The effectiveness of workplace team sports intervention on employee work, health and well-being [Abstract]

The effectiveness of workplace team sports intervention on employee work, health and well-being [Abstract

Cancer survivorship and work: symptoms, supervisor response, co-worker disclosure and work adjustment

Introduction: Recent improvements in cancer treatment have not only increased cancer survivorship but also peoples' ability to work during and following treatment. However, the impact that both diagnosis and treatment has on cancer survivors' ability to fully engage in paid work is not yet entirely understood. This study aims to explore the role of symptons, work adjustments and cancer disclosure to supervisors and co-workers on working during primary cancer treatment and return to work following treatment. -- Method: 328 cancer survivors responded to a 33 item questionnaire that assessed cancer-specific variables e.g. type and treatment, symptoms experienced during and following treatment, disclosure of cancer and adjustments and supports available at work. Multivariate logistic regressions were run to determine the association of symptoms, disclosure and work adjustments and working during treatment and returning to work following treatment. -- Results: The findings indicate that opportunities to work flexibly (OR=2.43, CI 1.21-4.02), disclosure to colleagues (OR-3.03, CI 1.28-8.19), difficulties managing fatigue (OR=2.08, CI 1.22-3.85), and paid time off to attend all medical appointments (OR=.4, CI .30-.87) were associated with continuing to work during treatment. Correlates of return to work included difficulties managing fatigue (OR=1.49, CI 1.42-6.18), managing the stress of cancer (OR=2.80, 1.05-5.34), managing physical changes associated with cancer (OR=.46, CI .13-.95), received advice from their doctor about work (OR=1.47, CI 1.09-2.84) and return to work meeting with employer (OR 1.99, 1.2-5.09). -- Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of symptom management in cancer survivors who work and the potential impact of workplace adjustments on the ability of cancer survivors to navigate in the world of work

Does physical activity have an impact on sickness absence? A review

Increasing levels of physical activity are proven to have a positive impact on physical health and mental well-being. Physical activity is also known to influence work-related outcomes such as reducing sickness absence. Sickness absence is a major public health problem with wide economic impact on society and there may be much to gain from physical activity interventions aimed at preventing long-term sickness absence. Examining the relationship between physical activity and sickness absence is therefore important as it may provide benefits to organisations globally. This article provides a review of the evidence on the relationship between physical activity and sickness absence among employees. A search of databases (Web of Science, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE and Google Scholar) and references of published studies (from inception to 14 November 2012) were conducted to identify intervention studies and observational studies involving employees. A total of 37 studies published between 1981 and 2012 met the inclusion criteria. Evidence from the review suggests that physical activity is effective in reducing sickness absence. However, the studies highlighted a number of methodological concerns, including lack of description of the physical activity programme in intervention studies and use of self-report physical activity in observational studies. We conclude that, overall, the available evidence provides limited support that physical activity is effective in reducing sickness absence, due to the low quality of many of these studies. Future research should provide more detailed descriptions of the physical activity programme and use more reliable objective measures of physical activity such as accelerometers and fitness tests

Returning to work following cancer: a qualitative exploratory study into the experience of returning to work following cancer

The experience of returning to work following cancer is a largely unknown area of cancer research. This preliminary study aimed to explore the factors that influence decisions about return to work eitehr during or after cancer treatment and to identify the important aspects of returning to work. Qalitative data were collected using individual interview (n=19) and two focus groups (n=4, n=6), predominantly with breast cancer survivors. Patterns of returning to work were diverse and a variety of reasons influenced work decisions, including financial concerns and regaining normality. Participants also discussed their ability to work, health professionals' advice, side effects, support and adjustments, and attitudes towards work. Although the majority adapted well, a few encountered difficulties on their return. It is evident that more advice is requried from health professionals about returning to work, along with reasonable support and adjustments from employers to ensure that cancer survivors are able to successfully reintegrate back into the workforce

Do high levels of occupational sitting time predict sickness absence, sickness presenteeism and low work engagement over time? [Abstract]

Do high levels of occupational sitting time predict sickness absence, sickness presenteeism and low work engagement over time? [Abstract

Work demands, social support, and job satisfaction in eating disorder inpatient settings: A qualitative study

This qualitative study aimed to investigate work demands experienced by healthcare workers in an adult eating disorders inpatient service. It also aimed to investigate the use of social support and job satisfaction in this setting. Twelve healthcare workers from an eating disorders inpatient ward, including nurses, healthcare support workers and occupational therapists, participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. A number of work demands were discussed relating to therapeutic care, physical care and organisational demands. Most participants discussed social support at work as being highly valuable formally and informally, whereas external support was viewed as less important. Despite the challenges of caring for eating disordered patients, the majority of participants reported good patient-related job satisfaction but poor job satisfaction in relation to organisational factors. Eating disorders inpatient care is complex and demanding, necessitating effective teamwork, communication and support systems among healthcare workers. Interventions should be developed to target barriers to care, including time constraints, administrative workload and insufficient allocation of staff

The role of working hours, work environment and physical leisure activity on the need for recovery following a day's work among UK white-water raft guides: a within-subjects multilevel approach

Background: White-water raft guides are a growing workforce of the outdoor sector but little is known about how the working environment, workload and physical leisure activity impacts on the need for occupational recovery (the desire to replenish internal resources and recuperate in the time immediately following work) of those working in this physically demanding occupation. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected across an eight month working season at three month intervals. Multilevel analyses tested the within-subject associations between work environment, hours worked and physical leisure activity had on the need for recovery. Results: Working longer across the working season and participating in more physical leisure activity were directly associated with a lower need for occupational recovery. Furthermore, working on natural rivers significantly reduced the need for recovery experienced compared to work on man-made courses. This was regardless of the number of hours of worked in these environments. Discussion: Physical leisure activity may provide a distraction from work, allowing employees to replenish their physical and psychological energy, thus protecting themselves against work-related fatigue. The findings also expand upon the previous literature identifying that working in a natural environment reduces the risk of experiencing work-related fatigue

Use of prescribed medication at work in employees with chronic illness

Background: This study examined factors associated with the use of prescribed medication at work. Methods: Questionnaire survey of employees with diagnosed chronic illnesses from four UK organisations. Data was collected on type of chronic illness, health status, health beliefs, work limitations, occupational health support, GP and line manager support. Data was analysed using Univariate logistic regression. Results: 1474 employees with chronic illness participated. Medication use at work (yes v no) was predicted by age, pain, diagnosis of heart disease, medication use at home, benefit of prescribed medication to health, ease of using medication at work, practical support from families and practical and emotional support from GP and line manager. In a multivariate logistic regression model, medication use at work was predicted by medication use at home and ease of using medication at work only. Conclusions: The ease of taking medication at work was found to be a key predictor of medication use at work, suggesting occupational health may play a vital role in findings ways to support employees in their usage of medication. This may be for example by providing help and guidance in storing medication at work and encouraging employees to disclose medication use to employers and managers where necessary. Occupational health services can help create a workplace culture that places a high value on health, educating staff on the value of looking after their health and the benefits of following advice

Sickness absence management: encouraging attendance or 'risk-taking' presenteeism in employees with chronic illness?

Purpose: To investigate the organisational perspectives on the effectiveness of their attendance management policies for chronically ill employees. Methods: A mixed-method approach was employed involving questionnaire survey with employees and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders of the organisational policies. Results: Participants reported that attendance management polices and the point at which systems were triggered, posed problems for employees managing chronic illness. These systems presented risk to health: employees were more likely to turn up for work despite feeling unwell (presenteeism) to avoid a disciplinary situation but absence-related support was only provided once illness progressed to long-term sick leave. Attendance management polices also raised ethical concerns for ‘forced’ illness disclosure and immense pressures on line managers to manage attendance. Conclusions: Participants felt their current attendance management polices were unfavourable toward those managing a chronic illness. The policies heavily focused on attendance despite illness and on providing return to work support following long-term sick leave. Drawing on the results, the authors conclude that attendance management should promote job retention rather than merely prevent absence per se. They outline areas of improvement in the attendance management of employees with chronic illness

Dealing with self-management of chronic illness at work: predictors for self-disclosure

This paper explores the role of self-management of chronic illness at work, as a predictor for self-disclosure. The study reports findings from a survey sent to all staff at a UK university, of which 610 employees reported managing a chronic illness: arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, diabetes, asthma, migraine, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome and depression. The study found that discrete self-management factors predicted different levels of disclosure: partial self-disclosure (employees informing line managers about the presence of a chronic illness) and full self-disclosure (employees informing line managers how that chronic illness affected them at work). For partial disclosure, a greater reported experience of chronic illness by employees was positively associated with self-disclosure. For full-disclosure, employees were more likely to report disclosure to line managers if they had already disclosed to colleagues, and if they perceived receiving support from their line managers in relation to their chronic illness as important. Except for academics who were least likely to disclose, occupational groups did not emerge as significant predictors for either partial or full disclosure. Except for diabetes, chronic illness itself was not a significant predictor or barrier to self-disclosure. Our findings suggest that chronically ill employees adopt a disclosure strategy specifically related to different self-management needs of chronic illness at work