Documents health programme 106 results

"Interventions that aim at improving health by changing the organization of work—in terms of task characteristics, work conditions, and social aspects—have shown their potential, but results are mixed, and many studies do not use their methodological potential. It is proposed that interventions at the organizational level are likely to have a more diverse effect than at the individual level, as the number of subsystems, with potentially diverging interests, is larger. Even well-implemented interventions are not likely to lead to improvements in all parameters for all participants, and trade-offs have to be considered. Methodological improvement is necessary but should not only focus on design issues, but also on careful documentation and subgroup analyses. A combination of person-focused and organization-focused approaches is the most promising. Finally, evidence points to the limited utility of economic arguments for the acceptance of health promotion projects; the necessity of professional trust is therefore emphasized."

"Over nearly a decade, the Foundation has led a Europe-wide programme of research, policy development and training for workplace health promotion (WHP). In this time the Foundation has commissioned the largest single research programme on WHP to take place in Europe and possible anywhere in the world. As part of this programme work has been carried out in four phases in the areas of research, policy training and dissemination of training. This brochure provides an overview of this work. In addition, this brochure describes some of the major developments in the area which have taken place during this period in Europe."

"OBJECTIVES:
An epidemiological surveillance system for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) was implemented in 2002 in France's Pays de la Loire region to assess the incidence and prevalence of MSDs in the general and working populations, identify levels of exposure to occupational risk factors and investigate the proportion of cases attributable to work exposure.
METHODS:
The program combines (1) surveillance of sentinel health events in the general population (carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was the sentinel event for upper limb MSDs), (2) assessment of the prevalence of the main upper limb MSDs and their risk factors in the workplace based on a network of occupational physicians and (3) registration of the notification of work-related diseases (WRDs).
RESULTS:
1168 incident cases of CTS were included over a 3 year period. The estimated incidence of CTS was 1.00 per 1000 person-years in those aged 20-59 years (0.60 in men and 1.40 in women). The incidence rate was higher in employed than unemployed persons in the year of diagnosis (0.6 per 1000 vs 0.3 in men and 1.7 vs 0.8 in women). The occupational physician network noted high prevalence rates: 11% of men and 15% of women had at least one of the six main upper limb clinically-diagnosed MSDs. The WRD survey showed that MSDs represented 65% of notified WRDs.
CONCLUSION:
The Pays de la Loire program plays a significant role in informing the authorities and the public about the state of current MSDs. It is planned to extend it to a routine national surveillance program."

"Integration of workplace wellness with safety and health has gained momentum on the initiative of the state allied with a segment of large employers and some health and safety professionals. Integration has a dual potential: to fundamentally reshape occupational health in ways that profoundly benefit workers, or to serve neoliberal corporate goals. A focus on the workplace and the ways work and health interact broaden the definition of a work-related injury or illness and emphasize and challenge the employer decisions that create hazards and determine risk. However, the implementation of integration is taking place in a context of corporate dominance and the aggressive pursuit of a neoliberal agenda. Consequently, in practice, integration efforts have emphasized individual worker responsibility for health and fail to actually integrate wellness with safety and health in a meaningful way. Can an alternative be envisioned and pursued that realizes the promise of integration for workers?"

"Objectives: In May 2008, the National Health Service (NHS) Lanarkshire (NHSL) implemented a unique telephone-based sickness absence management service entitled “EASY” (Early Access to Support for You). The EASY service supplements existing absence policies and enables telephone communication between the absentee, their line manager, and the EASY service from the first day of absence and referral to occupational health services at day ten. The aim of this study was to determine if the EASY service was effective between May 2008 and May 2012 in reducing sickness absence in NHSL compared to normal occupational healthcare in NHS Scotland and is, as such, a cost-saving intervention.Methods: This study included time-series analysis of health board sickness absence data and analyses of the EASY service database (survival analyses and Cox's proportional hazards model).Results: The EASY service was effective in reducing sickness absence by 21% in NHSL, whereas the nonspecific tightening of the sickness absence policies across the rest of Scottish NHS health boards reduced sickness absence by approximately 9%. The richness of the EASY database gave detailed information on absentees by cause, duration, job family, and reporting compliance. The mean duration of musculoskeletal absences was significantly shorter in years 2, 3, and 4 compared to year 1. Those absentees contacted by phone on the first day of absence were more likely to return to work than those contacted on subsequent days. The EASY service improves economic efficiency; the value of the hours saved from the reduced sickness absence exceeds the cost of operating the service.Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of an early telephone-based intervention for sickness absence management."