Leaving no-one behind in the workplace health promotion: towards regulatory equity in the Ecuadorian micro-enterprises.

The purpose of workplace public health programmes and regulations is to promote safety and health for the entire working population nationwide. Some countries limit the scope of such programmes to medium or big-sized companies, leaving out small and micro-enterprises, thus discriminating against many workers exposed to risks. This Viewpoint aims to identify inequalities in occupational health generated by the new Regulation for Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) in Ecuador. We showed how the regulation excludes all micro-enterprises and displayed the essential role of micro-enterprises in the business fabric and the Ecuadorian labour market. More than 93% of the registered companies are micro-enterprises and these include more than 25% of the employees in the formal economy. Integrating occupational health into the public health system will require deep analysis to improve protection for the working population.

Relationship between alcohol consumption, stress, and depression in Ecuadorian workers: the moderating role of social support and sex.

This paper aims to analyze the association between alcohol consumption, work stress, and depression and the moderating effect of social support and sex in this relationship. In a sample of workers from an electric generation industry from Ecuador (N = 99), hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to test the direct and moderation effects. Results show that alcohol consumption is positively associated with work stress and depression; social support moderates alcohol consumption's impact on depression but not on stress. This interaction effect is different according to sex. Further, an increase in alcohol consumption is associated with higher stress in women but not in men, and it relates to higher depression in men but not in women. Finally, we discuss the role of sex and social support as key factors to cope with the adverse effects of alcohol on well-being at work.

Considerations for Radio Frequency Fingerprinting across Multiple Frequency Channels.

Radio Frequency Fingerprinting (RFF) is often proposed as an authentication mechanism for wireless device security, but application of existing techniques in multi-channel scenarios is limited because prior models were created and evaluated using bursts from a single frequency channel without considering the effects of multi-channel operation. Our research evaluated the multi-channel performance of four single-channel models with increasing complexity, to include a simple discriminant analysis model and three neural networks. Performance characterization using the multi-class Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) revealed that using frequency channels other than those used to train the models can lead to a deterioration in performance from MCC > 0.9 (excellent) down to MCC < 0.05 (random guess), indicating that single-channel models may not maintain performance across all channels used by the transmitter in realistic operation. We proposed a training data selection technique to create multi-channel models which outperform single-channel models, improving the cross-channel average MCC from 0.657 to 0.957 and achieving frequency channel-agnostic performance. When evaluated in the presence of noise, multi-channel discriminant analysis models showed reduced performance, but multi-channel neural networks maintained or surpassed single-channel neural network model performance, indicating additional robustness of multi-channel neural networks in the presence of noise.

Measuring the influence of environment on behaviour: a multimethod multisample validation of the Situational Strength at Work (SSW) Scale in Spanish-speaking samples / La medición de la influencia del entorno en el comportamiento: validación multimétodo y multimuestra de la Situational Strength at Work (SWW) Scale

Environment and personality interact determining the manner a subject behaves, but research on how to conceptualise and measure the environment is still scarce. This article addresses this issue presenting strong evidence on the reliability and validity of the Situational Strength at Work (SSW) Scale (Meyer et al., 2014) in Spanish-speaking work contexts. Through three studies, we found sound evidence for the four-factor structure of the situational strength's construct, comprising clarity, consistency, constraints, and consequences, with adequate reliability for each factor. Results of studies also found that the instrument is invariant according to sex, country (Spain, Ecuador, Mexico), and occupation (salespeople, teachers, office workers). Convergent and discriminant validity were successfully tested, and exploratory graphical network analysis depicted satisfactory results. Theoretical and practical implications are pointed out, and it is concluded that the SSW scale is a suitable instrument for investigating situational strength at work cross-nationally in Spanish-speaking contexts (AU)

El entorno y la personalidad interactúan determinando la forma en que se comporta un sujeto, pero la investigación sobre cómo conceptualizar y medir el entorno es aún escasa. Este artículo aborda este tema presentando evidencia sólida sobre la confiabilidad y validez de la escala Situational Strength at Work (SSW) (Meyer et al., 2014) en contextos laborales de habla hispana. A través de tres estudios encontramos evidencia sólida para la estructura de cuatro factores del constructo de fuerza situacional, que comprende claridad, consistencia, restricciones y consecuencias, con una confiabilidad adecuada para cada factor. Los resultados de los estudios también encontraron que el instrumento es invariante según el sexo, el país (España, Ecuador y México) y la ocupación (vendedores, docentes y oficinistas). Se probaron con éxito la validez convergente y discriminante y el análisis exploratorio gráfico de redes dio resultados satisfactorios. Se señalan implicaciones teóricas y prácticas y se concluye que la escala SSW es un instrumento adecuado para investigar la fuerza situacional en el trabajo a nivel internacional en contextos hispanohablantes (AU)

Inmigración, diferencias culturales y accidentes de trabajo / Immigration, cultural differences and occupational Accidents

Aunque las tasas de accidentes laborales en los inmigrantes suelen ser más altas que las de los trabajadores nativos, se ha realizado poca investigación sobre este tema desde una perspectiva cultural. El objetivo de este estudio es doble. Primero, explorar las diferencias culturales entre el país de acogida, España en este caso, y los países de origen de los inmigrantes, en cuanto al idioma y la distancia cultural, y analizar si estas diferencias están asociadas con sus tasas de accidentes laborales. En segundo lugar, esperamos probar los efectos lineales, cuadráticos y de interacción de los valores culturales, evaluados según el modelo de Hofstede (2001), sobre los accidentes laborales según el sector económico (agricultura, industria, construcción y servicios). Se analizaron las tasas de accidentes de trabajadores inmigrantes de 38 países en España. Se estimó la distancia cultural entre países (países de origen y de acogida - España) y se usó el análisis de regresión para probar asociaciones lineales, curvilíneas y de interacción. Los resultados muestran que hablar un idioma diferente y ser culturalmente diferentes no influye en los accidentes en los inmigrantes, excepto en la agricultura, donde hablar un idioma diferente se asocia con menos accidentes. Los valores culturales nacionales (individualismo, distancia de poder, evitación de la incertidumbre, masculinidad y orientación a largo plazo) están relacionados con accidentes, ya sea linealmente (como la evitación de incertidumbre en la agricultura y la orientación a largo plazo en la industria, construcción y servicios) o cuadráticamente (como la distancia de poder y la evitación de la incertidumbre, en construcción y servicios), o se modulan entre sí (la distancia de poder modula el individualismo en la industria). Los valores culturales en sí mismos, en lugar del idioma o la distancia cultural entre países, son mejores predictores de la variación de los accidentes laborales en los inmigrantes. Se analizan las similitudes y diferencias entre los sectores económicos y se hacen propuestas para mejorar los programas de intervención para prevenir accidentes

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Meta-analytical review of teacher burnout across 36 societies: the role of national learning assessments and gender egalitarianism.

OBJECTIVE: Teacher burnout has hardly been compared across countries, although it has become a global health issue. This review aimed to examine teacher burnout (effect size) and its variation across countries by testing the effects of gender, gender egalitarianism, and national learning assessments (NLAs). DESIGN: A systematic literature search was carried out using keywords. In all, 156 studies from 36 countries were included that used quantitative methodology. Meta-analytical procedures were used to estimate effect sizes of three dimensions of burnout. Two-level multilevel mixed-effect model tested moderator variables at the country level. RESULTS: The overall effect size found for emotional exhaustion was 38.29 (95% CI = 35.26, 41.32), 29.45 (95% CI = 25.91, 32.99) for cynicism, and 68.75 (95% CI = 65.63, 71.87) for personal accomplishment, with significant differences across countries. Gender was negatively significant for personal accomplishment. Significant linear, curvilinear and interaction effects of NLAs and gender egalitarianism explained variations in burnout. Whereas more NLAs tends to increase burnout, more gender egalitarianism tends to decrease it, although this effect is not linear. CONCLUSION: Teacher burnout, as a health issue, varies significantly across countries suggesting that programmes to prevent this problem should consider environmental (educational system) and cultural conditions for a greater impact.

[May Thurner syndrome with ischemic cerebrovascular accident and permeable oval foramen]. / Síndrome de May Thurner con accidente cerebrovascular isquémico y foramen oval permeable.

The association of cerebral ischemic attack with patent foramen ovale has not been extensively studied, and frequently the site of origin of embolism is not detected despite routine studies. We present the case of a young patient with ischemic stroke and permeable oval foramen in the context of May Thurner syndrome. The May Thurner syndrome is an entity scarcely studied in the medical literature and it has also been infrequently related to ischemic vascular cerebral accident, but in patients with permeable oval foramen without evidence of the emboligen source, it is interesting to rule it out as a cause of paradoxical embolism.

Coping with burnout: Analysis of linear, non-linear and interaction relationships / Lidiando con el burnout: Análisis de relaciones lineales, no lineales y de interacción

This study analyzes the relationship between action-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, cynicism and personal accomplishment) by comparing linear, non-linear and interaction models using quadratic regression analysis. The sample consisted of 202 college professors. Variables such as gender or age were not significant when explaining the relationship between coping and burnout. The results show significant negative relationships between emotion-focused coping and exhaustion and cynicism, and positive relationships with personal accomplishment (linear model). They also show that very low or very high levels of emotion-focused coping diminish personal accomplishment significantly (non-linear model), and that the combined effect of strategies is significant, so that when the use of emotion-focused coping is greater than the use of action-focused coping, exhaustion increases and personal accomplishment decreases. These results support the idea that in order to better understand the flexible and adaptive nature of coping and that it operates in a combined process where one strategy affects the other, the application of non-linear and interaction models are very useful. Finally, we discuss the practical implications for future research and for prevention and intervention programs on burnout (AU)

Este estudio analiza la relación entre el afrontamiento centrado en la acción y en la emoción y las dimensiones del burnout (agotamiento emocional, cinismo y realización personal) comparando los modelos lineal, no-lineal y de interacción mediante análisis de regresión cuadrática. La muestra consistió en 202 profesores de universidad. Variables como el sexo o la edad no resultaron significativas al explicar la relación entre el afrontamiento y el burnout. Los resultados muestran relaciones significativas negativas entre el afrontamiento centrado en la emoción y el agotamiento y cinismo y positivas con la realización personal (modelo lineal). También muestran que niveles muy bajos o muy altos de afrontamiento centrado en la emoción disminuyen la realización personal de forma significativa (modelo no-lineal), y que el efecto combinado de estrategias de afrontamiento es significativo, de forma que cuando el uso de las estrategias enfocadas en la emoción es mayor que el de las enfocadas en la acción, el agotamiento aumenta y la realización personal disminuye. Estos resultados apoyan la idea de que para comprender la naturaleza flexible y adaptativa del afrontamiento y de que éste opera en un proceso combinado donde unas estrategias afectan a las otras, es de gran utilidad la aplicación de modelos nolineales y de interacción. Finalmente, se discuten las implicaciones prácticas para futuras investigaciones y para los programas de prevención y de intervención sobre el burnout (AU)

Urinary albumin excretion at follow-up predicts cardiovascular outcomes in subjects with resistant hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Renal function and albuminuria predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general population. However, their prognostic value in patients with resistant hypertension (RH) is somewhat unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the ability of renal function and albuminuria to predict CVD in RH patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-three RH (blood pressure [BP] ≥140/90mmHg despite treatment with ≥3 drugs) patients were evaluated. Median follow-up was 73 months. Primary endpoint was a composite of non-fatal cardiovascular events or cardiovascular death. Serum creatinine (SCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were determined. Microalbuminuria was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30mg/g. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (16.5%) reached the primary endpoint. Long-term elevated UACR (66 vs. 17mg/g, P=0.045), but not at baseline, was associated with the primary endpoint, after adjusting for age, prior CVD, and both eGFR and office systolic-BP at baseline and during follow-up. Although baseline SCr and eGFR were associated with CVD, significance was lost after baseline risk adjustment. Baseline microalbuminuria prevalence was 45% and 41% in patients with and without CVD (P=0.813), while percentages of patients with microalbuminuria at follow-up were 67% and 28%, respectively (P=0.002). More patients with de novo CVD, compared with those without CVD, developed microalbuminuria at follow-up (28% vs. 6%) or had persistent microalbuminuria (39% vs. 21%), while fewer patients with CVD had microalbuminuria regression (11% vs. 19%) or remained normoalbuminurics (22% vs. 53%; overall P=0.005). CONCLUSION: In RH patients, the inability to microalbuminuria regression, either due to persistence or new appearance, independently predicts CVD.