Mental Health Promotion and Intervention in Occupational Settings: A Pilot Study

Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health difficulties in the
workplace in the EU, causing immense suffering and costing the global economy
¤1 trillion each year in lost productivity. Those working in small and medium
enterprises are particularly vulnerable. Despite their vulnerabilities, most
SMEs have limited capacity to address mental health promotion and provide
mental health interventions to staff. Overall, SMEs comprise more than 90% of
all EU businesses, meaning there is a huge potential to influence population
health through the implementation of the proposed intervention programme.
Therefore, we will conduct a pilot study, which is part of a large European
Union (EU) funded research programme, involving 13 countries and 17 project
partners, running over four years with eleven interrelated work packages (WPs).

The project aims to improve mental health and wellbeing in the workplace by
developing, implementing and evaluating an intervention targeting both clinical
(depressive, anxiety disorders) and non-clinical (stress, burnout, depressive
symptoms) mental health issues, as well as promoting mental health and
wellbeing and fighting against the stigma of mental (ill) health.

The pilot study will use a mixed-methods approach and evaluation data will be
obtained using the RE-AIM framework, to structure evaluation outcomes from data
collected. Quantitative and qualitative measures will be collected at baseline
as well as upon completion of the intervention (6 months post baseline) along
with semi-structured self-report questionnaires addressing client satisfaction
and focus groups involving employees* and employers* experiences with the
intervention. The pilot will take place over a 6-month period, March
2021-August 2021.

The intervention will contain three components:

Component A. Evidence-based interventions for promoting wellbeing and
preventing stress, burnout and depressive symptoms (non-clinical) (WP2)
Interventions:
We will develop online primary prevention tools with content specific to each
of the 3 SME work sectors (i.e. health, construction and ICT). The tools being
developed are as follows:
1. Where feasible, face-to-face mental health awareness workshops will be held
for employees, their representatives and employers promoting mental well-being
and addressing non-clinical depressive symptoms.
2. Online sector-specific primary prevention tools to target specific working
conditions and policies for promoting wellbeing and preventing stress and
non-clinical depressive symptoms
3. Peer support videos in which representatives will be asked to answer a
question on how to promote their mental wellbeing at work.
4. Optional, access to internet-based iFightDepressionTM tool, which is an
evidence based self-management tool for people with mild forms of depression,

Component B: Evidence-based interventions for depressive disorders and comorbid
anxiety disorders (clinical in accordance with ICD-10) Interventions:
In this component we will develop the following tools:
1. Where feasible, face-to-face educational workshops on depression, anxiety
and comorbid physical health difficulties (clinical) for employees and
employers, complemented by information on evidence-based treatments and
pathways for support and care.
2. Online educational information package on depression, anxiety and comorbid
physical health difficulties (clinical) for employees and employers.
3. iFightDepression module videos * individual videos for each module
incorporating the main points.

Component C: Destigmatisation of mental health in the SMEs workplace
Interventions:
In this component we will develop the following tools:
1. Online Anti-Stig Channel on YouTube featuring sector specific videos
targeting stigma associated with mental health and promoting social inclusion.
2. Online Anti-Stig Harbor. Interactive website and mobile application
targeting stigma associated with mental health.
3. Sector-specific posters and leaflets targeting stigma associated with mental
health.

The burden and risk of participants can be considered as minimal because as the
target group has no clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and the
benefits of participating are expected to outweigh any potential risks.
Furthermore, research officers will be trained to support participants during
the pilot study. Results will be pseudonimysed and data will eliminate the risk
of identification of individual subjects in the pseudonymised multi-country
dataset.