Effectiveness of Workplace Interventions for Improving Working Conditions on the Health and Wellbeing of Fathers or Parents: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Evidence on the effectiveness of workplace interventions for improving working conditions on the health and wellbeing of fathers is scarce. We reviewed studies on the effectiveness of various workplace interventions designed to improve working conditions for the health and wellbeing of employed fathers and their families. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials of workplace interventions applied to employees with the aim of improving working conditions of employed parents, compared with no intervention, other active arms, placebo, wait list, or usual practice were included. Studies involving only women were excluded. An electronic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC and SSCI was done for eligible studies. Studies were screened against predetermined criteria and assessment of risk of bias done using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for RCTs and the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies for non-RCTs. Of the 8229 records identified, 19 reports were included in this review: 14 reports from five RCTs and five reports from two quasi-RCT studies. The studies were conducted in four different countries among working populations from various sectors. Studies addressing issues related to improving working conditions of fathers alone were lacking. All included studies assessed intervention effects on various health-related outcomes, the most common being sleep disturbances and mental health outcomes. Interventions administered yielded positive effects on various health outcomes across all seven studies. All included studies had methodological limitations, while study designs and methodologies lacked comparability. Consequently, a narrative synthesis of evidence is provided. Based on our findings, providing workplace interventions for improving working conditions may improve some aspects of the health and wellbeing of employed parents, including fathers.