Ulrich Stößel

Mental health and patterns of work-related coping behaviour in a German sample of student teachers: a cross-sectional study

PurposeThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the mental health of student teachers, to analyse the extent to which they feel prepared for their profession by the university curriculum and to investigate patterns of coping with occupational stress.MethodsA sample of 481 German student teachers was investigated using two standardised instruments: GHQ-12 (General Health Questionnaire) and AVEM (Arbeitsbezogenes Verhaltens- und Erlebensmuster), an occupational stress and coping questionnaire describing four patterns of work-related coping behaviour. In addition, we asked how well the student teachers felt that the curriculum prepared them for their profession.ResultsForty-four per cent of the student teachers report impaired mental health in the second teacher training period, indicated by a GHQ value equal to or over the cut-off of four. The AVEM responses revealed more than 40% showing risk patterns (A or B) compared to only 26.3% displaying a healthy coping style (G), while 32.8% demonstrate an unambitious style (S). These GHQ values are inversely correlated with the extent to which student teachers feel prepared for their work by the university curriculum.ConclusionsOur data indicate a problematic stress level for student teachers in the second training phase (high exposure to health risks and unfavourable coping styles). Since teaching is clearly an extremely demanding job, it is vital that teacher training systems contribute towards protecting the health of teachers by focusing on fostering healthy personal attitudes and equipping young teachers with coping styles and skills that will better prepare them for the challenges facing them in their daily work. Self-care health management should also be part of the teacher training curriculum.

Perceptions of heatwave risks to health: results of an qualitative interview study with older people and their carers in Freiburg, Germany.

Aims and objectives: Heatwaves can pose a severe threat to health, especially to older people. However, warnings do not necessarily lead to preventive action. This study aims at exploring individual risk perception and adaptive measures of older people and their carers. Their views are explored, taking into account personal backgrounds. Methods: Questionnaire-based interviews were administered to 20 men and women (64–94 years, living in their own homes or nursing homes) and 13 carers. A qualitative analysis following a framework approach was performed. Results: The majority of respondents stated that older people might be compromised by heatwaves; however, a large proportion of respondents saw themselves as less affected than the average population. Most respondents adopted preventive measures during heatwaves and a majority received warnings or pieces of information. The role of general practitioners in direct warning situations was judged controversial. Survey respondents displayed resistance to the use of technical devices to monitor potentially dangerous situations. In addition, the results support many previous findings. In particular, the relative concepts of ageing, variety of information channels used, and control orientations could be confirmed. Conclusions: General practitioners hold a position of trust and play a central role in the promotion of preventive action, but there are also limitations to their outreach. Many respondents could be classified as socially active, which has implications for preventive information campaigns. Information campaigns using different channels and targeting a larger audience should be considered. The degree of information of carers can partly be improved.

Utilization Dynamics of an Integrated Care System in Germany: Morbidity, Age, and Sex Distribution of Gesundes Kinzigtal Integrated Care’s Membership in 2006–2008

‘Gesundes Kinzigtal Integrated Care’ (GKIC) is one of the few population-based integrated care systems in Germany. By coordinating health care utilization for a defined population in the Kinzigtal region in southwest Germany, GKIC strives to increase the quality of the local health care system and to curb rising health care costs in the region. GKIC explicitly refrains from preferably selecting the traditional “good risks.” Instead, GKIC has adopted an elaborate contractual framework that incentivizes GKIC providers to enroll rather high-risk and high-morbidity insurants. These incentives are designed to induce GKIC and the associated health care providers to first and foremost recruit older people and insurants with an above-average morbidity or morbidity risk into the integrated care network.

Der ältere Mensch im Erwerbsleben

Demographic change with its impact on the employment system and the length of work challenges most of the highly industrialized countries. From the point of health sciences the article will discuss findings about whether a prolongation of employment time seems to make sense and which limitations must be reflected. Therefore labour force participation of older workers will be demonstrated before employability as a construct of physical, psychological and social capacity is discussed. With these reflections in mind, the role of an integrated occupational health care approach will be stressed to discuss in which way this can contribute to healthier working conditions for older workers. The complex nature of the problem makes complex solutions necessary, which are not restricted to simple workplace health promotion campaigns. They have to be part of a sophisticated occupational health management system. The rising number of projects and initiatives in this field suggest that the challenges have been recognized and accepted; however we are not able to speak about the implementation of these models already throughout the country.ZusammenfassungDer demographische Wandel mit seinen Auswirkungen auf das Beschäftigungssystem und die Verlängerung der Erwerbstätigkeit ist für die meisten Industrieländer eine große Herausforderung. Aus gesundheitswissenschaftlicher Sicht soll der Frage nachgegangen werden, ob die Erkenntnisse über die Beschäftigungsfähigkeit älterer Menschen im Erwerbsleben eine Verlängerung der Erwerbszeit sinnvoll erscheinen lassen und welche Einschränkungen hier bedacht werden müssen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird zunächst die Beteiligung älterer Menschen am Erwerbsleben beleuchtet, um dann ihre Fähigkeiten und ihre Belastbarkeit im Beruf zu diskutieren. Diese Betrachtungen bilden die Grundlage für die Erörterung der Frage, ob und wie der Gesundheits- und Arbeitsschutz und die daran Beteiligten dazu beitragen können, eine möglichst lange Erwerbstätigkeit in Gesundheit zu ermöglichen. Es wird verdeutlicht, dass nur Interventionen zielführend sind, die sich nicht ausschließlich auf Maßnahmen der Gesundheitsförderung im Betrieb beschränken, sondern in einem umfassenderen Sinn Teil eines betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements sind. Die zunehmende Zahl an Projekten und Initiativen in diesem Bereich deutet darauf hin, dass die Herausforderungen des demographischen Wandels erkannt worden sind, wenngleich man noch nicht von einer flächendeckend wirksamen Umsetzung dieser Erkenntnisse sprechen kann.AbstractDemographic change with its impact on the employment system and the length of work challenges most of the highly industrialized countries. From the point of health sciences the article will discuss findings about whether a prolongation of employment time seems to make sense and which limitations must be reflected. Therefor labour force participation of older workers will be demonstrated before employability as a construct of physical, psychological and social capacity is discussed. With these reflections in mind, the role of an integrated occupational health care approach will be stressed to discuss in which way this can contribute to healthier working conditions for older workers. The complex nature of the problem makes complex solutions necessary, which are not restricted to simple workplace health promotion campaigns. They have to be part of a sophisticated occupational health management system. The rising number of projects and initiatives in this field suggest that the challenges have been recognized and accepted; however we are not able to speak about the implementation of these models already throughout the country.

Bilanz des Betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements

Die Ansatze der betrieblichen Gesundheitsforderung und im umfassenderen Sinne des betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements gibt es seit ungefahr zwei Jahrzehnten. Es ist deshalb an der Zeit zu fragen, wie es um das Betriebliche Gesundheitsmanagement bestellt ist und ob man eine erste Bilanz ziehen kann.

Design and evaluation of an IPE module at the beginning of professional training in medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy.

Aim: Interprofessional education (IPE) is a central feature of modern education in the health care professions. Despite this, empirically founded and systematically structured IPE courses are absent from many curricula. To answer the WHO’s call for improved interprofessional collaboration in the health care system, a seminar was designed, implemented and evaluated. The target group consisted of students beginning nursing and medical studies (first and second semesters) and physiotherapy students (first year of training). The aim was to develop a basic IPE module focusing not only on the demands placed by academia and politics, but also the interests of the target group. This module was evaluated on the basis of the modified four-level Kirkpatrick approach. Method: Based on focus group interviews analyzed qualitatively using Mayring’s content analysis, it was possible to define five learning objectives and develop four practice-oriented modules. The seminar was then implemented and evaluated using written pre- and post-seminar evaluations and group discussions. Results: Analysis confirmed the success of the IPE concept in that the seminar was positively rated by attendees not only in terms of their immediate reactions, but also attitude, knowledge and skills according to Kirkpatrick. Conclusion: In the future, it is intended to offer the IPE module on a permanent basis and assess the competencies acquired in the seminar using observation. Courses to ensure sustained learning outcomes would also be desirable.

Gesundheit und Gesundheitsverhalten bei Beschäftigten an den Universitäten Freiburg und Karlsruhe

ZusammenfassungHintergrundErgebnisse zweier Mitarbeiterbefragungen an den Universitäten Karlsruhe und Freiburg dienten dem Vergleich von Aspekten der subjektiven Gesundheit, der Arbeitsumgebung, des Gesundheitsverhaltens in Abhängigkeit von individuellen und Arbeitsplatzfaktoren. Ebenso sollte der Handlungsbedarf für Maßnahmen der Gesundheitsförderung im Setting Universität ermittelt werden.Material und MethodenMittels eines an das SALSA-Instrument adaptierten und (in Freiburg) teilweise ergänzten Fragebogens wurde an beiden Universitäten das Verwaltungs- und technische Vollzeitpersonal schriftlich befragt.ErgebnisseDie beiden Beschäftigtenkollektive unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich ihrer subjektiven Gesundheit nicht bedeutsam und zeichnen sich insgesamt durch einen guten Gesundheitszustand aus. Zwischen den Angehörigen technischer Berufe und der Verwaltungsberufe stellten sich keine großen Unterschiede im subjektiven Gesundheitsstatus und im Gesundheitsverhalten heraus. Der Handlungsbedarf des Arbeitgebers wird in beiden Einrichtungen unterschiedlich gewichtet.SchlussfolgerungTrotz unterschiedlich hoher Rücklaufraten sind die Ergebnisse gut vergleichbar und lassen eher auf eine positive Einschätzung der subjektiven Gesundheit schließen. Die Benennung subjektiver Handlungsbedarfe sollte es dem jeweiligen Arbeitgeber ermöglichen, im Rahmen des betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements gezielte Angebote zu unterbreiten und ggf. Verbesserungen vorzunehmen. Mitarbeiterbefragungen sollten ein kontinuierlich eingesetztes Instrument des Betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements sein.AbstractBackgroundResults of two employee surveys at Karlsruhe and Freiburg Universities (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) were evaluated. The comparative approach offered the chance to compare work-related health and health behaviour due to individual and job factors. Another aim of the study was to ascertain the need for health promotion activities in the university setting. Material and methodsAn adapted version of the SALSA questionnaire, with additional questions in Freiburg about preventive health behaviour, was applied in both universities in full-time clerks and technical staff.ResultsBoth collectives do not differ significantly in their reported (good) state of health. No greater differences in subjective health and health behaviour could be observed in the different professional groups. The need for future action in health promotion was seen differently in the Karlsruhe and Freiburg samples. ConclusionDespite the different response rates the results for Karlsruhe and Freiburg Universities are comparable in most aspects and show positive outcomes. Designating specific health promotion needs should permit the management in both universities to offer appropriate measures and initiate improvements.

Award for junior scientists at German universities in the field of Medical Sociology

The German Medical Sociology Association (DGMS) assigns in 2005, for the first time, an award (of e2,000) for junior scientists at German universities in the field of Medical Sociology. The award is donated by professors of Medical Sociology. Junior scientists will be chosen for specific activities in medical-sociological research, training and/or practice. The activities can be nominated for the award by the scientists themselves. Persons and their activities worth the award can also be nominated by third parties. The jury, consisting of the donators of the award, decides the criteria for successful entrants, such as the innovative character of the activity, its originality, its benefit for the scientific discipline and its specific scientific excellence. Legal proceedings are barred. The prize will be awarded during the annual scientific conference of the DGMS in Berlin (21/22 September 2005). Applications (from the junior scientists themselves or proposals by third parties) should be addressed to:

Das Hygieneverhalten Jugendlicher — Ein gesundheitliches Risikoverhalten?

„Fur das Kind mus es durch Vorbild (Eltern, Erzieher) und Anleitung selbstverstandlich werden, sich einige Grundsatze der taglichen Hygiene anzueignen. ... Jedes Kind hat seinen eigenen Waschlappen (2 Stuck) und zwei Handtucher, je eines fur den Unter- und Oberkorper. Eine Zahnburste, Zahnpasta, Kamm, Burste, Nagelreiniger und Nagelburste sollte jedem Kind gehoren. ... In einem gewissen Alter (8–13 Jahre) scheint die Korperpflege fur die meisten Kinder eine lastige Ubung zu sein” (Huth 1976, 48).

Evaluationskriterien für betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung am Beispiel arbeitsbedingter Muskel- und Skeletterkrankungen

ZusammenfassungIn diesem Beitrag werden derzeitig gängige Ansatzpunkte, Maßnahmebedingungen und Implementationsstrategien für betriebliche Gesundheitsförderungsmaßnahmen vorgestellt, die eine wirksame Prävention arbeitsbedingter muskuloskelettaler Erkrankungen ermöglichen. Die international üblichen Parameter zur Messung der Effektivität und Efßzienz solcher Programme werden diskutiert, um daraus entsprechende Qualitätskriterien für die Ebenen Maßnahmenplanung, -implementation und-evaluation abzuleiten.AbstractThis article presents currently known attempts, settings and implementation strategies for workplace health promotion with a remarkable impact for an effective prevention of work-related musculo-skeletal disorders. Internationally accepted measurement outcomes for effcasy and efficiency used in such programs will be discussed to develope quality criterias for the phases planning, implementation and evaluation.