scholarly journals How is COVID-19 Experience Transforming Sustainability Requirements of Residential Buildings? A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8732
Author(s):  
Galym Tokazhanov ◽  
Aidana Tleuken ◽  
Mert Guney ◽  
Ali Turkyilmaz ◽  
Ferhat Karaca
Keyword(s):  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Living Space ◽  
Significant Harm

The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about changes, and alongside these, we can alter the way we design our living spaces. The need for a healthy and comfortable living space is essential to mental and physical well-being. The present study covers the most up-to-date documents, including peer-reviewed papers, blog posts, news, journal articles, and expert opinions, to critically review lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluates the expected changes in sustainability requirements of residential buildings. Health and safety, environment, and comfort are the three main aspects of residential buildings that have been tested during quarantines and are also expected to experience major transformations toward sustainability. Residential houses should provide certain health and safety protective measures to their occupants, such as the application of new touchless technologies, having proper sanitation to diminish the probability of getting infected, and developing greener and more intimate spaces that can help recover and improve mental states. Our findings address the need to reconsider sustainability requirements for residential buildings, which will provide adequate health and safety and comfort with no significant harm to the environment.

scholarly journals ON PROPOSALS FOR ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO SANITARY-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS TO LIVING CONDITIONS IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND PREMISES

2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (7) ◽  
pp. 707-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Gorbanev ◽  
N. A. Mozzhukhina ◽  
Gennady B. Yeremin ◽  
S. N. Noskov ◽  
A. O. Karelin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Air Exchange Rate ◽  
Living Space ◽  
Free Environment

Residential buildings and premises must comply with sanitary rules and regulations, but a lot of provisions of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions contradict Federal legislation and do not provide for the regulation of public relations arising in the process of ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being of population at all stages of arranging residential buildings and premises, therefore they require updating. International, national regulatory legal acts of a number of countries, regulatory legal acts of Russian Federation, establishing sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions in residential buildings and premises, research studies carried out in Russia and abroad were used as research materials. A set of general scientific research methods: analytical, system-structural, comparative was a procedural basis of the study. Widening of the scope of sanitary standards and rules: extension of responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the document to the executive authorities, expanding the list of objects prohibited for allocation in residential buildings, measures to ensure a barrier-free environment for the disabled, requirements of inadmissibility of residential building destruction by mold, and others were suggested as the results of the study. Due to the fact that the problem of fresh air is common, the design indices of air and air exchange rate are proposed. Recommended changes regarding noise regulation assume the elimination of contradictions when correction coefficients are applied. Conclusions. Analysis of current sanitary and epidemiological requirements enabled to specify indoor environmental factors of the living space, originating from an interaction of outdoor environment, indoor environment of the living space and direct effect of the human himself and on which favorable living conditions depend, and elaborate on the reasons of violations of the established requirements. Suggested changes and additions corresponded to the main trends existing in international practice are aimed at specifying the provisions of the document, optimizing a number of standards, and eliminating contradictions. It is noted that regulation and monitoring of dwelling condition cannot be limited just by the indoor premises of the building. It is necessary to consider the living environment as a united system: human - residential unit (apartment, room, and auxiliary facilities) - building - surrounding grounds- microdistrict - residential area of the city.

scholarly journals Socially Assistive Robots Helping Older Adults through the Pandemic and Life after COVID-19

Robotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Cristina Getson ◽  
Goldie Nejat
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Health And Well Being

The COVID-19 pandemic has critically impacted the health and safety of the population of the world, especially the health and well-being of older adults. Socially assistive robots (SARs) have been used to help to mitigate the effects of the pandemic including loneliness and isolation, and to alleviate the workload of both formal and informal caregivers. This paper presents the first extensive survey and discussion on just how socially assistive robots have specifically helped this population, as well as the overall impact on health and the acceptance of such robots during the pandemic. The goal of this review is to answer research questions with respect to which SARs were used during the pandemic and what specific tasks they were used for, and what the enablers and barriers were to the implementation of SARs during the pandemic. We will also discuss lessons learned from their use to inform future SAR design and applications, and increase their usefulness and adoption in a post-pandemic world. More research is still needed to investigate and appreciate the user experience of older adults with SARs during the pandemic, and we aim to provide a roadmap for researchers and stakeholders.

Changing Places

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John MacDonald ◽  
Charles Branas ◽  
Robert Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
City Life ◽  
New Science ◽  
Science And Art ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Scientific Testing ◽  
Large Groups

The design of every aspect of the urban landscape—from streets and sidewalks to green spaces, mass transit, and housing—fundamentally influences the health and safety of the communities who live there. It can affect people's stress levels and determine whether they walk or drive, the quality of the air they breathe, and how free they are from crime. This book provides a compelling look at the new science and art of urban planning, showing how scientists, planners, and citizens can work together to reshape city life in measurably positive ways. It demonstrates how well-designed changes to place can significantly improve the well-being of large groups of people. The book argues that there is a disconnect between those who implement place-based changes, such as planners and developers, and the urban scientists who are now able to rigorously evaluate these changes through testing and experimentation. It covers a broad range of structural interventions, such as building and housing, land and open space, transportation and street environments, and entertainment and recreation centers. Science shows we can enhance people's health and safety by changing neighborhoods block-by-block. The book explains why planners and developers need to recognize the value of scientific testing, and why scientists need to embrace the indispensable know-how of planners and developers. It reveals how these professionals, working together and with urban residents, can create place-based interventions that are simple, affordable, and scalable to entire cities.

Analysis and assessment of the correlation between mental states and successful activities of nurses (results of research work)

2020 ◽  
pp. 64-70
Author(s):  
E. Menzul ◽  
N. Ryazantseva ◽  
L. Karasyova
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Fear Of Failure ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Professional Success ◽  
Emotional Burnout ◽  
Staff Level ◽  
Anxiety And Fear

The article presents the results obtained with the use of psychodiagnostic techniques that allowed to analyze and assess professional success of nursing staff, level of emotional burnout and psychological stress, manifestations of anxiety and fear of failure in order to adjust the behavior and well-being of specialists in the process of professional activity.

scholarly journals Readiness Assessment of Green Building Certification Systems for Residential Buildings during Pandemics

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Aidana Tleuken ◽  
Galym Tokazhanov ◽  
Mert Guney ◽  
Ali Turkyilmaz ◽  
Ferhat Karaca
Keyword(s):  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Round Table ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Residential Housing ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Distributed Attention

One of the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic is the momentum it has created for global changes affecting various aspects of daily lives. Among these, green building certification systems (GBCSs) should not be left behind as significant potential modifications may be required to ensure their versatility for residential buildings due to the new pandemic reality. The present study aims to evaluate the readiness of chosen GBCSs for a proper assessment of existing residential housing sustainability in a post-pandemic world. Based on a literature review of the state-of-the-art data sources and round table discussions, the present study proposes a particular set of sustainability indicators covering special sustainability requirements under pandemic conditions. Then, those indicators are used to evaluate the readiness of selected GBCSs (BREEAM, LEED, WELL, CASBEE) to meet new pandemic-resilient requirements based on their responses to the indicators. The assessment shows that none of the reviewed GBCSs are fully ready to cover all the proposed indicators. GBCSs have differing focuses on particular sustainability pillars, which also affected their responses to pandemic-resilient categories. For instance, WELL rating system successfully responded to the health and safety category, whereas LEED showed better preparedness in terms of environmental efficiency. BREEAM and CASBEE systems have a more evenly distributed attention to all three pandemic-resilient categories (Health & Safety, Environmental Resources Consumption, and Comfort) with an accent on the Comfort category. On a specific note, all GBCSs are insufficiently prepared for waste and wastewater management. In the future, GBCSs should be modified to better adapt to pandemic conditions, for which the current work may provide a basis. As an alternative, brand new standards can be created to face newly arising and evolving post-pandemic requirements.

scholarly journals Compatibility as guiding principle for ergonomics work design and preventive occupational health and safety

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut Strasser
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Design ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Machine System ◽  
Human Capacity

AbstractMutual adaptation and inter-changeability of system elements are very important prerequisites for machines, technical devices and products. Similar to that technical compatibility which can be achieved by standards and regulations, optimum design of human-oriented workplaces or a man-machine system cannot be attained without, e.g., a compatible arrangement of connected displays and controls. Over and above those stimulus/response relations, all technical elements and interfaces have to be designed in such a way that they do not exceed human capacity in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. Compatibility between the properties of the human organism on the one hand, and the adaptable technical components of a work system on the other hand, offers a great potential of preventive measures. Examples of ergonomically designed working tools show that compatibility is capable of reducing the prevalence of occupational diseases and repetitive strain injuries as well as leading to lower physiological cost in such a way that the same output results from a lower demand of human resources or even a higher performance will be attained. Compatibility also supports the quick perception and transmission of information in a man-machine system, and as a result of lower requirements for decoding during information processing, spare mental capacity may enhance occupational safety. In the field of software, compatibility also helps to avoid psychological frustration. All in all, the center core competency, which reflects the major significant function of the ergonomist in work design, consists in determining the compatibility of human capacity and planned or existing demands of work. In order to provide efficient working tools and working conditions as well as to be successful in occupational health and safety, ergonomics and industrial engineering in the future are expected to pay more attention to the rules of compatibility. Applied in an appropriate way, these rules may convince people that ergonomics can be a powerful means for reducing prevalence of occupational diseases and complaints, and has a positive effect on overall system performance. Besides presenting examples of work design according to the principle of compatibility, also methods will be shown which enable the assessment of the ergonomic quality of hand-held tools and computer input devices.

scholarly journals Foreword and Introduction to This Issue on Contemporary Safety Topics in Animal Research

ILAR Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-126
Author(s):  
John Bradfield ◽  
Esmeralda Meyer ◽  
John N Norton
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Status ◽  
Safety Considerations ◽  
Animal Care ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Institutions with animal care and use programs are obligated to provide for the health and well-being of the animals, but are equally obligated to provide for safety of individuals associated with the program. The topics in this issue of the ILAR Journal, in association with those within the complimentary issue of the Journal of Applied Biosafety, provide a variety of contemporary occupational health and safety considerations in today’s animal research programs. Each article addresses key or emerging occupational health and safety topics in institutional animal care and use programs, where the status of the topic, contemporary challenges, and future directions are provided.

729 Daily stress and nightmares are bidirectionally associated among nurses

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A285-A285
Author(s):  
Odalis Garcia ◽  
Danica Slavish ◽  
Jessica Dietch ◽  
Brett Messman ◽  
Ateka Contractor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Vaccine Response ◽  
Daily Stress ◽  
Potentially Traumatic Events ◽  
Sleep Diaries ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Bidirectional Associations

Abstract Introduction Nurses may experience frequent nightmares due to stressful work environments. Some studies estimate that 35% of nurses experience nightmares related to experiences at work. Nightmares may also exacerbate stress among nurses, although this has yet to be tested empirically. We examined daily bidirectional associations between stress severity and nightmare occurrence and severity, and whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms moderated those relationships. Methods 392 nurses (mean age = 39.54 years; SD = 11.15; 92% female; 78% White) were recruited for a larger study on sleep and vaccine response. For 14 days, upon awakening, nurses completed daily sleep diaries to assess previous-day stress severity (0 = not at all, 4 = extremely), as well as nightmare occurrence (0 = no nightmare, 1 = nightmare occurred) and nightmare severity (0 = not at all, 3 = very). PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline using the PTSD Checklist of DSM-5 (PCL-5). Multilevel models were used to examine bidirectional, within-person associations between daily stress and nightmares, and cross-level moderation by baseline PTSD symptoms. Results Approximately 10.5% of nurses met criteria for PTSD based on PCL-5 scores. 47.2% of nurses reported at least one nightmare across the two weeks. Days with greater stress severity were associated with higher odds of experiencing a nightmare (OR = 1.22, p = 0.001), as well as greater nightmare severity that night (b = 0.09, p = 0.033). Nightmare occurrence (b = 0.15, p < 0.001) was associated with greater next-day stress severity. PTSD symptoms did not moderate daily stress and nightmare associations. Conclusion Nurses face intense occupational demands and frequent exposure to potentially traumatic events. Our results indicated nightmares and stress may occur in a bidirectional fashion among nurses. Results were similar regardless of nurses’ PTSD status. Future studies should explore whether targeting nightmares and stress may improve nurses’ health and well-being. Given the essential role that nurses play in maintaining patient health and safety, it is critical to understand the causes and consequences of their sleep-related disturbances. Support (if any):

scholarly journals The Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of an Arabic Version of the Reminiscence Functions Scale

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 343-343
Author(s):  
Abdallah Abu Khait ◽  
Juliette Shellman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Arabic Version ◽  
Harmonization Process ◽  
Back Translation ◽  
Target Culture

Abstract The Reminiscence Functions Scale (RFS), a 43 item reliable and valid scale, measures eight specific reasons as to why individuals reminisce: (a) identity (b) death preparation; (c) problem-solving; (d) bitterness revival; (e) boredom reduction; (f) intimacy maintenance; (g) conversation; and (h) teach/Inform others. Research indicates that certain reminiscence functions have a positive impact on the mental-health and well-being of older adults. However, no known studies have been conducted in Arab countries examining the relationship between reminiscence functions and mental health outcomes due to the lack of an Arabic version of the RFS. The purpose of this study was to translate the RFS from English to Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic), back-translate from Arabic to English, and compare the two English versions for equivalence and accuracy through a multi-step translation method. A team of bilingual, bicultural, Arabic speaking experts assembled to conduct the forward, back translation and harmonization process. In the next step, professionals with expertise in linguistics communication sciences and disorders, Arabic literature, geriatric nursing, and medicine reviewed the translated documents to assess the content (relevant to the target culture) and semantic equivalencies (similarity of meaning in the target culture). Challenges that occurred during the study included finding nuanced translation equivalences for Likert scale responses, translation of idioms such as “when time is heavy on my hands”, and logistical issues such as coordinating virtual meetings for the team of experts. Lessons learned during the translation process and implications for use of the RFS-Arabic version with Jordanian older adults will be presented.

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