Abstract
Purpose To examine current practices of occupational health professionals in assessing significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses that may influence work outcomes of workers with a chronic disease. Methods A survey study among occupational health professionals, focusing on the assessment of illness perceptions, work-related beliefs and expectations, and behavioral responses of significant others of workers with a chronic disease. We performed linear regression analyses to investigate which factors are related to occupational health professionals’ assessment practices. We used thematic analysis to analyze qualitative data on occupational health professionals’ reasons to assess or overlook significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses. Results Our study sample included 192 occupational health professionals. Most seldom asked about significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses. Organizational norms and occupational health professionals’ self-efficacy were related to reported assessment practices. Reasons to assess significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses included recognizing their influence on work participation, and occurrence of stagnation. However, occupational health professionals indicated some doubt whether such assessment would always contribute to better care. Conclusions It is not common practice for occupational health professionals to assess significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses, although they recognize the influence of these factors on work outcomes. More research is needed as to how occupational health professionals can best address the role of significant others, and apply these new insights in their daily practice. Implications for rehabilitation Most occupational health professionals do not commonly ask about significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses despite the possible influence of these factors on work outcomes. Occupational health professionals may be able to better support workers with a chronic disease by paying more attention to the influence of significant others. Aside from asking about practical support, occupational health professionals should consider asking about significant others’ illness perceptions, work-related beliefs and expectations, and other behavioral responses.
Highlights
Significant others (SOs), like partners, family members or friends, can play an important role in work and health outcomes of individuals with a chronic disease [1,2,3,4]
Our findings indicate that most occupational health professionals (OHPs) do not commonly ask about SOs’ illness perceptions, workrelated beliefs, and expectations, and behavioral responses, despite the possible influence of these factors on work outcomes, as well as guideline recommendations to address social factors in occupational health care
Our study shows that OHPs do not commonly assess SOs’ cognitions and behavioral responses, despite recognizing that these factors can influence work outcomes
Summary
Significant others (SOs), like partners, family members or friends, can play an important role in work and health outcomes of individuals with a chronic disease [1,2,3,4]. Various models have been used to explain how an individual’s coping can be influenced by a SO Both the developmental–contextual model and the Systemic Transactional Model are based on the assumption that stressors, such as a chronic illness of one partner, affect both the patient and the partner and that there is interdependence between their stress and coping processes [9]. Both models highlight the importance of appraisals about the stressor and the behavior of both members of the couple under stress to understand individual and dyadic coping processes.
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