NQPC-7 Rehabilitation program toward reinstatement support based on network construction among related departments for the patients after treatment of brain disease including brain tumor

Introduction: We have conducted a rehabilitation program to support a return to work for patients with brain disease since 2019. The program focuses on independence in the home environment; physical ability for desk work, commuting and conversation; and concentration and executive ability in the office. The “Promotion of Health and Employment Support” document of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been used to update the program since May 2021. Here, we report the status of this program.Methods: Patients desiring employment reinstatement attended the program. A doctor first gave an overview. Social workers then used the QLQ-C30/BN-20 questionnaire to assess mental and physical health, a therapist evaluated physical and higher cognitive function, and nurses advised on work-life balance and mental state. This information was used to develop suitable rehabilitation for each patient. The employment situation was surveyed after discharge. Results: The program included 77 patients (55 men, 22 women, mean age 54) from January 2019 to July 2021, after treatment for stroke (n=55), brain tumor (n=14), and traumatic brain injury or other conditions (n=8). FIM (94.2) and MMSE (26.3) at admission indicated that almost all patients were independent in ADL. A return to work was achieved by 25 (83%) of the 30 patients that could be investigated, including all 4 with brain tumors. The period until reinstatement was <1 month in 16 cases, but >1 month in 3 with brain tumors. The program was found useful by 26 patients (86%). Employment reinstatement was not achieved due to company reasons and family circumstances. Only 4 patients were interviewed by an industrial physician. Conclusion: The physical and cognitive functions of patients wishing for employment reinstatement were relatively well maintained. Cooperation with the company, information sharing with an industrial physician, and adjustment to the home environment were also important for reinstatement.

Prevalence and predictors of road crash involvement among medical doctors in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study protocol

IntroductionMedical doctors are often subjected to long working hours with minimal rest in between the shifts. This has led to many fatal and non-fatal road crash involvement (RCI). This study aims to determine the prevalence and predictors of RCI among medical doctors in Malaysia.Methods and analysisThis is a cross-sectional study among 375 Malaysian medical doctors who met the inclusion criteria. A predetermined self-administered questionnaires will be used to collect information regarding the sociodemographic, health status, workplace information, work commuting information, driving behaviour, history of RCI, fatigue, sleep quality, mental health status and work engagement. The questionnaires consist of the following instruments: (1) sociodemographic, health status, workplace information, work commuting information, driving behaviour and history of RCI; (2) Checklist of Individual Strength Questionnaire; (3) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; (4) 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale; and (5) Utrecht's Work Engagement Scale. The data will be analysed using SPSS program V.24. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to determine the prevalence and predictors of RCI.Ethics and disseminationThis study protocol has received ethics approval from the Medical Research and Ethics Committee (MREC), Ministry of Health Malaysia (NMRR-18-3983-40609) and the Ethics Committee for Research Involving Human Subject, University Putra Malaysia (JKEUPM). Online written informed consent will be obtained from each study participant by the researchers. Results of the study will be disseminated through relevant journals and conferences.Trial registration numberNCT04243291.

Disease control and border lockdown at the EU’s internal borders during Covid-19 pandemic: the case of Finland

The article discusses the lockdown of the EU’s internal borders during the Covid-19 pandemic in Finland. Special attention is paid to bordering as a means of disease control and the governments’ aim to “protect the population and secure functions of society”. Not only did the government restrict flights and ‘non-essential’ travel from non-Schengen countries such as Russia, China and Thailand but, with some exceptions, it also restricted travel-to-work commuting and everyday cross-border encounters between Finland and its Schengen neighbours of Sweden, Norway and Estonia. The restrictions hampered tourism and migrant-dependent industries as well as complicated the lives of migrants’ families. While the lockdown of the Estonian and Russian border does not cause any debates in Finnish society, the closure of the Finnish-Swedish border that has been completely open since the 1950s and the new regime led to a debate of citizens’ constitutional rights and to civil disobedience that materialised in semi-legal border crossings.

Using UX research techniques to explore how Computing undergraduates understand and use library and student guidance services

This collaborative project, between the library and student guidance services at a medium-sized UK university, used qualitative User Experience (UX) techniques to explore Computing undergraduates’ experiences of support services. The research found that most students struggled with academic skills, and felt they had lacked support in developing academic literacies. Students were often unaware of support services available from student guidance and the library. Many struggled to balance studying with work, commuting, or family life. Lack of time due to external commitments may be a barrier to accessing support services. This research project has suggested several avenues for future research, including a larger-scale study to investigate demographic categories such as mature students and overseas students, and an exploration of the needs of commuter students.

Association between physical inactivity in leisure, work, commuting, and household domains and nutritional status in adults in the capital cities of Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the association between different domains (leisure, work, commuting, and household) of physical activity, independent and cumulative, and excess weight and obesity in Brazilian adults. Methods This is a cross-sectional survey, conducted in 2015, through telephone interviews with a representative sample of adults from the capitals of Brazil. Physical inactivity was defined as non-participation in predefined physical activities for each assessed domain. Excess weight (Body Mass Index?25kg/m2) and obesity (Body Mass Index?30kg/m2) were determined from self-reported measurements of weight and height. A binary logistic regression was conducted after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Results Among 54,174 subjects, physical inactivity in commuting (ORexcess weight=1.27, 95%CI=1.13,1.42 and ORobesity=1.25, 95%CI=1.06,1.47) and leisure (ORexcess weight=1.12, 95%CI=1.04,1.22 and ORobesity=1.30, 95%CI=1.17,1.45) domains were associated with nutritional status. In addition, a linear trend was observed between increasing obesity and cumulative physical inactivity of all four domains (p<0.001). Conclusion Cumulative physical inactivity, especially in the commuting and leisure domains, was associated with excess weight and obesity in adults living in the capitals of Brazil. One possible explanation of these findings is that these domains involve particularly longer duration and greater intensity of physical inactivity. Public policies concerning physical activity should prioritize actions focused in promoting physical activity on commuting and leisure-time to help prevent overweight and obesity in the Brazilian adult population.

Enduring community value from mining: Measuring the employment impacts of mine closure for remote communities and considering issues for transformation

Tracking and mapping the employment impacts from mine closure forms an important element in planning for the economic transformation of remote communities and delivering enduring value from mining. This paper presents the results from two case studies of the employment impacts from mine closure: 1) the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory and 2) the Leigh Creek coal mine in South Australia. The impacts for both locations are significant and link to a number of supporting industries, particularly construction, but also more broadly across other sectors of the economy. The spatial impacts are principally felt locally, but are also distributed more broadly at regional, state and national scales because of modern-day work commuting practices. Loss of jobs and associated income to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are also significant. Developing policy options to prepare for managing imminent mine closures in remote locations requires careful analysis of the structure of the local economy, within the context of a globalised world, in order to help identify sustainable transformation opportunities for these remote communities.