A Mindfulness Based Intervention as a Key Component of Successful Workplace Functioning and Personal Well-being

NCT ID: NCT03969771

Last Updated: 2019-06-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-06-24
• Study Completion Date: 2021-09-01

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week program in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in reducing work absences and improving the well-being of healthcare workers. Half of participants will be healthcare employees who are frequently absent from work, whereas the other half will be healthcare employees with normal attendance patterns. All participants will undergo MBSR training and the outcomes of both groups will be evaluated.

Detailed Description

The scientific literature is replete with evidence that the demands and pace of providing healthcare is associated with high levels of stress, anxiety, burnout, diminished work engagement, and frequent absence. For example, Actionmarguerite is one of the largest personal care facilities in Western Canada. They have over 500 employees who routinely deal with the task of providing care to a large population of individuals requiring high levels of support. A great many of the residents are suffering progressive dementia and some have very difficult behavioural issues. Caretaker stress is exacerbated by the fact that even the highest, most compassionate levels of care are not likely to result in improvement. The employee population is, therefore, taxed such that one might expect to observe a high level of stress-related illness and accidents. An internal examination of the employee database has identified an interesting circumstance. Approximately fifty of the employees have patterns of persistent, recurring injury, show signs of stress/caretaker stress, depletion, and preoccupation. This group has also largely exhausted their sick leave benefits. Clearly, the medical treatments and the time away from work have not cured the underlying predisposition for accidental injury and illness for these individuals. Such may be the case for employees of other healthcare facilities in Canada and elsewhere.

The question has arisen whether Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an option available for frequently absent employees would alter the pattern of recurrence and reduce stress. MBSR is a program initially developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre as a means of reducing the chronic stress of patients experiencing high levels of disabling, chronic physical pain. Scientific evaluation of the program demonstrated significant success. Importantly, MBSR training has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and promote psychological well-being, both for individuals in the general population and for healthcare workers in particular. Indeed, our own work has demonstrated that MBSR resulted in a very substantial and statistically significant reduction of stress in a diverse group of individuals employed in healthcare.

The purpose of the present research is to examine the efficacy of a program of MBSR to interrupt the existing pattern of recurrent work-related accidents, injuries, and illness; and also, to promote both psychological and physical well-being and to allow a more meaningful and successful return to work. We intend to recruit four groups of thirty participants from two local healthcare institutions (Actionmarguerite and St. Amant). Each group will consist of (a) fifteen individuals identified by the respective institutions as frequently-absent employees, and (b) fifteen individuals who express interest in participation and are randomly selected from the general population of healthcare employees at the two institutions to serve as statistical controls. All participants will receive an intervention of MBSR training. They will complete a survey battery both pre- and post- intervention and provide access to their work histories. We hope to establish that MBSR can be an extremely useful component of a program intended to reverse patterns of frequent absence.

Conditions

Emotional Stress; Work Related Illnesses; Burnout, Professional; Burnout Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Frequently Absent

8 weeks of training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The MBSR program was developed by the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Normal Attendees (Controls)

8 weeks of training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The MBSR program was developed by the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

The MBSR program was developed by the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• An employee of Actionmarguerite or St. Amant Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada who has contact with patients.

Exclusion Criteria

• None.

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Manitoba

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Michael McIntyre

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michael McIntyre, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre

Locations

St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Michael McIntyre, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

mmcintyre@sbrc.ca

1-204-235-3206

Facility Contacts

Michael McIntyre, Ph.D.

Role: primary

mmcintyre@sbrc.ca

1-204-235-3206

Other Identifiers

H2018:467

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id