Abstract
Health promotion is becoming increasingly important in work life. Healthcare workers seem to be at special risk, experiencing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD); their situation is strongly influenced by demographic changes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and outcome of a worksite intervention. In a one-group pretest-posttest design, 118 employees of a hospital were recruited from 2010 to 2011. The raised parameters were satisfaction with the program, work ability (Work Ability Index), and sickness absence (provided by human resource management). Patient-reported questionnaire data was raised at baseline (t1) and after three months (t2). Sickness leave was evaluated in the period six months prior to and six months after the intervention. Means, frequencies, standardized effect sizes (SES), analysis of variance, and regression analysis were carried out. Participants were found to be highly satisfied. Work ability increased with moderate effects (SES = 0.34; p < 0.001) and prognosis of gainful employment (SES = −0.19; p ≤ 0.047) with small effects. Days of MSD-related sickness absence were reduced by 38.5% after six months. The worksite intervention program is transferable to a hospital setting and integration in occupational health management is recommended. The use of a control group is necessary to demonstrate the effectiveness.
Highlights
Health promotion for employees to maintain work ability and participation in work life is becoming increasingly important against the background of demographic changes
We investigated the employee’s satisfaction with the worksite program and examined changes in work ability, prognosis of gainful employment, and amount of sickness leave
The results provide some information about factors determining work ability
Summary
Health promotion for employees to maintain work ability and participation in work life is becoming increasingly important against the background of demographic changes. Of particular relevance is to keep workers in the healthcare sector healthy and motivated until retirement age. In this sector it is anticipated that a higher number of people will need healthcare due to longer life expectancy, whilst alongside this a shortage of healthcare workers, especially in the nursing sector, is expected to exacerbate the issue [1]. These profound demographic changes are occurring in most industrialized nations, notably including those in Europe.
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