Predicting the work ability of security guards at a university in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand.

Objectives. The number of security guards in universities has increased significantly. This study aimed to predict work ability of university security guards. Methods. A cross-sectional study of 97 university security guards in Thailand was performed. Data were collected through interviews using a questionnaire covering social demographics, behavioral health and work ability. The data were analyzed using χ2 tests and logistic regression models. Results. The average work ability index (WAI) score was 38.1 ± 3.8, with 65.0% of participants scoring 'good'. Social support significantly influenced the WAI (p = 0.004). Those with insufficient support were 4.3 times more likely to show poor work ability. Mental health also impacted the WAI (p = 0.006); those with poor mental health were 4.7 times at risk. Additionally, work experience affected the WAI (p = 0.039). Those with ≥5 years of experience showed reduced work ability compared to their less-experienced counterparts (adjusted odds ratio 0.4; 95% confidence interval [0.20, 0.96]). Conclusions. Supervisors should provide social support and offer rewards and commendations to enhance employees' abilities, health behaviors and management of underlying diseases. Additionally, organizations should prioritize health and safety in the workplace to ensure their employees are healthier and perform their tasks more effectively.

Role of security guards in Code Black events in medical and surgical settings: A retrospective chart audit.

The prevalence of security guards in health care settings is growing worldwide. There is a need to explore and understand their role and actions to inform policy and training and support least restrictive practices in health care. The aim of this study was to conduct a retrospective chart audit of security guard logs to investigate security guard involvement in Code Blacks, called in emergency situations of personal threats including patient and/or visitor violence, in medical and surgical wards in a large metropolitan health network in South Australia. Security guards attended 1664 Code Blacks (0.63% of admissions) over the 2.5-year study period. Events were more frequently reported in medical than surgical wards. The most common reasons for security guard attendance were patients threatening/harming staff and patients threatening/harming themselves. The most frequent security guard actions were "Attend only/standby," "Physical restraint," and "Patient located and returned to the ward." The most frequent outcomes were physical restraint, chemical restraint, and de-escalation respectively. Results highlight the imperative that health services maintain and increase efforts to support least restrictive practice through policy directives and staff training.

A Review of Improvements for Providing Safe and Secure Environments for Medical Treatment / 보건행정학회지

On December 31, 2018, an incident occurred where a doctor was attacked and killed by a patient carrying a lethal weapon in the outpatients' clinic of the psychiatric department of a tertiary general hospital. The suspect was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder (manic depressive disorder) and has been hospitalized and cared for in the psychiatric ward of this hospital. This incident illustrates the necessity of more active cures and therapeutic intervention for mental patients with intellectual developmental disorders who require treatment considering the fact that a radical outcome has been caused by such a patient. However, on the other hand, there is also a need for an approach and analysis from the perspective of crime prevention for all medical departments. The reason for this is that even a tertiary general hospital equipped with the largest human resources, medical devices, facilities, and so forth, is susceptible to violence. As for illegal actions perpetrated against health and medical service personnel in medical institutions, such as verbal abuse, assault, injury, etc. there have neither been understanding shown for the current extent of damage in detail, nor discussions of active institutional improvement related to the seriousness of the act. It can be said that violence in the field of medical treatment is a realm requiring serious discussion and appropriate remedial actions. This is because when such incidents take place, if a patient who is supposed to get treatment from the damaged health care provider is in an urgent situation or on the waiting list of serious cases, he or she could suffer serious damage caused by deprivation of treatment opportunity, or secondary damage might be caused to the patient and/or a guardian who can hardly have an opportunity to take action. Accordingly, in this review, we would like to help create the necessary conditions for both health and medical service personnel and patients/guardians, respectively, to provide and receive medical treatment in a more secure environment. Therefore, objective assessment of the institution and issues relating to this aforementioned incident and general cases of violence occurring in medical institutions, and by suggesting legal and institutional improvements and solutions.

A Security Guard With West Nile Virus Encephalitis.

A 57-year-old male working as a security supervisor in an office building was seen for return to work by the on-site occupational health nurse. He was observed to have slow gait as he entered the clinic waiting area, was pale, diaphoretic, and slow in responding to questions. His return to work note stated he was recovering from West Nile Virus (WNV). Implications for return to work are presented.

Exploring the Public Health Impacts of Private Security Guards on People Who Use Drugs: a Qualitative Study.

Private security guards occupy an increasingly prominent role in the policing of private and public spaces. There are growing concerns regarding security guards' potential to shape violence, discrimination, and adverse health outcomes among vulnerable populations, including people who use drugs (PWUD). This is relevant in Vancouver, Canada, where private security guards have increasingly been employed by private organizations to manage public and private spaces, including those within urban drug scenes. This qualitative study sought to understand interactions between PWUD and private security guards and explore their impacts on health care access, risks, and harms among PWUD. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 PWUD recruited from two ongoing prospective cohort studies. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a coding framework comprised of a priori and emergent categories. Study data indicate that participants experience pervasive, discriminatory profiling and surveillance by security guards, which exacerbates existing social marginalization and structural vulnerability, particularly among PWUD of Aboriginal ancestry. Participants reported that security guards restrict PWUD's access to public and private spaces, including pharmacies and hospitals. PWUD also reported that their interactions with security guards often involved interpersonal violence and aggression, experiences that served to increase their vulnerability to subsequent risks and harms. Our findings highlight that private security forces contribute significantly to the everyday violence experienced by PWUD within drug scenes and elsewhere and do so in a manner very similar to that of traditional police forces. These findings point to the urgent need for greater oversight and training of private security guards in order to protect the health and safety of PWUD.

Occupational Stress and Related Factors among Aged Security Guards / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: Occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and work disability. This study aims to describe occupational stress and identify its related factors among aged security guards. METHODS: A random sample of 76 aged security guards were interviewed by three research assistants. The criteria of the subjects were as follows : 50 or older male with 40 or more working hours a week working with colleagues ranged from 3 to 50. The data were collected in September, 2007 and analyzed by multiple regression using SAS Version 9.1. RESULTS: The mean score of occupational stress among aged security guards was 47.2. The mean scores of its sub-scales were 31.3(physical environment), 33.8(occupational demand), 80.8occupational control), 44.6(interpersonal conflict), 51.3 (occupational insecurity), 53.6(occupational system), 57.5(lack of reward), and 30.3(work environment). The scores of occupational control, interpersonal conflict, and occupational insecurity were higher than the scores of Korean average occupational stress sub-scales. Significant variables affecting occupational stress and its sub-scales were work place, work type, and employment type. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce occupational stress among security guards, sufficient occupational control and interpersonal conflict control, appropriate reward, and employment stability should be considered. Also long working hours and work shift should be improved.

Occupational Stress and Related Factors among Aged Security Guards / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: Occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and work disability. This study aims to describe occupational stress and identify its related factors among aged security guards. METHODS: A random sample of 76 aged security guards were interviewed by three research assistants. The criteria of the subjects were as follows : 50 or older male with 40 or more working hours a week working with colleagues ranged from 3 to 50. The data were collected in September, 2007 and analyzed by multiple regression using SAS Version 9.1. RESULTS: The mean score of occupational stress among aged security guards was 47.2. The mean scores of its sub-scales were 31.3(physical environment), 33.8(occupational demand), 80.8occupational control), 44.6(interpersonal conflict), 51.3 (occupational insecurity), 53.6(occupational system), 57.5(lack of reward), and 30.3(work environment). The scores of occupational control, interpersonal conflict, and occupational insecurity were higher than the scores of Korean average occupational stress sub-scales. Significant variables affecting occupational stress and its sub-scales were work place, work type, and employment type. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce occupational stress among security guards, sufficient occupational control and interpersonal conflict control, appropriate reward, and employment stability should be considered. Also long working hours and work shift should be improved.