Body@Work

Development and evaluation of a lifestyle intervention to optimize need for recovery in office workers

The fourth VIP project is situated at a renowned financial service provider in the Netherlands. This employer has great ambitions regarding health and has already taken steps towards promoting improving workers’ wellbeing. ‘VIP in Insurance’ focuses on physical activity and relaxation and will be designed to strengthen the company’s lifestyle policy that is currently in use. The intervention will be developed in close cooperation with several workers from different parts of the company. The research method to be employed is the Intervention Mapping protocol. With interviews and questionnaires, we will collect information about the worker’s attitude toward physical activity and relaxation. This information will be used to design the program. This VIP program will start at the end 2010 and first results are expected in 2011.
 

PERIOD
October 2009 - September 2013

FUNDING
Delta Lloyd Group Zorgverzekeringen B.V.

INVESTIGATORS
J.K Coffeng1,2 MSc
C.R.L Boot1,2 PhD
I.J.M Hendriksen1,3 PhD
Prof. W. van Mechelen1,2 MD, PhD

1 Body@Work, Research Center Physical Activity, Work and Health, The Netherlands,
2 Department of Public and Occupational Health, the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (EMGO+), VU University Medical Center, The Netherlands
3 TNO Quality of Life, Department of Health Promotion, The Netherlands,

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a tailored intervention to optimize need for recovery in office workers. In the ‘VIP in Insurance’ project, an intervention will be developed and evaluated at a financial service provider.

RATIONALE
Stress in organizations has wide-ranging effects on the worker’s mental and physical health. Whether a worker suffers from these effects depends on the balance between workload and work capacity. When workload and work capacity are imbalanced, need for recovery may on the long term lead to negative effects on health. An increased need for recovery can be a first warning signal. Lifestyle interventions offer opportunities to reduce the work load or to enhance work capacity.

METHOD
This research project consists of two phases. The first part of the project focuses on developing the intervention using the Intervention Mapping protocol. It is important to tailor the intervention in line with the wishes of the company. Intervention Mapping is a useful method for this purpose. During the Intervention Mapping Protocol, several workers from different parts of the company will be asked to cooperate.

The second phase focuses on evaluating the intervention. Workers participating in this project will be randomized into two groups:
Workers in the control group will receive care as usual.
Workers in the intervention group will receive the newly developed program in addition to the current health promotion program.
Data will be collected before the start of the intervention, at 6 months , and at 12 months.

Outcome measures: Health and company-relevant outcomes will be measured in this project. The primary outcome measure is need for recovery. Other important outcome measures are lifestyle (physical activity and relaxation), and physical and mental health measures. Secondary outcomes are work related measures such as productivity, workload, job satisfaction and absenteeism. Apart from the effect evaluation, a process evaluation will take place. Cost-effectiveness and a cost-utility analysis will be performed as well.

RESULTS
In 2009/2010 the intervention will be developed. Before implementing the intervention on a larger scale within the financial service provider (October-November 2010), a pilot will be conducted. First results are expected in 2011.

CONTACT
Website: www.vitaalinpraktijk.nl
E-mail: j.coffeng@vumc.nl
+31 20 4446137