The influence of social capital on employers use of occupational health services: a qualitative study

Background: Occupational health services may have a strategic role in the prevention of sickness absence, as well as in rehabilitation and return to work after sick leave, because of their medical expertise in combination with a close connection to workplaces. The purpose of this study was to explore how employers and occupational health service providers describe their business relations and the use of occupational health services in rehabilitation in relation to the organization of such services. The study uses a theoretical framework based on social capital to analyse the findings. Methods: Interviews and focus groups with managers with Swedish public employers (n = 60), and interviews with occupational health services professionals (n = 25). Results: Employers emphasized trustful relationships, local workplace knowledge, long-term contracts and dialogue about services for good relationships with occupational health providers. Occupational health providers strove to be strategic partners to employers, promoting preventive work, which was more easily achieved in situations where the services were organized in-house. Employers with outsourced occupational health services expressed less trust in their providers than employers with internal occupational health provision. Conclusions: Social capital emerges as central to understanding the conditions for cooperation and collective action in the use of occupational health services, with reference to structural (e.g. contracts), relational (e.g. trust) as well as cognitive (e.g. shared vision) dimensions. The study suggests that attention to the quality of relationships is imperative for developing purposeful occupational health service delivery in rehabilitation and return to work.Funding Agencies|AFA Forsakring [090315]</p

The influence of social capital on employers use of occupational health services: a qualitative study

Background: Occupational health services may have a strategic role in the prevention of sickness absence, as well as in rehabilitation and return to work after sick leave, because of their medical expertise in combination with a close connection to workplaces. The purpose of this study was to explore how employers and occupational health service providers describe their business relations and the use of occupational health services in rehabilitation in relation to the organization of such services. The study uses a theoretical framework based on social capital to analyse the findings. Methods: Interviews and focus groups with managers with Swedish public employers (n = 60), and interviews with occupational health services professionals (n = 25). Results: Employers emphasized trustful relationships, local workplace knowledge, long-term contracts and dialogue about services for good relationships with occupational health providers. Occupational health providers strove to be strategic partners to employers, promoting preventive work, which was more easily achieved in situations where the services were organized in-house. Employers with outsourced occupational health services expressed less trust in their providers than employers with internal occupational health provision. Conclusions: Social capital emerges as central to understanding the conditions for cooperation and collective action in the use of occupational health services, with reference to structural (e.g. contracts), relational (e.g. trust) as well as cognitive (e.g. shared vision) dimensions. The study suggests that attention to the quality of relationships is imperative for developing purposeful occupational health service delivery in rehabilitation and return to work.Funding Agencies|AFA Forsakring [090315]</p

Promoting occupational health interventions in early return to work by implementing financial subsidies : a Swedish case study

Background In 2010, the Swedish government introduced a system of subsidies for occupational health (OH) service interventions, as a part in a general policy promoting early return to work. The aim of this study was to analyse the implementation of these subsidies, regarding how they were used and perceived. Methods The study was carried out using a mixed-methods approach, and comprises material from six sub-studies: a register study of the use of the subsidies, one survey to OH service providers, one survey to employers, one document analysis of the documentation from interventions, interviews with stakeholders, and case interviews with actors involved in coordinated interventions. Results The subsidized services were generally perceived as positive but were modestly used. The most extensive subsidy – for coordinated interventions – was rarely used. Employers and OH service providers reported few or no effects on services and contracts. OH service providers explained the modest use in terms of already having less bureaucratic routines in place, where applying for subsidies would involve additional costs. Information about the subsidies was primarily communicated to OH service providers, while employers were not informed. Conclusions The study highlights the complexity of promoting interventions through financial incentives, since their implementation requires that they are perceived by the stakeholders involved as purposeful, manageable and cost-effective. There are inherent political challenges in influencing stakeholders who act on a free market, in that the impact of policies may be limited, unless they are enforced by law.Funding Agencies|Swedish Social Insurance Agency||Ministry of Health and Social Affairs||</p

Anales de psicología

Este artículo pertenece a una sección de la revista dedicada a psicología social. - Resumen tomado parcialmente de la revistaEl concepto de flow (estado de flujo donde el sujeto se encuentra totalmente inmerso en la actividad que realiza y esta le aporta una sensación gratificante) se extrapola al campo de las TIC: tecnoflow. A través de una muestra de 154 estudiantes universitarios (78 españoles y 76 suecos) que utilizan el ordenador como herramienta para el estudio, se analizan tres dimensiones del tecnoflow: disfrute, absorción e interés intrínseco, por medio de la realización de un cuestionario, en el que se pretende confirmar la estructura tri-factorial del mismo. Tras el Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio de los datos recabados, el modelo bi-factorial (disfrute-absorción) se presenta como el más adecuado; el Análisis Multigrupo aporta invariabilidad del modelo entre las muestras. Se ofrecen cuestiones teóricas y prácticas sobre nuevas líneas de investigación futuras..MurciaConsejería de Educación, Ciencia e Investigación. Biblioteca; Avda. de la Fama, 15; 30006 Murcia; Tel. +34968279685; Fax +34968279835; [email protected]

TECNOFLOW EN ESTUDIANTES ESPAÑOLES Y SUECOS: UN ANÁLISIS FACTO-RIAL CONFIRMATORIO CON ANÁLISIS MULTIGRUPO

Despite the relevance of flow in recent research in Positive Psychology, there exist few studies on this optimal experience in technology settings. The aim of this study is to confirm the three-factorial (enjoyment, absorption and intrinsic interest) structure of technoflow. 154 university students who use computers in their studies (N=78 Spanish students and N=76 Swedish students) answered a questionnaire. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed a better adjustment of a bifactorial model of technoflow (enjoyment and absorption). Multigroup Analyses showed that the model is invariant across samples. Practical and theoretical implications as well as future research are also discussed.A pesar de la relevancia del concepto de flow en investigación reciente dentro del campo de la Psicología Positiva, aún existe poca investigación sobre esta experiencia óptima en relación al uso de la tecnología. El objetivo del presente estudio es confirmar la estructura tri-factorial (disfrute, absorción e interés intrínseco) del technoflow. 154 estudiantes universitarios que utilizan ordenadores en sus estudios (N= 78 estudiantes españoles y N= 76 estudiantes suecos) respondieron el cuestionario. El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio mostró un mejor ajuste del modelo bifactorial de technoflow (disfrute y absorción). El Análisis Multigrupo mostró que el modelo es invariante entre las muestras. Implicaciones teóricas y practicas así como investigación futura son discutidas en el trabajo