This anthology provides readers of scientific literature on socioeconomic factors and working conditions with the newest knowledge in this field. Since our world is subjected to constant change in accelerating speed, scientific reviews and updates are needed. Fortunately, research methodology in epidemiology, physiology, psychology and sociology is also developing rapidly and therefore the scientific community can provide politicians and policy makers with increasingly sophisticated and exact descriptions of societal factors in relation to work. The anthology starts in the macro level sphere – with international perspectives and reviews related to working conditions in relation to political change (the fall of the Soviet Union) gender, age, precarious employment, national economy and retirement. Two chapters relate to national policies and activities in international organizations. The second part of the book relates to the meso level sphere – with reviews on social patterns in distributions of psychosocial and physical risks at work in general as well as reviews on noise, shift work, under/overemployment, occupational physical activity, job intensity (which may be a particularly important problem in low income countries), digitization in modern work, climate change, childhood determinants of occupational health in adult years and theoretical models currently used in occupational epidemiology - demand/control, effort/reward, organizational justice, psychosocial safety climate, conflicts, bullying/harassment. This part of the book ends with two chapters on interventions (one chapter on the use of cultural interventions and one on interventions and their evaluation in general) and two chapters on financial aspects of poor/good work environments and evaluations of interventions. In the third part of the book the micro level is addressed. Here mechanisms translating working conditions into physiology are discussed. This starts in general theory relating basic theories regarding energy storage and release to psychosocial theory (extension of demand control theory). It also includes regeneration physiology, autonomic nervous system function, immunology and adverse behaviour. Sections in the Handbook: Macro-level determinants of occupational health: Akizumi Tsutsumi, Meso-level determinants of occupational health: Morten Wahrendorf and Jian Li, Micro-level determinants of occupational health: Bradley J. Wright

Explains employers' legal duties to assess risks associated with shift work. This book aims to improve understanding of shift work and its impact on health and safety. It is suitable for employers, safety representatives, trade union officials, employees, regulators and other stakeholders.

Including international comparative analysis alongside national case studies, this volume offers a wealth of information on the new trends which have emerged over the past decades - all of which were discussed at the recent 9th International Symposium on Working Time, Paris (2004). It looks at the increasing use of results-based employment relationships for managers and professionals, and the increasing fragmentation of time to more closely tailor staffing needs to customer requirements (e.g., short-hours, part-time work). Moreover, as operating/opening hours rapidly expand toward a 24-hour and 7-day economy, the book considers how this has resulted in a growing diversification, decentralization, and individualization of working hours, as well as an increasing tension between enterprises' business requirements and workers' needs and preferences regarding their hours. This new reality has raised some other challenging issues as well and the volume addresses those such as increasing employment insecurity and instability, time-related social inequalities, particularly in relation to gender, workers' ability to balance their paid work with their personal lives, and even the synchronization of working hours with social times, such as community activities.

Implementing safety practices in healthcare saves lives and improves the quality of care: it is therefore vital to apply good clinical practices, such as the WHO surgical checklist, to adopt the most appropriate measures for the prevention of assistance-related risks, and to identify the potential ones using tools such as reporting & learning systems. The culture of safety in the care environment and of human factors influencing it should be developed from the beginning of medical studies and in the first years of professional practice, in order to have the maximum impact on clinicians' and nurses' behavior. Medical errors tend to vary with the level of proficiency and experience, and this must be taken into account in adverse events prevention. Human factors assume a decisive importance in resilient organizations, and an understanding of risk control and containment is fundamental for all medical and surgical specialties. This open access book offers recommendations and examples of how to improve patient safety by changing practices, introducing organizational and technological innovations, and creating effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care systems, in order to spread the quality and patient safety culture among the new generation of healthcare professionals, and is intended for residents and young professionals in different clinical specialties.

This book examines some of the more disturbing representations of nurses in popular culture, to understand nursing’s complex identities, challenges and future directions. It critically analyses disquieting representations of nurses who don’t care, who kill, who inspire fear or who do not comply with laws and policies. Also addressed are stories about how power is used, as well as supernatural experiences in nursing. Using a series of examples taken from popular culture ranging from film, television and novels to memoirs and true crime podcasts, it interrogates the meaning of the shadow side of nursing and the underlying paradoxes that influence professional identity. Iconic nursing figures are still powerful today. Decades after they were first created, Ratched and Annie Wilkes continue to make readers and viewers shudder at the prospect of ever being ill. Modern storytelling modes are bringing to audiences the grim reality that some nurses are members of the working poor, like Cath Hardacre in Trust Me, and others can be dangerous con artists, like the nurse in Dirty John. This book is important reading for all those interested in understanding the links between nursing’s image and the profession’s potential as an agent for change.

Circadian rhythms, the biological oscillations based around our 24-hour clock, have a profound effect on human physiology and healthy cellular function. Circadian Rhythms: Health and Disease is a wide-ranging foundational text that provides students and researchers with valuable information on the molecular and genetic underpinnings of circadian rhythms and looks at the impacts of disruption in our biological clocks in health and disease. Circadian Rhythms opens with chapters that lay the fundamental groundwork on circadian rhythm biology. Section II looks at the impact of circadian rhythms on major organ systems. Section III then turns its focus to the central nervous system. The book then closes with a look at the role of biological rhythms in aging and neurodegeneration. Written in an accessible and informative style, Circadian Rhythms: Health and Disease,will be an invaluable resource and entry point into this fascinating interdisciplinary field that brings together aspects of neuroscience, cell and molecular biology, and physiology.

In recent years, an increasing awareness of the fact that shiftwork may have many negative effects on the workers has been perceptible. Managers, unions, health practitioners and politicians should have a basic understanding of the possible effects of shiftwork on well-being, health, social life, performance and accidents. In this book, four prominent European shiftwork researchers not only present current information on all these problems, but also offer practical solutions to reduce their amount. These solutions have been tested in many organisations in industry and the service sector.

A new public policy initiative is proposed, or a large-scale construction project. What is its potential impact on the health of the population? Are there adverse effects to address, health benefits to be promoted, some combination of both? A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a cross-disciplinary means of answering these and other complex questions, so programs, projects, or policies can be adjusted accordingly. Health Impact Assessment in the United States analyzes the goals, tools, and methods of HIA, and the competencies that are central to establishing best practices. It sets out the core principles that differentiate HIA from environmental and similar assessments, fleshing them out with case examples from the U.S. and abroad. Details of each step of the HIA process take follow-through into account, giving readers insights into not only collecting and evaluating data, but also communicating findings effectively to decision-makers and stakeholders. The book's expert coverage includes: The importance of HIA to policy development. Introduction to public health, community planning, and health assessment. Overview of the core concepts of HIA, with illustrative examples. Step-by-step guide to conducting an HIA, from screening to evaluation. Emerging technologies shaping HIA tools and procedures. Appendices featuring sample assessment sections and other resources. The HIA has an increasingly vital place in the future of health-related policy, making Health Impact Assessment in the United States a valued manual and critical ideabook for students and practitioners in public health, public policy, urban planning, and community planning. “This book charts the growth of HIA in the United States, and provides invaluable guidance on conducting HIAs and utilizing their results. Very highly recommended.” Howard Frumkin, MD, DrPH, Dean, University of Washington School of Public Health “This new book by three internationally recognized leaders in the field provides a practical guide to using this tool to identify important but often unrecognized opportunities and risks for health created by decisions in transportation, housing, energy, and other sectors.” Aaron Wernham, Director of the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. “This book makes an important contribution to the health impact assessment field and is a great resource for practitioners, researchers and students... it helps the reader to not only understand HIA but to do it.” Ben Harris-Roxas, Conjoint Lecturer, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales; Health Section Co‐Chair, International Association for Impact Assessment; Consultant, Harris‐Roxas Health. “Health Impact Assessment in the United States is an important resource... helping to uncover hidden causes of health inequities in proposals and identifying potential solutions before the proposals are implemented.” Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and CEO, PolicyLink