Enhancing a sustainable healthy working life: design of a clustered randomized controlled trial (original) (raw)
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Improving Healthy Behaviour in the Workplace
KnE Life Sciences, 2018
Work is required to meet the needs of life and create prosperity, but it can impact the worker's health and safety. The risk factors of work are derived from the work process, the materials and tools involved, and the workplace; however, workers themselves can also be a source of harm if their health condition is not fit to work, and/or if they perform unsafe acts while working. One important factor that determines workers' health is their lifestyle, both in daily life and at the workplace. This article aims to share information about the Workplace Health Promotion program stage cycle development model. This model has evolved following the development of our knowledge derived from a literature review of both books and journals, an analysis of current issues, and our research involving students, as well as collaboration among campuses, faculty, companies, and other stakeholders in community social responsibility programs. This model consists of eight stages from which the name of RAPKPIEK is derived: recognition of health hazard and risk; analysis of needs; program planning; communication; preparation; implementation; evaluation; and continuity. The original program has been enhanced with three added initiatives: ethics and value, leadership engagement and worker participation, and the assembly and mobilization of human resources and infrastructure. Our research and our field experiences found that the RAPKPIEK model successfully improved several health indicators and established a healthy lifestyle in many workplaces. This model can be used as a guide for the development of interventions and form the basis of evaluation in workplace health promotion programs. However, it is suggested that the RAPKPIEK-plus concept of advancement needs to be further investigated for its effectiveness in order to promote better and more sustainable health behaviour in the workplace.
Effectiveness of a problem-solving based intervention to prolong the working life of ageing workers
BMC public health, 2015
BackgroundAn ageing workforce combined with increasing health problems in ageing workers implies the importance of evidence-based interventions to enhance sustainable employability. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the `Staying healthy at work¿ problem-solving based intervention compared to business as usual.MethodsThis study was designed as a quasi-experimental trial with a one-year follow-up. Measurements were performed at baseline, three and twelve months. The problem-solving based intervention provides a strategy for increasing the awareness of ageing workers of their role and responsibility in living sustainable, healthy working lives. The primary outcomes were work ability, vitality and productivity. Secondary outcomes were perceived fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics, work attitude, self-efficacy and work engagement.ResultsAnalyses were performed on the 64 workers in the intervention and 61 workers from the business as usual group. No effects ...
HEALTHY WORK IN THE AGEING EUROPE
Workplace health promotion (WHP) has been defined as the combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work. This is achieved through a combination of: improving the work organization and the working environment , promoting the active participation of employees in health activities, encouraging personal development. In our country, this subject is still unpopular, and organized work on introduction and implementation of already existing directives of ENWHP still does not exist. As a result, the competitiveness of the European Union during the next few decades will depend on the contribution of older workers, especially in comparison with North America and Asia. The general aim, therefore, is to extend workability and health up to a higher age. The most important force for change is the workplace. There are different action plans and a host of tools with which the health, qualifications, motivation and therefore the work abilit...
Working on wellness (WOW): A worksite health promotion intervention programme
BMC Public Health, 2012
Background: Insufficient PA has been shown to cluster with other CVD risk factors including insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, overweight, increased serum cholesterol concentrations and elevated blood pressure. This paper describes the development of Working on Wellness (WOW), a worksite intervention program incorporating motivational interviewing by wellness specialists, targeting employees at risk. In addition, we describe the evaluation the effectiveness of the intervention among employees at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
2006
Measures that help people extend their working years and maintain their work ability have risen to the fore in the social welfare and health policies of many European countries. Improving the quality of work life, prolonging work careers, and promoting health at work are all preconditions for achieving a sustainable, stable and productive society, thus furthering the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy. Prolonging careers and health promotion at workplaces were among the themes discussed at the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Employment, Social Policy and Health during Finland’s EU Presidency in July 2006. The meeting also discussed more generally how to meet the challenges posed by globalisation and ageing, and what measures Member States and the EU should take to develop work life. To provide background material for the ministerial meeting, the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health launched a joint project in 2005, “Health in ...
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 2012
Objective A worksite lifestyle intervention aiming to improve lifestyle behaviors could be an effective tool to keep older workers vital, and thereby prolong their labor participation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of such an intervention on vitality, work engagement, productivity and sick leave. Methods In a randomized controlled trial design, 367 workers (control group: N=363) received a 6-month intervention, which included two weekly guided group sessions: one yoga and one workout, as well as one weekly session of aerobic exercising, without face-to-face instruction, and three individual coach visits aimed at changing workers' lifestyle behavior by goal setting, feedback, and problem-solving strategies. Furthermore, free fruit was provided at the guided sessions. Data on work-related vitality (UWES vitality scale), general vitality (RAND-36 vitality scale), work engagement (UWES), productivity (single item scoring 0-10), and sick leave (yes/no past 3 months) were collected using questionnaires at baseline (N=730), and at 6-(N=575) and 12-months (N=500) follow-up. Effects were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle with complete cases (N=500) and imputed data (N=730). Results There were no significant differences in vitality, work engagement, productivity, and sick leave between the intervention and control group workers after either 6-and 12-months follow-up. Yoga and workout subgroup analyses showed a 12-month favorable effect on work-related vitality [β=0.14, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.04-0.28] and general vitality (β=2.9, 95% CI 0.02-5.9) among high yoga compliers. For high workout compliers, this positive trend was also seen, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusions Implementation of worksite yoga facilities could be a useful strategy to promote vitality-related work outcomes, but only if high compliance can be maximized. Therefore, impeding factors for participation should be investigated in more detail in future research.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 2018
Health care workers (HCWs) are prone to a heavy psycho-physical workload. Health promotion programs can help prevent the onset of chronic and work-related diseases. The aim of the STI-VI 'before-and-after' study, with assessments scheduled at 6 and 12 months, was to improve the lifestyle of HCWs with at least one cardiovascular risk factor. A tailored motivational counseling intervention, focusing on dietary habits and physical activity (PA) was administered to 167 HCWs (53 males; 114 females). BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels were measured before and after the intervention. The 6-month results (total sample and by gender) showed a marked effect on lifestyle: PA improved (+121.2 MET, = 0.01), and diets became more similar to the Mediterranean model (+0.8, < 0.001). BMI dropped (-0.2, < 0.03), and waist circumference improved even more (-2.5 cm; < 0.001). Other variables improved significantly: total an...
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2016
Objective: Evaluation of the effectiveness of a workplace health promotion program on employees' vitality, health, and work-related outcomes, and exploring the influence of organizational support and the supervisors' role on these outcomes. Methods: The 5-month intervention included activities at management, team, and individual level targeting self-management to perform healthy behaviors: a kick-off session, vitality training sessions, workshops, individual coaching, and intervision. Outcome measures were collected using questionnaires, health checks, and sickness absence data at baseline, after the intervention and at 10 months follow-up. For analysis linear and generalized mixed models were used. Results: Vitality, work performance, sickness absence, and self-management significantly improved. Good organizational support and involved supervisors were significantly associated with lower sickness absence. Conclusions: Including all organizational levels and focusing on increasing self-management provided promising results for improving vitality, health, and work-related outcomes. I n the past decades, workplace health promotion emerged as a popular strategy for health and cost benefits. 1,2 Workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) aim to improve lifestyle and consequently improve health and work-related outcomes. 3 Several reviews have demonstrated that WHPPs have a positive effect on overall health and wellbeing, 4 mental health, that is, depression and anxiety, 5,6 and nutrition and physical activity. 7-10 Besides general health improvements, work-related outcomes as sickness absence, 5,11 work productivity and presenteeism 12 can be positively influenced by these programs. In combination with costeffectiveness, WHPPs become attractive programs to companies. 11 Recently, a new WHPP was developed focusing on two relevant company aspects: ''Energy''-an important element of individual vitality 13 and ''Performance''-an important element of employability. 14 This WHPP integrated several critical success
Health Promotion International, 2017
Introduction: Health promoting workplace frameworks provide a holistic view on determinants of workplace health and the link between individuals, work and environment, however, the operationalization of these frameworks has not been very clear. This study provides a typology of the different understandings, frameworks/tools used in the workplace health promotion practice or research worldwide. It discusses the degree of their conformity with Ottawa Charter's spirit and the key actions expected to be implemented in health promoting settings such as workplaces. Method: A comprehensive online search was conducted utilizing relevant key words. The search also included official websites of related international, regional, and national organizations. After exclusion, 27 texts were analysed utilizing conventional content analyses. Results: The results of the analysis were categorized as dimensions (level or main structure) of a healthy or health promoting workplaces and subcategorized characteristics/criteria of healthy/health promoting workplace. Discussion and conclusion: Our analysis shows diversity and ambiguity in the workplace health literature regarding domains and characteristics of a healthy/health promoting workplace. This may have roots in lack of a common understanding of the concepts or different social and work environment context. Development of global or national health promoting workplace standards in a participatory process might be considered as a potential solution.