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Special Issue "Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm"

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 17606

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Dr. Nicola Magnavita

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1. Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
2. Department of Women, Children and Public Health Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: personalized occupational health; management of hazardous workers; psychosocial factors; methods of prevention; workplace health promotion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe La Torre

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Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; public health; occupational medicine; health technology assessment; health management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Umberto Moscato

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1. Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
2. Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", 00168 Roma, Italy
Interests: occupational and urban health; Long COVID; global health

Dr. Salvatore Zaffina

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1. Occupational Medicine/Health Technology Assessment and Safety Research Unit, Clinical-Technological Innovations Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Viale di San Paolo, 15, 00146 Rome, Italy
2. Health Directorate, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio, 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
Interests: disability management; work well-being; health surveillance and health promotion; vaccines in healthcare workers; occupational risks for health workers; biological effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation; risk management in hospital; exposure assessment of chemical agents; health surveillance of workers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The workplace has always been the ideal setting for health promotion activities. The availability of health and safety services, which arrange periodic checks on workers, allows reaching a large number of people in a short time and involving them in health improvement actions that can potentially extend to the family and social sphere. In recent years, the marked and rapid aging of the workforce has highlighted the importance of health improvement, because only workers in excellent physical and psychological shape can remain productive until old age.

The prevention of traditional occupational risks is frequently associated with a growing effort to promote and improve health. A Special Issue of this journal back in 2018 collected very valuable contributions from many research groups, in a global perspective of total worker health.

In the past two years, the pandemic caused by the Sars-CoV-2 virus has severely tested occupational health and safety services, as well as healthcare in general. Today, even if the pandemic is certainly not over, new therapeutic possibilities and the use of vaccines make it possible to tackle this disease and push for a renewed commitment to health promotion, which also has the aim of putting workers in the best possible conditions for coping with disease. Papers addressing these topics are invited to this Special Issue, especially those combining a high academic standard with a practical focus on providing optimal health promotion activities in the workplace.

Dr. Nicola Magnavita
Dr. Giuseppe La Torre
Dr. Umberto Moscato
Dr. Salvatore Zaffina
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

health promotion
global health
disability management
total worker health

Related Special Issues

Workplace Health Promotion 2018 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (32 articles)
Workplace Violence in Healthcare Sector in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (3 articles)
Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (6 articles)

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Resilience and Extrinsic Motivation as Mediators in the Relationship between Fear of Failure and Burnout

and

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5895; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105895 - 20 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1107

Abstract

Athletes with fear of failure are at risk of developing the symptoms of a wide range of psychological problems, including burnout. Understanding the risks and protective factors of athletes’ psychological health is an essential step in tailoring strategies and interventions to promote athletes’ psychological and mental health. This study examined the mediating roles of resilience and extrinsic motivation in the relationship between fear of failure and burnout among Turkish athletes. The study included 335 young athletes (93.4% males) whose ages ranged from 18 to 55 years (M = 24.95, SD = 8.22). Participants completed the self-reported measures of fear of failure, resilience, extrinsic motivation, and burnout. The analysis revealed that fear of failure had significant predictive effects on resilience, extrinsic motivation, and burnout. Resilience and extrinsic motivation also had significant predictive effects on burnout. The mediation analysis results showed that both resilience and extrinsic motivation partially mediated the effect of fear of failure on athlete burnout. The findings of the study provide a better insight into the underlying mechanisms between fear of failure and athlete burnout by considering resilience and extrinsic motivation as mediators. These results suggest that the adverse impact of fear of failure on athlete burnout can be mitigated by cultivating resilience and hindering extrinsic motivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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Open AccessArticle

Post-COVID Symptoms in Occupational Cohorts: Effects on Health and Work Ability

Nicola Magnavita

Gabriele Arnesano

Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(9), 5638; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095638 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1246

Abstract

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is frequently observed in workers and has a substantial impact on work ability. We conducted a health promotion program to identify cases of post-COVID syndrome, analyze the distribution of symptoms and their association with work ability. Of the 1422 workers who underwent routine medical examination in 2021, 1378 agreed to participate. Among the latter, 164 had contracted SARS-CoV-2 and 115 (70% of those who were infected) had persistent symptoms. A cluster analysis showed that most of the post-COVID syndrome cases were characterized by sensory disturbances (anosmia and dysgeusia) and fatigue (weakness, fatigability, tiredness). In one-fifth of these cases, additional symptoms included dyspnea, tachycardia, headache, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and muscle aches. Workers with post-COVID were found to have poorer quality sleep, increased fatigue, anxiety, depression, and decreased work ability compared with workers whose symptoms had rapidly disappeared. It is important for the occupational physician to diagnose post-COVID syndrome in the workplace since this condition may require a temporary reduction in work tasks and supportive treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

Open AccessArticle

Workplace Health Promotion Embedded in Medical Surveillance: The Italian Way to Total Worker Health Program

Nicola Magnavita

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043659 - 18 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1163

Abstract

In 2011, NIOSH launched the Total Worker Health (TWH) strategy based on integrating prevention and health promotion in the workplace. For several years now, in Italy, this integration has led to the creation of workplace health promotion embedded in medical surveillance (WHPEMS). WHPEMS projects, which are also implemented in small companies, focus each year on a new topic that emerges from the needs of workers. During their regular medical check-up in the workplace, workers are invited to fill in a questionnaire regarding the project topic, its outcome, and some related factors. Workers receive advice on how to improve their lifestyles and are referred to the National Health Service for any necessary tests or treatments. Results collected over the past 12 years from more than 20,000 participants demonstrate that WHPEMS projects are economical, sustainable, and effective. The creation of a network of occupational physicians who are involved in WHPEMS projects could help to improve the work culture, health, and safety of workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

Open AccessArticle

Hand Eczema in Apprentice Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic after a Skin Prevention Program

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Francesca Larese Filon

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 2992; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20042992 - 08 Feb 2023

Viewed by 812

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers, particularly nurses and apprentice nurses, are at high risk of the development of hand eczema due to daily exposure to wet work. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of hand eczema in a group of first-, second-, and third-year apprentice nurses at the University Hospitals of Trieste (northeastern Italy) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Two hundred forty-two Nursing School students were recruited. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, and all patients underwent a medical examination to evaluate their skin condition based on standard scores. Transepidermal water loss was also measured. The factors associated with hand eczema were investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: The prevalence of hand eczema was low in students both before and after the traineeship (17.9 and 21.5%, respectively), but clinical signs of mild skin damage, mainly skin dryness, were present in 52.3 and 47.2%, respectively. The factor associated with hand eczema was a personal history of atopic eczema (odd ratios 2.61, 95% confidence intervals 1.18–5.80), while exposure to irritants and glove use did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Our findings might be explained by the preventive measures adopted for skin protection among healthcare workers in Trieste since the apprenticeship. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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Open AccessArticle

Sleep in Residents: A Comparison between Anesthesiology and Occupational Medicine Interns

Nicola Magnavita

Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032356 - 28 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1036

Abstract

Sleep deprivation is a significant risk to the health and judgment of physicians. We wanted to investigate whether anesthesiology residents (ARs) who work only one night shift per week have different physical and mental health from occupational medicine residents (OMRs) who do not work at night. A total of 21 ARs and 16 OMRs attending a university general hospital were asked to wear an actigraph to record sleep duration, heart rate and step count and to complete a questionnaire for the assessment of sleep quality, sleepiness, fatigue, occupational stress, anxiety, depression and happiness. ARs had shorter sleep duration than OMRs; on average, they slept 1 h and 20 min less (p < 0.001). ARs also had greater daytime sleepiness, a higher heart rate and lower happiness than OMRs. These results should be interpreted with caution given the cross-sectional nature of the study and the small sample size, but they are an incentive to promote sleep hygiene among residents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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Open AccessArticle

Internal Structure of the Work–Family Conflict Questionnaire (WFCQ) in Teacher Teleworking

Henry Santa-Cruz-Espinoza

Gina Chávez-Ventura

Julio Domínguez-Vergara

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César Merino-Soto

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020970 - 05 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2103

Abstract

The interference between family and work roles has led to the development of scales for their measurement. However, instrumental studies of work–family conflict have not been conducted in the context of teacher teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the objectives of this study were set to obtain evidence of the internal structure and fairness of the Blanch and Aluja Work–Family Conflict Questionnaire, as well as its association with job satisfaction and other sociodemographic variables. A total of 235 Peruvian school teachers between the ages of 24 and 72 years (M = 43.79 and SD = 9.67) responded to the scale using the online form. The analysis employed the non-parametric item response theory modeling (Mokken scaling analysis). The structure of two correlated factors was confirmed: work conflict in the family (WCF) and family conflict in the work (FCW). Both dimensions were invariant with respect to sex group and educational level. The association of both dimensions with job satisfaction was theoretically convergent, and the gender of the teachers slightly moderated this relationship. The reliability was adequate for group research. Finally, the instrument can be useful in the organizational context of teachers who telework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

Open AccessArticle

Employees Perceptions of Job Insecurity and Performance: A Qualitative Approach

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416665 - 12 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1402

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to understand the experience of workers’ perceptions of job insecurity and its relation to performance. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 38 workers in the retail, services, education, financial, construction, and pharmaceutical industries in Chile. Using content analysis based on workers’ accounts of their own experience, we identified two main categories: (a) the experience of job insecurity viewed in relation to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional aspects of job insecurity, and (b) the relation between job insecurity and performance. The possibility of job loss expresses itself in experiences and emotions that are related to the performance of workers in different ways. These findings are discussed in terms of stress theory and the motivation to preserve jobs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Health-Promoting Leadership on Employees’ Positive Workplace Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Employability and the Moderating Role of Workplace Civility

Chunyu Zhang

and

Liping Liu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15300; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215300 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1395

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely accelerated the transformation and rapid organisational change in the workplace. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hotel industry will not fade in a short time, and the long-term coexistence with the COVID-19 pandemic pressure is a real dilemma for the hotel industry. The topic of How to create employee positive workplace outcomes (task performance and innovative work behaviour) during the COVID-19 pandemic has garnered increasing interest in both practical and academic fields. Leaders play a critical role in influencing employee workplace outcomes, yet few studies have explored the predicting role of health-promoting leadership. Drawing upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to examine the employability mediator effect and workplace civility as the moderator effect in the relationship between health-promoting leadership and employee-positive workplace outcomes (task performance and innovative work behaviour). We conducted a two-wave survey of 421 participants from the hotel industry in China and formulated a series of hypotheses that were tested with structural equation modelling. The results showed that health-promoting leadership has a significant positive effect on employees’ employability (β = 0.479, p < 0.001), task performance (β = 0.250, p < 0.001), and innovative work behaviour (β = 0.446, p < 0.001). Employability has a significant positive effect on task performance (β = 0.438, p < 0.001) and innovative work behaviour (β = 0.296, p < 0.001). This study makes certain contributions to the extant hotel industry employees’ positive workplace outcomes literature by attending to the healthy leadership styles that promote employability during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its novel point is to evaluate the workplace civility moderating effect between the above model. It also provides practical insight that mutual transformation in workplace relationships inspire those positive outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Quality of Work Organization on Distress and Absenteeism among Healthcare Workers

Nicola Magnavita

Carlo Chiorri

Leila Karimi

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Maria Karanika-Murray

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13458; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013458 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1667

Abstract

The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also for an increased risk of mental and physical disorders. This study was aimed at testing this hypothesis. Workers of a local health unit in Italy were asked to fill out the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) during their periodic medical examinations in the second half of 2018. On the same occasion, they also completed the Demand/Control/Support (DCS) measure of job strain, the Effort/Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) to assess psychological health. A total of 345 workers (85.8%) completed the survey. Linear regression analysis showed that the quality of work organization was inversely proportional to psychological health problems (p < 0.001). Occupational stress, measured both by job strain and ERI, was a moderating factor in this relationship. The relationship between the WOAQ and psychological health, moderated by job strain or ERI, remained highly significant even after adjustment for sex, age, social support, and overcommitment. Regression models explained over 40% of the shared variance of the association between quality of work organization and psychological health. The quality of work organization significantly predicted the risk of sickness absence for musculoskeletal disorders (OR = 0.984, CI95% 0.972–0.996) and for other health problems (OR = 0.977, CI95% 0.967–0.988). A continuous improvement of work organization must consider not only the clients’ or production needs but also the well-being of workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Workplace Violence on Headache and Sleep Problems in Nurses

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13423; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013423 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1537

Abstract

Workplace violence (WV) is a significant occupational hazard for nurses. Previous studies have shown that WV has a reciprocal relationship with occupational stress. Headaches and sleep problems are early neuropsychological signs of distress. This cross-sectional study aims to ascertain the frequency of physical or verbal assaults on nurses and to study the association of WV with headaches and sleep problems. During their regular medical examination in the workplace, 550 nurses and nursing assistants (105 males, 19.1%; mean age 48.02 ± 9.98 years) were asked to fill in a standardized questionnaire containing the Violent Incident Form (VIF) concerning the episodes of violence experienced, the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) regarding headaches, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) on sleep quality. Occupational stress was measured using the Effort/Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI). Physical and non-physical violence experienced in the previous year was reported by 7.5% and 17.5% of workers, respectively. In the univariate logistic regression models, the workers who experienced violence had an increased risk of headaches and sleep problems. After adjusting for sex, age, job type, and ERI, the relationship between physical violence and headaches remained significant (adjusted odds ratio aOR = 2.25; confidence interval CI95% = 1.11; 4.57). All forms of WV were significantly associated with poor sleep in a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for sex, age, job type, and ERI (aOR = 2.35 CI95% = 1.44; 3.85). WV was also associated with the impact of headaches and with sleep quality. WV prevention may reduce the frequency of lasting psychoneurological symptoms, such as headaches and poor sleep quality, that interfere with the ability to work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

Open AccessArticle

Headache in the Workplace: Analysis of Factors Influencing Headaches in Terms of Productivity and Health

Nicola Magnavita

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3712; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063712 - 21 Mar 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3009

Abstract

Headache is a very common condition that can have a significant impact on work. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of headaches and their impact on a sample of 1076 workers from 18 small companies operating in different sectors. The workers who volunteered to participate were asked to fill in the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and answer questions designed to assess stressful and traumatic factors potentially associated with headaches. The volunteers subsequently underwent a medical examination and tests for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Out of the 1044 workers who completed the questionnaire (participation rate = 97%), 509 (48.8%) reported suffering from headaches. In a multivariate logistic regression model, female gender, recent bereavement, intrusive leadership, and sleep problems were significantly associated with headaches. In univariate logistic regression models, headache intensity was associated with an increased risk of anxiety (OR 1.10; CI95% 1.09; 1.12) and depression (OR 1.09; CI95% 1.08; 1.11). Headache impact was also associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome (OR 1.02; CI95% 1.00, 1.04), obesity (OR 1.02, CI95% 1.01; 1.03), and reduced HDL cholesterol (OR 1.03; CI95% 1.01; 1.04). The impact of headache calls for intervention in the workplace not only to promote a prompt diagnosis of the different forms of headaches but also to improve work organization, leadership style, and the quality of sleep. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm)

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