Exercise - Prevention - Counselling: New University Health Management at TUD

TU Dresden has introduced a University Health Management. Under the motto "Together: Fit - Healthy - Powerful" it bundles numerous offers and measures that benefit the health of employees and students. An interview with Dr. Astrid Friedmann-Ketzmerick, Medical Officer and head of the Occupational Health Services.

The Occupational Health Services were previously responsible for health counselling and occupational health care for TU members. Why do we also need a University Health Management? What is it supposed to do?

For many years, in addition to the Occupational Health Services, numerous actors from administration, science and study have been committed to the promotion of healthy jobs, research and study places and individual health promotion at our university with commitment, creativity and a wide range of offers. The university's health management now enables a holistic view of the multitude of health services. The aim is to improve coordination and coordination as well as networking among the actors. The services are to be expanded in a tailor-made way. Employees and students are also involved in this, in coordination with the steering committee "Healthy University" chaired by the Chancellor.

What exactly can employees and students expect?

The topic of health is very comprehensive and the offers are correspondingly broad. They range from sport and exercise to healthy nutrition and medical and psychological support. In order to inform employees and students about the multitude of offers and events at TUD and to motivate them to participate, there is a new website that bundles all this: https://tu-dresden.de/tu-dresden/gesundheitsmanagement. Our Health Day, which takes place for the 9th time on 6^th June, remains an important component in health management.

In your experience, in which areas is health care particularly important? What are the most common health problems among TU Dresden employees and students?

Health care is of particular importance in all areas of work and life. In the consultation hours of the Occupational Health Services, the most common workplace-related physical problems concern the postural and musculoskeletal system, allergies and skin diseases. It is not uncommon for increased blood pressure levels or metabolic disorders (e.g. increased blood sugar levels) to be detected for the first time during consultation hours, which then have to be checked or clarified on an outpatient basis.

There need for counselling for psychological stress is met in the consultation hours of the health service, particularly focussing on lack of or ill communication, conflicts at the workplace, stress and overwork, depressive moods, fears and dependencies.

You have a special focus on mental health. Psychologists have been hired to provide counselling. Have psychological problems increased at TUD? Why is that?

In the world of work, including at TU Dresden, the demands on flexibility and adaptability of employees to change have increased. In addition, there is an increasing volume of work and an increasing pressure to perform. Particularly in the scientific field, we also see significant burdens and fears for the future from fixed-term contracts. Students are also expected to be highly motivated, committed and engaged in order to successfully master their studies. These challenges can lead to particular psychological stress.

Overall, however, apart from a few exceptions, there has been no increase in the absolute frequency of psychological disorders. However, the increasing willingness to acknowledge mental health problems has led to an increasing number of people actively seeking help. We are also experiencing this development at TU Dresden and want to support this important destigmatisation of psychological stress through our services.

For several years now, students have been offered psychological counselling, e.g. through the psychosocial counselling centre of the Studentenwerk or the Central Student Information and Counselling Services. I am very pleased that we can now also offer employees a central contact point for all questions about psychological stress and professional challenges. Tabea Schweden and Dr. Samia Härtling, who have worked as psychologists for many years in the scientific field of TU Dresden, contribute both their professional expertise and sound knowledge of TUD internal procedures and processes. In this way, they can support our employees from all areas of administration, technology and science in an advisory capacity.

Sports and exercise are also important building blocks of University Health Management. How can they be integrated into everyday office life?

More movement can be very well integrated into everyday working life. Taking the stairs instead of elevators, changing your posture every now and again while sitting, standing up  - e.g. while making a phone call - and stretching often at your workplace. Even small movements loosen up the muscles and promote well-being. During the lunch break you can also visit the new TU-Was-Pfad at the Fritz-Foerster-Bau.

From the summer semester onwards, the University Sports Centre will gradually bring sporting activities directly to the workplace with its "Bewegte Pause" programme. All materials will be brought along by the trainers, a change of clothes is not necessary. A joint break involving exercising is not only fun, but also reduces muscular tension, which can occur in the office, laboratory or workshop due to one-sided postures. Physiotherapeutic consultations and applications at the workplace are also in preparation. The University Sports Centre has already expanded its portfolio of sports and movement courses for employees in the summer semester, and further course formats are to be developed as part of health management.