Description
About 23% of the Portuguese suffer from mental disorders (MD). Unemployment rate is 13.1% and 35.6% in the youngest population. Temporary workers have higher mortality rates. Stepping from local and regional to the national level, we seek to reduce Mental Health (MH) inequalities linked with employment instability and economic crisis, through capacity building, MH promotion and mental disorder prevention, interventions at workplace and unemployment, evidence-based information to policy-making, MH equity impact assessment and improvement of services coordination. Beneficiaries: temporary workers, unemployed, first-job seekers, organizations, occupational health, employment centers, municipalities, primary health care, MH services and social security. Outputs: intersectoral integrated data, indicators on MH impact, 1 website, 1 blog, 2 mobile apps, 2 training and good practices manuals, 2 workshops, 1 conference, 1 policy brief and regular reports. Exchange of experiences, knowledge and good practices, will strengthen the bilateral collaboration and set up a sustainable network, allowing the attainment of tangible and common results.
Summary of project results
The HE was a pioneer project, without previous empirical evidence or good practices established in Portugal. This project targeted the reduction of MH inequalities within a context of economic crisis associated with employment instability. In attempt to build capacity and achieve Mental Health Promotion (MHP) and Mental Disorder Prevention (MDP), epidemiological data were collected. This action improved the quality of the data regarding the impact of unemployment status and current economic context on mental health in the Portuguese population. HE sought to mitigate the lack of information available related to the impact of unemployment in the Portuguese mental health, including the use of health services. Aiming at reducing social inequalities, HE also created a sustainable model of a system for monitoring of psychological distress and long-term outcomes of both social and clinical determinants. Different groups benefited from the project: unemployed (including first-job seekers), temporary work organisations, occupational health, employment centres, municipalities, primary health care, MH services and social security. The undertaken work and produced deliverables - model for a platform monitoring system, creation of a dual-language website, a blog, intervention sessions, App Happi, 2 training manuals, 1 goods practices manual, workshops, international meeting, conference, 3 webinars, 2 videos, conference, meeting and workshops programs (leaflets and brochures) and regular reports - expected to contribute to the goals of the Portuguese National Health and Occupational Health Plans, National Mental Health Plan and Program. The project’s outcomes may contributed to capacity building on MHP and MDP, by boosting abilities that promote measurable and sustainable social and psychological achievements that, consequently, contribute to the reduction of health inequalities. At the institutional level, capacity building supported the institutions to implement effective methods of employees’ leadership (increasing job engagement, productivity and decreasing absenteeism or presenteeism). At individual level, the training method enhanced knowledge and skills that strengthen resilience to adversity and change-adapting competences as well as increasing mental health literacy and wellbeing.
Summary of bilateral results
Bilateral relations with donor state (Norway) allowed the preparation and execution of study visit to Bergamo (Italy) and it’s expected that this visit will result in future collaborative partnerships. Also in the framework of bilateral relations was written and submitted a scientific paper in co-authoring with key-representatives of the Icelandic and Norwegian institutions partners of the project. The active involvement of partners in the project and the willingness to continue to collaborate in several actions within the Healthy Employment project scope will allow ensuring sustainability.