Laura Punnett - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Laura Punnett

Journal of …, Jan 1, 2004

This cross-sectional study of nonfaculty university employees examined associations among gendere... more This cross-sectional study of nonfaculty university employees examined associations among gendered work conditions (e.g., sexism and discrimination), job demands, and employee job satisfaction and health. Organizational responsiveness and social support were examined as effect modifiers. Comparisons were made by gender and by the male-female ratio in each job category. The relationship of gendered conditions of work to outcomes differed on the basis of respondents' sex and the job sex ratio. Although the same predictors were hypothesized for job satisfaction, physical health, and psychological distress, there were some differing results. The strongest correlate of job satisfaction was social support; perceived sexism in the workplace also contributed for both men and women. Organizational factors associated with psychological distress differed between female-and male-dominated jobs.

Ind Relat, 2010

Underreporting of occupational injuries was examined in four health care facilities using quantit... more Underreporting of occupational injuries was examined in four health care facilities using quantitative, qualitative, and observational data. Occupational Safety and Health Administration logs accounted for only one-third of the workers’ compensation records; 45 percent of injured workers followed by survey had workers’ compensation claims. Workers reported 63 percent of serious occupational injuries. Underreporting is explained by time pressure and workers’

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2010

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2000

In 1969 a population-based study was conducted in the Stockholm region. From the 2,579 randomly s... more In 1969 a population-based study was conducted in the Stockholm region. From the 2,579 randomly selected participants (18-65 years of age in 1969), the youngest subset were asked to participate in a reexamination in 1993. Information regarding working conditions, conditions outside work, and neck and shoulder disorders was collected retrospectively for the period 1970-1993. Of 783 eligible subjects (42-59 years of age in 1993), 484 responded. Cases of neck/shoulder disorders were defined by past sick leave or medical attention or recent symptoms, depending on available information. For each case (n = 271) two controls were randomly selected, matched by age and gender. Variables regarding both physical and psychosocial conditions were included in the matched analyses. Among women mainly psychosocial factors and among men mainly physical factors were associated with neck/shoulder disorders. The only gender common risk indicator found was repetitive hand work (OR approximately 1.5). Interactive effects were also observed. The impact on neck/shoulder disorders from separate factors was moderate but combinations of physical and psychosocial factors, as well as of work-related and non-work-related factors, produced relative risks above 2.

Spine, 2000

From the *Department of Work and Health, National Institute for Working Life, Solna, Sweden, the ... more From the *Department of Work and Health, National Institute for Working Life, Solna, Sweden, the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, the Department of Occupational Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Sweden, the §Section of Psychology, ...

Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2001

Objectives-The drop out rates in diVerent longitudinal studies of musculoskeletal disorders range... more Objectives-The drop out rates in diVerent longitudinal studies of musculoskeletal disorders range between 7% and 57%, and little is known about the characteristics of the subjects who dropped out. The aim was to analyse various consequences of drop out in a longitudinal study of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors during 1969-97. Method-Data about occupational conditions and health in 1969 and in 1993 were analysed. DiVerences between those who participated throughout (participants) and drop out subjects in these analyses formed the basis for recalculations of earlier reported analyses of associations between occupational conditions and low back pain. In the recalculation the data were weighted to compensate for the diVerences. Results-More female and male drop out subjects than participants in 1993 had monotonous work, fewer women and more male drop out subjects had heavy lifting in 1969. In 1997, more female and male drop out subjects had had heavy lifting and low stimulation at work in 1993. At both occasions, there were diVerences between the drop out subjects and participants in occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. The weighted analyses resulted in changes in risk ratio of 0.1-0.2. Conclusions-DiVerences in occupational conditions and health among participants and drop out subjects in a longitudinal study of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors during 1969-97 did not markedly influence the risk ratios.

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2000

The objectives of this study were to examine the relation between occupational and nonoccupationa... more The objectives of this study were to examine the relation between occupational and nonoccupational conditions and both incident (IBLP) and chronic low back pain (CLBP), as well as depression, among women and men. Data from a 4-year follow-up of a study group consisting of 420 participants of both genders from the general Swedish population were analysed. Occupational risk indicators were predictors for both ILBP and CLBP. Depression was not found to be a predictor for either IBLP or CLBP among women, but was a predictor for CLBP among men. Among women, depression had some risk indicators in common with ILBP and appeared to be a concurrent outcome rather than a risk indicator. Low back pain in 1993 was not a predictor for depression in 1997 in either women or men. Occupational conditions are of relevance in relation to both incident and CLBP. Nonoccupational conditions were stronger predictors for CLBP than for ILBP but had some predictive value also for ILBP.

TheScientificWorldJournal, 2015

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000

... Jon Boyer, Jamie Tessler, Jungkeun Park, and Laura Punnett Department of Work Environment, Un... more ... Jon Boyer, Jamie Tessler, Jungkeun Park, and Laura Punnett Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell ... 5 1,405 Dynamic forceful pushing and pulling of carts as well as manually lifting, carrying, and dumping trash bags, biohazard containers, and ...

Introduction: The negative association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mental health is we... more Introduction: The negative association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mental health is well documented. We hypothesize that psychosocial working conditions may represent one mechanism of that relationship. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the association of SES and working conditions with mental health among healthcare workers in one hospital and two long-term care facilities. Methods: A standardized questionnaire was distributed to all employees within the facility, with multiple mail and telephone follow-up contacts. Worker demographics and job titles were obtained from the facility rosters; job title was coded by Standard Occupational Classification to assign Nam-Powers scores (SES score using census data on job-level wage and education); other SES indicators were Social Position (SP) (education required to perform a job and level of responsibility within the institutional hierarchy), worker’s education and hourly wage. Data on working conditions were obtained at ...

ABSTRACT Introduction: The negative association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mental hea... more ABSTRACT Introduction: The negative association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mental health is well documented. We hypothesize that psychosocial working conditions may represent one mechanism of that relationship. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the association of SES and working conditions with mental health among healthcare workers in one hospital and two long-term care facilities. Methods: A standardized questionnaire was distributed to all employees within the facility, with multiple mail and telephone follow-up contacts. Worker demographics and job titles were obtained from the facility rosters; job title was coded by Standard Occupational Classification to assign Nam-Powers scores (SES score using census data on job-level wage and education); other SES indicators were Social Position (SP) (education required to perform a job and level of responsibility within the institutional hierarchy), worker’s education and hourly wage. Data on working conditions were obtained at the worker level by questionnaire and at the job level by scales built with items from the O*NET database (U.S. Dept. of Labor). Mental health was measured by the SF-12 Mental Component Scale (MCS). Multilevel linear regression analyses were conducted with a random intercept at the job level and forward stepwise variable selection: SES indicators first, followed by demographic variables, O*NET working conditions, and self-reported working conditions. Best fit was defined by statistical significance of coefficients and the log likelihood test of the model. Results: Neither SES indicators nor O*NET-based working conditions had significant linear associations with MCS. Job Content Questionnaire job strain was significant but was superseded by an indicator of imbalance between efforts and rewards (range =1 to 4, ß = -1.081, SE = 0.435, p <0.0001). Work interference with family (range =1.5 to 8.75, ß = -2.992, SE = 0.691, p <0.0001) and age (range 18.5 to 77.5,ß =0.154, SE= 0.032, p<0.0001) were also included in the model. Conclusion: Surprisingly, SES indicators were not associated with mental health after working conditions were taken into account. These results could justify an increased emphasis on mental health workplace interventions.

Occupational and environmental medicine, 2007

To describe the risk of work injury by socioeconomic status (SES) in hospital workers, and to ass... more To describe the risk of work injury by socioeconomic status (SES) in hospital workers, and to assess whether SES gradient in injury risk is explained by differences in psychosocial, ergonomic or organisational factors at work. Workforce rosters and Occupational Safety and Health Administration injury logs for a 5-year period were obtained from two hospitals in Massachusetts. Job titles were classified into five SES strata on the basis of educational requirements and responsibilities: administrators, professionals, semiprofessionals, skilled and semiskilled workers. 13 selected psychosocial, ergonomic and organisational exposures were assigned to the hospital jobs through the national O*NET database. Rates of injury were analysed as frequency records using the Poisson regression, with job title as the unit of analysis. The risk of injury was modelled using SES alone, each exposure variable alone and then each exposure variable in combination with SES. An overall annual injury rate of...

Obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity represent important and preventable health ri... more Obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity represent important and preventable health risks. However, many worksite health promotion programs to address them have limited scope and effectiveness; a particular concern is failure to engage lower-status workers, who are often at high risk. We report on the baseline data from a study of combined health promotion/occupational health programs in the long-term care (nursing home) sector. A standardized, self-administered questionnaire was distributed in 12 long-term care centers located in Maryland and New England to clinical employees, mostly nursing aides and nurses (92% women, 65% African-American, mean age 42 years, seniority 11 years). These workers reported exposure to psychological demands (88% of respondents), awkward postures (65%), poor safety climate (60%), lifting heavy loads (57%) and imbalance in work-family life (43%). The prevalences of obesity, physical inactivity and current smoking were 35%, 23% and 24%. Among t...

Musculoskeletal disorders are well documented in the nursing profession and are particularly prev... more Musculoskeletal disorders are well documented in the nursing profession and are particularly prevalent among nursing assistants in nursing homes. In 2004, a corporation with 217 nursing homes began implementing a No-Lift Program (NLP), introducing resident lifting equipment, procedures, and policies. We investigated the effect on observed ergonomic exposures of nursing assistants using PATH (Postures, Activities, Tools, and Handling) in four nursing homes. We also collected survey and focus group data on health, work history and working conditions in this population to assess factors associated with lift equipment use. Ergonomic observations and surveys were collected at baseline, three-month, 12-month and 24-month periods following NLP implementation. After one year, the proportion of time that nursing assistants were handling residents dropped from 13.8% to 9.3%. While resident handling, nursing assistants used lifting equipment 14.6% of the time vs 5.7% before the NLP, and neutra...

Occupational and …, Jan 1, 2008

Incorporating work organisation into occupational http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/65/1/1 Upda... more Incorporating work organisation into occupational http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/65/1/1 Updated information and services can be found at:

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1987

Exchanges between U.S. and Chinese professionals have provided opportunities for observation of r... more Exchanges between U.S. and Chinese professionals have provided opportunities for observation of recent developments in occupational health in China. For the past decade, China has been committed to an unprecedented drive for economic modernization, including new policies on ownership, business management, employment, health care, and disability as well as increased activity in heavy, light, and service industries. Chinese occupational health professionals and labor organizations have set a goal of modernizing worker health along with the rest of society. Examples of advances in occupational health occurring since 1981 are the coordination of industrial hygiene and health research and services, an emphasis on epidemiology, interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving, the pretesting of toxic substances, regulation and standard setting, and on-site workplace hazard prevention.

American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1997

Present working conditions in one of the most active areas of the maquiladora system along the Me... more Present working conditions in one of the most active areas of the maquiladora system along the Mexico-U.S. border are reminiscent of nineteenth-century U.S. sweatshops. The organization of production is Tayloristic and authoritarian, with detailed division of labor, repetitive simple tasks, and piecework wages. Modern participative management styles are not apparent in the maquiladora setting. This study consists of two separate but interrelated surveys conducted in 1992, one of community leaders and this one of workers in maquiladora enterprises in the towns of Matamoros and Reynosa, Mexico. The community survey evaluated the economic and psychosocial impact of the maquiladora enterprise and was conducted simultaneously to the workers' survey and in the same Mexican towns where the workers lived and worked. The community leaders acknowledged the employment opportunities that maquiladora factories had brought to the region but believed them to have high environmental and psychosocial costs. For the occupational component, a community-based survey of 267 maquiladora workers was conducted. Participants were chosen with more than a year seniority in the industry and living in the two Mexican cities surveyed. They responded to an extensive questionnaire given by trained canvassers. The workers' survey found evidence that maquiladora workers (81% female) report symptoms from musculoskeletal disorders related to working conditions. Acute health effects compatible with chemical exposures were also identified. Prevalence of symptoms was correlated with increasing duration of exposure to ergonomic risk factors and qualitative chemical exposure indexes. Other chronic disease was not apparent. The survey demonstrated inequalities in salary, working hours, and safety training between the two communities. Matamoros workers are substantially better paid and work fewer hours per week than Reynosa workers. Most hazards reported in the worker's survey have been well studied in the general occupational health literature with respect to adverse health effects. Therefore, it is recommended that hazard surveillance studies would be more useful towards the goal of prevention than further etiologic studies. Specific recommendations on policy and remediation interventions are also made. Am.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1984

In a study conducted to determine if the existence of a joint labor-management health and safety ... more In a study conducted to determine if the existence of a joint labor-management health and safety committee (HSC) was correlated with either the number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) complaints or hazardousness, as measured by OSHA serious citations, virtually no effect could be detected in a sample of 127 Massachusetts manufacturing firms. At a sample of 13 firms, interviews of HSC members were conducted. Committee attributes and perceptions about committee effectiveness were compared with the number of OSHA complaints and serious citations. There were fewer complaints and fewer serious citations at firms with HSCs that were perceived as effective. Results of the study suggest that the objective attributes of the committee may be less important to its success than the commitment of management and labor to solving workplace safety problems.