Kathryn Page - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Kathryn Page

Wellbeing, Recovery and Mental Health

Road & Transport Research, 2015

Objectives: This paper aims to describe the epidemiology of suicide among males employed in drivi... more Objectives: This paper aims to describe the epidemiology of suicide among males employed in driving occupations (road and rail) compared to other male occupations in Australia. Methods: Suicide cases among road and rail drivers were extracted from a national dataset of occupationally coded suicide cases for the period 2001 to 2010. Suicide rates per 100 000 were calculated and standardised using the Australian standard population (2001). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Mantell Haenszel rates and compared to all employed suicide cases. Results: The majority of suicides in this occupational category occurred in truck drivers, followed by road and rail drivers. 98% of these suicides were among males; hence only males were included in further analyses. The age-standardised rate of male suicide among Road and Rail drivers over the period 2001 to 2010 was 22.6 per 100 000 (95% CI 19.2 to 25.9). The IRR of suicide in this occupational group c...

Total worker health.

In this chapter, we first present two background premises: (a) there is a high prevalence of ment... more In this chapter, we first present two background premises: (a) there is a high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders in the working population, and (b) working conditions are important and modifiable risk and protective factors for these problems. Workplace interventions to address common mental health problems have evolved relatively independently along three main threads or disciplinary traditions: medicine, public health, and psychology. The remainder of the chapter presents in detail our proposition that interventions from each of these three threads need to be integrated to achieve the greatest population mental health benefits. An integrated approach would protect mental health by reducing work-related risk factors, promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work as well as worker strengths and positive capacities, and address mental health problems among working people regard-less of cause

In this latest Australian Unity Wellbeing Index report, Robert A. Cummins, T’Meika Knapp, Jacqui ... more In this latest Australian Unity Wellbeing Index report, Robert A. Cummins, T’Meika Knapp, Jacqui Woerner, Jenny Walter and Kathryn Page examine the differences between reported feelings of wellbeing across Australia. Among other things, they find that differences in wellbeing are not simply based in economics.

not only been my academic guide, but also a mentor and a friend. Your enthusiasm for your work ha... more not only been my academic guide, but also a mentor and a friend. Your enthusiasm for your work has been infectious. I look forward to seeing the ideas we discussed so passionately together reach fruition as I begin my PhD in 2006, once again under your guidance. Thank you so much for your support, your wisdom and your ability to bring out the best in me. Secondly, but by no means less importantly, I thank my parents, Audrey and Reg. To them, and my brother and sister, I dedicate this thesis. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for putting up with all these years of study and stress. Your love has been unconditional, ever present and totally without question. To my friend and fellow Psychology student, Danijela-we did it! You have been my rock. I cannot even begin to count the hours we spent on the phone throughout this year. I'm so glad we got to share this together. I also send a special thank you to Elinda, 'Painter', Emma, Ardy and the 'Building R' team for their constant support and tolerance, and my boyfriend, Adrian, whom I would never have met had it not been for this degree. For their statistical and administrative help I also thank Assoc. Prof. Mark Stokes and David Williams. Sincere thanks also to Erik Okerstrom who has been an invaluable source of support on this journey. Finally, I express my sincere gratitude to Australian Unity and the employees who completed my survey. This research would not have even begun had it not been for them. In particular, thank you to Nic, Ebony and Kate in the Strategy and Development department. v TABLE OF CONTENTS INDEX OF TABLES vi

BMC public health, Jan 31, 2016

Employment status and working conditions are strong determinants of male health, and are therefor... more Employment status and working conditions are strong determinants of male health, and are therefore an important focus in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men). In this paper, we describe key work variables included in Ten to Men, and present analyses relating psychosocial job quality to mental health and subjective wellbeing at baseline. A national sample of males aged 10 to 55 years residing in private dwellings was drawn using a stratified multi-stage cluster random sample design. Data were collected between October 2013 and July 2014 for a cohort of 15,988 males, representing a response fraction of 35 %. This analysis was restricted to 18-55 year old working age participants (n = 13,456). Work-related measures included employment status, and, for those who were employed, a number of working conditions including an ordinal scale of psychosocial job quality (presence of low job control, high demand and complexity, high job insecurity, and low fairness of pay...

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2016

This study examined the relationship between psychosocial working factors such as job control, jo... more This study examined the relationship between psychosocial working factors such as job control, job demands, job insecurity, supervisor support, and workplace bullying as risk factors for suicide ideation. We used a logistic analytic approach to assess risk factors for thoughts of suicide in a cross-sectional sample of working Australians. Potential predictors included psychosocial job stressors (described above); we also controlled for age, gender, occupational skill level, and psychological distress. We found that workplace bullying or harassment was associated with 1.54 greater odds of suicide ideation (95% confidence interval 1.64 to 2.05) in the model including psychological distress. Results also suggest that higher job control and security were associated with lower odds of suicide ideation. These results suggest the need for organizational level intervention to address psychosocial job stressors, including bullying.

This pilot project, Stand Up Victoria, will assess the efficacy of an intervention aimed at reduc... more This pilot project, Stand Up Victoria, will assess the efficacy of an intervention aimed at reducing workplace sitting. Co-funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the pilot is a two-arm cluster randomised control trial (RCT) involving office-based workers. Approximately 16 workplaces will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. A total of 320 (160 intervention, 160 control) office-based workers aged 18-65 years and working at least 0.6 full-time equivalent will be recruited. 2011 www.health.vic.gov.au/prevention State Government Victoria Department of Human Services Primary prevention of chronic disease in Australia through interventions in the workplace setting: An Evidence Check rapid review 2008 http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/ Primary-prevention-of-chronicdisease-in-Australia-throughinterventions-in-the-workplacesetting:-a-rapid-review Government of Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation Healthy active workplaces: Review of evidence and rationale for workplace health 2009 www.dsr.wa.gov.au/2906

Health Care Management Review, 2016

Job engagement represents a critical resource for community-based health care agencies to achieve... more Job engagement represents a critical resource for community-based health care agencies to achieve high levels of effectiveness. However, studies examining the organizational sources of job engagement among health care professionals have generally overlooked those workers based in community settings. This study drew on the demand-control model, in addition to stressors that are more specific to community health services (e.g., unrewarding management practices), to identify conditions that are closely associated with the engagement experienced by a community health workforce. Job satisfaction was also included as a way of assessing how the predictors of job engagement differ from those associated with other job attitudes. Health and allied health care professionals (n = 516) from two Australian community health services took part in the current investigation. Responses from the two organizations were pooled and analyzed using linear multiple regression. The analyses revealed that three working conditions were predictive of both job engagement and job satisfaction (i.e., job control, quantitative demands, and unrewarding management practices). There was some evidence of differential effects with cognitive demands being associated with job engagement, but not job satisfaction. The results provide important insights into the working conditions that, if addressed, could play key roles in building a more engaged and satisfied community health workforce. Furthermore, working conditions like job control and management practices are amenable to change and thus represent important areas where community health services could enhance the energetic and motivational resources of their employees.

BMC psychiatry, Jan 27, 2016

In this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the implementat... more In this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a workplace mental health intervention in the state-wide police department of the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria. n. The primary aims of the intervention are to improve psychosocial working conditions and mental health literacy, and secondarily to improve mental health and organisational outcomes. The intervention was designed collaboratively with Victoria Police based on a mixed methods pilot study, and combines multi-session leadership coaching for the senior officers within stations (e.g., Sergeants, Senior Sergeants) with tailored mental health literacy training for lower and upper ranks. Intervention effectiveness will be evaluated using a two-arm cluster-randomised trial design, with 12 police stations randomly assigned to the intervention and 12 to the non-intervention/usual care control condition. Data will be collected from all police members...

The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 2014

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work di... more Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes.

Flourishing in Life, Work and Careers, 2015

The focus of this thesis was on the utility of the workplace in promoting employee wellbeing. The... more The focus of this thesis was on the utility of the workplace in promoting employee wellbeing. The thesis applied principles of positive psychology (PP) to the field of occupational health psychology (OHP). Paper 1 reviewed employee well-being with a focus on both general and work-related dimensions. Paper 2 developed a niche for positive employee well-being programs. It reviewed a number of strategies for improving employee health and well-being, including occupational health and safety legislation, corporate wellness programs, worksite health promotion and disease management programs, and stress prevention. Although important, such programs do not focus on promoting positive psychological well-being. The utility of supplementing these approaches with positive employee well-being programs was discussed from an applied ethics perspective. Paper 3 detailed the design and evaluation of the Working for Wellness Program using a mixed method design. Outcomes were tested using a randomized control trial. Participant feedback and field notes were analyzed to x Acknowledgments My first acknowledgement is to my friend, Jeff McLean who brought me to Monash and introduced me to positive psychology. Thanks for starting me on my journey and being a fantastic friend and boss. Immense thanks to my thesis supervisor, and fourtime co-author, Dianne Vella-Brodrick, who provided endless support and encouragement and kept me on the straight and narrow. Most importantly, thank you to Adrian, Mum, and Reg. Adrian, it has been so special to share this journey with you. Thank you for your unconditional love and infinite belief in me. Mum and Reg, thank you for putting up with me all these years and for your constant flexibility and understanding. Thanks also to Dad, Matt, and Emily Page, and my other family, Marcia and Russell Medhurst and co. I am particularly indebted to my sister for her enviable-tech‖ abilities. This thesis could not have happened without the vision and commitment of Medicare Australia, particularly Zoran Ilic, Tony Dulson and the program participants. Thank you for making this project real. Thanks also to Simon Moss, who provided statistical advice and support; Simon Albrecht and the rest of the MOP staff; and finally, to Bill Pappas, Dale Nissen and the WorkSafe crew for putting my thesis into practice.

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work di... more Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes.

Human Resource Management in the Public Sector, 2013

The aim of this chapter is to explore the strategies (policies, systems, practices) that could en... more The aim of this chapter is to explore the strategies (policies, systems, practices) that could enhance perceptions of control and support experienced by healthcare professionals working in the publicly funded, community services sector. Working conditions that facilitate employee control and support not only make significant contributions to the levels of stress experienced by public sector employees working in the health and human services, but also represent key features of high performing work systems. Identifying the specific policies, processes and practices that can enhance the support and control experienced by employees could therefore contribute to the development of healthier and more effective human service working environments. The current study involved a series of focus groups with front-line community health workers working in an Australian community health service. The group discussions were organized around the participating agency’s three major work areas and, based on participant responses, strategies designed to enhance support and control need to be directed at systems and practices existing within: (1) individual work areas (e.g. selecting team leaders carefully and making sure they have the interpersonal and team-development skills required to lead and manage people); and (2) the organization overall (e.g. increasing the level of face-to- face contact between executive-level personnel and ensuring agency management have a more in-depth understanding of employees’ needs).

Health promotion international, Jan 25, 2014

There are a number of published studies on workplace suicide prevention activities, and an even l... more There are a number of published studies on workplace suicide prevention activities, and an even larger number of activities that are not reported on in academic literature. The aim of this review was to provide a systematic assessment of workplace suicide prevention activities, including short-term training activities, as well as suicide prevention strategies designed for occupational groups at risk of suicide. The search was based on Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) Guidelines. The databases used for the searches were the Cochrane Trials Library and PubMed. A range of suicide prevention websites were also searched to ascertain the information on unpublished workplace suicide prevention activities. Key characteristics of retrieved studies were extracted and explained, including whether activities were short-term training programmes or developed specifically for occupations at risk of suicide. There were 13 interventions relevant for the review after exc...

Journal of Public Health Policy, 2013

We used a secondary, qualitative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of work stress in Australia ... more We used a secondary, qualitative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of work stress in Australia to characterize the context for policy and practice intervention. Themes included: Individual versus contextual descriptions of stress; perceived 'gender' differences in manifesting and reporting of stress; the work/home interface; and perceived sectoral and occupational differences in compensation claim rates. We found that people often still perceive stress as an individual rather than organizational problem and view work stress as a stereotypically feminine weakness that affects only certain people. Organizations downplay and overlook risks, increasing worker reluctance to report stressors, creating barriers to job stress interventions. Our study may be relevant to other industrial countries where researchers currently study job stress interventions to improve their effectiveness. Comprehensive approaches can increase knowledge and decrease stigma about job stress and mental illness, and target both work- and non-work-related influences on mental health.

... Cummins, Robert A., Knapp, T'Meika, Woerner, Jacqui, Walter, Jenny and Page, Kathryn 200... more ... Cummins, Robert A., Knapp, T'Meika, Woerner, Jacqui, Walter, Jenny and Page, Kathryn 2005, Australian Unity Wellbeing Index : Report 13.1 : The personal wellbeing of Australians living within federal electoral divisions School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic.. ...

Wellbeing, Recovery and Mental Health

Road & Transport Research, 2015

Objectives: This paper aims to describe the epidemiology of suicide among males employed in drivi... more Objectives: This paper aims to describe the epidemiology of suicide among males employed in driving occupations (road and rail) compared to other male occupations in Australia. Methods: Suicide cases among road and rail drivers were extracted from a national dataset of occupationally coded suicide cases for the period 2001 to 2010. Suicide rates per 100 000 were calculated and standardised using the Australian standard population (2001). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Mantell Haenszel rates and compared to all employed suicide cases. Results: The majority of suicides in this occupational category occurred in truck drivers, followed by road and rail drivers. 98% of these suicides were among males; hence only males were included in further analyses. The age-standardised rate of male suicide among Road and Rail drivers over the period 2001 to 2010 was 22.6 per 100 000 (95% CI 19.2 to 25.9). The IRR of suicide in this occupational group c...

Total worker health.

In this chapter, we first present two background premises: (a) there is a high prevalence of ment... more In this chapter, we first present two background premises: (a) there is a high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders in the working population, and (b) working conditions are important and modifiable risk and protective factors for these problems. Workplace interventions to address common mental health problems have evolved relatively independently along three main threads or disciplinary traditions: medicine, public health, and psychology. The remainder of the chapter presents in detail our proposition that interventions from each of these three threads need to be integrated to achieve the greatest population mental health benefits. An integrated approach would protect mental health by reducing work-related risk factors, promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work as well as worker strengths and positive capacities, and address mental health problems among working people regard-less of cause

In this latest Australian Unity Wellbeing Index report, Robert A. Cummins, T’Meika Knapp, Jacqui ... more In this latest Australian Unity Wellbeing Index report, Robert A. Cummins, T’Meika Knapp, Jacqui Woerner, Jenny Walter and Kathryn Page examine the differences between reported feelings of wellbeing across Australia. Among other things, they find that differences in wellbeing are not simply based in economics.

not only been my academic guide, but also a mentor and a friend. Your enthusiasm for your work ha... more not only been my academic guide, but also a mentor and a friend. Your enthusiasm for your work has been infectious. I look forward to seeing the ideas we discussed so passionately together reach fruition as I begin my PhD in 2006, once again under your guidance. Thank you so much for your support, your wisdom and your ability to bring out the best in me. Secondly, but by no means less importantly, I thank my parents, Audrey and Reg. To them, and my brother and sister, I dedicate this thesis. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for putting up with all these years of study and stress. Your love has been unconditional, ever present and totally without question. To my friend and fellow Psychology student, Danijela-we did it! You have been my rock. I cannot even begin to count the hours we spent on the phone throughout this year. I'm so glad we got to share this together. I also send a special thank you to Elinda, 'Painter', Emma, Ardy and the 'Building R' team for their constant support and tolerance, and my boyfriend, Adrian, whom I would never have met had it not been for this degree. For their statistical and administrative help I also thank Assoc. Prof. Mark Stokes and David Williams. Sincere thanks also to Erik Okerstrom who has been an invaluable source of support on this journey. Finally, I express my sincere gratitude to Australian Unity and the employees who completed my survey. This research would not have even begun had it not been for them. In particular, thank you to Nic, Ebony and Kate in the Strategy and Development department. v TABLE OF CONTENTS INDEX OF TABLES vi

BMC public health, Jan 31, 2016

Employment status and working conditions are strong determinants of male health, and are therefor... more Employment status and working conditions are strong determinants of male health, and are therefore an important focus in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men). In this paper, we describe key work variables included in Ten to Men, and present analyses relating psychosocial job quality to mental health and subjective wellbeing at baseline. A national sample of males aged 10 to 55 years residing in private dwellings was drawn using a stratified multi-stage cluster random sample design. Data were collected between October 2013 and July 2014 for a cohort of 15,988 males, representing a response fraction of 35 %. This analysis was restricted to 18-55 year old working age participants (n = 13,456). Work-related measures included employment status, and, for those who were employed, a number of working conditions including an ordinal scale of psychosocial job quality (presence of low job control, high demand and complexity, high job insecurity, and low fairness of pay...

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2016

This study examined the relationship between psychosocial working factors such as job control, jo... more This study examined the relationship between psychosocial working factors such as job control, job demands, job insecurity, supervisor support, and workplace bullying as risk factors for suicide ideation. We used a logistic analytic approach to assess risk factors for thoughts of suicide in a cross-sectional sample of working Australians. Potential predictors included psychosocial job stressors (described above); we also controlled for age, gender, occupational skill level, and psychological distress. We found that workplace bullying or harassment was associated with 1.54 greater odds of suicide ideation (95% confidence interval 1.64 to 2.05) in the model including psychological distress. Results also suggest that higher job control and security were associated with lower odds of suicide ideation. These results suggest the need for organizational level intervention to address psychosocial job stressors, including bullying.

This pilot project, Stand Up Victoria, will assess the efficacy of an intervention aimed at reduc... more This pilot project, Stand Up Victoria, will assess the efficacy of an intervention aimed at reducing workplace sitting. Co-funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the pilot is a two-arm cluster randomised control trial (RCT) involving office-based workers. Approximately 16 workplaces will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. A total of 320 (160 intervention, 160 control) office-based workers aged 18-65 years and working at least 0.6 full-time equivalent will be recruited. 2011 www.health.vic.gov.au/prevention State Government Victoria Department of Human Services Primary prevention of chronic disease in Australia through interventions in the workplace setting: An Evidence Check rapid review 2008 http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/ Primary-prevention-of-chronicdisease-in-Australia-throughinterventions-in-the-workplacesetting:-a-rapid-review Government of Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation Healthy active workplaces: Review of evidence and rationale for workplace health 2009 www.dsr.wa.gov.au/2906

Health Care Management Review, 2016

Job engagement represents a critical resource for community-based health care agencies to achieve... more Job engagement represents a critical resource for community-based health care agencies to achieve high levels of effectiveness. However, studies examining the organizational sources of job engagement among health care professionals have generally overlooked those workers based in community settings. This study drew on the demand-control model, in addition to stressors that are more specific to community health services (e.g., unrewarding management practices), to identify conditions that are closely associated with the engagement experienced by a community health workforce. Job satisfaction was also included as a way of assessing how the predictors of job engagement differ from those associated with other job attitudes. Health and allied health care professionals (n = 516) from two Australian community health services took part in the current investigation. Responses from the two organizations were pooled and analyzed using linear multiple regression. The analyses revealed that three working conditions were predictive of both job engagement and job satisfaction (i.e., job control, quantitative demands, and unrewarding management practices). There was some evidence of differential effects with cognitive demands being associated with job engagement, but not job satisfaction. The results provide important insights into the working conditions that, if addressed, could play key roles in building a more engaged and satisfied community health workforce. Furthermore, working conditions like job control and management practices are amenable to change and thus represent important areas where community health services could enhance the energetic and motivational resources of their employees.

BMC psychiatry, Jan 27, 2016

In this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the implementat... more In this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a workplace mental health intervention in the state-wide police department of the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria. n. The primary aims of the intervention are to improve psychosocial working conditions and mental health literacy, and secondarily to improve mental health and organisational outcomes. The intervention was designed collaboratively with Victoria Police based on a mixed methods pilot study, and combines multi-session leadership coaching for the senior officers within stations (e.g., Sergeants, Senior Sergeants) with tailored mental health literacy training for lower and upper ranks. Intervention effectiveness will be evaluated using a two-arm cluster-randomised trial design, with 12 police stations randomly assigned to the intervention and 12 to the non-intervention/usual care control condition. Data will be collected from all police members...

The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling, 2014

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work di... more Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes.

Flourishing in Life, Work and Careers, 2015

The focus of this thesis was on the utility of the workplace in promoting employee wellbeing. The... more The focus of this thesis was on the utility of the workplace in promoting employee wellbeing. The thesis applied principles of positive psychology (PP) to the field of occupational health psychology (OHP). Paper 1 reviewed employee well-being with a focus on both general and work-related dimensions. Paper 2 developed a niche for positive employee well-being programs. It reviewed a number of strategies for improving employee health and well-being, including occupational health and safety legislation, corporate wellness programs, worksite health promotion and disease management programs, and stress prevention. Although important, such programs do not focus on promoting positive psychological well-being. The utility of supplementing these approaches with positive employee well-being programs was discussed from an applied ethics perspective. Paper 3 detailed the design and evaluation of the Working for Wellness Program using a mixed method design. Outcomes were tested using a randomized control trial. Participant feedback and field notes were analyzed to x Acknowledgments My first acknowledgement is to my friend, Jeff McLean who brought me to Monash and introduced me to positive psychology. Thanks for starting me on my journey and being a fantastic friend and boss. Immense thanks to my thesis supervisor, and fourtime co-author, Dianne Vella-Brodrick, who provided endless support and encouragement and kept me on the straight and narrow. Most importantly, thank you to Adrian, Mum, and Reg. Adrian, it has been so special to share this journey with you. Thank you for your unconditional love and infinite belief in me. Mum and Reg, thank you for putting up with me all these years and for your constant flexibility and understanding. Thanks also to Dad, Matt, and Emily Page, and my other family, Marcia and Russell Medhurst and co. I am particularly indebted to my sister for her enviable-tech‖ abilities. This thesis could not have happened without the vision and commitment of Medicare Australia, particularly Zoran Ilic, Tony Dulson and the program participants. Thank you for making this project real. Thanks also to Simon Moss, who provided statistical advice and support; Simon Albrecht and the rest of the MOP staff; and finally, to Bill Pappas, Dale Nissen and the WorkSafe crew for putting my thesis into practice.

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work di... more Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes.

Human Resource Management in the Public Sector, 2013

The aim of this chapter is to explore the strategies (policies, systems, practices) that could en... more The aim of this chapter is to explore the strategies (policies, systems, practices) that could enhance perceptions of control and support experienced by healthcare professionals working in the publicly funded, community services sector. Working conditions that facilitate employee control and support not only make significant contributions to the levels of stress experienced by public sector employees working in the health and human services, but also represent key features of high performing work systems. Identifying the specific policies, processes and practices that can enhance the support and control experienced by employees could therefore contribute to the development of healthier and more effective human service working environments. The current study involved a series of focus groups with front-line community health workers working in an Australian community health service. The group discussions were organized around the participating agency’s three major work areas and, based on participant responses, strategies designed to enhance support and control need to be directed at systems and practices existing within: (1) individual work areas (e.g. selecting team leaders carefully and making sure they have the interpersonal and team-development skills required to lead and manage people); and (2) the organization overall (e.g. increasing the level of face-to- face contact between executive-level personnel and ensuring agency management have a more in-depth understanding of employees’ needs).

Health promotion international, Jan 25, 2014

There are a number of published studies on workplace suicide prevention activities, and an even l... more There are a number of published studies on workplace suicide prevention activities, and an even larger number of activities that are not reported on in academic literature. The aim of this review was to provide a systematic assessment of workplace suicide prevention activities, including short-term training activities, as well as suicide prevention strategies designed for occupational groups at risk of suicide. The search was based on Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) Guidelines. The databases used for the searches were the Cochrane Trials Library and PubMed. A range of suicide prevention websites were also searched to ascertain the information on unpublished workplace suicide prevention activities. Key characteristics of retrieved studies were extracted and explained, including whether activities were short-term training programmes or developed specifically for occupations at risk of suicide. There were 13 interventions relevant for the review after exc...

Journal of Public Health Policy, 2013

We used a secondary, qualitative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of work stress in Australia ... more We used a secondary, qualitative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of work stress in Australia to characterize the context for policy and practice intervention. Themes included: Individual versus contextual descriptions of stress; perceived 'gender' differences in manifesting and reporting of stress; the work/home interface; and perceived sectoral and occupational differences in compensation claim rates. We found that people often still perceive stress as an individual rather than organizational problem and view work stress as a stereotypically feminine weakness that affects only certain people. Organizations downplay and overlook risks, increasing worker reluctance to report stressors, creating barriers to job stress interventions. Our study may be relevant to other industrial countries where researchers currently study job stress interventions to improve their effectiveness. Comprehensive approaches can increase knowledge and decrease stigma about job stress and mental illness, and target both work- and non-work-related influences on mental health.

... Cummins, Robert A., Knapp, T'Meika, Woerner, Jacqui, Walter, Jenny and Page, Kathryn 200... more ... Cummins, Robert A., Knapp, T'Meika, Woerner, Jacqui, Walter, Jenny and Page, Kathryn 2005, Australian Unity Wellbeing Index : Report 13.1 : The personal wellbeing of Australians living within federal electoral divisions School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic.. ...