Agir en faveur de la qualité de vie au travail : présentation d’une recherche-action innovante étudiant les interactions entre acteurs internes et processus d’intervention

This paper presents a research-action investigating interactions between internal actors and process intervention during an approach of health at work. The work of the request was culminated in a novel methodology allows a group of internal actors to become actively involved. This high level of involvement has resulted in co-construction and co-production of a large-scale health survey. We show how this experience has enabled them to develop their knowledge of the interactions between health and work but also to move from an approach that identified the health impacts of work to a quality of working life approach. Moreover, we analyse important difficulties encountered by actors especially during the transition from diagnosis to transformation.     

Longitudinal associations between mindfulness and well-being in people with multiple sclerosis

Background/Objective: Depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems are typical conditions reported in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), often resulting in a reduction of their quality of life (QOL) and well-being. Mindfulness is a multifaceted and complex construct that has been increasingly explored for its correlated to well-being. Despite preliminary evidence, longitudinal data about the impact of mindfulness on QOL in MS remain limited. In addition, Langerian mindfulness, one of the prominent approaches to mindfulness, is yet unexplored in this field. The study aims to examine the longitudinal relationships between two forms of mindfulness (Langerian and contemplative) and QOL, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep. Method: Within a larger randomized controlled trial of an online mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention, a cohort of 156 people with MS was recruited and assessed for both mindfulness constructs, QOL, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep problems. Assessments were repeated after 2 and after another 6 months. Results: Both mindfulness constructs were highly correlated with all investigated outcomes. Both Langerian and contemplative mindfulness predicted higher QOL, lower anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep, over time. Conclusions: In both approaches dispositional mindfulness is a protective factor against depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep in people with MS.     

Effect of treatments for depression on quality of life: a meta-analysis*

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the two first-line treatments for depression, but little is known about their effects on quality of life (QOL). A meta-analysis was conducted to examine changes in QOL in adults with major depressive disorder who received CBT (24 studies examining 1969 patients) or SSRI treatment (13 studies examining 4286 patients) for their depression. Moderate improvements in QOL from pre to post-treatment were observed in both CBT (Hedges’ g = .63) and SSRI (Hedges’ g = .79) treatments. The effect size remained stable over the course of the follow-up period for CBT. No data were available to examine follow-ups in the SSRI group. QOL effect sizes decreased linearly with publication year, and greater improvements in depression were significantly associated with greater improvements in QOL for CBT, but not for SSRIs. CBT and SSRIs for depression were both associated with moderate improvements in QOL, but are possibly caused by different mechanisms.     

Inside the Black Box: Assessing and Improving Quality in Youth Programs

Over the past decade, structured programming for children and youth during the non-school hours has expanded exponentially. A confluence of recent research studies and program evaluations backs the publicly perceived notion that after-school programs can positively influence important developmental and learning outcomes. The rapid expansion of the field and the potential of programs to contribute to child and youth development have made defining what high quality programs look like and learning how to improve program quality key challenges facing the field. This paper describes what is known about the relation between youth program quality and youth developmental outcomes, summarizes different quality assessment tools being used in the field, and discusses how such tools are being used to drive systemic quality improvement efforts.     

Use of Quality Management Methods in the Transition from Efficacious Prevention Programs to Effective Prevention Services

This paper applies concepts and methods developed in management to translate efficacious prevention programs into effective prevention services. The paper describes Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a method for structured planning and development that connects the needs and wants of the consumer with the design of the product or service. The paper describes basic tools used in quality management, and discusses how they might be applied to prepare a prevention program for implementation by community agencies. Prevention programs are conceptualized as having multiple consumers (i.e., stakeholders), including the participants who receive the service, the service providers, the organizations that deliver the program, and the researchers who evaluate the programs. As an illustration of one step in the application of QFD to translate efficacious prevention programs into effective prevention services, analysis of the needs and preferences of Family Courts for the implementation of an the New Beginnings Program is presented.     

同伴互动类型对三年级小学生写作水平的影响

研究通过对比同伴辅导、合作、协作等三种同伴互动写作方式与个体化写作教学干预前后,三年级学生独立写作水平的变化,了解同伴互动类型对初学者写作水平的影响.结果发现,和个体化写作相比,三种同伴互动写作方式均更有利于整体写作水平和"结构"维度写作水平的提高;但合作写作最为突出,不仅在各个维度都优于个体化写作,而且在"选材"维度上还优,于同伴辅导写作和协作写作.这说明,社会性互动有利于初学者写作水平的提高,且主要表现为提升记叙文的结构完整性和层次清楚性;但只有兼顾"个人责任"和"高平等性、相互性",社会性互动对写作的促进作用才能更加充分地发挥.     

Quality of Life in Patients with Recurrent Vasovagal or Unexplained Syncope: Influence of Sex, Syncope Type and Illness Representations

Health-related quality of life (QoL) is reduced in patients with recurrent vasovagal (VVS) or unexplained (US) syncope. Little is known regarding these patients’ QoL as pertains to their capacity to attain their life goals. Factors influencing QoL, such as sex, syncope type and illness representations have not been studied. Our objective is to examine the relationship between illness representations and QoL, as well as possible sex and syncope type differences. One hundred and four patients undergoing tilt-table testing (TTT) for recurrent syncope were interviewed one month before TTT, using questionnaires. Data were analysed using ANCOVAs, a-priori Helmert contrasts for illness representations, and regressions. Patients with US had a poor QoL compared to those with VVS [F(1, 91) = 10.46; p < 0.01], particularly in men (p < 0.01). Patients with higher perceived syncope severity showed an impoverished QoL relative to those with less severe perceptions [F(1, 91) = 5.47; p < 0.05]. A hierarchical regression revealed that illness representations mediate the impact of lifetime number of syncope on QoL. In conclusion, QoL is reduced in these patients, and is influenced by illness representations. Helping patients change their perceptions about their syncope may be an efficient way to promote QoL.     

Entrepreneurship Economic Development and Quality of Life in Third-World Countries

This article deals with perhaps the greatest problem of our time, the ever increasing world’s neglected and ignored poor. I argue here that economic development can be cultivated by endogenously from the bottom up (implemented through entrepreneurship) and that the economic output to be exported globally. Unique characteristics of entrepreneurs and their contribution to the economy can make it possible for third world countries to grow their economies faster and provide economic means to enhance social, health, and environmental well-being (basic dimensions of quality of life), along with products and services that the poor need in these countries. Developing countries need to develop entrepreneurial cultures for economic growth and enhanced quality of life. But, sheer presence and positive performance is not totally adequate since the above mentioned dimensions are only necessary but not sufficient conditions. Note: This paper draws from A. Coskun Samli (2008), “International Entrepreneurship and Quality of Life,” in W. E. Kilbourne and J. D. Middelstaedt (eds), The 33rd Annual Meeting of the Macro-Marketing Society 2008, 109–116.     

A Work-Life Identity Model of Well-Being: Towards a Research Agenda Linking Quality-of-Work-Life (QWL) Programs with Quality of Life (QOL)

QWL is conceptualized in terms of the interface between employee role identities and work resources. QWL programs serve to enhance QOL by (1) providing appropriate work resources to meet the expectations of employee role identities, (2) reducing role conflict in work and non-work life, (3) enhancing multiple role identities, (4) reducing role demands, (5) reducing stress related to work and non-work role identities, and (6) increasing the value of the role identity. We describe a variety of QWL programs related to work life (decentralized organization structures, teamwork, parallel structures, ethical corporate mission and culture, the organization work schedule, etc.) and non-work life (work at home, flextime, compressed work week, part-time work arrangements, job sharing, etc.) and show how they serve to enhance QOL using the language of work-life identity. Doing so helps develop a research agenda based on the work-life identify model.     

理性看待微创外科

所谓“微创”,乃是传统外科发展的伸延和提升。微创不等于无创,微创需要科学的决策,同时微创要运用循证医学。微创具有广阔的前景,但它的治疗之路依然很长。它需要进一步的完善。目前,还不是丰收的季节。