Hva er langtidseffekten av helsefremmende intervensjoner for en utvalgt enhet på et universitet?

Abstract

This thesis evaluates the long-term effect of organizational health interventions in a specific unit at a Norwegian university. The study builds on previous effect evaluation studies assessing the interventions implemented with new longitudinal data. The aim of the original interventions was to improve the psychosocial work environment, with emphasis on reducing interpersonal conflicts. Data was collected in 2012, 2014 and 2017, using a psychosocial work environment survey. The unit was compared to the rest of the university across multiple variables over time, with this thesis focusing on the development of these variables between 2014 and 2017. Previous study findings suggested that the interventions had a positive impact on the sample. ANOVA results showed that there were a significant interaction effect for interpersonal conflict in the unit, F (1, 8952) = 6.218, p = .013, partial η 2 = .001, showing that interpersonal conflict had increased between 2014 and 2017 while the reference group had no significant increase. A similar negative trend was found for social community, with a significant interaction effect showing a reduction over time for the unit relative to the reference group, F (1, 8967) = 4.408, p = .036, partial η 2 = .000. The negative trends in these two variables imply that there was no long-term effect of the original intervention efforts. On the other hand, the study concludes that it is hard to know for sure if the intervention efforts had a decreased long-term effect. The results might be influenced by negative forces affecting the sample in the form of acculturative stress and ineffective communication, which might counteract the previous positive momentum.