A population health approach to workplace mental health: rationale, implementation and engagement

Objectives

To describe a population health-based program to support employee and dependent mental health and learn from engagement trends.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of a program utilizing an assessment of mental health risk. For scoring "at risk," a Care Concierge is offered to connect users with resources.

Results

Participation was offered to 56,442 employees and dependents. Eight thousand seven hundred thirty-one completed the assessment (15%). Of those, 4,644 (53%) scored moderate or higher. A total of 418 (9%) engaged the Care Concierge. Factors that negatively influenced the decision to engage care included bodily pain, financial concerns. Positive influences were younger age, high stress, anxiety, PTSD and low social support.

Conclusion

Proactive assessment plus access to a Care Concierge facilitates mental healthcare utilization. Several factors influence likelihood to engage in care. A better understanding of these factors may allow for more targeted outreach and improved engagement.

Caregiver Engagement in Stroke Care: Opportunities and Challenges in Australia and Denmark

Globally, there is a rise in incident cases of stroke, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, due to obesity-related and lifestyle risk factors, including health issues such as high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. Since the early 20th century, stroke mortality has declined due to proper management of the risk factors and improved treatment practices. However, despite the decline in mortality, there is an increase in the levels of disability that requires long-term support. In countries such as Australia and Denmark, where most care is provided within the community; family members, generally spouses, assume the role of caregiver, with little to no preparation that affects the quality of care provided to the person living with stroke. While past research has highlighted aspects to improve caregiver preparedness of stroke and its impact on care; health planning, recovery, and public health policies rarely consider these factors, reducing engagement and increasing uncertainty. Hence, there is a need to focus on improving strategies during recovery to promote caregiver engagement. In this study, we, therefore, try to understand the needs of the caregiver in stroke that limit engagement, and processes employed in countries such as Australia and Denmark to provide care for the person with stroke. Based on our understanding of these factors, we highlight the potential opportunities and challenges to promote caregiving engagement in these countries.

Interactive Video Simulation for Remote Healthcare Learning

Simulation is an essential component of healthcare education as it enables educators to replicate clinical scenarios in a controlled learning environment. Simulation has traditionally been conducted in-person through the use of manikins, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the practice of manikin simulation. Social distance constraints were enforced during the pandemic to reduce the potential spread of the virus and as a result, many educators and students were denied physical access to their universities' simulation facilities. Healthcare educators sought remote alternatives to manikin simulation and many resorted to instructional videos to educate their learners. While the use of videos increases safety, passively watching videos lacks interactivity which is an important component of simulation learning. In response to these challenges, we developed an interactive video simulation software that uses educators' existing video content to conduct a simulation remotely, thereby promoting safety during the pandemic while also meeting the interactivity standards of best practice for healthcare simulation. In this paper, we compare the interactive video simulation to the current practice of watching non-interactive video of a simulation using the same content. We found that interactivity promotes higher order learning, increases teamwork and enhances the perception of authenticity. Additionally, the majority of participants demonstrated positive reception of the interactive simulation. The simulation software provides the safety desired of a remote simulation during the pandemic while also engaging students in interactive learning experiences.

Co-creation or Co-destruction: A Perspective of Online Customer Engagement Valence

The increasing interest in online shopping in recent years has increased the importance of understanding customer engagement valence (CEV) in a virtual service network. There is yet a comprehensive explanation of the CEV concept, particularly its impact on multi-actor networks such as web stores. Therefore, this study aims to fill this research gap. In this study, past literature in the marketing and consumer psychology field was critically reviewed to understand the concept of CEV in online shopping, and the propositional-based style was employed to conceptualize the CEV within the online shopping (web stores) context. The outcomes demonstrate that the valence of customer engagement is dependent on the cognitive interpretation of signals that are prompted by multiple actors on a web store service network. If the signals are positively interpreted, positive outcomes such as service co-creation are expected, but if they are negatively interpreted, negative outcomes such as service co-destruction are predicted. These notions create avenues for future empirical research and practical implications.

Trust and Community Treatment Orders

There are conflicting views about the benefits of community treatment orders (CTOs) for people with mental illness. While there is a significant literature on the coercive nature of CTOs, there is less on the impact that CTOs have upon trust. A recovery-oriented approach requires a trusting therapeutic relationship and the coercion inherent in the CTO process may make it difficult for trust to be built, nurtured, and sustained between workers and patients. Our aim was therefore to examine the role of trust within the CTO experience for mental health workers and patients on CTOs. Methods: We conducted a thematic discourse analysis of 8 in-depth interviews with people who were currently on a CTO and 10 interviews with multi-disciplinary mental health workers in Adelaide, Australia (total N = 18 interviews). The interviews were coded and analyzed with the assistance of a patient representative. The findings reveal the challenges and opportunities for trust within the coercive relationship of a CTO. Findings: We found that patients have diverse experiences of CTOs and that trust or mistrust played an import role in whether or not they found the CTO beneficial.