title: The prevalence of implementation of mental health measures in companies and its association with sickness absence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objective was to determine the prevalence of implementation of mental health measures aimed at the prevention of high workload (workload measures) and the promotion of work engagement (engagement measures) in companies and sectors. Additionally, its associations with sickness absence was explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  An internet-based survey among 12,894 company representatives in the Netherlands. Descriptive analyses were performed to determine the prevalence, and differences between sectors were tested using Chi-squared tests. ANOVA was performed to examine the association between companies with or without mental health measures and sickness absence rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32.8% and 21.7% of the companies reported to have implemented 'continuously or often' workload measures and engagement measures, respectively. The sectors 'health care and welfare' and 'education' reported to have implemented measures most often. Having implemented engagement measures was significantly associated with lower sickness absence (4.1% vs 4.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, workload measures were more often implemented than engagement measures. Future research is recommended to determine reasons for implementation as well as causality in the association between mental health measures and sickness absence.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L Willemijn
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Pas
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cécile R L
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Boot
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Allard J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: karin.proper@rivm.nl.
authors.forename: Karin I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Proper
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009426:Netherlands; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Health promotion; Implementation; Measures; Mental health; Work engagement; Workplace