When Safety Technologies Backfire: How Monitoring Affects Drivers' Safety Behavior

Journal of Business Logistics · 2026-02-08 · 1 citations

ABSTRACT Despite widespread investments in advanced vehicle safety technologies (VSTs), crashes in the trucking industry remain persistently high. This study reveals why technologies designed to make roads safer sometimes erode the very behaviors they aim to improve. Drawing on 40 narratives from 25 driver managers and follow‐up study with 31 professional drivers, we use narrative inquiry approach grounded in theories of technology avoidance, technology dominance, and managerial feedback. The findings reveal that drivers often experience these technologies as intrusive and misaligned with real‐world driving conditions, leading to behaviors such as avoidance. Over time, reliance on automated alerts can erode drivers’ judgment and skill. However, when managers use technology‐generated data to provide empathetic and proactive feedback and feedforward explanations tied to personal safety, drivers are more likely to engage with the technology constructively. The findings show a critical paradox: VSTs can be hindering or enabling, depending on how human‐VST and manager‐driver relationships are managed. The study advances understanding of how frontline behavioral safety emerges not from VSTs itself but from the quality of human sensemaking around it.

Scaffolding Responsible Software Use: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Causal Inference Tool

The American Statistician · 2026-02-11

Health as a rich people’s game through the lens of work and income

BMC Public Health · 2025-05-31 · 1 citations

The growing reliance on precarious employment —work that is uncertain, insecure, and unstable —has transformed work for many from a resource to a vulnerability for health and well-being. Using longitudinal data from the NLSY79 cohort (n ≈ 6,666) in the United States, we focused on two social determinants of health (SDOH), work and family income. We examine work schedule and income patterns between ages 22 and 49, explicitly building upon the life course lens to answer how such patterns before age 50 may shape future health outcomes at age 50. We used sequence analysis to categorize work and family income trajectories and multivariate regression to examine the relationship between work and family income trajectories on health at age 50. Our sequence analysis reveals four diverse work clusters ranging from stable standard daytime hours to volatile work patterns (e.g., not working, working evening or night hours, or variable hours) and four family income clusters ranging from upward mobility to persistent low-income patterns. Our multivariate regression suggests a strong income gradient in health, which plays a critical role in cushioning the otherwise adverse effects on health from volatile work patterns. In contrast, limited and volatile income exacerbates the negative effects of volatile work patterns on health. These adverse associations were particularly pronounced for females. Taken together, our results demonstrate a strong income gradient in health that may be moderated by diverse work patterns, with significant implications for how work and income as SDOH factors play critical roles in shaping intergenerational poverty and inequality. Not applicable.

State sequence analysis of daily methadone dispensing trajectories among individuals at United States opioid treatment programs before and following COVID‐19 onset

Addiction · 2025-02-26 · 6 citations

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: US regulatory changes allowed for additional methadone take-home doses following COVID-19 onset. How dispensing practices changed and which factors drove variation remains unexplored. We determined daily methadone dispensing trajectories over six months before and after regulatory changes due to COVID-19 using state sequence analysis and explored correlates. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of electronic health records. SETTINGS: Nine opioid treatment programs (OTPs) across nine US states. PARTICIPANTS: Adults initiating treatment in 2019 (n = 328) vs. initiating 1 month after the COVID-19 regulatory changes of March 2020 (n = 376). MEASUREMENTS: Type of daily methadone medication encounter (in-clinic, weekend/holiday take-home, take-home, missed dose, discontinued) based on OTP clinic; cohort (pre vs. post-COVID-19); and patient substance use, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. FINDINGS: Following COVID-19 regulatory changes, allotted methadone take-home doses increased from 3.5% to 13.8% of total person-days in treatment within the first 6 months in care. Clinic site accounted for the greatest variation in methadone dispensing (6.2% and 9.5% of the variation of discrepancy between sequences pre- and post-COVID-19, respectively). People who co-use methamphetamine had a greater increase in take-homes than people who did not use methamphetamine (from 3.7% pre-pandemic to 21.2% post-pandemic vs. 3.5% to 12.5%) and higher discontinuation (average 3.6 vs. 4.7 months among people who did not use methamphetamine pre-COVID-19; average 3.3 vs. 4.6 months post-COVID-19). In the post-COVID-19 cohort, females had a higher proportion of missed doses (17.2% vs. 11.9%) than males. People experiencing houselessness had a higher proportion of missed doses (19% vs. 12.3%) and shorter stays (average 3.5 vs. 4.5 months) when compared with those with stable housing. CONCLUSION: Daily methadone dispensing trajectories in the US both before and following COVID-19 regulatory changes appeared to depend more on the opioid treatment programs' practices than individual patient characteristics or response to treatment.

Navigating the supply chain life cycle: a roadmap for growth and transitional strategies across the stages of organizational evolution

Supply Chain Management An International Journal · 2025-06-06

Purpose This paper aims to understand how managers confront challenges associated with building and implementing supply chain capabilities in nascent firms and how supply chain competitive priorities, structure and processes evolve as a firm matures. Design/methodology/approach For this study, this paper used a grounded theory approach to develop a theoretical understanding of supply chain competitive priorities, structure and process linkages. This paper interviewed 29 managers from 15 firms across multiple geographic locations and used a constant comparison process to develop theoretical categories, dimensions and propositions for future research. Findings The findings, contrary to predictions of congruence theory, suggest that supply chain competitive priorities, structure and methods are more aligned with firm strategy during periods of instability and less aligned during periods of stability. This unexpected discovery significantly contributes to the field, sparking further interest and debate. Furthermore, the findings suggest that, while a firm’s strategic priorities shift toward efficiency and compliance in the latter stages of organizational development as predicted by organizational life cycle theory, supply chain competitive priorities focus on customer service and quality throughout the maturation process, creating a strategic rift. Originality/value From a theoretical standpoint, the findings in this study provide much clarity on how organizations successfully transition supply chain structures to support organizational growth and maturity. As such, this study moves beyond staged development models and builds a theoretical pathway to understand successful transitions between stages. These implications of this research guide managers in aligning their supply chain strategies with their firm’s overall strategy.

Spatial analysis of synthetic clusters of risk and resilience in the wake of the Flint water crisis

Local Environment · 2025-03-12 · 1 citations

Natural and anthropogenic disasters often have greater impact on marginalized communities because of structural disinvestment and racism. Impacts may not be uniform across communities; it is important to identify characteristics related to individual- and neighborhood-level resilience in the context of disaster. The Flint Water Crisis (FWC), given its varying, widespread impacts, provides an opportunity to examine these characteristics. Using Speak to Your Health! (STYH) survey data prior to (2013), during (2015), and after (2017) the FWC's onset, a synthetic longitudinal cohort was created, resulting in a cohort of 885 observations (295 per timepoint). Model-based clustering identified trajectory patterns of 4 factors (individual mental health, institutional trust, neighborhood satisfaction, social support). Each individual's cluster membership was mapped, and Getis-Ord Gi* Hot Spot Analysis identified geospatial patterns of cluster concentration. Five clusters were identified with distinct patterns of disaster impact and resilience: stressed; recovery; resilient; resilient-plus; and growth. Hot Spot analysis demonstrated patterns the cluster membership related to neighborhood sociodemographics, including race, SES, and vacancy rates; of note, the growth cluster was concentrated in the poorest and most heavily vacant neighborhoods. These findings have important implications for efforts to reduce the burden of natural and anthropogenic disasters and other community-level traumas. The results highlight the heterogeneity of outcomes within the same community. Mental health factors are particularly vulnerable. This study indicates that with appropriate response and investment, marginalized communities may demonstrate resilience and even growth following community-level trauma.

Parental Cognitive Stimulation of Young Children Before and After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics · 2025-12-01 · 1 citations

OBJECTIVES: Much research has documented disruptions to parent well-being and family functioning because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, but little is known about how parents' provision of cognitive stimulation to young children has been affected. This question is of added importance for families with low incomes, who were disproportionately disadvantaged by the pandemic. The current study examined whether and how provision of cognitive stimulation at home, as measured by the parent-reported StimQ2, changed for parents with low incomes after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined scores on a total scale and subscales tapping multiple aspects of verbal responsivity and reading. DESIGN: Data from 7 cohorts of families with low incomes across 3 US cities were de-identified and combined into a single analytic sample for secondary analysis. Cohorts ranged in timing relative to the onset of the pandemic (i.e., as early as 2015 and as late as April 2023). Each study contributed data from families assessed at multiple timepoints between birth and age 4 years. RESULTS: Total scores on the StimQ2 increased after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Subscales reflecting reading stayed the same (quantity) or declined (quality), whereas subscales reflecting verbal responsivity increased. CONCLUSION: Relative to prepandemic levels, low-income parents' child-directed speech and responsivity increased postpandemic, but the quantity of parent-child reading was unchanged and its quality declined. Findings suggest the possibility of stability or improvement among parents with low incomes during the pandemic and opportunities for intervention.

How COVID-19 Affected Parenting in a Multi-City Sample With Low Incomes

Journal of Family Issues · 2025-11-25 · 1 citations

We combined data from five cohorts of mothers of young children across three cities to understand how COVID-19 affected parenting among predominantly Black and Latine families with low incomes. We examined whether mothers reported that their parenting got worse, got better, or stayed the same; drew on a qualitative substudy to identify themes describing parenting experiences; and used quantitative data to identify psychosocial characteristics associated with changes in parenting. Forty-four percent of mothers reported their parenting stayed the same after COVID-19 onset, 32% reported improvements, and 24% reported their parenting got worse. Qualitative data illustrated that mothers whose parenting got better spent more and higher-quality time with children, whereas mothers whose parenting got worse did not maintain family routines, had financial worries, and exhibited harsh responses to child problem behaviors. Quantitative data showed that depression, social support, COVID-19-related distress, and parenting self-agency were all associated with reported changes in parenting.

Feasibility of an Obesity Prevention Program for Latino Families from First Trimester of Pregnancy to Child Age 18 Months and Predictors of Program Attendance

Childhood Obesity · 2024-11-29 · 3 citations

Background: The high prevalence of obesity in Latino families with low income necessitates prevention beginning in pregnancy and continuing through infancy. Due to systemic inequities, adverse social determinants of health (SDoH) and mental health symptoms may limit program efficacy by presenting barriers to attendance. We sought to assess: (1) the feasibility of the Starting Early Program (StEP) Prenatal, a 17-session intervention beginning early in pregnancy and continuing to 18 months postpartum; and (2) the effects of adverse SDoH (material hardship, low social support) and mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, stress) on program attendance. Methods: We conducted a single-arm feasibility trial of StEP Prenatal, enrolling from December 2018 to February 2020 ( n = 231). We assessed feasibility (recruitment, retention, fidelity, attendance) and direct and interactive effects of adverse SDoH and mental health symptoms on attendance. We used zero-inflated Poisson regression, adjusting for maternal age, marital status, nativity, education, and pandemic timing. Results: We recruited 57% of eligible participants, with 213 remaining eligible to receive the full program. Retention was 75%. Median fidelity for group format was 64%; median attendance per session was 69%; median number of program sessions attended was 13. Baseline material hardship and high perceived stress predicted approximately one additional session attended. Similar effects were seen for low social support in the absence of anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: Despite pandemic disruptions, StEP Prenatal was feasible to deliver and participants with adverse SDoH at baseline were particularly motivated to attend. Futures studies should tailor programs to baseline SDoH and test flexible implementation models.

Economic hardships during COVID-19 and maternal mental health: Combining samples with low incomes across three cities

Social Science & Medicine · 2024-12-14 · 4 citations