COVID-19-Related Health Literacy of School Leaders in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study

Occupational health literacy and work ability: a moderation analysis including interpersonal and organizational factors in healthy organizations

Introduction

Healthy organizations approach to occupational safety and health should holistically include individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels. There is an empirical research gap in considering different levels in organizations for health promotion in the context of maximizing work ability. This study aims to investigate the association of (1) occupational health literacy (on an individual level), (2) health-oriented leadership (interpersonal level), (3) participation possibilities in health, and (4) values of health in companies (both organizational levels) on work ability. Additionally, we examined the potentially moderating role of health-oriented leadership, participation possibilities in health, and values of health between occupational health literacy and work ability.

Methods

Cross-sectional data were obtained from 828 employers and employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. Self-report measures included occupational health literacy, health-oriented leadership, work ability, participation possibilities in health at work, and values of health in the company. Occupational health literacy comprises two factors: a knowledge-/skill-based approach to occupational health and a willingness/responsibility for occupational health. Participation possibilities in health are measured regarding participatory opportunities and co-creation of health at work. Values of health in the company capture the importance of health in the workplace and the scope for improving employees' health. Data were analyzed using latent regression and latent moderation analyses controlling for age, gender, and educational level.

Results

Occupational health literacy (knowledge-/skill-based), health-oriented leadership, participation possibilities in health, and values of health in companies showed positive associations with work ability. Health-oriented leadership on an interpersonal level was found to moderate the positive relationship between (knowledge-/skill-based) occupational health literacy and work ability. Participation possibilities in health on an organizational level acted as a moderator on the relationship between both occupational health literacy factors and work ability.

Discussion

Individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors play important roles in maintaining work ability in healthy organizations. This study highlights the importance of promoting occupational health literacy among employees and leaders, creating a healthy workplace through health-oriented leadership, and providing participatory opportunities for co-creation in health promotion at work. Future research should further explore these factors' roles in different industries and contexts and how they may be addressed effectively in tailored workplace interventions.

Coronavirus-related health literacy levels among school administrators and influencing factors

Our study aimed to determine the level of coronavirus-related health literacy among school administrators and the factors that influence this. The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 402 school administrators serving in primary, secondary and high schools in Ankara. The data were collected between September 2021 and February 2022 using the descriptive characteristics questionnaire and the Coronavirus-Related Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-COVID-Q22). It was seen that 64.4% of the participants were male, 34.6% were 40 years old or younger and 35.6% were working in primary schools; 77.6% of the participants had a sufficient, 16.2% had a problematic and 6.2% had an inadequate level of coronavirus-related health literacy. Age, gender, chronic disease status, type of school they work in, level of knowledge about coronavirus, level of confusion due to knowledge about coronavirus, willingness to be vaccinated, believing that vaccines are safe/effective/compatible with their religious beliefs were found to affect coronavirus-related health literacy (p < 0.05). Gender, age, information satisfaction on coronavirus, confusion due to information on coronavirus and 'Overall, I believe that vaccinations are effective' explained 24.9% of HLS-COVID-Q22 variance (Adjusted R2 = 0.249, F = 13.080, p < 0.001). This study found the coronavirus-related health literacy level among school administrators to be sufficient. It found that their level of health literacy was affected by gender, age, chronic disease status, type of school they worked at, level of knowledge about coronavirus, level of confusion due to information about coronavirus, desire to be vaccinated and their thoughts about vaccines.

Work-Related Stress of Polish School Principals during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Risk Factor for Burnout

BACKGROUND

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has influenced educational systems worldwide. School principals coped with numerous significant challenges regarding school management during the epidemiological crisis that could generate a lot of work-related stress. Thus, the presented study examines Polish school principals' perceived stress and its association with exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints as burnout risk indicators. Principals' gender and age as sociodemographic control variables were also considered in this paper.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online study was conducted in eight provinces of Poland from June to December 2021. The study was part of a global COVID-HL school principal survey under the global COVID-Health Literacy Research Network. Two subscales of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) (perceived helplessness [PH] and perceived self-efficacy [PSE]) were considered independent variables in relation to school principals' mental and physical exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Regression models consisting of two equations were used to test the relationship between variables. The first equation consists of the control variables (age, gender), and in the second equation, the independent variables (PH and PSE) were included in addition to the control variables.

RESULTS

Almost 50% of school principals experienced a lack of control that caused anger and stress. Mental and physical exhaustion during the pandemic was often or always felt by 30% of respondents. Nearly half of Polish school principals experienced psychosomatic complaints in the form of muscle pain and headaches. PH, to a greater extent than PSE, was associated with mental and physical exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. With age, the level of psychosomatic complaints and mental and physical exhaustion decreases, but it was higher among women. Regression analysis revealed significant associations between exhaustion and mental health outcomes, even after controlling for demographic variables Conclusion: This study showed that almost half of Polish school principals indicated a high frequency of perceived stress during the pandemic. PH was more substantially associated with mental and physical exhaustion in younger female principals than PSE. Younger female school principals reported more exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. This finding should be the baseline information for policymakers to improve the wellbeing of Polish school principals and prevent the risk of burnout.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Perceived Stress, Well-Being and Their Relations with Work-Related Behaviours among Hong Kong School Leaders during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The health and well-being of school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic have been largely neglected compared to the health and well-being of students and teachers. This study assessed the magnitude of perceived stress and well-being and the associated factors, including number of working hours, work-related sense of coherence (work-SoC), perceived stress, self-endangering work behaviour, secondary burnout symptoms, and satisfaction with work, among school leaders in Hong Kong, China during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional, survey-based study collected demographic data and mental health measurements from 259 eligible school leaders in Hong Kong from April 2021 to February 2022. Pearson's correlation analyses, multilinear regression models, and independent-samples Student's t-tests were performed. The findings revealed that school leaders' perceived stress was negatively correlated with their well-being (r = -0.544, p < 0.01) and work-related SoC (r = -0.327, p < 0.01) but positively correlated with their extensification of work (r = 0.473, p < 0.01), exhaustion related to work situations (r = 0.559, p < 0.01), and psychosomatic complaints (r = 0.439, p < 0.01). In a model that adjusted for gender and age, student leaders with higher subjective well-being scores had a lower level of perceived stress (B = -0.031; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.59, -0.02; p = 0.034), whereas leaders in schools with a larger student population had a higher level of perceived stress (B = 0.002; 95% CI, 0.000, 0.003; p = 0.030). School leaders with a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'intensification of work' had higher perceived stress levels (B = 1.497; 95% CI, 0.717, 2.278; p < 0.001). School leaders with a higher work-related SoC (B = 4.20; 95% CI, 1.290, 7.106; p = 0.005) had a higher level of well-being. School leaders with higher levels of perceived stress (B = -0.734; 95% CI, -1.423, -0.044; p = 0.037), a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'extensification of work' (B = -4.846; 95% CI, -8.543, -1.149; p = 0.010), and a higher score for exhaustion related to work (B = -10.449; 95% CI, -13.864, -7.033; p = 0.000) showed lower levels of well-being. The finding of a high incidence of stress among school leadership justifies the need for more societal attention to the well-being of school leaders in Hong Kong. It is important that policies and initiatives are designed to enhance the well-being of school leaders and that they are supported in leading the management of schools and coping with stress in school settings.