Who Should Play a Key Role in Preventing Common Mental Disorders that Affect Employees in the Workplace? Results of a Survey with Occupational Health Physicians, Primary Care Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Human Resource Managers

Martina Michaelis, Elisabeth Maria Balint, Florian Junne, Stephan Zipfel, Harald Gündel, Rahna Lange, Monika A. Rieger and Eva Rothermund
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Martina Michaelis: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Elisabeth Maria Balint: Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, 89070 Ulm, Germany
Florian Junne: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Stephan Zipfel: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Harald Gündel: Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, 89070 Ulm, Germany
Rahna Lange: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Monika A. Rieger: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Eva Rothermund: Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, 89070 Ulm, Germany

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: The rising burden of common mental disorders (CMDs) in employees requires strategies for prevention. No systematic data exist about how those involved perceive their roles, responsibilities, and interactions with other professional groups. Therefore, we performed a multi-professional standardized survey with health professionals in Germany. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 133 occupational health physicians (OHPs), 136 primary care physicians (PCPs), 186 psychotherapists (PTs), and 172 human resource managers (HRMs). Inter alia, they were asked which health professionals working in the company health service and in the outpatient care or in the sector of statutory insurance agents should play a key role in the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of CMDs in employees. The McNemar test was used in order to compare the attributed roles among the professionals involved. With regard to CMDs, all the professional groups involved in this study declared OHPs as the most relevant pillar in the field of prevention. In primary prevention, HRMs regarded themselves, OHPs, and health insurance agents as equally relevant in terms of prevention. PTs indicated an important role for employee representatives in this field. In secondary prevention, PCPs were regarded as important as OHPs. HRMs indicated themselves as equally important as OHPs and PCPs. In tertiary prevention, only OHPs identified themselves as main protagonists. The other groups marked a variety of several professions. There is a common acceptance from the parties involved that might help the first steps be taken toward overcoming barriers, e.g., by developing a common framework for quality-assured intersectional cooperation in the field of CMD prevention in employees.

Keywords: common mental disorders; employees; commitment to prevention; survey; occupational health physicians; primary care physicians; psychotherapists; human resource managers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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