Workplace mental wellbeing interventions in the construction industry: a systematic review of outcome reporting as a first step for the development of a core outcomes set.

backgroundConstruction workers experience high job demands and challenging work conditions; therefore, evidence-based interventions to support the wellbeing of workers are needed. This systematic review describes previous studies that have tested interventions to improve the mental wellbeing of construction workers. Outcome measures used within the studies were summarised as a first step in developing a Core Outcome Set (COS) for workplace mental wellbeing interventions in the construction industry.

methodsThe NICE NG212 Mental Wellbeing at Work guideline definition and categorisation of mental wellbeing interventions was used to guide search terms to identify intervention studies to improve construction worker mental wellbeing in four online databases: PsycINFO, Web of Science, MEDLINE and Scopus. Intervention study type and participant characteristics were summarised, followed by patterns of outcome reporting with outcomes inductively mapped to outcome domains.

resultsSixteen studies from eight countries were included. A large proportion (7 of 16) evaluated components of the Australian MATES suicide prevention programme or an Australian electronic mental health stigma intervention. Other interventions were organisational or targeted supervisors, peers and/or individual workers. A total of 43 mental wellbeing relevant outcomes were reported and these were inductively categorised into four domains: (1) mental health and wellbeing, (2) work processes and environment, (3) mental health stigma, behaviours, or attitudes, and (4) suicide awareness, knowledge, beliefs, or behaviours. The greatest number of outcomes fell into domain 2 (16/45; 37%). The seven Australian studies reported all outcomes for two of the outcome domains (domains (3) and (4)). No economic outcomes were reported in any of the studies.

conclusionsA variety of organisational or supervisor, peer and/or individual targeted interventions to improve mental wellbeing of construction workers have been evaluated. Outcome reporting related to mental wellbeing fell into four broad outcome domains, with substantial heterogeneity within these categories. This provides an important first step for the development of a COS to enable researchers and organisations to use a consistent approach to data collection and evaluate interventions to improve mental wellbeing for the construction workforce.

trial registrationResearch England Business and Commercialisation Fund. International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42023410717.