoretical and empirical overlap and differences with previous models. The studies had to present associations between organisational justice and a mental health outcome, be prospective, and be entirely available in English or in French. Duplicated papers were excluded. Eleven prospective studies were selected for this review. They provide evidence that procedural justice and relational justice are associated with mental health. These associations remained significant even after controlling for the DCS and ERI models. There is a lack of prospective studies on distributive and informational justice. In conclusion, procedural and relational justice can be considered a different and complementary model to the DCS and ERI models. Future studies should evaluate the effect of change in exposure to organisational justice on employees' mental health over time.

Organisational LCA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martínez-Blanco, Julia; Finkbeiner, Matthias

2018-01-01

environmental performance over time, supporting strategic decisions, and informing corporate sustainability reporting. Several initiatives are on the way for the LCA of organisations: the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative published the ‘Guidance on organizational LCA’, using ISO/TS 14072 as a backbone; moreover......, when the unit of analysis and the system boundaries are defined. Also, the approach for data collection needs to be fixed. Organisational LCA is a compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and potential environmental impacts of the activities associated with the organisation adopting a life...... cycle perspective. It includes not only the facilities of the organisation itself, but also the activities upstream and downstream the value chain. This methodology is capable of serving multiple goals at the same time, like identifying environmental hotspots throughout the value chain, tracking...

Health care systems in Sweden and China: Legal and formal organisational aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Albin, Björn; Hjelm, Katarina; Chang Zhang, Wen

2010-06-22

Sharing knowledge and experience internationally can provide valuable information, and comparative research can make an important contribution to knowledge about health care and cost-effective use of resources. Descriptions of the organisation of health care in different countries can be found, but no studies have specifically compared the legal and formal organisational systems in Sweden and China. To describe and compare health care in Sweden and China with regard to legislation, organisation, and finance. Literature reviews were carried out in Sweden and China to identify literature published from 1985 to 2008 using the same keywords. References in recent studies were scrutinized, national legislation and regulations and government reports were searched, and textbooks were searched manually. The health care systems in Sweden and China show dissimilarities in legislation, organisation, and finance. In Sweden there is one national law concerning health care while in China the law includes the "Hygienic Common Law" and the "Fundamental Health Law" which is under development. There is a tendency towards market-orientated solutions in both countries. Sweden has a well-developed primary health care system while the primary health care system in China is still under development and relies predominantly on hospital-based care concentrated in cities. Despite dissimilarities in health care systems, Sweden and China have similar basic assumptions, i.e. to combine managerial-organisational efficiency with the humanitarian-egalitarian goals of health care, and both strive to provide better care for all.

Workforce development to embed mental health promotion research and evaluation into organisational practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Joss, Nerida; Keleher, Helen

2007-12-01

This project engaged a mental health rehabilitation organisation in health promotion research and development to build its capacity in evaluation research. Participatory research methods were used. Staff skills development occurred through training in research and evaluation methods applied to an evaluation project in mental health promotion that they conducted. All staff had some previous training in research but little, if any, experience of research practice. Staff demonstrated commitment to the idea of embedding research practice into the organisation to strengthen its ability to demonstrate program outcomes. However, the realities of work demands eventually took precedence over the tasks involved in the research process. Staff commitment, knowledge and skills are not sufficient if an organisation lacks the capacity to provide the resources or foster support for a research culture. The health promotion capacity-building framework is relevant for efforts to build health promotion research into mental health organisations. This project demonstrated that workforce development to build the capacity for mental health promotion is more likely to be successful if it is embedded into organisational strategy and culture, has sufficient resources allocated including staff time, and is supported by management.

Occupational stress, ill health and organisational commitment of employees at a university of technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua P. Viljoen

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between occupational stress, ill health and organisational commitment. A survey design was used. The sample (N=353 consisted of academic (n=132 and support staff (n=221 at a university of technology. The Organizational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The results showed that different organisational stressors contributed significantly to ill health and low organisational commitment. Stress about job security contributed to both physical and psychological ill health, whereas overload and job aspects contributed to psychological ill health. Stress about control and resources contributed to low organisational commitment. Low individual commitment to the organisation was predicted by five stressors, namely work-life balance, overload, control, job aspects and pay.

Relationships among Work Life, Mental Health Status and Organisation-based Self-esteem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devin Hassan Fahim

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Quality of Work Life (QWL is a multi-dimensional concept that covers employees’ feelings about various dimensions of work. The current study focused on QWL that can contribute to the mental health status and Organisation-Based Self-Esteem (OBSE of employees in context of sport organisation in Iran. In this descriptive–correlative study, data was collected using three standard questionnaires: Goldberg’s (1978 General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12, Pierce, Gardner, Cummings and Dunham's (1989 OBSE scale, and Walton’s (1975 QWL questionnaire. The statistical sample of the study consisted of 67 (53 male, 14 female employees of sport and youth organisations of the Northern Khorasan Province of Iran. The alpha value for mental health, OBSE and QWL questionnaires were, respectively, 0.82, 0.80, 0.79. QWL was significantly correlated with mental health status and self-esteem of employees. Thus, it can be concluded that mental health and self-esteem of employees depend on how these employees perceive QWL in organisations. Among QWL subscales, fair and adequate pay along with growth opportunities were the strongest predictors of mental health; growth opportunities along with development of human capabilities were the strongest predictors of self-esteem of employees. Our study adds to the growing body of research on mental health status in relation to factors such as QWL. In view of our findings, we hope that improving work environment as a means of improving one’s mental health status will be more emphasized by organisation managers.

Impact of organisational characteristics on health and safety ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The construction industry makes a contribution to occupational accidents and ill health records in Nigeria. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of organisational characteristics on health and safety (H&S) management practices of Nigerian small and medium-sized construction enterprises (SMEs). The study ...

Deficient crisis-probing practices and taken-for-granted assumptions in health organisations

Science.gov (United States)

Canyon, Deon V.; Adhikari, Ashmita; Cordery, Thomas; Giguère-Simmonds, Philippe; Huang, Jessica; Nguyen, Helen; Watson, Michael; Yang, Daniel

2011-01-01

The practice of crisis-probing in proactive organisations involves meticulous and sustained investigation into operational processes and management structures for potential weaknesses and flaws before they become difficult to resolve. In health organisations, crisis probing is a necessary part of preparing to manage emerging health threats. This study examined the degree of pre-emptive probing in health organisations and the type of crisis training provided to determine whether or not they are prepared in this area. This evidence-based study draws on cross-sectional responses provided by executives from chiropractic, physiotherapy, and podiatry practices; dental and medical clinics; pharmacies; aged care facilities; and hospitals. The data show a marked lack of mandatory probing and a generalised failure to reward crisis reporting. Crisis prevention training is poor in all organisations except hospitals and aged care facilities where it occurs at an adequate frequency. However this training focuses primarily on natural disasters, fails to address most other crisis types, is mostly reactive and not designed to probe for and uncover key taken-for-granted assumptions. Crisis-probing in health organisations is inadequate, and improvements in this area may well translate into measurable improvements in preparedness and response outcomes. PMID:24149030

Deficient crisis-probing practices and taken-for-granted assumptions in health organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Canyon, Deon V; Adhikari, Ashmita; Cordery, Thomas; Giguère-Simmonds, Philippe; Huang, Jessica; Nguyen, Helen; Watson, Michael; Yang, Daniel

2011-04-18

The practice of crisis-probing in proactive organisations involves meticulous and sustained investigation into operational processes and management structures for potential weaknesses and flaws before they become difficult to resolve. In health organisations, crisis probing is a necessary part of preparing to manage emerging health threats. This study examined the degree of pre-emptive probing in health organisations and the type of crisis training provided to determine whether or not they are prepared in this area. This evidence-based study draws on cross-sectional responses provided by executives from chiropractic, physiotherapy, and podiatry practices; dental and medical clinics; pharmacies; aged care facilities; and hospitals. The data show a marked lack of mandatory probing and a generalised failure to reward crisis reporting. Crisis prevention training is poor in all organisations except hospitals and aged care facilities where it occurs at an adequate frequency. However this training focuses primarily on natural disasters, fails to address most other crisis types, is mostly reactive and not designed to probe for and uncover key taken-for-granted assumptions. Crisis-probing in health organisations is inadequate, and improvements in this area may well translate into measurable improvements in preparedness and response outcomes.

Organisational Factors Affecting Policy and Programme Decision Making in a Public Health Policy Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Zardo, Pauline; Collie, Alex; Livingstone, Charles

2015-01-01

Organisational factors can affect the success of interventions aimed at increasing research use. Research is needed to identify organisational factors affecting research use in specific public health policy contexts. Qualitative interviews with decision makers from a specific public health context identified a range of organisational factors that…

Organisational benefits of a strong research culture in a health service: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, Katherine; Lynch, Lauren; Porter, Judi; Taylor, Nicholas F

2017-03-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is an association between having research culture in a health service and better organisational performance. Methods Using systematic review methods, databases were searched, inclusion criteria applied and study quality appraised. Data were extracted from selected studies and the results were synthesised descriptively. Results Eight studies were selected for review. Five studies compared health services with high versus low levels of research activity among the workforce. Three studies evaluated the effect of specific interventions focused on the health workforce. All studies reported a positive association between research activity and organisational performance. Improved organisational performance included lower patient mortality rates (two of two studies), higher levels of patient satisfaction (one of one study), reduced staff turnover (two of two studies), improved staff satisfaction (one of two studies) and improved organisational efficiency (four of five studies). Conclusions A stronger research culture appears to be associated with benefits to patients, staff and the organisation. What is known about this topic? Research investment in the health workforce can increase research productivity of the health workforce. In addition, investment in clinical research can lead to positive health outcomes. However, it is not known whether a positive research culture among the health workforce is associated with improved organisational performance. What does this paper add? The present systematic review of the literature provides evidence that a positive research culture and interventions directed at the health workforce are associated with patient, staff and organisational benefits. What are the implications for practitioners? For health service managers and policy makers, one interpretation of the results could be to provide support for initiatives directed at the health workforce to increase a

Organisational change: Deliberation and modification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonker, C.M.; Schut, M.C.; Treur, J.

2003-01-01

For an information-agent-based system to support virtual (Internet-supported) organisations, changes in environmental conditions often demand changes in organisational behaviour, i.e., organisational changes. As organisational behaviour relates to organisational structure, rethinking the structure

New Possibilities for development of the internal health and safety organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasle, Peter; Jensen, Per Langå

2004-01-01

Research from several countries indicates that the internal health and safety organisation in most companies is placed in an appendix position. A possibility for developing a stronger and more effective health and safety organisation is to introduce learning. This approach has been applied...... in a Danish network project with eleven companies. The results indicate that health and safety managers and safety representatives have difficulties in fulfilling the role as change agents in mastering such a development project. Only three of the eleven companies turned out to be able to implement successful...

Organising integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axelsson, Runo

2013-01-01

Background: In Sweden, as in many other countries, there has been a succession of trends in the organisation of health care and other welfare services. These trends have had different implications for the integration of services in the health and welfare system. Aims: One aim is to discuss...... the implications of different organisational trends for the integration of health and welfare services. Another aim is to introduce a Swedish model of financial coordination as a flexible way to organise integration. Organisational trends: In the 1960’s there was an expansion of health and welfare services leading...... an increasing lack of integration in the health and welfare system. In the 2000’s, there has been a re-centralisation through mergers of hospitals, regions and state agencies. It has become clear, however, that mergers do not promote integration but rather increase the bureaucratisation of the system. Model...

The Organisation of Local Mental Health Services in Norway: Evidence, Uncertainty and Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsdal, Helge; Hansen, Gunnar Vold

2017-01-01

This article addresses questions about health authorities' recommendations on the local organisation of services for people with mental health disorders in Norway. Analysis is made of the dynamic relationship between different evaluations, national guidelines and other knowledge that influence the organisation of services. The analysis is based…

What's to be done when 'foul whisp rings are abroad'? Gossip and rumour in health organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Nick; Kotze, Beth; Storm, Victor

2018-02-01

This article explores the relevance of gossip and rumour to health organisations and presents what limited empirical research is available specific to the management of gossip and rumour in health organisations. The concept of a sentinel function for gossip and rumour in health organisations is proposed as a topic worthy of further research.

Health service accreditation as a predictor of clinical and organisational performance: a blinded, random, stratified study.

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Greenfield, David; Westbrook, Johanna; Pawsey, Marjorie; Westbrook, Mary; Gibberd, Robert; Naylor, Justine; Nathan, Sally; Robinson, Maureen; Runciman, Bill; Jackson, Margaret; Travaglia, Joanne; Johnston, Brian; Yen, Desmond; McDonald, Heather; Low, Lena; Redman, Sally; Johnson, Betty; Corbett, Angus; Hennessy, Darlene; Clark, John; Lancaster, Judie

2010-02-01

Despite the widespread use of accreditation in many countries, and prevailing beliefs that accreditation is associated with variables contributing to clinical care and organisational outcomes, little systematic research has been conducted to examine its validity as a predictor of healthcare performance. To determine whether accreditation performance is associated with self-reported clinical performance and independent ratings of four aspects of organisational performance. Independent blinded assessment of these variables in a random, stratified sample of health service organisations. Acute care: large, medium and small health-service organisations in Australia. Study participants Nineteen health service organisations employing 16 448 staff treating 321 289 inpatients and 1 971 087 non-inpatient services annually, representing approximately 5% of the Australian acute care health system. Correlations of accreditation performance with organisational culture, organisational climate, consumer involvement, leadership and clinical performance. Results Accreditation performance was significantly positively correlated with organisational culture (rho=0.618, p=0.005) and leadership (rho=0.616, p=0.005). There was a trend between accreditation and clinical performance (rho=0.450, p=0.080). Accreditation was unrelated to organisational climate (rho=0.378, p=0.110) and consumer involvement (rho=0.215, p=0.377). Accreditation results predict leadership behaviours and cultural characteristics of healthcare organisations but not organisational climate or consumer participation, and a positive trend between accreditation and clinical performance is noted.

Organisational Culture Matters for System Integration in Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Munir, Samina K.; Kay, Stephen

2003-01-01

This paper illustrates the importance of organisational culture for Clinical Information Systems (CIS) integration. The study is based on data collected in intensive care units in the UK and Denmark. Data were collected using qualitative methods, i.e., observations, interviews and shadowing of health care providers, together with a questionnaire at each site. The data are analysed to extract salient variables for CIS integration, and it is shown that these variables can be separated into two categories that describe the ‘Actual Usefulness’ of the system and the ‘Organisational Culture’. This model is then extended to show that CIS integration directly affects the work processes of the organisation, forming an iterative process of change as a CIS is introduced and integrated. PMID:14728220

Management of change in health care organisations and human resource role

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carignani, Vania

2000-01-01

The paper is focused on the analysis of the most relevant factors necessary to manage change in health care organisations. The approach suggested is the Stakeholder one. According to this approach, the hospital's managers seem to be successful if they are able to satisfy people (internal and external stakeholders) that have a stake in the health care institution. The attention of the author is mainly focused on the internal forces that make the health care sector competitive and successful. In order to motivate internal human resources to accept change and to achieve the organisational targets two main methods can be suggested. The former is based on tangible variables and in particular on a fair reward system; the latter is built on intangible elements e.g. communication, negotiation, contracting, and organisational values sharing. Moreover, in order to cope with change it is important to develop the information technology management and to reengineer delivery processes, taking into consideration both the costs and benefits of these kinds of innovations

Healthcare professionals' organisational barriers to health information technologies-a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lluch, Maria

2011-12-01

This literature review identifies and categorises, from an organisational management perspective, barriers to the use of HIT or ICT for health. Based on the review, it offers policy interventions. This systematic literature review was carried out during December 2009 and January 2010. Additional on-going reviews of updates through automated system alerts took place up until this paper was submitted. A total of thirty-one sources were searched including nine software platforms/databases, fifteen specialised websites/targeted databases, Google Scholar, ISI Science Citation Index and five journals hand-searched. The study covers seventy-nine articles on organisational barriers to ICT adoption by healthcare professionals. These are categorised under five main headings - (I) Structure of healthcare organisations; (II) Tasks; (III) People policies; (IV) Incentives; and (V) Information and decision processes. A total of ten subcategories are also identified. By adopting an organisational management approach, some recommendations to remove organisational management barriers are made. Despite their apparent promise, health information technologies (HIT) have proved difficult to implement. This systematic review reveals the implementation barriers associated to organisational management and their interrelations. Several important future directions in the field are also suggested: (1) there is a need for further research providing evidence of HIT cost-effectiveness as well as the development of optimal HIT applications; (2) more information is needed regarding organisational change, incentives, liability issues, end-users HIT competences and skills, structure and work process issues involved in realising the benefits from HIT. Future policy interventions should consider the five dimensions identified when addressing the impact of HIT in healthcare organisational systems, and how the impact of an intervention aimed at a particular dimension would interrelate with others. 2011

Relationships among Work Life, Mental Health Status and Organisation-based Self-esteem

OpenAIRE

Devin Hassan Fahim; Farbod Davood

2016-01-01

Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a multi-dimensional concept that covers employees’ feelings about various dimensions of work. The current study focused on QWL that can contribute to the mental health status and Organisation-Based Self-Esteem (OBSE) of employees in context of sport organisation in Iran. In this descriptive–correlative study, data was collected using three standard questionnaires: Goldberg’s (1978) General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Pierce, Gardner, Cummings and Dunham's (198...

The organisation of health promotion through recreational activities for individuals with physical disabilities

OpenAIRE

Laškovaitė, Simona

2012-01-01

Aim of the study. To evaluate the benefits of recreational activities, their organisation and realization for individuals with physical disabilities. Objectives. 1. To determine the accessibility and organisation of health promotion through recreational activities for individuals with physical disabilities. 2. To evaluate how economical-financial, informational, physical and psychosocial factors influence physically disabled people’s health promotion through recreational activities....

Weber, authority and the organisation of health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Alaszewski, A; Manthorpe, J

The third paper in the series on sociology discusses the work of Max Weber. It traces the origins and main themes of his work. The parallels between his work and contemporary issues in the organisation of health care are outlined, in particular, the insights provided into bureaucracy and authority.

Is health workforce planning recognising the dynamic interplay between health literacy at an individual, organisation and system level?

Science.gov (United States)

Naccarella, Lucio; Wraight, Brenda; Gorman, Des

2016-02-01

The growing demands on the health system to adapt to constant change has led to investment in health workforce planning agencies and approaches. Health workforce planning approaches focusing on identifying, predicting and modelling workforce supply and demand are criticised as being simplistic and not contributing to system-level resiliency. Alternative evidence- and needs-based health workforce planning approaches are being suggested. However, to contribute to system-level resiliency, workforce planning approaches need to also adopt system-based approaches. The increased complexity and fragmentation of the healthcare system, especially for patients with complex and chronic conditions, has also led to a focus on health literacy not simply as an individual trait, but also as a dynamic product of the interaction between individual (patients, workforce)-, organisational- and system-level health literacy. Although it is absolutely essential that patients have a level of health literacy that enables them to navigate and make decisions, so too the health workforce, organisations and indeed the system also needs to be health literate. Herein we explore whether health workforce planning is recognising the dynamic interplay between health literacy at an individual, organisation and system level, and the potential for strengthening resiliency across all those levels.

The medium-term sustainability of organisational innovations in the national health service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finn Rachael

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a growing recognition of the importance of introducing new ways of working into the UK's National Health Service (NHS and other health systems, in order to ensure that patient care is provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Researchers have examined the challenges of introducing new ways of working--'organisational innovations'--into complex organisations such as the NHS, and this has given rise to a much better understanding of how this takes place--and why seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice. However, there has been less research on the medium- and longer-term outcomes for organisational innovations and on the question of how new ways of working, introduced by frontline clinicians and managers, are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. Clearly, this question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organisational innovations are to be maintained, rather than lost to what the NHS Institute has called the 'improvement-evaporation effect'. Methods The study will involve research in four case-study sites around England, each of which was successful in sustaining its new model of service provision beyond an initial period of pilot funding for new genetics services provided by the Department of Health. Building on findings relating to the introduction and sustainability of these services already gained from an earlier study, the research will use qualitative methods--in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and analysis of relevant documents--to understand the longer-term challenges involved in each case and how these were surmounted. The research will provide lessons for those seeking to sustain their own organisational innovations in wide-ranging clinical areas and for those designing the systems and organisations that make up the NHS, to make them more receptive contexts for the sustainment of innovation. Discussion

The medium-term sustainability of organisational innovations in the national health service

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background There is a growing recognition of the importance of introducing new ways of working into the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and other health systems, in order to ensure that patient care is provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Researchers have examined the challenges of introducing new ways of working--'organisational innovations'--into complex organisations such as the NHS, and this has given rise to a much better understanding of how this takes place--and why seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice. However, there has been less research on the medium- and longer-term outcomes for organisational innovations and on the question of how new ways of working, introduced by frontline clinicians and managers, are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. Clearly, this question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organisational innovations are to be maintained, rather than lost to what the NHS Institute has called the 'improvement-evaporation effect'. Methods The study will involve research in four case-study sites around England, each of which was successful in sustaining its new model of service provision beyond an initial period of pilot funding for new genetics services provided by the Department of Health. Building on findings relating to the introduction and sustainability of these services already gained from an earlier study, the research will use qualitative methods--in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and analysis of relevant documents--to understand the longer-term challenges involved in each case and how these were surmounted. The research will provide lessons for those seeking to sustain their own organisational innovations in wide-ranging clinical areas and for those designing the systems and organisations that make up the NHS, to make them more receptive contexts for the sustainment of innovation. Discussion Through comparison and

Development of the school organisational health questionnaire: a measure for assessing teacher morale and school organisational climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, P M; Wearing, A J; Conn, M; Carter, N L; Dingle, R K

2000-06-01

A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that organisational factors are more important than classroom specific issues in determining teacher morale. Accordingly, it is necessary to have available measures that accurately assess morale, as well as the organisational factors that are likely to underpin the experience of morale. Three studies were conducted with the aim of developing a psychometrically sound questionnaire that could be used to assess teacher morale and various dimensions of school organisational climate. A total of 1,520 teachers from 18 primary and 26 secondary schools in the Australian state of Victoria agreed to participate in three separate studies (N = 615, 342 and 563 in Studies 1, 2 and 3, respectively) that were used to develop the questionnaire. The demographic profile of the teachers was similar to that found in the Department as a whole. All teaching staff in the participating schools were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire as part of the evaluation of an organisational development programme. A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to establish the questionnaire's factor structure, and correlation analyses were used to examine the questionnaire's convergent and discriminant validity. The three studies resulted in the 54-item School Organisational Health Questionnaire that measures teacher morale and 11 separate dimensions of school organisational climate: appraisal and recognition, curriculum coordination, effective discipline policy, excessive work demands, goal congruence, participative decision-making, professional growth, professional interaction, role clarity, student orientation, and supportive leadership.

European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation Topical Review on Environmental Factors in IBD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maaser, Christian; Langholz, Ebbe; Gordon, Hannah

2017-01-01

This ECCO Topical Review of the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] focuses on the role of environmental factors with respect to the development of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] as well as their influence on the course of established IBD. The objective was to reach expert consensus...... to provide evidence-based guidance for clinical practice....

The impact of clinical librarian services on patients and health care organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Brettle, Alison; Maden, Michelle; Payne, Clare

2016-06-01

Systematic reviews have found limited evidence of effectiveness and impact of clinical librarians (CLs) due to the poor quality of reporting, scale and design of previous studies. To measure specific CL impact on organisational and patient outcomes using a robust approach that helps CLs develop research skills. Questionnaire and interviews. Clinical librarians contribute to a wide range of outcomes in the short and longer term reflecting organisational priorities and objectives. These include direct contributions to choice of intervention (36%) diagnosis (26%) quality of life (25%), increased patient involvement in decision making (26%) and cost savings and risk management including avoiding tests, referrals, readmissions and reducing length of stay (28%). Interventions provided by CL's are complex and each contributes to multiple outcomes of importance to health care organisations. This study is unique in taking a wide view of potential and specific impacts to which CLs contribute across health care organisations. It is the largest UK evaluation of CL services to date and demonstrates CLs affect direct patient care, improve quality and save money. Future researchers are urged to use the tools presented to collect data on the same outcomes to build a significant and comprehensive international evidence base about the effectiveness and impact of clinical librarian services. © 2016 Health Libraries Group.

International standards: the World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiermann, A B

2015-04-01

This paper provides a description of the international standards contained in the TerrestrialAnimal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that relate to the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. It identifies the rights and obligations of OIE Member Countries regarding the notification of animal disease occurrences, as well as the recommendations to be followed for a safe and efficient international trade of animals and their products.

Authentic leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour in the public health care sector: The role of workplace trust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynelle Coxen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The orientation of this study was towards authentic leadership and its influence on workplace trust and organisational citizenship behaviour in the public health care sector. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of authentic leadership on organisational citizenship behaviour, through workplace trust among public health care employees in South Africa. The objective was to determine whether authentic leadership affects organisational citizenship behaviour through workplace trust (conceptualised as trust in the organisation, immediate supervisor and co-workers. Motivation for the study: Employees in the public health care industry are currently being faced with a demanding work environment which includes a lack of trust in leadership. This necessitated the need to determine whether authentic leadership ultimately leads to extra-role behaviours via workplace trust in its three referents. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used with employees the public health care sector in South Africa (N = 633. The Authentic Leadership Inventory, Workplace Trust Survey and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale were administered to these participants. Main findings: The results indicated that authentic leadership has a significant influence on trust in all three referents, namely the organisation, the supervisor and co-workers. Both trust in the organisation and trust in co-workers positively influenced organisational citizenship behaviour. Conversely, authentic leadership did not have a significant influence on organisational citizenship behaviour. Finally, authentic leadership had a significant indirect effect on organisational citizenship behaviour through trust in the organisation and trust in co-workers. Trust in the organisation was found to have the strongest indirect effect on the relationship between authentic leadership and organisational citizenship

Effects of organisational-level interventions at work on employees’ health: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Organisational-level workplace interventions are thought to produce more sustainable effects on the health of employees than interventions targeting individual behaviours. However, scientific evidence from intervention studies does not fully support this notion. It is therefore important to explore conditions of positive health effects by systematically reviewing available studies. We set out to evaluate the effectiveness of 39 health-related intervention studies targeting a variety of working conditions. Methods Systematic review. Organisational-level workplace interventions aiming at improving employees’ health were identified in electronic databases and manual searches. The appraisal of studies was adapted from the Cochrane Back Review Group guidelines. To improve comparability of the widely varying studies we classified the interventions according to the main approaches towards modifying working conditions. Based on this classification we applied a logistic regression model to estimate significant intervention effects. Results 39 intervention studies published between 1993 and 2012 were included. In terms of methodology the majority of interventions were of medium quality, and four studies only had a high level of evidence. About half of the studies (19) reported significant effects. There was a marginally significant probability of reporting effects among interventions targeting several organisational-level modifications simultaneously (Odds ratio (OR) 2.71; 95% CI 0.94-11.12), compared to those targeting one dimension only. Conclusions Despite the heterogeneity of the 39 organisational-level workplace interventions underlying this review, we were able to compare their effects by applying broad classification categories. Success rates were higher among more comprehensive interventions tackling material, organisational and work-time related conditions simultaneously. To increase the number of successful organisational-level interventions in the

Effects of organisational-level interventions at work on employees' health: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Montano, Diego; Hoven, Hanno; Siegrist, Johannes

2014-02-08

Organisational-level workplace interventions are thought to produce more sustainable effects on the health of employees than interventions targeting individual behaviours. However, scientific evidence from intervention studies does not fully support this notion. It is therefore important to explore conditions of positive health effects by systematically reviewing available studies. We set out to evaluate the effectiveness of 39 health-related intervention studies targeting a variety of working conditions. Systematic review. Organisational-level workplace interventions aiming at improving employees' health were identified in electronic databases and manual searches. The appraisal of studies was adapted from the Cochrane Back Review Group guidelines. To improve comparability of the widely varying studies we classified the interventions according to the main approaches towards modifying working conditions. Based on this classification we applied a logistic regression model to estimate significant intervention effects. 39 intervention studies published between 1993 and 2012 were included. In terms of methodology the majority of interventions were of medium quality, and four studies only had a high level of evidence. About half of the studies (19) reported significant effects. There was a marginally significant probability of reporting effects among interventions targeting several organisational-level modifications simultaneously (Odds ratio (OR) 2.71; 95% CI 0.94-11.12), compared to those targeting one dimension only. Despite the heterogeneity of the 39 organisational-level workplace interventions underlying this review, we were able to compare their effects by applying broad classification categories. Success rates were higher among more comprehensive interventions tackling material, organisational and work-time related conditions simultaneously. To increase the number of successful organisational-level interventions in the future, commonly reported obstacles against

Health service planning and sustainable development: considering what, where and how care is delivered through a pro-environmental lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Desmond, Sharon

2017-03-02

The aim of the present paper was to review the opportunities currently available to health service planners to advance sustainable development in their future-facing roles within health service organisation. Critical challenges and enablers to facilitate health services planners in adopting a pro-environmental lens are discussed. What is known about the topic? Despite its harmful effect on the environment, health has been slower than other industries to embrace the sustainable development agenda. The attitudes and knowledge base of health service planners with regard to environmental sustainability has not been widely studied. For health service planners, embracing pro-environmental considerations in sustainable model of care development is a powerful opportunity to review care paradigms and prepare for the implementation of meaningful, improved health and system efficiency. What does this paper add? This paper advances the case for health service planners to embrace a pro-environmental stance and guides health service leaders in the preparation and implementation of sustainable and improved health and system efficiency. What are the implications for practitioners? Health service planers are in an ideal position to champion the sustainable development agenda as they explore what care is delivered, how care is delivered and where care is delivered. External policy, health service leadership and carbon literacy are advanced as critical contextual factors to facilitate the key role that health service planners can play in building sustainable healthcare organisations.

World Organisation for Animal Health: strengthening Veterinary Services for effective One Health collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Corning, S

2014-08-01

To effectively reduce health risks at the animal-human-ecosystems interface, a One Health strategy is crucially important to create strong national and regional animal health systems that are well coordinated with strong public health systems. Animal diseases, particularly those caused by new and emerging zoonotic pathogens, must be effectively controlled at their source to reduce their potentially devastating impact upon both animal and human health. As the international organisation responsible for developing standards, guidelines and recommendations for animal health, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) plays an important role in minimising animal and public health risks attributable to zoonoses and other animal diseases, which can have severe consequences for global food safety and security. National Veterinary Services, which implement OIE animal health and welfare standards and other measures, are the first line of defence against these diseases, and must have the capacity to meet the core requirements necessary for their diagnosis and control. The OIE works collaboratively with the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to improve the ability of national animal and public health systems to respond to current and emerging animal health risks with public health consequences. In addition to improving and aligning national laboratory capacities in high-risk areas, the OIE collaborates on One Health-oriented projects for key diseases, establishing model frameworks which can be applied to manage other existing and emerging priority diseases. This article reviews the role and activities of the OIE in strengthening the national Veterinary Services of its Member Countries for a more effective and sustainable One Health collaboration.

Psychosocial aspects of nuclear accidents: the role of the World Health Organisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Girolamo, G.

1991-01-01

Since the Chernobyl nuclear reactor incident in the USSR in 1986, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has devoted a large part of its activities and research towards improving both national and transnational capabilities for dealing with radiation emergencies. This presentation concentrates on the psychosocial aspects of radiation accidents and the measures which should be taken to combat them. Although public information was sparse during the Chernobyl disaster, afterwards there was a flood of conflicting information and rumours from a variety of organisations and governments resulting in an ''overload'' on the public and creating fear and mistrust of the authorities. The author argues that as the leading world organisation on health matters, WHO should be seen as the natural co-ordinator, authority and information-provider in ''transnational'' incidents such as this to avoid this public confusion and unnecessary ill-effects. (author)

Ethics and health promotion practice: exploring attitudes and practices in Western Australian health organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Reilly, T; Crawford, G; Lobo, R; Leavy, J; Jancey, J

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Evidence-informed practice underpinned by ethics is fundamental to developing the science of health promotion. Knowledge and application of ethical principles are competencies required for health promotion practice. However, these competencies are often inconsistently understood and applied. This research explored attitudes, practices, enablers and barriers related to ethics in practice in Western Australian health organisations. Methods Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 health promotion practitioners, purposefully selected to provide a cross-section of government and non-government organisations. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then themed. Results The majority of participants reported consideration of ethics in their practice; however, only half reported seeking Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval for projects in the past 12 months. Enablers identified as supporting ethics in practice and disseminating findings included: support preparing ethics applications; resources and training about ethical practice; ability to access HRECs for ethics approval; and a supportive organisational culture. Barriers included: limited time; insufficient resourcing and capacity; ethics approval not seen as part of core business; and concerns about academic writing. Conclusion The majority of participants were aware of the importance of ethics in practice and the dissemination of findings. However, participants reported barriers to engaging in formal ethics processes and to publishing findings. So what? Alignment of evidence-informed and ethics-based practice is critical. Resources and information about ethics may be required to support practice and encourage dissemination of findings, including in the peer-reviewed literature. Investigating the role of community-based ethics boards may be valuable to bridging the ethics-evidence gap.

Mapping allied health evidence-based practice: providing a basis for organisational realignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziviani, Jenny; Wilkinson, Shelley A; Hinchliffe, Fiona; Feeney, Rachel

2015-06-01

Ahead of the convergence of two major paediatric services, we examined evidence-based practice (EBP) self-efficacy, outcome expectance, knowledge and use among allied health (AH) staff in two major Queensland (Qld) paediatric services. This was to determine whether any differences existed based on organisational affiliation, profession and any previous training to inform a strategy to enhance AH EBP within the new organisational setting. All AH staff from the two Brisbane (Qld) tertiary paedritic hospitals were invited to participate in the survey. Using a cross-sectional design EBP self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, knowledge and use, as well as previous EBP training, were assessed with an online survey. Background demographic information obtained included professional discipline and hospital. One hundreD and thirty-eight health practitioners completed the survey (37% respone rate). Most practioners had accessed EBP training. Mean scores for EBP attitudes (self-efficacy and outcome expectancy) and knowledge were higher than for EBP use scores. Greater variation was observed across professional disciplines than organisations. Training impacted positively on EBP measures but explained a small proportion of total variance in regression models. The results underscore the need to provide organisational supports to AH staff ro EBP implementation. Strategies other than training are requred to maximally enhance EBP attitudes. The new organisational structure provides an oppotunity for this cultural shift to occur.

The influence of personal and organisational factors on entrepreneurship intention: An application in the health care sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Carla S; Valente, Sandra; Lages, Marisa

2018-03-05

This study sought to contribute to research on entrepreneurial intention by identifying which constructs of the entrepreneurial profile and internal conditions of health care organisations support entrepreneurship and contribute to the entrepreneurial intention of these organisations' employees. In addition to psychological attributes, cognitive processes, motivations, sociodemographic and professional characteristics, and entrepreneurial skills, the literature indicates that internal conditions of organisations also contribute to explaining entrepreneurial intention. To evaluate this model empirically, the primary data were collected with questionnaires distributed to nurses in two public hospitals-the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Hospital Center and the Local Health Unit of the Northeast. A total of 638 nurses filled out the questionnaire. The data were analysed using inferential and regression analyses. The results suggest that the dimensions related to personal attributes, namely, motivation and entrepreneurial skills, are the constructs that best explain the entrepreneurial intention of these professionals within their organisations. A broad discussion is needed about how to implement internal conditions that promote an intrapreneurial and innovative culture in health care organisations. Health care organisation administrators need to prioritise intrapreneurship while structuring their management strategies, thereby creating favourable internal conditions (e.g., support, autonomy, rewards, time availability and appropriate organisational procedures) that enhance their nurses' entrepreneurial intention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Organisational simplification and secondary complexity in health services for adults with learning disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyman, Bob; Swain, John; Gillman, Maureen

2004-01-01

This paper explores the role of complexity and simplification in the delivery of health care for adults with learning disabilities, drawing upon qualitative data obtained in a study carried out in NE England. It is argued that the requirement to manage complex health needs with limited resources causes service providers to simplify, standardise and routinise care. Simplified service models may work well enough for the majority of clients, but can impede recognition of the needs of those whose characteristics are not congruent with an adopted model. The data were analysed in relation to the core category, identified through thematic analysis, of secondary complexity arising from organisational simplification. Organisational simplification generates secondary complexity when operational routines designed to make health complexity manageable cannot accommodate the needs of non-standard service users. Associated themes, namely the social context of services, power and control, communication skills, expertise and service inclusiveness and evaluation are explored in relation to the core category. The concept of secondary complexity resulting from organisational simplification may partly explain seemingly irrational health service provider behaviour.

Self-organised critical features in soil radon and MHz electromagnetic disturbances: Results from environmental monitoring in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petraki, Ermioni; Nikolopoulos, Dimitrios; Fotopoulos, Anaxagoras; Panagiotaras, Dionisios; Koulouras, Grigorios; Zisos, Athanasios; Nomicos, Constantinos; Louizi, Anna; Stonham, John

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the issues of self-organised critical behaviour of soil-radon and MHz-electromagnetic disorders during intense seismic activity in SW Greece. A significant radon signal is re-analysed for environmental influences with Fast Fourier Transform and multivariate statistics. Self-organisation of signals is investigated via fractal evolving techniques and detrended fluctuation analysis. New lengthy radon data are presented and analysed accordingly. The data did not show self-similarities. Similar analysis applied to new important concurrent MHz-electromagnetic signals revealed analogous behaviour to radon. The signals precursory value is discussed. - Highlights: ► New radon–MHz signals for an area with peculiar radon disorders on 2008. ► Use of spectrograms-multivariate statistics in analysing environmental parameters. ► Spectral fractal techniques and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis in all signals. ► Pre-earthquake signals followed fractional Brownian motion model. ► Hurst analysis showed persistent–antipersistent self-organised critical patterns.

The impact of organisational change and fiscal restraint on organisational culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Dark, Frances; Whiteford, Harvey; Ashkanasy, Neal M; Harvey, Carol; Harris, Meredith; Crompton, David; Newman, Ellie

2017-01-01

Strategies to implement evidence-based practice have highlighted the bidirectional relationship of organisational change on organisational culture. The present study examined changes in perceptions of organisational culture in two community mental health services implementing cognitive therapies into routine psychosis care over 3 years. During the time of the study there were a number of shared planned and unplanned changes that the mental health services had to accommodate. One service, Metro South, had the additional challenge of embarking on a major organisational restructure. A survey of organisational culture was administered to clinical staff of each service at yearly intervals over the 3 years. At baseline assessment there was no significant difference between the two services in organisational culture. At the midpoint assessment, which was conducted at the time the Metro South restructure was operationalized, there were less positive ratings of organisational culture recorded in Metro South compared to the other service. Organisational culture returned to near-baseline levels at endpoint assessment. These findings are consistent with the literature that organisational culture is relatively robust and resilient. It is also consistent with the literature that, at any one time, a service or organisation may have a finite capacity to absorb change. Consequently this limitation needs to be taken into account in the timing and planning of major service reform where possible. The results also extend the literature, insofar as external factors with a high impact on the operation of an organisation may impact upon organisational culture albeit temporarily.

Financing the World Health Organisation: global importance of extrabudgetary funds.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughan, J P; Mogedal, S; Kruse, S; Lee, K; Walt, G; de Wilde, K

1996-03-01

From 1948, when WHO was established, the Organisation has relied on the assessed contributions of its member states for its regular budget. However, since the early 1980s the WHO World Health Assembly has had a policy of zero real growth for the regular budget and has had to rely increasingly, therefore, on attracting additional voluntary contributions, called extrabudgetary funds (EBFs). Between 1984-85 and 1992-93 the real value of the EBFs apparently increased by more than 60% and in the 1990-91 biennium expenditure of extrabudgetary funds exceeded the regular budget for the first time. All WHO programmes, except the Assembly and the Executive Board, receive some EBFs. However, three cosponsored and six large regular programmes account for about 70% of these EBFs, mainly for vertically managed programmes in the areas of disease control, health promotion and human reproduction. Eighty percent of all EBFs received by WHO for assisted activities have been contributed by donor governments, with the top 10 countries (in Europe, North America and Japan) contributing about 90% of this total, whereas the UN funds and the World Bank have donated only about 6% of the total to date. By contrast, about 70% of the regular budget expenditure has been for organisational expenses and for the support of programmes in the area of health systems. Despite the fact that the more successful programmes are heavily reliant on EBFs, there are strong indications that donors, particularly donor governments, are reluctant to maintain the current level of funding without major reforms in the leadership and management of the Organisation. This has major implications for WHO's international role as the leading UN specialised agency for health.

Building integrated care systems: a case study of Bidasoa Integrated Health Organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuria Toro Polanco

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: This paper analyses the implementation of integrated care policies in the Basque Country through the deployment of an Integrated Health Organisation in Bidasoa area during the period 2011–2014. Structural, functional and clinical integration policies have been employed with the aim to deliver integrated and person-centred care for patients, especially for those living with chronic conditions.Methods: This organisational case study used multiple data sources and methods in a pragmatic and reflexive manner to build a picture of the organisational development over a 4-year period. In order to measure the progress of integration three concepts have been measured: (i readiness for chronicity measured with Assessment of Readiness for Chronicity in Healthcare Organisations tool; (ii collaboration between clinicians from different care levels measured with the D'Amour Questionnaire, and (iii overall impact of integration through several indicators based on the Triple Aim Framework.Results: The measurement of organisational readiness for chronicity showed improvements in five of the six areas under evaluation. Similarly the collaboration between professionals of different care levels showed a steady improvement in each of the 10 items. Furthermore, the Triple Aim-based indicators showed a better experience of care in terms of patients’ perceptions of care coordination; a reduction in hospital utilisation, particularly for patients with complex chronic conditions; and cost-containment in terms of per capita expenditure.Conclusion: There is a significant amount of data that shows that Bidasoa Integrated Health Organisation has progressed in terms of delivering integrated care for chronic conditions with a positive impact on several Triple Aim outcomes.

Building integrated care systems: a case study of Bidasoa Integrated Health Organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuria Toro Polanco

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: This paper analyses the implementation of integrated care policies in the Basque Country through the deployment of an Integrated Health Organisation in Bidasoa area during the period 2011–2014. Structural, functional and clinical integration policies have been employed with the aim to deliver integrated and person-centred care for patients, especially for those living with chronic conditions. Methods: This organisational case study used multiple data sources and methods in a pragmatic and reflexive manner to build a picture of the organisational development over a 4-year period. In order to measure the progress of integration three concepts have been measured: (i readiness for chronicity measured with Assessment of Readiness for Chronicity in Healthcare Organisations tool; (ii collaboration between clinicians from different care levels measured with the D'Amour Questionnaire, and (iii overall impact of integration through several indicators based on the Triple Aim Framework. Results: The measurement of organisational readiness for chronicity showed improvements in five of the six areas under evaluation. Similarly the collaboration between professionals of different care levels showed a steady improvement in each of the 10 items. Furthermore, the Triple Aim-based indicators showed a better experience of care in terms of patients’ perceptions of care coordination; a reduction in hospital utilisation, particularly for patients with complex chronic conditions; and cost-containment in terms of per capita expenditure. Conclusion: There is a significant amount of data that shows that Bidasoa Integrated Health Organisation has progressed in terms of delivering integrated care for chronic conditions with a positive impact on several Triple Aim outcomes.

Effect of organisational downsizing on health of employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Vahtera, J; Kivimäki, M; Pentti, J

1997-10-18

Reduction of personnel by businesses and other organisations (organisational downsizing) is common in Europe, but little is known about its effects on the health of employees. We used employers' records to investigate the relation between downsizing and subsequent absenteeism because of ill health in 981 local-government workers who remained in employment in Raisio, south-western Finland, during a period of economic decline (1991-95). Data were separated into three time periods: 1991, before downsizing; 1993, major downsizing in some workplaces and occupations; and 1993-95, after downsizing. We obtained data on sick leave from records kept by the occupational health-care unit in Raisio. We also investigated whether the effects of downsizing were dependent on ten other predictors of sick leave. There was a significant association between downsizing and medically certified sick leave. The rate of absenteeism was 2.3 times greater (95% CI 2.0-2.7) after major downsizing, classified by occupation, than after minor downsizing. The corresponding rate ratios for musculoskeletal disorders and trauma were 5.7 (4.1-8.0) and 2.7 (1.7-4.2), respectively. The effects of downsizing by workplace depended on the age distribution of the staff. When the proportion of employees who were older than 50 years was high, downsizing increased the individual risk of absence because of ill health by 3.2-14.0 times, depending on diagnostic category. When the proportion of employees over 50 years was low, downsizing had only slight effects on health. Other risk factors that increased rates of sick leave after downsizing were age over 44 years, a large workplace, poor health before downsizing, and high income. Downsizing is a risk to the health of employees. But this risk varies according to individual factors, such as age, socioeconomic status, and health, as well as factors related to place of work, for example, size and age structure of the staff.

Organisational merger and psychiatric morbidity: a prospective study in a changing work organisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Väänänen, Ari; Ahola, Kirsi; Koskinen, Aki; Pahkin, Krista; Kouvonen, Anne

2011-08-01

Prospective studies on the relationship between organisational merger and mental health have been conducted using subjective health indicators. The objective of this prospective occupational cohort study was to examine whether a negative change during an organisational merger is an independent predictive factor of psychiatric morbidity. Survey data on organisational characteristics, health and other factors were collected prior to (1996) and after the merger (2000); register data on psychiatric morbidity were collected at baseline (1/1/1994-30/9/2000) and during the follow-up (1/10/2000-31/12/2005). Participants were 6511 (77% men) industrial employees aged 21-65 years with no register-based diagnosed psychiatric events prior to the follow-up (the Still Working Study). During the follow-up, 252 participants were admitted to the hospital due to psychiatric disorders, were prescribed a psychotropic drug or attempted or committed suicide. A negative self-reported change in the work organisation during the merger was associated with increased risk of postmerger psychiatric event (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.14). This association was independent of mental health-related factors measured before the merger announcement, such as demographic characteristics, occupational status, personal orientation to life, self-rated health, self-reported psychiatric morbidity or chronic disease. A negative change in work organisation during an organisational merger may elevate the risk for postmerger psychiatric morbidity.

TOTAL QUALITY AND WORK ORGANISATION IN HEALTH CARE FIRMS

OpenAIRE

Gianfranco Corio

1997-01-01

[The area of organisation is the one to work in so as to improve products/services in health care firms, and to establish the transformation of professional behaviour. The actions and roles of middle management as a strategic entity in the case of the set-up of programs for improvement based on Total Quality. Total Quality as a strategic factor in health care firms with regard to management and as a basic component for "purchasing" decisions made by external customers.

Development of the organisational health literacy responsiveness (Org-HLR) framework in collaboration with health and social services professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Trezona, Anita; Dodson, Sarity; Osborne, Richard H

2017-08-01

The health literacy skills required by individuals to interact effectively with health services depends on the complexity of those services, and the demands they place on people. Public health and social service organisations have a responsibility to provide services and information in ways that promote equitable access and engagement, that are responsive to diverse needs and preferences, and support people to participate in decisions regarding their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework describing the characteristics of health literacy responsive organisations. Concept mapping (CM) workshops with six groups of professionals (total N = 42) from across health and social services sectors were undertaken. An online concept mapping consultation with 153 professionals was also conducted. In these CM activities, participants responded to the seeding statement "Thinking broadly from your experiences of working in the health system, what does an organisation need to have or do in order to enable communities and community members to fully engage with information and services to promote and maintain health and wellbeing". The CM data were analysed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses to derive concept maps and cluster tree diagrams. Clusters from the CM processes were then integrated by identifying themes and subthemes across tree diagrams. Across the workshops, 373 statements were generated in response to the seeding statement. An additional 1206 statements were generated in the online consultation. 84 clusters were derived within the workshops and 20 from the online consultation. Seven domains of health literacy responsiveness were identified; i) External policy and funding environment; ii) Leadership and culture; iii) Systems, processes and policies; iv) Access to services and programs; v) Community engagement and partnerships; vi) Communication practices and standards; and vii) Workforce. Each

Civil society organisations, social innovation and health research in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Beinare, Dace; McCarthy, Mark

2012-12-01

European Union strategies and programmes identify research and innovation as a critical dimension for future economic and social development. While European research policy emphasizes support for industry, the health field includes not-for-profit civil society organisations (CSOs) providing social innovation. Yet, the perspectives of CSOs towards health research in Europe are not well understood. STEPS (Strengthening Engagement in Public Health Research) was funded by the European Commission's Science in Society research programme. Within the study, we interviewed by telephone respondents of 13 European health CSOs, which represented collectively local and national organizations. Research was valued positively by the respondents. Health CSOs did not seek to do research themselves, but recognized the opportunity of funds in this field and welcomed the possibility of collaborating in research, of using the results from research and of providing input to research agendas. Links between research and users provides knowledge for the public and improves impacts on policy. Research and evaluation can help in demonstrating the benefit of innovative activities, and give support and legitimacy. However, the cultures of, and incentives for, researchers and health CSOs are different, and collaboration requires building trust, a shared language and for the power relations and objectives to match. Health CSOs contribute social innovation in organising services and activities such as advocacy that cannot be satisfactorily met by industry. Engaging CSOs in research and innovation will strengthen the European Research Area.

Health activism and the logic of connective action. A case study of rare disease patient organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicari, Stefania; Cappai, Franco

2016-11-01

This exploratory work investigates the role of digital media in expanding health discourse practices in a way to transform traditional structures of agency in public health. By focusing on a sample of rare disease patient organisations as representative of contemporary health activism, this study investigates the role of digital communication in the development of (1) bottom-up sharing and co-production of health knowledge, (2) health public engagement dynamics and (3) health information pathways. Findings show that digital media affordances for patient organisations go beyond the provision of social support for patient communities; they ease one-way, two-way and crowdsourced processes of health knowledge sharing, exchange and co-production, provide personalised routes to health public engagement and bolster the emergence of varied pathways to health information where experiential knowledge and medical authority are equally valued. These forms of organisationally enabled connective action can help the surfacing of personal narratives that strengthen patient communities, the bottom-up production of health knowledge relevant to a wider public and the development of an informational and eventually cultural context that eases patients' political action.

Organisational innovation in health services: lessons from the NHS treatment centres

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gabbay, J

2011-01-01

... design and methods References Index 103 133 147 149 155 165 v List of abbreviationsOrganisational innovation in health services List of abbreviations A&E ACAD DH DTC GP G-Supp NHS NIHR PCT PFI SDO SHA TC accident and emergency (department) Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Centre Department of Health ('the Department') diagnosis and treatment centr...

Environmental health impacts of tobacco farming: a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Lecours, Natacha; Almeida, Guilherme E G; Abdallah, Jumanne M; Novotny, Thomas E

2012-03-01

To review the literature on environmental health impacts of tobacco farming and to summarise the findings and research gaps in this field. A standard literature search was performed using multiple electronic databases for identification of peer-reviewed articles. The internet and organisational databases were also used to find other types of documents (eg, books and reports). The reference lists of identified relevant documents were reviewed to find additional sources. The selected studies documented many negative environmental impacts of tobacco production at the local level, often linking them with associated social and health problems. The common agricultural practices related to tobacco farming, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, lead to deforestation and soil degradation. Agrochemical pollution and deforestation in turn lead to ecological disruptions that cause a loss of ecosystem services, including land resources, biodiversity and food sources, which negatively impact human health. Multinational tobacco companies' policies and practices contribute to environmental problems related to tobacco leaf production. Development and implementation of interventions against the negative environmental impacts of tobacco production worldwide are necessary to protect the health of farmers, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Transitioning these farmers out of tobacco production is ultimately the resolution to this environmental health problem. In order to inform policy, however, further research is needed to better quantify the health impacts of tobacco farming and evaluate the potential alternative livelihoods that may be possible for tobacco farmers globally.

Implications for environmental health of multiple stressors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mothersill, Carmel; Seymour, Colin

2009-01-01

Recent insights into the mechanisms underlying the biological effects of low dose effects of ionising radiation have revealed that similar mechanisms can be induced by chemical stressors in the environment. This means that interactions between radiation and chemicals are likely and that the outcomes following mixed exposures to radiation and chemicals may not be predictable for human health, by consideration of single agent effects. Our understanding of the biological effects of low dose exposure has undergone a major paradigm shift. We now possess technologies which can detect very subtle changes in cells due to small exposures to radiation or other pollutants. We also understand much more now about cell communication, systems biology and the need to consider effects of low dose exposure at different hierarchical levels of organisation from molecules up to and including ecosystems. Furthermore we understand, at least in part, some of the mechanisms which drive low dose effects and which perpetuate these not only in the exposed organism but also in its progeny and in certain cases, its kin. This means that previously held views about safe doses or lack of harmful effects cannot be sustained. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and all national radiation and environmental protection organisations have always accepted a theoretical risk and have applied the precautionary principle and the LNT (linear-non-threshold) model which basically says that there is no safe dose of radiation. Therefore even in the absence of visible effects, exposure of people to radiation is strictly limited. This review will consider the historical context and the new discoveries and will focus on evidence for emergent effects after mixed exposures to combined stressors which include ionising radiation. The implications for regulation of low dose exposures to protect human health and environmental security will be discussed.

Scoping literature review on the Learning Organisation concept as applied to the health system.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhnif, E; Macq, J; Idrissi Fakhreddine, M O; Meessen, B

2017-03-01

ᅟ: There is growing interest in the use of the management concept of a 'learning organisation'. The objective of this review is to explore work undertaken towards the application of this concept to the health sector in general and to reach the goal of universal health coverage in particular. Of interest are the exploration of evaluation frameworks and their application in health. We used a scoping literature review based on the York methodology. We conducted an online search using selected keywords on some of the main databases on health science, selected websites and main reference books on learning organisations. We restricted the focus of our search on sources in the English language only. Inclusive and exclusive criteria were applied to arrive at a final list of articles, from which information was extracted and then selected and inserted in a chart. We identified 263 articles and other documents from our search. From these, 50 articles were selected for a full analysis and 27 articles were used for the summary. The majority of the articles concerned hospital settings (15 articles, 55%). Seven articles (25%) were related to the application of the concept to the health centre setting. Four articles discussed the application of the concept to the health system (14%). Most of the applications involved high-income countries (21 articles, 78%), with only one article being related to a low-income country. We found 13 different frameworks that were applied to different health organisations. The scoping review allowed us to assess applications of the learning organisation concept to the health sector to date. Such applications are still rare, but are increasingly being used. There is no uniform framework thus far, but convergence as for the dimensions that matter is increasing. Many methodological questions remain unanswered. We also identified a gap in terms of the use of this concept in low- and middle-income countries and to the health system as a whole.

Organisational justice and health of employees: prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivimäki, M; Elovainio, M; Vahtera, J; Ferrie, J E

2003-01-01

To examine the association between components of organisational justice (that is, justice of decision making procedures and interpersonal treatment) and health of employees. The Poisson regression analyses of recorded all-cause sickness absences with medical certificate and the logistic regression analyses of minor psychiatric morbidity, as assessed by the General Health Questionnaire, and poor self rated health status were based on a cohort of 416 male and 3357 female employees working during 1998-2000 in 10 hospitals in Finland. Low versus high justice of decision making procedures was associated with a 41% higher risk of sickness absence in men (rate ratio (RR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 1.8), and a 12% higher risk in women (RR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.2) after adjustment for baseline characteristics. The corresponding odds ratios (OR) for minor psychiatric morbidity were 1.6 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.6) in men and 1.4 (95% CI 1.2 to 1.7) in women, and for self rated health 1.4 in both sexes. In interpersonal treatment, low justice increased the risk of sickness absence (RR 1.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.6) and RR 1.2 (95% CI 1.2 to 1.3) in men and women respectively), and minor psychiatric morbidity (OR 1.2 in both sexes). These figures largely persisted after control for other risk factors (for example, job control, workload, social support, and hostility) and they were replicated in initially healthy subcohorts. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that organisational justice would represent a consequence of health (reversed causality). This is the first longitudinal study to show that the extent to which people are treated with justice in workplaces independently predicts their health.

Roles and responsibilities of health care professionals in combating environmental degradation and social injustice: education and activism.

Science.gov (United States)

Donohoe, Martin

2008-01-01

This article describes the causes and health consequences of environmental degradation and social injustice. These issues, which impact primarily on the poor and underserved (both in the United States and internationally) are rarely or inadequately covered in the curriculums of traditional health care professions. The discussion offers ways for health care professionals to promote equality and justice and uses the example of Rudolph Virchow's social activism to illustrate how one physician can lead society toward major public health gains. There is also an examination of the roles of institutions and organisations in enhancing environmental preservation and promoting social justice. Specific curricular suggestions from history and the humanities are offered for those teaching and mentoring new health professionals.

Self-help organisations as patient representatives in health care and policy decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojatz, Daniela; Forster, Rudolf

2017-10-01

A crucial question about participation is who is legitimised, willing and capable of representing particular collectives. Social insurance health care systems tend to focus on representation by patient organisations. Self-help organisations (SHOs), as one type of 'health consumer and patient organisation', often take over this role. Research findings indicate that participation by SHOs is accompanied by high expectations, but also by concerns about the risks of instrumental abuse, overload and professionalisation. However, there is a dearth of in-depth knowledge about both potential and risks of participating for the SHO. To tackle this research gap, a qualitative study design was used to investigate fifteen SHOs in Austria. Data were generated by expert interviews with SHO representatives and documentary analysis of SHO websites. Content analysis was applied. SHOs in Austria advocate for patients' interests, participate in invited spaces and have various forms of cooperative relations with the health care system. Thereby, they draw on the experiential knowledge of their members without, however, systematising it. Experiences with professionalisation and instrumental use are ambiguous, whereas overload is prevalent. SHOs need resources for reflection in order to define their position visà- vis the health system and to realise their potential as patient representatives. Deepening co-operation with the health care system might lead to new participatory practices acknowledging differences in culture and the resources of both sides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The greening of organisational IT: what makes a difference?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Kuo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The trend towards green information technology (IT over the last few years is a result of an acknowledgement of both the environmental impact of IT and the role IT plays as a potential source of solutions to environmental concerns. As organisations are under increasing pressures to act sustainably, environmental considerations are taking greater importance for organisations and the organisations’ information systems (IS and IT. This paper introduces a model proposing competitive pressures, legitimation pressures, social responsibility pressures, organisational factors and technological constraints as factors which influence the extent of green IT in organisations. An online survey was developed and tested with IT practitioners. Regression analysis revealed that the extent of green IT in organisations is influenced by a combination of these factors. Foremost of the factors is the capability of the organisation to adapt. Other factors which account for differences in the extent of green IT in organisations include legitimation and social responsibility pressures. The regression indicated a good fit for the developed model, providing a basis for further research.

Exploration of funding models to support hybridisation of Australian primary health care organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Sandeep

2017-09-01

Primary Health Care (PHC) funding in Australia is complex and fragmented. The focus of PHC funding in Australia has been on volume rather than comprehensive primary care and continuous quality improvement. As PHC in Australia is increasingly delivered by hybrid style organisations, an appropriate funding model that matches this set-up while addressing current issues with PHC funding is required. This article discusses and proposes an appropriate funding model for hybrid PHC organisations.

Organisational ineffectiveness: environmental shifts and the transition to crisis

OpenAIRE

Fischbacher-Smith, Denis

2014-01-01

Purpose:\\ud – The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion of effectiveness in the context of organisational crisis. It considers the “darker” side of organisational effectiveness by exploring the processes by which effectiveness can be eroded as an organisation moves from an ordered state, through a complex one, and into a state of chaos, or crisis. It brings together complementary literatures on risk, crisis management, and complexity, and uses those lenses to frame some of the key pr...

Organisational justice and change in justice as predictors of employee health: the Whitehall II study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivimäki, Mika; Ferrie, Jane E; Head, Jenny; Shipley, Martin J; Vahtera, Jussi; Marmot, Michael G

2004-11-01

Organisational justice has been proposed as a new way to examine the impact of psychosocial work environment on employee health. This article studied the justice of interpersonal treatment by supervisors (the relational component of organisational justice) as a predictor of health. Prospective cohort study. Phase 1 (1985-88) measured relational justice, job demands, job control, social support at work, effort-reward imbalance, and self rated health. Relational justice was assessed again at phase 2 (1989-90) and self rated health at phase 2 and phase 3 (1991-93). 20 civil service departments originally located in London. 10 308 civil servants (6895 men, 3413 women) aged 35-55. Self rated health. Men exposed to low justice at phase 1 or adverse change in justice between phase 1 and phase 2 were at higher risk of poor health at phase 2 and phase 3. A favourable change in justice was associated with reduced risk. Adjustment for other stress indicators had little effect on results. In women, low justice at phase 1 predicted poor health at phase 2 and phase 3 before but not after adjustment for other stress indicators. Adverse change in justice was associated with worse health prospects irrespective of adjustments. The extent to which people are treated with justice in workplaces seems to predict their health independently of established stressors at work. Evidence on reduced health risk after favourable change in organisational justice implies a promising area for health interventions at workplace.

Cryogenic safety organisation at CERN

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2016-01-01

With Safety being a top priority of CERN’s general policy, the Organisation defines and implements a Policy that sets out the general principles governing Safety at CERN. To the end of the attainment of said Safety objectives, the organic units (owners/users of the equipment) are assigned the responsibility for the implementation of the CERN Safety Policy at all levels of the organization, whereas the Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Unit (HSE) has the role of providing assistance for the implementation of the Safety Policy, and a monitoring role related to the implementation of continuous improvement of Safety, compliance with the Safety Rules and the handling of emergency situations. This talk will elaborate on the roles, responsibilities and organisational structure of the different stakeholders within the Organization with regards to Safety, and in particular to cryogenic safety. The roles of actors of particular importance such as the Cryogenic Safety Officers (CSOs) and the Cryogenic Sa...

The Association between Organisational Commitment And Corporate Social Responsibility-Environmental Performance Within an Integrated Sustainability Balanced Scorecard Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirsten Rae

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This study investigates whether organisational commitment is associated with organisations‘CSR performance within sustainability aspects of their internal process. A structural equation model (SEM tested two sequential direct associations between: (1 senior management employees‘ affective and continuance organisational commitment and organisations‘ conventional value-creating internal processes; (2 conventional value-creating internal processes and organisations‘ CSR performance within sustainability value-creating internal process. The SEM results show an indirect association between affective commitment and CSR performance within sustainability value-creating internal process, which is mediated by the conventional value-creating internal processes. The findings support an integrated sustainability internal process within a sustainability balanced scorecard (SBSC as depicted in Kaplan and Norton‘s strategy map. Organisations may develop internal processes that promote CSR outcome characteristics when employees possess higher levels of affective organisational commitment. Future research could investigate a broader  range of environmental outcomes within CSR performance.

Organising Sustainability Competencies through Quality Management: Integration or Specialisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanajah Siva

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A significant step in integrating environmental sustainability into daily operations is through product development. One way to achieve such integration of environmental considerations into product development is by relating sustainability competencies to practices of Quality Management. However, practices seem to vary for how competencies within environmental sustainability are organised in order to make sustainability more actionable. This study explores two ways of organising sustainability competencies in product development: integration and specialisation. The organisation of sustainability competency is illustrated through two cases; one case in which sustainability is integrated with the quality management competency, and the other in which a new competency focusing on sustainability has been added as a separate function in product development. It is suggested that the organisation of sustainability competency influences the extent of environmental impact. Further, trade-offs, such as material source versus weight may not be exploited when sustainability is integrated as one area of responsibility for another specialty competency, suggesting a lack of sufficient competency within environmental sustainability to recognise potential trade-offs between—for example—quality and environmental impact.

Environmental health and health planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-07-01

Areas of environmental concern are identified and recommendations for improving environmental health are proposed by the Environmental Health Task Force of the Western Massachusetts Health Planning Council. Environmental health concerns in Western Massachusetts are in the areas of: air pollution; dental health and the specific problem of water flouridation; housing; injury control, including accidental death and disability; land use, and the specific problem of critical receptors; noise pollution; occupational hazards, specifically occupational accidents; pesticides; radiological exposure, particularly medical X-ray exposure and nuclear exposure; rural health care; sanitation; solid waste; and water quality including private and public water supplies, road salting, and rural sewerages. Each area of concern and specific problem are broken down into sections: background information; comments which incorporate recommendations for general problem-solving activities; and resources, including lists of key organization, individuals, laws and regulations, and publications relevant to the area of concern. Recommendations are presented based on long-term and short-term environmental goals. An inventory of environmental health organizations in Western Massachusetts is included. Appendices contain the charge to the Task Force, a definition of environmental health, sources of drinking water, the sanitation and sanitary codes, and housing and sanitation standards. Portions of this document are not fully legible

Improving care coordination using organisational routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Prætorius, Thim

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to systematically apply theory of organisational routines to standardised care pathways. The explanatory power of routines is used to address open questions in the care pathway literature about their coordinating and organising role, the way they change and can be replicated, the way they are influenced by the organisation and the way they influence health care professionals. Theory of routines is systematically applied to care pathways in order to develop theoretically derived propositions. Care pathways mirror routines by being recurrent, collective and embedded and specific to an organisation. In particular, care pathways resemble standard operating procedures that can give rise to recurrent collective action patterns. In all, 11 propositions related to five categories are proposed by building on these insights: care pathways and coordination, change, replication, the organisation and health care professionals. Research limitations/implications - The paper is conceptual and uses care pathways as illustrative instances of hospital routines. The propositions provide a starting point for empirical research. The analysis highlights implications that health care professionals and managers have to consider in relation to coordination, change, replication, the way the organisation influences care pathways and the way care pathways influence health care professionals. Originality/value - Theory on organisational routines offers fundamental, yet unexplored, insights into hospital processes, including in particular care coordination.

Structure and organisation of the environmental management system in interconnected power systems; Aufbau- und Ablauforganisation des Umweltmanagementsystems im Verbund

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neumann, G.

1997-12-31

The article deals with the structure and organisation of an environmental managament system in an electricity supply enterprise (interconnected power system). The objectives, effects, significance and implementation are discussed. (SR)

An empirically-derived approach for investigating Health Information Technology: the Elementally Entangled Organisational Communication (EEOC) framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiou, Andrew; Westbrook, Johanna I; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2012-07-12

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the Elementally Entangled Organisational Communication (EEOC) framework by drawing on a set of three case studies which assessed the impact of new Health Information Technology (HIT) on a pathology service. The EEOC framework was empirically developed as a tool to tackle organisational communication challenges in the implementation and evaluation of health information systems. The framework was synthesised from multiple research studies undertaken across a major metropolitan hospital pathology service during the period 2005 to 2008. These studies evaluated the impact of new HIT systems in pathology departments (Laboratory Information System) and an Emergency Department (Computerised Provider Order Entry) located in Sydney, Australia. Key dimensions of EEOC are illustrated by the following case studies: 1) the communication infrastructure between the Blood Bank and the ward for the coordination and distribution of blood products; 2) the organisational environment in the Clinical Chemistry and Haematology departments and their attempts to organise, plan and control the processing of laboratory specimens; and 3) the temporal make up of the organisation as revealed in changes to the way the Central Specimen Reception allocated, sequenced and synchronised work tasks. The case studies not only highlight the pre-existing communication architecture within the organisation but also the constitutive role communication plays in the way organisations go about addressing their requirements. HIT implementation involves a mutual transformation of the organisation and the technology. This is a vital consideration because of the dangers associated with poor organisational planning and implementation of HIT, and the potential for unintended adverse consequences, workarounds and risks to the quality and safety of patient care. The EEOC framework aims to account for the complex range of contextual factors and triggers that play a role in the

Quantifying Behaviour Change in reducing environmental impact within large organisations - 3 case studies from the UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew F.G. Smith

2015-10-01

over 50% have been achieved. In total, these programmes have saved the organisations substantial amounts of money and avoided CO2 emissions. Analysis has shown that the three universities are currently benefitting by over £320,000 / year and 1,300 tonnes of avoided CO2, as behavioural-led changes have already reduced demand by between 5% and 8%. Figure 1 shows the savings made by one university, and demonstrates a 99kW reduction in electricity demand that has been created through staff behaviour change. CONCLUSIONS Effecting behaviour change within large organisations has always been difficult owing to the large numbers of people involved, the slow speed of feedback and the difficulty in quantifying results. This work shows that well-designed IT systems are a key enabler in overcoming all of these challenges. IT has permitted and facilitated the following: Community building, awareness raising, quantification of savings, feedback on actions, competitive activity and rapid reporting. The results from these programmes have helped three universities to cut their electricity consumption by between 5% and 8%, with potential for greater future cuts. Collectively, as a result of this mechanism, the three universities are reducing their environmental impact by over 1,300 tonnes of CO2 per year. The implications for other areas of behaviour change are significant. Potentially the lessons learned in these IT-enabled environmental impact reduction initiatives can be translated into other fields (eg: other health, organisational change, etc.

Improving care coordination using organisational routines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prætorius, Thim

2016-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to systematically apply theory of organisational routines to standardised care pathways. The explanatory power of routines is used to address open questions in the care pathway literature about their coordinating and organising role, the way they change......: care pathways and coordination, change, replication, the organisation and health care professionals. Research limitations/implications – The paper is conceptual and uses care pathways as illustrative instances of hospital routines. The propositions provide a starting point for empirical research....... Practical implications – The analysis highlights implications that health care professionals and managers have to consider in relation to coordination, change, replication, the way the organisation influences care pathways and the way care pathways influence health care professionals. Originality...

Capability maturity models for offshore organisational management.

Science.gov (United States)

Strutt, J E; Sharp, J V; Terry, E; Miles, R

2006-12-01

The goal setting regime imposed by the UK safety regulator has important implications for an organisation's ability to manage health and safety related risks. Existing approaches to safety assurance based on risk analysis and formal safety assessments are increasingly considered unlikely to create the step change improvement in safety to which the offshore industry aspires and alternative approaches are being considered. One approach, which addresses the important issue of organisational behaviour and which can be applied at a very early stage of design, is the capability maturity model (CMM). The paper describes the development of a design safety capability maturity model, outlining the key processes considered necessary to safety achievement, definition of maturity levels and scoring methods. The paper discusses how CMM is related to regulatory mechanisms and risk based decision making together with the potential of CMM to environmental risk management.

Beyond organisational design: moving from structure to service enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Debbie; Boyce, Rosalie A

2003-01-01

The Australian health care industry prior to the 1990s was notable for its relative stability and uniformity in relation to organisational design. Since then, new organisational designs have proliferated and a diversity of approaches is evident. The new fluidity in organisational design is particularly evident amongst the allied health professions. The aim of this paper is two-fold. Firstly, to summarise recent changes in organisational design as they relate to the allied health professions and secondly, to move beyond design issues to focus on service level enhancement in an organisational change context. This later aim is achieved by presenting data from an in-depth study of one institutions experience with wide-ranging organisational reforms. The recent formation of the National Allied Health Organisational Structures Network (NAHOSN) has given energy to the impetus of placing a research-based framework around the change experiences reported by Allied Health groups. An objective of the network is to foster research, rather than rely on commentary and anecdote, in the often highly contested arena of organisational design and reform.

Promoting research to improve maternal, neonatal, infant and adolescent health in West Africa: the role of the West African Health Organisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sombie, Issiaka; Bouwayé, Aissa; Mongbo, Yves; Keita, Namoudou; Lokossou, Virgil; Johnson, Ermel; Assogba, Laurent; Crespin, Xavier

2017-07-12

West Africa has adopted numerous strategies to counter maternal and infant mortality, provides national maternal and infant health programmes, and hosts many active technical and financial partners and non-governmental organisations. Despite this, maternal and infant morbidity and mortality indicators are still very high. In this commentary, internal actors and officials of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) examine the regional organisation's role in promoting research as a tool for strengthening maternal and infant health in West Africa.As a specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for health issues, WAHO's mission is to provide the sub-region's population with the highest possible health standards by harmonising Member States' policies, resource pooling, and cooperation among Member States and third countries to collectively and strategically combat the region's health problems. To achieve this, WAHO's main intervention strategy is that of facilitation, as this encourages the generation and use of evidence to inform decision-making and reinforce practice.WAHO's analysis of interventions since 2000 showed that it had effected some changes in research governance, management and funding, as well as in individual and institutional capacity building, research dissemination, collaboration and exchanges between the various stakeholders. It also revealed several challenges such as process ownership, member countries' commitment, weak individual and institutional capacity, mobilisation, and stakeholder commitment. To better strengthen evidence-based decision-making, in 2016, WAHO created a unique programme aimed at improving the production, dissemination and use of research information and results in health programme planning to ultimately improve population health.While WAHO's experiences to date demonstrate how a regional health institution can integrate research promotion into the fight against maternal and

Leading organisational learning in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, J S; Edmondson, A C

2002-03-01

As healthcare organisations seek to enhance safety and quality in a changing environment, organisational learning practices can help to improve existing skills and knowledge and provide opportunities to discover better ways of working together. Leadership at executive, middle management, and local levels is needed to create a sense of shared purpose. This shared vision should help to build effective relationships, facilitate connections between action and reflection, and strengthen the desirable elements of the healthcare culture while modifying outdated assumptions, procedures, and structures.

Measuring health care workers' perceptions of what constitutes a compassionate organisation culture and working environment: Findings from a quantitative feasibility survey.

Science.gov (United States)

McSherry, Robert; Pearce, Paddy

2018-03-01

Health care organisation cultures and working environments are highly complex, dynamic and constantly evolving settings. They significantly influence both the delivery and outcomes of care. Phase 1 quantitative findings are presented from a larger three phase feasibility study designed to develop and test a Cultural Health Check toolkit to support health care workers, patients and organisations in the provision of safe, compassionate and dignified care. A mixed methods approach was applied. The Cultural Health Check Healthcare Workers Questionnaire was distributed across two National Health Service Hospitals in England, UK. Both hospitals allocated two wards comprising of older people and surgical specialities. The newly devised Cultural Health Check Staff Rating Scale Version 1 questionnaire was distributed to 223 health care workers. Ninety eight responses were returned giving a response rate of 44%. The Cultural Health Check Staff Rating Scale Version 1 has a significant Cronbach alpha of .775; this reliability scaling is reflected in all 16 items in the scale. Exploratory factor analysis identified two significant factors "Professional Practice and Support" and "Workforce and Service Delivery." These factors according to health care workers significantly impact on the organisation culture and quality of care delivered by staff. The Cultural Health Check Staff Rating Scale Version 1 questionnaire is a newly validated measurement tool that could be used and applied to gauge health care workers perceptions of an organisations level of compassion. Historically we have focused on identifying how caring and compassionate nurses, doctors and related allied health professionals are. This turns the attention on employers of nurses and other related organisations. The questionnaire can be used to gauge the level of compassion with a health care organisation culture and working environment. Nurse managers and leaders should focus attention regarding how these two factors

Organisation of nuclear medicine services. Health physics. Technical and administrative arrangement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chanteur, J.; Pellerin, P.

1975-01-01

Apart from safety and quality requirements the organisation of nuclear medicine services, or more generally of installations where non-sealed radioactive sources are used, is governed by profitability and efficiency criteria. In view of the high price of products and apparatus the equipment must be based on a rationalisation of options guiding the organisation arrangements as a whole. The following items are dealt with in succession: various categories of installations; general planning of equipment; equipment regulations based on a major requirement, the confinement of contamination sources; working rules examined with respect to the systematics adopted by the International Health Physics Commission and referred in turn to the protection of the patient and that of the surroundings practical observations concerning administrative and technical questions [fr

Influence of organisational culture on the implementation of health sector reforms in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative interpretive review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbau, Rahab; Gilson, Lucy

2018-01-01

Health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are commonly plagued by poor access, poor performance, inefficient use and inequitable distribution of resources. To improve health system efficiency, equity and effectiveness, the World Development Report of 1993 proposed a first wave of health sector reforms, which has been followed by further waves. Various authors, however, suggest that the early reforms did not lead to the anticipated improvements. They offer, as one plausible explanation for this gap, the limited consideration given to the influence over implementation of the software aspects of the health system, such as organisational culture - which has not previously been fully investigated. To identify, interpret and synthesise existing literature for evidence on organisational culture and how it influences implementation of health sector reforms in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a systematic search of eight databases: PubMed; Africa-Wide Information, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Econlit, PsycINFO, SocINDEX with full text, Emerald and Scopus. Eight papers were identified. We analysed and synthesised these papers using thematic synthesis. This review indicates the potential influence of dimensions of organisational culture such as power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and in-group and institutional collectivism over the implementation of health sector reforms. This influence is mediated through organisational practices such as communication and feedback, management styles, commitment and participation in decision-making. This interpretive review highlights the dearth of empirical literature around organisational culture and therefore its findings can only be tentative. There is a need for health policymakers and health system researchers to conduct further analysis of organisational culture and change within the health system.

Key elements of high-quality practice organisation in primary health care: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Crossland, Lisa; Janamian, Tina; Jackson, Claire L

2014-08-04

To identify elements that are integral to high-quality practice and determine considerations relating to high-quality practice organisation in primary care. A narrative systematic review of published and grey literature. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Emerald Insight, PsycInfo, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service website, Google Scholar) were searched in November 2013 and used to identify articles published in English from 2002 to 2013. Reference lists of included articles were searched for relevant unpublished articles and reports. Data were configured at the study level to allow for the inclusion of findings from a broad range of study types. Ten elements were most often included in the existing organisational assessment tools. A further three elements were identified from an inductive thematic analysis of descriptive articles, and were noted as important considerations in effective quality improvement in primary care settings. Although there are some validated tools available to primary care that identify and build quality, most are single-strategy approaches developed outside health care settings. There are currently no validated organisational improvement tools, designed specifically for primary health care, which combine all elements of practice improvement and whose use does not require extensive external facilitation.

VIEWS OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS ON INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKSIN THE PERINATAL PERIOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladys eIbanez

2015-05-01

Full Text Available IntroductionThe aim of this study was to determine the views of general practitioners (GP on pollution in infant's home.MethodsFour semi-structured focus group with 31 general practitioners (GP were conducted in two french departments in November 2009, February, March and April 2010. The focus group meetings were analysed using a general thematic analysis.ResultsPerinatal care is a special health issue and a time of privileged sensitisation. The attitude of health risks are well known in the case of traditionally toxic substances. In the case of emerging environmental exposure, these attitudes depend on the knowledge, beliefs and experience specific to each practitioner. GPs were acquiring a new role in the field of environmental health, whilst at the same time coming to grips with their own strengths and limitations. The implementation of prevention depends on factors which are specific to the practitioner, but also related to the parents and the organisation of the medical practice.DiscussionThe sensitisation of GPs to environmental medicine, promotion of eco-citizen education, development of research, and the distribution of information, are some of the means which need to be implemented to prevent harmful exposure of the infant.

Organisational support, organisational identification and organisational citizenship behaviour among male nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sheng-Hwang; Yu, Hsing-Yi; Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Lin, Fang-Chen; Lou, Jiunn-Horng

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between organisational support, organisational identification, and organisational citizenship behaviour and the predictors of organisational citizenship behaviour in Taiwanese male nurses. The turnover rate among male nurses is twice that of female nurses. Organisational citizenship behaviour is the predictor of turnover intention. Little information is available on the relationship between organisational support, organisational identification and organisational citizenship behaviour, particularly for male nurses. Data were collected in 2010 from a questionnaire mailed to 167 male nurses in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey with simple sampling was used in this study. The results showed that organisational identification and organisational support were correlated with organisational citizenship behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness, organisational support of work conditions and the type of organisation were the main predictors of organisational citizenship behaviour. Together they accounted for 40.7% of the total variation in organisational citizenship behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness was the most critical predictor, accounting for 29.6% of the variation. Organisational support and organisational identification have positive relationships with organisational behaviour. Organisational distinctiveness is an important factor in explaining organisational citizenship behaviour in male nurses. This finding provides concrete directions for managers to follow when providing organisational identification, in particular, the organisational distinctiveness will help male nurses to display increasingly more organisational citizenship behaviour. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sustainable building organisation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmid, P.

1998-01-01

Sustainable Development and Sustainable Building is mainly a question of (human) environmentally-conscious Organisation and Management Criteria are needed in order to capture the best practices in the field. Therefore we developed modells and methods, which help to choose the most adequate

Authentic leadership as a source of optimism, trust in the organisation and work engagement in the public health care sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederick W. Stander

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The orientation of this study is towards authentic leadership (AL and its influence on optimism, trust in the organisation and work engagement of employees in the public health care sector. Research purpose: The objectives of this study were to determine whether the leadership style of AL could predict optimism, trust in the organisation and work engagement amongst a large sample of employees from various functions in public hospitals and clinics in Gauteng and to establish whether optimism and trust in the organisation could mediate the relationship between AL and work engagement. Research approach, design and method: A convenience sample of 633 public health employees from various functions within 27 public hospitals and clinics in the province was used in this research. A cross-sectional research design was implemented. Structural equation modelling was utilised to investigate the Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI, and the validity and fit of the measurement model, to position AL as a job resource within the nomological net and to test its mediating effects. Main findings: The statistical analysis revealed that AL was a significant predictor of optimism and trust in the organisation and that optimism and trust in the organisation mediated the relationship between AL and work engagement. Practical/managerial implications: The research results suggested that organisations in the public health care sector should encourage their managers to adopt a more authentic leadership style. This will lead to higher levels of optimism, trust in the organisation and eventually work engagement. This will greatly assist employees in the domain of public health care to manage their demanding working environment. Contribution: This study provides evidence that the ALI can be used reliably within the South African context and specifically within the public health care sector. It further substantiates for the implementation of AL as a leadership

Understanding how environmental enhancement and conservation activities may benefit health and wellbeing: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovell, Rebecca; Husk, Kerryn; Cooper, Chris; Stahl-Timmins, Will; Garside, Ruth

2015-09-07

Action taken to enhance or conserve outdoor environments may benefit health and wellbeing through the process of participation but also through improving the environment. There is interest, amongst both health and environmental organisations, in using such activities as health promotion interventions. The objective of this systematic review was to investigate the health and wellbeing impacts of participation in environmental enhancement and conservation activities and to understand how these activities may be beneficial, to whom and in what circumstances or contexts. A theory-led mixed-method systematic review was used to assess evidence of effect and to identify pathways to change (protocol: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ 10.1002/14651858.CD010351/full ). Due to the multi-disciplinary, dispersed and disparate body of evidence an extensive multi-stage search strategy was devised and undertaken. Twenty-seven databases and multiple sources of grey literature were searched and over 200 relevant organisations were contacted. The heterogenous evidence was synthesised using a narrative approach and a conceptual model was developed to illustrate the mechanisms of effect. Due to the limited nature of the evidence additional higher order evidence was sought to assess the plausibility of the proposed mechanisms of effect through which health and wellbeing may accrue. The majority of the quantitative evidence (13 studies; all poor quality and lower-order study designs) was inconclusive, though a small number of positive and negative associations were observed. The qualitative evidence (13 studies; 10 poor quality, 3 good) indicated that the activities were perceived to have value to health and wellbeing through a number of key mechanisms; including exposure to natural environments, achievement, enjoyment and social contact. Additional high level evidence indicated that these pathways were plausible. Despite interest in the use of environmental enhancement activities as a

Summary of the SWOT panel's evaluation of the organisation and financing of the Danish health care system.

Science.gov (United States)

Christiansen, Terkel

2002-02-01

The organisation and financing of the Danish health care system was evaluated within a framework of a SWOT analysis (analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) by a panel of five members with a background in health economics. This paper systematically summarises the panel's assessments, within the framework of the triangular model of health care. The members of the panel are in agreement on a number of aspects, while their views on other aspects differ. In general they find many strength in the way the system is organised and financed more so in the primary sector than in the hospital sector.

Short- and long-term effects of major organisational change on minor psychiatric disorder and self-rated health: results from the Whitehall II study.

Science.gov (United States)

Falkenberg, Helena; Fransson, Eleonor I; Westerlund, Hugo; Head, Jenny A

2013-10-01

To investigate short- and long-term effects of major organisational change on minor psychiatric disorder and self-rated health for women and men in different employment grades. Minor psychiatric disorder and self-rated health among 6710 British civil servants (1993 women and 4717 men) in three employment grades from the Whitehall II study were examined from 1985 to 1988 under stable employment conditions. The short-term effects of organisational change were investigated in 1991-1993 after a time of major restructuring aiming at increasing the influence of market forces in the civil service and the long-term effects were investigated in 1997-1999. Those who had experienced organisational change and those who anticipated organisational change reported more negative short-term health effects (minor psychiatric disorder and poor self-rated health) compared with those who reported no change. No major differences were found depending on employment grade or gender. The negative health effects had diminished during 1997-1999 for those who reported that a major change had happened before 1991-1993. Those who anticipated an organisational change in 1991-1993 still reported more ill-health in 1997-1999 (both minor psychiatric disorder and self-reported health) than those in the comparison group. The results indicate that organisational change affects employees' health negatively in the short term but also that it is possible to recover from such negative effects. As it was not possible to discern any definite difference between the gender and grades, the results point at the importance of working proactively to implement organisational change for women and men at all levels.

Medicina Democratica and the Seveso Disaster: lights and shadows of the Italian movement for environmental health in the 70's

OpenAIRE

Centemeri, Laura

2009-01-01

The season of social movements activism and policy reforms that characterized the years straddling the decades of the 60's and 70's in Italy had in occupational health one of its main issues. Starting from the denunciation of hidden costs of industrial development in terms of workers illness caused by the way industrial production was organised, the struggle for occupational health extended to encompass a more broad idea of environmental health. Health issues inside factories were thus direct...

Organised crime and the efforts to combat it: a concern for public health

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

This paper considers the public health impacts of the income-generating activities of organised crime. These range from the traditional vice activities of running prostitution and supplying narcotics, to the newer growth areas of human trafficking in its various forms, from international supply of young people and children as sex workers through deceit, coercion or purchase from family, through to smuggling of migrants, forced labour and the theft of human tissues for transplant, and the sale of fake medications, foodstuffs and beverages, cigarettes and other counterfeit manufactures. It looks at the effect of globalisation on integrating supply chains from poorly-regulated and impoverished source regions through to their distant markets, often via disparate groups of organised criminals who have linked across their traditional territories for mutual benefit and enhanced profit, with both traditional and newly-created linkages between production, distribution and retail functions of cooperating criminal networks from different cultures. It discusses the interactions between criminals and the structures of the state which enable illegal and socially undesirable activities to proceed on a massive scale through corruption and subversion of regulatory mechanisms. It argues that conventional approaches to tackling organised crime often have deleterious consequences for public health, and calls for an evidence-based approach with a focus on outcomes rather than ideology. PMID:21078158

Organised crime and the efforts to combat it: a concern for public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Lucy; McKee, Martin

2010-11-15

This paper considers the public health impacts of the income-generating activities of organised crime. These range from the traditional vice activities of running prostitution and supplying narcotics, to the newer growth areas of human trafficking in its various forms, from international supply of young people and children as sex workers through deceit, coercion or purchase from family, through to smuggling of migrants, forced labour and the theft of human tissues for transplant, and the sale of fake medications, foodstuffs and beverages, cigarettes and other counterfeit manufactures. It looks at the effect of globalisation on integrating supply chains from poorly-regulated and impoverished source regions through to their distant markets, often via disparate groups of organised criminals who have linked across their traditional territories for mutual benefit and enhanced profit, with both traditional and newly-created linkages between production, distribution and retail functions of cooperating criminal networks from different cultures. It discusses the interactions between criminals and the structures of the state which enable illegal and socially undesirable activities to proceed on a massive scale through corruption and subversion of regulatory mechanisms. It argues that conventional approaches to tackling organised crime often have deleterious consequences for public health, and calls for an evidence-based approach with a focus on outcomes rather than ideology.

The role of network bridging organisations in compensation payments for agri-environmental services under the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dedeurwaerdere, Tom; Polard, Audrey; Melindi-Ghidi, Paolo

2015-11-01

Compensation payments to farmers for the provision of agri-environmental services are a well-established policy scheme under the EU Common Agricultural Policy. However, in spite of the success in most EU countries in the uptake of the programme by farmers, the impact of the scheme on the long term commitment of farmers to change their practices remains poorly documented. To explore this issue, this paper presents the results of structured field interviews and a quantitative survey in the Walloon Region of Belgium. The main finding of this study is that farmers who have periodic contacts with network bridging organisations that foster cooperation and social learning in the agri-environmental landscapes show a higher commitment to change. This effect is observed both for farmers with high and low concern for biodiversity depletion. Support for network bridging organisations is foreseen under the EU Leader programme and the EU regulation 1306/2013, which could open-up interesting opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness of the current payment scheme for agri-environmental services.

A thematic analysis of the role of the organisation in building allied health research capacity: a senior managers' perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Golenko, Xanthe; Pager, Susan; Holden, Libby

2012-08-27

Evidence-based practice aims to achieve better health outcomes in the community. It relies on high quality research to inform policy and practice; however research in primary health care continues to lag behind that of other medical professions. The literature suggests that research capacity building (RCB) functions across four levels; individual, team, organisation and external environment. Many RCB interventions are aimed at an individual or team level, yet evidence indicates that many barriers to RCB occur at an organisational or external environment level. This study asks senior managers from a large healthcare organisation to identify the barriers and enablers to RCB. The paper then describes strategies for building allied health (AH) research capacity at an organisational level from a senior managers' perspective. This qualitative study is part of a larger collaborative RCB project. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with nine allied health senior managers. Recorded interviews were transcribed and NVivo was used to analyse findings and emergent themes were defined. The dominant themes indicate that the organisation plays an integral role in building AH research capacity and is the critical link in creating synergy across the four levels of RCB. The organisation can achieve this by incorporating research into its core business with a whole of organisation approach including its mission, vision and strategic planning. Critical success factors include: developing a co-ordinated and multidisciplinary approach to attain critical mass of research-active AH and enhance learning and development; support from senior managers demonstrated through structures, processes and systems designed to facilitate research; forming partnerships to increase collaboration and sharing of resources and knowledge; and establishing in internal framework to promote recognition for research and career path opportunities. This study identifies four key themes: whole of

Organisation of maintenance of health semi-portable detectors. IPAB-CFA-CABP control bench; Organisation de la maintenance des detecteurs semi-portatifs de sante. Banc de controle des IPAB-CFA-CABP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Choudens, H.; Rage, P. [Commissariat a l' energie atomique et aux energies alternatives - CEA, Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Grenoble (France)

1963-07-01

As the number of electronic semi-portable health measurement devices is (was) increasing, it appears (appeared) important to organise their maintenance. In this report, the authors describe the implemented organisation. They indicate how a device is identified, which are the performed tests, and discuss results which have been obtained during the first year of implementation of this maintenance organisation. Then, they present the control bench, its operation (supply, measurement circuits), its use (control process for different devices, performed measurements and controls)

Learning to listen to the organisational rhetoric of primary health and social care integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Warne, T; McAndrew, S; King, M; Holland, K

2007-11-01

The sustained modernisation of the UK primary health care service has resulted in individuals and organisations having to develop more integrated ways of working. This has resulted in changes to the structure and functioning of primary care organisations, changes to the traditional workforce, and an increase in scope of primary care practice. These changes have contributed to what for many staff has become a constantly turbulent organisational and practice environment. Data from a three-year project, commissioned by the North West Development Agency is used to explore how staff involved in these changes dealt with this turbulence. Three hundred and fifty staff working within primary care participated in the study. A multimethods approach was used which facilitated an iterative analysis and data collection process. Thematic analysis revealed a high degree of congruence between the perceptions of all staff groups with evidence of a generally well-articulated, but often rhetorical view of the organisational and professional factors involved in how these changes were experienced. This rhetoric was used by individuals as a way of containing both the good and bad elements of their experience. This paper discusses how these defense mechanisms need to be recognised and understood by managers so that a more supportive organisational culture is developed.

Introducing organisational heritage: Linking corporate heritage, organisational identity, and organisational memory

OpenAIRE

Balmer, JMT; Burghausen, M

2015-01-01

In this article we formally introduce and explicate the organisational heritage notion. The authors conclude organisational heritage can be designated in three broad ways as: (1) organisational heritage identity as the perceived and reminisced omni-temporal traits – both formal/normative and utilitarian/societal – of organisational members’ work organisation; (2) organisational heritage identification as organisational members’ identification/self-categorisation vis-à-vis these perceived and ...

New challenges for the internal safety organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasle, Peter; Jensen, Per Langå

2003-01-01

Research from several countries indicates that the internal health and safety organisation in most companies is placed in an appendix position. Introduc-tion of learning is a possibility for the development of a stronger and more ef-fective health and safety organisation. This approach has been...

Organised crime and the efforts to combat it: a concern for public health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McKee Martin

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper considers the public health impacts of the income-generating activities of organised crime. These range from the traditional vice activities of running prostitution and supplying narcotics, to the newer growth areas of human trafficking in its various forms, from international supply of young people and children as sex workers through deceit, coercion or purchase from family, through to smuggling of migrants, forced labour and the theft of human tissues for transplant, and the sale of fake medications, foodstuffs and beverages, cigarettes and other counterfeit manufactures. It looks at the effect of globalisation on integrating supply chains from poorly-regulated and impoverished source regions through to their distant markets, often via disparate groups of organised criminals who have linked across their traditional territories for mutual benefit and enhanced profit, with both traditional and newly-created linkages between production, distribution and retail functions of cooperating criminal networks from different cultures. It discusses the interactions between criminals and the structures of the state which enable illegal and socially undesirable activities to proceed on a massive scale through corruption and subversion of regulatory mechanisms. It argues that conventional approaches to tackling organised crime often have deleterious consequences for public health, and calls for an evidence-based approach with a focus on outcomes rather than ideology.

Identifying organisational principles and management practices important to the quality of health care services for chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Frølich, Anne

2012-02-01

The quality of health care services offered to people suffering from chronic diseases often fails to meet standards in Denmark or internationally. The population consisting of people with chronic diseases is large and accounts for about 70% of total health care expenses. Given that resources are limited, it is necessary to identify efficient methods to improve the quality of care. Comparing health care systems is a well-known method for identifying new knowledge regarding, for instance, organisational methods and principles. Kaiser Permanente (KP), an integrated health care delivery system in the U.S., is recognized as providing high-quality chronic care; to some extent, this is due to KP's implementation of the chronic care model (CCM). This model recommends a range of evidence-based management practices that support the implementation of evidence-based medicine. However, it is not clear which management practices in the CCM are most efficient and in what combinations. In addition, financial incentives and public reporting of performance are often considered effective at improving the quality of health care services, but this has not yet been definitively proved. The aim of this dissertation is to describe the effect of determinants, such as organisational structures and management practices including two selected incentives, on the quality of care in chronic diseases. The dissertation is based on four studies with the following purposes: 1) macro- or healthcare system-level identification of organisational structures and principles that affect the quality of health care services, based on a comparison of KP and the Danish health care system; 2) meso- or organisation-level identification of management practices with positive effects on screening rates for hemoglobin A1c and lipid profile in diabetes; 3) evaluation of the effect of the CCM on quality of health care services and continuity of care in a Danish setting; 4) micro- or practice-level evaluation of the

Community and consumer participation in Australian health services--an overview of organisational commitment and participation processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, A; Silburn, K

2000-01-01

This article briefly describes recent initiatives to improve consumer participation in health services that have led to the establishment of the National Resource Centre for Consumer Participation in Health. The results of a component of the needs assessment undertaken by the newly established Centre are presented. They provide a 'snapshot' of the types of feedback and participation processes mainly being utilised by Australian health services at the different levels of seeking information, information sharing and consultation, partnership, delegated power and consumer control. They also allow identification of the organisational commitment made by Australian health services to support a more coordinated approach to community and consumer feedback and participation at different levels of health services such as particular emphasis on determining the presence of community and consumer participation in key organisational statements, specific consumer policies and plans, identifiable leadership, inclusion into job descriptions, allocation of resources, and staff development and consumer training. Discussion centres around four key observations and some of the key perceived external barriers.

Growth of health maintenance organisations in Nigeria and the potential for a role in promoting universal coverage efforts.

Science.gov (United States)

Onoka, Chima A; Hanson, Kara; Mills, Anne

2016-08-01

There has been growing interest in the potential for private health insurance (PHI) and private organisations to contribute to universal health coverage (UHC). Yet evidence from low and middle income countries remains very thin. This paper examines the evolution of health maintenance organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria, the nature of the PHI plans and social health insurance (SHI) programmes and their performance, and the implications of their business practices for providing PHI and UHC-related SHI programmes. An embedded case study design was used with multiple subunits of analysis (individual HMOs and the HMO industry) and mixed (qualitative and quantitative) methods, and the study was guided by the structure-conduct-performance paradigm that has its roots in the neo-classical theory of the firm. Quantitative data collection and 35 in-depth interviews were carried out between October 2012 to July 2013. Although HMOs first emerged in Nigeria to supply PHI, their expansion was driven by their role as purchasers in the government's national health insurance scheme that finances SHI programmes, and facilitated by a weak accreditation system. HMOs' characteristics distinguish the market they operate in as monopolistically competitive, and HMOs as multiproduct firms operating multiple risk pools through parallel administrative systems. The considerable product differentiation and consequent risk selection by private insurers promote inefficiencies. Where HMOs and similar private organisations play roles in health financing systems, effective regulatory institutions and mandates must be established to guide their behaviours towards attainment of public health goals and to identify and control undesirable business practices. Lessons are drawn for policy makers and programme implementers especially in those low and middle-income countries considering the use of private organisations in their health financing systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental health service changes, organisational factors, and patient suicide in England in 1997-2012: a before-and-after study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapur, Nav; Ibrahim, Saied; While, David; Baird, Alison; Rodway, Cathryn; Hunt, Isabelle M; Windfuhr, Kirsten; Moreton, Adam; Shaw, Jenny; Appleby, Louis

2016-06-01

Research into which aspects of service provision in mental health are most effective in preventing suicide is sparse. We examined the association between service changes, organisational factors, and suicide rates in a national sample. We did a before-and-after analysis of service delivery data and an ecological analysis of organisational characteristics, in relation to suicide rates, in providers of mental health care in England. We also investigated whether the effect of service changes varied according to markers of organisational functioning. Overall, 19 248 individuals who died by suicide within 12 months of contact with mental health services were included (1997-2012). Various service changes related to ward safety, improved community services, staff training, and implementation of policy and guidance were associated with a lower suicide rate after the introduction of these changes (incidence rate ratios ranged from 0·71 to 0·79, porganisational factors, such as non-medical staff turnover (Spearman's r=0·34, p=0·01) and incident reporting (0·46, 0·0004), were also related to suicide rates but others, such as staff sickness (-0·12, 0·37) and patient satisfaction (-0·06, 0·64), were not. Service changes had more effect in organisations that had low rates of staff turnover but high rates of overall event reporting. Aspects of mental health service provision might have an effect on suicide rates in clinical populations but the wider organisational context in which service changes are made are likely to be important too. System-wide change implemented across the patient care pathway could be a key strategy for improving patient safety in mental health care. The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership commissions the Mental Health Clinical Outcome Review Programme, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, on behalf of NHS England, NHS Wales, the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate, the

Identifying the Main Problems of Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations: Lessons from Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apostoaie Constantin-Marius

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Romanian environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGO have to deal with a lot of issues when performing their activities, related in general to their form of organization, financial capacity, unspecialized workforce, over bureaucratic administration, political parties’ unwillingness to cooperate, or mass-media’s general indifference. Moreover, most public representatives (e.g., political parties seldom (or never ask for the ENGOs’ opinions when designing environmental policies. Within this context, this paper aims to map the most important issues or challenges (in terms of financial capacity and with regard to the public sphere that Romanian ENGOs have to deal with. The methodological approach is a mixed one (having a qualitative as well as a quantitative component. The study embodies a questionnaire based survey applied on 48 Romanian ENGOs. Unfortunately, the instability of financial resources still tops the Romanian ENGOs’ list of issues. Moreover, the data reaffirmed the indifference of the majority of Romania’s political parties towards protecting the environment (leaving ENGOs out of the political decision making process.

Does organisational justice protect from sickness absence following a major life event? A Finnish public sector study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elovainio, M; Kivimäki, M; Linna, A; Brockner, J; van den Bos, K; Greenberg, J; Pentti, J; Virtanen, M; Vahtera, J

2010-05-01

It has been shown that fairness perceptions have a strong impact on health, especially under conditions of great work stress. The aim of this study was to extend previous research in studying whether working in high justice workplace would protect from health effects following environmental stressors outside work. Using a prospective longitudinal design, the relationships between organisational justice and sickness-related absences both before and after a major life event among 25 459 public sector employees working in 2551 work units were studied. Sickness absences covered the period from 36 months before the event until 30 months after the event. The increase in sickness absences after the event was larger and stayed at a higher level even 30 months after the event, among those who perceived the management practices in their work unit to be relatively unfair. Similar patterns were found for each of the distributive, procedural and interactional dimensions of organisational justice. Fair organisational and managerial procedures may buffer the negative health effects of psychosocial health risks outside work.

Characteristics of value-based health and social care from organisations' perspectives (OrgValue): a mixed-methods study protocol.

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Ansmann, Lena; Hillen, Hendrik Ansgar; Kuntz, Ludwig; Stock, Stephanie; Vennedey, Vera; Hower, Kira Isabelle

2018-04-27

Health and social care systems are under pressure to organise care around patients' needs with constrained resources. Several studies reveal that care is constantly challenged by balancing economic requirements against individual patients' preferences and needs. Therefore, value-based health and social care aims to facilitate patient-centredness while taking the resources spent into consideration. The OrgValue project examines the implementation of patient-centredness while considering the health and social care organisations' resource orientation in the model region of the city of Cologne, Germany. First, the implementation status of patient-centredness as well as its facilitators and barriers-also in terms of resource orientation-will be assessed through face-to-face interviews with decision-makers (at least n=18) from health and social care organisations (HSCOs) in Cologne. Second, patients' understanding of patient-centredness and their preferences and needs will be revealed by conducting face-to-face interviews (at least n=15). Third, the qualitative results will provide the basis for a quantitative survey of decision-makers from all HSCOs in Cologne, which will include questions on patient-centredness, resource orientation and determinants of implementation. Fourth, qualitative interviews with decision-makers from different types of HSCOs will be conducted to develop a uniform measurement instrument on the cost and service structure of HSCOs. For all collected data, the relevant data protection regulations will be adhered to. Consultation and a positive vote from the ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne have been obtained. All personal identifiers (eg, name, date of birth) will be pseudonymised. Dissemination strategies include a feedback report as well as research and development workshops for the organisations with the aim of initiating organisational learning and organisational development, presenting results in publications

Vulnerability of eco-environmental health to climate change: the views of government stakeholders and other specialists in Queensland, Australia.

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Strand, Linn B; Tong, Shilu; Aird, Rosemary; McRae, David

2010-07-28

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that human activities have changed and will continue to change the climate of the Earth. Eco-environmental health, which refers to the interdependencies between ecological systems and population health and well-being, is likely to be significantly influenced by climate change. The aim of this study was to examine perceptions from government stakeholders and other relevant specialists about the threat of climate change, their capacity to deal with it, and how to develop and implement a framework for assessing vulnerability of eco-environmental health to climate change. Two focus groups were conducted in Brisbane, Australia with representatives from relevant government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and the industry sector (n = 15) involved in the discussions. The participants were specialists on climate change and public health from governmental agencies, industry, and non-governmental organisations in South-East Queensland. The specialists perceived climate change to be a threat to eco-environmental health and had substantial knowledge about possible implications and impacts. A range of different methods for assessing vulnerability were suggested by the participants and the complexity of assessment when dealing with multiple hazards was acknowledged. Identified factors influencing vulnerability were perceived to be of a social, physical and/or economic nature. They included population growth, the ageing population with associated declines in general health and changes in the vulnerability of particular geographical areas due to for example, increased coastal development, and financial stress. Education, inter-sectoral collaboration, emergency management (e.g. development of early warning systems), and social networks were all emphasised as a basis for adapting to climate change. To develop a framework, different approaches were discussed for assessing eco-environmental health vulnerability, including literature

Vulnerability of eco-environmental health to climate change: the views of government stakeholders and other specialists in Queensland, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McRae David

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is overwhelming scientific evidence that human activities have changed and will continue to change the climate of the Earth. Eco-environmental health, which refers to the interdependencies between ecological systems and population health and well-being, is likely to be significantly influenced by climate change. The aim of this study was to examine perceptions from government stakeholders and other relevant specialists about the threat of climate change, their capacity to deal with it, and how to develop and implement a framework for assessing vulnerability of eco-environmental health to climate change. Methods Two focus groups were conducted in Brisbane, Australia with representatives from relevant government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and the industry sector (n = 15 involved in the discussions. The participants were specialists on climate change and public health from governmental agencies, industry, and non-governmental organisations in South-East Queensland. Results The specialists perceived climate change to be a threat to eco-environmental health and had substantial knowledge about possible implications and impacts. A range of different methods for assessing vulnerability were suggested by the participants and the complexity of assessment when dealing with multiple hazards was acknowledged. Identified factors influencing vulnerability were perceived to be of a social, physical and/or economic nature. They included population growth, the ageing population with associated declines in general health and changes in the vulnerability of particular geographical areas due to for example, increased coastal development, and financial stress. Education, inter-sectoral collaboration, emergency management (e.g. development of early warning systems, and social networks were all emphasised as a basis for adapting to climate change. To develop a framework, different approaches were discussed for assessing eco-environmental

Organisational culture: an important concept for pharmacy practice research.

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Scahill, Shane; Harrison, Jeff; Carswell, Peter; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2009-10-01

Throughout the developed world, community pharmacy is under considerable pressure to play a greater part in delivering effective primary health care. The requirement to adopt new roles continues to challenge community pharmacy and drive change. The factors that determine the ability of community pharmacy to effectively deliver services for health gain are complex and include; policy, professional, financial and structural elements. There is also evidence to suggest that organisational culture may influence the effectiveness of an organisation. In order to address this there is a need to understand the dimensions of organisational culture that lead to successful implementation of the change necessary for community pharmacy to become a more effective primary health care organisation. In this commentary, we introduce the concept of organisational culture, outline two frameworks for studying culture, and argue the benefits of pursuing an organisational culture research agenda for the evolution of pharmacy practice and research.

An integrated health and social care organisation in Sweden: creation and structure of a unique local public health and social care system.

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Øvretveit, John; Hansson, Johan; Brommels, Mats

2010-10-01

Research and citizens have noted failures in coordinating health and social services and professionals, and the need to address this issue to realize benefits from increasing specialisation. Different methods have been proposed and one has been structural integration of separate services within one organisation. This paper reports an empirical longitudinal study of the development of an integrated health and social care organisation in Sweden combining service provision, purchasing and political governance for a defined population. The study found a combination of influences contributed to the development of this new organisation. The initial structural macro-integration facilitated, but did not of itself result in better clinical care coordination. Other actions were needed to modify the specialised systems and cultures which the organisation inherited. The study design was not able to establish with any degree of certainty whether better patient and cost outcomes resulted, but it did find structural and process changes which make improved outcomes likely. The study concludes that coordinated actions at different levels and of different types were needed to achieve care coordination for patients and that a phased approach was necessary where management capacity and outside expertise are limited. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The law of international organisations

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White, Nigel D

2017-01-01

This book provides a concise account of the principles and norms of international law applicable to the main-type of international organisation - the inter-governmental organisation (IGO). That law consists of principles and rules found in the founding documents of IGOs along with applicable principles and rules of international law. The book also identifies and analyses the law produced by IGOs, applied by them and, occasionally, enforced by them. There is a concentration upon the United Nations, as the paradigmatic IGO, not only upon the UN organisation headquartered in New York, but on other IGOs in the UN system (the specialised agencies such as the World Health Organisation).

Influence of environmental factors on mental health within prisons: focus group study.

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Nurse, Jo; Woodcock, Paul; Ormsby, Jim

2003-08-30

To increase understanding of how the prison environment influences the mental health of prisoners and prison staff. Qualitative study with focus groups. A local prison in southern England. Prisoners and prison staff. Prisoners reported that long periods of isolation with little mental stimulus contributed to poor mental health and led to intense feelings of anger, frustration, and anxiety. Prisoners said they misused drugs to relieve the long hours of tedium. Most focus groups identified negative relationships between staff and prisoners as an important issue affecting stress levels of staff and prisoners. Staff groups described a "circle of stress," whereby the prison culture, organisation, and staff shortages caused high staff stress levels, resulting in staff sickness, which in turn caused greater stress for remaining staff. Staff shortages also affected prisoners, who would be locked up for longer periods of time, the ensuing frustration would then be released on staff, aggravating the situation still further. Insufficient staff also affected control and monitoring of bullying and reduced the amount of time in which prisoners were able to maintain contact with their families. Greater consideration should be given to understanding the wider environmental and organisational factors that contribute to poor mental health in prisons. This information can be used to inform prison policy makers and managers, and the primary care trusts who are beginning to work in partnership with prisons to improve the mental health of prisoners.

What's in a name? An overview of organisational health literacy terminology.

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Meggetto, Elizabeth; Ward, Bernadette; Isaccs, Anton

2018-02-01

Organisational health literacy (OHL) is a relatively new concept and its role in improving population health outcomes is gaining recognition. There are several terms being used in relation to OHL but there is no consensus about the definition of OHL nor agreement on a single approach to its application within health services. This contested space continues to create discussion and debate between health literacy researchers worldwide. Increasingly, health service accreditation standards are moving towards including OHL and so services need to clearly define their roles and responsibilities in this area. Inherent in this is the need to develop and validate quantifiable measures of OHL change. This is not to say it needs a 'one-size-fits-all' approach but rather that terminology needs to be fit for purpose. This paper reviews the literature on OHL, describing and contrasting OHL terminology to assist practitioners seeking OHL information and health services clarifying their roles and responsibilities in this area.

Children’s Environmental Health Faculty Champions Initiative: A Successful Model for Integrating Environmental Health into Pediatric Health Care

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Rogers, Bonnie; McCurdy, Leyla Erk; Slavin, Katie; Grubb, Kimberly; Roberts, James R.

2009-01-01

Background Pediatric medical and nursing education lack the environmental health content needed to properly prepare health care professionals to prevent, recognize, manage, and treat environmental exposure–related diseases. The need for improvements in health care professionals’ environmental health knowledge has been expressed by leading institutions. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of programs that incorporate pediatric environmental health (PEH) into curricula and practice. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of the National Environmental Education Foundation’s (NEEF) Children’s Environmental Health Faculty Champions Initiative, which is designed to build environmental health capacity among pediatric health care professionals. Methods Twenty-eight pediatric health care professionals participated in a train-the-trainer workshop, in which they were educated to train other health care professionals in PEH and integrate identified PEH competencies into medical and nursing practice and curricula. We evaluated the program using a workshop evaluation tool, action plan, pre- and posttests, baseline and progress assessments, and telephone interviews. Results During the 12 months following the workshop, the faculty champions’ average pretest score of 52% was significantly elevated (p < 0.0001) to 65.5% on the first posttest and to 71.5% on the second posttest, showing an increase and retention of environmental health knowledge. Faculty champions trained 1,559 health care professionals in PEH, exceeding the goal of 280 health care professionals trained. Ninety percent of faculty champions reported that PEH had been integrated into the curricula at their institution. Conclusion The initiative was highly effective in achieving its goal of building environmental health capacity among health care professionals. The faculty champions model is a successful method and can be replicated in other arenas. PMID:19478972

A practical and systematic approach to organisational capacity strengthening for research in the health sector in Africa.

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Bates, Imelda; Boyd, Alan; Smith, Helen; Cole, Donald C

2014-03-03

Despite increasing investment in health research capacity strengthening efforts in low and middle income countries, published evidence to guide the systematic design and monitoring of such interventions is very limited. Systematic processes are important to underpin capacity strengthening interventions because they provide stepwise guidance and allow for continual improvement. Our objective here was to use evidence to inform the design of a replicable but flexible process to guide health research capacity strengthening that could be customized for different contexts, and to provide a framework for planning, collecting information, making decisions, and improving performance. We used peer-reviewed and grey literature to develop a five-step pathway for designing and evaluating health research capacity strengthening programmes, tested in a variety of contexts in Africa. The five steps are: i) defining the goal of the capacity strengthening effort, ii) describing the optimal capacity needed to achieve the goal, iii) determining the existing capacity gaps compared to the optimum, iv) devising an action plan to fill the gaps and associated indicators of change, and v) adapting the plan and indicators as the programme matures. Our paper describes three contrasting case studies of organisational research capacity strengthening to illustrate how our five-step approach works in practice. Our five-step pathway starts with a clear goal and objectives, making explicit the capacity required to achieve the goal. Strategies for promoting sustainability are agreed with partners and incorporated from the outset. Our pathway for designing capacity strengthening programmes focuses not only on technical, managerial, and financial processes within organisations, but also on the individuals within organisations and the wider system within which organisations are coordinated, financed, and managed. Our five-step approach is flexible enough to generate and utilise ongoing learning. We have

Public-non-governmental organisation partnerships for health: an exploratory study with case studies from recent Ghanaian experience.

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Hushie, Martin

2016-09-13

The last few decades have seen a dramatic increase in public-non-governmental organisation (NGO) partnerships in the health sector of many low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) as a means of improving the public's health. However, little research has focused to date on the nature, facilitators and barriers of these partnerships. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 participants from five different NGOs and their collaboration with state partners in the Ghanaian health sector at the national and local levels in four regions of the country (Northern, Upper East, Greater Accra, and Eastern) to explore the drivers and nature of these partnerships and their advantages and disadvantages in the effort to improve the public's health. Major findings reveal that: 1) each collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs) and the state in the health sector demands different partnerships; 2) partnership types can range from equal, formal contractual, decentralized to advocacy ones; 3) commitment by the state and NGOs to work in collaboration lead to improved service delivery, reduced health inequities and disparities; 4) added value of NGOs lies in their knowledge, expertise, community legitimacy, ability to attract donor funding and implementation capacity to address health needs in geographical areas or communities where the government does not reach and for services, which it does not provide and 5) success factors and challenges to be considered, moving forward to promote such partnerships in other LMICs. Recommendations are offered for NGOs, governments, donors, and future research including studying the organisational effectiveness and sustainability of these partnerships to deliver effective and efficient health outcomes to recommend universal best practices in health care.

Public-non-governmental organisation partnerships for health: an exploratory study with case studies from recent Ghanaian experience

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Martin Hushie

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The last few decades have seen a dramatic increase in public-non-governmental organisation (NGO partnerships in the health sector of many low- and middle- income countries (LMICs as a means of improving the public’s health. However, little research has focused to date on the nature, facilitators and barriers of these partnerships. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 participants from five different NGOs and their collaboration with state partners in the Ghanaian health sector at the national and local levels in four regions of the country (Northern, Upper East, Greater Accra, and Eastern to explore the drivers and nature of these partnerships and their advantages and disadvantages in the effort to improve the public’s health. Results Major findings reveal that: 1 each collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs and the state in the health sector demands different partnerships; 2 partnership types can range from equal, formal contractual, decentralized to advocacy ones; 3 commitment by the state and NGOs to work in collaboration lead to improved service delivery, reduced health inequities and disparities; 4 added value of NGOs lies in their knowledge, expertise, community legitimacy, ability to attract donor funding and implementation capacity to address health needs in geographical areas or communities where the government does not reach and for services, which it does not provide and 5 success factors and challenges to be considered, moving forward to promote such partnerships in other LMICs. Conclusions Recommendations are offered for NGOs, governments, donors, and future research including studying the organisational effectiveness and sustainability of these partnerships to deliver effective and efficient health outcomes to recommend universal best practices in health care.

THE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA EXPOSURE, SAFETY AND HEALTH CONCERNS, AND SELF-EFFICACY ON ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS ELECTRONIC GREEN PRODUCTS

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Iman Khalid A. Qader

2011-07-01

Full Text Available As the high-tech industry evolves at a rapid pace, vast amounts of hazardous materials are used in fuelling its global expansion. These rapid changes in production processes are significantly depleting natural resources. With the surge of popular interest and awareness pertaining to environmental issues, organisations may be in peril if consumers' attitudes towards their products are ignored. This study intends to understand consumers' environmental attitudes towards electronic green products and to identify the effect of three factors, namely, media exposure, safety and health concerns, and self- efficacy, on this attitude. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire among 170 respondents in a public university. The results of the study indicated that safety and health concerns as well as self-efficacy had significant positive impacts on consumers' environmental attitudes. Surprisingly, however, media exposure did not exhibit any significant influence on consumers' environmental attitude. It is recommended that campaign and awareness projects focus on safety and health issues. Additionally, media should play a more active role in increasing environmental awareness among consumers.

Constructing professional and organisational fields.

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Gurney, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to fill an apparent gap in the literature addressing issues of leadership and change - the development and activities of constructing and leading sports sciences and medicine professions, and similarly, the construction and leadership of multidisciplinary/inter-disciplinary organisations that practice sports sciences and medicine. Design/methodology/approach - This study incorporated explorations through conducting both interviews and survey questionnaires with members of Sports Medicine Australia (SMA). The interviews (qualitative) were semi-structured and asked questions addressing what changed, why change and how change was implemented. Findings - The health sciences and medicine professions moving to specialised sports sciences and medicine disciplines and SMA, evolved through forces driving the need for change (legitimacy, resource dependency, positioning and core competencies). Practical implications - The knowledge developed from understanding activities of change that traditional professions conducted to become specialised Disciplines and parallel changes in a single Discipline organisation evolving to an umbrella organisation (SMA), comprised a membership of specialised Disciplines, can act as a catalyst for inquiry by other professional and organisational groups. Originality/value - The findings of this study contributes to the literature investigating change in professional and organisations fields. More specifically, this study promotes inquiry into leadership practices of sports sciences and medicine, as contributors to the field of health services.

How much of Toyota's philosophy is embedded in health care at the organisational level? A review.

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Antierens, Alain; Beeckman, Dimitri; Verhaeghe, Sofie; Myny, Dries; Van Hecke, Ann

2018-05-01

Identify which of Toyota's principles are reported in health care institutions at the organisational level and to identify the type of reported outcomes related to the effectiveness of lean production reported in these studies. No scientific research has been conducted to determine which of Toyota's principles are embedded in health care systems. This knowledge is needed to perform targeted adjustments in health care. Sixty studies were identified for the final analysis. Some Toyota Way principles appear more deeply embedded in health care institutions than others are. Not all principles of Toyota's philosophy and production system were embedded in the studies in this review. The type of reported outcomes at the organisational level was diverse. This literature review increases our knowledge about how many (and which) of the Toyota Way principles are embedded in health care. This knowledge may support reflection by nursing managers about how the full range of lean management principles could be embedded at the managerial and/or operational level. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

National Center for Environmental Health

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... R S T U V W X Y Z # Environmental Health Topics Emergency and Environmental Health Services Chemical Weapons Elimination Environmental Health Services Healthy Homes Healthy Places – Community ...

Can the type of organisational structure affect individual well-being in health and social welfare occupations?

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Zotti, A M; Omarini, G; Ragazzoni, P

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the perceived stress and individual resources of people involved in health and social welfare occupations, and evaluate whether belonging to different organisational structures leads to different reactions. To this end, we used the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Team Climate Inventory. The sample consisted of 327 subjects (67% females) with a mean age of 35.9 +/- 8.8 years; most had a middle or high school diploma (63%), and they had been employed in the same place for about four years (47.5 +/- 7.3 months): 103 worked for health and social welfare cooperatives, and 224 for a local health authority. The results showed average burnout values and coping strategies prevalently aimed at directly solving the stressing situation in both working contexts. In comparison with the variables expressing the perceived organisational climate, sociodemographic characteristics did not seem to have a determining influence on the perception of individual stress. Comparison of the subjects employed in the two settings showed that organisational vision and a sense of belonging significantly determined subjective well-being, with the healthcare workers showed greater individual ill-being and a worse vision (i.e. an unclear perception of hospital choices and objectives). Our findings confirm that subjective well-being in high-touch occupations may be determined by the organisational culture: a mutual aid culture such as that of a cooperative has a protective effect despite the fact that the employment situation of the workers is more precarious and flexible than that of workers employed in highly structured environments such as that of a hospital.

The challenges to performance and sustaining mutual health organisations/health institutions: an exploratory study in Ghana.

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Adomah-Afari, Augustine

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore challenges to the performance and sustainability of mutual health organisations (MHOs) and health institutions towards enhancing access to quality health care (HC) in Ghana. Data were gathered through interviews and documentary review. Problems with late release of reimbursement funds for discharging with claims by the central government has impacted heavily on the financial and strategic management and decision-making processes of the MHOs and health institutions. The lack of in-depth analysis of the financial viability of the MHOs; and the limited number of schemes selected. Recommends the need to ensure prompt release of reimbursement funds by government to enable the MHOs to reimburse claims to health institutions. There is a perceived tension between the MHOs and HC institutions due to late release of reimbursement funds by the government. Contributes to understanding of how the NHI Act influences the operations of MHOs and health institutions towards increasing access to quality HC and financing.

Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus.

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Zingg, Walter; Holmes, Alison; Dettenkofer, Markus; Goetting, Tim; Secci, Federica; Clack, Lauren; Allegranzi, Benedetta; Magiorakos, Anna-Pelagia; Pittet, Didier

2015-02-01

Despite control efforts, the burden of health-care-associated infections in Europe is high and leads to around 37,000 deaths each year. We did a systematic review to identify crucial elements for the organisation of effective infection-prevention programmes in hospitals and key components for implementation of monitoring. 92 studies published from 1996 to 2012 were assessed and ten key components identified: organisation of infection control at the hospital level; bed occupancy, staffing, workload, and employment of pool or agency nurses; availability of and ease of access to materials and equipment and optimum ergonomics; appropriate use of guidelines; education and training; auditing; surveillance and feedback; multimodal and multidisciplinary prevention programmes that include behavioural change; engagement of champions; and positive organisational culture. These components comprise manageable and widely applicable ways to reduce health-care-associated infections and improve patients' safety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational Stress, Organisational Commitment, and Ill-Health of Educators in the North West Province

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Jackson, Leon; Rothmann, Sebastiaan

2006-01-01

The objectives were to analyse the occupational stress of educators, to determine the differences between occupational stress and strain of educators in different biographical groups, and to assess the relationship between occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A stratified random…

A model of organisational dysfunction in the NHS.

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Pope, Rachael

2013-01-01

This paper explores the reasons for the sometimes seemingly irrational and dysfunctional organisational behaviour within the NHS. It seeks to provide possible answers to the persistent historical problem of intimidating and negative behaviour between staff, and the sometimes inadequate organisational responses. The aim is to develop a model to explain and increase understanding of such behaviour in the NHS. This paper is conceptual in nature based upon a systematic literature review. The concepts of organisational silence, normalised organisational corruption, and protection of image, provide some possible answers for these dysfunctional responses, as does the theory of selective moral disengagement. The NHS exhibits too high a level of collective ego defences and protection of its image and self-esteem, which distorts its ability to address problems and to learn. Organisations and the individuals within them can hide and retreat from reality and exhibit denial; there is a resistance to voice and to "knowing". The persistence and tolerance of negative behaviour is a corruption and is not healthy or desirable. Organisations need to embrace the identity of a listening and learning organisation; a "wise" organisation. The "Elephant in the room" of persistent negative behaviour has to be acknowledged; the silence must be broken. There is a need for cultures of "respect", exhibiting "intelligent kindness". A model has been developed to increase understanding of dysfunctional organisational behaviour in the NHS primarily for leaders/managers of health services, health service regulators and health researchers/academics. Research, with ethical approval, is currently being undertaken to test and develop the conceptual model to further reflect the complexities of the NHS culture.

The linkage between work-related factors, employee satisfaction and organisational commitment: Insights from public health professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengedzai Mafini

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The public health sector in South Africa faces a number of human resource– related inundations. Solving these challenges requires the provision of empirically derived information on these matters. Research purpose: This study investigated the relationship between three work-related factors, person-environment fit, work-family balance and perceived job security, and employee satisfaction and organisational commitment. A conceptual framework that links these factors is proposed and tested. Motivation for the study: The prevalence of employee-related challenges involving public health professionals, as evidenced through industrial action and high labour turnover, amongst others, demands further research in order to generate appropriate solutions. Research approach, design and method: A quantitative design using the survey approach was adopted. A six-section questionnaire was administered to a stratified sample of 287 professionals in three public health institutions in Gauteng, South Africa. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson’s correlation analysis and regression analysis. Main findings: Job security and person-environment fit both positively correlated with and predicted employee satisfaction. The association between work-family balance and employee satisfaction was weak and showed no significant predictive validity. Employee satisfaction was strongly correlated to and predicted organisational commitment. Practical/managerial implications: The findings of the current study may be used by managers in public health institutions to improve the level of organisational commitment amongst professionals in the sector, thus preventing further employee-related challenges that negatively affect the provision of outstanding public health services. Contribution: The study provides current evidence on how both work-related and humanrelated factors could contribute to the prosperity of the

The employee retention triad in health care: Exploring relationships amongst organisational justice, affective commitment and turnover intention.

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Perreira, Tyrone A; Berta, Whitney; Herbert, Monique

2018-04-01

To increase understanding of the relationships between organisational justice, affective commitment and turnover intention in health care. Turnover in health care is a serious concern, as it contributes to the global nursing shortage and is associated with declines in quality of care, patient safety and patient outcomes. Turnover also impacts care teams and is associated with decreased staff cohesion and morale. A survey was developed and administered to frontline nurses working in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The data were used to test a hypothetical model developed from a review of the literature. The relationships amongst the three constructs were evaluated using structural equation modelling and mediation analysis. The hypothesised model was generally supported, although we were limited to considerations of interpersonal justice, affective commitment to one's organisation and turnover intention. Interpersonal justice is associated with affective commitment to one's organisation, which is negatively associated with turnover intention. Interpersonal justice was also found to be directly and negatively associated with turnover intention. Affective commitment to one's organisation was also found to mediate the relationship between interpersonal justice and turnover intention. The examination of relationships within the "employee retention triad" in a single, comprehensive model is novel and provides new information regarding relational complexity and insights into what healthcare leaders can do to retain employees. Reducing turnover may help to decrease some of the stressors related to turnover for clinical staff remaining at the organisation such as constant onboarding and orientation of new hires, working with less experienced staff and increased workload due to decreased staffing. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health.

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Hoover, Elizabeth; Renauld, Mia; Edelstein, Michael R; Brown, Phil

2015-11-01

Social science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health science through team projects has advanced and improved our understanding of environmental health and justice. We sought to identify diverse methods and topics in which social scientists have expanded environmental health understandings at multiple levels, to examine how transdisciplinary environmental health research fosters better science, and to learn how these partnerships have been able to flourish because of the support from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). We analyzed various types of social science research to investigate how social science contributes to environmental health. We also examined NIEHS programs that foster social science. In addition, we developed a case study of a community-based participation research project in Akwesasne in order to demonstrate how social science has enhanced environmental health science. Social science has informed environmental health science through ethnographic studies of contaminated communities, analysis of spatial distribution of environmental injustice, psychological experience of contamination, social construction of risk and risk perception, and social impacts of disasters. Social science-environmental health team science has altered the way scientists traditionally explore exposure by pressing for cumulative exposure approaches and providing research data for policy applications. A transdisciplinary approach for environmental health practice has emerged that engages the social sciences to paint a full picture of the consequences of contamination so that policy makers, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders can better ameliorate impacts and prevent future exposure. Hoover E, Renauld M, Edelstein MR, Brown P. 2015. Social science collaboration with environmental health. Environ Health

[Planning by service organisation priorities. The process of preparing strategic service-organisation plans].

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Sampietro-Colom, Laura; Costa, Dolors; Busqué, Anna; Lacasa, Carme

2008-12-01

Strategic planning designs the general setting and the strategic principles of a healthcare system, as well as the general guidelines that govern the development of a health system. Strategic service-organisation plans deal with translating healthcare policies into service policies and respond, principally, to the need for services; these give rise to problems that require a solution. They are developed in line with advances in scientific knowledge, the implementation and current characteristics of the healthcare services and the evolution in the competences of professional teams. There are five stages for their development: identification of health/service requirements; prioritisation of needs in health/services; definition of and agreement on service organisation models (care model and service portfolio); the preparation of and agreement on territorial action plans; introduction and evaluation. A conceptual framework is presented along with practical applications carried out in Catalonia.

Turnaround in an aged persons' mental health service in crisis: a case study of organisational renewal.

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Stafrace, Simon; Lilly, Alan

2008-08-01

This case study demonstrates how leadership was harnessed to turn around a decline in the performance of an aged persons' mental health service - the Namarra Nursing Home at Caulfield General Medical Centre in Melbourne, Australia. In 2000 the nursing home faced a crisis of public confidence due to failings in the management of quality, clinical risk and human resources within the service. These problems reflected structural and operational shortcomings in the clinical directorate and wider organisation. In this article, we detail the process of turnaround from the perspective of senior executive managers with professional and operational responsibility for the service. This turnaround required attention to local clinical accountability and transformation of the mental health program from a collocated but operationally isolated service to one integrated within the governance structures of the auspicing organisation.

How Swedish communities organised themselves in reviewing a safety case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soderblom, Anna-Lena

2014-01-01

Full text of publication follows: In 2009 the Swedish nuclear waste management company, SKB, choose Forsmark in the municipality of Oesthammar as the best place for a repository for spent nuclear fuel. In 2011, as a natural follow-up, SKB presented applications to two Swedish authorities, the Land and Environmental Court and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. The municipality of Oesthammar has together with the municipality of Oskarshamn been an active part in the process since 1994, with different local organisations financed by the Swedish nuclear fund. Three leading themes form the basis for our participation - voluntarism, complete openness of plans and results and participation with the possibility to influence. Site investigations for a repository started in 2002 and were finished when SKB selected Oesthammar municipality in the middle of 2009. To follow and scrutinise both site investigations as well as the applications, the organisation within the municipality has changed over time. As the site selection process got underway, the municipality extended its organisation to three committees (EIA, long-term safety and consultation). The committees have respective objectives: reviewing the health and environmental impact, reviewing the long-term safety and communication about the work that is going on within and around the municipality. These are primarily political committees to which a unit of civil servants is attached. The main goal for the organisation is to build up knowledge skills and prepare both the existing as well as the future municipality council for the decision of whether or not the municipality of Oesthammar will accept a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in our municipality. The absolutely most important issue for the municipality is long term-safety and as the process has progressed the municipality has made several statements to the authorities. (authors)

Exploring inertia in a typical state organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. J. Louw

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Those organisations which do not change according to environmental pressures, suffer from organisational inertia. The purpose of this study is to explore the manifestation of organisational inertia in the target organisation. The target population for this study was a group of trainees, representing the geographic and demographic levels of a particular state department. In South Africa, surveys of this nature were only executed in the corporate sector. The results indicate that organisational inertia is a phenomenon that affects both corporate and governmental organisations. Opsomming Organisasies wat nie ooreenkomstig omgewingsdruk verander nie, ly aan organisasietraagheid. Die doel van die studie is om organisasietraagheid te konseptualiseer en die manifestasie daarvan in die teikenorganisasie te ondersoek. Die teikenpopulasie bestaan uit ’n groep kursusgangers wat die demografiese en geografiese samestelling van ‘n tipiese staatsdepartement verteenwoordig. In Suid -Afrika is navorsing van hierdie aard nog net in die korporatiewe sektor uitgevoer. Die resultate toon aan dat organisasietraagheid ‘n faktor is wat beide die korporatiewe omgewing en staatsorganisasies beïnvloed.

Female employees' perceptions of organisational support for breastfeeding at work: findings from an Australian health service workplace

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weber Danielle

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Women's return to work can be a significant barrier to continued breastfeeding. Workplace policies and practices to promote and support continued, and longer duration of, breastfeeding are important. In the context of the introduction of a new breastfeeding policy for Area Health Services in New South Wales, Australia, a baseline survey was conducted to describe current practices and examine women's reports of perceived organisational support on breastfeeding intention and practice. Methods A cross sectional survey of female employees of the Sydney South West Area Health Service was conducted in late 2009. A mailed questionnaire was sent to 998 eligible participants who had taken maternity leave over the 20-month period from January 2008 to August 2009. The questionnaire collected items assessing breastfeeding intentions, awareness of workplace policies, and the level of organisational and social support available. For those women who had returned to work, further questions were asked to assess the perceptions and practices of breastfeeding in the work environment, as well as barriers and enabling factors to combining breastfeeding and work. Results Returning to work was one of the main reasons women ceased breastfeeding, with 60 percent of women intending to breastfeed when they returned to work, but only 40 percent doing so. Support to combine breastfeeding and work came mainly from family and partners (74% and 83% respectively, with little perceived support from the organisation (13% and human resources (6%. Most women (92% had received no information from their managers about their breastfeeding options upon their return to work, and few had access to a room specially designated for breastfeeding (19%. Flexible work options and lactation breaks, as well as access to a private room, were identified as the main factors that facilitate breastfeeding at work. Conclusions Enabling women to continue breastfeeding at work has

Female employees' perceptions of organisational support for breastfeeding at work: findings from an Australian health service workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Danielle; Janson, Anneka; Nolan, Michelle; Wen, Li Ming; Rissel, Chris

2011-11-30

Women's return to work can be a significant barrier to continued breastfeeding. Workplace policies and practices to promote and support continued, and longer duration of, breastfeeding are important. In the context of the introduction of a new breastfeeding policy for Area Health Services in New South Wales, Australia, a baseline survey was conducted to describe current practices and examine women's reports of perceived organisational support on breastfeeding intention and practice. A cross sectional survey of female employees of the Sydney South West Area Health Service was conducted in late 2009. A mailed questionnaire was sent to 998 eligible participants who had taken maternity leave over the 20-month period from January 2008 to August 2009. The questionnaire collected items assessing breastfeeding intentions, awareness of workplace policies, and the level of organisational and social support available. For those women who had returned to work, further questions were asked to assess the perceptions and practices of breastfeeding in the work environment, as well as barriers and enabling factors to combining breastfeeding and work. Returning to work was one of the main reasons women ceased breastfeeding, with 60 percent of women intending to breastfeed when they returned to work, but only 40 percent doing so. Support to combine breastfeeding and work came mainly from family and partners (74% and 83% respectively), with little perceived support from the organisation (13%) and human resources (6%). Most women (92%) had received no information from their managers about their breastfeeding options upon their return to work, and few had access to a room specially designated for breastfeeding (19%). Flexible work options and lactation breaks, as well as access to a private room, were identified as the main factors that facilitate breastfeeding at work. Enabling women to continue breastfeeding at work has benefits for the infant, employee and organisation. However, this

Optimizing Health Care Environmental Hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Carling, Philip C

2016-09-01

This article presents a review and perspectives on aspects of optimizing health care environmental hygiene. The topics covered include the epidemiology of environmental surface contamination, a discussion of cleaning health care patient area surfaces, an overview of disinfecting health care surfaces, an overview of challenges in monitoring cleaning versus cleanliness, a description of an integrated approach to environmental hygiene and hand hygiene as interrelated disciplines, and an overview of the research opportunities and challenges related to health care environmental hygiene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental health research in Japan - management of environmental risks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Masahisa [Lake Biwa Research Institute (Japan)

1997-12-31

Briefly discussed the topics on emerging environmental health risks, their assessment and management, with special emphasis on groundwater management , environmental contamination, source protection, new drinking water and ambient water quality standards; and sophistication in instrumentation in environmental quality measurements, hazards and risk assessment and control, technology development in environmental health risk management.

Environmental health research in Japan - management of environmental risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masahisa Nakamura

1996-01-01

Briefly discussed the topics on emerging environmental health risks, their assessment and management, with special emphasis on groundwater management , environmental contamination, source protection, new drinking water and ambient water quality standards; and sophistication in instrumentation in environmental quality measurements, hazards and risk assessment and control, technology development in environmental health risk management

[Relationship between organisational structure and worksite health management in the information technology and communications sector].

Science.gov (United States)

Ansmann, L; Jung, J; Nitzsche, A; Pfaff, H

2012-05-01

Worksite health management (WHM) can positively influence employee health and performance. However, it has not yet been comprehensively implemented in companies. This study aims to identify the role of organisational structures in the implementation of WHM. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected on the companies' WHM and the organisational structure. Out of 522 randomly selected companies within the German information technology and communication (ITC) sector, one managing director for each company was being questioned through telephone interviews. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. The results of the study reveal that the implementation of WHM is positively correlated with a large company size (OR 2.75; 95%-CI 1.10-6.88) and with the existence of an employee representation (OR 2.48; 95%-CI 1.54-3.98). Other structural characteristics, such as the employment of a company physician, the percentage of temporary workers as well as the staff's age and sex distribution do not seem to have a significant impact on the implementation of WHM. The results indicate that the implementation of WHM can only be explained to a certain degree by organisational structures. However, the findings highlight the fact that companies with few structural resources are in particular need of tailored support when implementing WHM. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Assessment of the Impact of Women's Organisations on Sustainable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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women in rural areas to examine the effort of women organisations (NGOs) in improving environmental education .... environmental condition and factors militating .... future to pay the bills for today. ... elimination of poverty and inequality in an.

The bioethical relevance of the ethics of healthcare organisations ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bioethics and organisational ethics* are applied ethics disciplines with different objects of investigation. Bioethics focuses on the moral aspects of caring for the health of individuals and populations, and organisational ethics on the moral aspects of organisations' strategies and operations. So these two disciplines converge ...

An organisational coherence model to maintain employee contributions during organisational crises

OpenAIRE

Hendrik J. Pelser; Anita Bosch; Willem Schurink

2016-01-01

Orientation: Crises that threaten an organisation’s continued existence cannot be seen in isolation when considering the perception of threats to individual job security. These threats often go hand in hand with employee panic. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to establish a model to assist organisations in managing employee emotionality and panic during times of crisis. Motivation for the study: Environmental crises threaten organisations’ existence, threatening employees’...

Co-production of community mental health services: Organising the interplay between public services and civil society in Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaeggemose, Ulla; Ankersen, Pia Vedel; Aagaard, Jørgen; Burau, Viola

2018-01-01

Co-production involves knowledge and skills based on both lived experiences of citizens and professionally training of staff. In Europe, co-production is viewed as an essential tool for meeting the demographic, political and economic challenges of welfare states. However, co-production is facing challenges because public services and civil society are rooted in two very different logics. These challenges are typically encountered by provider organisations and their staff who must convert policies and strategies into practice. Denmark is a welfare state with a strong public services sector and a relatively low involvement of volunteers. The aim of this study was to investigate how provider organisations and their staff navigate between the two logics. The present analysis is a critical case study of two municipalities selected from seven participating municipalities, for their maximum diversity. The study setting was the Community Families programme, which aim to support the social network of mental health users by offering regular contact with selected private families/individuals. The task of the municipalities was to initiate and support Community Families. The analysis built on qualitative data generated at the organisational level in the seven participating municipalities. Within the two "case study" municipalities, qualitative interviews were conducted with front-line co-ordinators (six) and line managers (two). The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded using the software program NVivo. The results confirm the central role played by staff and identify a close interplay between public services and civil society logics as essential for the organisation of co-production. Corresponding objectives, activities and collaborative relations of provider organisations are keys for facilitating the co-productive practice of individual staff. Organised in this way, co-production can succeed even in a mental health setting associated with social stigma

Measures to assess the performance of an Australian non-government charitable non-acute health service: A Delphi Survey of Organisational Stakeholders.

Science.gov (United States)

Colbran, Richard; Ramsden, Robyn; Stagnitti, Karen; Adams, Samantha

2018-02-01

Organisation performance measurement is relevant for non-profit charitable organisations as they strive for security in an increasingly competitive funding environment. This study aimed to identify the priority measures and indicators of organisational performance of an Australian non-government charitable organisation that delivers non-acute health services. Seventy-seven and 59 participants across nine stakeholder groups responded to a two-staged Delphi technique study of a case study organisation. The stage one questionnaire was developed using information garnered through a detailed review of literature. Data from the first round were aggregated and analysed for the stage two survey. The final data represented a group consensus. Quality of care was ranked the most important of six organisational performance measures. Service user satisfaction was ranked second followed by financial performance, internal processes, employee learning and growth and community engagement. Thirteen priority indicators were determined across the six measures. Consensus was reached on the priority organisational performance measures and indicators. Stakeholders of the case study organisation value evidence-based practice, technical strength of services and service user satisfaction over more commercially orientated indicators.

Organisational learning by way of organisational development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkjær, Bente

In the paper, the idea is explored of organisational learning as the opening andclosure of organisational space for inquiry or reflective thinking, as a way toconstruct organisational learning as an object for research. This is done by asking thequestion of whether an organisational development...... project contributes toorganisational learning. The point of departure is a municipality in Denmark workingtoward digitalising its administration. The conclusion is that the success of such aprocess very much depends on an organisation's ability to encompass severalunderstandings of organisational...... development and digital administration and tosustain them in a productive form of tension instead of pursuing only one of them....

Communication models in environmental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidotti, Tee L

2013-01-01

Communication models common in environmental health are not well represented in the literature on health communication. Risk communication is a systematic approach to conveying essential information about a specific environmental issue and a framework for thinking about community risk and the alternatives for dealing with it. Crisis communication is intended to provide essential information to people facing an emergency in order to mitigate its effects and to enable them to make appropriate decisions, and it is primarily used in emergency management. Corporate communication is intended to achieve a change in attitude or perception of an organization, and its role in environmental health is usually public relations or to rehabilitate a damaged reputation. Environmental health education is a more didactic approach to science education with respect to health and the environment. Social marketing uses conventional marketing methods to achieve a socially desirable purpose but is more heavily used in health promotion generally. Communication models and styles in environmental health are specialized to serve the needs of the field in communicating with the community. They are highly structured and executed in different ways but have in common a relative lack of emphasis on changing personal or lifestyle behavior compared with health promotion and public health in general and a tendency to emphasize content on specific environmental issues and decision frameworks for protecting oneself or the community through collective action.

How can health care organisations make and justify decisions about risk reduction? Lessons from a cross-industry review and a health care stakeholder consensus development process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sujan, Mark A.; Habli, Ibrahim; Kelly, Tim P.; Gühnemann, Astrid; Pozzi, Simone; Johnson, Christopher W.

2017-01-01

Interventions to reduce risk often have an associated cost. In UK industries decisions about risk reduction are made and justified within a shared regulatory framework that requires that risk be reduced as low as reasonably practicable. In health care no such regulatory framework exists, and the practice of making decisions about risk reduction is varied and lacks transparency. Can health care organisations learn from relevant industry experiences about making and justifying risk reduction decisions? This paper presents lessons from a qualitative study undertaken with 21 participants from five industries about how such decisions are made and justified in UK industry. Recommendations were developed based on a consensus development exercise undertaken with 20 health care stakeholders. The paper argues that there is a need in health care to develop a regulatory framework and an agreed process for managing explicitly the trade-off between risk reduction and cost. The framework should include guidance about a health care specific notion of acceptable levels of risk, guidance about standardised risk reduction interventions, it should include regulatory incentives for health care organisations to reduce risk, and it should encourage the adoption of an approach for documenting explicitly an organisation's risk position. - Highlights: • Empirical description of industry perceptions on making risk reduction decisions. • Health care consensus development identified five recommendations. • Risk concept should be better integrated into safety management. • Education and awareness about risk concept are required. • Health systems need to start a dialogue about acceptable levels of risk.

Managing Evaluation: A Community Arts Organisation Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, Peter; Atkinson, Sarah

2012-09-01

Arts and health organisations must increasingly provide measurable evidence of impact to stakeholders, which can pose both logistical and ideological challenges. This paper examines the relationship between the ethos of an arts and health organisation with external demands for evaluation. Research involved an ethnographic engagement where the first author worked closely with the organisation for a year. In addition to informal discussions, twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with core staff and participants. Transcribed interviews were coded and emerging themes were identified. Staff considered evaluation to be necessary and useful, yet also to be time consuming and a potential threat to their ethos. Nevertheless, they were able to negotiate the terms of evaluation to enable them to meet their own needs as well as those of funders and other stakeholders. While not completely resisting outside demands for evaluation, the organisation was seen to intentionally rework demands for evidence into processes they felt they could work with, thus enabling their ethos to be maintained.

[Bioethics and environmental health].

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco-Suárez, M

1993-01-01

Institutions such as World Health Organization and United Nations have considered the necessity to establish programs to control and preserve our environment. From the beginning, industrial development has polluted the air, water and soil, in some cases irreversibly affecting the ecosystems. Rampant use of natural resources and inattention to preventive measures have promoted environmental pollution, along with its hereditary effects, producing brain damage, intoxications, cancer, and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, among other problems. It is necessary to put aside self-serving materialism and individualism and become aware of this problem. It is necessary to implement environmental policies, foster bioethical responsibility in environmental health research, conduct epidemiologic, biomedical and toxicologic environmental health research works if we are to have a worthy life and an optimal environment.

Inter-organisational response to disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Paturas, James L; Smith, Stewart R; Albanese, Joseph; Waite, Geraldine

2016-01-01

Inter-organisational communication failures during times of real-world disasters impede the collaborative response of agencies responsible for ensuring the public's health and safety. In the best of circumstances, communications across jurisdictional boundaries are ineffective. In times of crisis, when communities are grappling with the impact of a disaster, communications become critically important and more complex. Important factors for improving inter-organisational communications are critical thinking and problem-solving skills; inter-organisational relationships; as well as strategic, tactical and operational communications. Improving communication, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making requires a review of leadership skills. This discussion begins with an analysis of the existing disaster management research and moves to an examination of the importance of inter-organisational working relationships. Before a successful resolution of a disaster by multiple levels of first responders, the group of organisations must have a foundation of trust, collegiality, flexibility, expertise, openness, relational networking and effective communications. Leaders must also be prepared to improve leadership skills through continual development in each of these foundational areas.

Organisational and environmental characteristics of residential aged care units providing highly person-centred care: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjögren, Karin; Lindkvist, Marie; Sandman, Per-Olof; Zingmark, Karin; Edvardsson, David

2017-01-01

Few studies have empirically investigated factors that define residential aged care units that are perceived as being highly person-centred. The purpose of this study was to explore factors characterising residential aged care units perceived as being highly person-centred, with a focus on organisational and environmental variables, as well as residents' and staff' characteristics. A cross-sectional design was used. Residents ( n  = 1460) and staff ( n  = 1213) data from 151 residential care units were collected, as well as data relating to characteristics of the organisation and environment, and data measuring degree of person-centred care. Participating staff provided self-reported data and conducted proxy ratings on residents . Descriptive and comparative statistics, independent samples t-test, Chi 2 test, Eta Squared and Phi coefficient were used to analyse data. Highly person-centred residential aged care units were characterized by having a shared philosophy of care, a satisfactory leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration and social support from colleagues and leaders, a dementia-friendly physical environment, staff having time to spend with residents, and a smaller unit size. Residential aged care units with higher levels of person-centred care had a higher proportion of staff with continuing education in dementia care, and a higher proportion of staff receiving regular supervision, compared to units with lower levels of person-centred care. It is important to target organisational and environmental factors, such as a shared philosophy of care, staff use of time, the physical environment, interdisciplinary support, and support from leaders and colleagues, to improve person-centred care in residential care units. Managers and leaders seeking to facilitate person-centred care in daily practice need to consider their own role in supporting, encouraging, and supervising staff.

[Environmental justice as an approach to tackle environmental health inequalities].

Science.gov (United States)

Bolte, Gabriele; Bunge, Christiane; Hornberg, Claudia; Köckler, Heike

2018-06-01

Current international studies show that environment-related diseases disproportionately affect vulnerable people. This is a case of environmental injustice. Environmental justice goes beyond the mere description of environment- and health-related social inequalities by comprising two dimensions of justice as a normative approach: distributional and procedural justice. Attempts to explain the link between social circumstances, the environment and health deal with both the socially unequal distribution of environmental hazards and environmental resources (exposure variation) and social differences in vulnerability to the health effects of environmental exposures (effect modification). Integrated monitoring approaches provide the basis for deriving interventions under various aspects of environmental justice. Parting from public health research and embedded in the Health in All Policies (HiAP) concept, environmental justice has now been taken up in a number of fields, including politics, administration and practice. There are strategic considerations and attempts to anchor it in politics at the federal, state and the communal level, both by government and non-government groups. Health-promoting urban development is a core field for intervention. The Soziale Stadt (Social City) programme for promoting urban planning and construction as well as place oriented sectoral planning make an important contribution by helping to focus on urban spaces with multiple health hazards and to implement target group-oriented participation processes. There continues to be a need to develop methods and systematically implemented evaluations of political strategies and corresponding interventions regarding their effects on inequalities in health and environmental justice.

Environmental health--champions of One Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy, Christopher; Stull, Paul A; Balster, Erik

2013-01-01

The authors find overwhelming evidence among environmental health practitioners that One Health disease reporting concepts are essential to the early detection of, and expedient recovery from, pandemic disease events. The authors also find, however, extraordinary evidence that local public health is not prepared, and potentially unaware of their responsibility, to be the initiator of the zoonotic infectious disease information intelligence necessary to make such early event mitigation possible. The authors propose that NEHA take an affirmative step towards the development of local public health-initiated biosurveillance systems by organizing and leading a tabletop study group that includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Medical Association, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Institute of Medicine, and a robust panel of NEHA state affiliates. This study group should discuss the infrastructure necessary for local public health-the frontline against community-acquired infectious disease-to be the initiators of environmental health, veterinary, and medical One Health biosurveillance systems. The need to establish a community-focused, integrated disease prevention strategy that cautions people about the risks associated with food, water, animal, and contaminated environmental media, both prior to and during epidemic and pandemic events is equally important.

Revisiting Organisational Learning in Integrated Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuño-Solinís, Roberto

2017-08-11

Progress in health care integration is largely linked to changes in processes and ways of doing. These changes have knowledge management and learning implications. For this reason, the use of the concept of organisational learning is explored in the field of integrated care. There are very limited contributions that have connected the fields of organisational learning and care integration in a systematic way, both at the theoretical and empirical level. For this reason, hybridization of both perspectives still provides opportunities for understanding care integration initiatives from a research perspective as well as potential applications in health care management and planning.

Expanding horizons. Integrating environmental health in occupational health nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, B; Cox, A R

1998-01-01

1. Environmental hazards are ubiquitous. Many exist in the workplace or occur as a result of work process exposures. 2. Environmental health is a natural component of the expanding practice of occupational health nursing. 3. AAOHN's vision for occupational and environmental health will continue to set the standard and provide leadership in the specialty.

Facility location of organ procurement organisations in Indian health care supply chain management

OpenAIRE

Rajmohan, M.; Theophilus, C.; Sumalatha, M.R.; Saravanakumar, S.

2017-01-01

In health care supply chain management, particularly in the area of organ transplantation, organ procurement and the transplantation network play an important role. The organ procurement organisation (OPO) should coordinate so that organs are prepared and transported to the recipients when donors become available. The scarcity of organ supply leads to life-challenging issues for the organ recipient. In this research, the importance of the location of OPOs to coordinate with the transplant cen...

Management accounting use and financial performance in public health-care organisations: evidence from the Italian National Health Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Macinati, Manuela S; Anessi-Pessina, E

2014-07-01

Reforms of the public health-care sector have emphasised the role of management accounting (MA). However, there is little systematic evidence on its use and benefits. To fill this gap, we propose a contingency-based model which addresses three related issues, that is, whether: (i) MA use is influenced by contextual variables and MA design; (ii) top-management satisfaction with MA mediates the relationship between MA design and MA use; and (iii) financial performance is influenced by MA use. A questionnaire was mailed out to all Italian public health-care organisations. Structural equation modelling was performed to validate the research hypotheses. The response rate was 49%. Our findings suggest that: (i) cost-containment strategies encourage more sophisticated MA designs; (ii) MA use is directly and indirectly influenced by contingency, organisational, and behavioural variables; (iii) a weakly significant positive relationship exists between MA use and financial performance. These findings are relevant from the viewpoint of both top managers and policymakers. The former must make sure that MA is not only technically advanced, but also properly understood and appreciated by users. The latter need to be aware that MA may improve performance in ways and along dimensions that may not fully translate into better financial results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health promotion, environmental health and Agenda 21.

Science.gov (United States)

Scriven, A; Young, S

1998-04-01

In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, many governments, including our own, committed themselves to developing local strategies for sustainable development in the form of Local Agenda 21. Sustainable development is discussed, as is the philosophy and practice of health promotion and environmental health. Common approaches are identified and the links in relation to key areas of activities, strategies, values and principles are outlined. Finally, recommendations are made and conclusions drawn in relation to the overlap between environmental health action, Agenda 21 strategies and health promotion practice.

An organisational coherence model to maintain employee contributions during organisational crises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hendrik J. Pelser

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Crises that threaten an organisation’s continued existence cannot be seen in isolation when considering the perception of threats to individual job security. These threats often go hand in hand with employee panic. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to establish a model to assist organisations in managing employee emotionality and panic during times of crisis. Motivation for the study: Environmental crises threaten organisations’ existence, threatening employees’ livelihood and resulting in employee panic. Panic reduces employees’ contributions. Organisations that are successful harness employee contributions at all times. Research design, approach, and method: A modernist qualitative research methodology was adopted, which included a case study as research strategy, purposive sampling to select 12 research participants, semi-structured interviews for data gathering, focus groups for data verification, and the use of grounded theory for data analysis. Main findings: An organisation’s ability to manage employee panic depends on the relationship between the foundational elements of authentic leadership, crisis readiness, resilience practices, versatile and committed talent, strategic management, quality management, and coherence actions taken during the crisis, which include crisis leadership, ongoing visible communication, mindfulness, work flexibility, and decisions based on the greatest financial need and social support. Practical/managerial implications: The study provides a best-practice option for managing emotionality during crises for the case organisation and other organisations within the vehicle components and other manufacturing industries. Contribution/value-add: The Coherence Hexagons Model is presented as a tool to manage employee panic during crisis. Keywords: crisis management; employee emotionality; employee panic; authentic leadership; talent management

An assessment of organisational values, culture and performance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An assessment of organisational values, culture and performance in Cape Town's ... confusion, control, manipulation, blame, power, results orientation, hierarchy, ... Conclusion: The organisational culture of the Metro District Health Services is ...

Examining the application of Web 2.0 in medical-related organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Samuel Kai Wah; Woo, Matsuko; King, Ronnel B; Choi, Stephen; Cheng, Miffy; Koo, Peggy

2012-03-01

This study surveyed Web 2.0 application in three types of selected health or medical-related organisations such as university medical libraries, hospitals and non-profit medical-related organisations. Thirty organisations participated in an online survey on the perceived purposes, benefits and difficulties in using Web 2.0. A phone interview was further conducted with eight organisations (26.7%) to collect information on the use of Web 2.0. Data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Results showed that knowledge and information sharing and the provision of a better communication platform were rated as the main purposes of using Web 2.0. Time constraints and low staff engagement were the most highly rated difficulties. In addition, most participants found Web 2.0 to be beneficial to their organisations. Medical-related organisations that adopted Web 2.0 technologies have found them useful, with benefits outweighing the difficulties in the long run. The implications of this study are discussed to help medical-related organisations make decisions regarding the use of Web 2.0 technologies. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

Who's worried about turkeys? How 'organisational silos' impede zoonotic disease surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerolmack, Colin

2013-02-01

Though emerging infectious diseases ignore boundaries between species, the agencies that respond to them do not. Based on interviews with state and federal epidemiologists, veterinarians, and physicians and on case studies of disease events, this article examines how the jurisdictional and cultural divides that exist among human and animal health agencies hinder efforts to successfully contain species-jumping diseases (zoonoses). I argue that newly emergent zoonoses make these agencies' organisational cultures function as silos because the institutionalised thinking and practices developed to address the diseases that traditionally concerned each agency constrain members from building the inter-organisational bridges required to manage the latest 'hybrid' diseases. The silo effect is evident both across the human-animal health divide and within the landscape of animal health, as agencies that monitor livestock and wildlife follow distinct and sometimes competing agendas. The article also touches on moments of inter-agency cooperation in order to specify how health practitioners can begin making connections between 'organisational silos'. This article encourages sociologists of health to explore the crucial link between animal and human health; and it introduces the concept of organisational silos to capture the relational dilemmas that arise when a 'hybrid' problem systemically links agencies with disparate organisational cultures. © 2012 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Organisational restructuring/downsizing, OHS regulation and worker health and wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinlan, Michael

2007-01-01

A growing body of international evidence indicates that downsizing and related forms of organisational restructuring are having profound adverse effects on worker safety, health and wellbeing. In particular, evidence links downsizing to poorer mental health outcomes, including bullying and other forms of occupational violence. In Australia federal, state and territory occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation imposes obligations on employers who make changes to the workplace or work processes to identify hazards, undertake risk assessment, consult with employee representatives and take appropriate steps to manage any significant hazards that are identified, including psychosocial hazards. This study shows that while Australian regulators are aware of the problems posed by downsizing they have made only modest efforts to pursue compliance with legislative duties, producing some guidance material that refers to restructuring and workloads and launching a small number of prosecutions. At the same time, there is an increased willingness to address staffing levels and other impacts of downsizing (like working in isolation). Employer and union responses were also examined. The article concludes by identifying a number of initiatives that would enable regulators, unions and employers to address the problems posed by downsizing more effectively.

Building on the EGIPPS performance assessment: the multipolar framework as a heuristic to tackle the complexity of performance of public service oriented health care organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchal, Bruno; Hoerée, Tom; da Silveira, Valéria Campos; Van Belle, Sara; Prashanth, Nuggehalli S; Kegels, Guy

2014-04-17

Performance of health care systems is a key concern of policy makers and health service managers all over the world. It is also a major challenge, given its multidimensional nature that easily leads to conceptual and methodological confusion. This is reflected by a scarcity of models that comprehensively analyse health system performance. In health, one of the most comprehensive performance frameworks was developed by the team of Leggat and Sicotte. Their framework integrates 4 key organisational functions (goal attainment, production, adaptation to the environment, and values and culture) and the tensions between these functions.We modified this framework to better fit the assessment of the performance of health organisations in the public service domain and propose an analytical strategy that takes it into the social complexity of health organisations. The resulting multipolar performance framework (MPF) is a meta-framework that facilitates the analysis of the relations and interactions between the multiple actors that influence the performance of health organisations. Using the MPF in a dynamic reiterative mode not only helps managers to identify the bottlenecks that hamper performance, but also the unintended effects and feedback loops that emerge. Similarly, it helps policymakers and programme managers at central level to better anticipate the potential results and side effects of and required conditions for health policies and programmes and to steer their implementation accordingly.

Ozone (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation National Library of Medicine Environmental Health Student Portal Connecting Middle School Students to Environmental Health Information Menu Home Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor ...

Pesticides (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

Skip Navigation National Library of Medicine Environmental Health Student Portal Connecting Middle School Students to Environmental Health Information Menu Home Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor ...

Collaboration between a Child Telephone Helpline and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Organisations in Senegal: Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Flink, Ilse Johanna Elisabeth; Mbaye, Solange Marie Odile; Diouf, Simon Richard Baye; Baumgartner, Sophie; Okur, Pinar

2018-01-01

This study identifies lessons learned from a collaboration between a child telephone helpline and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) organisations in Senegal established in the context of an SRHR programme for young people. We assessed how helpline operators are equipped to address sexual health and rights issues with young people,…

USGS Environmental health science strategy: providing environmental health science for a changing world: public review release

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, Patricia R.; Buxton, Herbert T.; Balistrieri, Laurie S.; Barber, Larry B.; Chapelle, Francis H.; Cross, Paul C.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Sleeman, Jonathan M.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Toccalino, Patricia L.; Winton, James R.

2012-01-01

America has an abundance of natural resources. We have bountiful clean water, fertile soil, and unrivaled national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands. These resources enrich our lives and preserve our health and wellbeing. These resources have been maintained because of our history of respect for their value and an enduring commitment to their vigilant protection. Awareness of the social, economic, and personal value of the health of our environment is increasing. The emergence of environmentally driven diseases caused by environmental exposure to contaminants and pathogens is a growing concern worldwide. New health threats and patterns of established threats are affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes to the environment. Human activities are key drivers of emerging (new and re-emerging) health threats. Societal demands for land and natural resources, a better quality of life, improved economic prosperity, and the environmental impacts associated with these demands will continue to increase. Natural earth processes, climate trends, and related climatic events will add to the environmental impact of human activities. These environmental drivers will influence exposure to disease agents, including viral, bacterial, prion, and fungal pathogens, parasites, natural earth materials, toxins and other biogenic compounds, and synthetic chemicals and substances. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines environmental health science broadly as the interdisciplinary study of relations among the quality of the physical environment, the health of the living environment, and human health. The interactions among these three spheres are driven by human activities, ecological processes, and natural earth processes; the interactions affect exposure to contaminants and pathogens and the severity of environmentally driven diseases in animals and people. This definition provides USGS with a framework for synthesizing natural science information from across the Bureau

20 CFR 638.804 - Environmental health.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Environmental health. 638.804 Section 638.804... TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Administrative Provisions § 638.804 Environmental health. The Job Corps Director shall provide guidelines for proper environmental health conditions. ...

Implementing cognitive therapies into routine psychosis care: organisational foundations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dark, Frances; Whiteford, Harvey; Ashkanasy, Neal M; Harvey, Carol; Crompton, David; Newman, Ellie

2015-08-05

Treatment outcomes for people diagnosed with psychosis remain suboptimal due in part to the limited systematic application of evidence based practice (Adm Policy Ment Health, 36: 1-7, 2009) [1]. The Implementation science literature identifies a number of factors organisationally that need to be considered when planning to introduce a particular EBP. Profiling these organisational characteristics at baseline, prior to commencement of service reform can determine the focus of a subsequent implementation plan. This study examined the organisational baseline factors existing in two services promoting the routine use of cognitive interventions for psychosis. One of the services studied has since undertaken organisational structural reform to facilitate the greater uptake of Evidence Based Practice (EBP). The results of this study were used to design an implementation strategy to make cognitive therapies a part of routine psychosis care. One hundred-and-six mental health staff from two metropolitan mental health services in Australia was surveyed to ascertain their attitudes, competencies and interest in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) and Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT). In addition perceptions of organisational values were profiled using the Organisational Culture Profile (OCP). Fifty five participants were excluded because they completed less than 50% of the survey. The final sample consisted of 51 participants. 48.1% of surveys were completed. Over 50% of staff were interested in CBTp and CRT approaches to psychosis. Staff were aware of existing CBTp and CRT programs but these were not uniformly available throughout the services. Fourteen percent of staff identified as CBT therapist and 35% were trained CRT facilitators. Only 12% of staff were receiving therapy specific supervision. The Organisational Culture Profile (OCP) at baseline revealed highest scores amongst leadership, planning, and humanistic workplace domains, with communication

The process of organisational adaptation through innovations, and organisational adaptability

OpenAIRE

Tikka, Tommi

2010-01-01

This study is about the process of organisational adaptation and organisational adaptability. The study generates a theoretical framework about organisational adaptation behaviour and conditions that have influence on success of organisational adaptation. The research questions of the study are: How does an organisation adapt through innovations, and which conditions enhance or impede organisational adaptation through innovations? The data were gathered from five case organisations withi...

European ways to combat psychosocial risks related to work organisation : towards organisational interventions?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oeij, P.R.A.; Morvan, E.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Vaas, F.; Wiezer, N.

2004-01-01

From 24-26 November 2004, the 6h Annual Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology ‘Healthy, Efficient & Productive Organisations’ was held in Oporto, Portugal. During this conference, the Workshop ‘Organisational interventions to combat psychosocial factors of stress’ was

Organisational values and organisational commitment: do nurses' ethno-cultural differences matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Hendel, Tova; Kagan, Ilya

2014-05-01

To examine the association between perceived organisational values and organisational commitment among Israeli nurses in relation to their ethno-cultural background. Differences and the discrepancy between individuals' organisational values and those of their organisational culture are a potential source of adjustment difficulties. Organisational values are considered to be the bond of the individual to their organisation. In multicultural societies, such as Israel, the differences in perception of organisational values and organisational commitment may be reflected within workgroups. Data were collected using a questionnaire among 106 hospital nurses. About 59.8% of the sample were Israeli-born. A positive correlation was found between organisational values and organisational commitment. Significant differences were found in organisational values and organisational commitment between Israeli-born-, USSR-born- and Ethiopian-born nurses. The socio-demographic profile modified the effect of organisational values on organisational commitment: when the nurse was male, Muslim, religiously orthodox and without academic education, the effect of organisational values on organisational commitment was higher. Findings confirm the role of culture and ethnicity in the perception of organisational values and the level of organisational commitment among nurses. Assessing ethno-cultural differences in organisational values and organisational commitment provides a fuller understanding of nurses' ability to adjust to their work environment and helps nurse managers devise means to increase nurses' commitment. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Introducing New Peer Worker Roles into Mental Health Services in England: Comparative Case Study Research Across a Range of Organisational Contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillard, Steve; Holley, Jess; Gibson, Sarah; Larsen, John; Lucock, Mike; Oborn, Eivor; Rinaldi, Miles; Stamou, Elina

2015-11-01

A wide variety of peer worker roles is being introduced into mental health services internationally. Empirical insight into whether conditions supporting role introduction are common across organisational contexts is lacking. A qualitative, comparative case study compared the introduction of peer workers employed in the statutory sector, voluntary sector and in organisational partnerships. We found good practice across contexts in structural issues including recruitment and training, but differences in expectations of the peer worker role in different organisational cultures. Issues of professionalism and practice boundaries were important everywhere but could be understood very differently, sometimes eroding the distinctiveness of the role.

The development of ORACLe: a measure of an organisation's capacity to engage in evidence-informed health policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Makkar, Steve R; Turner, Tari; Williamson, Anna; Louviere, Jordan; Redman, Sally; Haynes, Abby; Green, Sally; Brennan, Sue

2016-01-14

Evidence-informed policymaking is more likely if organisations have cultures that promote research use and invest in resources that facilitate staff engagement with research. Measures of organisations' research use culture and capacity are needed to assess current capacity, identify opportunities for improvement, and examine the impact of capacity-building interventions. The aim of the current study was to develop a comprehensive system to measure and score organisations' capacity to engage with and use research in policymaking, which we entitled ORACLe (Organisational Research Access, Culture, and Leadership). We used a multifaceted approach to develop ORACLe. Firstly, we reviewed the available literature to identify key domains of organisational tools and systems that may facilitate research use by staff. We interviewed senior health policymakers to verify the relevance and applicability of these domains. This information was used to generate an interview schedule that focused on seven key domains of organisational capacity. The interview was pilot-tested within four Australian policy agencies. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was then undertaken using an expert sample to establish the relative importance of these domains. This data was used to produce a scoring system for ORACLe. The ORACLe interview was developed, comprised of 23 questions addressing seven domains of organisational capacity and tools that support research use, including (1) documented processes for policymaking; (2) leadership training; (3) staff training; (4) research resources (e.g. database access); and systems to (5) generate new research, (6) undertake evaluations, and (7) strengthen relationships with researchers. From the DCE data, a conditional logit model was estimated to calculate total scores that took into account the relative importance of the seven domains. The model indicated that our expert sample placed the greatest importance on domains (2), (3) and (4). We utilised

Study of environmental factors' influence on the human health in the case of the Moscow population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bykov, A.; Pronina, I.

1999-01-01

Although ambient air pollution is known to affect human, quantitative measure of the impact is quite uncertain. One of the most successful approaches to evaluate adverse health consequences caused by actual concentrations of pollutants in ambient air, is risk assessment. The quantitative values of lifetime risk units recommended by international and some national organizations are often used in assessing the health risk from different sources (chemical pollutants, radioactive exposure, electromagnetic fields etc.). Recommendations of the World Health Organisation and United States Environmental Protection Agency in the Integrated Risk Data Base were taken for a basis in calculating health risks caused by chemically polluted ambient air in Russian cities. We also used well established approaches for assessing health risks from the substances not clearly defined in terms of risk units in the mentioned recommendations. In all cases, expert values of risks have been averaged, and the uncertainty range reflects the differences in the risk recommendations and the inaccuracies in methods used for measuring air pollutants

Understanding the long-term influence of EIA on organisational learning and transformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Megan, E-mail: 31836179@student.murdoch.edu.au [Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University (Australia); Morrison-Saunders, Angus, E-mail: a.morrison-saunders@murdoch.edu.au [Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Australia, Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University (South Africa)

2017-05-15

This research is an attempt to verify the notion postulated by Robert Bartlett and Lynton Caldwell that the full benefits of environmental impact assessment (EIA) would take decades to be realized. While EIA is intended to directly influence decision-making regarding new development proposals, the process is also expected to lead to organisational learning and transformation over time. Our aim was to examine the influence of EIA on a single Western Australian proponent with sustained experience in the process to understand how EIA is used within the organisation and to seek evidence of transformation of the organisation's purpose and mission. The research reviewed literature in order to identify key influences of EIA on organisations, along with semi-structured staff interviews and document analysis for the case study organisation. Ascertaining causality that involvement in EIA processes influences or effects organisational learning and transformation is a challenge in the face of other societal events. Document analysis and interviewee data indicates that the action-forcing nature of EIA did influence proponent behavior through the creation of internal processes seeking to ensure robust design of new projects that would satisfy environmental protection expectations, without the need to trigger formal EIA. Evidence of EIA values and thinking were apparent within internal documentation, including the evolving mission statement. Our research indicates that participation in the EIA process can positively influence organisational learning and transformation by guiding internal change for decision-making. - Highlights: • The long-term influence of EIA on a proponent organisation is investigated. • EIA promotes internal organisational learning and transformation. • Analysis of mission statements can indicate the influence of EIA on organisations. • Organisations aligned with EIA values can reduce the need to engage in formal EIA.

Understanding the long-term influence of EIA on organisational learning and transformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Megan; Morrison-Saunders, Angus

2017-01-01

This research is an attempt to verify the notion postulated by Robert Bartlett and Lynton Caldwell that the full benefits of environmental impact assessment (EIA) would take decades to be realized. While EIA is intended to directly influence decision-making regarding new development proposals, the process is also expected to lead to organisational learning and transformation over time. Our aim was to examine the influence of EIA on a single Western Australian proponent with sustained experience in the process to understand how EIA is used within the organisation and to seek evidence of transformation of the organisation's purpose and mission. The research reviewed literature in order to identify key influences of EIA on organisations, along with semi-structured staff interviews and document analysis for the case study organisation. Ascertaining causality that involvement in EIA processes influences or effects organisational learning and transformation is a challenge in the face of other societal events. Document analysis and interviewee data indicates that the action-forcing nature of EIA did influence proponent behavior through the creation of internal processes seeking to ensure robust design of new projects that would satisfy environmental protection expectations, without the need to trigger formal EIA. Evidence of EIA values and thinking were apparent within internal documentation, including the evolving mission statement. Our research indicates that participation in the EIA process can positively influence organisational learning and transformation by guiding internal change for decision-making. - Highlights: • The long-term influence of EIA on a proponent organisation is investigated. • EIA promotes internal organisational learning and transformation. • Analysis of mission statements can indicate the influence of EIA on organisations. • Organisations aligned with EIA values can reduce the need to engage in formal EIA.

Organising Water: The Hidden Role of Intermediary Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Moss

2009-02-01

Full Text Available The increasingly complex challenges of making water management more sustainable require a critical and detailed understanding of the social organisation of water. This paper examines the hitherto neglected role that 'intermediary' organisations play in reshaping the relations between the provision and use of water and sanitation services. In response to new regulatory, environmental, social, and commercial pressures the relationships between water utilities, consumers, and regulators are changing, creating openings for both new and existing organisations to take on intermediary functions. Drawing on recent EU-funded research we provide the first systematic analysis of intermediary organisations in the European water sector, examining the contexts of their emergence, the ways they work, the functions they perform, and the impacts they can have. With a combination of conceptual and empirical analysis we substantiate and elaborate the case for appreciating the often hidden work of intermediaries. We caution, however, against over-simplistic conclusions on harnessing this potential, highlighting instead the need to reframe perspectives on how water is organised to contemplate actor constellations and interactions beyond the common triad of provider, consumer, and regulator.

Environmental Health

Science.gov (United States)

Our environment affects our health. If parts of the environment, like the air, water, or soil become polluted, it ... in the home can trigger asthma attacks. Some environmental risks are a part of the natural world, ...

Linking research to practice: the organisation and implementation of The Netherlands health and social care improvement programmes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ovretveit, John; Klazinga, Niek

2013-01-01

Both public and private health and social care services are facing increased and changing demands to improve quality and reduce costs. To enable local services to respond to these demands, governments and other organisations have established large scale improvement programmes. These usually seek to

Environmental Protection Agency, Protecting Children's Environmental Health

Science.gov (United States)

... and Research Centers Contact Us Share Protecting Children's Environmental Health Children are often more vulnerable to pollutants ... during development. Learn more about children's health, the environment, and what you can do. Basic Information Children ...

Healthy e-health? Think 'environmental e-health'!

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Richard E; Saunders, Chad; Palacios, Moné; Nguyen, Duyen Thi Kim; Ali, Sajid

2010-01-01

The Environmental e-Health Research and Training Program has completed its scoping study to understand the breadth of a new field of research: Environmental e-Health. Nearly every aspect of modern life is associated, directly or indirectly, with application of technology, from a cup of coffee, through transportation to and from work, to appliances in the home and industrial activities. In recent decades the rapidly increasing application of information and communications technologies (ICT) has added to the cacophony of technological 'noise' around us. Research has shown that technology use, including ICTs, has impact upon the environment. Studying environmental impact in such a complex global setting is daunting. e-Health is now being used as a convenient microcosm of ICT application within which to study these impacts, and is particularly poignant given that e-Health's environmental harms conflict with its noble goals of 'doing no harm'. The study has identified impacts, both benefits and harms in all three life-cycle phases for e-Health: up-stream (materials extraction, manufacturing, packaging, distribution), mid-stream (use period), and down-stream (end-of-life processes--disposal, recycling). In addition the literature shows that a holistic 'Life Cycle Assessment' approach is essential to understand the complexity of the setting, and determine the true balance between total harms and total benefits, and for whom.

Organisational Art

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferro-Thomsen, Martin

creation of a practical utopia (?heterotopia?) in the organisational context. The case study makes use of both art- and organisational theory. The thesis concludes with an outline of a framework for OA that is derived from contemporary theory of mainly Relational Aesthetics (Bourriaud), Conceptual Art......University of Copenhagen / Learning Lab Denmark. 2005 Kort beskrivelse: Organisational Art is a tentative title for an art form that works together with organisations to produce art. This is most often done together with non-artist members of the organisation and on-site in their social context. OA...... is characterised as socially engaged, conceptual, discursive, site-specific and contextual. Abstract: This investigation is about Organisational Art (OA), which is a tentative title for an art form that works together with organisations (companies, institutions, communities, governments and NGOs) to produce art...

Education for climate changes, environmental health and environmental justice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hens, L.; Stoyanov, S.

2013-01-01

Full text: The climates changes-health effects-environmental justice nexus is analyzed. The complex issue of climate changes needs to be approached from an interdisciplinary point of view. The nature of the problem necessitates dealing with scientific uncertainty. The health effects caused by climate changes are described and analyzed from a twofold inequalities point of view: health inequalities between rich and poor within countries, and inequalities between northern and southern countries. It is shown thai although the emission of greenhouse gasses is to a large extent caused by the industrialized countries, the effects, including the health effects, will merely impact the South. On the other hand, the southern countries have the highest potential to respond to and offer sustainable energy solutions to counteract climate changes. These inequalities are at the basis to call for environmental justice, of which climate justice is part. This movement calls for diversification of ecologists and their subject of study, more attention for urban ecology, more comprehensive human ecological analyses of complex environmental issues and more participation of stakeholders in the debate and the solution options. The movement advocates a more inclusive ecology targeted to management, sodo-ecological restoration, and comprehensive policies. The fundamental aspects of complexity, inter-disciplinary approaches, uncertainty, and social and natural inequalities should be core issues in environmental health programs. Training on these issues for muitidisciplinary groups of participants necessitates innovative approaches including self-directed, collaborative, and problem oriented learning in which tacit knowledge is important. It is advocated that quality assessments of environmental health programs should take these elements into account. key words: environmental justice, climate changes, sustainable energy solutions

Global environmental change: what can health care providers and the environmental health community do about it now?

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Brian S; Parker, Cindy; Glass, Thomas A; Hu, Howard

2006-12-01

The debate about whether global environmental change is real is now over; in its wake is the realization that it is happening more rapidly than predicted. These changes constitute a profound challenge to human health, both as a direct threat and as a promoter of other risks. We call on health care providers to inform themselves about these issues and to become agents of change in their communities. It is our responsibility as clinicians to educate patients and their communities on the connections between regressive policies, unsustainable behaviors, global environmental changes, and threats to health and security. We call on professional organizations to assist in educating their members about these issues, in helping clinicians practice behavior change with their patients, and in adding their voices to this issue in our statehouses and Congress. We call for the development of carbon and other environmental-labeling of consumer products so individuals can make informed choices; we also call for the rapid implementation of policies that provide tangible economic incentives for choosing environmentally sustainable products and services. We urge the environmental health community to take up the challenge of developing a global environmental health index that will incorporate human health into available "planetary health" metrics and that can be used as a policy tool to evaluate the impact of interventions and document spatial and temporal shifts in the healthfulness of local areas. Finally, we urge our political, business, public health, and academic leaders to heed these environmental warnings and quickly develop regulatory and policy solutions so that the health of populations and the integrity of their environments will be ensured for future generations.

Organising healthcare services for persons with an intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh, Robert; McMorris, Carly A; Lunsky, Yona; Ouellette-Kuntz, Helene; Bourne, Laurie; Colantonio, Angela; Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela C

2016-04-11

When compared to the general population, persons with an intellectual disability have lower life expectancy, higher morbidity, and more difficulty finding and obtaining healthcare. Organisational interventions are used to reconfigure the structure or delivery of healthcare services. This is the first update of the original review. To assess the effects of organisational interventions of healthcare services for the mental and physical health problems of persons with an intellectual disability. For this update we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and other databases, from April 2006 to 4 September 2015. We checked reference lists of included studies and consulted experts in the field. Randomised controlled trials of organisational interventions of healthcare services aimed at improving care of mental and physical health problems of adult persons with an intellectual disability. We employed standard methodological procedures as outlined in the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions, in addition to specific guidance from the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group. We identified one new trial from the updated searches.Seven trials (347 participants) met the selection criteria. The interventions varied but had common components: interventions that increased the intensity and frequency of service delivery (4 trials, 200 participants), community-based specialist behaviour therapy (1 trial, 63 participants), and outreach treatment (1 trial, 50 participants). Another trial compared two active arms (traditional counselling and integrated intervention for bereavement, 34 participants).The included studies investigated interventions dealing with the mental health problems of persons with an intellectual disability; none focused on physical health problems. Four studies assessed the effect of organisational interventions on behavioural problems for persons with an intellectual disability, three assessed care giver burden, and

Organising aspects of the Levels Added Organisation (LAO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duško Uršič

2002-01-01

Full Text Available How to achieve a more efficient, more successful, and above all more competitive organisation in the given environment and equal spare time in everything? One of responses is evidently hidden in the levels added organisation concept, which has already proved its advantages in some domains practice, and now we also try to define and explain them from the organisational and scientific aspect. As briefly presented in this paper, the nucleus is hidden in the evolutionary development of the organisation that adopts innovations, then tests and evaluates them, combines and upgrades them, and consequently it efficiently resolves difficulties of existent organisational concepts.

Methods for the economic evaluation of changes to the organisation and delivery of health services: principal challenges and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Meacock, Rachel

2018-04-20

There is a requirement for economic evaluation of health technologies seeking public funding across Europe. Changes to the organisation and delivery of health services, including changes to health policy, are not covered by such appraisals. These changes also have consequences for National Health Service (NHS) funds, yet undergo no mandatory cost-effectiveness assessment. The focus on health technologies may have occurred because larger-scale service changes pose more complex challenges to evaluators. This paper discusses the principal challenges faced when performing economic evaluations of changes to the organisation and delivery of health services and provides recommendations for overcoming them. The five principal challenges identified are as follows: undertaking ex-ante evaluation; evaluating impacts in terms of quality-adjusted life years; assessing costs and opportunity costs; accounting for spillover effects; and generalisability. Of these challenges, methods for estimating the impact on costs and quality-adjusted life years are those most in need of development. Methods are available for ex-ante evaluation, assessing opportunity costs and examining generalisability. However, these are rarely applied in practice. The general principles of assessing the cost-effectiveness of interventions should be applied to all NHS spending, not just that involving health technologies. Advancements in this area have the potential to improve the allocation of scarce NHS resources.

Organisational change and the productivity effects of green technology adoption

OpenAIRE

Hottenrott, Hanna; Rexhäuser, Sascha; Veugelers, Reinhilde

2016-01-01

This study investigates induced productivity effects of firms introducing new environmental technologies. The literature on within-firm organisational change and productivity suggests that firms can achieve higher productivity gains from adopting new technologies if they adapt their organisational structures. Such complementarity effects may be of particular importance for the adoption of greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement technologies. The adoption of these technologies is often induced by publi...

product chain collaboration and environmental innovations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Remmen, Arne; Mosgaard, Mette

2004-01-01

The paper  builds upon a case study from a number of electronic companies in Denmark and describes from an organisational perspective how organisations make environmental innovations in the product chain.......The paper  builds upon a case study from a number of electronic companies in Denmark and describes from an organisational perspective how organisations make environmental innovations in the product chain....

Global Environmental Change: What Can Health Care Providers and the Environmental Health Community Do About It Now?

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Brian S.; Parker, Cindy; Glass, Thomas A.; Hu, Howard

2006-01-01

The debate about whether global environmental change is real is now over; in its wake is the realization that it is happening more rapidly than predicted. These changes constitute a profound challenge to human health, both as a direct threat and as a promoter of other risks. We call on health care providers to inform themselves about these issues and to become agents of change in their communities. It is our responsibility as clinicians to educate patients and their communities on the connections between regressive policies, unsustainable behaviors, global environmental changes, and threats to health and security. We call on professional organizations to assist in educating their members about these issues, in helping clinicians practice behavior change with their patients, and in adding their voices to this issue in our statehouses and Congress. We call for the development of carbon- and other environmental-labeling of consumer products so individuals can make informed choices; we also call for the rapid implementation of policies that provide tangible economic incentives for choosing environmentally sustainable products and services. We urge the environmental health community to take up the challenge of developing a global environmental health index that will incorporate human health into available “planetary health” metrics and that can be used as a policy tool to evaluate the impact of interventions and document spatial and temporal shifts in the healthfulness of local areas. Finally, we urge our political, business, public health, and academic leaders to heed these environmental warnings and quickly develop regulatory and policy solutions so that the health of populations and the integrity of their environments will be ensured for future generations. PMID:17185267

Environmental health literacy in support of social action: an environmental justice perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Brandi M; Hall, Eric S; Johnson, Cheryl

2014-01-01

Different demographic groups in the U.S. experience unequal exposures to environmental hazards, i.e., 56% of the population in neighborhoods containing commercial waste facilities are people of color, with the associated poverty rates in those communities being 50% higher than in neighborhoods without commercial waste facilities. Developing programs to educate communities about environmental hazards affecting their health and quality of life is an essential component for a community to understand their true risk. The study described in this article examined the risk of environmental hazards as perceived by public housing residents and assessed the residents' preference for educational programs on environmental hazards. Residents perceived their risk factors in a broad context and they included environmental health risks caused by pollutants along with physical safety concerns from crime and law enforcement interactions. The most trusted sources of information on environmental health include community organizations, trusted individuals in the community, and television programs. Recommendations for developing community-specific environmental health education programs include using sources of environmental health information that community members trust.

Building capacity to use and undertake research in health organisations: a survey of training needs and priorities among staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Barratt, Helen; Fulop, Naomi J

2016-12-07

Efforts to improve healthcare and population health depend partly on the ability of health organisations to use research knowledge and participate in its production. We report the findings of a survey conducted to prioritise training needs among healthcare and public health staff, in relation to the production and implementation of research, across an applied health research collaboration. A questionnaire survey using a validated tool, the Hennessy-Hicks Training Needs Assessment Questionnaire. Participants rated 25 tasks on a five-point scale with regard to both their confidence in performing the task, and its importance to their role. A questionnaire weblink was distributed to a convenience sample of 35 healthcare and public health organisations in London and South East England, with a request that they cascade the information to relevant staff. 203 individuals responded, from 20 healthcare and public health organisations. None. Training needs were identified by comparing median importance and performance scores for each task. Individuals were also invited to describe up to three priority areas in which they require training. Across the study sample, evaluation; teaching; making do with limited resources; coping with change and managing competing demands were identified as key tasks. Assessing the relevance of research and learning about new developments were the most relevant research-related tasks. Participants' training priorities included evaluation; finding, appraising and applying research evidence; and data analysis. Key barriers to involvement included time and resources, as well as a lack of institutional support for undertaking research. We identify areas in which healthcare and public health professionals may benefit from support to facilitate their involvement in and use of applied health research. We also describe barriers to participation and differing perceptions of research between professional groups. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited

Robustness of self-organised systems to changes in behaviour: an example from real and simulated self-organised snail aggregations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stafford, Richard; Williams, Gray A; Davies, Mark S

2011-01-01

Group or population level self-organised systems comprise many individuals displaying group-level emergent properties. Current theory indicates that individual-level behaviours have an effect on the final group-level behaviour; that is, self-organised systems are sensitive to small changes in individual behaviour. Here we examine a self-organised behaviour in relation to environmentally-driven individual-level changes in behaviour, using both natural systems and computer simulations. We demonstrate that aggregations of intertidal snails slightly decrease in size when, owing to hotter and more desiccating conditions, individuals forage for shorter periods--a seemingly non-adaptive behaviour for the snails since aggregation reduces desiccation stress. This decrease, however, only occurs in simple experimental systems (and simulations of these systems). When studied in their natural and more complex environment, and simulations of such an environment, using the same reduced foraging time, no difference in aggregation behaviour was found between hot and cool days. These results give an indication of how robust self-organised systems are to changes in individual-level behaviour. The complexity of the natural environment and the interactions of individuals with this environment, therefore, can result in self-organised systems being more resilient to individual-level changes than previously assumed.

Relationship between organisational commitment and burnout syndrome: a canonical correlation approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Enginyurt, Ozgur; Cankaya, Soner; Aksay, Kadir; Tunc, Taner; Koc, Bozkurt; Bas, Orhan; Ozer, Erdal

2016-04-01

Objective Burnout syndrome can significantly reduce the performance of health workers. Although many factors have been identified as antecedents of burnout, few studies have investigated the role of organisational commitment in its development. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between subdimensions of burnout syndrome (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment) and subdimensions of organisational commitment (affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment). Methods The present study was a cross-sectional survey of physicians and other healthcare employees working in the Ministry of Health Ordu University Education and Research Hospital. The sample consisted of 486 healthcare workers. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Organisation Commitment Scale, and were analysed using the canonical correlation approach. Results The first of three canonical correlation coefficients between pairs of canonical variables (Ui , burnout syndrome and Vi, organisational commitment) was found to be statistically significant. Emotional exhaustion was found to contribute most towards the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from the subdimensions of burnout syndrome, whereas affective commitment provided the largest contribution towards the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from the subdimensions of organisational commitment. Conclusions The results of the present study indicate that affective commitment is the primary determinant of burnout syndrome in healthcare professionals. What is known about the topic? Organisational commitment and burnout syndrome are the most important criteria in predicting health workforce performance. An increasing number of studies in recent years have clearly indicated the field's continued relevance and importance. Conversely, canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is a technique for describing the relationship

Study of environmental factors' influence on the human health in the case of the Moscow population

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bykov, A. [International Inst. of Risk Research, Moscow (Russian Federation); Pronina, I. [Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation)

1999-12-01

Although ambient air pollution is known to affect human, quantitative measure of the impact is quite uncertain. One of the most successful approaches to evaluate adverse health consequences caused by actual concentrations of pollutants in ambient air, is risk assessment. The quantitative values of lifetime risk units recommended by international and some national organizations are often used in assessing the health risk from different sources (chemical pollutants, radioactive exposure, electromagnetic fields etc.). Recommendations of the World Health Organisation and United States Environmental Protection Agency in the Integrated Risk Data Base were taken for a basis in calculating health risks caused by chemically polluted ambient air in Russian cities. We also used well established approaches for assessing health risks from the substances not clearly defined in terms of risk units in the mentioned recommendations. In all cases, expert values of risks have been averaged, and the uncertainty range reflects the differences in the risk recommendations and the inaccuracies in methods used for measuring air pollutants.

Narrating Organisational Identities by Way of Evolutionary Tales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Backer, Lise

2008-01-01

The article draws on publicly available data to analyse how, since the Rio Environmental Summit in 1992, the narration of the multinational oil company Shell have projected an evolution from an oil company identity to an identity also embracing renewable energies. In analysing the narrative battles...... over Shell's organisational identity the article contributes to the field of organisational identity theory. It does so by providing a rich description of the micro processes through which individual management actors seek by telling different evolutionary tales to get the larger corporate actor...

Certification of health care organisations, assessment of professional practices and external radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelmoumene, N.; Le Moign, R.

2009-01-01

In France, accreditation of health care organisations (HCOs) is mandatory every 4 years. It is based on a systemic approach and, since 2004, includes professional practice appraisal (EPP) against good practice guidelines. However, following an incident in Epinal, a new quality assurance criterion was introduced in 2007 for external radiotherapy (ERT) on top of the annual inspection of patient radiation protection by the Nuclear Safety Authority. In the accreditation procedure starting January 2010, ERT work organisation will come under 'high-risk activity' (criterion 26b) and radio-vigilance will be included in the adverse events reporting system (8i). In addition, ERT will have to comply with many generic criteria on quality and safety improvement. For example, practice appraisal of all clinical activities will become routine. Thus, besides self-assessment against criteria 26b and 8i, ERT professionals will have report the impact of their quality improvement actions on patient care. They will be able to freely choose the area for improvement, as long as it is in line with the HCO's overall quality and safety plan. In oncology, multidisciplinary team meetings for deciding on the treatment plan, as well as mortality and morbidity meetings providing feedback, are compulsory (28a). Appraisal of appropriateness of care (28b) and indicator-based practice appraisal (28c) complete the process. In conclusion, the generic practice appraisal approach that is part of the French HCO accreditation procedure can contribute toward improving health care and education, but it has not been designed for in-depth assessment of complex, multidisciplinary clinical practice such as ERT. Such assessment requires a specific clinical audit and specialized auditors. (authors)

Environmental health action plan for Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

This Environmental Health Action Plan for Europe was endorsed by the second European Conference on Environment and Health, held in Helsinki, 20 to 22 June 1994. It sets out directions for the attainment of long term environment and health policy objectives define in the European Charter on Environment and Health. The Action Plan is primarily addressed at the public health and environmental protection sectors. 10 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

Integrating health and environmental impact analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reis, S; Morris, G.; Fleming, L. E.

2015-01-01

which addresses human activity in all its social, economic and cultural complexity. The new approach must be integral to, and interactive, with the natural environment. We see the continuing failure to truly integrate human health and environmental impact analysis as deeply damaging, and we propose...... while equally emphasizing the health of the environment, and the growing calls for 'ecological public health' as a response to global environmental concerns now suffusing the discourse in public health. More revolution than evolution, ecological public health will demand new perspectives regarding...... the interconnections among society, the economy, the environment and our health and well-being. Success must be built on collaborations between the disparate scientific communities of the environmental sciences and public health as well as interactions with social scientists, economists and the legal profession...

Environmental health in the Karelian Republic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tynkkynen, V P

1999-11-01

When looking at environmental health risks in the Karelian Republic from the viewpoint of environmental history, the cause and effect relationships of present environmental health risks can be comprehensively understood. The decrease experienced in drinking water quality, which has been induced by the extensive environmental changes, has been exposing the Karelian population to significant health risks. Several waterborne gastrointestinal epidemics witnessed in the Republic and the excess cancer risk of strongly chlorinated humus-rich drinking water are, together with the industrial and traffic and pollution, the most significant environmental health risks in the Karelian Republic today. In order to diminish the health risks related to drinking water, the use of surface water bodies as a drinking water source should be restricted and the so called shallow ground water sources, located near the settlements should be taken into use. In those locations where the water supply cannot be solely based on ground water resources, the raw water intake site should at least be moved further away from polluted water areas. (orig.)

Modelling and simulating a crisis management system: an organisational perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Chaawa, Mohamed; Thabet, Inès; Hanachi, Chihab; Ben Said, Lamjed

2017-04-01

Crises are complex situations due to the dynamism of the environment, its unpredictability and the complexity of the interactions among several different and autonomous involved organisations. In such a context, establishing an organisational view as well as structuring organisations' communications and their functioning is a crucial requirement. In this article, we propose a multi-agent organisational model (OM) to abstract, simulate and analyse a crisis management system (CMS). The objective is to evaluate the CMS from an organisational view, to assess its strength as well as its weakness and to provide deciders with some recommendations for a more flexible and reactive CMS. The proposed OM is illustrated through a real case study: a snowstorm in a Tunisian region. More precisely, we made the following contribution: firstly, we provide an environmental model that identifies the concepts involved in the crisis. Then, we define a role model that copes with the involved actors. In addition, we specify the organisational structure and the interaction model that rule communications and structure actors' functioning. Those models, built following the GAIA methodology, abstract the CMS from an organisational perspective. Finally, we implemented a customisable multi-agent simulator based on the Janus platform to analyse, through several performed simulations, the organisational model.

Science organisations and Coca-Cola's 'war' with the public health community: insights from an internal industry document.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, Pepita; Serôdio, Paulo; Ruskin, Gary; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

2018-03-14

Critics have long accused food and beverage companies of trying to exonerate their products from blame for obesity by funding organisations that highlight alternative causes. Yet, conclusions about the intentions of food and beverage companies in funding scientific organisations have been prevented by limited access to industry's internal documents. Here we allow the words of Coca-Cola employees to speak about how the corporation intended to advance its interests by funding the Global Energy Balance Network (GEBN). The documents reveal that Coca-Cola funded and supported the GEBN because it would serve as a 'weapon' to 'change the conversation' about obesity amidst a 'growing war between the public health community and private industry'. Despite its close links to the Coca-Cola company, the GEBN was to be portrayed as an 'honest broker' in this 'war'. The GEBN's message was to be promoted via an extensive advocacy campaign linking researchers, policy-makers, health professionals, journalists and the general public. Ultimately, these activities were intended to advance Coca-Cola's corporate interests: as they note, their purpose was to 'promote practices that are effective in terms of both policy and profit'. Coca-Cola's proposal for establishing the GEBN corroborates concerns about food and beverage corporations' involvement in scientific organisations and their similarities with Big Tobacco. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Health effects engineering: Perspectives for environmental health and environmental engineering studies-domestic biomass combustion as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Xiang; Yu Qi; Chen Limin

2007-01-01

Health effects engineering (HEE) is a newly developed research field, which involves collaboration with environmental scientists, engineering researchers, and toxicologists. By employing the methods of HEE, one can not only confirm which attributes of the project are likely to contribute to certain health effects, but can also get rid of the adverse health effects by engineering technologies. HEE is thought to be particularly important to domestic projects in which there is a lack of environmental assessment. This paper presented the authors' viewpoints of the principles of HEE in the field of the environmental health and engineering studies by using programs of domestic biomass combustion as an example. The authors showed that there are three sub-fields of HEE, which are as follows: engineering behavior, the pollution characteristics, and the health effects. The authors conclude that the principles of HEE compose a helix with the studies in the fields of environmental science, health, and engineering, and give suggestions on how to perform HEE in a practical field

Time compression diseconomies in environmental management: the effect of assimilation on environmental performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lannelongue, Gustavo; Gonzalez-Benito, Javier; Gonzalez-Benito, Oscar; Gonzalez-Zapatero, Carmen

2015-01-01

This research addresses the relationship between an organisation's assimilation of its environmental management system (EMS), the experience it gains through it, and its environmental performance. Assimilation here refers to the degree to which the requirements of the management standard are integrated within a plant's daily operations. Basing ourselves on the heterogeneity of organisations, we argue that assimilation and experience will inform environmental performance. Furthermore, we posit that the relationship between assimilation and environmental performance depends on experience. The attempt to obtain greater assimilation in a shorter time leads an organisation to record a poorer environmental outcome, which we shall refer to as time compression diseconomies in environmental management. We provide empirical evidence based on 154 plants pertaining to firms in Spain subject to the European Union's CO2 Emissions Trading System. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organisational Culture and Values and the Adaptation of Academic Units in Australian Universities

Science.gov (United States)

de Zilwa, Deanna

2007-01-01

This study explores connections between the organisational culture and values of academic units in Australian universities and their efforts to adapt to external environmental pressures. It integrates empirical findings from case studies with theories of organisational culture and values and adaptation. It identifies seven dimensions of academic…

Barriers of inter-organisational integration in vocational rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wihlman, Ulla; Lundborg, Cecilia Stålsby; Axelsson, Runo; Holmström, Inger

2008-06-19

A project of vocational rehabilitation was studied in Sweden between 1999 and 2002. The project included four public organisations: the social insurance office, the local health services, the municipal social service and the office of the state employment service. The aim of this paper was to analyse perceived barriers in the development of inter-organisational integration. Theories of inter-professional and inter-organisational integration, and theories on organisational change. In total, 51 semi-structured interviews and 14 focus group discussions were performed with actors within the project between 1999 and 2002. A thematic approach was used for the analysis of the data. THREE DIFFERENT MAIN THEMES OF BARRIERS EMERGED FROM THE DATA: A Uncertainty, B Prioritising own organisation and C Lack of communication. The themes are interconnected in an intricate web and hence not mutually exclusive. The barriers found are all related partly to organisational change in general and partly to the specific development of organisational integration. Prioritising of own organisation led to flaws in communication, which in turn led to a high degree of uncertainty within the project. This can be seen as a circular relationship, since uncertainty might increase focus on own organisation and lack of communication. A way to overcome these barriers would be to take the needs of the clients as a point of departure in the development of joint services and to also involve them in the development of inter-organisational integration.

What are the key organisational capabilities that facilitate research use in public health policy?

Science.gov (United States)

Huckel Schneider, Carmen; Campbell, Danielle; Milat, Andrew; Haynes, Abby; Quinn, Emma

2014-11-28

Literature about research use suggests that certain characteristics or capabilities may make policy agencies more evidence attuned. This study sought to determine policy makers' perceptions of a suite of organisational capabilities identified from the literature as potentially facilitating research uptake in policy decision making. A literature scan identified eight key organisational capabilities that support research use in policy making. To determine whether these capabilities were relevant, practical and applicable in real world policy settings, nine Australian health policy makers were consulted in September 2011. We used an open-ended questionnaire asking what facilitates the use of research in policy and program decision making, followed by specific questions rating the proposed capabilities. Interviews were transcribed and the content analysed. There was general agreement that the capabilities identified from the literature were relevant to real world contexts. However, interviewees varied in whether they could provide examples of experiences with the capabilities, how essential they considered the different capabilities to be and how difficult they considered the capabilities were to achieve. Efforts to improve the use of research in policy decision making are likely to benefit from targeting multiple organisational capabilities, including staff skills and competence, tools such as templates and checklists to aid evidence use and leadership support for the use of research in policy development. However, such efforts should be guided by an understanding of how policy agencies use evidence and how they view their roles, and external factors such as resource constraints and availability of appropriate research.

Trends in Environmental Health Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, D. R.

1972-01-01

Reviews the trends in environmental health engineering and describes programs in environmental engineering technology and the associated environmental engineering courses at Western Kentucky University (four-year program), Wytheville Community College (two-year program), and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (four-year program). (PR)

What are the factors of organisational culture in health care settings that act as barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice? A scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Brett; Perillo, Samuel; Brown, Ted

2015-02-01

The responsibility to implement evidence-based practice (EBP) in a health care workplace does not fall solely on the individual health care professional. Organisational barriers relate to the workplace setting, administrational support, infrastructure, and facilities available for the retrieval, critique, summation, utilisation, and integration of research findings in health care practices and settings. Using a scoping review approach, the organisational barriers to the implementation of EBP in health care settings were sought. This scoping review used the first five of the six stage methodology developed by Levac et al. (2010). The five stages used are: 1) Identify the research question; 2) identify relevant studies; 3) study selection; 4) charting the data; and 5) collating, summarising and reporting the results. The following databases were searched from January 2004 until February 2014: Medline, EMBASE, EBM Reviews, Google Scholar, The Cochrane Library and CINAHL. Of the 49 articles included in this study, there were 29 cross-sectional surveys, six descriptions of specific interventions, seven literature reviews, four narrative reviews, nine qualitative studies, one ethnographic study and one systematic review. The articles were analysed and five broad organisational barriers were identified. This scoping review sought to map the breadth of information available on the organisational barriers to the use of EBP in health care settings. Even for a health care professional who is motivated and competent in the use of EBP; all of these barriers will impact on their ability to increase and maintain their use of EBP in the workplace. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The health migration crisis: the role of four Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Pond, Bob; McPake, Barbara

2006-04-29

The crisis of human resources for health that is affecting low-income countries and especially sub-Saharan Africa has been attributed, at least in part, to increasing rates of migration of qualified health staff to high-income countries. We describe the conditions in four Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) health labour markets that have led to increasing rates of immigration. Popular explanations of these trends include ageing populations, growing incomes, and feminisation of the health workforce. Although these explanations form part of the larger picture, analysis of the forces operating in the four countries suggests that specific policy measures largely unrelated to these factors have driven growing demand for health staff. On this basis we argue that specific policy measures are equally capable of reversing these trends and avoiding the exploitation of low-income countries' scarce resources. These policies should seek to ensure local stability in health labour markets so that shortages of staff are not solved via the international brain drain.

Having a yarn about smoking: using action research to develop a 'no smoking' policy within an Aboriginal Health Organisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Gillian; Fredericks, Bronwyn; Adams, Karen; Finlay, Summer; Andy, Simone; Briggs, Lyn; Hall, Robert

2011-11-01

This article reports on a culturally appropriate process of development of a smoke-free workplace policy within the peak Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation in Victoria, Australia. Smoking is acknowledged as being responsible for at least 20% of all deaths in Aboriginal communities in Australia, and many Aboriginal health workers smoke. The smoke-free workplace policy was developed using the iterative, discursive and experience-based methodology of Participatory Action Research, combined with the culturally embedded concept of 'having a yarn'. Staff members initially identified smoking as a topic to be avoided within workplace discussions. This was due, in part, to grief (everyone had suffered a smoking-related bereavement). Further, there was anxiety that discussing smoking would result in culturally difficult conflict. The use of yarning opened up a safe space for discussion and debate, enabling development of a policy that was accepted across the organisation. Within Aboriginal organisations, it is not sufficient to focus on the outcomes of policy development. Rather, due attention must be paid to the process employed in development of policy, particularly when that policy is directly related to an emotionally and communally weighted topic such as smoking. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating human health into environmental impact assessment: an unrealized opportunity for environmental health and justice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatia, Rajiv; Wernham, Aaron

2008-08-01

The National Environmental Policy Act and related state laws require many public agencies to analyze and disclose potentially significant environmental effects of agency actions, including effects on human health. In this paper we review the purpose and procedures of environmental impact assessment (EIA), existing regulatory requirements for health effects analysis, and potential barriers to and opportunities for improving integration of human health concerns within the EIA process. We use statutes, regulations, guidelines, court opinions, and empirical research on EIA along with recent case examples of integrated health impact assessment (HIA)/EIA at both the state and federal level. We extract lessons and recommendations for integrated HIA/EIA practice from both existing practices as well as case studies. The case studies demonstrate the adequacy, scope, and power of existing statutory requirements for health analysis within EIA. The following support the success of integrated HIA/EIA: a proponent recognizing EIA as an available regulatory strategy for public health; the openness of the agency conducting the EIA; involvement of public health institutions; and complementary objectives among community stakeholders and health practitioners. We recommend greater collaboration among institutions responsible for EIA, public health institutions, and affected stakeholders along with guidance, resources, and training for integrated HIA/EIA practice.

MEMO Organisation Modelling Language (1): Focus on organisational structure

OpenAIRE

Frank, Ulrich

2011-01-01

Organisation models are at the core of enterprise model, since they represent key aspects of a company's action system. Within MEMO, the Organisation Modelling Language (OrgML) supports the construction of organisation models. They can be divided into two main abstractions: a static abstraction is focusing on the structure of an organisation that reflects the division of labour with respect to static responsibilities and a dynamic abstraction that is focusing on models of business processes. ...

Work-based learning in health care organisations experienced by nursing staff: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nevalainen, Marja; Lunkka, Nina; Suhonen, Marjo

2018-03-01

The aim of this review is to systematically summarise qualitative evidence about work-based learning in health care organisations as experienced by nursing staff. Work-based learning is understood as informal learning that occurs inside the work community in the interaction between employees. Studies for this review were searched for in the CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and ABI Inform ProQuest databases for the period 2000-2015. Nine original studies met the inclusion criteria. After the critical appraisal by two researchers, all nine studies were selected for the review. The findings of the original studies were aggregated, and four statements were prepared, to be utilised in clinical work and decision-making. The statements concerned the following issues: (1) the culture of the work community; (2) the physical structures, spaces and duties of the work unit; (3) management; and (4) interpersonal relations. Understanding the nurses' experiences of work-based learning and factors behind these experiences provides an opportunity to influence the challenges of learning in the demanding context of health care organisations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental, safety, and health engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodside, G.; Kocurek, D.

1997-01-01

A complete guide to environmental, safety, and health engineering, including an overview of EPA and OSHA regulations; principles of environmental engineering, including pollution prevention, waste and wastewater treatment and disposal, environmental statistics, air emissions and abatement engineering, and hazardous waste storage and containment; principles of safety engineering, including safety management, equipment safety, fire and life safety, process and system safety, confined space safety, and construction safety; and principles of industrial hygiene/occupational health engineering including chemical hazard assessment, personal protective equipment, industrial ventilation, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, noise, and ergonomics

Assessment of the Impact of Women's Organisations on Sustainable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

`123456789jkl''''#

women in rural areas to examine the effort of women organisations (NGOs) in improving environmental education and .... all lives on earth are parts of one single interdependent ... corruption initiatives, freedom of information and enhancing ...

Healthful School Living: Environmental Health in the School.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Daryl E.

1987-01-01

Environmental health, as it relates to schools, is defined. Site, chemical, biological, and physical health hazards are identified. Recommendations and precautions to help achieve optimal health, safety, and comfort are presented. Resources are noted. (Author/MT)

Building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners - the role of organisational management.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Naomi

2017-01-01

To highlight the organisation-level management's role in building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners and the need for appropriate supports to increase their becoming leaders. Little is published about the role of organisation-level management in building leadership capacity and in developing the next generation of nurse leaders. In times of economic constraint, organisations need to focus their efforts on targeted leadership initiatives. Advanced nurse practitioners are ideally positioned to act as leaders both within and beyond the health care organisation. From the available research evidence, several support structures and mechanisms are identified as enablers for advanced nurse practitioners to enact their leadership role. Health care organisations need to include building leadership capacity as a priority in their strategic plan and take action to build-up the level of advanced nurse practitioner leadership. Nurse executives have a vital role in influencing the organisation's strategic plan and making a business case for prioritising leadership capacity building within advanced nurse practitioners. A challenge for nurse executives faced with competing service and leadership development demands, involves strategic decision-making regarding whether the advanced nurse practitioner's role is limited to service delivery or its potential in leading health care reforms is realised. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Who initiates and organises situations for work-related alcohol use? The WIRUS culture study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordaune, Kristin; Skarpaas, Lisebet S; Sagvaag, Hildegunn; Haveraaen, Lise; Rimstad, Silje; Kinn, Liv G; Aas, Randi W

2017-12-01

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of ill health and premature death in the world. Several studies indicate that working life might influence employees' alcohol consumption and drinking patterns. The aim of this study was to explore work-related drinking situations, with a special focus on answering who initiates and organises these situations. Data were collected through semi-structured group interviews in six Norwegian companies from the private ( n=4) and public sectors ( n=2), employing a total of 3850 employees. The informants ( n=43) were representatives from management and local unions, safety officers, advisers from the social insurance office and human-resource personnel, health, safety and environment personnel, and members from the occupational environment committee. Both qualitative and quantitative content analyses were applied in the analyses of the material. Three different initiators and organisers were discovered: the employer, employees and external organisers. External organisers included customers, suppliers, collaborators, sponsors, subcontractors, different unions and employers' organisations. The employer organised more than half of the situations; external organisers were responsible for more than a quarter. The differences between companies were mostly due to the extent of external organisers. The employer initiates and organises most situations for work-related alcohol use. However, exposure to such situations seems to depend on how many external relations the company has. These aspects should be taken into account when workplace health-promotion initiatives are planned.

Environmental organisations and the EC. Action options of environmental organisations for improving environmental consciousness and environmental policy in the European Community. Draft summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hey, C.; Brendle, U.

1992-01-01

A European-wide awakening of environmental organizations began in the middle of the eighties, about the same time as the political push for EC integration. The European work of the environmental organizations is at a turning point almost everywhere. Most organizations made important structural decisions in the last few years, and the speed of the change has been fast. The landscape of environment organizations is becoming more complex and certainly more politically important on a European level. This push for internationalization will certainly entail an inter-cultural learning process, which could lead to a 'European' identity in the mid-term. The various national condition for environmental organizations in Germany, Spain, Holland, Great Britain, and on a European level are compared here. (orig./DG)

Understanding human and organisational factors - Nuclear safety and at-risk organisations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, Benoit

2014-01-01

This book addresses human and organisational factors which are present at different moments of the lifetime of an at-risk installation (from design to dismantling). At-risk organisations are considered as firstly human systems, and the objective is then to highlight individual and collective mechanisms in these organisations. Several questions are addressed, notably the origins of at-risk behaviour, and the reasons of the repetition of errors by these organisations. A first chapter, while referring to examples, addresses the human dimension of safety: human and organisational factors as obstacles, normal accidents (Three Mile Island), accidents in high-reliability organisations (Chernobyl), identification of root causes (Tokai-mura), and social-technical approach to safety (Fukushima). By also referring to examples, the second chapter addresses how to analyse at-risk organisations: individual behaviours (case of naval and air transport accidents), team coordination (a fire, the Challenger accident), and organisational regulation (organisations forms and routines, explosion of BP Texas City, explosion of Columbia)

How do NHS organisations plan research capacity development? Strategies, strengths, and opportunities for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, Melanie; Cooke, Jo

2018-03-22

Research that is integral into a 'learning healthcare system' can promote cost effective services and knowledge creation. As such, research is defined as a 'core function' in UK health service organisations, and is often planned through research and development (R&D) strategies that aim to promote research activity and research capacity development (RCD). The discussion focuses around the content of ten R&D strategies for healthcare organisations in England and Scotland, with respect to RCD. These organisations were engaged with a research interest network called ACORN (Addressing Organisational Capacity to do Research Network) that included two Scottish Health Boards, four community and mental health trusts, two provincial district hospitals, and two teaching hospitals. We undertook a thematic documentary analysis of the R&D strategies which identified 11 'core activities' of RCD. The potential for building research capacity in these 'core activities' was established by reviewing them through the lens of a RCD framework. Core activities aimed to 'hard wire' RCD into health organisations. They demonstrated a complex interplay between developing a strong internal organisational infrastructure, and supporting individual career planning and skills development, in turn enabled by organisational processes. They also included activities to build stronger inter-organisational relationships and networks. Practitioner, manager and patient involvement was a cross cutting theme. The potential to demonstrate progress was included in plans through monitoring activity across all RCD principles. Strategies were primarily aimed at research production rather than research use. Developing 'actionable dissemination' was poorly addressed in the strategies, and represents an area for improvement. We describe strengths of RCD planning activities, and opportunities for improvement. We explore how national policy and research funders can influence health systems' engagement in research.

Center for Environmental Health Sciences

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The primary research objective of the Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) at the University of Montana is to advance knowledge of environmental impacts...

Organisational Structure

Science.gov (United States)

National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2006

2006-01-01

An understanding of organisational structure can provide guidance for organisations that want to change and innovate. Many writers agree that this understanding allows organisations to shape how their work is done to ultimately achieve their business goals--and that too often structure is given little consideration in business strategy and…

Environmental, health, and safety by design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soklow, R.G.

1999-01-01

Solar Turbines Incorporated created a self-directed work team, the Safety and Environmental Awareness (SEA) Team that initiated a company wide effort to raise employee awareness to promote integrating responsible environmental, health, and safety practices into product design, manufacturing, and services. Environmental, health, and safety issues influence how all businesses operate around the world. Companies choose to operate in an environmentally responsible manner because it not only benefits employees and the communities where they live, it also benefits the business when superior performance results in a competitive advantage. Solar surveyed gas turbines users to identify their top environmental and safety concerns and issues. The authors asked about various environmental and safety aspects of their equipment. Results from the survey has helped engineering and design focus efforts so that future products and product improvements assist customers in meeting their regulatory obligations and social responsibilities. Air pollution has historically been one of the most important environmental issues facing customers, because pollutant emissions greatly influence equipment choices and operation flexibility. There are other environmental, health and safety issues: sustainable fire suppression choices, start systems, hazardous materials use and ability to recycle materials, package accessibility, noise and product take back issues

The Impact of Organisational Learning on Organisational Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Zgrzywa-Ziemak

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this article is to analyse the theoretical views and results of empirical research concerning the relation between organisational learning (OL and organisational performance (OP. Methodology: The study was carried out through extensive literature research, including relevant literature review from databases such as ProQuest, Elsevier, Emerald and EBSCO (the phrases: “organisational learning”, “learning organisation” and “organisational performance” were searched in the keywords, titles or abstracts. Findings: From a theoretical point of view, the relation between OL and OP is neither obvious nor clear, but the analysis of the empirical studies allows one to assume that OL has an essential impact on OP. However, differences in the strength of the relation were shown and some contradictions related to the presence of the relation between OL and selected (mostly financial performance aspects identified. Furthermore, the article discusses the significant differences and inconsistencies in the methods of measuring OL, measuring OP, selecting contextual factors and adopted methods of data analysis. Implications: Inconsistencies and gaps found in the studies of the relationship between OL and OP made it possible to designate the direction for promising further research. Value: The article presents valuable insight through its in-depth, critical analysis of the organisational learning and organisational outcomes. First and foremost, this indicates that the formula of the previous empirical studies does not allow for the development of precise solutions pertaining to organisational learning management for the benefit of OP improvement.

Issues and framework of environmental health in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mokhtar, Mazlin Bin; Murad, Wahid

2010-04-01

Environmental health problems in Malaysia are mostly attributed to atmospheric pollution, water pollution, climate change, ozone depletion, and solid waste management, as well as toxic, chemical, and hazardous waste management. The Ministry of Health, Malaysia, has been vigorously pursuing the environmental health agenda by collaborating with other agencies at district, state, national, and international levels. This article discusses the issues and management framework of environmental health in Malaysia. Some issues requiring further investigation in order to clearly understand the trade-off between atmospheric change and environmental health are suggested. These suggestions are developed with particular reference to appraisals concerned with the development and implementation of environmental policy, programs, and practice. Research on the relevant issues is discussed and a framework is built involving a comprehensive review of the literature and existing framework of Malaysian environmental health.

Intra-organisational accounting during negotiation processes for inter-organisational control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Morten

. The study concludes that an important role of management accounting is to reveal the intra-organisational cost consequences of proposals made by suppliers during negotiation processes. Thereby cost information becomes an integrated part of the counter-proposals generated and actively used during......To date the literature on management and management accounting within inter-organisational relationships has mainly focussed on managing the interface between the supplier and the buyer. In contrast to most previous research, this study examines the internal practices of a company engaged in inter......-organisational relationships. It addresses the question of how intra-organisational management accounting practices affect the ability to conduct inter-organisational relationships. A qualitative case study is used to gather information from an electronics company. The company enters its inter-organisational relationships...

Organising health care services for people with an acquired brain injury: an overview of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Laver, Kate; Lannin, Natasha A; Bragge, Peter; Hunter, Peter; Holland, Anne E; Tavender, Emma; O'Connor, Denise; Khan, Fary; Teasell, Robert; Gruen, Russell

2014-09-17

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is the leading cause of disability worldwide yet there is little information regarding the most effective way to organise ABI health care services. The aim of this review was to identify the most up-to-date high quality evidence to answer specific questions regarding the organisation of health care services for people with an ABI. We conducted a systematic review of English papers using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. We included the most recently published high quality systematic reviews and any randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before after studies or interrupted time series studies published subsequent to the systematic review. We searched for papers that evaluated pre-defined organisational interventions for adults with an ABI. Organisational interventions of interest included fee-for-service care, integrated care, integrated care pathways, continuity of care, consumer engagement in governance and quality monitoring interventions. Data extraction and appraisal of included reviews and studies was completed independently by two reviewers. A total of five systematic reviews and 21 studies were included in the review; eight of the papers (31%) included people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or ABI and the remaining papers (69%) included only participants with a diagnosis of stroke. We found evidence supporting the use of integrated care to improve functional outcome and reduce length of stay and evidence supporting early supported discharge teams for reducing morbidity and mortality and reducing length of stay for stroke survivors. There was little evidence to support case management or the use of integrated care pathways for people with ABI. We found evidence that a quality monitoring intervention can lead to improvements in process outcomes in acute and rehabilitation settings. We were unable to find any studies meeting our inclusion criteria regarding fee

Why do people with chronic disease not contact consumer health organisations? A survey of general practice patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Frances M; Dean, Julie H; Young, Charlotte E; Mutch, Allyson J

2016-07-01

Aim Consumer health organisations (CHOs) are non-profit or voluntary sector organisations that promote and represent the interests of patients and carers affected by particular conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine, among patients with chronic disease, what differentiates those who contact CHOs from those who do not and what stops people from making contact. CHOs can enhance people's capacity to manage chronic disease by providing information, education and psychosocial support, but are under-utilised. Little is known about barriers to access. Data were from a baseline telephone survey conducted as part of a randomised trial of an intervention to improve access to CHOs. Participants constituted a consecutive sample of 276 adults with diagnosed chronic disease recruited via 18 general practitioners in Brisbane, Australia. Quantitative survey items examined participants' use and perceptions of CHOs and a single open-ended question explored barriers to CHO use. Multiple logistic regression and thematic analysis were used. Findings Overall, 39% of participants had ever contacted a CHO for their health and 28% had contacted a CHO specifically focussed on their diagnosed chronic condition. Diabetes, poorer self-reported physical health and greater health system contact were significantly associated with CHO contact. The view that 'my doctor does it all' was prevalent and, together with a belief that their health problems were 'not serious enough', was the primary reason patients did not make contact. Attitudinal and system-related barriers limit use of CHOs by those for whom they are designed. Developing referral pathways to CHOs and promoting awareness about what they offer is needed to improve access.

Children's Environmental Health Indicators in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sly, J Leith; Moore, Sophie E; Gore, Fiona; Brune, Marie Noel; Neira, Maria; Jagals, Paul; Sly, Peter D

2016-01-01

Adverse environmental exposures in early life increase the risk of chronic disease but do not attract the attention nor receive the public health priority warranted. A safe and healthy environment is essential for children's health and development, yet absent in many countries. A framework that aids in understanding the link between environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes are environmental health indicators-numerical estimates of hazards and outcomes that can be applied at a population level. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a set of children's environmental health indicators (CEHI) for physical injuries, insect-borne disease, diarrheal diseases, perinatal diseases, and respiratory diseases; however, uptake of steps necessary to apply these indicators across the WHO regions has been incomplete. A first indication of such uptake is the management of data required to measure CEHI. The present study was undertaken to determine whether Australia has accurate up-to-date, publicly available, and readily accessible data on each CEHI for indigenous and nonindigenous Australian children. Data were not readily accessible for many of the exposure indicators, and much of the available data were not child specific or were only available for Australia's indigenous population. Readily accessible data were available for all but one of the outcome indicators and generally for both indigenous and nonindigenous children. Although Australia regularly collects data on key national indicators of child health, development, and well-being in several domains mostly thought to be of more relevance to Australians and Australian policy makers, these differ substantially from the WHO CEHI. The present study suggests that the majority of these WHO exposure and outcome indicators are relevant and important for monitoring Australian children's environmental health and establishing public health interventions at a local and national level and collection of appropriate

Intergovernmental organisation activities and Multilateral agreements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

This section summarises the activities of Intergovernmental organisations and the status of Multilateral agreements on December 1, 2011: 1 - Intergovernmental organisation activities: European Atomic Energy Community: Adopted legislative instruments, Reports, Meetings; International Atomic Energy Agency: IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, Non-binding instrument on the transboundary movement of scrap metal, 55. IAEA General Conference, Basic Safety Standards, Nuclear Law Institute; OECD Nuclear Energy Agency: Basic Safety Standards, International Nuclear Law Essentials, International School of Nuclear Law, New members, Russian Federation request for membership; 2 - Multilateral agreements: Status of conventions in the nuclear energy domain on December 1, 2011; Status of conventions in the environmental protection/evaluation impacting the nuclear energy use on December 1, 2011; participation of OECD Member States to nuclear energy and environment protection/evaluation related treaties/conventions

Kennedy Space Center environmental health program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marmaro, G.M.; Cardinale, M.A.; Summerfield, B.R.; Tipton, D.A.

1992-01-01

The Kennedy Space Center's environmental health organization is responsible for programs which assure its employees a healthful workplace under diverse and varied working conditions. These programs encompass the disciplines of industrial hygiene, radiation protection (health physics), and environmental sanitation/pollution control. Activities range from the routine, such as normal office work, to the highly specialized, such as the processing of highly toxic and hazardous materials

Efficacy of Environmental Health E-Training for Journalists

Science.gov (United States)

Parin, Megan L.; Yancey, Elissa; Beidler, Caroline; Haynes, Erin N.

2015-01-01

Communities report a low level of trust in environmental health media coverage. In order to support risk communication objectives, the goals of the research study were to identify whether or not there is a gap in environmental reporting training for journalists, to outline journalists’ methods for gathering environmental health news, to observe journalists’ attitudes toward environmental health training and communication, and to determine if electronic training (online/e-training) can effectively train journalists in environmental health topics. The results indicated that environmental journalists have very little to no formal environmental journalism training. In addition, a significant percentage of journalists do not have any formal journalism education. Respondents most preferred to receive continuing environmental journalism training online. Online instruction was also perceived as effective in increasing knowledge and providing necessary reporting tools, even among participants adverse to online instructional methods. Our findings highlight the changing media climate’s need for an increase in electronic journalism education opportunities to support environmental health journalism competencies among working professional journalists. PMID:26998499

Interdisciplinary Environmental-health Science Throughout Disaster Lifecycles

Science.gov (United States)

Plumlee, G. S.; Morman, S. A.; Hoefen, T. M.

2014-12-01

Potential human health effects from exposures to hazardous disaster materials and environmental contamination are common concerns following disasters. Using several examples from US Geological Survey environmental disaster responses (e.g., 2001 World Trade Center, mine tailings spills, 2005 Hurricane Katrina, 2007-2013 wildfires, 2011 Gulf oil spill, 2012 Hurricane Sandy, 2013 Colorado floods) and disaster scenarios (2011 ARkStorm, 2013 SAFRR tsunami) this presentation will illustrate the role for collaborative earth, environmental, and health science throughout disaster lifecycles. Pre-disaster environmental baseline measurements are needed to help understand environmental influences on pre-disaster health baselines, and to constrain the magnitude of a disaster's impacts. During and following disasters, there is a need for interdisciplinary rapid-response and longer-term assessments that: sample and characterize the physical, chemical, and microbial makeup of complex materials generated by the disasters; fingerprint material sources; monitor, map, and model dispersal and evolution of disaster materials in the environment; help understand how the materials are modified by environmental processes; and, identify key characteristics and processes that influence the exposures and toxicity of disaster materials to humans and the living environment. This information helps emergency responders, public health experts, and cleanup managers: 1) identify short- and long-term exposures to disaster materials that may affect health; 2) prioritize areas for cleanup; and 3) develop appropriate disposal solutions or restoration uses for disaster materials. By integrating lessons learned from past disasters with geospatial information on vulnerable sources of natural or anthropogenic contaminants, the environmental health implications of looming disasters or disaster scenarios can be better anticipated, which helps enhance preparedness and resilience. Understanding economic costs of

Level of the farm intensity organisation as the index of environmental sustainable agricultural production

OpenAIRE

Józef Sawa

2009-01-01

Intensity of the farm production organisation in relation to soil organic matter balance in different degree of mechanization process of work for 42 farms situated in different regions of Poland was analysed. Coefficients agricultural production process in ecological, economic and social aspects were presented also. It was shown that indexes; intensity farm production organisation and soil organic matter balance are correlated.

Influencing organisational culture: a leadership challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Muls, Ann; Dougherty, Lisa; Doyle, Natalie; Shaw, Clare; Soanes, Louise; Stevens, Anna-Marie

In the wake of the Francis report, the need for NHS trusts and hospitals to adopt a culture of learning, safety and transparency has been highlighted. This article considers different aspects of culture in health care, and hones in on the link between culture and safety for patients in putting the patient first, embedding the 6Cs and considering the options to measure and influence organisational culture. The article reflects more deeply on how leadership across all levels can influence and inspire change in organisational culture, ensuring that the patient remains the focus of any changes in care delivery.

INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

OpenAIRE

Tomescu Ada Mirela

2012-01-01

The relevance of management as significant factor of business activity can be established on various management systems. These will help to obtain, organise, administrate, evaluate and control particulars: information, quality, environmental protection, health and safety, various resources (time, human, finance, inventory etc). The complexity of nowadays days development, forced us to think ‘integrated’. Sustainable development principles require that environment management policies and p...

Level of the farm intensity organisation as the index of environmental sustainable agricultural production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Józef Sawa

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Intensity of the farm production organisation in relation to soil organic matter balance in different degree of mechanization process of work for 42 farms situated in different regions of Poland was analysed. Coefficients agricultural production process in ecological, economic and social aspects were presented also. It was shown that indexes; intensity farm production organisation and soil organic matter balance are correlated.

Indoor environmental health

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Parsons, S

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Indoor Environmental Health (IEH) is a comprehensive term that includes the effects of quantity of air, light and noise in a space and the physical, physiological and psychological aspects from colours, aesthetics, services, outdoor climate...

Indoor environmental health

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Parsons, SA

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Indoor Environmental Health (IEH) is a comprehensive term that includes the effects of quantity of air, light and noise in a space and the physical, physiological and psychological aspects from colours, aesthetics, services, outdoor climate...

Organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Henrik B.; Hansen, Kaj; Heide, Asbjørn

Bogen giver en indføring i de centrale emner indenfor organisation og ledelse. Bogen henvender sig især til akademi- og diplomuddannelserne samt uddannelser til professionsbachelorer, der alle har et anvendelsesorienteret formål. Endvidere henvender bogen sig til uddannelser og kurser, der...... beskæftiger sig med ledelse og organisation på et videregående niveau. Til bogen er der udarbejdet en lang række supplerende materialer til undervisere og studerende i form af opgaver og cases, test med tilhørende svar, vejledninger i opgaveløsning og projektarbejde. dette univers kan findes på bogens...... hjemmeside på www.organisation.academica.dk...

Organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindkvist, Pia

Du vil som læser få et indblik i, hvordan omgivelsernes ændrede krav til virksomhederne ændrer på organisations- og ledelsesteorien. Baggrunden for ”Organisation – videregående uddannelser” er, at give dig egenskaberne til at analysere og vurdere ledelsesmæssige og organisatoriske problemer...

Biosensors and environmental health

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Preedy, Victor R; Patel, Vinood B

2012-01-01

.... Contributors are leading authorities and the book is essential reading for environmental scientists, toxicologists, medical doctors, health care professionals, pathologists, biologists, biochemists...

Zebrafish in Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Bambino, Kathryn; Chu, Jaime

2017-01-01

As manufacturing processes and development of new synthetic compounds increase to keep pace with the expanding global demand, environmental health, and the effects of toxicant exposure are emerging as critical public health concerns. Additionally, chemicals that naturally occur in the environment, such as metals, have profound effects on human and animal health. Many of these compounds are in the news: lead, arsenic, and endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A have all been widely publicized as causing disease or damage to humans and wildlife in recent years. Despite the widespread appreciation that environmental toxins can be harmful, there is limited understanding of how many toxins cause disease. Zebrafish are at the forefront of toxicology research; this system has been widely used as a tool to detect toxins in water samples and to investigate the mechanisms of action of environmental toxins and their related diseases. The benefits of zebrafish for studying vertebrate development are equally useful for studying teratogens. Here, we review how zebrafish are being used both to detect the presence of some toxins as well as to identify how environmental exposures affect human health and disease. We focus on areas where zebrafish have been most effectively used in ecotoxicology and in environmental health, including investigation of exposures to endocrine disruptors, industrial waste byproducts, and arsenic. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The EPA/NIEHS Children's Environmental Health And ...

Science.gov (United States)

Background: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) have jointly supported the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (“Children’s Centers”) program since 1998, forming a highly successful and collaborative, interdisciplinary research network. Methods: These multidisciplinary, translational research centers are investigating the role of a wide range of environmental exposures in adverse children's health outcomes and how to protect children's health. Studies include how exposure to chemicals such as ambient air pollutants, arsenic in water and food, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) including bisphenol A (BPA), manganese, organophosphate pesticides and polybrominated flame retardants may, in combination with other factors such as social and behavioral factors and genetic susceptibility, result in adverse birth and health outcomes including asthma, autism, childhood leukemia, changes in epigenetics/gene expression, changes in neurodevelopment and immune system function -- and how to prevent adverse health outcomes. The Children's Centers are using approaches including longitudinal cohort and case-control studies and environmental epidemiology in conjunction with laboratory-based studies to find novel biomarkers of exposure, early developmental and pubertal effects and gene-environment interactions. Community engagement is a key part of the program

Injury prevention: a strategic priority for environmental health?

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, D H; Morris, G P

2010-10-01

Injury results from the acute transfer of energy (or the acute lack of a vital element) from the environment to human tissue. It is thus, ipso facto, an 'environmental health' issue par excellence. This paper argues that injury consequently deserves consideration as a major strategic priority by environmental health professionals. Two international agreements concerning children's health and the environment have major implications for safety. The Children's Environmental Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) and the European Environmental Health Strategy make reference to the need for improved evidence and greater co-operation between the environmental and health sectors. CEHAPE is particularly relevant to safety as it focuses on four regional priority goals, the second of which refers to the prevention and reduction of health consequences from injuries by promoting safe, secure and supportive human settlements for all children. The natural strategic 'home' for injury prevention may therefore lie within environmental health, a domain from which it has generally been excluded. In support of this assertion, Scotland's recent policy initiative on the environment and human health 'Good Places, Better Health' is cited, where injury in children up to 8 years of age is one of four child health priorities being tackled during its initial implementation. An important test of the initiative may be its capacity to inform policy, practice and research in the field of injury prevention and safety promotion. If successful, it will help to validate the environmental health approach to a field that remains relatively neglected by public agencies, policy makers, practitioners and researchers. Copyright © 2010 The Royal Institute of Public Health. All rights reserved.

Environmental victims: environmental injustice issues that threaten the health of children living in poverty.

Science.gov (United States)

Cureton, Shava

2011-01-01

Children living in poverty are disproportionately at risk from and affected by environmental hazards. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 13 million children in America live in poverty. Thus, not only are millions of children living in poverty but are also living in environments that are hazardous to their health. Impoverished children are more likely to live in environments with heavily polluting industries, hazardous waste sites, contaminated water and soil, in old housing with deteriorating lead-based paint, in areas with limited access to healthy food, and more. Poor children residing in these toxic environments are either at risk or suffer from a myriad of health disparities, such as asthma, cancer, lead poisoning, obesity, and hyperactivity. This unfortunate reality is better known as environmental injustice. Environmental injustice recognizes that economically disadvantaged groups are adversely affected by environmental hazards more than other groups. To remedy this dilemma, environmental justice seeks to address these unfair burdens of environmental health hazards on poor communities. The purpose of this article is to (a) examine the environmental living conditions of children living in poverty, (b) examine the environmental health disparities of children living in poverty, (c) discuss environmental justice legislation, (d) describe government initiatives to improve environmental health, and (e) propose recommendations that executes measures to protect the health of children.

Migration, environmental hazards, and health outcomes in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Juan; Chen, Shuo; Landry, Pierre F

2013-03-01

China's rapid economic growth has had a serious impact on the environment. Environmental hazards are major sources of health risk factors. The migration of over 200 million people to heavily polluted urban areas is likely to be significantly detrimental to health. Based on data from the 2009 national household survey "Chinese Attitudes toward Inequality and Distributive Injustice" (N = 2866) and various county-level and municipal indicators, we investigate the disparities in subjective exposure to environmental hazards and associated health outcomes in China. This study focuses particularly on migration-residency status and county-level socio-economic development. We employ multiple regressions that account for the complex multi-stage survey design to assess the associations between perceived environmental hazards and individual and county-level indicators and between perceived environmental hazards and health outcomes, controlling for physical and social environments at multiple levels. We find that perceived environmental hazards are associated with county-level industrialization and economic development: respondents living in more industrialized counties report greater exposure to environmental hazards. Rural-to-urban migrants are exposed to more water pollution and a higher measure of overall environmental hazard. Perceived environmental risk factors severely affect the physical and mental health of the respondents. The negative effects of perceived overall environmental hazard on physical health are more detrimental for rural-to-urban migrants than for urban residents. The research findings call for restructuring the household registration system in order to equalize access to public services and mitigate adverse environmental health effects, particularly among the migrant population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organisationally relevant variables and Keyes's Mental Health Continuum Scale: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deo J.W. Strümpfer

2009-09-01

Full Text Available In an exploratory study on a sample of convenience (n = 165, 11 self-report variables with presumed organisational  relevance were  related,  as  predictors,  to  the  three  subscores  and  summed  score of  the Keyes  (2005a, 2005b; 2007 Mental Health Continuum  scale  (long  form. Keyes's  scale was administered five to seven days after the first set of scales. The predictor scores were reduced to three factorial scores, labelled positive orientation, negative orientation and positive striving. When classified thus, the predictor variables showed significant and meaningful relationships with some or all of the Keyes subscores and the total score, although few reached medium effect sizes.

Health-related disparities: influence of environmental factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Olden, Kenneth; White, Sandra L

2005-07-01

Racial disparities in health cannot be explained solely on the basis of poverty, access to health care, behavior, or environmental factors. Their complex etiology is dependent on interactions between all these factors plus genetics. Scientists have been slow to consider genetics as a risk factor because genetic polymorphisms tend to be more variable within a race than between races. Now that studies are demonstrating the existence of racial differences in allelic frequencies for multiple genes affecting a single biologic mechanism, the present argument for a significant genetic role in contributing to health disparities is gaining support. Individuals vary, often significantly, in their response to environmental agents. This variability provides a high "background noise" when scientists examine human populations to identify environmental links to disease. This variability often masks important environmental contributors to disease risk and is a major impediment to efforts to investigate the causes of diseases.Fortunately, investments in the various genome projects have led to the development of tools and databases that can be used to help identify the genetic variations in environmental response genes that can lead to such wide differences in disease susceptibility. NIEHS developed the environ-mental genome project to catalog these genetic variants (polymorphisms)and to identify the ones that play a major role in human susceptibility to environmental agents. This information is being used in epidemiologic studies to pinpoint environmental contributors to disease better. The research summarized in this article is critically important for tying genetics and the environment to health disparities, and for the development of a rational approach to gauge environmental threats. Common variants in genes play pivotal roles in determining if or when illness or death result from exposure to drugs or environmental xenobiotics. Most common variants exist in all human

Organising to Enable Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brink, Tove

2016-01-01

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to reveal how organising can enable innovation across organisational layers and organisational units. This approach calls for a cross-disciplinary literature review. The aim is to provide an integrated understanding of innovation in an organisational approach....... The findings reveal a continous organising process between individual/ team creativity and organisational structures/control to enable innovation at firm level. Organising provides a dynamic approach and contains the integrated reconstruction of creativity, structures and boundaries for enhanced balance...... of explorative and exploitative learning in uncertain environments. Shedding light on the cross-disciplinary theories to organise innovation provides a contribution at the firm level to enable innovation....

Linking Environmental Sustainability and Healthcare: The Effects of an Energy Saving Intervention in Two Hospitals

OpenAIRE

Danae Manika; Diana Gregory-Smith; Victoria K. Wells; Lee Comerford; Lucy Aldrich-Smith

2017-01-01

Set in a real organisational setting, this study examines the challenges of implementing environmentally sustainable behaviour in healthcare. It evaluates the success of a real energy saving behaviour change intervention, based on social marketing principles, which targeted the employees of two National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. It also explores the intervention benefits for three key stakeholders: the organisation/hospitals, hospital employees and patients. A rich secondary dataset con...

Assessing environmental assets for health promotion program planning: a practical framework for health promotion practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Springer, Andrew E; Evans, Alexandra E

2016-01-01

Conducting a health needs assessment is an important if not essential first step for health promotion planning. This paper explores how health needs assessments may be further strengthened for health promotion planning via an assessment of environmental assets rooted in the multiple environments (policy, information, social and physical environments) that shape health and behavior. Guided by a behavioral-ecological perspective- one that seeks to identify environmental assets that can influence health behavior, and an implementation science perspective- one that seeks to interweave health promotion strategies into existing environmental assets, we present a basic framework for assessing environmental assets and review examples from the literature to illustrate the incorporation of environmental assets into health program design. Health promotion practitioners and researchers implicitly identify and apply environmental assets in the design and implementation of health promotion interventions;this paper provides foundation for greater intentionality in assessing environmental assets for health promotion planning.

Caseload midwifery as organisational change: the interplay between professional and organisational projects in Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Burau, Viola; Overgaard, Charlotte

2015-05-27

The large obstetric units typical of industrialised countries have come under criticism for fragmented and depersonalised care and heavy bureaucracy. Interest in midwife-led continuity models of care is growing, but knowledge about the accompanying processes of organisational change is scarce. This study focuses on midwives' role in introducing and developing caseload midwifery. Sociological studies of midwifery and organisational studies of professional groups were used to capture the strong interests of midwives in caseload midwifery and their key role together with management in negotiating organisational change. We studied three hospitals in Denmark as arenas for negotiating the introduction and development of caseload midwifery and the processes, interests and resources involved. A qualitative multi-case design was used and the selection of hospitals aimed at maximising variance. Ten individual and 14 group interviews were conducted in spring 2013. Staff were represented by caseload midwives, ward midwives, obstetricians and health visitors, management by chief midwives and their deputies. Participants were recruited to maximise the diversity of experience. The data analysis adopted a thematic approach, using within- and across-case analysis. The analysis revealed a highly interdependent interplay between organisational and professional projects in the change processes involved in the introduction and development of caseload midwifery. This was reflected in three ways: first, in the key role of negotiations in all phases; second, in midwives' and management's engagement in both types of projects (as evident from their interests and resources); and third in a high capacity for resolving tensions between the two projects. The ward midwives' role as a third party in organisational change further complicated the process. For managers tasked with the introduction and development of caseload midwifery, our study underscores the importance of understanding the

Occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health of employees at a higher education institution in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. E. Coetzee

2005-10-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to assess the indicators and moderators of occupational stress at a higher education institution in South Africa, as well as differences based on language and years of experience at the institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The participants included academic and support staff at a higher education institution (N = 372. An Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Workload, control, work-relationships and pay and benefits were the major occupational stressors in the institution. Compared to the international norm, participants reported higher levels of physical and psychological ill-health and perceived lack of commitment from the organisation. Analysis of variance revealed differences in occupational stress levels for all the biographical variables tested. Organisational commitment moderated the effect of occupational stress on ill-health. Opsomming Die doelstellings van hierdie studie was om die aanwysers en verligtende faktore van beroepstres in ’n hoëronderwysinstansie in Suid-Afrika te identifiseer, asook moontlike verskille gebaseer op taal en jare ervaring by die instansie te bepaal. ’n Dwarsdeursnee-opnameontwerp is gebruik. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit akademiese en ondersteuningspersoneel verbonde aan ’n hoëronderwysinstansie (N = 372. ’n Organisasiestresgraderingsinstrument (ASSET en ’n biografiese vraelys is afgeneem. Oorlading, kontrole, werksverhoudinge en salaris en byvoordele was die vernaamste stressore in die instelling. Vergeleke met die internasionale norm, het deelnemers hoër vlakke van fisieke en psigologiese ongesondheid gerapporteer, en ook ’n gebrek aan verbondenheid komende van die werkgewer ervaar. Variansieanalise het verskille in werkstresvlakke uitgewys vir al die biografiese veranderlikes wat getoets is. Organisasieverbondenheid het die effek van beroepstres op ongesondheid gematig.

Researching enterprises between organisation and organising

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkjær, Bente; Brandi, Ulrik

: State University of New York Press. Orlikowski, W. J. (1996). Improvising organizational transformation over time: A situated change perspective. Information Systems Research, 7(1), 63-92. Park, R. E. (1952). Human Communities: The City and Human Ecology Glencoe, IL: Free Press. Rosenthal, S. (1998......RESEARCHING ENTERPRISES BETWEEN ORGANISATION AND ORGANISING Ulrik Brandi & Bente Elkjaer, Department of Learning, University of Aarhus, Danish School of Education, Tuborgvej 164, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark Short paper submission to the 26th European Group of Organization Studies Colloquium, Waves...... philosophy and pragmatism followed by an elaboration of the transactional relationship between subject and world and the notion of social worlds. The final element in the paper is an empirical illustration - researching organisational learning in the midst of change that illustrates the rhythm...

Social Determinants of Health in Environmental Justice Communities: Examining Cumulative Risk in Terms of Environmental Exposures and Social Determinants of Health

OpenAIRE

Prochaska, John D.; Nolen, Alexandra B.; Kelley, Hilton; Sexton, Ken; Linder, Stephen H.; Sullivan, John

2014-01-01

Residents of environmental justice (EJ) communities may bear a disproportionate burden of environmental health risk, and often face additional burdens from social determinants of health. Accounting for cumulative risk should include measures of risk from both environmental sources and social determinants. This study sought to better understand cumulative health risk from both social and environmental sources in a disadvantaged community in Texas. Key outcomes were determining what data are cu...

U.S. Geological Survey environmental health science strategy: Providing environmental health science for a changing world

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, Patricia R.; Buxton, Herbert T.; Balistrieri, Laurie S.; Barber, Larry B.; Chapelle, Francis H.; Cross, Paul C.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Sleeman, Jonathan M.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Toccalino, Patricia L.; Winton, James R.

2013-01-01

America has an abundance of natural resources. We have bountiful clean water, fertile soil, and unrivaled national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands. These resources enrich our lives and preserve our health and wellbeing. These resources have been maintained because of our history of respect for their value and an enduring commitment to their vigilant protection. Awareness of the social, economic, and personal value of the health of our environment is increasing. The emergence of environmentally driven diseases caused by exposure to contaminants and pathogens is a growing concern worldwide. New health threats and patterns of established threats are affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes to the environment. Human activities are key drivers of emerging (new and re-emerging) health threats. Societal demands for land and natural resources, quality of life, and economic prosperity lead to environmental change. Natural earth processes, climate trends, and related climatic events will compound the environmental impact of human activities. These environmental drivers will influence exposure to disease agents, including viral, bacterial, prion, and fungal pathogens, parasites, synthetic chemicals and substances, natural earth materials, toxins, and other biogenic compounds.

The role of global public health strategy in non-profit organisational change at country level: lessons from the joining of Save the Children and Merlin in Myanmar.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Fiona M; Balabanova, Dina; Howard, Natasha

2018-01-01

The paper presents a case study that critically assesses the role of global strategy 'Public Health on the Frontline 2014-2015' ('the Strategy') in supporting Merlin and Save the Children's organisational change and future programme of the combined organisation in Myanmar. Research was undertaken in 2014 in Myanmar. Twenty-six individual and three group interviews were conducted with stakeholders, and 10 meetings relevant to the country organisational transition process were observed. A conceptual framework was developed to assess the role of the global strategy in supporting the country change process. Several positive aspects of the global strategy were found, as well as critical shortcomings in its support to the organisational change process at country level. The strategy was useful in signalling Save the Children's intention to scale up humanitarian health provision. However, it had only limited influence on the early change process and outcomes in Myanmar. Results highlight several aspects that would enhance the role of a global strategy at country level. Lessons can be applied by organisations undertaking a similar process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Organisational Learning: Conceptual Links to Individual Learning, Learning Organisation and Knowledge Management

OpenAIRE

Siu Loon Hoe

2007-01-01

Organisational learning has over the years been subject of much study by scholars and managers. In the process, the organisational learning concept has been linked to many other knowledge concepts such as individual learning, learning organisation, and knowledge management. This paper draws from existing literature in organisational behaviour, human resource management, marketing, and information management, to further develop the conceptual links between organisational learning and these kno...

How institutional forces, ideas and actors shaped population health planning in Australian regional primary health care organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Javanparast, Sara; Freeman, Toby; Baum, Fran; Labonté, Ronald; Ziersch, Anna; Mackean, Tamara; Reed, Richard; Sanders, David

2018-03-20

Worldwide, there are competing norms driving health system changes and reorganisation. One such norm is that of health systems' responsibilities for population health as distinct from a focus on clinical services. In this paper we report on a case study of population health planning in Australian primary health care (PHC) organisations (Medicare Locals, 2011-2015). Drawing on institutional theory, we describe how institutional forces, ideas and actors shaped such planning. We reviewed the planning documents of the 61 Medicare Locals and rated population health activities in each Medicare Local. We also conducted an online survey and 50 interviews with Medicare Local senior staff, and an interview and focus group with Federal Department of Health staff. Despite policy emphasis on population health, Medicare Locals reported higher levels of effort and capacity in providing clinical services. Health promotion and social determinants of health activities were undertaken on an ad hoc basis. Regulatory conditions imposed by the federal government including funding priorities and time schedules, were the predominant forces constraining population health planning. In some Medicare Locals, this was in conflict with the normative values and what Medicare Locals felt ought to be done. The alignment between the governmental and the cultural-cognitive forces of a narrow biomedical approach privileged clinical practice and ascribed less legitimacy to action on social determinants of health. Our study also shed light on the range of PHC actors and how their agency influenced Medicare Locals' performance in population health. The presence of senior staff or community boards with a strong commitment to population health were important in directing action towards population health and equity. There are numerous institutional, normative and cultural factors influencing population health planning. The experience of Australian Medicare Locals highlights the difficulties of planning in

Environmental reporting as a strategic issue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Lars Bjørn

1997-01-01

Organisations are facing ever increasing demands or pressures from various stakeholder to raise their environmental standards. Raising the environmental standards includes improving and documenting the environmental performance in relation to production processes, products and logistics.This pape...... adresses environmental reporting as an important issue in strategic management, since many of environmental management are related to the availability of environmental information both inside and outside the company.......Organisations are facing ever increasing demands or pressures from various stakeholder to raise their environmental standards. Raising the environmental standards includes improving and documenting the environmental performance in relation to production processes, products and logistics.This paper...

Wildlife disease and environmental health in Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hemert, Caroline; Pearce, John; Oakley, Karen; Whalen, Mary

2013-01-01

Environmental health is defined by connections between the physical environment, ecological health, and human health. Current research within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recognizes the importance of this integrated research philosophy, which includes study of disease and pollutants as they pertain to wildlife and humans. Due to its key geographic location and significant wildlife resources, Alaska is a critical area for future study of environmental health.

Joining them up: the challenges of organisational change in the professional politic of general practice.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burtonwood, A.; Hocking, P.; Elwyn, G.

2001-01-01

Primary health care in the UK is currently centred around independent contractor organisations (general practices). Although the development of these organisations is considered necessary to improve the quality of health care, no structures exist to support the systematic development necessary to

Stake holders' views on the implications of the new ICRP recommendations: an environmental perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, S.

2003-01-01

The development of the new ICRP Recommendations are of significant interest to environmental organisations. There are several issues of particular interest: 1. whether the 'approach and the numbers are right'? in the general recommendations; 2. to what extent the understandings being developed for both human and non-human species will effectively address concerns regarding protecting the health of people and the environment; and 3. to what extent these new recommendations will inform the broader regulatory and policy debates, in particular those concerning the uses of nuclear power, fuel cycle developments and radioactive waste management practices. This presentation will explore various aspects of these issues from the perspectives of environmental organisations. (author)

Workplace violence: the dark side of organisational life.

Science.gov (United States)

Speedy, Sandra

2006-05-01

This paper draws on a diverse range of research literature addressing workplace violence, which constitutes one component of the dark side of organisational life. This selective review of the literature has been drawn from the disciplines of nursing, management, psychology and organisational culture. The paper focuses bullying and mobbing in the workplace, addressing its types, causes, the characteristics of bullies and targets and the generalised impact of bullying and mobbing. It also examines whether there are gender issues pertinent to the health care sector. Consideration will also be given to the impact on the individual, group and organization, given the apparent epidemic proportions workplace violence has reached. Ultimately, the question will arise: how can the workplace violence be abolished, specifically within the health care sector, given that we live in a global environment characterised by international bullying (Crawford 1999)? This is a challenge because workplace violence is perpetuated within organisations, due either to cultures of acceptance, or fear of retribution should it be acknowledged and acted upon (or both).

Improving Environmental Health Literacy and Justice through Environmental Exposure Results Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica D. Ramirez-Andreotta

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Understanding the short- and long-term impacts of a biomonitoring and exposure project and reporting personal results back to study participants is critical for guiding future efforts, especially in the context of environmental justice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate learning outcomes from environmental communication efforts and whether environmental health literacy goals were met in an environmental justice community. We conducted 14 interviews with parents who had participated in the University of Arizona’s Metals Exposure Study in Homes and analyzed their responses using NVivo, a qualitative data management and analysis program. Key findings were that participants used the data to cope with their challenging circumstances, the majority of participants described changing their families’ household behaviors, and participants reported specific interventions to reduce family exposures. The strength of this study is that it provides insight into what people learn and gain from such results communication efforts, what participants want to know, and what type of additional information participants need to advance their environmental health literacy. This information can help improve future report back efforts and advance environmental health and justice.

Environmental Public Health Tracking: a cost-effective system for characterizing the sources, distribution and public health impacts of environmental hazards.

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, P J; Middleton, J D; Rudge, G

2017-09-01

The contemporary environment is a complex of interactions between physical, biological, socio-economic systems with major impacts on public health. However, gaps in our understanding of the causes, extent and distribution of these effects remain. The public health community in Sandwell West Midlands has collaborated to successfully develop, pilot and establish the first Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) programme in Europe to address this 'environmental health gap' through systematically linking data on environmental hazards, exposures and diseases. Existing networks of environmental, health and regulatory agencies developed a suite of innovative methods to routinely share, integrate and analyse data on hazards, exposures and health outcomes to inform interventions. Effective data sharing and horizon scanning systems have been established, novel statistical methods piloted, plausible associations framed and tested, and targeted interventions informed by local concerns applied. These have influenced changes in public health practice. EPHT is a powerful tool for identifying and addressing the key environmental public health impacts at a local level. Sandwell's experience demonstrates that it can be established and operated at virtually no cost. The transfer of National Health Service epidemiological skills to local authorities in 2013 provides an opportunity to expand the programme to fully exploit its potential. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Methodology for measuring environmental health within Europe. Health Risk from Environmental Pollution Levels in Urban Systems (HEREPLUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja Zscheppang

2008-12-01

Full Text Available

Background: The European Commission funds a European research project titled “Health Risk from Environmental Pollution Levels in Urban Systems” (HEREPLUS that focuses on environmental health within Europe. The HEREPLUS project was presented at the 16th EUPHA conference in Lisbon in November 2008 within a workshop named “The assessment of the effect of air pollution on population and environmental health: the integration of epidemiology and geographical information system (GIS”.

Methods: The HEREPLUS project aims to measure the correlation between air pollution (especially ozone and particulate matter, meteorology, vegetation and human health in four European cities (Rome, Madrid, Athens and Dresden by using a Geoinformation System to develop risk maps and subsequently guidelines to reduce air pollution and number of diseases.

Results: The project started in September 2008 and a large, structured, relational database has been developed and completed. A literature review including national as well as international scientific literature goes on and will be completed in April 2009. Final results will be presented and published in 2011.

Conclusions: Detailed scientific knowledge is important and needed to implement environmental programmes with the overall aim to protect human population against environmental related diseases.

Environmental health science at the U.S. Geological Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Buxton, Herbert T.; Bright, Patricia R.

2013-01-01

USGS environmental health science focuses on the environment-health interface. Research characterizes the processes that affect the interaction among the physical environment, the living environment, and people, as well as the factors that affect ecological and human exposure to disease agents and the resulting toxicologic or infectious disease. The mission of USGS in environmental health science is to contribute scientific information to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public-health managers, who use that information to support sound decisionmaking. Coordination with partners and stakeholders will enable USGS to focus on the highest priority environmental health issues, to make relevant, timely, and useable contributions, and to become a “partner of first choice” for environmental health science.

Linking Environmental Sustainability and Healthcare: The Effects of an Energy Saving Intervention in Two Hospitals\\ud

OpenAIRE

Manika, D.; Gregory-Smith, D.; Wells, V.K.; Comerford, L.; Aldrich-Smith, L.

2017-01-01

Set in a real organisational setting, this study examines the challenges of implementing environmentally sustainable behaviour in healthcare. It evaluates the success of a real energy saving behaviour change intervention, based on social marketing principles, which targeted the employees of two National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. It also explores the intervention benefits for three key stakeholders: the organisation/hospitals, hospital employees and patients. A rich secondary dataset con...

Exploring corporate social responsibility and organisational commitment within a retail organisation

OpenAIRE

Jerelene Soobramoney; Ophillia Ledimo

2016-01-01

Organisations have difficulty retaining employees who have the necessary talent, skills and knowledge to give the company a competitive edge in a global market, thus emphasising the need for organisational commitment. The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility and organisational commitment within a South African retail organisation. Corporate social responsibility has a positive influence on consumer behaviour and can contribute to corpo...

Health Impacts of Environmental Mycobacteria†

OpenAIRE

Primm, Todd P.; Lucero, Christie A.; Falkinham, Joseph O.

2004-01-01

Environmental mycobacteria are emerging pathogens causing opportunistic infections in humans and animals. The health impacts of human-mycobacterial interactions are complex and likely much broader than currently recognized. Environmental mycobacteria preferentially survive chlorination in municipal water, using it as a vector to infect humans. Widespread chlorination of water has likely selected more resistant environmental mycobacteria species and potentially explains the shift from M. scrof...

Analysing organisational context: case studies on the contribution of absorptive capacity theory to understanding inter-organisational variation in performance improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Gill; Jas, Pauline; Walshe, Kieran

2015-01-01

Organisational context is frequently cited as an important consideration when implementing and evaluating quality improvement interventions in healthcare, but limited guidance is available on which aspects of context are most influential or modifiable. This paper examines how internal and external contextual factors mediate organisational-level performance improvement through applying the knowledge-based theory of absorptive capacity (AC). Three healthcare case studies are presented. Each case is a UK National Health Service organisation that had been identified as having performance problems. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with general and clinical managers within the organisation and members of external teams supporting or overseeing performance improvement (n=22). Interview data were analysed using an existing AC framework from the literature. The organisation with the highest AC showed the quickest and most comprehensive performance improvement. Internal characteristics including strategic priorities, processes for managing information, communication and orientation to learning and development impacted on the organisation's ability to engage successfully with external stakeholders and make use of available knowledge. This enabled the organisation to thrive despite the challenging external environment. Lower levels of AC appeared to delay or limit the improvement trajectory. Developing a more detailed and nuanced understanding of how context influences improvement is an important step towards achieving more effective and sustainable quality improvement programmes in healthcare. AC, with its focus on knowledge and organisational learning, provides a useful way to explore the relationship between context and quality improvement and represents a potentially valuable area for future research and development. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go

Workplace health improvement: perspectives of environmental health officers.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, J; Wills, J

2012-01-01

Environmental health practice in the field of occupational health and safety is traditionally concerned with protecting health relating to the workplace. However, little is currently known about environmental health officers' (EHOs) perceptions of their role in workplace health improvement, a pertinent topic in light of the recent government agenda for improving the health of the workforce in the UK. To explore how EHOs perceive workplace health improvement and its relevance to their professional role. A qualitative methodology was employed, using a case-study design with thematic analysis of 15 transcripts of in-depth telephone interviews with EHOs working in London, UK. EHOs view themselves primarily as enforcement officers, with legislation guiding their understandings of workplace health. Many interpret work-related ill health in terms of safety and physical injury and do not feel competent in assessing broader psychosocial elements of ill health. However, a few EHOs welcomed the opportunity to promote health in the workplace, recognizing the importance of prevention. This study indicates a gap between the contemporary EHO role framed by professional bodies as holistic and contributing to public health goals and the role perceived by EHOs 'on the ground'. A more traditional, protective and enforcement-based approach persists among EHOs in this sample, and few feel they have skills to address determinants beyond physical hazards to health. Yet, a minority of EHOs adopted a more health-promoting approach, suggesting that the potential contribution of EHOs to the workplace health improvement agenda should be explored further.

Developing a facilitation model to promote organisational development in primary care practices.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rhydderch, S.M.; Edwards, A.; Marshall, M.; Elwyn, G.; Grol, R.P.T.M.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: The relationship between effective organisation of general practices and health improvement is widely accepted. The Maturity Matrix is an instrument designed to assess organisational development in general practice settings and to stimulate quality improvement. It is undertaken by a

Improvements to enforcement of multilateral environmental agreements to control international shipments of chemicals and wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ning; Somboon, Vira; Wun'gaeo, Surichai; Middleton, Carl; Tingsabadh, Charit; Limjirakan, Sangchan

2016-06-01

Illegal trade in hazardous waste and harmful chemicals has caused severe damage on human health and the environment, and brought big challenges to countries to meet their commitments to related multilateral environmental agreements. Synergy-building, like organising law enforcement operations, is critical to address illegal trade in waste and chemicals, and further improve the effectiveness of environmental enforcement. This article discusses how and why law enforcement operations can help countries to implement chemical and waste-related multilateral environmental agreements in a more efficient and effective way. The research explores key barriers and factors for organising law enforcement operations, and recommends methods to improve law enforcement operations to address illegal trade in hazardous waste and harmful chemicals. © The Author(s) 2016.

Female employees' perceptions of organisational support for breastfeeding at work: findings from an Australian health service workplace

OpenAIRE

Weber, Danielle; Janson, Anneka; Nolan, Michelle; Wen, Li Ming; Rissel, Chris

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Women's return to work can be a significant barrier to continued breastfeeding. Workplace policies and practices to promote and support continued, and longer duration of, breastfeeding are important. In the context of the introduction of a new breastfeeding policy for Area Health Services in New South Wales, Australia, a baseline survey was conducted to describe current practices and examine women's reports of perceived organisational support on breastfeeding intention and...

Organisational commitment and turnover intentions in humanitarian organisations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijnmaalen, Julia; Heyse, Liesbet; Voordijk, Johannes T.

2016-01-01

Unwanted staff turnover is a prominent HRM problem in humanitarian organisations. In the profit sector, HRM tools such as pay, benefits, socialisation and training have proven to be effective in increasing organisational commitment and decreasing staff turnover. This study explores whether such

The NHS and market forces in healthcare: the need for organisational ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Frith, Lucy

2013-01-01

The NHS in England is an organisation undergoing substantial change. The passage of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, consolidates and builds on previous health policies and introduces further 'market-style' reforms of the NHS. One of the main aspects of these reforms is to encourage private and third sector providers to deliver NHS services. The rationale for this is to foster a more competitive market in healthcare to encourage greater efficiency and innovation. This changing healthcare environment in the English NHS sharpens the need for attention to be paid to the ethical operation of healthcare organisations. All healthcare organisations need to consider the ethical aspects of their operation, whether state or privately run. However, the changes in the type of organisations used to provide healthcare (such as commercial companies) can create new relationships and ethical tensions. This paper will chart the development of organisational ethics as a concern in applied ethics and how it arose in the USA largely owing to changes in the organisation of healthcare financing and provision. It will be argued that an analogous transition is happening in the NHS in England. The paper will conclude with suggestions for the development of organisational ethics programmes to address some of the possible ethical issues raised by this new healthcare environment that incorporates both private and public sector providers.

Environmental Public Health Tracking

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

In this podcast series, CDC scientists address frequently asked questions about the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, including using and applying data, running queries, and much more.

Bequests to health-related charitable organisations: a structural model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sikkel, D.; Schoenmakers, E.

2012-01-01

Charitable organisations, which support research on serious diseases such as cancer, heart diseases or rheumatism, are to a considerable extent dependent on bequests. Because in the Netherlands, in the next decade, the number of deaths per year is expected to increase at a faster rate than the

Stress and organisational citizenship behaviours in Indian business process outsourcing organisations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay K. Jain

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the direct effect of organisational stress (as measured through ASSET on organisational citizenship behaviours (OCBs. A sample of 402 operators was taken from business process outsourcing (BPO organisations located in northern India. The authors hypothesised that there is a negative relationship between organisational stress and OCBs. Results of multiple regression analysis showed that stress had significant negative impact on OCBs. The implications for managers are discussed.

Organisational support for evidence-based practice: occupational therapists perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Sally; Allen, Shelley; Caldwell, Elizabeth; Whitehead, Mary; Turpin, Merrill; Fleming, Jennifer; Cox, Ruth

2016-02-01

Barriers to the use of evidence-based practice extend beyond the individual clinician and often include organisational barriers. Adoption of systematic organisational support for evidence-based practice in health care is integral to its use. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of occupational therapy staff regarding the influence of organisational initiatives to support evidence-based practice on workplace culture and clinical practice. This study used semi-structured interviews with 30 occupational therapists working in a major metropolitan hospital in Brisbane, Australia regarding their perceptions of organisational initiatives designed to support evidence-based practice. Four themes emerged from the data: (i) firmly embedding a culture valuing research and EBP, (ii) aligning professional identity with the Research and Evidence in Practice model, (iii) experiences of change: pride, confidence and pressure and (iv) making evidence-based changes to clinical practices. Organisational initiatives for evidence-based practice were perceived as influencing the culture of the workplace, therapists' sense of identity as clinicians, and as contributing to changes in clinical practice. It is therefore important to consider organisational factors when attempting to increase the use of evidence in practice. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Effect of organisational change type and frequency on long-term sickness absence in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstrøm, Vilde H; Kjekshus, Lars Erik

2015-09-01

The present study was conducted to investigate how the frequency of structural change and patient care-related change is related to employees' long-term sickness absence. Although a growing body of research is investigating the potentially harmful effects of organisational change on employee health, most studies have focused on single episodes of organisational change and do not differentiate among the types and frequencies of change. National registry data were collected from 2005 and 2007. A total of 34 712 health professionals from 56 hospitals were included (76% nurses, 18% physicians and 6% other health professionals) and the data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression. The research findings reveal a significantly higher probability of long-term sickness absence among employees who experienced more frequent structural changes (OR = 1.03; CI: 1.00-1.06; P changes. A higher frequency of organisational change may lead to more sickness-related absence among employees, with the effect depending on the type of change. These findings highlight the need for managers who are contemplating or are in the process of implementing organisational change to become more aware of the potentially harmful effects of frequent organisational change on employee health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using information communication technologies to increase the institutional capacity of local health organisations in Africa: a case study of the Kenya Civil Society Portal for Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Juma, Charles; Sundsmo, Aaron; Maket, Boniface; Powell, Richard; Aluoch, Gilbert

2015-01-01

Achieving the healthcare components of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals is significantly premised on effective service delivery by civil society organisations (CSOs). However, many CSOs across Africalack the necessary capacity to perform this role robustly. This paper reports on an evaluation of the use, and perceived impact, of aknowledge management tool upon institutional strengthening among CSOs working in Kenya's health sector. Three methods were used: analytics data; user satisfaction surveys; and a furtherkey informant survey. Satisfaction with the portal was consistently high, with 99% finding the quality and relevance of the content very good or good for institutional strengthening standards, governance, and planning and resource mobilisation. Critical facilitators to the success of knowledge management for CSO institutional strengthening were identified as people/culture (developed resources and organisational narratives) and technology (easily accessible, enabling information exchange, tools/resources available, access to consultants/partners). Critical barriers were identified as people/culture (database limitations, materials limitations, and lack of active users), and process (limited access, limited interactions, and limited approval process). This pilot study demonstrated the perceived utility of a web-based knowledge management portal among developing nations' CSOs, with widespread satisfaction across multiple domains, which increased over time. Providing increased opportunities for collective mutual learning, promoting a culture of data use for decision making, and encouraging all health organisations to be learning institutions should be a priority for those interested in promoting sustainable long-term solutions for Africa.

Development of non-profit organisations providing health and social services in rural South Africa: a three-year longitudinal study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mosa Moshabela

Full Text Available In an effort to increase understanding of formation of the community and home-based care economy in South Africa, we investigated the origin and development of non-profit organisations (NPOs providing home- and community-based care for health and social services in a remote rural area of South Africa.Over a three-year period (2010-12, we identified and tracked all NPOs providing health care and social services in Bushbuckridge sub-district through the use of local government records, snowballing techniques, and attendance at NPO networking meetings--recording both existing and new NPOs. NPO founders and managers were interviewed in face-to-face in-depth interviews, and their organisational records were reviewed.Forty-seven NPOs were formed prior to the study period, and 14 during the study period--six in 2010, six in 2011 and two in 2012, while four ceased operation, representing a 22% growth in the number of NPOs during the study period. Histories of NPOs showed a steady rise in the NPO formation over a 20-year period, from one (1991-1995 to 12 (1996-2000, 16 (2001-2005 and 24 (2006-2010 new organisations formed in each period. Furthermore, the histories of formation revealed three predominant milestones--loose association, formal formation and finally registration. Just over one quarter (28% of NPOs emerged from a long-standing community based programme of 'care groups' of women. Founders of NPOs were mostly women (62%, with either a religious motivation or a nursing background, but occasionally had an entrepreneurial profile.We observed rapid growth of the NPO sector providing community based health and social services. Women dominated the rural NPO sector, which is being seen as creating occupation and employment opportunities. The implications of this growth in the NPO sector providing community based health and social services needs to be further explored and suggests the need for greater coordination and possibly regulation.

Policy interventions implemented through sporting organisations for promoting healthy behaviour change.

Science.gov (United States)

Priest, Naomi; Armstrong, Rebecca; Doyle, Jodie; Waters, Elizabeth

2008-07-16

Sporting organisations provide an important setting for health promotion strategies that involve policies, communication of healthy messages and creation of health promoting environments. The introduction of policy interventions within sporting organisations is one strategy to target high risk behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, excess sun exposure, unhealthy eating and discrimination. To update a review of all controlled studies evaluating policy interventions organised through sporting settings to increase healthy behaviour (related to smoking, alcohol, healthy eating, sun protection, discrimination, safety and access). We updated the original (2004) searches in May 2007. We searched: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 2 2007); MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations (2004 to Week 3 April 2007); EMBASE (2004 to Week 17 2007); PsyclNFO (2004 to April Week 1 2007); CINAHL (2004 to Week 1 May 2007); SPORTDiscus (2004 to April 2007); Sociological Abstracts (2004 to 2007); Dissertation Abstracts (2004 to May 2007), ERIC (2000 to 2007), freely available online health promotion and sports-related databases hosted by leading agencies, and the internet using sport and policy-related key words. Controlled studies evaluating any policy intervention implemented through sporting organisations to instigate and/or sustain healthy behaviour change, intention to change behaviour, or changes in attitudes, knowledge or awareness of healthy behaviour, in people of all ages. Policies must address any of the following: smoking, alcohol, healthy eating, sun protection, access for disadvantaged groups, physical safety (not including injuries), and social and emotional health (e.g. anti-vilification, anti-discrimination). Uncontrolled studies which met the other inclusion criteria were to be reported in an annex to the review. We assessed whether identified citations met the inclusion criteria

75 FR 65365 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences;

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-22

... Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: Environmental Health Sciences Review... evaluate grant applications. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell...

Factors impacting on organisational learning in three rural health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

a relatively new concept in the healthcare system.1. A learning ... challenges to those working in a rural setting because of the distance from academic ... ness to change entire routines and standard operating procedures embedded in ... priorities for an intervention to create learning organisations of district hospitals and ...

Can environmental purchasing reduce mercury in U.S. health care?

Science.gov (United States)

Eagan, Patrick D; Kaiser, Barb

2002-01-01

Environmental purchasing represents an innovative approach to mercury control for the health care sector in the United States. The U.S. health care sector creates significant environmental impacts, including the release of toxic substances such as mercury. Our goal in this study was to provide the health care industry with a method of identifying the environmental impacts associated with the products they use. The Health Care Environmental Purchasing Tool (HCEPT) was developed and tested at nine health care facilities in the Great Lakes region of the United States. As a result, more than 1 kg of mercury was removed from four facilities. The complexity of the supply chain inhibits a direct environmental information exchange between health-care decision makers and suppliers. However, a dialogue is starting within the health care supply chain to address environmental issues. The HCEPT has been shown to assist health care facilities with that dialogue by identifying products that have environmental consequences. This promising tool is now available for further experimentation and modification, to facilitate overall environmental improvement, and to provide a systematic method for environmental assessment of health care products. PMID:12204816

The effect of organisational context on organisational development (OD) interventions

OpenAIRE

Sanjana Brijball Parumasur

2012-01-01

Orientation: Systematic and congruent organisational structures, systems, strategies and designs are necessary for the successful implementation of organisational development (OD) interventions. Research purpose: This article examines national and international OD practices. It assesses the effect of diverse cultures and cultural values for determining the effectiveness of OD interventions. Motivation for the study: Most organisational change and development programmes fail and only a ...

Effort-reward imbalance and organisational injustice among aged nurses: a moderated mediation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Topa, Gabriela; Guglielmi, Dina; Depolo, Marco

2016-09-01

To test the effort-reward imbalance model among older nurses, expanding it to include the moderation of overcommitment and age in the stress-health complaints relationship, mediated by organisational injustice. The theoretical framework included the effort-reward imbalance, the uncertainty management and the socio-emotional selectivity models. Employing a two-wave design, the participants were 255 nurses aged 45 years and over, recruited from four large hospitals in Spain (Madrid and Basque Country). The direct effect of imbalance on health complaints was supported: it was significant when overcommitment was low but not when it was high. Organisational injustice mediated the influence of effort-reward imbalance on health complaints. The conditional effect of the mediation of organisational injustice was significant in three of the overcommitment/age conditions but it weakened, becoming non-significant, when the level of overcommitment was low and age was high. The study tested the model in nursing populations and expanded it to the settings of occupational health and safety at work. The results of this study highlight the importance of effort-reward imbalance and organisational justice for creating healthy work environments. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Industrial integration of environmental issues into the organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McAloone, Timothy Charles

2005-01-01

new dimensions, such as social and moral values, to the original agenda of environmental improvement. The increasing responsibility of the product developer, from environmentally conscious product developer to sustainably aware product developer has led to new insights into the way in which products......, a handful of companies have begun to take control over (and accept responsibility for) a larger portion of their products’ life-cycles. Where there are examples of companies taking control over larger product life areas for reasons other than environmental, there are a few examples where environmentally...... at the accounting and evaluation of environmental impacts of a given product or process; and a synthesis-oriented school of practice, targeted at the creation of environmentally improved products or processes, based upon life-cycle insight into the actual use and orientation of existing products on the market...

Strategic management and organisational structure: transformational processes at work in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, J

1993-01-01

There is a substantial amount of organisational restructuring presently occurring in Australian public hospitals. However, there has been a lack of systematic research conducted about this phenomenon. In Australia most literature about organisational restructuring has employed a case study approach. Although there has been a great deal of support for product line management organisational arrangements in recent literature from overseas, little investigation into the adoption of product line management has taken place in Australia. In this paper, a discussion about the relationship between strategic management and organisational structure is presented. Survey results of a sample of nine teaching hospitals in New South Wales are reported. Taken together with other more descriptive literature about organisational restructuring in Australian health care, the evidence from this survey suggests that there are vigorous transformational processes at work, perhaps especially in the larger hospitals. Despite support for it in the literature, product line management is not being adopted on a widespread scale. The shift toward restructuring occurring within Australian hospitals at the moment represents a bout of experimentation with new organisational designs which seems destined to continue. A number of management theorists conclude that there need to be strong linkages between strategic planning and the choice of organisational structure. However, the empirical evidence reported here did not identify such strong linkages. This phenomenon warrants further investigation. The view is put that where these linkages are weak there is a risk that whatever structure is chosen will not be robust or flexible enough to cope with mooted or predicted policy changes to the Australian health system.

Organisational characteristics associated with shift work practices and potential opportunities for intervention: findings from a Canadian study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Amy L; Smit, Andrea N; Mistlberger, Ralph E; Landry, Glenn J; Koehoorn, Mieke

2017-01-01

Shift work is a common working arrangement with wide-ranging implications for worker health. Organisational determinants of shift work practices are not well characterised; such information could be used to guide evidence-based research and best practices to mitigate shift work's negative effects. This exploratory study aimed to describe and assess organisational-level determinants of shift work practices thought to affect health, across a range of industry sectors. Data on organisational characteristics, shift work scheduling, provision of shift work education materials/training to employees and night-time lighting policies in the workplace were collected during phone interviews with organisations across the Canadian province of British Columbia. Relationships between organisational characteristics and shift work practices were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. The study sample included 88 participating organisations, representing 30 700 shift workers. Long-duration shifts, provision of shift work education materials/training to employees and night-time lighting policies were reported by approximately one-third of participating organisations. Odds of long-duration shifts increased in larger workplaces and by industry. Odds of providing shift work education materials/training increased in larger workplaces, in organisations reporting concern for shift worker health and in organisations without seasonal changes in shift work. Odds of night-time lighting policies in the workplace increased in organisations reporting previous workplace accidents or incidents that occurred during non-daytime hours, site maintenance needs and client service or care needs. This study points to organisational determinants of shift work practices that could be useful for targeting research and workplace interventions. Results should be interpreted as preliminary in an emerging body of literature on shift work and health. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group

Assessment of the Impact of Women's Organisations on Sustainable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper focuses on women in rural areas to examine the effort of women organisations (NGOs) in improving environmental education and economic empowerment of people in rural area sin Oyo State, ... They lack funds, special training to improve their practical indigenous expertise and talents in local economies. Nearly ...

Intergovernmental organisation activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

This section treats of the following Intergovernmental organisation activities: 1 - European Atomic Energy Community: Non-legally binding instruments; International relations; 2 - International Atomic Energy Agency: Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS); Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (JC); The Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC); International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX); Legislative assistance activities; 3 - OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): GIF Framework Agreement extended for ten years; Technology Road-map: Nuclear Energy; Steering Committee Policy Debate: Health Effects of Low-dose Radiation

Exploring corporate social responsibility and organisational commitment within a retail organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerelene Soobramoney

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Organisations have difficulty retaining employees who have the necessary talent, skills and knowledge to give the company a competitive edge in a global market, thus emphasising the need for organisational commitment. The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility and organisational commitment within a South African retail organisation. Corporate social responsibility has a positive influence on consumer behaviour and can contribute to corporate success because CSR activities enhance an organisation’s image. Research has indicated that corporate social responsibility is related to an employee’s commitment. The Corporate Social Responsibility Scale and the Organisational Commitment Scale were administered to a non-probability sample of 171 employees from a population of 268 employees in the human resources department of a retail company. Person’s correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between corporate social responsibility and organisational commitment. This study provided insight into the corporate social responsibility of the organisation. Managers and practitioners in the human resources may use these findings for the development of corporate social responsibility policies and practices in order to build employee commitment

Organisational commitment and turnover intentions: evidence from Nigerian paramilitary organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dotun Olaleye Faloye

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study explores the empirical link between different dimensions of organizational commitment and turnover intentions on Nigeria paramilitary organisation. A literature review of organizational commitment and employee turnover provides the basis for the research hypotheses. Four research hypotheses were formulated and tested at 95% and 99% confidence level. The study adopted a survey research design. A self-administered questionnaire was used, involving 144 respondents from selected paramilitary organisation in Akure, Nigeria to collect data and testing the existing theory. Data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. In contrary to theory, the study revealed a weak positive relationship between organizational commitment dimensions (affective, continuance and normative and turnover intentions. The relationships are statistically significant expect the one between turnover intention and normative commitment which is statistically insignificant. The study concluded that the commitment of an employee to organisational goals, missions, and values is not enough to predict his/her stay in the organisation. There are other variables apart from organisational commitment that are predictor of employees’ intentions to quit. Thus, organisations should look beyond forces in their internal environment, when considering reduction in employee’s turnover intentions and the actual employee’s turnover.

Environmental Health Disparities in Housing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The physical infrastructure and housing make human interaction possible and provide shelter. How well that infrastructure performs and which groups it serves have important implications for social equity and health. Populations in inadequate housing are more likely to have environmental diseases and injuries. Substantial disparities in housing have remained largely unchanged. Approximately 2.6 million (7.5%) non-Hispanic Blacks and 5.9 million Whites (2.8%) live in substandard housing. Segregation, lack of housing mobility, and homelessness are all associated with adverse health outcomes. Yet the experience with childhood lead poisoning in the United States has shown that housing-related disparities can be reduced. Effective interventions should be implemented to reduce environmental health disparities related to housing. PMID:21551378

Environmental health indicators of climate change for the United States: findings from the State Environmental Health Indicator Collaborative.

Science.gov (United States)

English, Paul B; Sinclair, Amber H; Ross, Zev; Anderson, Henry; Boothe, Vicki; Davis, Christine; Ebi, Kristie; Kagey, Betsy; Malecki, Kristen; Shultz, Rebecca; Simms, Erin

2009-11-01

To develop public health adaptation strategies and to project the impacts of climate change on human health, indicators of vulnerability and preparedness along with accurate surveillance data on climate-sensitive health outcomes are needed. We researched and developed environmental health indicators for inputs into human health vulnerability assessments for climate change and to propose public health preventative actions. We conducted a review of the scientific literature to identify outcomes and actions that were related to climate change. Data sources included governmental and nongovernmental agencies and the published literature. Sources were identified and assessed for completeness, usability, and accuracy. Priority was then given to identifying longitudinal data sets that were applicable at the state and community level. We present a list of surveillance indicators for practitioners and policy makers that include climate-sensitive health outcomes and environmental and vulnerability indicators, as well as mitigation, adaptation, and policy indicators of climate change. A review of environmental health indicators for climate change shows that data exist for many of these measures, but more evaluation of their sensitivity and usefulness is needed. Further attention is necessary to increase data quality and availability and to develop new surveillance databases, especially for climate-sensitive morbidity.

How to manage organisational change and create practice teams: experiences of a South African primary care health centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Mash, B J; Mayers, P; Conradie, H; Orayn, A; Kuiper, M; Marais, J

2008-07-01

In South Africa, first-contact primary care is delivered by nurses in small clinics and larger community health centres (CHC). CHCs also employ doctors, who often work in isolation from the nurses, with poor differentiation of roles and little effective teamwork or communication. Worcester CHC, a typical public sector CHC in rural South Africa, decided to explore how to create more successful practice teams of doctors and nurses. This paper is based on their experience of both unsuccessful and successful attempts to introduce practice teams and reports on their learning regarding organisational change. An emergent action research study design utilised a co-operative inquiry group. The first nine months of inquiry focused on understanding the initial unsuccessful attempt to create practice teams. This paper reports primarily on the subsequent nine months (four cycles of planning, action, observation and reflection) during which practice teams were re-introduced. The central question was how more effective practice teams of doctors and nurses could be created. The group utilised outcome mapping to assist with planning, monitoring and evaluation. Outcome mapping defined a vision, mission, boundary partners, outcome challenges, progress markers and strategies for the desired changes and supported quantitative monitoring of the process. Qualitative data were derived from the co-operative inquiry group (CIG) meetings and interviews with doctors, nurses, practice teams and patients. The CIG engaged effectively with 68% of the planned strategies, and more than 60% of the progress markers were achieved for clinical nurse practitioners, doctors, support staff and managers, but not for patients. Key themes that emerged from the inquiry group's reflection on their experience of the change process dealt with the amount of interaction, type of communication, team resilience, staff satisfaction, leadership style, reflective capacity, experimentation and evolution of new

Targeting Environmental Quality to Improve Population Health ...

Science.gov (United States)

Key goals of health care reform are to stimulate innovative approaches to improve healthcare quality and clinical outcomes while holding down costs. To achieve these goals value-based payment places the needs of the patient first and encourages multi-stakeholder cooperation. Yet, the stakeholders are typically all within the healthcare system, e.g. the Accountable Care Organization or Patient-Centered Medical Home, leaving important contributors to the health of the population such as the public health and environmental health systems absent. And rarely is the quality of the environment regarded as a modifiable factor capable of imparting a health benefit. Underscoring this point, a PubMed search of the search terms “environmental quality” with “value-based payment”, “value-based healthcare” or “value-based reimbursement” returned no relevant articles, providing further evidence that the healthcare industry largely disregards the quality of the environment as a significant determinant of wellbeing and an actionable risk factor for clinical disease management and population health intervention. Yet, the quality of the environment is unequivocally related to indicators of population health including all-cause mortality. The EPA’s Environmental Quality Index (EQI) composed of five different domains (air, land use, water, built environment and social) has provided new estimates of the associations between environmental quality and health stat

The Developing Role of Evidence-Based Environmental Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surindar Dhesi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available There has been renewed recognition that proactive strategies and interventions can address the social determinants of health, and the environmental health profession is well placed to effect positive change in many of these determinants. This qualitative research has revealed differences in the perceptions, experiences, and understandings of evidence-based practice among public health professionals from different backgrounds across different services in health care and local government in England. The absence of a strong tradition of evidence-based practice in environmental health appears to be a disadvantage in securing funding and playing a full role, as it has become the expectation in the new public health system. This has, at times, resulted in tensions between professionals with different backgrounds and frustration on the part of environmental health practitioners, who have a tradition of responding quickly to new challenges and “getting on with the job.” There is generally a willingness to develop evidence-based practice in environmental health; however, this will take time and investment.

Photovoltaic energy technologies: Health and environmental effects document

Science.gov (United States)

Moskowitz, P. D.; Hamilton, L. D.; Morris, S. C.; Rowe, M. D.

1980-09-01

The potential health and environmental consequences of producing electricity by photovoltaic energy systems was analyzed. Potential health and environmental risks are identified in representative fuel and material supply cycles including extraction, processing, refining, fabrication, installation, operation, and isposal for four photovoltaic energy systems (silicon N/P single crystal, silicon metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) cell, cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide backwall cell, and gallium arsenide heterojunction cell) delivering equal amounts of useful energy. Each step of the fuel and material supply cycles, materials demands, byproducts, public health, occupational health, and environmental hazards is identified.

Organisational intelligence and distributed AI

OpenAIRE

Kirn, Stefan

1995-01-01

The analysis of this chapter starts from organisational theory, and from this it draws conclusions for the design, and possible organisational applications, of Distributed AI systems. We first review how the concept of organisations has emerged from non-organised black-box entities to so-called computerised organisations. Within this context, organisational researchers have started to redesign their models of intelligent organisations with respect to the availability of advanced computing tec...

Organisational Structure & Change

Science.gov (United States)

National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2006

2006-01-01

Structural change is seen as a way to meet the challenges of the future that face many organisations. While some writers agree that broad-ranging structural change may not always transform an organisation or enhance its performance, others claim that innovation will be a major source of competitive advantage to organisations, particularly when…

Corporate environmental strategy and responsiveness to external stakeholders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrama, Geerten

1997-01-01

Paper to be presented at the 13th EGOS Colloquium "Organisational Responses to Radical Environmental Changes", Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Budapest, July 3-5, 1997. Sub-theme 6: Responses to the Environmental Challenge in Organisation Studies.

The organisational stressors encountered by athletes with a disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Rachel; Wagstaff, Christopher R D; Steadman, Lauren; Pratt, Yasmin

2017-06-01

Organisational stressors have been found to be prevalent and problematic for sport performers, with research identifying demographic differences in the stressors encountered. Nevertheless, extant sport psychology research on the topic of stress has generally focused on able-bodied athletes; whilst that which has been conducted on performers with a disability has typically recruited relatively small samples to explore a narrow selection of organisational stressors, or examined other components of the stress process. The purpose of the present study was to explore the various organisational stressors that athletes with a disability encounter. The sample comprised 18 elite athletes with a disability (10 male, 8 female) who had a classified disability and experience of competing at a major championships in their sport (e.g., Paralympic Games, World Championships). Participants took part in a semi-structured interview which was analysed by drawing from grounded theory procedures. A total of 316 organisational stressors were identified, which were abstracted into 31 concepts and four, previously conceptualised, exploratory schemes: leadership and personnel issues, cultural and team issues, logistical and environmental issues, and performance and personal issues. This study not only provides the first illustration of the prevalence of organisational stressors for athletes with a disability, but also significantly points to salient similarities and distinct differences between the stress experiences of performers with and without a disability.

Influencing organisational change in the NHS: lessons learned from workplace wellness initiatives in practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, Holly; Lloyd, Scott

2008-01-01

This article presents a discussion of the key issues in influencing organisational change in NHS settings, in the development of workplace wellness interventions to improve employee health and wellbeing. To tackle poor public health and associated rising healthcare costs, there must be a focus on the root cause of many preventable diseases - unhealthy lifestyle choices. Workplace wellness initiatives are now an important prevention strategy adopted by socially responsible organisations to target the health and wellbeing of working age adults. Lessons learned from initiatives in secondary care suggest that effective implementation requires change in organisational 'health culture', through a combination of education, behaviour change intervention, needs-based facilities, and services and strategies for developing supportive and health-promoting work environments. Most of all, employers must demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness that is fully integrated with their mission, values and long-term vision, paving the way for sustainable lifestyle changes. Evaluation systems must be in place to measure the impact and outcomes of wellness schemes.

Organisational learning in professional discourses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Sedláček

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Authors of the paper discuss the concept of organisational learning. Theyrefer to a wide range of definitions and concepts, point out some differences from related or analogous concepts used, such as knowledge management and learning organisation. They note the discussions that relate to key topics. These discussions concern levels at which organisational learning can take place, the effect on behaviour organisational performance. The following section of this article presents organisational learning as a process and describes the stages of organisational learning. The purpose of the article is to provide an overview of efforts to define organisational learning, including criticism of the results of this effort. The last partis devoted to selected theories and empirical findings on organisational learning atschool. The authors stress the importance of organisational learning for schools asspecific organisations and express request to examine the processes of organisational learning in this context.

The effects of organisational culture on nurses' perceptions of their work.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Alessandra Bassalobre; Rocha, Fernanda Ludmilla Rossi; Pissinati, Paloma de Souza Cavalcante; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Camelo, Silvia Helena Henriques; Haddad, Maria do Carmo Fernandez Lourenço

2017-07-27

This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the organisational culture and feelings of pleasure and suffering among working nursing professionals. This was a cross-sectional correlational study conducted in a tertiary hospital with 214 nursing staff over 3 months using three instruments: professional characterisation, the Brazilian Instrument for Assessment of Organisational Culture, and the Scale of Pleasure and Suffering at Work. The analysis included descriptive statistics and the Spearman correlation test. The external integration practice was the domain most frequently found in the organisational culture and the feeling of pleasure-gratification predominated among the workers. Values of cooperative professionalism and wellbeing, and practices of external integration and relationship promotion, were related to increased pleasure and decreased suffering at work. These aspects depend on the organisational culture of the institution. Investigating organisational culture facilitates the understanding of potential collective coping strategies and the organisational changes that favour good mental health in nurses.

Environmental Health: Advancing Emancipatory Policies for the Common Good.

Science.gov (United States)

Valentine-Maher, Sarah K; Butterfield, Patricia G; Laustsen, Gary

Human health is substantially impacted by the state of the environment, and environmental degradation has a disproportionate impact on persons with less immediate access to financial and social power. This article calls for upstream nursing action to address the natural environment in order to turn about health injustices and improve health for all. Such action would move nursing towards a greater actualization of the nursing environmental domain. The health impacts of climate change, air and water quality, and toxic chemical exposure are substantiated and specific policy leadership recommendations are proposed. Recommended actions include work to build environmental health literacy and empowerment, advocacy for regulatory protection and enforcement, and environmental engagement within health care systems.

Children's environmental health: an under-recognised area in paediatric health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sly Peter D

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The knowledge that the environment in which we live, grow and play, can have negative or positive impacts on our health and development is not new. However the recognition that adverse environments can significantly and specifically affect the growth and development of a child from early intrauterine life through to adolescence, as well as impact their health later in adulthood, is relatively recent and has not fully reached health care providers involved in paediatric care. Over the past 15 years, world declarations and statements on children's rights, sustainable development, chemical safety and most recently climate change, have succeeded in cultivating a global focus on children's health and their right to a healthy environment. Many international calls for research in the area, have also been able to identify patterns of environmental diseases in children, assess children's exposures to many environmental toxicants, identify developmental periods of vulnerability, and quantify the cost benefits to public health systems and beyond, of addressing environmentally related diseases in children. Transferring this information to front-line health care providers and increasing their awareness about the global burden of disease attributed to the environment and children's especial vulnerability to environmental threats is the salient aim of this commentary.

Children's environmental health: an under-recognised area in paediatric health care

Science.gov (United States)

Gavidia, Tania G; Pronczuk de Garbino, Jenny; Sly, Peter D

2009-01-01

The knowledge that the environment in which we live, grow and play, can have negative or positive impacts on our health and development is not new. However the recognition that adverse environments can significantly and specifically affect the growth and development of a child from early intrauterine life through to adolescence, as well as impact their health later in adulthood, is relatively recent and has not fully reached health care providers involved in paediatric care. Over the past 15 years, world declarations and statements on children's rights, sustainable development, chemical safety and most recently climate change, have succeeded in cultivating a global focus on children's health and their right to a healthy environment. Many international calls for research in the area, have also been able to identify patterns of environmental diseases in children, assess children's exposures to many environmental toxicants, identify developmental periods of vulnerability, and quantify the cost benefits to public health systems and beyond, of addressing environmentally related diseases in children. Transferring this information to front-line health care providers and increasing their awareness about the global burden of disease attributed to the environment and children's especial vulnerability to environmental threats is the salient aim of this commentary. PMID:19196484

Trust in management, communication and organisational commitment: Factors influencing readiness for change management in organisation

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Mohd Hafis; Ismail, Syuhaida; Rani, Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd; Wahab, Mohammad Hussaini

2017-10-01

Organisational change occurs when an organisation makes a transition from its current state to some desired future state in minimising employee resistance and cost to the organisation while simultaneously maximising the effectiveness of the change effort. This paper, aims at appraising the change management of organisation in Malaysia since limited research has been done to examine readiness for change by the employees in the organisation. This paper is materialising its objectives of (1) investigating the current practice of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management and (2) assessing the factors influencing readiness of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management. It is found via literature review that change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are thoroughly and smoothly implemented to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations to a desired future state by focusing on the wider impacts of change, particularly on people, where change does not happen in isolation and it impacts the whole organisation. Furthermore, it is found that current practice of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management involved in three main factors, namely trust in management, communication and organisational commitment; with the factor for trust in management is the positive vision for the future by management team, meanwhile for communication, it is found that there is good communication between supervisors and employees about the organisation's policy toward the changes. The factor found in organisational commitment is employees enjoying discussing about their organisation with outsiders. The findings of this paper provide a positive impact on change management planning, which ultimately help in ensuring more effective change programme implementation in the organisation in Malaysia.

How the World Trade Organisation is shaping domestic policies in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, D; Pollock, A M; Shaoul, J

1999-11-27

High up on the agenda of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the privatisation of education, health, welfare, social housing and transport. The WTO's aim is to extend the free market in the provision of traditional public services. Governments in Europe and the US link the expansion of trade in public services to economic success, and with the backing of powerful medico-pharmaceutical, insurance, and service corporations, the race is on to capture the share of gross domestic product that governments currently spend on public services. They will open domestic European services and domestic markets to global competition by government procurement agreements, dispute-settlement procedures, and the investment rules of global financial institutions. The UK has already set up the necessary mechanisms: the introduction of private-sector accounting rules to public services; the funding of public-sector investment via private-public partnerships or the private finance initiative; and the change to capitation funding streams, which allows the substitution of private for public funds and services. We explain the implications of these changes for European public-health-care systems and the threat they pose to universal coverage, solidarity through risk-pooling, equity, comprehensive care, and democratic accountability.

Environmental Chemical Assessment in Clinical Practice: Unveiling the Elephant in the Room

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Bijlsma

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A growing body of evidence suggests chemicals present in air, water, soil, food, building materials and household products are toxicants that contribute to the many chronic diseases typically seen in routine medical practice. Yet, despite calls from numerous organisations to provide clinicians with more training and awareness in environmental health, there are multiple barriers to the clinical assessment of toxic environmental exposures. Recent developments in the fields of systems biology, innovative breakthroughs in biomedical research encompassing the “-omics” fields, and advances in mobile sensing, peer-to-peer networks and big data, provide tools that future clinicians can use to assess environmental chemical exposures in their patients. There is also a need for concerted action at all levels, including actions by individual patients, clinicians, medical educators, regulators, government and non-government organisations, corporations and the wider civil society, to understand the “exposome” and minimise the extent of toxic exposures on current and future generations. Clinical environmental chemical risk assessment may provide a bridge between multiple disciplines that uses new technologies to herald in a new era in personalised medicine that unites clinicians, patients and civil society in the quest to understand and master the links between the environment and human health.

Social determinants and lifestyles: integrating environmental and public health perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, H; White, P C L

2016-12-01

Industrialization and urbanization have been associated with an epidemiological transition, from communicable to non-communicable disease, and a geological transition that is moving the planet beyond the stable Holocene epoch in which human societies have prospered. The lifestyles of high-income countries are major drivers of these twin processes. Our objective is to highlight the common causes of chronic disease and environmental change and, thereby, contribute to shared perspectives across public health and the environment. Integrative reviews focused on social determinants and lifestyles as two 'bridging' concepts between the fields of public health and environmental sustainability. We drew on established frameworks to consider the position of the natural environment within social determinants of health (SDH) frameworks and the position of social determinants within environmental frameworks. We drew on evidence on lifestyle factors central to both public health and environmental change (mobility- and diet-related factors). We investigated how public health's focus on individual behaviour can be enriched by environmental perspectives that give attention to household consumption practices. While SDH frameworks can incorporate the biophysical environment, their causal structure positions it as a determinant and one largely separate from the social factors that shape it. Environmental frameworks are more likely to represent the environment and its ecosystems as socially determined. A few frameworks also include human health as an outcome, providing the basis for a combined public health/environmental sustainability framework. Environmental analyses of household impacts broaden public health's concern with individual risk behaviours, pointing to the more damaging lifestyles of high-income households. The conditions for health are being undermined by rapid environmental change. There is scope for frameworks reaching across public health and environmental

Organisational reporting and learning systems: Innovating inside and outside of the box.

Science.gov (United States)

Sujan, Mark; Furniss, Dominic

2015-01-01

Reporting and learning systems are key organisational tools for the management and prevention of clinical risk. However, current approaches, such as incident reporting, are struggling to meet expectations of turning health systems like the UK National Health Service (NHS) into learning organisations. This article aims to open up debate on the potential for novel reporting and learning systems in healthcare, by reflecting on experiences from two recent projects: Proactive Risk Monitoring in Healthcare (PRIMO) and Errordiary in Healthcare. These two approaches demonstrate how paying attention to ordinary, everyday clinical work can derive useful learning and active discussion about clinical risk. We argue that innovations in reporting and learning systems might come from both inside and outside of the box. 'Inside' being along traditional paths of controlled organisational innovation. 'Outside' in the sense that inspiration comes outside of the healthcare domain, or more extremely, outside official channels through external websites and social media (e.g. patient forums, public review sites, whistleblower blogs and Twitter streams). Reporting routes that bypass official channels could empower staff and patient activism, and turn out to be a driver to challenge organisational processes, assumptions and priorities where the organisation is failing and has become unresponsive.

EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONAL ABILITY OF PUBLIC ORGANISATIONS

OpenAIRE

Florescu Margareta

2012-01-01

The quality of the results of a project or a public programme, as well as the quality of project management consist in management process performance.This analysis tool promotes the idea of initiating a new organisational/functional policy – organisational tools regarding project management, a new standard concerning the complexity of the project and the associated risk, as well as a new standard concerning the project management organisational/functional ability. Political decision makers,...

Regional Geographic Information Systems of Health and Environmental Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurolap Semen A.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes a new scientific and methodological approach to designing geographic information systems of health and environmental monitoring for urban areas. Geographic information systems (GIS are analytical tools of the regional health and environmental monitoring; they are used for an integrated assessment of the environmental status of a large industrial centre or a part of it. The authors analyse the environmental situation in Voronezh, a major industrial city, located in the Central Black Earth Region with a population of more than 1 million people. The proposed research methodology is based on modern approaches to the assessment of health risks caused by adverse environmental conditions. The research work was implemented using a GIS and multicriteria probabilistic and statistical evaluation to identify cause-and-effect links, a combination of action and reaction, in the dichotomy ‘environmental factors — public health’. The analysis of the obtained statistical data confirmed an increase in childhood diseases in some areas of the city. Environmentally induced diseases include congenital malformations, tumors, endocrine and urogenital pathologies. The main factors having an adverse impact on health are emissions of carcinogens into the atmosphere and the negative impact of transport on the environment. The authors identify and characterize environmentally vulnerable parts of the city and developed principles of creating an automated system of health monitoring and control of environmental risks. The article offers a number of measures aimed at the reduction of environmental risks, better protection of public health and a more efficient environmental monitoring.

Linking Environmental Sustainability, Health, and Safety Data in Health Care: A Research Roadmap.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Susan B; Forst, Linda

2017-08-01

Limited but growing evidence demonstrates that environmental sustainability in the health-care sector can improve worker and patient health and safety. Yet these connections are not appreciated or understood by decision makers in health-care organizations or oversight agencies. Several studies demonstrate improvements in quality of care, staff satisfaction, and work productivity related to environmental improvements in the health-care sector. A pilot study conducted by the authors found that already-collected data could be used to evaluate impacts of environmental sustainability initiatives on worker and patient health and safety, yet few hospitals do so. Future research should include a policy analysis of laws that could drive efforts to integrate these areas, elucidation of organizational models that promote sharing of environmental and health and safety data, and development of tools and methods to enable systematic linkage and evaluation of these data to expand the evidence base and improve the hospital environment.

Investigating supply chain sustainability in South African organisations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabrielle Niehaus

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The need for sustainable supply chain management has become a necessity given the growing impact of climate change and global warming. The South African (SA government is planning to implement a carbon tax in the future, which will present financial challenges for organisations already facing social and environmental difficulties. Objectives: The main objective of this article was to investigate the current sustainability reporting practices in supply chains of SA organisations. The focus was specifically on the supply chain sustainability practices of organisations listed in selected sectors on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE. A secondary objective was to investigate preparation efforts by SA companies for the impending carbon tax. Method: Data collected from sustainability and integrated annual reports of organisations in the sample were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests to compare sectors on the JSE and to compare companies listed on the socially responsible investment (SRI Index with those that are not. Results: The results showed that there is insufficient data for some of the sectors; however, there are differences in the supply chain and sustainability practices for the remaining sectors. There are also differences in these practices between SRI and non-SRI companies. The research also showed that companies are discussing important concepts relating to the implementation of the impending carbon tax. Research impact: SA organisations need to increase their focus on sustainable supply chain practices. Further investigation into the preparation efforts of companies to reduce their emissions and/or footprint and mitigate the impact of the impending carbon tax is necessary.

Declining subscriptions to the Maliando Mutual Health Organisation in Guinea-Conakry (West Africa): what is going wrong?

Science.gov (United States)

Criel, Bart; Waelkens, Maria Pia

2003-10-01

Mutual Health Organisations (MHOs) are a type of community health insurance scheme that are being developed and promoted in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1998, an MHO was organised in a rural district of Guinea to improve access to quality health care. Households paid an annual insurance fee of about US$2 per individual. Contributions were voluntary. The benefit package included free access to all first line health care services (except for a small co-payment), free paediatric care, free emergency surgical care and free obstetric care at the district hospital. Also included were part of the cost of emergency transport to the hospital. In 1998, the MHO covered 8% of the target population, but, by 1999, the subscription rate had dropped to about 6%. In March 2000, focus groups were held with members and non-members of the scheme to find out why subscription rates were so low. The research indicated that a failure to understand the scheme does not explain these low rates. On the contrary, the great majority of research subjects, members and non-members alike, acquired a very accurate understanding of the concepts and principles underlying health insurance. They value the system's re-distributive effects, which goes beyond household, next of kin or village. The participants accurately point out the sharp differences that exist between traditional financial mechanisms and the principle of health insurance, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both. The ease with which risk-pooling is accepted as a financial mechanism which addresses specific needs demonstrates that it is not, per se, necessary to build health insurance schemes on existing or traditional systems of mutual aid. The majority of the participants consider the individual premium of 2 US dollars to be fair. There is, however, a problem of affordability for many poor and/or large families who cannot raise enough money to pay the subscription for all household members in one go. However, the main reason for

Integrating health and environmental impact analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, S; Morris, G; Fleming, L E; Beck, S; Taylor, T; White, M; Depledge, M H; Steinle, S; Sabel, C E; Cowie, H; Hurley, F; Dick, J McP; Smith, R I; Austen, M

2015-10-01

Scientific investigations have progressively refined our understanding of the influence of the environment on human health, and the many adverse impacts that human activities exert on the environment, from the local to the planetary level. Nonetheless, throughout the modern public health era, health has been pursued as though our lives and lifestyles are disconnected from ecosystems and their component organisms. The inadequacy of the societal and public health response to obesity, health inequities, and especially global environmental and climate change now calls for an ecological approach which addresses human activity in all its social, economic and cultural complexity. The new approach must be integral to, and interactive, with the natural environment. We see the continuing failure to truly integrate human health and environmental impact analysis as deeply damaging, and we propose a new conceptual model, the ecosystems-enriched Drivers, Pressures, State, Exposure, Effects, Actions or 'eDPSEEA' model, to address this shortcoming. The model recognizes convergence between the concept of ecosystems services which provides a human health and well-being slant to the value of ecosystems while equally emphasizing the health of the environment, and the growing calls for 'ecological public health' as a response to global environmental concerns now suffusing the discourse in public health. More revolution than evolution, ecological public health will demand new perspectives regarding the interconnections among society, the economy, the environment and our health and well-being. Success must be built on collaborations between the disparate scientific communities of the environmental sciences and public health as well as interactions with social scientists, economists and the legal profession. It will require outreach to political and other stakeholders including a currently largely disengaged general public. The need for an effective and robust science-policy interface has

The TERRA framework: conceptualizing rural environmental health inequities through an environmental justice lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Butterfield, Patricia; Postma, Julie

2009-01-01

The deleterious consequences of environmentally associated diseases are expressed differentially by income, race, and geography. Scientists are just beginning to understand the consequences of environmental exposures under conditions of poverty, marginalization, and geographic isolation. In this context, we developed the TERRA (translational environmental research in rural areas) framework to explicate environmental health risks experienced by the rural poor. Central to the TERRA framework is the premise that risks exist within physical-spatial, economic-resources, and cultural-ideologic contexts. In the face of scientific and political uncertainty, a precautionary risk reduction approach has the greatest potential to protect health. Conceptual and technical advances will both be needed to achieve environmental justice.

Celebrity-led development organisations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Budabin, Alexandra Cosima; Rasmussen, Louise Mubanda; Richey, Lisa Ann

2017-01-01

The past decade has seen a frontier open up in international development engagement with the entrance of new actors such as celebrity-led organisations. We explore how such organisations earn legitimacy with a focus on Madonna’s Raising Malawi and Ben Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. The study...... for funding, endorsements, and expertise. We argue that the ways in which celebrity-led organisations establish themselves as legitimate development actors illustrate broader dynamics of the machinery of development.......The past decade has seen a frontier open up in international development engagement with the entrance of new actors such as celebrity-led organisations. We explore how such organisations earn legitimacy with a focus on Madonna’s Raising Malawi and Ben Affleck’s Eastern Congo Initiative. The study...... draws from organisational materials, interviews, mainstream news coverage, and the texts of the celebrities themselves to investigate the construction of authenticity, credibility, and accountability. We find these organisations earn legitimacy and flourish rapidly amid supportive elite networks...

Organisational Learning and Organisational Memory for SMS and FRMS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koornneef, F.; Stewart, S.; Akselsson, R.; Ward, M.

2009-01-01

Chapter 1: Organisational Learning and Organisational Memory for SMS and FRMS The European Commission HILAS project (Human Integration into theLifecycle of Aviation Systems - a project supported by the European Commission’s 6th Framework between 2005-2009) was focused on using human factors

Integrating medical and environmental sociology with environmental health: crossing boundaries and building connections through advocacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Phil

2013-06-01

This article reviews the personal and professional processes of developing an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex issues of environmental health in their community, political-economic, social science, and scientific contexts. This interdisciplinary approach includes a synthesis of research, policy work, and advocacy. To examine multiple forms of interdisciplinarity, I examine pathways of integrating medical and environmental sociology via three challenges to the boundaries of traditional research: (1) crossing the boundaries of medical and environmental sociology, (2) linking social science and environmental health science, and (3) crossing the boundary of research and advocacy. These boundary crossings are discussed in light of conceptual and theoretical developments of popular epidemiology, contested illnesses, and health social movements. This interdisciplinary work offers a more comprehensive sociological lens for understanding complex problems and a practical ability to join with scientists, activists, and officials to meet public health needs for amelioration and prevention of environmental health threats.

Reconciliation with environmental quality and public health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malmlund, Anna

2010-12-01

This report is an appendix to the 'Environmental Impact Assessment - Interim storage, encapsulation and disposal of spent nuclear fuel'. The report makes a reconciliation with how the national and regional environmental quality and public health objectives are met in the construction, operation and decommissioning of the encapsulation plant and final disposal facility, and the Clink (encapsulation facility combined with CLAB). The starting point for reconciliation is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This report provides reconciliations against how the environmental and health objectives are met. A more detailed description of the business and its environmental impacts is provided in the EIA.The disposal facility is planned to be constructed in Forsmark municipality, Oesthammar and the encapsulation is constructed, combined with CLAB, in Simpevarp in Oskarshamn municipality

Case studies on age-management in organisations: report on organisational case studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Punte, E.; Conen, W.S.; Schippers, J.; Henkens, C.J.I.M.

2011-01-01

The acquisition of case studies was thwarted by the economic crisis and the feeling of being ‘over-researched’ by potential organisations. Although organisations in some sectors (e.g. chemical manufacturing) reported the worst part of the economic crisis was behind, many organisations indicated

Organisational justice and markers of inflammation: the Whitehall II study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elovainio, Marko; Ferrie, Jane E; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Gimeno, David; De Vogli, Roberto; Shipley, Martin; Vahtera, Jussi; Brunner, Eric; Marmot, Michael G; Kivimäki, Mika

2010-02-01

Low organisational justice has been shown to be associated with increased risk of various health problems, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We tested whether organisational injustice contributes to chronic inflammation in a population of middle-aged men and women. This prospective cohort study uses data from 3205 men and 1204 women aged 35-55 years at entry into the Whitehall II study (phase 1, 1985-1988). Organisational justice perceptions were assessed at phase 1 and phase 2 (1989-1990) and circulating inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 at phase 3 (1991-1993) and phase 7 (2003-2004). In men, low organisational justice was associated with increased CRP levels at both follow-ups (phase 3 and 7) and increased IL-6 at the second follow-up (phase 7). The long term (phase 7) associations were largely independent of covariates, such as age, employment grade, body mass index and depressive symptoms. In women, no relationship was found between organisational justice and CRP or IL-6. This study suggests that organisational injustice is associated with increased long-term levels of inflammatory markers among men.

The contribution of community leadership upon the performance of mutual health organisations in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Adomah-Afari, Augustine

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of social dynamics on the performance of mutual health organisations (MHOs) exploring the influence of community wealth and community leadership on policy implementation. Four operating district mutual health insurance schemes were selected using geographical locations, among other criteria, as case studies. Data were gathered through interviews and documentary review. The findings were analysed using community field and social capital theories. Traditional leaders like the Chiefs serve as the pivot around which social and human capital of the communities revolve in the developmental process of the country. Lack of exhaustive examination of the financial and institutional viability issues of the MHOs. Future studies could assess the interplay between financial, institutional and social viability models when measuring the financial and overall sustainability of MHOs. Health policy makers need to involve traditional leaders in the formulation and implementation of national policies since their acceptance or rejection of central government policy could have negative consequences. Ghana is a dynamic country and there is the need to utilise existing social networks: inter-family and inter-tribal relationships to ensure the viability of MHOs. There is and can be a successful interplay between public sector funding and community sector revenue mobilisation for financing the health sector in Ghana. This justifies the complementarity between government funding and community's resource mobilisation efforts in the health sector.

Team sport in organisations: the Development of a scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YT Joubert

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to develop an organisational team sport scale (OTSS. A series of projects was undertaken before the development of this organisational team sport scale. The initial phase, which consisted of a qualitative study, was done to get an in-depth understanding of how employees perceive organisational team sport interventions in their organisations through focus group interviews and individual interviews (n = 72 and through the literature review. In phase 2, information obtained from phase 1 was used to develop a scale which consisted of 53 items. In phase 3, a total of 209 respondents completed the scale. The number of items was reduced to 52 through principal component analyses and a five-factor structure was suggested. The final version of the OTSS contains 52 items that assess coping skills or achieve goals, relationships among participants, physical activity and health, benefits of sport for the organisation and work/life balance. Specific issues with regard to the five-factor structure are discussed and suggestions for future research are made. The findings of this study will contribute valuable new knowledge to the literature on the development of the OTSS.

Prioritizing environmental issues around the world: opinions from an international Central and Eastern European environmental health conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Craft, Elena S; Donnelly, Kirby C; Neamtiu, Iulia; McCarty, Kathleen M; Bruce, Erica; Surkova, Irina; Kim, David; Uhnakova, Iveta; Gyorffy, Erika; Tesarova, Eva; Anderson, Beth

2006-12-01

As the next generation of scientists enters the field of environmental health, it is imperative that they view their contributions in the context of global environmental stewardship. In this commentary, a group of international graduate students facilitated by three experienced environmental health scientists present their views on what they consider to be the global environmental health concerns of today. This group convened initially in October 2004 at an international health conference in Prague, Czech Republic. In this report we identify perceived environmental health concerns that exist around the world, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Additionally, we address these perceived problems and offers some potential solutions. At the meeting, students were invited to participate in two panel discussions. One group of young international scientists identified several significant global environmental health concerns, including air pollution, occupational hazards, and risk factors that may exacerbate current environmental health issues. The second panel determined that communication, education, and regulation were the mechanisms for addressing current environmental challenges. In this commentary we expand on the views presented at the meeting and represent the concerns of young investigators from nine different countries. We provide ideas about and support the exchange of information between developed and developing countries on how to handle the environmental health challenges that face the world today.

Bibliometric trends of South African environmental health articles ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Web of Science, PubMed and Science Direct were used to search for original, ... environmental health lifestyle and behaviour-related topics (n=42) and then water ... This makes it extremely difficult for environmental health research to be ...

An Introductory Lesson to Environmental Health: Media Analysis and Risk Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Ratnapradipa, Dhitinut; Rhodes, Darson L.

2010-01-01

This activity is designed to provide students with an overview of environmental health and to encourage them to think critically about how they can minimize their potential negative health impacts from environmental exposures. Objectives: Students will (a) define environmental health, (b) analyze media wherein environmental health issues are…

Effectiveness of organisational infrastructures to promote evidence-based nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Flodgren, Gerd; Rojas-Reyes, Maria Ximena; Cole, Nick; Foxcroft, David R

2012-02-15

Nurses and midwives form the bulk of the clinical health workforce and play a central role in all health service delivery. There is potential to improve health care quality if nurses routinely use the best available evidence in their clinical practice. Since many of the factors perceived by nurses as barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) lie at the organisational level, it is of interest to devise and assess the effectiveness of organisational infrastructures designed to promote EBP among nurses. To assess the effectiveness of organisational infrastructures in promoting evidence-based nursing. We searched the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, BIREME, IBECS, NHS Economic Evaluations Database, Social Science Citation Index, Science Citation Index and Conference Proceedings Citation Indexes up to 9 March 2011.We developed a new search strategy for this update as the strategy published in 2003 omitted key terms. Additional search methods included: screening reference lists of relevant studies, contacting authors of relevant papers regarding any further published or unpublished work, and searching websites of selected research groups and organisations.  We considered randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, interrupted times series (ITSs) and controlled before and after studies of an entire or identified component of an organisational infrastructure intervention aimed at promoting EBP in nursing. The participants were all healthcare organisations comprising nurses, midwives and health visitors. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. For the ITS analysis, we reported the change in the slopes of the regression lines, and the change in the level effect of the outcome at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months follow-up. We included one study from the USA (re-analysed as

Integrated care in the daily work: coordination beyond organisational boundaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrakou, Alexandra

2009-07-09

In this paper, integrated care in an inter-organisational cooperative setting of in-home elderly care is studied. The aim is to explore how home care workers coordinate their daily work, identify coordination issues in situ and discuss possible actions for supporting seamless and integrated elderly care at home. The empirical findings are drawn from an ethnographic workplace study of the cooperation and coordination taking place between home care workers in a Swedish county. Data were collected through observational studies, interviews and group discussions. The paper identifies a need to support two core issues. Firstly, it must be made clear how the care interventions that are currently defined as 'self-treatment' by the home health care should be divided. Secondly, the distributed and asynchronous coordination between all care workers involved, regardless of organisational belonging must be better supported. Integrated care needs to be developed between organisations as well as within each organisation. As a matter of fact, integrated care needs to be built up beyond organisational boundaries. Organisational boundaries affect the planning of the division of care interventions, but not the coordination during the home care process. During the home care process, the main challenge is the coordination difficulties that arise from the fact that workers are distributed in time and/or space, regardless of organisational belonging. A core subject for future practice and research is to develop IT tools that reach beyond formal organisational boundaries and processes while remaining adaptable in view of future structure changes.

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toppari, J.; Larsen, John Christian; Christiansen, Pia

1996-01-01

environmental contaminants and natural factors possess estrogenic activity presents the working hypothesis that the adverse trends in male reproductive health may be, at least in part, associated with exposure to estrogenic or other hormonally active (e.g., antiandrogenic) environmental chemicals during fetal...

Organisational skills and tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Wicker, Paul

2009-04-01

While this article mainly applies to practitioners who have responsibilities for leading teams or supervising practitioners, many of the skills and tools described here may also apply to students or junior practitioners. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the main points about organisation, some of the organisational skills and tools that are available, and some examples of how these skills and tools can be used to make practitioners more effective at organising their workload. It is important to realise that organising work and doing work are two completely different things and shouldn't be mixed up. For example, it would be very difficult to start organising work in the middle of a busy operating list: the organisation of the work must come before the work starts and therefore preparation is often an important first step in organising work. As such, some of the tools and skills described in this article may need to be used hours or even days prior to the actual work taking place.

Can environmental purchasing reduce mercury in U.S. health care?

OpenAIRE

Eagan, Patrick D; Kaiser, Barb

2002-01-01

Environmental purchasing represents an innovative approach to mercury control for the health care sector in the United States. The U.S. health care sector creates significant environmental impacts, including the release of toxic substances such as mercury. Our goal in this study was to provide the health care industry with a method of identifying the environmental impacts associated with the products they use. The Health Care Environmental Purchasing Tool (HCEPT) was developed and tested at n...

An assessment of residential exposure to environmental noise at a shipping port.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Enda; King, Eoin A

2014-02-01

The World Health Organisation has recently acknowledged that contrary to the trend for other environmental stressors, noise exposure is increasing in Europe. However, little research has been conducted on environmental noise exposure to handling activity at shipping ports. This paper reports on research examining the extent of noise exposure for residents within the vicinity of Dublin Port, Ireland using the nation's largest port terminal as a proxy for port noise. In order to assess the level of exposure in the area, long-term measurements were undertaken at the most exposed residential façade for a period of 45days to determine the extent of night-time exposure that was above levels recommended by the World Health Organisation. The indicators L90, Leq and LMax were used to determine exposure levels. The results show that exposure is above night-time guideline limits set down by the WHO, above Irish levels for the assessment of noise mitigation and highlight the extent to which port noise can be a significant environmental stressor. The research also investigated the extent of low-frequency noise (which is associated with greater health issues) from night-time port handling activity and found a significant low-frequency component indicating the negative health issues that might arise from port noise exposure more generally. We also undertook semi-structured interviews with residents to qualitatively assess the self-reported impact of prolonged night-time noise exposure for local residents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modern environmental health hazards: a public health issue of increasing significance in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Nweke, Onyemaechi C; Sanders, William H

2009-06-01

Traditional hazards such as poor sanitation currently account for most of Africa's environmentally related disease burden. However, with rapid development absent appropriate safeguards for environment and health, modern environmental health hazards (MEHHs) may emerge as critical contributors to the continent's disease burden. We review recent evidence of human exposure to and health effects from MEHHs, and their occurrence in environmental media and consumer products. Our purpose is to highlight the growing significance of these hazards as African countries experience urbanization, industrial growth, and development. We reviewed published epidemiologic, exposure, and environmental studies of chemical agents such as heavy metals and pesticides. The body of evidence demonstrates ongoing environmental releases of MEHHs and human exposures sometimes at toxicologically relevant levels. Several sources of MEHHs in environmental media have been identified, including natural resource mining and processing and automobile exhaust. Biomonitoring studies provided direct evidence of human exposure to metals such as mercury and lead and pesticides such as p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and organophosphates. Land and water resource pollution and industrial air toxics are areas of significant data gaps, notwithstanding the presence of several emitting sources. Unmitigated MEHH releases and human exposure have implications for Africa's disease burden. For Africans encumbered by conditions such as malnutrition that impair resilience to toxicologic challenges, the burden may be higher. A shift in public health policy toward accommodating the emerging diversity in Africa's environmental health issues is necessary to successfully alleviate the burden of avoidable ill health and premature death for all its communities now and in the future.

Learning organisations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina Jelenc Krašovec

2000-12-01

Full Text Available A vast array of economical, social, political, cultural and other factors influences the transformed role of learning and education in the society, as well as the functioning of local community and its social and communication patterns. The influences which are manifested as global problems can only be successfully solved on the level of local community. Analogously with the society in general, there is a great need of transforming a local community into a learning, flexible and interconnected environment which takes into account different interests, wishes and needs regarding learning and being active. The fundamental answer to changes is the strategy of lifelong learning and education which requires reorganisation of all walks of life (work, free time, family, mass media, culture, sport, education and transforming of organisations into learning organisations. With learning society based on networks of knowledge individuals are turning into learning individuals, and organisations into learning organisations; people who learn take the responsibility of their progress, learning denotes partnership among learning people, teachers, parents, employers and local community, so that they work together to achieve better results.

Investigating cyberloafing, organisational justice, work engagement and organisational trust of South African retail and manufacturing employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adele Oosthuizen

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Understanding cyberloafing, organisational justice, work engagement and organisational trust will lead organisations to develop strategies to counter the consequences of cyberloafing. Research purpose: This research explored the relationships between cyberloafing, organisational justice, work engagement and organisational trust among South African office workers in the retail and manufacturing industry. Motivation for the study: Cyberloafing, a prevalent way for office employees to engage in non-work-related activities during work time, is considered harmful to organisations. Limited research exists about the relationship between cyberloafing and organisational justice, organisational trust and work engagement within South Africa. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative research design was followed. Questionnaires were administered in the South African retail and manufacturing industry; a convenient sample of N = 224 was obtained. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, structural equation modelling and bootstrapping were used for data analysis. Main findings: Organisational justice was positively related to organisational trust while organisational trust was positively related to work engagement; work engagement related negatively to cyberloafing. Organisational trust mediated the relationship between organisational justice and work engagement while work engagement mediated the relationship between organisational trust and cyberloafing. Practical and managerial implications: Strategies can be developed to enhance and warrant perceptions of organisational justice and fairness that will increase trust levels, leading to higher work engagement and decreased cyberloafing behaviour and resulting in higher productivity. Contribution or value-add: The research revealed that when employees perceive their organisations as being fair, organisational trust will increase, leading to heightened work

Identifying organisational principles and management practices important to the quality of health care services for chronic conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frølich, Anne

2012-01-01

are limited, it is necessary to identify efficient methods to improve the quality of care. Comparing health care systems is a well-known method for identifying new knowledge regarding, for instance, organisational methods and principles. Kaiser Permanente (KP), an integrated health care delivery system...... in the U.S., is recognized as providing high-quality chronic care; to some extent, this is due to KP's implementation of the chronic care model (CCM). This model recommends a range of evidence-based management practices that support the implementation of evidence-based medicine. However, it is not clear...... which management practices in the CCM are most efficient and in what combinations. In addition, financial incentives and public reporting of performance are often considered effective at improving the quality of health care services, but this has not yet been definitively proved....