Clinical Research Directory

Apple Watch Evaluation of Endodontics Occupational Stress

* This study will enroll approximately 12 endodontists (primary subjects) and approximately 120 patients (secondary subjects) undergoing routine endodontic treatment (primary root canal treatment or retreatment), resulting in approximately 120 observed treatment sessions. Patients will be treated as part of standard clinical care and will not receive any experimental intervention. * Participating endodontists will wear an Apple Watch to continuously monitor heart rate (HR) during routine endodontic procedures. The Apple Watch contains built-in physiological sensors that automatically record heart rate. HR data are stored locally in the Apple Health app on a study-designated iPhone assigned for research use and handled solely by the Principal Investigator (PI). No real-time data transmission or cloud-based sharing occurs during data recording. At designated intervals, the PI will use the Apple Health app's built-in "Export Health Data" function, which generates a ZIP file containing an export.xml file with sensor-recorded data. The ZIP file will be uploaded directly from the study iPhone to a secure, university-approved UI Box Health Data Folder designated for the study. No research-specific Apple ID, cloud account, or third-party data-sharing platform will be used. * A trained, non-intervening observer will record start and stop timepoints of predefined endodontic treatment stages to align HR signals with procedural phases. These stages include patient presentation, examination, informed consent, local anesthesia administration, rubber dam placement, access cavity preparation, root canal instrumentation, obturation, and final radiographic assessment. The observer will document only minimal, non-identifiable procedural variables necessary for analysis, including treatment type (primary root canal treatment or retreatment), treatment difficulty level (based on the AAE Endodontic Case Difficulty Assessment), and patient age category. No patient identifiers or protected health information (PHI) will be recorded. * Each participating endodontist will complete the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) two times in total at baseline and at the conclusion of study participation to assess perceived stress levels and evaluate associations between baseline stress and physiological stress responses during treatment. The PSQ requires approximately 5 minutes to complete. Endodontists will not complete questionnaires for individual patient encounters. HR data and permitted procedural variables will be coded, securely stored in the UI Box Health Data Folder, and analyzed to assess HR variation across endodontic treatment stages and treatment difficulty levels. No additional patient identifiers or PHI will be collected beyond what is specified above.

Monitoring Occupational Dental Stress Using Apple Watch

* This study will enroll 10 dental students (primary subjects) and up to 200 patients (secondary subjects), approximately 10 special-needs and 10 non-special-needs encounters per student, totaling about 200 treatment sessions. * Students will wear an Apple Watch to continuously monitor heart rate (HR) during routine care. The Apple Watch contains built-in physiological sensors that automatically record heart rate and heart rate variability. These data are stored locally in the Apple Health app on a study-designated iPhone that is assigned for the research and handled solely by the Principal Investigator (PI). No real-time transmission or cloud-based sharing occurs during data recording. No additional apps, accounts, or third-party software are used. At designated intervals, the PI will use the health app's built-in "Export Health Data" function on the study iPhone. This function generates a ZIP file containing an export.xml file with sensor-recorded data. The PI will then upload the ZIP file from the study iPhone directly to a secure, university-approved UI Box Health Data Folder designated for the study. No research account will be set up for this purpose. * A trained observer will record start/stop timepoints of procedure phases (e.g., seating, anesthesia start, operative phase, dismissal) to align with HR signals and will document only minimal patient variables needed for analysis: behavior/cooperation score (e.g., Frankl), sedation status, and broad procedure category (e.g., preventive, restorative, surgical). * Each dental student will complete the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) only once at the beginning of the study to stablish a baseline measure of stress. The Questionnaire takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Students do not need to complete the PSQ for each patient encounter. Student HR data and permitted minimal patient variables will be coded and de-identified, stored securely in UI Box Health Data Folder, and analyzed to compare special-needs vs non-special-needs encounters and to evaluate associations between student HR and the listed patient factors. No additional patient identifiers or PHI will be collected beyond what is specified above.

Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers in ICU Healthcare Workers

Healthcare professionals working in intensive care units (ICUs) are frequently exposed to high levels of psychological stress due to critically ill patients, frequent encounters with death, complex clinical decision-making, and prolonged working hours. This environment increases the risk of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, which may not only affect mental well-being but also have measurable physiological consequences. Emerging evidence suggests that chronic psychological stress and burnout may influence immune function through activation of proinflammatory pathways. Elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been associated with stress-related conditions. However, data examining the relationship between burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and inflammatory biomarkers in intensive care healthcare workers remain limited. This cross-sectional observational study aims to investigate the association between burnout and secondary traumatic stress levels, assessed using validated psychometric instruments (Maslach Burnout Inventory and Professional Quality of Life Scale), and inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and NLR) in ICU healthcare workers. Blood samples will be obtained in conjunction with routine annual health screening, and additional serum samples will be collected for biomarker analysis. The study seeks to clarify the psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms underlying occupational stress in critical care settings.

"Productivity Training and Job Stress Among Nurses"

This study aims to examine the effect of productivity training on nurses' perceived job stress and attitudes toward productivity. It was designed as a randomized controlled experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design. The experimental group will receive a three-week structured productivity training program, while the control group will not receive any intervention during the same period. Data will be collected using the Personal Information Form, the Nurses' Attitudes Toward Productivity Scale, and the Perceived Job Stress Scale. It is hypothesized that nurses who participate in the productivity training will report lower perceived job stress and higher productivity attitudes compared to those in the control group.

In Vitro Exposure by VR to Enhance Return to Work After Sick Leave Due to Mental Health Related Complaints

The goal of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether in vitro exposure by VR enhances return to work (RTW) in flight cabin crew on sick leave with mental health related complaints. The main research questions are: 1. Does VR enhances time to RTW? 2. Does VR increase self-efficacy and positive cognitions regarding RTW, and decrease job anxiety? Researchers will compare a control group receiving care as usual as provided by the occupational physician and a psychologist to an intervention group receiving care as usual plus (al least) one session with VR-glasses in which participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Sisters of Heart (Hermanas de Corazón): A Community Health Worker Initiative for Improving Heart Health in Migrant Farmworker Women

The goal of this hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial is to test the extent to which a peer support and community resource navigation intervention improves psychological well-being, addresses social determinants of health and thus reduces cardiometabolic risk among rural, migrant, low-income farmworker women aged 18-45 years. The main questions it aims to answer are: * If and to what extent does the intervention reduce stress, social isolation, and psychological distress by improving social support and access to needed resources? * If and to what extent does the intervention improve cardiometabolic health, measured by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score? Researchers will compare the CHW-led Sisters of Heart (Hermanas de Corazón) intervention to a Basic intervention (LE8 assessment and resource information) to assess the effect of peer support and community resource navigation on heart health outcomes.

Evaluating Occupational Stress in Surgeons and Musicians: A Multi-modal Pilot Study Using Wearable EEG, Biomarker Analysis and Validated Questionnaires

To learn about occupational stress among surgeons and musicians by integrating psychological assessments, neurophysiological measures, and biomarkers.

RCT to Evaluate the Efficacy of the NSSCEP in Reducing Burnout Among Jordanian Pediatric Oncology Nurses

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the Nurses' Stress Self-Care Educational Program (NSSCEP) can reduce burnout and occupational stress in Jordanian pediatric oncology nurses. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does NSSCEP reduce symptoms of burnout in pediatric oncology nurses? 2. Does NSSCEP improve stress management skills among pediatric oncology nurses? Researchers will compare nurses participating in the NSSCEP to a control group receiving a general technical skills program to see if NSSCEP reduces burnout and improves stress management. Participants will: 1. Attend four educational sessions over one month, focusing on stress recognition, coping strategies, and resilience-building techniques 2. Complete weekly checklists to track their application of stress management skills 3. Participate in pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess burnout and stress levels

RESCUE: European Certification for Second Victim Support

The "second victim" phenomenon affects healthcare professionals who experience highly stressful events in their daily practice, potentially compromising their well-being and patient safety. Despite the need for structured support interventions, many European institutions lack formal programs to address this issue. The RESCUE project responds to this need, building on the previous work of the ERNST Consortium (COST Action 19113). Its objective is to develop and validate two certification systems: one for second victim support interventions and another for training healthcare professionals as peer supporters. A mixed-methods approach will be used, incorporating expert consensus techniques (e.g., Delphi study and consensus conferences) and pilot studies in healthcare institutions across multiple European countries. The study aims to establish European certification standards for second victim support interventions, improving support for healthcare professionals, increasing resilience, and reducing the impact of adverse events on clinical performance.

Effects of an Exercise Snack Intervention on Employee Health and Work Performance

To create brief exercise videos addressing physical discomfort, fitness goals, and movement skills. To design personalized exercise menus to enhance staff adherence. To apply the "exercise snacking" model with multiple short daily sessions and evaluate its effects on health, work performance, and exercise behavior.

Intervention Study on Compassion Fatigue and Satisfaction in Omani Nurses

The purpose of this study is to assess the level of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among nurses working at Ministry of Health hospitals. It will also examine the significant demographics, work-related contributing factors, and the impact of a mindfulness self-care program on nurses' compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction level.

Meta Self-efficacy Internet Intervention to Improve Work Self-efficacy and Occupational Well-being in Young Employees

This randomized controlled trial aims to test whether enhancing meta self-efficacy through a self-guided internet intervention improves young employees' work self-efficacy and occupational well-being. The trial will evaluate primary (work self-efficacy) and secondary (three dimensions of occupational well-being) outcomes. It is hypothesized that boosting meta self-efficacy will lead to improvements in outcomes, with effects assessed immediately after the intervention, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Stress in Working Life

The goal of this realist evaluation of a Danish Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based stress management for patients with work-related stress is to understand what works, for whom, in what circumstances.The main objectives are: To assess the effect of the stress management intervention on sustainable return to work. To investigate what contexts and mechanisms are associated with patients' return to work rates and level of perceived stress after having received the stress management intervention. To understand from a patient perspective how mechanisms work in specific contexts to generate effects of the stress management intervention. The evaluation comprises two observational studies and one interview study. The intervention cohort are patients with work-related stress who received the stress management intervention between 2012-2018. The comparison cohort are patients who would have been eligible to receive the intervention in 2011-2012, however they did not receive any intervention because it was not offered at that time. In study one return to work rates are compared between the intervention cohort and the comparison cohort to find out if the intervention can help patients return to work at a faster rate. Study two will investigate if there are any explanatory variables (such as work type, civil status or level of depressive symptoms) that may explain why some patients benefit more or less from the intervention. Study three will explore what it is about the intervention (mechanisms) the patients find are helping them to cope with stress or the opposite in specific circumstances.

Continuous Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Doctors; Understanding Patterns of Stress and Recovery and Their Relationship With Self-reported Resilience, Burnout and Wellbeing.

Burnout is an increasing concern in the medical professions. This study aims to utilise established, validated self-report measures combined with continuous heart rate variability measurements to better understand the stress and recovery patterns experienced by doctors that may contribute to burnout. This mixed methods study design will consist of an ecological momentary assessment phase where participants will complete commonly used and validated real-time subjective measures while concurrently wearing a heart rate variability monitor to provide an objective measure of stress. Following on from this, participants of interest will be invited to participate in semi structured interviews to further explore their experiences of stress and recovery.

Braining - Physical Exercise in Psychiatry - Evaluation of Feasibility, Implementation and Health Among Staff

Physical exercise (PE) shows beneficial effects on somatic and psychiatric symptoms. "Braining" is a clinical invention where psychiatric staff exercise together with patients to help patients start and execute PE regularly. In the present study feasibility of the intervention will be evaluated, how Braining is perceived and implemented, and effects on health and physical activity among staff. It is hypothesized that staff health and physical activity will increase after implementing Braining at the unit. Braining will be implemented at four psychiatric units in Region Stockholm, Sweden. During 6 months staff will be trained and receive implementation support. To measure feasibility the staff will answer self-rating questionnaires and be invited to a focus group interview post the implementation period. Implementation will be evaluated by ratings of compliance, the self-rating questionnaire Normalization Process Theory Measure (S-NoMAD), and focus group interviews. Health will be measured by self ratings of stress, sleep, general health, and engagement pre implementation and every month during the 6 month implementation phase. Ratings will be repeated at follow up 12 month after implementation started. Physical activity will be rated during the 6 months implementation phase using a tracker of activity and at follow up 12 month after implementation started. All staff at the units will be invited to participate in the evaluations, approximately 20 individuals per unit.

Effects of a Sedentary Behaviors at Work on Health in Emergency Medical Dispatchers and CODIS Operators (SECODIS)

The purpose of the study is to study changes in sedentary behavior following a behavioral intervention (sit-and-stand desk, and cycloergometer)

Validation of Visual Analog Scales to Measure SatisfactiOn and WELL-being at Work (SoWell-VAS)

We spend a third of our life at work. Psychosocial risks (PSR) are a major issue in occupational health 1. Approaching the different dimensions of PSR calls on a dozen essential components: workload, autonomy, social support, burnout, anxiety, efforts made, rewards, work addiction, investment, etc. a specific questionnaire which usually contains 20 to 30 questions, so that having an overall view of PSR using the current reference questionnaires (Karasek, Siegrist, etc.) represents a total of more than 300 questions. The response time is thus incompatible with current medical practice (passage in the waiting room before the occupational health medical examination) and leads to a majority of non-responses during anonymous questionnaires on the Internet. On the other hand, these validated questionnaires were carried out by different people and are very heterogeneous between them, including in their formulation, so that the respondents have the impression of disorganization and anarchy. There is therefore a need for short, quick and uniform questionnaires. EVAs offer the incredible advantage of meeting these criteria: speed, uniformity, precision. From a data analysis point of view, EVAs also have the advantage of offering a continuous quantitative response, allowing the use of all statistical approaches. If some questionnaires have already been validated in the form of EVA, such as the EVA stress versus the " Perceived Stress Scale " questionnaire (PSS), the EVA workload and EVA autonomy at work versus the Karasek questionnaire, the other reference questionnaires are not yet validated in EVA (burnout, anxiety, efforts / rewards, work addiction, etc.).

Effects of Personal Technology Driven Workplace Wellbeing Intervention Programme on Wellbeing, Productivity (Presenteeism) and Absenteeism - an Intervention Study

In this study the effects of a technology-driven workplace wellbeing intervention programme on employees' wellbeing, productivity (presenteeism) and absenteeism will be studied with the help of mobile applications and remotely conducted questionnaires, different wellbeing intervention periods and HRV based measurements.