An inquiry into the causal relationship among leisure vacation, depression, and absence from work

Depression is one of the most prevalent psychological health problems in occupational settings. Through literature review and the experience of previous investigations, it is now presumed that depression could mediate the association between workload and absence from work. In order to examine the above relationship, a follow-up investigation was conducted using male white-collar employees. The authors have been examining the association between work-related factors and employee health for some years, and vacation has become recognized as one of the important candidates for alleviating psychological problems in the workplace. In July 1996, the chance of leisure vacations within the past year and the presence of depression were examined by a self-administrated questionnaire. The subjects were followed-up for the rest of the year and absence from work was monitored. By analyzing 357 eligible subjects aged 20-59 years, the causal association between leisure vacation, depression, and absence from work was examined. Through correlation and log-linear analysis, the following findings were explored: The decrease of leisure vacation chances was correlated with the presence of depression, and depression contributed to an increase in the absence from work after adjustment was made for possible confounding factors. Leisure vacation could be independent of other work-related factors such as working hours, and it seemed to be significant to investigate positive effects of leisure vacation on psychological well-being in the workplace.     

商务楼宇职员职业紧张与健康结局的关系

目的探讨商务楼职员职业紧张与健康结局的关系,以期为在对楼宇职员健康促进过程中采取针对性措施提供科学依据。方法抽取上海市静安区11个商务楼,对1 033名职员进行问卷调查,问卷内容包括职员一般情况、工作要求和自主性(JDC)量表、一般心理状况(GHQ)量表和流调中心用抑郁(CES-D)量表,对职员的职业紧张,心理和生理健康状况进行调查,资料采用等级相关和非条件logistic回归方法进行统计分析。结果内部一致性分析结果显示,JDC量表、GHQ量表和CES-D量表在该次调查中有较高的信度;调查对象高职业紧张现患率为32.33%,等级相关结果显示职业紧张与GHQ、CES-D的spearman等级相关系数分别为0.18和0.24,统计检验差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。logistic回归分析结果显示,高职业紧张所致职员的心理问题风险和抑郁倾向风险分别是低职业紧张的4.6倍(OR=4.46,95%CI=2.36～8.46)和3.38倍(OR=3.38,95%CI=2.36～4.85);logistic回归分析结果,还显示,职业紧张是高血压和冠心病的危险因素,其中工作积极型所致高血压的风险是低紧张人群的2.51倍(OR=2.51,95%CI=1.02～6.18),工作积极型所致冠心病的风险是低职业紧张人群的11.28倍之多(OR=11.28,95%CI=1.27～100.37)。结论高职业紧张不仅是导致商务楼宇职员高心理问题风险和抑郁倾向风险重要因素,也是导到高血压和冠心病的危险因素,对楼宇职员进行职业健康促进要考虑职业紧张这一隐形的危险因素,应当在个体层面和组织机构层面采取相应措施,降低职业紧张水平,从而达到提高职员身心健康的目的。     

Occupational and social variation in subjective health complaints

OBJECTIVES: Occupational and social factors are thought to be important determinants of health inequality. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between occupation, lifestyle and subjective health complaints (SHC). METHODS: SHC and self-reported sickness absence were recorded in a cross-sectional study of 662 individuals aged between 16 and 67 from five occupational groups: blue-collar, school/education, health service, white-collar and service. Differences in SHC and sickness absence were investigated. A model of sociodemographic, lifestyle and work-related factors was tested to examine associations with SHC. RESULTS: Few differences in SHC and sickness absence were found when educational level, age and gender were controlled for. Female health service workers did, however, show significantly higher prevalence of pseudoneurological complaints compared with white-collar workers. Male blue-collar workers had significantly higher frequency of sickness absence than white-collar workers; otherwise, there were no significant differences in frequency and duration of sickness absence. The model explained very little of the variance of SHC (R(2)(adj) = 0.15) and occupational group was not significantly associated with health. Physical workload and sleep quality showed significant relationships with SHC for both genders. Education, however, was a significant factor for women only. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in health found between major occupational groups in this sample were mainly explained by gender differences. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and work-related factors explained little of the variance in SHC, suggesting that factors such as psychological demands, perceived job stress, coping and other psychological factors might be of stronger importance for SHC.     

Building health promoting work settings: identifying the relationship between work characteristics and occupational stress in Australia

Occupational stress is a serious threat to the health of individual workers, their families and the community at large. The settings approach to health promotion offers valuable opportunities for developing comprehensive strategies to prevent and reduce job stress. However, there is evidence that many workplace health promotion programs adopt traditional, lifestyle-oriented strategies when dealing with occupational stress, and ignore the impact that the setting itself has on the health of employees. The aim of the present study was to address two of the barriers to adopting the settings approach; namely the lack of information on how psycho-social work characteristics can influence health, and not having the confidence or knowledge to identify or address organizational-level issues. A comprehensive occupational stress audit involving qualitative and quantitative research methods was undertaken in a small- to medium-sized public sector organization in Australia. The results revealed that the work characteristics 'social support' and 'job control' accounted for large proportions of explained variance in job satisfaction and psychological health. In addition to these generic variables, several job-specific stressors were found to be predictive of the strain experienced by employees. When coupled with the results of other studies, these findings suggest that work characteristics (particularly control and support) offer valuable avenues for creating work settings that can protect and enhance employee health. The implications of the methods used to develop and complete the stress audit are also discussed.     

User experience predicts the effectiveness of a gamified recovery app

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated that vacations help workers recover from occupational stress, but this effect typically fades within 2 weeks of returning to work. To proactively reduce occupational stress, regular engagement in recreational activities is vital. During vacations, workers intuitively engage in recovery behaviors. The gamified smartphone application (app), Holidaily, was developed to encourage workers to engage in recreational activities during and beyond their vacation and integrate them into daily working life. To date, evidence is scarce on whether vacation-related recovery can be enhanced with a gamified app and whether the user experience (UX) of an app can significantly impact health.

Objectives

This study examined whether UX of a gamified app predicts users’ improvement in recovery from work-related stress.

Methods

Data were gathered from 171 Holidaily users, levels of recovery assessed 2 weeks pre- and post-vacation. The relationship between UX and change in recovery were examined by regression analysis.

Results

Holidaily users experienced substantially prolonged recovery, where the apps UX uniquely predicted recovery. This improvement could not be explained by sociodemographic or work-related variables, vacation length or pre-vacation level of depression.

Conclusions

Our findings support prior research demonstrating the effectiveness of apps promoting psychological health and are the first to reveal an app’s effectiveness augmenting recovery from work-related stress. Findings also highlight that the health effectiveness of an app is dependent on its UX.

     

Work conditions and socioeconomic inequalities in work ability

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in work ability among municipal employees and the contribution of work conditions to these inequalities. METHODS: The subjects were employees of the City of Helsinki and were all over 40 years of age. Data (N=1,827) were collected in the age-group-based medical check-ups by occupational health personnel. Work ability was measured with a work ability index. The association between the work ability index with socioeconomic status was examined by fitting logistic regression models. RESULTS: There was a consistent gradient in work ability, lower socioeconomic groups having poorer work ability. Adjusting for physical stress accounted for a substantial part of the socioeconomic inequalities. Adjusting for possibilities for influence and development at work accounted for some of the difference between white-collar and blue-collar employees, but not for differences between the white-collar subgroups among the women. Mental stress and problems in the social environment were not clearly associated with the inequalities. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic inequalities in work ability among municipal employees correspond to the inequalities in ill health found in general populations. Physical stress at work explained a large part of the inequality. Poor possibilities to influence one's work contributed to the excess of lowered work ability among the blue-collar employees, but not to the inequalities between white-collar subgroups of women. Apart from physical workload, work conditions did not explain socioeconomic inequalities between white-collar subgroups of women.     

上海某社区不同职业人群衰老状况比较

目的 探讨职业因素对人们的工作能力及衰老的影响，为社区服务提供基础资料。方法 从芷江西街道餐饮业、工厂工人、教师、商场营养员及交巡警中随机抽取663名人员作为调查对象，采用健康状况问卷、工作能力测试问题、体格检查以及GD－I型人体老化度测试系统，对这些人群的工作能力及生理年龄和心理年龄进行评估。使用卡方、方差和协方差方法统计及分析。结果 5种职业人群的工作能力指数及工作能力状况差异存在非常显著（P＜0．01）。其中教师、交巡警和工人的工作能力得低分比例最高，衰老状况突出。结论 职业因素对职业人群的生理年龄和心理年龄存在影响，过度的体力和脑力劳动促进机体衰老过程。     

Understanding occupational sitting: Prevalence,correlates and moderating effects in Australian employees

ObjectiveTo (1) compare occupational sitting between different socio-demographic, health-related, work-related and psychosocial categories, (2) identity socio-demographic, health-related, work-related and psychosocial correlates of occupational sitting, and (3) examine the moderating effect of work-related factors in the relation between correlates and occupational sitting.MethodsRandomly-selected Australian adults completed a web-based survey assessing socio-demographic (country of birth, gender, age, education, income), health-related (general health, weight, physical activity), work-related (employment status, occupational task, occupational classification) and sedentary-specific psychosocial (social norm, social support, self-efficacy, control, advantages, disadvantage, intention) factors, and occupational sitting-time. t-tests, ANOVAs and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted (in 2013) on a sample of employees (n = 993).ResultsRespondents sat on average for 3.75 (SD = 2.45) h/day during work. Investigated correlates explained 41% of the variance in occupational sitting. More occupational sitting was associated with being male, being younger, higher education and income, part-time and full-time employment, sedentary job tasks, white-collar/professional occupations, higher BMI, and perceiving more advantages of sitting less at work. Employment status and occupational classification moderated the association between control to sit less and occupational sitting. A lack of control to sit less was associated with higher occupational sitting in part-time and full-time workers, but not in casual workers; and in white-collar and professional workers, but not in blue-collar workers.ConclusionsMost important contributors to occupational sitting were work-related and socio-demographic correlates. More research is needed to confirm present results.     

黄石市3家企业职工职业卫生服务认知现状调查

摘要:目的　了解企业职工对职业卫生服务的认知状况,并分析影响职工职业卫生服务认知的因素。方法　采用系统抽样选择湖北省黄石市3家企业的90名职工为调查对象,并以问卷调查了解职工对职业卫生服务的认知情况;采用EpiData 3.1建立数据库,运用SPSS18.0软件对数据资料进行描述,并以χ2检验作统计分析。结果　约75%的职工知晓工作中所接触的职业性危害因素,只有50%的职工知晓职业性危害因素的检测浓度,且仅有33.0%的职工在工作企业接受过职业卫生相关知识培训;月收入、户籍状况和企业及工会对职工进行职业卫生服务的宣传力度是影响职工职业卫生服务认知率的主要因素;随着月收入的增加,职工对应签订劳动合同、缴纳保险金及进行职业健康监护的知晓率也随之增高。结论　企业应当定期对职工进行职业性危害因素浓度监测和作业人员的职业健康检查,发现问题、及时整改;同时应针对不同层次的企业职工开展多元化的职业卫生健康宣传和教育工作,加强企业的监管力度,以保障职工对职业有害因素的知情权,提高工人职业卫生服务认知总体水平。     

造纸工人健康状况与工作能力的调查研究

[目的]调查造纸行业生产工人健康状况与工作能力,为提高工人的身心健康和工作能力提供依据。[方法]分层随机选择一线工人1309名,用工作能力指数和职业紧张量表评价其工作能力和职业紧张相关因素;以480名非一线工人为对照组。[结果]研究组意外伤害及呼吸、心理、消化和神经感觉系统疾患的年患病率高于对照组（P〈0．05）;工作能力平均得分低于对照组（P〈0．01）,工作能力单项得分也低于对照组（P〈0．01）;工作能力单项分析,除现阶段工作能力主观评价外,其余各项得分低于对照组（P〈0．05）;工作能力与健康状况有关（P〈0．01）;多元回归分析显示,工人的工作能力与职业任务冲突、工作环境和心理、躯体紧张反应呈负相关（P〈0．05）。[结论]造纸行业一线工人的健康状况不容忽视,改善工作环境,促进身心健康,对于提高工作能力有重要意义。     

某铁路局机车司机职业倦怠影响因素分析

目的了解某铁路局机车司机职业紧张与倦怠的现状,探讨两者间的关系。方法采用国内已有应用并具较高信度和效度的心身健康测量量表结合我局实际情况编写调查问卷,对某铁路局2258名机车司机进行问卷调查。采用Epidata软件建立数据库进行数据交叉双录入并进行一致性检验,数据导出后用SPSS统计软件进行多元线性回归方法统计分析不同职业紧张因子与职业倦怠的关系。结果某铁路局机车司机存在一定的心理、生理健康方面的问题,影响机车司机职业倦怠的主要因素按照标准化偏回归系数贡献大小依次为:心理健康、生理健康、睡眠障碍、付出-回报、工作-家庭冲突、内在投入等。其中诸如付出-回报失衡、睡眠障碍、生活压力、工作-家庭冲突等加重了机车司机工作倦怠的程度。睡眠障碍、付出-回报、工作-家庭冲突、内在投入、年龄、周工作时间、吸烟、生活压力、体育锻炼、轮班情况、饮酒等职业紧张因素与工作倦怠有密切关系(P<0.05)。结论预防机车司机群体的职业倦怠需降低职业紧张程度,增加社会支持,同时开展心理健康咨询及宣传教育。     

Factors Affecting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Multiethnic Blue- and White-collar Workers: A Case Study of One Healthcare Institution

Worksite health promotion programs can reduce prevalence of chronic disease among employees, but little research has been done to discern whether they meet the needs and incorporate the preferences of workers of different occupational types. The objective of this study is to examine differences in influences to healthy eating and physical activity and preferences for programs among multiethnic blue- and white-collar workers in Hawai‘i. A total of 57 employees from a major health care corporation in Hawai‘i participated. A mixed-methods approach was employed, in which findings from focus groups with white-collar workers (WCW) (n=18) were used to inform development of a questionnaire with closed and open-ended items for use with blue-collar workers (BCW) (n=39), whose jobs did not provide adequate time to participate in focus groups. Focus groups with WCW revealed that onsite availability of healthy food and fitness opportunities provided the most support for healthy eating and physical activity at work; work demands, easy access to unhealthy foods, and lack of onsite fitness opportunities were barriers; and lifestyle management was a topic of substantial interest. BCW cited the ability to bring home lunch and their (physically active) jobs as being supportive of healthy behaviors; not having enough time to eat and personal illness/injury were barriers; and chronic disease topics were of greatest interest. Knowing differences in influences to healthy eating and physical activity, as well as preferences for worksite wellness programming, among BCW and WCW, is important when planning and implementing worksite health promotion programs.     

Job strain and neck-shoulder symptoms: a prevalence study of women and men white-collar workers

BACKGROUND: Neck-shoulder symptoms are frequent among workers. Psychosocial factors at work have been associated with neck-shoulder symptoms, but few studies have examined job strain, the combined effect of high psychological demands (PD) and low decision latitude (DL). AIMS: To examine the association between psychosocial factors at work and the prevalence of self-reported neck-shoulder symptoms among white-collar workers. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of 1543 white-collar workers, PD and DL at work were measured with Karasek's questionnaire. Prevalent cases were workers for whom neck-shoulder symptoms were present for >or=3 days during the previous 7 days and for whom pain intensity was greater than half the visual analogue scale. Gender and social support at work were evaluated as potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: Workers exposed to high job strain had a higher prevalence of neck-shoulder symptoms [adjusted prevalence ratio (PR): 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-2.37]. No modifying effect of gender was observed in this association. The effect of job strain was stronger in workers with low social support (adjusted PR: 1.84, 95% CI: 0.92-3.68). These associations tended to be stronger and/or more precise when using alternative exposures and case definition. Namely, a stronger job strain effect was observed when a tertile cut-off was used to classify exposure (adjusted PR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.15-5.32). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that primary prevention of neck-shoulder symptoms among white-collar workers should consider the exposure to job strain, especially when workers are exposed to low social support at work.     

石油工人职业紧张与心理健康的关系

目的　研究不同职业紧张水平石油工人的心理健康状态。方法　抽取 12 2个不同工种石油作业工人 12 30人 ,填写职业紧张调查问卷 (OSQ)和症状自评量表 (SCL 90 )。结果　石油工人心理健康状态随职业紧张水平的增加而下降。高、中紧张强度组躯体化症状 (分别为 1.87± 0 .80、1.72± 0 .70 )、忧郁 (分别为 1.74± 0 .76、1.6 2± 0 .6 7)、恐怖 (分别为 1.48± 0 .6 5、1.39± 0 .5 5 )、偏执(分别为 1.6 0± 0 .6 2、1.5 5± 0 .5 7)、强迫症状 (分别为 1.88± 0 .81、1.79± 0 .6 8)等的得分均明显高于低紧张强度组 (分别为 1.5 5± 0 .6 1、1.43± 0 .5 4、1.2 8± 0 .46、1.35± 0 .47、1.5 9± 0 .5 9) ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 )。高、中紧张强度组情绪状态的得分亦明显高于低紧张强度组 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 )。低工龄组工人的心理健康、情绪状态的变化明显低于高工龄组的工人 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 1)。结论　职业紧张可影响工人的心理健康状态。     

银川市某商场商业职工职业紧张调查

目的　探讨不同性别商业职工在职业紧张方面的差异。方法　采用职业紧张调查表(OSI)对 6 79名商业职工进行问卷调查 ,并对研究对象进行年龄、工龄、文化程度、婚姻状况及工种配对。结果　女性商业职工紧张因素总分为 14 3 4 8,人际关系、家庭 (工作 )平衡和组织气氛得分分别为30 86、2 0 82和 15 16 ,明显高于男性职工 (上述 4项得分分别为 134 89、2 8 6 1、18 75和 13 93) ,而心理卫生及心理满足因子得分为 39 86和 14 82 ,显著低于男性 (43 84和 17 6 6 ) ,提示女性职工的紧张程度高于男性 ,紧张的心理反应较男性严重。逐步回归分析结果显示 ,女性工作满意感最主要的影响因素为人际关系 ,男性的影响因素为组织气氛、管理角色与工作负荷 ;女性心理卫生最主要的影响因素为控制策略与组织气氛 ,男性为组织气氛与认知负荷 ;女性躯体不适最主要的影响因素为工作负荷 ,男性为支持策略与体育锻炼 ;女性紧张水平最主要的影响因素为支持策略 ,男性为应付策略。结论　女性商业职工在工作中较男性职工经历了更多的紧张 ,其紧张反应也较男性严重 ,影响男性与女性商业职工紧张反应与紧张程度的因素不完全相同     

Work-related post-traumatic stress reactions: the hidden dimension

A variety of occupational health hazards can cause employees to experience feelings of victimization and to develop work-related post-traumatic stress responses. The author presents assessment guidelines developed in work with people suffering from toxic exposures to help identify factors that can place employees at high risk for such stress responses. These guidelines can be adapted to evaluate employee reactions to any type of occupational injury. Clinicians also need to move beyond individual treatment approaches to address workplace and policy interventions.     

Effects of shiftwork on lifestyle and mental health status of employees of a major Japanese electrical manufacturer

To examine the effect of shiftwork on lifestyle and mental health, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among employees of a leading electrical appliances manufacturing company in Japan. The questionnaire included eight health practices recommended by Morimoto, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and demographic variables. Considering the effects of type of occupation, working hours and gender, analysis was focused on 295 male blue-collar mere employees working less than 8 hours per day and engaged in daytime work or two-shift work. Scores for Health Practice Index (HPI) and physical exercise of shift workers were significantly lower than those of daytime workers for those from 30 to 45 years of age (p<0.05). However, in scores for HPI and each lifestyle factor, no significant difference was found among shift workers and daytime workers 29 or younger and 46 and older. In scores for the total GHQ-28 and its four subscales, no significant differences were found among shift workers and daytime workers 29 or younger, between 30 and 45, and 46 years of age and older. No significant effect of shiftwork was found on mental health status and lifestyle practices excluding physical exercise. The findings suggested reduction of physiological and psychological stress due to shiftwork among employees of the major company. However, the effect of shiftwork on lifestyle practices and mental health status might be affected by various factors. Therefore an investigation of the work load in regard to shiftwork should be conducted precisely in the future.     

The influence of psychosocial factors at work and life style on health and work ability among professional workers

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to explore the associations of psychosocial factors at work, life style, and stressful life events on health and work ability among white-collar workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among workers in commercial services (n = 1141). The main outcome variables were work ability, measured by the work ability index (WAI), and mental and physical health, measured by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Individual characteristics, psychosocial factors at work, stressful life events, and lifestyle factors were determined by a questionnaire. Maximum oxygen uptake, weight, height, and biceps strength were measured during a physical examination. RESULTS: Work ability of white-collar workers in commercial services industry was strongly associated with psychosocial factors at work such as teamwork, stress handling, and self-development and, to a lesser extent, with stressful life events, lack of physical activity, and obesity. Determinants of mental health were very similar to those of work ability, whereas physical health was influenced primarily by life style factors. With respect to work ability, the influence of unhealthy life style seems more important for older workers, than for their younger colleagues. CONCLUSION: Among white-collar workers mental and physical health were of equal importance to work ability, but only mental health and work ability shared the same determinants. The strong associations between psychosocial factors at work and mental health and work ability suggest that in this study population health promotion should address working conditions rather than individual life style factors.     

三资企业从业人员心理卫生状况调查

[目的 ]　了解三资企业从业人员心理卫生现状。　 [方法 ]　采用症状自评量表 (SCL— 90 )对 776名三资企业从业人员心理卫生情况进行调查及分析。　 [结果 ]　三资企业从业人员SCL— 90量表得分均值高于全国常模 (P<0 .0 1) ;5年工龄以下 ,操作工人的躯体化、强迫症状、敌对、偏执、精神病性症状得分均值高于行政管理人员 (P <0 .0 5或P <0 .0 1) ;除强迫症状、精神病性症状外 ,有毒有害接触人员得分均值高于不接触有毒有害作业人员 (P <0 .0 5或P<0 .0 1) ;除敌对、精神病性症状外 ,女性得分均值高于男性 (P <0 .0 5或P <0 .0 1)。 5年以上工龄 ,除精神病性症状外 ,操作工人得分均值高于行政人员 (P <0 .0 5或P <0 .0 1) ;接触有毒有害人员以及女性得分均值分别高于不接触有毒有害人员和男性 (P <0 .0 5或P <0 .0 1)。　 [结论 ]　三资企业从业人员存在一定心理问题 ,有必要开展职业心理卫生的健康干预。     

Job characteristics and the subjective oral health of Australian workers

Abstract : The way in which work is structured and organised is associated with the health and well-being of workers.
Objectives : To examine the associations between hours worked, job security, skill maintenance and work and home interference and subjective oral health; and to compare findings for different occupational groups.
Methods : Data were collected in 1999 from a random stratified sample of households in all Australian States and Territories using a telephone interview and a questionnaire survey. Subjective oral health was evaluated with the short form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), which assesses the adverse impact of oral conditions on quality of life.
Results : Data were obtained for 2,347 dentate adults in the workforce. In the 12 months preceding the survey, 51.9% had experienced oral pain and 31.0% reported psychological discomfort from dental problems. Males, young adults, Australian-born workers, and those in upper-white collar occupations reported lower mean OHIP-14 scores (ANOVA p <0.001). Having controlled for the effects sex, age, country of birth and socio-economic factors in a linear multiple regression analysis, hours worked, skill maintenance and work and home interference were significantly associated with OHIP-14 scores for all workers. While part-time work was associated with higher OHIP-14 among upper white-collar workers, working >40 hours a week was associated with higher OHIP-14 scores for other workers.
Conclusions : Aspects of the work environment are associated with the subjective oral health of workers. Because these contexts are subject to only limited control by individual workers, their influence is a public health issue.