Participant Engagement In and Perspectives on a Web-Based Mindfulness Intervention for 9-1-1 Telecommunicators: Multimethod Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Calhoun R ; Kerr DC ; Lilly MM ; Meischke H ; Ornelas IJ
• Description:
  Background: Demanding working conditions and secondary exposure to trauma may contribute to a high burden of stress among 9-1-1 telecommunicators, decreasing their ability to work effectively and efficiently. Web-based mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be effective in reducing stress in similar populations. However, low engagement may limit the effectiveness of the intervention. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess participant engagement in a Web-based MBI designed for 9-1-1 telecommunicators. Specifically, we sought to describe the following: (1) participant characteristics associated with intervention engagement, (2) participant perspectives on engaging with the intervention, and (3) perceived challenges and facilitators to engaging. Methods: We used qualitative and quantitative data from participant surveys (n=149) that were collected to assess the efficacy of the intervention. We conducted descriptive and bivariate analyses to identify associations between demographic, psychosocial, and workplace characteristics and engagement. We conducted a thematic analysis of qualitative survey responses to describe participant experiences with the MBI. Results: We found that no individual participant characteristics were associated with the level of engagement (low vs high number of lessons completed). Participant engagement did vary by the call center (P<.001). We identified the following overarching qualitative themes: (1) the participants perceived benefits of mindfulness practice, (2) the participants perceived challenges to engage with mindfulness and the intervention, and (3) intervention components that facilitated engagement. The participants expressed positive beliefs in the perceived benefits of practicing mindfulness, including increased self-efficacy in coping with stressors and increased empathy with callers. The most commonly cited barriers were work-related, particularly not having time to participate in the intervention at work. Facilitators included shorter meditation practices and the availability of multiple formats and types of intervention content. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that efforts to improve intervention engagement should focus on organizational-level factors rather than individual participant characteristics. Future research should explore the effect of mindfulness practice on the efficiency and effectiveness of 9-1-1 telecommunicators at work. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Emergencies Occupational Health Safety Stress, Psychological Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Occupational Stress Communication Workers Emergency Response Intervention Effectiveness Job Stress Mental Health Mindfulness Occupational Health Telecommunications Telephone Operators Workplace Studies

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• ISSN:
  1438-8871
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  21
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057000
• Citation:
  J Med Internet Res 2019 Jun; 21(6):e13449
• Contact Point Address:
  Darragh C Kerr, MPH, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Department of Health Services, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA, Washington
• Email:
  dckerr@uw.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington, Seattle
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20140901
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Medical Internet Research
• End Date:
  20180831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:159b0a11bf6ba4a1f09703571db12cf49572568a73cb90121d93d1464c8cfe8b13239e953e7e963790576d399b8c5152260d3d7d4637a5b344b0e5e87e41bbd5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214484/cdc_214484_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 481.68 KB ]