scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Mental Wellbeing, Coping and Quality of Working Life in Health and Social Care Workers in the UK at Two Time Points of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Epidemiologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-242
Author(s):  
Paula McFadden ◽  
Ruth D. Neill ◽  
John Moriarty ◽  
Patricia Gillen ◽  
John Mallett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Quality Of Working Life ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Uk

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve around the world, it is important to examine its effect on societies and individuals, including health and social care (HSC) professionals. The aim of this study was to compare cross-sectional data collected from HSC staff in the UK at two time points during the COVID-19 pandemic: Phase 1 (May–July 2020) and Phase 2 (November 2020–January 2021). The HSC staff surveyed consisted of nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social care workers and social workers from across the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland). Multiple regressions were used to examine the effects of different coping strategies and demographic and work-related variables on participants’ wellbeing and quality of working life to see how and if the predictors changed over time. An additional multiple regression was used to directly examine the effects of time (Phase 1 vs. Phase 2) on the outcome variables. Findings suggested that both wellbeing and quality of working life deteriorated from Phase 1 to Phase 2. The results have the potential to inform interventions for HSC staff during future waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, other infectious outbreaks or even other circumstances putting long-term pressures on HSC systems.

scholarly journals The Role of Coping in the Wellbeing and Work-Related Quality of Life of UK Health and Social Care Workers during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 815
Author(s):  
Paula McFadden ◽  
Jana Ross ◽  
John Moriarty ◽  
John Mallett ◽  
Heike Schroder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Active Coping ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Quality Of Working Life ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic in early 2020. Due to the rapid spread of the virus and limited availability of effective treatments, health and social care systems worldwide quickly became overwhelmed. Such stressful circumstances are likely to have negative impacts on health and social care workers’ wellbeing. The current study examined the relationship between coping strategies and wellbeing and quality of working life in nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social care workers and social workers who worked in health and social care in the UK during its first wave of COVID-19. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey (N = 3425), and regression analyses were used to examine the associations of coping strategies and demographic characteristics with staff wellbeing and quality of working life. The results showed that positive coping strategies, particularly active coping and help-seeking, were associated with higher wellbeing and better quality of working life. Negative coping strategies, such as avoidance, were risk factors for low wellbeing and worse quality of working life. The results point to the importance of organizational and management support during stressful times, which could include psycho-education and training about active coping and might take the form of workshops designed to equip staff with better coping skills.

scholarly journals COVID-19 vaccination beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours among health and social care workers in the UK: a mixed-methods study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadie Bell ◽  
Richard M Clarke ◽  
Sharif A Ismail ◽  
Oyinkansola Ojo-Aromokudu ◽  
Habib Naqvi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Black African ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Uk

AbstractBackgroundThe UK began delivering its COVID-19 vaccination programme on 8 December 2020, with health and social care workers (H&SCWs) given high priority for vaccination. Despite well- documented occupational exposure risks, however, there is evidence of lower uptake among some H&SCW groups.MethodsWe used a mixed-methods approach - involving an online cross-sectional survey and semi- structured interviews – to gain insight into COVID-19 vaccination beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours amongst H&SCWs in the UK by socio-demographic and employment variables. 1917 people were surveyed – 1658 healthcare workers (HCWs) and 261 social care workers (SCWs). Twenty participants were interviewed.FindingsWorkplace factors contributed to vaccination access and uptake. SCWs were more likely to not be offered COVID-19 vaccination than HCWs (OR:1.453, 95%CI: 1.244 – 1.696). SCWs specifically reported uncertainties around how to access COVID-19 vaccination. Participants who indicated stronger agreement with the statement ‘I would recommend my organisation as a place to work’ were more likely to have been offered COVID-19 vaccination (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.06 – 1.56). Those who agreed more strongly with the statement ‘I feel/felt under pressure from my employer to get a COVID-19 vaccine’ were more likely to have declined vaccination (OR:1.75, 95%CI: 1.27– 2.41). Interviewees that experienced employer pressure to get vaccinated felt this exacerbated their vaccine concerns and increased distrust.In comparison to White British and White Irish participants, Black African and Mixed Black African participants were more likely to not be offered (OR:2.011, 95%CI: 1.026 – 3.943) and more likely to have declined COVID-19 vaccination (OR:5.55, 95%CI: 2.29 – 13.43). Reasons for declining vaccination among Black African participants included distrust in COVID-19 vaccination, healthcare providers, and policymakers.ConclusionH&SCW employers are in a pivotal position to facilitate COVID-19 vaccination access, by ensuring staff are aware of how to get vaccinated and promoting a workplace environment in which vaccination decisions are informed and voluntary.

scholarly journals Needs of patients with dementia and their caregivers in primary care: lessons learned from the Alzheimer plan of Quebec

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Khanassov ◽  
Laura Rojas-Rozo ◽  
Rosa Sourial ◽  
Xin Qiang Yang ◽  
Isabelle Vedel
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract Background Persons living with dementia have various health and social care needs and expectations, some which are not fully met by health providers, including primary care clinicians. The Quebec Alzheimer plan, implemented in 2014, aimed to cover these needs, but there is no research on the effect this plan had on the needs and expectations of persons living with dementia. The objective of this study is to identify persons living with dementia and caregivers’ met and unmet needs and to describe their experience. Methods This is a sequential mixed methods explanatory design: Phase 1: cross-sectional study to describe the met and unmet health and social care needs of community-dwelling persons living with dementia using Camberwell Assessment of Need of the Elderly and Carers’ Assessment for Dementia tools. Phase 2: qualitative descriptive study to explore and understand the experiences of persons living with dementia and caregivers with the use of social and healthcare services, using semi-structured interviews. Data from phase 1 was analyzed with descriptive statistics, and from phase 2, with inductive thematic analysis. Results from phases 1 and 2 were compared, contrasted and interpreted together. Results The mean total number of needs reported by the patients was 5.03 (4.48 and 0.55 met and unmet needs, respectively). Caregivers had 0.52 met needs (3.16 unmet needs). The main needs for both were memory, physical health, eyesight/hearing/communication, medication, looking after home, money/budgeting. Three categories were mentioned by the participants: Persons living with dementia and caregiver’s attitude towards memory decline, their perception of community health services and of the family medicine practice. Conclusions Our study confirms the findings of other studies on the most common unmet needs of the patients and caregivers that are met partially or not at all. In addition, the participants were satisfied with access to care, and medical services in primary practices, being confident in their family. Our results indicate persons living with dementia and their caregivers need a contact person, a clear explanation of their dementia diagnosis, a care plan, written information on available services, and support for the caregivers.

scholarly journals Psychometric Properties of the Malay Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) Scale in Malaysia

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Won-Sun Chen ◽  
Jamaiyah Haniff ◽  
Ching-Sin Siau ◽  
Wymen Seet ◽  
Sit-Fong Loh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Quality Of Working Life ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Malaysia aims to be one of the developed nations by year 2020; therefore, it is crucial to gauge the quality of working life in a parallel manner using a well-established Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) Scale. The goal of this study is to describe the validity and psychometric properties of the Malay WRQoL Scale in Malaysian population.<br />A total of 572 respondents took part in this cross-sectional study giving a 97% response rate. The reliability of the Malay WRQoL Scale was assessed using the test retest reliability analysis after a 2-week period. Both the interclass correlation (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha were within acceptable levels. However in the validity analysis, the exploratory factor analysis only revealed 5 factors instead of 6 in the original scale.<br />The Malay WRQoL scale has demonstrated to have the appropriate psychometric properties and can therefore be used in Malaysia to assess the quality of working life.

COVID-19 booster vaccinations

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
George Winter
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Do So

With the UK Health Security Agency announcement that those over 50 as well as health and social care workers are to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine boster, George Winter investigates whether research supports the necessity to do so

scholarly journals P67 Risk factors for musculoskeletal pain amongst health and social care workers in the UK: results from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) study

Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania D'Angelo ◽  
Georgia Ntani ◽  
Holly Syddall ◽  
E C Harris ◽  
Cathy Linaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Site Pain

Abstract Background Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the main causes of sickness absence in the UK and their prevalence is likely to increase in workers, with the rise of state pension age. Previous research has shown that these conditions are common among health and social care workers. Therefore, we aimed to describe the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among health and social care workers and to explore personal and occupational risk factors for pain at specific anatomical sites and for multi-site pain. Methods We used data from the second year of follow up of the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) study, a cohort study of 8,134 adults aged 50-64, recruited through 24 English general practices. Health and social care workers, identified through the Standard Occupational Classification 2010, were the focus of this cross-sectional analysis. The outcome under investigation was self-reported pain lasting more than a day in the past month, at one or more of eight anatomical sites: neck, low back, mid-back, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, knee, foot/ankle. Socio-demographic variables, self-reported health measures, psychosocial work factors (job dissatisfaction, lack of appreciation, lack of support) and occupational activities (kneeling or squatting for more than 1 hr/day, standing for most of the day) were ascertained through postal questionnaire, and associations with pain at specific anatomical sites and multi-site (≥2 anatomical sites) pain were explored with logistic regression, firstly adjusted for age and sex and then adjusted for additional confounders. Results A total of 282 participants were working in health and social care at second year follow up. Mean age was 59 years and 90% of them were women. Of these workers, n = 199 (71%) reported pain in at least one site, while n = 147 (52%) reported multi-site pain. The most reported anatomical sites with pain were knee and low back, with a prevalence of 39% and 34% respectively. Significant risk factors for knee pain were poor self-rated health (OR = 4.2; 95%CI 2.1 to 8.2) and being exposed to kneeling for longer than an hour/day at work (OR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.2 to 3.4). Similar results were found for low back pain, while for multi-site pain mental exhaustion also appeared to have an effect. None of the socio-demographic variables or psychosocial work factors influenced the outcomes. Conclusion In a sample of health and social care workers in the UK, the prevalence of low back, neck and multi-site pain is high. The common risk factors were being exposed to kneeling at work and reporting poor/fair health. Disclosures S. D'Angelo: None. G. Ntani: None. H. Syddall: None. E.C. Harris: None. C. Linaker: None. M. Stevens: None. K. Walker-Bone: None.

Tobacco smoking in older people

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
SC Allen
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Current Smoking ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Uk

SummarySmoking remains prevalent in elderly people in the UK and similar countries. The adverse health effects of current smoking continue to accumulate in old age and stopping smoking in old age confers benefits on function, morbidity and mortality. Many elderly people wish to stop smoking and many are successful. Structured support from health and social care workers improves quit rates and nicotine replacement therapy can be an effective aid to smoking cessation in old age. Doctors and other healthcare staff should use the opportunities of patient contact to encourage older smokers to quit. Cognitive impairment is a barrier to successful smoking cessation.

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