Individual and organizational interventions to promote staff health and well-being in residential long-term care: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials over the past 20 years.

backgroundStaff in residential long-term care (RLTC) experience significant physical and mental work demands. However, research on specific interventions to promote staff health and well-being in RLTC facilities is limited. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the current evidence on health promotion interventions among RLTC staff.

methodsA comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted on studies published between January 2000 and April 2023. Four electronic databases were searched, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and PsychArticles via EBSCO. The review followed the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment tool (RoB 2).

resultsA total of 26 publications, referring to 23 different interventions with a randomized controlled design were included. Among these interventions, ten used training/educational approaches, six used behavioral approaches, and seven employed a multimodal approach. Significant improvements in health and well-being outcomes were found in four interventions using a training/educational approach, three interventions using a behavioral approach, and four interventions using a multimodal approach. Within the interventions studied, twelve specifically targeted the reduction of job demands, while only one intervention exclusively addressed job resources among RLTC staff. Furthermore, ten interventions addressed primary outcomes that encompassed both job demands and job resources.

conclusionCurrent evidence for health promotion interventions among RLTC staff is still limited, but research suggests that there is potential to improve certain outcomes related to RLTC staff health and well-being. Future research is recommended to contemplate a tailored intervention design that encompasses both individual-level and organizational-level approaches, and gender-specific physiological and sociological characteristics of RLTC staff. Moreover, detailed reporting of the development process, and research on the interaction between job demands and resources of RLTC staff are also recommended.