Obstacles and Future Prospects: Considerations on Health Promotion Activities for Older Workers in Europe

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Abstract

The ageing of workers is one of the most important issues for occupational health and safety in Europe. The ageing of the active population means that health promotion is a necessity rather than a mere option. This review considers barriers and perspectives for workplace health promotion for older workers. Lack of awareness on the part of management and inflexibility in the occupational health and safety system appear to be major barriers. To overcome these, it will be necessary to disseminate knowledge regarding the effectiveness of health promotion actions for older workers, encourage greater involvement on the part of social partners, recover resources by replacing medical consumerism and bureaucratic practices, adopt an integrated approach combining the prevention of occupational risks and the promotion of healthy lifestyles, and recognize subsidiarity and the ability of working communities to regulate themselves.

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Do workplace health promotion (wellness) programs work?

Dustin Ballard, Nicole Anderson, M Tabrizi … (2014)

To respond to the question, "Do workplace health promotion programs work?" A compilation of the evidence on workplace programs' effectiveness coupled with recommendations for critical review of outcome studies. Also, reviewed are recent studies questioning the value of workplace programs. Evidence accumulated over the past three decades shows that well-designed and well-executed programs that are founded on evidence-based principles can achieve positive health and financial outcomes. Employers seeking a program that "works" are urged to consider their goals and whether they have an organizational culture that can facilitate success. Employers who choose to adopt a health promotion program should use best and promising practices to maximize the likelihood of achieving positive results.

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What is actually measured in process evaluations for worksite health promotion programs: a systematic review

Debbie Wierenga, Luuk Engbers, Pepijn van Empelen … (2013)

Background Numerous worksite health promotion program (WHPPs) have been implemented the past years to improve employees’ health and lifestyle (i.e., physical activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol use and relaxation). Research primarily focused on the effectiveness of these WHPPs. Whereas process evaluations provide essential information necessary to improve large scale implementation across other settings. Therefore, this review aims to: (1) further our understanding of the quality of process evaluations alongside effect evaluations for WHPPs, (2) identify barriers/facilitators affecting implementation, and (3) explore the relationship between effectiveness and the implementation process. Methods Pubmed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane (controlled trials) were searched from 2000 to July 2012 for peer-reviewed (randomized) controlled trials published in English reporting on both the effectiveness and the implementation process of a WHPP focusing on physical activity, smoking cessation, alcohol use, healthy diet and/or relaxation at work, targeting employees aged 18-65 years. Results Of the 307 effect evaluations identified, twenty-two (7.2%) published an additional process evaluation and were included in this review. The results showed that eight of those studies based their process evaluation on a theoretical framework. The methodological quality of nine process evaluations was good. The most frequently reported process components were dose delivered and dose received. Over 50 different implementation barriers/facilitators were identified. The most frequently reported facilitator was strong management support. Lack of resources was the most frequently reported barrier. Seven studies examined the link between implementation and effectiveness. In general a positive association was found between fidelity, dose and the primary outcome of the program. Conclusions Process evaluations are not systematically performed alongside effectiveness studies for WHPPs. The quality of the process evaluations is mostly poor to average, resulting in a lack of systematically measured barriers/facilitators. The narrow focus on implementation makes it difficult to explore the relationship between effectiveness and implementation. Furthermore, the operationalisation of process components varied between studies, indicating a need for consensus about defining and operationalising process components.

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Effectiveness of workplace interventions in Europe promoting healthy eating: a systematic review.

Lea Maes, Eveline Van Cauwenberghe, Wendy Van Lippevelde … (2012)

The worksite is a promising setting for health promotion. This review summarizes the evidence of effect of intervention studies in European countries promoting a healthy diet solely and in combination with increasing physical activity at the workplace. A systematic review of published literature was carried out. Inclusion criteria were: studies conducted in European countries; papers published from 1 January 1990 to 1 October 2010; worksite-based interventions promoting a healthy diet solely or in combination with physical activity; primary prevention; measurement of anthropometrical or behavioural change and adults (≥18 years old). Levels of evidence for intervention effectiveness on behavioural determinants, nutrition and physical activity behaviours and body composition and the quality of the included interventions were assessed. Seventeen studies solely focusing on promotion of a healthy diet were identified. Eight were educational, one used worksite environmental change strategies, and eight used a combination of both (multi-component). None of the interventions were rated as 'strong'; seven met the criteria for 'moderate' quality. The reviewed studies show moderately evidence for effects on diet. Thirteen studies focusing both on nutrition and physical activity (nine educational and four multi-component studies) were identified. Ten were rated as having 'weak' and three as having 'moderate' methodological quality, providing inconclusive evidence for effects. Limited to moderate evidence was found for positive effects of nutrition interventions implemented at the workplace. Effects of workplace health promotion interventions may be improved if stronger adherence to established quality criteria for such interventions is realized.

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Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Int J Environ Res Public Health

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Int J Environ Res Public Health

Journal ID (publisher-id): ijerph

Title: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Publisher: MDPI

ISSN (Print): 1661-7827

ISSN (Electronic): 1660-4601

Publication date (Electronic): 28 May 2018

Publication date (Print): June 2018

Volume: 15

Issue: 6

Electronic Location Identifier: 1096

Affiliations

Institute of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy; nicolamagnavita@ 123456gmail.com ; Tel.: +39-347-3300367

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Nicola Magnavita https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0988-7344

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Publisher ID: ijerph-15-01096

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15061096

PMC ID: 6025276

PubMed ID: 29843423

SO-VID: adbe8e4b-e170-4555-8c23-cf8d09acc574

License:

Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Obstacles and Future Prospects: Considerations on Health Promotion Activities for Older Workers in Europe

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Most cited references 59

Do workplace health promotion (wellness) programs work?

What is actually measured in process evaluations for worksite health promotion programs: a systematic review

Effectiveness of workplace interventions in Europe promoting healthy eating: a systematic review.

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