Stress Management Intervention Primary, Secondary and Tertiary

03/09/2020 1 By indiafreenotes

Primary Intervention

Actions at the primary level directly target the causes or sources of stress that are present within an organization in order to reduce or completely eliminate them. The aim is to reduce the possibility of developing mental health problems by reducing workers’ exposure to the risks in their work environment.

For example, it is known that lack of participation in the decision-making process has consequences for the mental health of individuals. Thus, an organization that wishes to undertake primary prevention could establish a mechanism which gathers the suggestions and requests of individuals, analyzes them, and applies them within the work environment with the participation of these individuals. In this way, the organization helps to reduce employees’ exposure to this risk factor and to prevent the development of work-related mental health problems.

Advantages and disadvantages

Primary prevention strategies are the only ones that reduce or eliminate mental health problems at work at their source. Because these strategies directly attack the causes of the problem, they will also considerably reduce their resulting costs. However, such significant results will require a real commitment from the organization. This explains why such strategies are used less often. It takes time and energy to eliminate the risks present in the workplace. Sometimes several months go by before the positive effects of primary strategies can be seen. Financial, human and technical resources are also required.

Such strategies require support by upper management and the commitment of all persons concerned. They must be part of a well planned and structured process. Ensuring the success of such an undertaking is a major challenge. For example, the development and functioning of the decision-making process described above can be expected to take some time and require the mobilization of human and technical resources. A system has to be implemented to gather suggestions made by employees, as well as to analyze, choose and apply them within the work environment. All these steps require significant effort and cannot be accomplished overnight.

Although implementing primary level strategies normally requires time, energy and resources, this is not always the case. Sometimes improvements can be made by simply adapting certain existing management practices within the organization. Team meetings are a good example. Several organizations hold weekly or monthly meetings with their employees. Not much is required to make these meetings an occasion to give employees recognition and support, and to facilitate feedback. In addition, an organization that wants to encourage the participation of employees in the decision-making process could use these meetings to gather requests and suggestions from employees until such time that an official process is implemented.

Secondary prevention:

Secondary prevention aims to help individuals develop the knowledge and skills to better recognize and manage their reactions to stress. Giving them the necessary tools allows them to better adapt to the situation or to the work environment and reduces the impact of stress. The content and form of these strategies may vary considerably but they usually include awareness and information-sharing activities, as well as skills development programs.

Advantages and disadvantages

Secondary prevention strategies are a useful tool because they make individuals aware of and inform them about the problem of mental health at work. These strategies also help them develop their skills and their mental resources in order to increase their resistance to stress.

However, secondary prevention strategies do not change the conditions in which work is performed. They only deal with the consequences of the problem in order to control the damage. This is why such strategies only have short-term effects. For example, while stress management training changes people’s reaction so that they can better adapt to their work, it does not eliminate the sources of stress within an organization.

Many firms that until now have relied exclusively on this type of strategy now realize that they are unable to adequately fight against work-related mental health problems. In order for secondary prevention strategies to be totally effective, they must be combined with primary and tertiary strategies.

Tertiary prevention

Tertiary prevention strategies aim to treat and rehabilitate persons as well as facilitate a return to work and the follow up of those who suffer or have suffered from a work-related mental health problem. These strategies generally include counselling services to refer employees to specialists if need be. Tertiary prevention activities are often part of employee assistance programs. These programs feature personalized client-centred help for persons with difficulties so they can analyze their problems and feel supported in their search for solutions. These strategies may also include return-to-work programs for employees who are on sick leave, as well as a help network for example, informal caregivers who can provide support, active listening and referrals to professional resources if necessary.

Advantages and disadvantages

In spite of the fact that the quality and quantity of services vary from one organization to another, they generally help individuals who have personal difficulties or work-related difficulties to obtain information, help and support from in-house counsellors and from counsellors outside the organization. Tertiary level services are voluntary, confidential and available at all times.

As far as drawbacks are concerned, tertiary activities, just like secondary ones, are centred on the person rather than the work situation. By trying to reduce the symptoms, once again they target only the consequences of the problem. Furthermore, because the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is confidential, it cannot deal with organizational causes.

Return-to-work program

  • Maintains the employment relationship with the person on leave;
  • Return-to-work plan;
  • Employment support measures (for example: progressive return to work, temporary assignments, medical follow up).

Peer help networks

  • Active listening;
  • Information;
  • Support;
  • Referrals to specialized resources.

Employee assistance programs (EAP)

  • Information;
  • Assessing needs;
  • Short-term help through individual or group meetings;
  • Telephone support line;
  • Referrals to specialized resources (doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, guidance counsellors, lawyers).