Workplace health promotion programs among health workers: a systematic literature review

Objective: To identify the effect of workplace health promotion activities (WHPA) on the health status of health personnel. Methodology: A systematic literature review was performed. Six computerized databases were used to search for studies on the effect of at least one health promotion activity on the health status of health personnel. Studies were included if they were published in peer-reviewed and indexed journals and were written either in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Information such as study population, sample size, type of study, outcome, and health promotion activities performed were extracted from each publication. All the included articles were measured in terms of their methodological quality, including the risk of bias. Results: Lower scores on perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, and mood symptoms were reported. An improvement in sleep hours and quality and a reduction in dietary sodium intake were informed. Improvements in participants' dietary habits, weight loss, and body fat percentage, along with increased physical activity and a reduction in pain levels were reported. A reduction in the prevalence of cigarette smoking was found. Conclusions: WHPAs can enhance physical and mental health, and overall well-being, and encouraging healthier behaviors among health personnel. Most of the studies targeting mental health focused their efforts primarily on reducing healthcare workers' perceived stress. WHPAs that addressed both diet and physical activity behaviors were more effective at improving weight outcomes than those that used only one approximation. Overall, this study offers valuable information on the impact of worksite-based health promotion interventions, including the effect of different strategies applied.

Objetivo: Identificar el efecto de las actividades de promoción de la salud en el lugar de trabajo (APST) sobre el estado de salud del personal sanitario. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura. Se utilizaron seis bases de datos computarizadas para buscar estudios sobre el efecto de al menos una actividad de promoción de la salud en el estado de salud del personal sanitario. Se incluyeron los estudios publicados en revistas revisadas por pares e indexadas y escritos en inglés, español o portugués. De cada publicación se extrajo información como la población del estudio, el tamaño de la muestra, el tipo de estudio, el resultado y las actividades de promoción de la salud realizadas. Se analizaron todos los artículos incluidos en términos de su calidad metodológica, teniendo en cuenta el riesgo de sesgo. Resultados: Se registraron puntuaciones menos elevadas en el estrés percibido, agotamiento emocional y alteración del estado de ánimo. Se informó de una mejoría en las horas y la calidad del sueño, y de una reducción de la ingesta de sodio en la dieta. Se registraron mejorías en los hábitos alimentarios de los participantes, pérdida de peso y porcentaje de grasa corporal, así como un aumento de la actividad física y una reducción de los niveles de dolor. Se observó una reducción de la prevalencia del tabaquismo. Conclusiones: Las AMPS pueden mejorar la salud física y mental, así como el bienestar general, y fomentar comportamientos más saludables entre el personal sanitario. La mayoría de los estudios dirigidos a la salud mental centraron sus esfuerzos principalmente en reducir el estrés percibido por el personal sanitario. Las AMPS que abordaron tanto los comportamientos relacionados con la alimentación como con la actividad física fueron más eficaces a la hora de mejorar los resultados en cuanto al peso que las que sólo utilizaron una aproximación. En general, este estudio ofrece información valiosa sobre el impacto de las intervenciones de promoción de la salud en el lugar de trabajo, así como el efecto de las distintas estrategias aplicadas

Objetivo: Identificar o efeito das atividades de promoção da saúde no local de trabalho (APST) sobre o estado de saúde do pessoal sanitário. Metodologia: Realizou-se uma revisão sistemática da literatura. Utilizaram-se seis bases de dados computadorizadas para procurar estudos sobre o efeito de pelo menos uma atividade de promoção da saúde no estado da saúde do pessoal sanitário. Incluíram-se os estudos publicados em revistas revisadas por pares e indexadas e escritos em inglês, espanhol ou português. De cada publicação coletou-se informação como a população do estudo, o tamanho da amostra, o tipo de estudo, o resultado e as atividades de promoção da saúde realizadas. Analisaram-se todos os artigos incluídos em termos de sua qualidade metodológica, levando em consideração o risco de viés. Resultados: Registraram-se números menos elevados no estresse percebido, esgotamento emocional e alteração do estado de ânimo. Foi informada uma melhora nas horas e na qualidade do sono, e uma redução da ingesta de sódio na dieta. Registraram-se melhoras nos mejorías en los hábitos alimentarios de los participantes, pérdida de peso y porcentaje de grasa corporal, así como un aumento de la actividad física y una reducción de los niveles de dolor. Se observó una reducción de la prevalencia del tabaquismo. Conclusiones: Las APST pueden mejorar la salud física y mental, así como el bienestar general, y fomentar comportamientos más saludables entre el personal sanitario. La mayoría de los estudios dirigidos a la salud mental centraron sus esfuerzos principalmente en reducir el estrés percibido por el personal sanitario. Las APST que abordaron tanto los comportamientos relacionados con la alimentación como con la actividad física fueron más eficaces a la hora de mejorar los resultados en cuanto al peso que las que sólo utilizaron una aproximación. En general, este estudio ofrece información valiosa sobre el impacto de las intervenciones de promoción de la salud en el lugar de trabajo, así como el efecto de las distintas estrategias aplicadas.

Impact of a Three-Week Workplace Vocal Health Promotion Program on a Teacher and Students' Voice Parameters

Objective: To determine the effect on voice parameters in pupils and their teacher of a three-week Workplace Vocal Health Promotion Program (WVHPP) in a school setting. Methods: Longitudinal study with a design phase and a pilot phase. Voice recordings of connected speech were used to collect information on voice functioning before and after the implementation of the program. The workplace vocal health promotion program was implemented with two purposes: (1) to reduce noisy conditions inside the classrooms that may cause loud voice production, which has been found associated with voice disorders among teachers and students and (2) to increase awareness about the relationship between noise and voice inside the classrooms. Results: The WVHPP was found to be statistically associated with a decrease in the fundamental frequency, standard deviation of the fundamental frequency, sound pressure levels, and SPL standard deviation among both pupils and their teacher. However, there was no statistically significant effect on cepstral peak prominence smoothed. Conclusion: The three-week WVHPP was found to have a significant impact on several acoustic parameters, such as the fundamental frequency and sound pressure levels. These findings highlight the potential of the WVHPP as an effective intervention for improving the vocal health of both teachers and students. However, the lack of a significant effect on cepstral peak prominence smoothed suggests that further research is needed to fully understand the impact of the WVHPP on voice quality.

Objetivo: Determinar el efecto en los parámetros de voz de los alumnos y su profesora de un Programa de tres semanas de Promoción de la Salud Vocal en el lugar de trabajo en un entorno escolar. Métodos: Estudio longitudinal con una fase de diseño y una fase piloto. Se utilizaron grabaciones de voz de habla conectada para recopilar información sobre el funcionamiento de la voz antes y después de la implementación del programa. El programa de promoción de la salud vocal en el lugar de trabajo se implementó con dos propósitos: (1) Reducir las condiciones ruidosas dentro de las aulas que pueden causar una producción de voz a alta intensidad, lo que se ha encontrado asociado con trastornos de la voz entre profesores y estudiantes; y (2) Aumentar la conciencia sobre la relación entre el ruido y la voz dentro de las aulas. Resultados: Se encontró que el Programa de Promoción de la Salud Vocal en el lugar de trabajo estaba estadísticamente asociado con una disminución de la frecuencia fundamental, la desviación estándar de la frecuencia fundamental, los niveles de presión sonora y la desviación estándar de la presión sonora, tanto en los alumnos como en su profesor. Sin embargo, no hubo un efecto estadísticamente significativo en la prominencia del pico cepstral suavizado. Conclusión: Se encontró que el programa de tres semanas tenía un impacto significativo en varios parámetros acústicos, como la frecuencia fundamental y los niveles de presión sonora. Estos hallazgos destacan el potencial del programa como una intervención eficaz para mejorar la salud vocal tanto de profesores como de estudiantes. Sin embargo, la falta de un efecto significativo en la prominencia del pico cepstral suavizado sugiere que se necesita más investigación para comprender completamente el impacto del programa en la calidad vocal.

Health Promotion at Work: A Comparison of Policy and Practice Across Europe

BACKGROUND: Promoting healthy lifestyles at work should complement workplace safety programs. This study systematically investigates current states of occupational health and safety (OHS) policy as well as practice in the European Union (EU). METHODS: OHS policies of EU member states were categorized as either prevention or health promotion provisions using a manifest content analysis. Policy rankings were then created for each prevention and promotion. Rankings compared eight indicators from the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks-2 data on prevention and promotion practices for each member state using Chi-square and probit regression analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 73.1% of EU establishments take preventive measures against direct physical harm, and about 35.4% take measures to prevent psychosocial risks. Merely 29.5% have measures to promote health. Weak and inconsistent links between OHS policy and practice indicators were identified. CONCLUSION: National OHS policies evidently concentrate on prevention while compliance with health and safety practices is relatively low. Psychosocial risks are often addressed in national policy but not implemented by institutions. Current risk assessment methods are outdated and often lack psychosocial indicators. Health promotion at work is rare in policy and practice, and its interpretation remains preventive. Member states need to adopt policies that actively improve health and well-being at the workplace.

Marginal socio-economic effects of an employer's efforts to improve the work environment

BACKGROUND: Workplace health promotion (WHP) strongly requires the employer’s efforts to improve the psychosocial, ergonomic, and physical environments of the workplace. There are many studies discussing the socio-economic advantage of WHP intervention programmes and thus the internal and external factors motivating employers to implement and integrate such programmes. However, the socio-economic impacts of the employer’s multifactorial efforts to improve the work environment need to be adequately assessed. METHODS: Data were collected from Swedish company Sandvik Materials Technology (SMT) through a work environment survey in April 2014. Different regression equations were analysed to assess marginal effects of the employer’s efforts on overall labour effectiveness (OLE), informal work impairments (IWI), lost working hours (LWH), and labour productivity loss (LPL) in terms of money. RESULTS: The employer’s multifactorial efforts resulted in increasing OLE, decreasing IWI and illness-related LWH, and cost savings in terms of decreasing LPL. CONCLUSION: Environmental factors at the workplace are the important determinant factor for OLE, and the latter is where socio-economic impacts of the employer’s efforts primarily manifest.

Assessment of workplace health promotion activities / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

IntroductionThe workplace is an important site which can influence physical, mental, economic and social aspects of people’s wellbeing. In the globalized market a vital condition for success is healthy, professional and motivated human resources. With the increasing awareness of this factor in the public and private enterprises, the concept of health promoting workplace is gaining a growing significance.GoalTo study health promoting activities in the workplace and assess knowledge and attitude of employers on health promotion.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used and the data was collected using quantitative and qualitative methods. A thermal power plant, beverage manufacture, construction company and a mining company were selected for the study.ResultsIn terms of measurements of parameters of the working conditions, the average temperature was higher than required in the occupational hygiene standard (26.60C) and the air humidity was within standard level (30-70%). The workers of the thermal power plant, construction company and mining company are exposed to hand-arm and whole-body vibrations. The highest noise level was 96 dB(A) in the mechanical and repair shops of the mining company which exceeds the occupational hygiene standard. All companies had staff members who responsible for occupational safety, but only 3 had health care service providers for workers. Each company has its own policies to control and prevent workplace hazards and to promote workers health, but these activities were not implemented adequately. Conclusion:Employers, managers and employees have reasonable understanding of workplace health promotion. However, systematic training and counseling are required to improve the activities aimed at protection and promotion of the health of the employees. There is an acute need for systematic and comprehensive implementation of healthy workplace programs. Among others, improvement of the physical environment and ergonomics of every workstation, and availability of health services are also necessary. Environment for promotion and sustenance of healthy behavior in the employees need to be developed for the employees.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in Taiwanese high-tech industry workers

OBJECTIVES: In light of the increasing number of high-tech industry workers and the differences in their working conditions compared to those of the general population, the health status of these workers merits serious attention. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its correlates among Taiwanese high-tech industry workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 4,666 workers who participated in labor health examinations at a hospital in southern Taiwan in 2008. Participants with metabolic syndrome were defined using the criteria proposed by the Taiwan National Department of Health in 2007. Factors associated with metabolic syndrome were determined using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 8.2 percent, and the prevalence was higher in men than in women (14.0 percent vs. 2.3 percent, p<0.01). Male gender, advanced age, elevated white blood count, and elevated levels of blood biochemistry markers, such as alanine aminotransferase and uric acid, can independently predict metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among high-tech industry workers is lower than in the general population. Our study's findings may facilitate early health assessments and the provision of proper workplace health promotion programs to reduce the risks faced by high-risk workers.