scholarly journals Occupational health care personnel tackling alcohol overuse – an observational study of work processes and patient characteristics

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarmo O. Kuronen ◽  
Klas Winell ◽  
Jelena Hartsenko ◽  
Kimmo P. Räsänen

Abstract Background Overuse of alcohol is a significant risk factor for early retirement. This observational study investigated patient characteristics and work processes in occupational health care (OHC) affecting practices in tackling alcohol overuse. Methods The data were from 3089 patient contacts gathered for quality improvement purposes in fifteen OHC units during the years 2013–2019 in Finland. A two-proportion z-test was performed to find associations between reason for contact, and 17 other factors, and the probability of alcohol use being checked and overuse tackled. Results OHC personnel checked alcohol use twice as often with male patients as with female patients. Employees at risk of needing sick leave were checked for alcohol use more often (55.4, 95% confidence interval 49.2–61.6%) than those on > 30-day sick leave or working with permanent work disability (p < 0.01). Alcohol use was checked in 64.1% (59.5–68.7%) of patients while making an individual health promotion plan compared to 36.9% of those without a plan (33.1–40.6%, p < 0.0001). Patients with depression were actively checked for alcohol use, especially in cases of major depression (72.7%, 64.0–81.0%). Work processes in which OHC should have been more active in checking and tackling alcohol use included assessing the need for rehabilitation (36.5%, 32.0–41.0%) and health check-ups (HCUs) for mental reasons (43.8%, 38.1–49.4%). HCUs where alcohol overuse was detected led to brief interventions to tackle the overuse in 58.1% (43.4–72.9%) of cases. Conclusions The study showed factors that increased OHC personnel’s practices in checking and tackling alcohol use and work processes where the activity should be improved. Discussions about alcohol use took place more often with working-aged men than women, the younger the more. OHC personnel checked actively alcohol use with patients in danger of sick leave, patients treated for depression, while making an individual health promotion plan, and in planned HCUs with a confirmed protocol. More improvement is needed to conduct brief interventions in disability prevention processes, and especially when overuse is detected.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Bunova ◽  
Veronika Wiemker ◽  
Boris Gornyi ◽  
Carina Ferreira-Borges ◽  
Maria Neufeld

BACKGROUND Personalized prevention tools, such as mobile applications designed to reduce alcohol consumption, are widespread in mobile application stores accessible in Russia. However, their quality and content have not been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify Russian-language mobile applications for reducing alcohol use and evaluate their quality and potential to change alcohol-related health behavior. It further aimed to identify applications that could facilitate screening and brief interventions in primary health care in Russia. METHODS A systematic search for mobile applications available in Russia was carried out between April 1 and 15, December 1 and 15, 2020, and in March 2021 in the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and the 4PDA forum. Application quality was assessed via the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), and structured searches in electronic libraries and bibliographic databases used to evaluate the applications’ evidence base. The number of features facilitating changes in lifestyle behavior was assessed using the App Behavior Change Scale (ABACUS). RESULTS We identified a total of 63 mobile applications for reducing alcohol use. Mean MARS quality ratings were high for the subscales of “Functionality” (3.92 out of 5, SD = 0.58) and “Aesthetics” (2.96; SD = 0.76) and low for “Engagement” (2.42; SD = 0.76) and “Information” (1.65, SD = 0.60). Additional searches in electronic libraries and bibliographic databases (Elibrary, Cyberleninka, Google Scholar) yielded no studies involving the identified applications. ABACUS scores ranged from 1 to 15 out of 25, with a mean of 5 (SD = 3.24). Two of the identified applications might be useful for screening and brief interventions in Russian primary health care after improvements in content and scientific testing. CONCLUSIONS Russian-language mobile applications for reducing alcohol use are accessible in the application stores. Many of them are aesthetically pleasing, functional, and easy to use. However, information about scientific trialing or testing is lacking. Most applications contain a low number of features that facilitate changes in lifestyle behavior. Further research should examine the context of Russian-language mobile applications for reducing alcohol use. Our findings underline the need to develop evidence-based applications to mitigate alcohol consumption in Russia and elsewhere. CLINICALTRIAL PROSPERO (CRD42020167458) (review ongoing).


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Goda ◽  
Tsuneaki Kenzaka ◽  
Shinsuke Yahata ◽  
Ayako Kumabe ◽  
Masahiro Katsurada ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective This study aims to examine changes in patients’ perspectives and outlooks regarding the disease and their health after hospitalization for COVID-19 and investigate their discrimination and harassment experiences. This prospective observational study surveyed discharged patients who had been admitted to Hyogo Prefectural Tamba Medical Center in Japan for COVID-19. Patient characteristics, changes in outlook and behaviors after discharge, and incidents of discrimination and harassment were examined. The study was conducted in two waves: March–June 2020 and July–September 2020. Results Responses were obtained from 27 patients aged 50 ± 17 years, including 16 men (59.3%). We found most patients feared infection before hospitalization (88.5%) and had taken some preventive measures (96.3%), however after discharge, all (100%) practiced social distancing and infection prevention. Twenty patients (80%) considered changing their lifestyles, and 19 (79.2%) decided to use sick leave when they felt ill; these trends were more prominent during the second wave. Six patients (23.1%) reported experiencing discrimination or harassment after discharge. While most patients with COVID-19 had a strong fear of infection before hospitalization, their views about health and health behaviors changed after hospitalization.


Author(s):  
Diana Hart

All countries are faced with the problem of the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCD): implement prevention strategies eff ectively, keep up the momentum with long term benefi ts at the individual and the population level, at the same time tackling hea lth inequalities. Th e aff ordability of therapy and care including innovative therapies is going to be one of the key public health priorities in the years to come. Germany has taken in the prevention and control of NCDs. Germany’s health system has a long history of guaranteeing access to high-quality treatment through universal health care coverage. Th r ough their membership people are entitled to prevention and care services maintaining and restoring their health as well as long term follow-up. Like in many other countries general life expectancy has been increasing steadily in Germany. Currently, the average life expectancy is 83 and 79 years in women and men, respectively. Th e other side of the coin is that population aging is strongly associated with a growing burden of disease from NCDs. Already over 70 percent of all deaths in Germany are caused by four disease entities: cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. Th ese diseases all share four common risk factors: smoking, alcohol abuse, lack of physical activity and overweight. At the same time, more and more people become long term survivors of disease due to improved therapy and care. Th e German Government and public health decision makers are aware of the need for action and have responded by initiating and implementing a wide spectrum of activities. One instrument by strengthening primary prevention is the Prevention Health Care Act. Its overarching aim is to prevent NCDs before they can manifest themselves by strengthening primary prevention and health promotion in diff erent sett ings. One of the main emphasis of the Prevention Health Care Act is the occupational health promotion at the workplace.


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