Exploring organizational aspects that promote health-related preventive behavior
Using the example of work-related Sars-CoV-2 infection control measures in Germany, August 2020 to November 2021
Bibliographic Data
Introduction: During the communicable coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, organizational infection control measures (oICMs) were introduced in the workplace. The employees' positive attitudes and active participation are relevant for full effectiveness regarding disease prevention. Therefore, we explore changes in employees' attitudes toward oICM at work from August-October 2020 (T0) over January 2021 (T1) to October-November 2021 (T2). We further investigate the role an organization can play in supporting health-related preventive behavior. Methods: We considered repeated cross-sectional and longitudinal panel survey data from 5,554 employees of a global supplier of technology and services in Germany. A total of 16 items constitute the attitude scores toward oICM (5-point Likert scale). Via mixed-effect model, aspects associated with employees' attitudes toward oICM were explored. Via 'extreme-group' approach, we compared the 20% of participants with the largest changes into less favorable to the 20% with the largest changes into more favorable attitudes toward oICM over time. Results: = 2,062). Among others, feeling well-informed about possible work-related risks of infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), perceived psychosocial demands through work environment aspects, and perceived management's commitment to safety and health were associated with long-term positive attitudes toward oICM. Individuals developing more favorable attitudes toward oICM reported feeling well-informed about possible work-related SARS-CoV-2 infection risks and improved COVID-19-specific resilience over time. Individuals developing less favorable attitudes toward oICM reported decreased perceptions of COVID-19-associated risks. Conclusion: oICMs in the workplace were perceived appropriate even after COVID-19 vaccines were widely available although the perceived affective risks about SARS-CoV-2 decreased. Taken together, our findings highlight how organizations can support employees in adopting health-related preventive behavior. Among others, we found that feeling well-informed about possible work-related health risks was positively associated with long-term favorable attitudes toward work-related oICM. We expect that the results contribute to the development of interventions to prepare and adapt to future global public health concerns
Disease · Family medicine · Feeling · Infection control · Likert scale · Pandemic · Pathology · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Infection Control and Ventilation · Infection Control in Healthcare · Medicine · Occupational Health and Safety Research · Psychology · Social Psychology · Internal Medicine
Opening the black box
Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE)
Framework for design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve health
Missing Data
The theory of planned behavior
Mice
Assessing Differences in Attitudes toward Occupational Safety and Health Measures for Infection Control between Office and Assembly Line Employees during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Germany
Applying principles of behaviour change to reduce Sars-CoV-2 transmission
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| Highly cited | No |