Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry
Suicide is a significant health problem that is known to disproportionately affect those employed in manual occupations, including construction workers and tradespeople. Universal General Awareness Training (GAT) was part of a multi-component suicide prevention program in the Australian construction...
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doaj-6178a7561f80487e837c5cd68e5a19222020-11-25T00:42:14ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012018-09-011510210610.3390/ijerph15102106ijerph15102106Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction IndustryTania L. King0Jorgen Gullestrup1Philip J. Batterham2Brian Kelly3Chris Lockwood4Helen Lingard5Samuel B. Harvey6Anthony D. LaMontagne7Allison Milner8Centre for Health Equity, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, AustraliaMATES in Construction, Spring Hill 4000, AustraliaCentre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, AustraliaSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, AustraliaMATES in Construction, Spring Hill 4000, AustraliaConstruction Work Health and Safety Research @ RMIT, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000, AustraliaBlack Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, AustraliaWork, Health and Wellbeing Unit, Population Health Research Centre, School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong 3217, AustraliaCentre for Health Equity, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, AustraliaSuicide is a significant health problem that is known to disproportionately affect those employed in manual occupations, including construction workers and tradespeople. Universal General Awareness Training (GAT) was part of a multi-component suicide prevention program in the Australian construction industry. The program’s aims were to increase awareness of mental health and suicide, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking and help-offering behaviours. This paper sought to examine the effectiveness of the GAT program in shifting suicide beliefs. Pre- and post-training survey data of 20,125 respondents was obtained from a database of GAT evaluation results between 2016 and 2018. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were fitted to examine belief changes, and predictive margins and their SEs were computed. Mean differences in belief change were obtained for the overall sample, and by occupation. Modest but significant favourable shifts in three of the four beliefs assessed were observed following GAT. Managers and professionals showed greater propensity to shift beliefs, and Labourers and Machinery Operators and Drivers showed least. Results suggest that GAT can successfully shift some beliefs regarding suicide and mental health at least in the short term, but highlight the need to tailor communication to vulnerable occupational groups.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/10/2106mental healthsuicideoccupationconstruction workersbeliefsintervention |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Tania L. King Jorgen Gullestrup Philip J. Batterham Brian Kelly Chris Lockwood Helen Lingard Samuel B. Harvey Anthony D. LaMontagne Allison Milner |
spellingShingle |
Tania L. King Jorgen Gullestrup Philip J. Batterham Brian Kelly Chris Lockwood Helen Lingard Samuel B. Harvey Anthony D. LaMontagne Allison Milner Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health mental health suicide occupation construction workers beliefs intervention |
author_facet |
Tania L. King Jorgen Gullestrup Philip J. Batterham Brian Kelly Chris Lockwood Helen Lingard Samuel B. Harvey Anthony D. LaMontagne Allison Milner |
author_sort |
Tania L. King |
title |
Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry |
title_short |
Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry |
title_full |
Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry |
title_fullStr |
Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shifting Beliefs about Suicide: Pre-Post Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Program for Workers in the Construction Industry |
title_sort |
shifting beliefs about suicide: pre-post evaluation of the effectiveness of a program for workers in the construction industry |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2018-09-01 |
description |
Suicide is a significant health problem that is known to disproportionately affect those employed in manual occupations, including construction workers and tradespeople. Universal General Awareness Training (GAT) was part of a multi-component suicide prevention program in the Australian construction industry. The program’s aims were to increase awareness of mental health and suicide, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking and help-offering behaviours. This paper sought to examine the effectiveness of the GAT program in shifting suicide beliefs. Pre- and post-training survey data of 20,125 respondents was obtained from a database of GAT evaluation results between 2016 and 2018. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were fitted to examine belief changes, and predictive margins and their SEs were computed. Mean differences in belief change were obtained for the overall sample, and by occupation. Modest but significant favourable shifts in three of the four beliefs assessed were observed following GAT. Managers and professionals showed greater propensity to shift beliefs, and Labourers and Machinery Operators and Drivers showed least. Results suggest that GAT can successfully shift some beliefs regarding suicide and mental health at least in the short term, but highlight the need to tailor communication to vulnerable occupational groups. |
topic |
mental health suicide occupation construction workers beliefs intervention |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/10/2106 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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