JOBS Program Germany for health promotion among the unemployed

Abstract

Abstract Aim The unemployed suffer from poorer health than the employed, especially in terms of mental health. At the same time, health promotion reaches unemployed less than employed. The “JOBS Program” is an intervention for the unemployed to promote health. It has shown positive effects in the USA and Finland. The aim of this confirmatory study (Hollederer & Jahn, 2023; Jahn & Hollederer, 2024) was to investigate whether the JOBS Program produces similar effects in Germany. Methods A multicenter randomized controlled trial was applied to compare an intervention group (IVG) with a waiting control group (WCG) before (T0; n = 94), shortly after (T1; n = 65) the intervention and about 6 months after the intervention (T2; n = 43). Fourteen JOBS Program trainings have been conducted. Additionally, JOBS Program trainers were interviewed via voluntary computer-assisted web interviews (resulting in 28 interviews). Results JOBS Program Germany was beneficial. Following changes in the primary outcomes were identified from T0 to T1: Compared to the WCG, a multivariate regression estimated that the IVG had (1) a 0.34 scale point higher level of self-rated general health (p = 0.025; scale range: 1-5 points), (2) a 14.52 scale point higher level of mental well-being (p = 0.004), and (3) a 2.74 scale point higher level of life satisfaction (p = 0.049). About 6 months after the training had been conducted (T2), participants in the JOBS training showed better general health status (0.41-point; p = 0.016) compared to the WCG. Furthermore, 78.5% of the JOBS Program trainers were rather or very satisfied with the theoretical contents and 85.7% with the practical implementation. A central obstacle to the implementation was the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of the JOBS Program with respect to the above outcomes, and for older and long-term unemployed, suggesting the benefit of regular implementation for different groups of unemployed in Germany. Key messages • The results of the confirmatory study show positive effects of the JOBS Program on the general health status and unemployment-related mental burden among unemployed people in Germany. • The introduction of the JOBS Program as a nationwide intervention in Germany could be an intervention approach for the unemployed to achieve better health.