Work : a journal of prevention, assessment, and rehabilitation
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This study aimed to evaluate the criterion validity and the diagnostic accuracy of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) regarding the identification of depressive and anxiety disorders in an insurance medicine setting. ⋯ Although the 4DSQ shows good criterion validity and diagnostic accuracy with respect to depressive and anxiety disorders in applicants for a work disability benefit due to mental health problems, the feasibility of the 4DSQ as a screening measure for depressive and anxiety disorders is limited due to the high prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders.
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'Safety culture' is identified in the literature as a critical element of healthy and safe workplaces. How can rail organizations ensure that consistently effective work health and safety cultures are maintained across the diversity of their operations? This paper reports on research that is currently underway in the Australian rail industry aimed at producing a Model of Best Practice in Safety Culture for the industry. Located in rail organizations dedicated to the mining industry as well as urban rail and national freight operations, the research examines the constructs of organizational culture that impact on the development and maintenance of healthy and safe workplaces. ⋯ The research uses as its analytical framework the 10 Platinum Rules, from the findings of earlier research in the New South Wales (Australia) mining industry, Digging Deeper. Data collection is underway at the time of writing and preliminary findings are presented at this stage. The research method may be adapted for use as a form of organizational review of safety and health in organizational culture.
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The study objectives were to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire, a health-related work outcome measure, into Dutch and to assess the questionnaire's reliability and validity in the Dutch context (WRFQ-DV). ⋯ The results indicate that the cross-cultural adaptation of the WRFQ-DV was successful and that the psychometric properties of the translated version are promising.
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The proliferation of portable communication and entertainment devices has introduced new dangers to the driving environment, particularly for young and inexperienced drivers. Graduate students from George Mason University illustrate a powerful, practical, and cost-effective program that has been successful in educating these drivers on the dangers of texting while driving, which can easily be adapted and implemented in other communities.
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This study examined the rate of return to work, and to find demographic, clinical and functional factors associated with successful re-employment after in-patient rehabilitation. ⋯ This result re-affirmed the importance of functional status to the success of return-to-work in Singapore. Further qualitative studies might be useful in exploring the social or environmental factors affecting return-to-work outcomes.