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Knezevic A, Olcoń K, Smith L, Allan J, Pai P. Wellness Warriors: a qualitative exploration of healthcare staff learning to support their colleagues in the aftermath of the Australian bushfires. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2023; 18:2167298. [PMID: 36656623 PMCID: PMC9858529 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2167298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Healthcare staff are on the frontline during disasters despite any personal adversity and vicarious trauma they may be experiencing. Wellness Warrior training is a post-disaster intervention developed in response to the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires to support staff in a rural hospital located on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. METHOD This study explored the experiences and perspectives of 18 healthcare staff who were trained to provide emotional and peer support to their colleagues in the aftermath of a crisis. All the Wellness Warriors participated in semi-structured interviews between March and April 2020. Data were analysed using the reflexive thematic approach. RESULTS Healthcare staff reported developing interpersonal skills around deep listening and connecting with others which allowed for hearing the core of their colleagues' concerns. The training also helped staff to feel differently about work and restored their faith in healthcare leadership. CONCLUSION Wellness Warrior training provided staff with knowledge and skills to support their colleagues in the aftermath of a natural disaster and later during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, these findings suggest that peer support programs such as Wellness Warriors could be one way healthcare organisations can attempt to alleviate the psychological impact of natural disasters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Knezevic
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia,CONTACT Andrea Knezevic School of Health and Society,University of Wollongong, New South Wales, 2500, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Olcoń
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Julaine Allan
- Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
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Astell-Burt T, Pritchard T, Francois M, Ivers R, Olcoń K, Davidson PM, Feng X. Nature prescriptions should address motivations and barriers to be effective, equitable, and sustainable. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e542-e543. [PMID: 37437995 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00108-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Astell-Burt
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Tanya Pritchard
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Monique Francois
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Rowena Ivers
- Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Olcoń
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Patricia M Davidson
- Vice Chancellor's Unit, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; The George Institute of Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Olcoń K, Rambaldini-Gooding D, Degeling C. Implementation gaps in culturally responsive care for refugee and migrant maternal health in New South Wales, Australia. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:42. [PMID: 36650536 PMCID: PMC9843667 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09066-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Refugee and migrant women are at higher risk of childbirth complications and generally poorer pregnancy outcomes. They also report lower satisfaction with pregnancy care because of language barriers, perceived negative attitudes among service providers, and a lack of understanding of refugee and migrant women's needs. This study juxtaposes health policy expectations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia on pregnancy and maternity care and cultural responsiveness and the experiences of maternal healthcare providers in their day-to-day work with refugee and migrant women from non-English speaking backgrounds. METHODS This study used a qualitative framework method to allow for a comparison of providers' experiences with the policy expectations. Sixteen maternal health service providers who work with refugee and migrant women were recruited from two local health districts in New South Wales, Australia and interviewed (November 2019 to August 2020) about their experiences and the challenges they faced. In addition, a systematic search was conducted for policy documents related to the provision of maternal health care to refugee and migrant women on a state and federal level and five policies were included in the analysis. RESULTS Framework analysis revealed structural barriers to culturally responsive service provision and the differential impacts of implementation gaps that impede appropriate care resulting in moral distress. Rather than being the programmatic outcome of well-resourced policies, the enactment of cultural responsiveness in the settings studied relied primarily on the intuitions and personal responses of individual service providers such as nurses and social workers. CONCLUSION Authentic culturally responsive care requires healthcare organisations to do more than provide staff training. To better promote service user and staff satisfaction and wellbeing, organisations need to embed structures to respond to the needs of refugee and migrant communities in the maternal health sector and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Olcoń
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XSchool of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Delia Rambaldini-Gooding
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XSchool of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Chris Degeling
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XSchool of Health and Society, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
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Astell-Burt T, Hipp JA, Gatersleben B, Adlakha D, Marselle M, Olcoń K, Pappas E, Kondo M, Booth G, Bacon S, Lem M, Francois M, Halcomb E, Moxham L, Davidson P, Feng X. Need and Interest in Nature Prescriptions to Protect Cardiovascular and Mental Health: A Nationally-Representative Study With Insights for Future Randomised Trials. Heart Lung Circ 2023; 32:114-123. [PMID: 36588036 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE "Nature prescriptions" are increasingly being adopted by health sectors as an adjunct to standard care to attend to health and social needs. We investigated levels of need and interest in nature prescriptions in adults with cardiovascular diseases, psychological distress and concomitants (e.g. physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour, obesity, loneliness, burn-out). METHODS A nationally-representative survey of 3,319 adults across all states and territories of Australia was completed in February 2021 (response 84.0%). Participants were classified across 15 target groups using validated health indicators and surveyed on (1) time and frequency of visits to green and blue spaces (nature spaces), (2) interest in a nature prescription, and (3) potential confounders (e.g. age, income). Analyses were done using weighted logistic regressions. RESULTS The sample was 50.5% female, 52.0% were aged ≥45 years, 15.2% were living alone and 19.3% were born overseas in non-English-speaking countries. Two-thirds of the sample spent 2 hours or more a week in nature, but these levels were generally lower in target groups (e.g. 57.7% in adults with type 2 diabetes). Most participants (81.9%) were interested in a nature prescription, even among those spending fewer than 2 hours a week in nature (76.4%). For example, 2 hours a week or more in nature was lowest among sedentary adults (36.9%) yet interest in nature prescriptions in this group was still high (74.0%). Lower levels of nature contact in target groups was not explained by differences in access to or preference for local nature spaces. CONCLUSIONS High levels of interest in nature prescriptions amid low levels of nature contact in many target health groups provides impetus for developing randomised trials of interventions that enable people to spend more time in nature. These findings can inform intervention co-design processes with a wide range of community stakeholders, end-users in target health groups, and the health professionals who support them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Astell-Burt
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - J Aaron Hipp
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Center for Geospatial Analytics, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Birgitta Gatersleben
- Environmental Psychology Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Deepti Adlakha
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Natural Learning Initiative, College of Design, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Melissa Marselle
- Environmental Psychology Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Katarzyna Olcoń
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Evangelos Pappas
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Kondo
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Philadelphia Field Station, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gillian Booth
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Simon Bacon
- Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Ile-de-Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Melissa Lem
- Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Monique Francois
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Halcomb
- School of Nursing, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Lorna Moxham
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; School of Nursing, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Australian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Patricia Davidson
- The Vice-Chancellor's Unit (P.M.D.), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia; The George Institute of Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Olcoń K, Allan J, Fox M, Everingham R, Pai P, Keevers L, Mackay M, Degeling C, Cutmore SA, Finlay S, Falzon K. A Narrative Inquiry into the Practices of Healthcare Workers' Wellness Program: The SEED Experience in New South Wales, Australia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:13204. [PMID: 36293786 PMCID: PMC9603759 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires followed by the COVID-19 pandemic brought the significant mental health implications of working in healthcare to the fore. The importance of appropriate support services to ensure the resilience and recovery of healthcare workers has been highlighted. In response to healthcare staff experiences during the bushfires, the SEED Wellness Program was created in 2020 in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District in New South Wales, Australia. SEED used a participant-led design to engage healthcare staff in workplace-based restorative activities. Guided by practice theory, this study aimed to identify and describe SEED wellness practices that supported healthcare staff. Thirty-three healthcare workers participated in focus groups or individual interviews between June 2021 and March 2022. The analysis involved inductive thematic individual and collective exploration of SEED practices, including co-analysis with participants. Eight core practices that supported participants' wellbeing were identified, including responsive and compassionate leading, engaging staff at every stage of the recovery process, creating a sense of connection with others, and collective caring. The study found that workplace wellness initiatives are optimised when they are place-based and grounded in local knowledge, needs, and resources incorporating a collective and supportive team approach. Moreover, to ensure engagement in, and sustainability of these initiatives, both bottom-up and top-down commitment is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Olcoń
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Julaine Allan
- Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Leeds Pd, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia
| | - Mim Fox
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Ruth Everingham
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, 67-71 King Street, Warrawong, NSW 2502, Australia
| | - Padmini Pai
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, 67-71 King Street, Warrawong, NSW 2502, Australia
| | - Lynne Keevers
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Maria Mackay
- School of Nursing, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Chris Degeling
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Sue-Anne Cutmore
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Welfare Aboriginal Corporation, 122 Kinghorne St, Nowra, NSW 2541, Australia
| | - Summer Finlay
- School of Health and Society, The University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Kristine Falzon
- Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Welfare Aboriginal Corporation, 122 Kinghorne St, Nowra, NSW 2541, Australia
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Tambyah R, Olcoń K, Allan J, Destry P, Astell-Burt T. Mental health clinicians' perceptions of nature-based interventions within community mental health services: evidence from Australia. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:841. [PMID: 35773704 PMCID: PMC9244442 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08223-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mental health conditions are one of the largest burdens of disease in Australia and globally. There is a need to seek innovative and alternative interventions that can prevent and alleviate mental health symptoms. Nature-based interventions (NBIs), namely programs and activities where individuals engage with natural environments with the aim of improving their health and wellbeing (e.g., nature walking groups), may be such an alternative. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of mental health clinicians on the potential benefits of, and barriers to, implementing NBIs within a community mental health setting. Methods This study used a qualitative, exploratory research design. Fifteen mental health clinicians were recruited from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Australia, and interviewed (September–October 2021) about their perceptions of NBIs within mental health settings. The semi-structured interviews were analysed using an inductive thematic approach and managed with NVivo. Results Mental health clinicians viewed spending time in nature as relaxing, refreshing, and therapeutic. Many described it as part of their lifestyle and encouraged consumers to engage in nature-based activities on their own time. If NBIs were to be introduced as part of mental health services, clinicians expressed willingness to promote them to their consumers. Clinicians listed many potential benefits of NBIs for mental health consumers including improved mood, calmness and relaxation, a sense of empowerment, and social connections. Despite these benefits, clinicians were concerned about a variety of barriers to NBIs including consumers’ mental health symptoms such as anxiety or lack of motivation, scepticism, and geographic accessibility, as well as organisational barriers such as policies around safety risk. Conclusion Responding to the individual and organisational factors that could hinder the implementation of NBIs while building on the existing evidence of the positive impact of nature on health and wellbeing and, as demonstrated in this study, mental health clinicians’ interest and supportiveness of NBIs, mental health services should consider the implementation of NBIs as part of routine practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Tambyah
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Warrawong, NSW, 2505, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Olcoń
- The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
| | - Julaine Allan
- The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Pete Destry
- Illawarra Community Mental Health Rehabilitation Service, Warrawong, NSW, 2502, Australia
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Pai P, Olcoń K, Allan J, Knezevic A, Mackay M, Keevers L, Fox M, Hadley AM. The SEED Wellness Model: A Workplace Approach to Address Wellbeing Needs of Healthcare Staff During Crisis and Beyond. Front Health Serv 2022; 2:844305. [PMID: 36925812 PMCID: PMC10012715 DOI: 10.3389/frhs.2022.844305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Workplace wellness has gained new meaning and significance in the healthcare workforce in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers across the world have carried the burden of responding to the public health crisis by having to work under new pressures and constantly changing environments, take on additional shifts, risk their own health and lives, and cope with the ongoing psychological and emotional strain. The purpose of this paper is to articulate a workplace wellness model applied across hospitals in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, a regional area in New South Wales, Australia. The description of the development, components, and lessons learned from the SEED Wellness Model illustrates one possible solution about how to provide better care for the staff thus not only preventing staff burnout and turnover, but also creating lasting organizational benefits. The detailed model description can assist in developing a larger and more rigorous evidence-base to improve staff wellness in healthcare settings, both within Australia and internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padmini Pai
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Olcoń
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Julaine Allan
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrea Knezevic
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Maria Mackay
- School of Nursing, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Lynne Keevers
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Mim Fox
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
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Abstract
Immigrant youth experience a combination of stressors, such as isolation and discrimination, that put them at a greater risk for negative mental health outcomes. Relying on interviews with 24 service providers who work with Latino immigrant youth, this article examines how they construct and intervene in the worlds of immigrant youth to improve youth's mental health outcomes. Inductive thematic analysis revealed providers' reliance on cultural interpretations of the psychosocial circumstances facing immigrant youth. Providers alternated between drawing on discourses that reproduced stereotypes, assumptions, and biases, while simultaneously striving to transcend sociocultural differences to focus on the lived experiences of their clients. Although providers acknowledged the importance of structural barriers, such as poverty and discrimination, they "bracketed" these issues when recommending interventions. The article highlights that as cultural competence increasingly becomes part of social services, this professional discourse may distract providers' attention from more relevant targets of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Olcoń
- 1 University of Wollongong, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract
Situating Thomas Joiner's concept of belonging within an ecological perspective, this study examined the associations between school and community belonging and suicidal ideation and attempts among high school students. The study used data from the 2013 Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 2,560). Results demonstrated that community belonging reduced the odds of youth suicidal behaviors. School bullying, feeling unsafe at school, and being threatened or injured at a school increased the odds of suicidal behaviors. Findings suggest that fostering safe and inclusive environments and strengthening youth's experiences of school and community belonging may reduce suicidal behaviors in high school youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Olcoń
- a School of Social Work , The University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
| | - Yeonwoo Kim
- a School of Social Work , The University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
| | - Lauren E Gulbas
- a School of Social Work , The University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
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