Soočanje s pandemijo covida-19 je za delavce v zdravstvu pomemben vir stresa in duševnih stisk, saj so vsak dan izpostavljeni možnostim okužbe. Ob izbruhu pandemije smo se psihologi in klinični ...psihologi, zaposleni v UKC Ljubljana, povezali in dejavno vključili v pomoč sodelavcem. V prispevku predstavljamo več oblik psihološke pomoči, ki so v obdobju trajanja pandemije na voljo delavcem UKC Ljubljana, da bi jim olajšali delovno in zasebno življenje. Vzpostavili smo telefonsko pomoč za zaposlene, dnevna dežurstva na najbolj izpostavljeni lokaciji za covid-19, skupinske razbremenilne razgovore na oddelkih za covid-19, individualno obravnavo, edukacijske delavnice za spoprijemanje s stresom ter pripravili strokovna priporočila, kako v spremenjenih razmerah poskrbeti za duševno počutje. Psihološka pomoč zaposlenim bo pomembna tudi v obdobju po pandemiji.
Seasonal influenza vaccination is one of the keys to preventing the spread of this disease. The seasonal influenza vaccination rate is very low for the general Slovenian population (the average rate ...from the 2015/16 season to the 2019/20 season is 4.3%) and also for healthcare employees (between 2009 and 2019, the average vaccination rate among healthcare workers in Slovenia was 12.9%), and it does not ensure sufficient community protection from the disease. At the beginning of the 2016/17 season, the University Medical Centre Ljubljana (UMCL) launched its first-ever occupational health promotion project with the slogan “I don’t pass on the flu! I get vaccinated to protect myself and others.” The goal of the project was to reach as many employees as possible and increase the general vaccination rate because those working in healthcare have a significantly greater risk of catching influenza than the rest of the working population. By being vaccinated, they protect not only themselves and their families against the disease, but also their patients. The project encouraged all employees to receive the free vaccination, especially those groups that had had lower vaccination rates over the past years. The support of the institution’s executive staff and the heads of individual divisions was key to securing the required funds and suitable conditions for carrying out the project. Different communication tools were used in the project. The promotion strategy increased vaccination coverage at the UMCL from under 10.0% to 13.9% in 2016, 20.9% in 2017, 21.7% in 2018, and 30.1% in 2019. Workplace health promotion can make a difference. The examples of good practice have made a substantial difference and will be taken into account in planning and organizing vaccination activities during future influenza seasons. This practical model can be used in other hospital settings as well.
Health-related absenteeism impacts individuals, companies, and society. Its consequences are reflected in the cost of benefits, substitutes, and reduced productivity. Research shows that ...musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related health problem reported by hospital staff. This study determines the groups at the Ljubljana University Medical Centre that are most susceptible to MSDs, especially low back pain.
Using data from the Health Data Centre of the Slovenian National Public Health Institute and the medical centre, this cross-sectional study analysed absenteeism among medical centre employees. The correlation between MSD / low-back pain risk factors and incidence was determined using logistic regression. An odds ratio was calculated to determine the probability of MSDs, most especially low back pain via sex, age, occupation, and education.
Sick leave at the medical centre is higher than 5%, exceeding the Slovenian healthcare sector average. MSDs, as the main reason for absence, is significantly more frequent in women, non-medical staff, and employees with a maximum secondary school education. Among the MSDs, low back pain predominates as a reason for absence and is most frequent among nurses, midwives, and employees of 20 to 44.9 years old.
This study offers insight into the health status of medical centre employees. The high percentage of sick leave is mainly due to musculoskeletal disorders, including low back pain. This is an important basis for further monitoring and analysis of sick leave indicators and for planning systematic and continuous workplace health-promoting measures to manage ergonomic risk factors and reduce health-related absenteeism.
Organizational restructuring is associated with greater mortality and morbidity of the workers affected by it. We examined the quality of workers’ health at a textile manufacturing company after ...restructuring, comparing three groups of workers: workers who remained (survivors), workers who lost their jobs and later found new jobs (the reemployed), and unemployed workers. A total of 1046 workers participated in a telephonic survey. The data were processed using SPSS and the R package version 1.2 of prLogistic. The differences between groups were calculated using the chi-square test and adjusted prevalence ratios. The comparison between the three groups shows significantly poorer mental health of the unemployed, who more often than survivors and the reemployed reported depression, as well as significant differences in elevated blood pressure, cholesterol level, and cardiac disorders. The reemployed, who were nonetheless in better health compared to the unemployed, reported poor mental health or depression more often in comparison to survivors. Higher morbidity of the unemployed and reemployed could be influenced by numerous factors associated with restructuring.
Abstract • Objectives The work environment and the nature of the work itself have a significant impact on the health and well-being of farmers and farm workers. Because of the way work is designed, ...organised and managed, as well as the economic and social environment of work, they are exposed to various psychosocial risks that increase the risk of work-related stress and can affect their performance, health and well-being. This systematic literature review examines the origins of psychosocial risks faced by farmers and farm workers. • Method The study is part of Safe Habitus (Strengthening Farm Health and Safety Knowledge and Innovations System), the European Commission funded project HORIZON. The literature search was conducted on peer-reviewed articles published in English in the primary database Web of Science between 2005 and 2023. This systematic review followed the PRISMA protocol: identification of the literature; screening questions; eligibility based on inclusion criteria; and assessment of the quality of the studies. • Results Among others, the following areas of psychosocial risks stood out: culture of farming, social protection, safety in farming and new technologies. The identified psychosocial hazards and risks arising from the psychosocial work environment of farmers and farm workers, including new psychosocial challenges and opportunities, and affecting their health and safety, are consistent with some previous studies. • Conclusion The results of study will provide recommendations for improved policy in this area and help practitioners to develop the best model for a safer and more inclusive working environment in farming and ultimately make farming a safer profession.
Objective A consensual definition of occupational burnout is currently lacking. We aimed to harmonize the definition of occupational burnout as a health outcome in medical research and reach a ...consensus on this definition within the Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET). Methods First, we performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase (January 1990 to August 2018) and a semantic analysis of the available definitions. We used the definitions of burnout and burnout-related concepts from the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) to formulate a consistent harmonized definition of the concept. Second, we sought to obtain the Delphi consensus on the proposed definition. Results We identified 88 unique definitions of burnout and assigned each of them to 1 of the 11 original definitions. The semantic analysis yielded a first proposal, further reformulated according to SNOMED-CT and the panelists` comments as follows: "In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems". A panel of 50 experts (researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest for occupational burnout) reached consensus on this proposal at the second round of the Delphi, with 82% of experts agreeing on it. Conclusion This study resulted in a harmonized definition of occupational burnout approved by experts from 29 countries within OMEGA-NET. Future research should address the reproducibility of the Delphi consensus in a larger panel of experts, representing more countries, and examine the practicability of the definition.