Using Ict in Occupational Stress Management: The Views and Experiences of Sri Lankan Stress Experts

Abstract

ICT supported health intervention is a phenomenon that has grown stronger in recent years. Although eHealth and mHealth care are an expanding area of ICT, the development has not been as significant as in other fields. Successful implementation of eHealth or e-mental health applications requires close collaboration between healthcare practitioners and system developers. Complex and multilayered factors determine healthcare practitioners' intention to use ICT in their practice. This study aims to understand the Sri Lankan stress experts' experience and perception of using ICT tools in their stress management practices. Eight stress experts in Sri Lanka were interviewed. Through thematic analysis, we identified three main themes and multiple subthemes. Results show that practitioners used only a limited set of internet resources in their stress management practices and preferred face-to-face consultations over distance/online communication. Overall, they appreciated the immediate benefits of ICT interventions while highlighting disutilities like the risk of misleading information and insufficient access to resources. Moreover, clients were regarded as empowered through increased access to new and more information. They were also encouraged to make their own decisions to a greater extent. However, there were also objections from practitioners who were reluctant to accept the client's ability to make decisions through self-education. This study can possibly provide a better understanding of the impact of ICT on stress management practices and knowledge to design and develop ICT tools for stress management.

User needs gathering for the design of information and communications technology-supported occupational stress management intervention: A quantitative study

“…First, researchers conducted a literature review to capture the design considerations and research gaps in the existing studies of ICTSMI. 11 Next, the perception and user experience of human resource (HR) managers 7 and mental health practitioners 15 on occupational stress and ICTSMI in Sri Lanka were investigated. Stage 1: This is the current study. The aim is to get user needs from a large group of software engineers in Sri Lanka so as to get different views from the prospective users.…”

“…First, researchers conducted a literature review to capture the design considerations and research gaps in the existing studies of ICTSMI. 11 Next, the perception and user experience of human resource (HR) managers 7 and mental health practitioners 15 on occupational stress and ICTSMI in Sri Lanka were investigated.…”

Employee Wellbeing and Wellness Tourism Sustainability in Sri Lanka: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction

“…Within the Sri Lankan context, research points to specific challenges impacting employee well-being in wellness tourism, such as long working hours, emotional labor, and inadequate career development opportunities (Wanninayake, 2020). However, studies also show promising results when implementing interventions like flexible work arrangements, skills development programs, and workplace health initiatives (Weerasekara, Smedberg, & Sandmark, 2020). Sri Lanka's commitment to responsible tourism necessitates prioritizing employee well-being within the wellness sector.…”