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Acceptance and barriers to access of occupational e-mental health: cross-sectional findings from a health-risk population of employees

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Abstract

Purpose

Occupational e-mental-health (OEMH) may extend existing instruments for preservation or restoration of health and work ability. As a key precondition to efficient implementation, this study examined acceptance and person-centered barriers to potential uptake of OEMH for work-related distress in employees with an elevated risk of early retirement.

Methods

Within the framework of the “Third German Sociomedical Panel of Employees”, 1829 employees with prior sickness absence payments filled out a self-administered questionnaire. Participants had a mean age of 49.93 years (SD = 4.06). 6.2% indicated prior use of eHealth interventions. Potential predictors of acceptance of OEMH were examined based on the “Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology” (UTAUT) extended by work ability, mental health, eHealth literacy and demographic characteristics.

Results

89.1% (n = 1579) showed low to moderate acceptance (M = 2.20, SD = 1.05, range 1–5). A path analysis revealed significant, positive direct effects of UTAUT predictors on acceptance (performance expectancy: 0.48, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001; effort expectancy: 0.20, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001; social influence: 0.28, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001).Online time and frequency of online health information search were further positive direct predictors of acceptance. Model fit was good [χ 2(7) = 12.91, p = 0.07, RMSEA = 0.02, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.01].

Conclusions

Attitudes towards OEMH are rather disadvantageous in the studied risk group. Implementation of OEMH, therefore, requires a-priori education including promotion of awareness, favorable attitudes regarding efficacy and usability in a collaborative approach.

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Abbreviations

ACC OEMH:

Acceptance of occupational e-mental-health

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

EE:

Effort expectancy

eHEALS:

eHealth literacy scale

CFI:

Comparative fit index

GPIF:

German pension insurance fund

GSPE:

German sociomedical panel of employees

HAPA:

Health Action Process Model

OEMH:

Occupational e-mental-health

PE:

Performance expectancy

MLR:

Maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors

RMSEA:

Root mean square error of approximation

SF-36:

Short form (36) health survey

SI:

Social influence

UTAUT:

Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology

WAI:

Work ability index

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Acknowledgements

The GSPE-III has been funded by the German Pension Insurance Fund according to § 31 section 1 Nr. 5 SGB VI. The authors would like to thank Julian Thukral for his project assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Experimental Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, University of Mainz, Wallstraße 3, 55122, Mainz, Germany

    Severin Hennemann & Michael Witthöft

  2. Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany

    Matthias Bethge & Katja Spanier

  3. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Gutenberg University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131, Mainz, Germany

    Manfred E. Beutel & Rüdiger Zwerenz

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  1. Severin Hennemann
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  2. Michael Witthöft
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  3. Matthias Bethge
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Correspondence to Severin Hennemann.

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Hennemann, S., Witthöft, M., Bethge, M. et al. Acceptance and barriers to access of occupational e-mental health: cross-sectional findings from a health-risk population of employees. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 91, 305–316 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1280-5

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