What employees with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus and hearing loss need to cope at work

Objectives This study attempted to determine factors that help currently employed people with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus or hearing loss to continue working. Methods This was a qualitative study that used three concept-mapping sessions. Sixty-nine participants (rheumatoid arthritis 21, diabetes mellitus 23, and hearing loss 25) were recruited from the patient records of the rheumatology, diabetes, and audiology outpatients of the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, and referrals from occupational physicians and patient associations. An arthritis consultant, a diabetes consultant, and an audiologist screened the patients for the used illness inclusion criteria. A researcher screened the patients for the inclusion criteria of age and work. Results The main factors enabling employees to continue working were ability to cope with the illness, support from management and colleagues, adequate work conditions, support of patient organizations and society, support of medical professionals and facilities, and benefits. The three groups of employees rated the priority of these factors differently. For the employees with rheumatoid arthritis, the support of management was the most important, followed by self-acceptance, self-efficacy, and professional advice on how to cope at work. For those with diabetes mellitus, self-acceptance, self-care, and support from management, colleagues and health professionals were the most important. For employees with hearing loss, being well informed about hearing equipment, reimbursement, and self-acceptance were the most important. A topic list was developed that can be used by health professionals as a guideline for exploring the work-related problems of patients with a chronic disease. Conclusions The results provide an understanding of the needs chronically ill employees have at work and the areas to which health professionals need to pay attentio

Perceived Factors Influencing Blue-Collar Workers’ Participation in Worksite Health Promotion Programs in Freight Transport:A Qualitative Investigation Using the TDF and COM-B

Blue-collar workers in the freight transport industry report a high risk of developing chronic diseases, partly due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs) may be able to promote a healthier lifestyle, but participation among blue-collar workers in these programs is generally lower than among other workers. The current study aimed to further examine factors that can explain participation of blue-collar workers in these programs. A pragmatic, qualitative study was conducted, and semi-structured interviews were held with 32 blue-collar workers in freight transport in the Netherlands (94% men, 81% driver, mean age 48 (SD = 11)). The interview guide was based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model, and was used to assess perceived determinants that influence participation. A combination of framework analysis and thematic analysis was conducted, which yielded the following nine main themes: (i) not being aware of WHPPs on offer, (ii) no clear picture of what to expect, (iii) (not) giving priority to health, (iv) expecting feedback and practical support, (v) being open and ready to change, (vi) preferring to be self-dependent, (vii) being offered a practical, fun and joint WHPP, (viii) having an employer who cares, thinks along and facilitates participation, and (ix) working and living in an environment in which a healthy lifestyle is not the norm. With these insights we were able to formulate recommendations to enhance the participation of blue-collar workers in WHPPs.</p

Supporting Double Duty Caregiving and Good Employment Practices in Health Care Within an Aging Society

Background: Due to the aging society the number of informal caregivers is growing. Most informal caregivers are women working as nurses within a health organization (also labeled as double-duty caregiver) and they have a high risk of developing mental and physical exhaustion. Until now little research attention has been paid to the expectations and needs of double duty caregivers and the role of self-management in managing private-work balance. Objective: The overall aim of this study was to investigate the expectations and needs of double duty caregivers in Netherlands, and to examine the meaning of self-management in managing work-life balance. Method: Different research methods have been applied in this exploratory study. Firstly, a scoping review has been conducted on the topics self-management and sustainable employability of double-duty caregivers using the search engines: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Furthermore, a qualitative study has been conducted through focus groups with double duty caregivers. Results: Twenty studies that met the inclusion criteria (i.e., nurses with double duty caregiving tasks) could be identified. We found that double duty caregivers have different motivations for being a double duty caregiver based on internal and external expectations. Double duty caregiving causes a lot of mental and physical pressure for the caregiver. To be able to combine both duty’s, double duty caregivers need flexibility and understanding from the workplace. Through two focus groups (N = 17) we found that social support from the workplace is not enough to be able to manage the situation. Self-management skills are important to be able to communicate effectively with the workplace and community care organizations about the kind of support needed. Also, health care organizations should offer the same support to double duty caregivers as any other informal caregiver. Discussion: Double-duty caregivers are at high risk of developing symptoms of overload and risk of reduced self-management quality and employability levels across time. Health care organizations and the double duty caregiver often wait too long to act instead of taking more preventive measures. Furthermore, community care organizations should dialog with double duty caregivers about their wishes concerning the division of caring tasks. This finding calls for special attention, with long-term solutions at both macro (health-care level), organizational (meso-level), and employee level (micro level)

Corrigendum:Supporting Double Duty Caregiving and Good Employment Practices in Health Care Within an Aging Society

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.535353.]