Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Staff Engagement and Empowerment (motivating staff / teamwork / work revamp tackling manpower issue / staff wellness / OSH / retention)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
HA Young Investigators Session (Projects to be presented by HA staff who had joined HA for 10 years or less)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Ko WK(1), Cheng CS(1), Ng SM(2), Lam HK(2), Tam WY(3). Tam CY(3)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Family Medicine & Primary Healthcare, HKWC
(2)Specialist Out-patient Clinics, Queen Mary Hospital
(3)Corporate Clinical Psychology Services, OASIS
Introduction :
Lots of efforts are made by healthcare professionals in providing quality patient care, but inadequate attention is paid to their own health. Since 2019, the Queen Mary Hospital Staff Clinic has been offering a "Staff Health Check and Awareness Program” to all HKWC staff, except known diabetes (DM) and hypertension (HT) patients. Anthropometric information is gathered on the day of visit, with blood tests performed to assess the lipid profile and fasting glucose. Nursing interviews are conducted to address health-related lifestyle factors. A voluntary online mental health questionnaire is also provided, and information forwarded to OASIS for additional support.
Objectives :
To raise staff awareness on their own physical and mental health, and detect metabolic syndromes.
Methodology :
It is a program overview and cross-sectional study using biophysical measurements and questionnaires.
Result & Outcome :
From January 2019 to October 2023, a total of 2375 staff (2002 females and 373 males) participated in this program. Distribution of ranks was as follows: 64.0% supporting staff, 19.9% nurses, 13.4% paramedics, 1.8% doctors, and 0.8% administrative staff. 1.5% females and 3.5% males were smokers, while 3.9% females and 12.1% males were ex-smokers. 35.1% men and 27.8% women engaged in regular exercise (≥150min/week). 35.5% women and 40.5% men had flu shots. Among female participants, 41.4% had regular pap smears. Males aged 41–50 (44.1%), and females aged 41–50 (30.0%) and 51–60 (29.1%) were the age groups most affected by obesity, according to BMI definitions from WHO "the Asia-Pacific Perspective 2000". There was a negative correlation of BMI with high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and a positive one with triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and fasting glucose (FG). The results also demonstrated that smoking was linked to abnormal TG. In the same period, 31 individuals had systolic BP readings found to be consistently >140 mmHg. 17 individuals were diagnosed with HT upon follow up doctor visits, and 8 put under close monitoring. 80 individuals were found to have impaired fasting glucose (FG>6 mmol/L), of whom 19 had FG≥7mmol/L. Among the 19, 14 were later diagnosed with type-II DM and 3 put under observation following consultation. Compared to past few years, more staff suffered from moderate (5.0% to 8.4%) to severe (2.2% to 4.6%) depression, anxiety and MADD in 2023 while most staff (about 60%) regarded lack of personal accomplishment as the reason of burnout. Follow-up management was arranged to those with moderate to severe levels of problem.
Caring about both physical and mental aspects, our staff health screening program successfully raises health awareness among staff, and manages to pick up certain hidden problems and diseases.
