Monitoring a cohort of trainees: changes over time and associations between health literacy, health behaviour and health

BACKGROUND: For many entrants, the initial stages of professional training are a challenge. Demands at work can lead to new physical and psychological stress, as well as new social requirements. These new requirements can influence the health behaviour and the state of health of young employees. In recent years, there have been many studies on health literacy (HL). HL represents resources and potentials that allow individuals to achieve improved control of their health and of factors that influence health. Thus, HL can influence both well-being and health. In the present study, the health of trainees in different branches (health and welfare services, office, sales, technology) is monitored over time ending in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the association between health literacy and health or health behaviour has been examined. METHODS: In 2017/18, a baseline survey (T0) was performed on trainees in various sectors (office, sales, teaching, nursing and social welfare, engineering, hairdressers), who had been contacted through vocational colleges in four federal states in north Germany. The trainees were surveyed again in the in the first year after training in 2021 (T3). Demographic data were collected, as well as information on health literacy (HLS-EU-16), health behaviour (physical exercise, nutrition, smoking and alcohol) and state of health (BMI, psychological well-being and subjective state of health). Recognition, satisfaction at work and thoughts of leaving the profession were surveyed with the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Statistical analysis was performed with tests for paired samples and multivariate regression analysis in SPSS 26. RESULTS: 129 data sets were evaluated, with a follow-up rate of 10.2%. 85% of the trainees were female. The mean age at follow-up was 25.6 years. 56% were employed in the health service or social welfare. 35% worked in the office, sales or engineering. At T3, 47% of the employees exhibited limited health literacy, 67% low levels of exercise and 30% risky alcohol use. 42% exhibited overweight and 42% poor psychological well-being. An association between health literacy (HL) and psychological well-being was only observed in cross-section (HL inadequate vs. HL adequate OR: 3.2 95% CI: 1.07–9.49, p = 0.037). The odds ratio relative to subjective state of health was also increased, although the association was not statistically significant (HL inadequate vs. HL adequate OR: 2.7 95% CI: 0.72–9.78, p = 0.143). In the sector for health service and social welfare, there was statistically significant deterioration over time in all COPSOQ variables (recognition, satisfaction at work, thoughts of leaving the profession). CONCLUSIONS: For a group of trainees in the first year of work during the covid-19 epidemic, the present findings show that there is a need to prevent risky health behaviour, overweight and poor psychological well-being. Health literacy was shown to be a modifiable parameter, that apparently is associated in cross – but not in longitudinal section with the health of young employees. It would appear to be reasonable to modify developing health literacy in the setting of work and school.