Workplace Health Promotion and COVID-19 Support Measures in Outpatient Care Services in Germany: A Quantitative Study

Abstract

Working conditions in the care sector, especially under the increased strain during COVID-19, make it difficult for outpatient caregivers to adhere to health-promoting behaviours. Research on workplace health promotion (WHP) and COVID-19 support measures in outpatient care services is limited. The aim of this pilot study was to characterise the current situation of WHP and COVID-19 support measures in outpatient care services and to explore how to offer WHP support measures targeted for a specific group. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with outpatient caregivers (N = 171) in northern Germany. The results showed that 60.2% of the study participants were offered WHP support measures, with significantly higher work engagement when WHP support measures were available (Z = 4279.50, p < 0.01) and that 77.2% received specific support from their employer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although spending a break in a break room was significantly associated with longer breaks as compared with being in a car (Z = 39.10, padj. = 0.01), a break room was neither available in all outpatient care services, nor did it appear to be feasible. Overall, WHP in outpatient care services is insufficiently covered. In order to be able to offer WHP support measures that are targeted to outpatient caregivers, cooperation among local care services, feasibility, and digital measures should be examined.

How to Address the Health of Home Care Workers: A Systematic Review of the Last Two Decades

“…Only the COMPASS interventions (Olson et al, 2015, 2016, 2018) were based on an integrated concept of occupational health, safety, and well-being. This suggests that integrated approaches to worker health are not yet established in home care, which is consistent with the findings of Neumann et al (2021), who examined the types of interventions offered to home care workers. However, Syed (2020) advocates for integrated approaches in long-term care that also improve social and material circumstances.…”

“…However, research on specific interventions addressing the health of home care workers is still scarce (Neumann et al, 2021), indicating that targeted and holistic approaches to ensure and promote home care workers' health effectively are urgently needed (Grasmo et al, 2021). Currently, it is unknown whether existing intervention studies provide evidence for the development of new programs; as to the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no literature reviews on interventions addressing workplace health in home care.…”

The Hidden Script of Work-Related Burdens in Home Care – A Cross Over Mixed Analysis of Audio Diaries

“…However, there is still a lack of specific measures that address the particular mental and physical burdens of home care (Neumann et al, 2021). The present findings reinforce the call for the development of new approaches to workplace health promotion for home care workers (Grasmo et al, 2021) and specify the need with concrete starting points for interventions.…”

Associations between Health Education and Mental Health, Burnout, and Work Engagement by Application of Audiovisual Stimulation

“…However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies had to face different challenges such as physical distancing, mandatory lockdowns, and isolation periods [ 9 ]—circumstances that impede offering adequate WHP. In Germany for example, the statutory health insurance expense for prevention and health promotion fell from 630.8 million Euro (2019) to 414 million Euro (2020) [ 10 ], in times where stress, depression, panic, anxiety, or sleep disorders dramatically impacted the mental health status and well-being of individuals [ 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”