Participants' Experiences of a Workplace-Oriented Problem Gambling Prevention Program for Managers and HR Officers: A Qualitative Study

What is known about population level programs designed to address gambling-related harm: rapid review of the evidence

BACKGROUND

Gambling and gambling-related harm attract significant researcher and policy attention. The liberalisation of gambling in most western countries is strongly associated with a marked rise in gambling activity and increases in gambling-related harm experienced at the population level. Programs to address gambling-related harm have traditionally focused on individuals who demonstrate problematic gambling behaviour, despite clear evidence of the effectiveness of a public health approach to high-risk activities like gambling. Little is known about the availability or efficacy of programs to address gambling-related harm at a population level.

METHODS

The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation commissioned a rapid evidence review of the available evidence on programs designed to reduce gambling-related harm at a population level. The review was conducted using a public health and harm reduction lens. MEDLINE, ProQuest Central and PsychInfo databases were searched systematically. Included studies were published in English between 2017 - 2023 from all countries with gambling policy contexts and public health systems comparable to Australia's; included primary data; and focused on primary and/or secondary prevention of gambling-related harm or problems.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-seven articles were eligible for inclusion. Themes identified in the literature included: risk and protective factors; primary prevention; secondary prevention; tertiary prevention; target population group; and public health approach. The evidence review revealed a gap in empirical evidence around effective interventions to reduce gambling-related harm at the population level, particularly from a public health perspective.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing gambling-related harm requires a nuanced, multi-layered approach that acknowledges the complex social, environmental, and commercial nature of gambling and associated harms. Moreover, evidence demonstrates community programs to reduce gambling-related harm are more successful in reducing harm when based on sound theory of co-design and address the social aspects that contribute to harm.

Female managers' organizational leadership during telework: experiences of job demands, control and support

The frequent use of telework during the COVID -19 pandemic has created a more challenging work situation for managers who need to lead effectively in the virtual space, this especially concerns female managers. Therefor it is of importance to investigate female managers' experiences of job related demands, control and support within this work context. Accordingly, we investigated female managers' experiences of demands, control and support in their organizational leadership during telework. The present study used a deductive, theory-driven, qualitative approach with predetermined themes defined within the demand-control-support model. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews. The female managers had at least 50% of their working hours as telework. The results showed that the female managers experienced demands in terms of hard, fast or even excessive work in order to be available and solve complex problems, and control as varied work content, new learning, planning and decision freedom. Support was experienced in terms of attentive superior manager, good cooperation and helpfulness among colleagues. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of telework situation for female managers.

A Systematic Review of Internet Delivered Interventions for Gambling: Prevention, Harm Reduction and Early Intervention

Internet delivered interventions are accessible and easy to access and can be used to deliver brief interventions. These interventions can be tailored according to individual need for the prevention and minimisation of gambling harm or early intervention for those that are displaying some signs of problems. The objective of this review was to summarise the existing literature on the effectiveness of prevention, harm reduction and early intervention programs when delivered online. A systematic review was conducted for peer-reviewed studies that evaluated internet delivered interventions for the prevention, harm reduction or early intervention for gambling problems. Four electronic databases were consulted in the past 20 years (2000-2020) resulting in a total of 15 included studies. Across identified studies just one study provided prevention with 7 harm reduction and 7 early interventions. The quality of the literature was variable with just 8 randomised controlled trials with the remainder matched controls or longitudinal cohort studies. The target group was predominantly gamblers accessing betting and casino websites (n = 8). Studies administered four types of interventions which included personalised and normative feedback, limit setting, self-directed cognitive and behavioural therapy and self-exclusion. These were delivered via customer gaming accounts, email, and self-learning packages. The available literature shows promise in the effectiveness of internet delivered interventions. However, the limited number of studies included in this review highlight significant lost opportunities to leverage technology in the prevention and reduction of gambling harm.

Readiness for implementation of smoke-free work hours in private companies: A qualitative study of perceptions among middle managers

INTRODUCTION

Workplaces are important settings for implementation of smoke-free environments. In this study, we follow a medical production company with 677 employees that implemented one of the most stringent tobacco policies legally possible in Denmark – smoke-free work hours – which means that employees are not allowed to smoke during work time. This study explores tobacco use restrictions during work hours regarding readiness of implementation, focusing specifically on middle managers’ perceptions and considerations, as well as their perceived responsibility in enforcing these.

METHODS

A case study is presented. Two focus groups of 10 middle managers were conducted, seven months before smoke-free work hours were implemented. The facilitators used open-ended questions, which consisted of a structured section with specific themes related to the implementation of smoke-free work hours. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

We identified five main themes: 1) Benefits of the new policy due to better health, lower sickness-related absences, increased productivity, and improved branding value; 2) Social interactions across smoking status; 3) Smoking is a private matter with ethical dimensions; 4) The role of middle managers and concerns about enforcement; and 5) Limited experience with resistance from the smoking employees.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that workplaces in the preparation phase should ensure that: 1) The middle managers gain training on how to talk with employees about smoking cessation; 2) The middle managers are equipped to handle the new policy and have a joint vision and understanding of why and how they should enforce it; and 3) Room is made for discussions on resistance and enforcement-related challenges as well as ethical issues.