To review current occupational health (OH) approaches aimed at maintaining the health and workability of older workers. A literature review was undertaken to identify articles onOHinterventions focused on maintaining the
health of older workers (published since 2000). The inclusion criteria included studies that reported
interventions aimed specifically at older workers. A limited number of interventions targeting older workers were identified. A second literature search
was therefore conducted that identified types of workplace interventions that, if used with older workers,
may benefit their health, well-being and workability. Very few OH interventions have addressed the health and workability of older workers and there is
considerable scope for developing OH provision, which accounts for the needs of the older workforce.

Developing occupational health services for active age management.

Background: Job stress is highly emphasized among healthcare staff because of their crucial role in the healthcare system. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate job stress and mental health among nursing staff of educational hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 nurses working in educational hospitals of Zahedan, Iran, from November 2015 to April 2016. Data were collected using Osipow job stress (60 questions in 6 subscales) and Goldberg’s general health (28 questions in 4 subscales) Questionnaires, both of which are valid and reliable. The data were presented as mean and standard deviation and analyzed through t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation tests using SPSS Version 16.0. The significance level was accepted as p less than 0.05. Results: The mean score of job stress in the nurses was 202.64 ± 22.88. Ambiguity in job was the most important factor affecting the nurses’ job stress. The mean score of mental health was 32.41 ± 2.37 for females and 29.36 ± 1.25 for males. Physical disorders had the highest mean among other factors in mental health, and it was 37.24 ± 3.21. There were significant statistic differences between job stress and gender, hospital ward, and working shift of the participants. In addition, a significant difference was obtained between mental health and hospital ward and nurse’s working environment. Conclusions: Job stress can affect all dimensions of nurses’ mental health and may lead to different disorders, particularly somatic and anxiety disorders. It seems that by planning to reduce job stressors (such as workload, and role ambiguity), improving workplace conditions, and implementing training courses to adapt to and control the stressful conditions, we can reduce job stress and improve nurses’ mental health.

Job Stress and Mental Health Among Nursing Staff of Educational Hospitals in South East Iran

El presente articulo tiene como proposito exponer los retos de la investigacion en psicologia de la salud ocupacional, en particular el estres en el trabajo, uno de los temas de mayor desarrollo en esta disciplina. El articulo describe los elementos conceptuales y determinantes del estres en el trabajo, se identifican las dificultades de la investigacion en esta area y, se plantean sugerencias metodologicas para enriquecer esta investigacion. Los programas de intervencion son analizados comparando enfoques, disenos y resultados efectivos. Por ultimo, se proponen directrices para mejorar la investigacion en este campo.

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Retos investigativos en psicología de la salud ocupacional: el estrés laboral

Background: The economic events from 2008 have caused a new type of job loss, with professionals losing work at larger numbers. Where before professionals being made redundant were less than their blue-collar colleagues, we now see more professionals out of work due to sudden business changes and unable to secure re-employment because of high competition (Garret- Peters, 2009). Research into the health effects of redundancy and life after job loss in professional workers has started to pick up momentum, (e.g. Mendenhall, 2008 and Strully, 2009), but is still limited, with further investigations required.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore how professional workers made sense of job loss from redundancies and understand how their interpretations may have effected health outcomes. Further questions were asked to investigate how some participants stayed relatively healthy whilst others found it hard to cope.

Design: This was a semi-structured qualitative study, interviewing participants at a singular time point. Participants were recruited from U.K. based Welfare to Work providers and Third Sector organisations specialising in employment advice.

Method: Interviews were conducted in person or over the telephone. The sample consisted of ten unemployed professionals, (N= 7 men; average age x= 43.5; age range= 33-58 years) (N= 3 women; average age x= 40; age range= 37-43 years), whom had lost their work roles through redundancies. Using principles from Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, (Smith, 1996), allowed findings into participants’ perceptions of redundancy and health choices during unemployment. These findings were then interpreted by using the Sense of Coherence formulation, (Antonovsky, 1979; 1987), to show health promoting properties in those that’s seemed to be psychologically coping better and whom saw job loss as a life changing opportunity.

Findings: All participants perceived redundancy as an abrupt change to their professional identity. Depending on how they perceived their resultant identity of unemployed professional, this effected health. Participants whom were concerned of how they would be interpreted by society whilst out of work, felt levels of shame that caused maladaptive coping and poorer health. Those who managed such worries, showed less shame and greater health promoting strategies. When reviewing participants’ interpretations through the Sense of Coherence formulation, all participants comprehended the practicalities and business needs for job cuts. However, those that stayed relatively healthy could separate comprehension of job loss from their overall identity. This minimised negative internalisation of loss, reduced anger towards employers and reduced overall distress whilst unemployed.

Conclusion: Although participants comprehended the business needs for redundancies, this did not mean they were immune to the psychological effects of job loss. Indeed, professionals who internalised job loss were at threat of health concerns such as depression or alcohol dependencies. For professionals, redundancy therefore had ramifications stemming from a deep-felt loss due to the perception of losing one’s professional identity.

Job loss, professional workers and health outcomes: a qualitative study

Studies examining what renders workplace interventions to sustain and promote work ability of older workers successful have largely neglected older workers´ perspective. This paper outlines the results of a study with regard to older workers´ experiences and expectations of a workplace intervention. Based on these findings, some reflections on how to improve the design and the implementation of workplace interventions for older workers are provided. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with older workers (N = 8) participating in a workplace intervention undertaken at one production site of a large manufacturing company in Baden-Wurttemberg/Germany. The interview guide included questions on participants´ experiences with and expectations of the intervention. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring (2014). Older workers´ reported some challenges they face due to their participation in the workplace intervention. These resulted from the work environment (physical challenges), the work process design (new long work cycle), the work organization (tight time allowances, little job rotation, change of teams, age stereotypes) and the management of the workplace intervention (bad information, feeling of occupational insecurity and lack of being valued). The study shows that challenges arising for older workers from their participation in the workplace intervention may have counteracted the promotion of work ability. As findings suggest, some of these challenges might have been avoided either by considering workers´ perspective during design and implementation of an intervention or by referring to evidence on aging and work ability.

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Challenges arising for older workers from participating in a workplace intervention addressing work ability: a qualitative study from Germany.

A work environment intervention to test a model of age related workload was carried out at a local hospital. The staff received training about life course, work and work ability. Efforts at making changes in the work place were encouraged. Action plans were to be presented and the participating wards were given a grant in relation to the existing age structure, to carry out changes and to recruit younger persons. The results showed that the experience of workload, ergonomic troubles, psychosocial troubles and work stress had decreased at the same time as the experience of stimulation and of joy at work had increased. It was not possible to see any reduction in the HR costs or change in the working time and sick leaves. The action plans showed limited suggestions of changes. The organization's complexity and the traditional hierarchy of hospitals do not stimulate change, but the supervisors' involvement is also critical to the result of the staff's work. Work environment interventions are complicated and complex and influenced by many factors. One year is a very short time for an intervention. The importance of the experience of the staff of an improved work environment is however not to be diminished.

Lena Andersson-Felé

Papers

Age related work load—a work environment intervention with a life course perspective