Moralization of Covid-19 health response: Asymmetry in tolerance for human costs.

We hypothesized that because Covid-19 (C19) remains an urgent and visible threat, efforts to combat its negative health consequences have become moralized. This moralization of health-based efforts may generate asymmetries in judgement, whereby harmful by-products of those efforts (i.e., instrumental harm) are perceived as more acceptable than harm resulting from non-C19 efforts, such as prioritizing the economy or non-C19 issues. We tested our predictions in two experimental studies. In Study 1, American participants evaluated the same costs (public shaming, deaths and illnesses, and police abuse of power) as more acceptable when they resulted from efforts to minimize C19's health impacts, than when they resulted from non-health C19 efforts (e.g., prioritizing economic costs) or efforts unrelated to C19 (e.g., reducing traffic deaths). In Study 2, New Zealand participants less favorably evaluated the quality of a research proposal empirically questioning continuing a C19 elimination strategy in NZ than one questioning abandoning an elimination strategy, although both proposals contained the same amount of methodology information. This finding suggests questioning elimination approaches is morally condemned, a similar response to that found when sacred values are questioned. In both studies, condition effects were mediated by lowered moral outrage in response to costs resulting from pursuing health-minded C19 efforts. Follow-up analyses revealed that both heightened personal concern over contracting C19 and liberal ideology were associated with greater asymmetries in human cost evaluation. Altogether, results suggest efforts to reduce or eliminate C19 have become moralized, generating asymmetries in evaluations of human suffering.

Contexto de trabalho e custo humano na pós-graduação stricto sensu no estado do Ceará / Context of work and human cost in post-graduation stricto sensu in the state of Ceará / Contexto de trabajo y costo humano en la post-graduación stricto sensu en el estado del Ceará

A implantação de inovações na pós-graduação stricto sensu, pautada em uma forma de gestão que envolve avaliações institucionais e individuais objetivistas pode resultar em situações de trabalho exigentes que podem levar ao adoecimento dos docentes/pesquisadores. O objetivo da pesquisa foi analisar o contexto de trabalho dos professores da pós-graduação stricto sensu no estado do Ceará e seu custo humano. Participaram 238 professores vinculados a programas de pós-graduação de áreas e universidades diversas. Foram utilizadas as Escalas de Avaliação de Contexto e de Custo Humano no Trabalho do Inventário sobre o Trabalho e Riscos de Adoecimento. Os resultados mostraram que dos seis fatores que compõem as duas escalas, cinco foram avaliados de forma moderada/crítica e apenas um como satisfatório. Assim, as avaliações dos docentes parecem indicar que o trabalho na pós-graduação apresenta características que, de fato, podem levar ao adoecimento. É possível que esses riscos estejam relacionados à introdução da lógica gerencialista na avaliação da pós-graduação brasileira que, modifica o trabalho, seu sentido e a subjetividade dos docentes.

The implementation of innovations in stricto sensu post-graduation courses, based on a management that involves objectivist institutional and individual evaluations may lead to demanding working situations that can make professors/researchers get sick. The aim of this research was to analyze the work context of post-graduation professors in Ceará (Brazil) and its human cost. A total of 238 professors that are part of different programs and universities took part in the research. The assessment scales of Context and Human Cost in the Workplace from the Workplace and Risks of Sickening Inventory were used. The results showed that five out six factors that constitute the two scales were evaluated as moderate/critical and only one was satisfactory. Thus, the professors' evaluations seem to indicate that the work in post-graduation courses may, in fact, lead to sickening. It is possible that these risks are related to the introduction of the managerialism logic in the Brazilian post-graduation evaluation, that modifies the work, its meaning and the professors' subjectivities.

La implementación de innovaciones en el postgrado stricto sensu, basada en una forma de gestión que implique en evaluaciones institucionales e individuales objetivistas puede dar lugar a situaciones laborales exigentes y conducir a la enfermedad de los profesores/investigadores. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el contexto laboral y su costo humano en los profesores de postgrado stricto sensu en el estado de Ceará. Los participantes fueron 238 profesores vinculados a programas de posgrado en diferentes áreas y universidades. Utilizamos las escalas de evaluación del contexto de trabajo y la de costos humanos en el trabajo del inventario sobre el trabajo y los riesgos de enfermarse. Los resultados mostraron que de los seis factores que componen las dos escalas, cinco fueron evaluados de manera moderada/crítica y sólo uno como satisfactorio. Por lo tanto, las evaluaciones de los profesores parecen indicar que el trabajo en los programas de posgrado presenta características que, de hecho, puede conducir a enfermedades laborales. Es posible que estos riesgos estén relacionados con la introducción de la lógica gerencial en la evaluación del postgrado brasileño que modifica el trabajo, su significado y la subjetividad de los profesores.

Cost of healthcare-associated infection management in a tertiary first-class hospital / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To explore the cost of healthcare-associated infection (HAI)management in a tertiary first-class hospital,provide data support for cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of HAI management,and provide scientific evidence for the rational allocation of hospital resources.Methods Micro-costing study was used to calcu-late the direct cost of the department of HAI management by collecting the quantity and unit price of each item. Results The total cost of HAI management in this hospital in 2013 were about ￥870 000,including human cost￥790 000,depreciated fixed assets ￥34 501 ,low-value consumption goods ￥3 800,publicity and training￥33 600,office consumables ￥5 208;average cost were ￥12.16 per person and ￥529.69 per bed.Conclusion Human cost is the main cost in HAI management in this hospital.

Study of primary healthcare cost and budget prediction for community health centers / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective To measure the costs of primary health services in the community for developing government compensation standard and prediction of budget in 201 5.Methods Literature review and panel discussions were used to build the index database.A two-round Delphi expert consultation determined the work to do and steps for community healthcare standards.60 community health centers were sampled by stratified random sampling for survey,and the work hours,workload and service volume of respective services in 2013 were measured according to the service standards of primary care.Results The community primary care consists of the categories of outpatient services,nursing care, laboratory tests and drug management,totaling 20 services and 88 working procedures.The total work hours of primary healthcare service at 60 community health centers were 2 557 187.9 hours,which is adjusted to 2 959 21 5.1 hours based on workload coefficients.Based on the income standards of employees at the community health centers investigated,and the human cost price which was recommended by the experts,the total costs of primary healthcare of the 60 centers were 245 million,248 million and 318 million respectively,and the average cost was 71.0 yuan,71.8 yuan and 92.1 yuan per visit respectively.By such standards,the government should subsidize 38.9 ~ 60.0 yuan per visit to the centers.The total expenditure of primary healthcare of all communities in Shenzhen in 201 5 was predicted to be 314 to 407 million,for which the government is expected to subsidize 1.68~2.58 billion.Conclusion The subsidies for community primary healthcare fall short as the cost per visit runs up in 2013 to 71.0 yuan per visit or more,far above the current subsidy of 32.1 yuan per person.The subsidy per visit should be made 50.0 yuan in 201 5.

Contexto de trabalho e custo humano no trabalho em um órgão do poder judiciário brasileiro / Work context and the human cost of work in a Brazilian judiciary organ

Nos últimos anos, visando a garantir a efetividade da justiça, iniciou-se o processo de reforma do judiciário brasileiro. Se, por um lado, as mudanças têm sido significativas e positivas, por outro pouco se sabe dos impactos das transformações sobre o trabalhador. A fim de dar visibilidade aos efeitos destas transformações, com base no referencial teórico da ergonomia da atividade, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar o Contexto de Trabalho e o Custo Humano no Trabalho em um órgão do Poder Judiciário brasileiro. Utilizaram-se a Escala de Avaliação do Contexto de Trabalho (EACT) e a Escala de Custo Humano no Trabalho (ECHT), ambas componentes do Inventário sobre Trabalho e Risco de Adoecimento (ITRA). Participaram deste estudo 383 servidores de diferentes lotações, sendo 58% do sexo feminino, 62,7% com curso de pós-graduação completo, 59,3% casados e 53% com idade entre 21 e 40 anos. Os resultados apontam, na EACT, para avaliações tendendo a críticas nos fatores Organização do Trabalho e Relações Socioprofissionais. No caso da ECHT, os fatores Custo Afetivo e Custo Cognitivo tiveram avaliação de moderada a crítica. A ANOVA evidenciou diferenças de percepções relacionadas a algumas variáveis sociodemográficas.

In recent years, in order to ensure the effectiveness of justice, the process of reform of the Brazilian Judiciary began. If, on the one hand, the changes have been significant and positive, on the other, little is known about the impact of the changes on the worker. In order to give visibility to the effects of these changes, based on the theory of the ergonomics of the activity, the scope of this research was to evaluate the Work Context and the Human Cost of Work in a Brazilian Judiciary Organ. The Assessment Scale of Work Context (ASWC) and the Scale of Human Cost of Work (SHCW) were used, as they are both components of the Inventory on Work and Risk - IWR. The study included 383 staff in different locations: 58% female, 62.7% with postgraduate qualifications, 59.3% married and 53% between 21 and 40 years of age. The results in ASWC reveal critical factors in work organization and socio-professional relations. In the case of SHCW, Affective Cost and Cognitive Cost factor assessments were moderate to critical. The ANOVA revealed differences in perceptions related to some socio-demographic variables.

Interação teleatendente-teleusuário e custo humano do trabalho em central de teleatendimento / Interaction call center workers-call Center users and the human cost of work in a call center unit

O texto aborda uma pesquisa realizada em uma central de teleatendimento do setor público. A análise ergonômica orienta-se para a interação teleatendente-teleusuário, buscando mostrar as características da organização do trabalho que constrangem as estratégias de mediação dos operadores e potencializam a ocorrência de vivências de mal-estar no trabalho. O referencial teórico-metodológico articula os conceitos de custo humano do trabalho, vivências de bem-estar e mal-estar e a Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho - AET. Os resultados mostram as características da Central e principais indicadores críticos, revelando um nexo entre custo humano do atividade e indícios de vivências de mal-estar dos operadores.

The text shows a research done in a public call center unit. The ergonomic analysis is oriented toward the interaction call center worker-call center user, aiming to present the characteristics of the work organization that constraint the strategies of mediation of the call center workers and that may result in discomfort of well-being at work. The theoretical and methodological approach deals with the concepts of human cost of work, well-being and discomfort of well-being, and the Ergonomics Analysis of Work - EAW. The results show the characteristics of the call center unit and its main critical indicators, revealing a connection between the human cost of the activity and signals of discomfort of well-being among the call center workers.