Workplace intervention among pregnant hospital employees - a cluster randomised trial evaluating well-being measures

Problem: Pregnant employees may experience work-related challenges, including inadequate attention to their unique needs.

Background: Unmet needs for work adjustment are associated with sick leave and reduced well-being, and supportive environments are regarded as a protective factor against sick leave.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of midwifery support focusing on work adjustment on pregnant hospital employees' well-being defined by work ability and dimensions of the psychosocial work environment.

Methods: A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. Well-being-related outcomes at baseline and follow-up were measured with The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and Work Ability questionnaires. Intermediate outcomes were work adjustments, measured by non-validated survey items. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed with mixed-effect models.

Findings: Work adjustments was reported for 16 % (95 % CI 0.07;0.25) more intervention group participants. Group differences in change of mean outcome scores for the COPSOQ items were: 0.02 (95 % CI -0.12;0.09) for Job Satisfaction, 0.05 (95 % CI -0.25;0.35) for Influence, -0.16 (95 % CI -0.41;0.09) for Quality of Leadership, 0.25 (95 % CI -0.05;0.54) for Work-Family Conflict, -0.03 (95 % CI -0.21;0.15) for Self-Rated Health, 0.04 (95 % CI -0.26;0.34) for Burnout. The group difference in mean outcome score for the Work Ability Scale was -0.38 (95 % CI -0.91;0.11).

Discussion: The used survey items may not have captured all aspects of well-being and non-participation may have compromised the possibility to detect a difference between groups.

Conclusion: Pregnant employees' well-being was not improved with midwifery support. However, work adjustment increased significantly. The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with ID number 29-2019-03 on June 16, 2022.