Implementing a Mixed Health Service Model as an Informed Modality to Enhance Prevention and Promote Workplace Health in the Greek Regional Public Sector: A Pilot Study in Crete

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Preventive care in Greece remains underdeveloped, especially in workplace settings. To address this, a mixed service model was piloted to integrate preventive and occupational health for public sector employees in Region of Crete. <b>Methods</b>: Between January and July 2025, 180 employees enrolled for a 30 min consultation including medical history review, lifestyle assessment, and evaluation of vaccination and screening status according to age, risk factors, and national guidelines. Standardized tools (PSS-14, PHQ-9) assessed perceived stress and mental well-being. Participants rated satisfaction and perceived care quality on a 10-point Likert scale. <b>Results</b>: Of 180 enrolled, 154 completed the evaluation. The majority of participants were female (68.8%), with a mean age of 54 years, and 42.9% held a higher education degree. Common lifestyle characteristics included current smoking (24.7%), regular alcohol consumption (9.8%), and insufficient sleep (mean 6.5 h/night). Overweight (40.3%) and obesity (29.2%) were prevalent. Chronic conditions were reported in 87.0% of participants, with dyslipidemia (54.5%), allergies (35.8%), and hypertension (26.9%) being the most frequent. Criteria for metabolic syndrome were found in 33.1% of participants with a higher prevalence in men (50.0% vs. 25.0%; <i>p</i> = 0.029). Mental health assessments revealed moderate stress levels (mean PSS-14: 23.7) and mostly minimal depressive symptoms (mean PHQ-9: 4.3). Preventive screening was variable, with higher adherence for mammography (79.2%) and lower for colonoscopy (40.2%). Service satisfaction was high, with significant increases in perceived usefulness (8.96 to 9.80, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and satisfaction (9.08 to 9.87, <i>p</i> < 0.001) after the intervention. <b>Conclusions</b>: This pilot revealed critical gaps in vaccination, cardiometabolic risk, and stress management among public employees. It was also shown that integrated workplace-based health models are both feasible and acceptable. These models can effectively deliver preventive actions on a scale and represent a promising strategy for strengthening occupational health in employed adult population.

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Journal
Healthcare
Published
2025-09-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13182337
Primary Topic
Workplace Health and Well-being
Type
article
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article

Implementing a Mixed Health Service Model as an Informed Modality to Enhance Prevention and Promote Workplace Health in the Greek Regional Public Sector: A Pilot Study in Crete

Maria Tziraki, Marios Spanakis, Manolis Linardakis, Emmanouil K. Symvoulakis et al.
Healthcare
Workplace Health and Well-being
article

Implementing a Mixed Health Service Model as an Informed Modality to Enhance Prevention and Promote Workplace Health in the Greek Regional Public Sector: A Pilot Study in Crete

Maria Tziraki, Marios Spanakis, Manolis Linardakis, Emmanouil K. Symvoulakis, Spyridoula Katsarou, Antonios Papadakis, G. Pitsoulis, Charikleia Vova-Chatzi, Apostolos Kamekis, Nikolaos Papadopoulos, Nikos Frantzeskakis
article en

Abstract

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Preventive care in Greece remains underdeveloped, especially in workplace settings. To address this, a mixed service model was piloted to integrate preventive and occupational health for public sector employees in Region of Crete. <b>Methods</b>: Between January and July 2025, 180 employees enrolled for a 30 min consultation including medical history review, lifestyle assessment, and evaluation of vaccination and screening status according to age, risk factors, and national guidelines. Standardized tools (PSS-14, PHQ-9) assessed perceived stress and mental well-being. Participants rated satisfaction and perceived care quality on a 10-point Likert scale. <b>Results</b>: Of 180 enrolled, 154 completed the evaluation. The majority of participants were female (68.8%), with a mean age of 54 years, and 42.9% held a higher education degree. Common lifestyle characteristics included current smoking (24.7%), regular alcohol consumption (9.8%), and insufficient sleep (mean 6.5 h/night). Overweight (40.3%) and obesity (29.2%) were prevalent. Chronic conditions were reported in 87.0% of participants, with dyslipidemia (54.5%), allergies (35.8%), and hypertension (26.9%) being the most frequent. Criteria for metabolic syndrome were found in 33.1% of participants with a higher prevalence in men (50.0% vs. 25.0%; <i>p</i> = 0.029). Mental health assessments revealed moderate stress levels (mean PSS-14: 23.7) and mostly minimal depressive symptoms (mean PHQ-9: 4.3). Preventive screening was variable, with higher adherence for mammography (79.2%) and lower for colonoscopy (40.2%). Service satisfaction was high, with significant increases in perceived usefulness (8.96 to 9.80, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and satisfaction (9.08 to 9.87, <i>p</i> < 0.001) after the intervention. <b>Conclusions</b>: This pilot revealed critical gaps in vaccination, cardiometabolic risk, and stress management among public employees. It was also shown that integrated workplace-based health models are both feasible and acceptable. These models can effectively deliver preventive actions on a scale and represent a promising strategy for strengthening occupational health in employed adult population.

HealthcareVol. 13(18)
University of Crete (GR), Regional Energy Agency of Crete (GR)
Openalex Percentile: Top 60%
Workplace Health and Well-being
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