Effect of Interventions on Mental Health of Offshore Workers

Effect of Interventions on Mental Health of Offshore Workers 5.3 Study 2 – Qualitative Insights Research Question: what is the effect of Intervention policies, from the perspective of the offshore industry, on the mental health of offshore workers? Based on the views of the offshore representatives who participated in this study, this research identified five themes which aim to explain the effect of intervention policies on the mental health of offshore workers. 5.3.1 Theme One: Mental Health Awareness Upon reflection of the quotes associated with theme one, it can be seen that P1 is able to expand on how mental health problems can arise, not only from personal experiences but from the workplace itself. According to Mind (2011), employer awareness of mental health at work in the UK is poor, with most senior representatives vastly underestimating the scale of the problem and how it can affect companies worldwide. Awareness of mental health conditions amongst management and their employees, through education, training and communication can reduce negative attitudes and stigma attached to the adjustments being put in place (Department of Health 2012). Educating people on mental health conditions is seen to be an effective method to fight stigma. A study conducted by Pinfold et al (2005) used mental health awareness programmes in schools in UK and Canada to combat stigmatism and to educate young people on misinformation surrounding mental health conditions. The study provided evidence to suggest that short educational workshops can produce positive change in young people’s views of mental illness. Whilst, this cannot be applied directly to the Oil and Gas industry, it highlights the benefits of ‘awareness raising’ sessions. However, on the contrary OECD (2012) suggests that increased perceptions of mental health problems i.e. increasing rates of disability benefit, has changed the view of the work capacity of people with mental disorders. This implies that better awareness has led to further exclusion from the workforce. These findings are similar to those discussed in the literature review; whereby Stuart (2006) suggests prejudicial attitudes from employers remain a barrier for those suffering from mental health. 5.3.2 Theme Two: Macho Culture Organisational culture has been defined as the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization† (Hill and Jones 2001 p?). According to Wright (1994) (cited in Lindoe et al 2014 p. 65) the oil industry in western society has always been dominated by a macho culture, meaning that macho type values, beliefs have governed the way in which offshore workers think and behave. This supports the secondary findings, as Ely Meyerson (2008) identified ‘Macho culture’ to be significant barrier when getting males to admit to their mistakes which may have caused or had the potential to cause an accident. However, the present study highlights that this macho culture and masculinity ideals from an organisational perspective are a significant barrier to their psychological help seeking. Deal and Kennedy (1982) identified four distinct culture types, determined by a combination of two parameters: feedback (praise, rewards) and risk (uncertainty). One of the cultures identified is the Tough Guy Macho Culture. They believe that this culture involves an organisation of risk takers that receive quick feedback on whether their actions were right or wrong. Culture is learned and reinforced (refer to learning theory) – the Oil and Gas industry has existed for decades, for this culture to remain prevalent in contemporary society speaks volumes. It is important for the industry to ignite a cultural change, because this macho culture no longer fits the ever changing environment. Cummings Worley (2005) have conducted research which suggests the following guidelines are effective for introducing cultural change. This first is to formulate a clear strategic vision, display Top-management commitment, model culture change at the highest level, modify the organisation to support organisational change, select and socialize newcomers and terminate deviants and finally to develop ethical and legal sensitivity. 5.3.3 Theme Three: Environmental Downfalls The participants acknowledge that mental health problems amongst offshore personnel can be linked to the environment, which as discussed in the literature review is isolating and environmentally challenging (Gardner 2003). Several sources of stress and anxiety identified in relation to the isolated location of several North Sea Installations are; sleeping patterns, shared living, lack of privacy, financial insecurity etc. However, Cooper and Sutherland (1987) stated that the key contributor to lower mental well- being was the stress associated with being away from one’s spouse or partner, a factor which was identified within the transcript. http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/othpdf/500-599/oth523.pdf 5.3.4 Theme Four: Reliance Reluctance It is clear from the findings in Chapter 4, that both participants are in agreement that in order for interventions and support mechanisms to be put in place the employee needs to disclose their mental health condition. However, it was highlighted by Stuart (2006) that prejudicial attitudes from employers remain a barrier for those suffering from mental health, hence the reason why employees are reluctant to disclose their psychiatric history. According to Haslam et al’s (2005) study, the reason for employee reluctance is because they feel they may be judged by their employer because the stigma attached to mental illness. Moreover, lack of promotional to show they are encouraging people to seek help? This was supported in the qualitative researcher findings by P1? However, there appears to be a dissension between P1 and P2 in regards to their organisational reluctance to promote the existing interventions methods to the workforce. 5.3.5 Theme Five: Promotional Shortcomings The results of the present study suggests that the aim of health promotion in the Oil and Gas industry should be focused on: (1) communicate the intervention methods that currently exist i.e. EAP (2) promote cultural change and encourage a culture whereby offshore workers did not feel ashamed to disclose their mental health condition (3) change the beliefs employees have about their employers regards for their well-being. Communicating mental health intervention methods shows the workforce that as an organisation they are not afraid to broach the subject, this in turn will encourage employees to come forward and seek the help available to them. Eisenberger et al (1986) stated that employees develop beliefs about the extent to which their organisation cares about their well-being. These beliefs help create an employees’ assessment of whether their employer will reward greater effort and help them to complete their jobs and cope with stressful situations. Taking a social exchange perspective, such beliefs will be reciprocated through employee behaviours and deference. Evidence suggests that beliefs about an organisation’s concern for employee well-being have a positive impact on an individual’s workforce performance, which, in turn, influences organizational performance (Podsakoff et al., 2000). 5.4 Limitations There were a number of notable methodological limitations in this research and it is important that these are highlighted before going on to make any conclusions or future recommendations. Firstly, the lack of time and money accessible for the study hindered the amount of research that could be carried out. For example, the researcher would have liked to have used other participants such as OIM’s or Counsellors to collect more detailed data. Furthermore, another possible improvement that could have been implemented is that rather than giving a questionnaire to participants, personal interviews would have elicited greater information regarding their knowledge and attitudes towards mental health and their organisations current intervention methods. However, the researcher would not have been able to capture as many responses if this qualitative method was used. Chapter 6 – Conclusion and Recommendations 6.1 Recommendations 6.1.1 Recommendations for the Oil and Gas Industry From the study it is clear that stigma continues to influence the ways in which offshore personnel deal with their mental health condition. The results convey that levels of depression, anxiety and stress are experienced amongst offshore workers, with high levels of stress being associated with the negative opinions of the current intervention methods in place. Therefore, to maximise support and to ensure the duty of care is being directly adhered to, Oil and Gas companies worldwide should promote and educate offshore workers, onshore staff, and management about mental well-being. To do this, Management or those in a supervisory role should be provided with an opportunity to attend a two day Mental Health Training courses which are available across the UK, some of which are free and some cost up to  £100. This course covers a range of areas surrounding mental health, but most importantly it helps teach individuals to spot the signs and how to approach and intervene if necessary. Furthermore, prevention and early interventions should be the key focus when improving mental health within the workplace. There are three different types of prevention including; Primary prevention (prevent the onset of the disorder), Secondary prevention (Detect early signs and intervene early) and finally, Tertiary prevention (Early effective treatment to prevent disability) (Martel 2009). Martel (2009) suggests that the above prevention strategies are essential when preventing work-related mental health problems. However, in order to undertake any preventative program, it is essential that management are committed to change factors within their control and to implement action plans continuously. 6.1.2 Future Research Recommendations The data set obtained in the present study provides opportunities for future research, which could throw further light on how mental health is experienced in the offshore environment and how the oil and gas industry as a whole reacts to these psychological mishaps. Combining the present data with medical history records of offshore personnel and formally reported mental health conditions to employers would be valuable to see whether or not appropriate actions were taken. Furthermore, the present study did not attempt to identify the specific aspects of the offshore environment which may account for high levels of depression, anxiety and stress. If future research was to be conducted it may beneficial to investigate the key causes of psychological distress in an offshore working environment, so that employers are able to tackle the issues at the forefront with appropriate interventions.

Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea :: Old Man and the Sea Essays

Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea Many times, stories by Ernest Hemingway have much religious influence and symbolism. In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, numerous occurrences in the life of Santiago the fisherman are similar to the incidents recorded in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The names of the characters translated from Spanish to English are just one of those many similarities. The characters in The Old Man and the Sea are in actuality, major figures in the New Testament. Santiago is an old man, yet he had young eyes. No matter how defeated he was, he would never show it and he would look on the brighter side of things. In my mind, these traits make Santiago a god-like figure. Manolin, which translates into Messiah, is Jesus (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Santiago is the "father" who teaches his symbolic son and disciple, Manolin. After catching the largest marlin, Manolin will leave his parents in order to follow the teachings of Santiago, his master, just as Jesus did (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Pedrico is actually Saint Peter, Jesus' closest apostle and a great fisherman (Wilson 50). Peter helped Jesus fish for souls as Pedrico helped Manolin fish for food. Santiago gives Pedrico the head of the mutilated marlin which symbolizes Saint Peter as head of the Christian church and the first Pope (Stoltzfus CLC 280). In the story, there are many references to the crucifixion of Jesus. Santiago's badly injured hands evoke the hands of the crucified Jesus and three other situations reinforce this theory (Brenner, The Old Man and the Sea, Story of a Common Man 37). First, Santiago's marlin is approached by a pair of shovel nosed sharks. "Ay', he said out loud." (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 107) There is no meaning of "Ay", but perhaps it is the sound a man makes as his hands are nailed to wood (Brenner, The Old Man and the Sea, Story of a Common Man 38). Next, once back on shore, Santiago climbs the hill to his shack, with the mast on his shoulder, falling several times (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 121). This is an obvious reference to Christ's struggle to carry the cross up the hill Cavalry (Crossan, The Historical Jesus 163).

Peanut Allergies

Peanut Allergies What is a peanut allergy? A peanut allergy is a reaction that involves our body’s  immune system. When we have a peanut allergy our immune system thinks that the peanut proteins are harmful and fight against it to protect our body. Peanuts are one of the nine most common  food allergens  in Canada. The other eight are: wheat, tree nuts (such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, and walnuts), sesame seeds, milk, eggs, seafood, soy, and sulphites (a food additive).Causes of peanut allergies: * Hereditary * Breast-feeding; But new evidence shows that when a mother eats peanuts, the peanut proteins flow into breast-milk and cause infants to develop the allergy antibodies, as well. * Direct contact. The most common cause of peanut allergy is eating peanuts or peanut-containing foods. * Cross-contact. This is the unintended introduction of peanuts into a product. It's generally the result of a food bei ng exposed to peanuts during processing or handling. * Inhalation.An allergic reaction may occur if you inhale dust or aerosols containing peanuts, such as that of peanut flour or peanut oil cooking spray. The most popular cause of peanut allergy is called the â€Å"hygiene hypothesis,† which says that people are just too clean these days. The result of the super-germ-free lives we lead and our readiness to treat infection with antibiotics is that our bodies don't know how to handle certain innocent proteins such as peanuts. Foods that causes the illness: * Peanuts and peanut products. * Tree nuts and their products. * Food that are exposed to peanuts.What are the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction? An allergic reaction to peanuts can happen within minutes or up to several hours after eating foods containing peanuts. Symptoms vary from person to person, and may progress from mild to severe. Mild allergic reaction: * flushed face and body * itchy eyes, nose, face and s kin * tingling, numbness or pain in the lips and tongue Moderate to severe signs and symptoms * swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat and tongue * hives * cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting * wheezing, coughing * weakness, dizziness * anxiety, distress, sense of fear and doomThere are some symptoms of the most serious form of peanut allergies called  anaphylaxis; which are very deadly and life-threatening. When a person is experiencing anaphylaxis reaction, he/she may have difficulty in talking swallowing and even breathing! Scientists have identified 19 peanut proteins–that can trigger anaphylaxis. It works this way: those with the allergy develop specific antibodies, known as IgE antibodies, which react to the peanut proteins. This triggers the release of histamine and other chemicals which cause facial swelling, and constrict the lungs airways and throat making it difficult to breathe.Without a shot of adrenaline, the reaction can cause death. Why is this an important issue that everyone should know about? This is an important issue that everyone should know about because comparing to 1980s the rate of people with peanut allergies has been reported to have increased by 95%. Although there are no hard statistics in Canada, most agree the allergy is on the rise. According to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, Peanut allergy causes an estimated 15,000 emergency room visits each year and nearly 100 deaths. Safety precautions: . The safest way to avoid a peanut related reaction is to avoid all food and products that contain or may contain peanuts. 2. Other than that, create a plan for how to handle a reaction, just in case one occurs, and tell your friends, family, coaches, and teachers at school about your allergy 3. Always keep a shot of epinephrine, a hormone that controls anaphylaxis reactions. 4. Tell the server in a restaurant about your allergy so that he or she can steer you away from dishes that contain nuts. 5. Always read the ingredients lis t to be safe.

Composing Descriptive Paragraphs and Essays

The purpose of descriptive writing is to make our readers see, feel, and hear what we have seen, felt, and heard. Whether were describing a person, a place, or a thing, our aim is to reveal a subject through vivid, carefully arranged details. Two common forms of description are the character sketch (or profile) and the place description. In describing a character, we look for details that not only show what an individual looks like but also provide clues to his or her personality. Eudora Weltys Sketch of Miss Duling (a precise physical description of a first-grade teacher) and Mark Singers Profile of Mr. Personality (a description of the only member of the Goodnicks of America) are just two of the paragraph-length character sketches linked below. With thoughtfully organized details, we can also suggest the personality--or mood--of a place. Below youll find links to several place descriptions, including Wallace Stegners Town Dump and a students essay on her Home of Yesteryear. For ideas on how to compose your own descriptive paragraph or essay, spend some time studying the guidelines, topic suggestions, exercises, and readings offered here. Description: Writing Guidelines and Topic Suggestions How to Write a Descriptive ParagraphDiscovery Strategy: Probing Your TopicPractice in Supporting a Topic Sentence With Descriptive DetailsDraft a Descriptive ParagraphPractice in Revising a Place DescriptionEssay Assignment: Profile40 Topic Suggestions for Descriptive Paragraphs and Essays Description: Sentence Combining Exercises Nervous NormanRolling Along With Mr. BillThe KitchenMy Home of Yesteryear Descriptive Paragraphs: Place Description Model Descriptive ParagraphsEach of these four descriptive paragraphs (three student paragraphs along with a paragraph by Maxine Hong Kingston) responds in its own way to the guidelines in How to Write a Descriptive Paragraph.Model Place DescriptionsAs you read these four paragraphs, notice how place signals help to establish cohesion, guiding the reader clearly from one detail to the next.Descriptive Details in Stegners Town DumpIn these five paragraphs from his memoir Wolf Willow, Stegner employs precise descriptive details to convey the poetry of a town dump.David Sedariss Description of a Nudist Trailer ParkIn this excerpt from his essay Naked, an account of a week-long visit to a nudist colony, Sedaris describes his living quarters and the surrounding neighborhood.Joseph Mitchells Place Description: McSorleys SaloonMitchell describes New York Citys oldest Irish tavern in a series of clearly arranged sentences, many of them short and deceptively simple yet always precise and evoc ative.Lists in William Least Heat-Moons Place DescriptionIn this passage from Blue Highways, William Least Heat-Moon describes a cafe in Darlington, South Carolina. Note his reliance on detailed lists to convey a sense of place.Comparison in Sarah Vowells Place DescriptionSarah Vowell conveys distinct impressions of her father and herself by describing--and comparing--their different work spaces at home.Edgar Allan Poes New York in the 1840sNote Poes attention to details of place and the ways that his descriptions evoke a melancholic mood.Character Sketch by John McPheeJohn McPhee combines vivid descriptions with direct quotations in this sketch of a schoolteacher who works in a public market during summer vacations.Willie Morriss Descriptive NarrativeIn this passage from his memoir North Toward Home, Morris relies on concrete details that both record and interpret a shocking experience. Descriptive Paragraphs: Character Sketches and Profiles Eudora Weltys Sketch of Miss DulingWeltys precise physical description of her first-grade teacher, Miss Duling, also provides insights into the character of this lifelong subscriber to perfection.John Lahrs Profile of David MametThis paragraph has been drawn from the conclusion of Lahrs lengthy profile of David Mamet. Notice how the description of the cabin where the playwright works, the references to the books on his table, and the brief quotations from Mamets sister and from Mamet himself all serve to reveal aspects of character.Mark Singers Profile of Mr. PersonalityMark Singer describes the founder and at the moment the only member of an organization called the Goodnicks of America.Russell Bakers Sketch of Mr. FleagleIn this description of his high school English teacher, journalist Russell Baker relies on repetition to convey an overwhelming impression of dullness.Status Details in Tom Wolfes DescriptionsIn these two paragraphs from the novel A Man in Full, Wolfe conveys a sens e of character through physical description--or what he calls status details. Description: Classic Essays In Mammoth Cave, by John BurroughsSome of these pits are simply appalling.The Land of Little Rain, by Mary AustinMen are bewitched by it and tempted to try the impossible.The Watercress Girl, by Henry MayhewShe dont often beat me; but, when she do, she dont play with me.Rural Hours, by Susan Fenimore CooperSuch open hill-sides . . . bear a kind of heaving, billowy character.Two Ways of Seeing a River, by Mark TwainAll the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!Street Haunting: A London Adventure, by Virginia WoolfInto each of these lives one could penetrate a little way.On a Rainy Morning, by Charles S. BrooksThere is so much life on wet and windy days.The Rise of Pancho Villa, by John ReedVilla was an outlaw for twenty-two years.The Story of a Garden, by Mabel Osgood WrightNature tangles things with a motive.The Libido for the Ugly, by H. L. MenckenOut of the melting pot emerges a race which hates beauty.