Initiatives Addressing Precarious Employment and Its Effects on Workers' Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review
Virginia Gunn1,2,3, Bertina Kreshpaj1, Nuria Matilla-Santander1
1Unit of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 11365 Stockholm, Sweden.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|February 25, 2022
Summary
Few evaluated initiatives address precarious employment and its health impacts. Most interventions were not designed for precarious work, limiting evidence for improving worker well-being and safety.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Sociology of Work
Background:
- Precarious employment, characterized by insecurity and low income, has risen, worsening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Understanding interventions that mitigate health impacts of precarious work is crucial for worker well-being.
- Existing evidence on evaluated initiatives is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize evidence on initiatives addressing precarious employment.
- To evaluate the health and well-being outcomes of implemented interventions for precariously employed workers.
- To identify gaps in research and practice concerning precarious work and health.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review guided by the PRISMA framework.
- Searches conducted across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) and grey literature.
- Inclusion of 11 initiatives with reported health and well-being outcomes.
Main Results:
- A scarcity of evaluated interventions specifically targeting precarious employment was found.
- Most initiatives (10/11) were not designed to address precarious employment directly.
- Seven initiatives assessed occupational health and safety; six assessed general health and well-being outcomes, showing potential but with limited evaluation detail.
Conclusions:
- There is insufficient evidence to compare initiatives or generalize findings due to heterogeneity in study design, context, and evaluation.
- Most interventions showed potential for improving worker health, but robust evaluation data is lacking.
- Further research with rigorous evaluation is needed to inform effective strategies for supporting precariously employed workers.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
68
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
68
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
3.6K
At the different levels of the healthcare system, we see varying methods of healthcare used. These methods include managed care systems, case management, and primary healthcare.
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
3.6K
01:18Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
1.8K
The person's health status fluctuates continually, varying from being in good health to becoming ill and returning to being healthy. To understand the concept of illness prevention, there are two models. First, the health-illness continuum model is a graphic representation of an individual's wellness. It states that a person is considered healthy in the absence of physical disease and the presence of good emotional health.
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
1.8K
01:21Dimensions of Health and Illness
8.7K
The factors influencing the health-illness continuum can be internal or external and may or may not be under conscious control. They are related to the following eight human dimensions, and each dimension is interrelated to one other.
8.7K
01:25Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
2.3K
A model is a theoretical way to understand a concept or an idea. Models can overcome barriers to health regardless of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. In addition, models make the task easier by providing different ways to approach complex issues. There are two major health promotion models: the health belief model and the health promotion model.
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
2.3K
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
13.6K
Health promotion allows a person to control the determinants of health, resulting in an improved health status. It enhances the quality of life and reduces premature deaths. Health promotion and illness prevention programs help people make beneficial choices to reduce the risk of disease and disabilities. There are three health promotion and illness prevention levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
13.6K