Findings from a new clinical study have shown that more than 14,000 calls were made to a health & wellness helpline by workers across Ireland over 12 months.
The author of the study, Dr Sarah O’Neill of Spectrum.Life said that, on average, 40 calls were being made every day to Spectrum.Life’s Employee Assistance Programme by people looking for help and support, primarily relating to mental health issues.
While support was sought by callers for a wide range of problems, issues around stress, anxiety and mood accounted for more than 57% of all calls to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Helpline. More than 15% of callers sought support for relationship issues while others needed EAP services because of life trauma, parenting problems, financial or legal troubles.
The clinical audit found that the demographic most likely to seek out its services were those aged between 31 and 35 years. According to Dr Sarah O’Neill, this finding suggests that people in their early 30s are more prone to pressure or stress but that they are also more willing to seek professional support early.
The report also found that men are less likely to take advantage of workplace support services than women. Female employees accounted for the majority of calls to the helpline (59%), while 41% of calls were made by males seeking professional help and advice.
Dr Sarah O’Neill noted that half of all calls to the EAP Helpline were made during traditional working hours, with 11am – 12pm being the busiest time.
.
