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Effectiveness of physical activity programs at worksites with respect to work-related outcomes
Abstract
This paper systematically reviews the literature on the effectiveness of physical activity programs at worksites with respect to work-related outcomes. A computerized literature search, a reference search, and a manual search of personal databases were performed using the following inclusion criteria: randomized controlled or controlled trial, working population, worksite intervention program to promote physical activity or physical fitness, and work-related outcomes. The study quality was evaluated using nine methodological criteria. Conclusions were based on a 5-level rating system of evidence. Eight studies (4 randomized controlled trials and 4 controlled trials) were identified, but their methodological quality was generally poor. The outcomes were absenteeism, job satisfaction, job stress, productivity, and employee turnover. The evidence of an effect was limited for absenteeism, inconclusive for job satisfaction, job stress and employee turnover, and nil for productivity. The scientific evidence on the effectiveness of physical activity programs at worksites is still limited. Because of the few high-quality randomized controlled trials, it is strongly suggested that this type of study be carried out. Future randomized controlled trials should pay special attention to the description of randomization, inclusion criteria, compliance, and analyses according to intention to treat.
... Each study was assessed by one reviewer and was IJWHM then checked by a second independent reviewer. A five-level evidence rating system was applied for drawings conclusions with regard to the effectiveness of workplace physical activity programs on financial and work-related outcomes (Proper et al., 2002). This was applied in a best-evidence synthesis in earlier com-parable reviews (Proper et al., 2002): ...
... A five-level evidence rating system was applied for drawings conclusions with regard to the effectiveness of workplace physical activity programs on financial and work-related outcomes (Proper et al., 2002). This was applied in a best-evidence synthesis in earlier com-parable reviews (Proper et al., 2002): ...
... (5) No evidence: more than one study with the consistent result that no significant or relevant results were shown Work-related outcomes were checked for statistical significance and differences were considered significant when p-value p ≤ 0.05. In case no significance level was reported, we assumed that a difference of more than 20% between groups has some practical significance for employers (Proper et al., 2002). ...
Purpose
There is growing interest in the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions, but the evidence is still lacking — especially in Europe. Although, some evidence on the return on investment (ROI) is found in literature, the included studies may not be applicable to the Europe situation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review current evidence on the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions in European countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review on the economic impact of worksite health promotion programs aiming at increasing physical activity was conducted. Five electronic databases (MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, NHS-EED and Emerald Insights) were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and 2020.
Findings
A total of 953 abstracts were screened, and 28 were reviewed, 11 of which met all inclusion criteria. The studies varied substantially in sample size, intervention type, duration and frequency of follow-up measurements, valuation methods and assessed economic outcomes. There is inconclusive evidence for decreasing absenteeism, positive net benefit (NB) and positive ROI. No evidence was found to indicate an effect on self-assessed productivity or job satisfaction.
Originality/value
This study is the first try to take the different working conditions from Europe into consideration. The authors found that working conditions could have some impact on the valuation of absenteeism costs and thereof on the ROI. Further, this study provides insight into how to deploy effective and efficient workplace physical activity interventions, based on a standardized and validated methodology and program scope.
... Currently, it is consensual that the idea of Physical Activity (PA) is directly associated with health benefits (Warburton and Bredin, 2017;Miller et al., 2016;Ács et al., 2016). The approach that physical inactivity is linked in particular to the increased risk of many chronic diseases (Van Den Heuvel et al., 2005;Puig-Ribera et al., 2015;Proper et al., 2002), such as cardiovascular diseases (Cipriano et al., 2014;Chau et al., 2016;Bernaards et al., 2007) and overweight (Rongen et al., 2013;Mache et al., 2015), seems to be consensual in the scientific community. However, despite its benefits being recognised, there are still many adults in developed countries who do not meet the recommended guidelines to practise PA in order to achieve better levels of health, fitness, and overall improvements in their well-being (Amlani and Munir, 2014). ...
... In turn, Puig-Ribera et al. (2015) focused on the analysis of labour gymnastics intervention in university employees, whereas Wolever et al. (2012) developed their study in an insurance company. Some authors have sought to analyse the impacts of a PA program on absenteeism (Blangsted et al., 2008;Brox and Frøystein, 2005;Jørgensen et al., 2011;Nurminen et al., 2002;Palumbo et al., 2012;Tveito andEriksen, 2009), presenteeism (Morgan et al., 2012), worker performance (Thogersen-Ntoumani et al., 2010), and worker satisfaction (Proper et al., 2002;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), whereas other authors sought to analyse the impact of such programs on their physical and psychological well-being (Palumbo et al., 2012;Wolever et al., 2012). In some studies, interventions occurred within working hours (Puig-Ribera et al., 2015;Palumbo et al., 2012;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), whereas in other cases, they took place outside working hours (Wolever et al., 2012;Brox and Frøystein, 2005). ...
... The measurement of organisational productivity is quite complex to do because it results from a diverse set of elements, such as the available technological quality, the organisational culture, and the implemented management model. Thus, when analysing the relationship between productivity and worker well-being, it is essential to do so taking into account different variables, namely, (i) presenteeism (Aronsson et al., 2000;Brown et al., 2011;Cancelliere et al., 2011;Schultz and Edington, 2007), (ii) job performance (Pohjonen and Ranta, 2001;Thogersen-Ntoumani et al., 2010), (iii) wellbeing (Atlantis et al., 2004;Thøgersen-Ntoumani et al., 2014;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), (iv) job satisfaction (Proper et al., 2002;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), and (v) absenteeism (Nurminen et al., 2002;Proper et al., 2002;Strijk et al., 2013;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009). On the other hand, it is also important to analyse this approach taking into account the perception of two key stakeholders, the employee (Nurminen et al., 2002;Chen et al., 2015) and the employer (Renton et al., 2011;Pescud et al., 2015). ...
... Currently, it is consensual that the idea of Physical Activity (PA) is directly associated with health benefits (Warburton and Bredin, 2017;Miller et al., 2016;Ács et al., 2016). The approach that physical inactivity is linked in particular to the increased risk of many chronic diseases (Van Den Heuvel et al., 2005;Puig-Ribera et al., 2015;Proper et al., 2002), such as cardiovascular diseases (Cipriano et al., 2014;Chau et al., 2016;Bernaards et al., 2007) and overweight (Rongen et al., 2013;Mache et al., 2015), seems to be consensual in the scientific community. However, despite its benefits being recognised, there are still many adults in developed countries who do not meet the recommended guidelines to practise PA in order to achieve better levels of health, fitness, and overall improvements in their well-being (Amlani and Munir, 2014). ...
... In turn, Puig-Ribera et al. (2015) focused on the analysis of labour gymnastics intervention in university employees, whereas Wolever et al. (2012) developed their study in an insurance company. Some authors have sought to analyse the impacts of a PA program on absenteeism (Blangsted et al., 2008;Brox and Frøystein, 2005;Jørgensen et al., 2011;Nurminen et al., 2002;Palumbo et al., 2012;Tveito andEriksen, 2009), presenteeism (Morgan et al., 2012), worker performance (Thogersen-Ntoumani et al., 2010), and worker satisfaction (Proper et al., 2002;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), whereas other authors sought to analyse the impact of such programs on their physical and psychological well-being (Palumbo et al., 2012;Wolever et al., 2012). In some studies, interventions occurred within working hours (Puig-Ribera et al., 2015;Palumbo et al., 2012;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), whereas in other cases, they took place outside working hours (Wolever et al., 2012;Brox and Frøystein, 2005). ...
... The measurement of organisational productivity is quite complex to do because it results from a diverse set of elements, such as the available technological quality, the organisational culture, and the implemented management model. Thus, when analysing the relationship between productivity and worker well-being, it is essential to do so taking into account different variables, namely, (i) presenteeism (Aronsson et al., 2000;Brown et al., 2011;Cancelliere et al., 2011;Schultz and Edington, 2007), (ii) job performance (Pohjonen and Ranta, 2001;Thogersen-Ntoumani et al., 2010), (iii) wellbeing (Atlantis et al., 2004;Thøgersen-Ntoumani et al., 2014;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), (iv) job satisfaction (Proper et al., 2002;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009), and (v) absenteeism (Nurminen et al., 2002;Proper et al., 2002;Strijk et al., 2013;Tveito and Eriksen, 2009). On the other hand, it is also important to analyse this approach taking into account the perception of two key stakeholders, the employee (Nurminen et al., 2002;Chen et al., 2015) and the employer (Renton et al., 2011;Pescud et al., 2015). ...
... While studies were able to demonstrate positive effects of worksite physical activity in terms of health and recovery and coping with stress from work, 19 the literature has produced inconclusive findings regarding the effects on job satisfaction. 20 When it comes to the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and job satisfaction, empirical evidence is limited. Hecht and Boies 21 have found no significant effect. ...
... In particular, existing research on worksite physical activity interventions has produced inconclusive results in this context. 20 The limitations of this study represent avenues for future research. First, the study only differentiates between levels of frequency, but does not consider intensity or duration. ...
Objective:
Previous research has documented a positive effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on life satisfaction. The relationship between physical activity and the specific domain of job satisfaction is, however, relatively unknown. This study aims to investigate the effects of different frequency levels of LTPA on self-reported job satisfaction and specifically focuses on the two mechanisms of health and recovery from work stress.
Methods:
Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (2001-2019), fixed effects and dynamic panel data regression models are estimated to address the problems of unobserved heterogeneity and reverse causality. A mediation and sub-sample analysis shed light on the role of health and work stress.
Results:
The results reveal that weekly LTPA has a positive effect on job satisfaction and that health represents a channel yielding those benefits. The effect appears to be moderated by work stress. Further, the analysis reveals the importance of considering unobserved heterogeneity and reverse causality when studying this relationship.
Conclusion:
The findings indicate a positive relationship between regular LTPA and job satisfaction and add plausible causal evidence to the limited literature in this context. The findings yield implications for employers and employees.
KEYWORDS
dynamic panel estimator, job satisfaction, physical activity, public health
... 20 A systematic review relating to workplace PA interventions included four narrative reviews and one metaanalysis. 16 The findings showed that the majority of studies included in the narrative reviews were of poor methodological quality, [21][22][23][24] showed inconclusive results, 22 or focused on analysing sitting time instead of low levels of PA. 24 The meta-analysis included PA interventions with various study designs, showed the lack of randomised clinical trials in the workplaces, and reported that objective measurements were rare among the studies included. In addition, the meta-analysis found that only 27% of the included studies had supervised exercise sessions for the participants. ...
... 26 However, data remain scarce for PA intervention studies in the workplace, and there is a need for more evidence-based interventions in the workplace that examine their effect on metabolic risk factors. 21 The European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) recommends a set of criteria for the promotion of PA in the workplace. 27 The criteria include implementing approaches that encourage PA during working hours, weekends, and non-working hours. ...
Introduction:
The worldwide rising levels of physical inactivity especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Eastern Mediterranean region are alarming. The UAE reports one of the highest rates of non-communicable disease mortality and insufficient physical activity (PA) is a major underlying cause. Therefore, action is required to reduce physical inactivity using evidence-based strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a worksite exercise intervention on cardiometabolic health in the UAE.
Methods and analysis:
This is a protocol for a pragmatic parallel randomised controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio to the intervention group and delayed intervention group. A total of 150 participants will be recruited from a semigovernment telecommunications company in Dubai (UAE) after meeting the eligibility criteria. The intervention group will receive 2 hours of exercise per week during working hours for 12 weeks (maximum 1 hour/day). The intervention group will be assigned to attend personal trainer sessions in the workplace gym throughout the intervention period. After the intervention is completed, the delayed intervention group will also receive 2 hours of exercise time per week from working hours for 4 weeks. The main outcome measure is the change in the cardiometabolic risk components, that is, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, glycated haemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol from baseline to the end of the intervention. The secondary outcome is to examine whether the workplace exercise intervention improves PA levels 4 weeks postintervention.
Ethics and dissemination:
The study has been approved by the Dubai Scientific Research Ethics Committee (DSREC-SR-08/2019_02). The results will be disseminated as follows: at various national and international scientific conferences; as part of a PhD thesis in Public Health at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University; and in a manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
Trial registration number:
NCT04403789.
... For the purpose of clustering the obtained results, several systematic reviews have been conducted. These suggest that health promotion programs can improve health in general (Dishman, Oldenburg, O'Neal, & Shephard, 1998) and obtain a higher rate of adherence to physical activity (Conn, Hafdahl, Cooper, Brown, & Lusk, 2009;Proper et al., 2003) as well as a reduction in work absenteeism and an increase in labor productivity (Proper, Staal, Hildebrandt, van der Beek, & van Mechelen, 2002) and stress management interventions (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015). However, most of the interventions suggest that scientific evidence on the efficiency of physical activity in the workplace is still small (Proper et al., 2002). ...
... These suggest that health promotion programs can improve health in general (Dishman, Oldenburg, O'Neal, & Shephard, 1998) and obtain a higher rate of adherence to physical activity (Conn, Hafdahl, Cooper, Brown, & Lusk, 2009;Proper et al., 2003) as well as a reduction in work absenteeism and an increase in labor productivity (Proper, Staal, Hildebrandt, van der Beek, & van Mechelen, 2002) and stress management interventions (Tetrick & Winslow, 2015). However, most of the interventions suggest that scientific evidence on the efficiency of physical activity in the workplace is still small (Proper et al., 2002). As for the conducted reviews, they still show small effects of the interventions (Poscia et al., 2016;Rojatz, Merchant, & Nitsch, 2016;Rongen, Robroek, van Lenthe, & Burdorf, 2013). ...
Scientific literature shows numerous examples of the influence of physical activity on people’s health. Other reviews have focused on physical activity in the workplace, but none of them deals exclusively with European companies and interventions. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of physical activity and health interventions conducted within European companies. A meta-analysis was conducted, which assessed 661 relevant studies found through both electronic and manual search. An electronic search was conducted through the use of several databases. A manual search was conducted through the consultation of references from other reviews and experts who are a reference in the field of physical activity, health and companies. Once the main variables were clustered, the effect size of such interventions was calculated. The methodological quality was rated using the PEDro scale, based on the Delphi list. In 18 analyzed studies, a small effect of the programs over the variables, in general, was found (ES = 0.21; CI 95% 0.07–0.35). Additionally, the effect of the interventions on some of the predominant variables was also small. These results suggest a high variability. It would be useful to develop more interventions in the future, as well as to obtain global health indicators that may help clear such variability and move toward designing successful approaches.
... Algunos estudios específicamente centrados en intervenciones de AF en el ambiente de trabajo han mostrado que, en general, se reduce el absentismo laboral (10,11,12) , sin embargo otros estudios no lo han confirmado (13,14,15) o bien los efectos encontrados son discretos (16) . Por tanto, es necesario un análisis de información más detallado sobre el absentismo laboral relacionado con enfermedad y para determinar qué relación existe con el nivel de actividad física. ...
... La presente revisión ha considerado cualquier tipo de intervención o exposición a AF, ya fuera dentro o fuera del entorno laboral, pues se han hallado estudios de los dos tipos y no se ha querido considerar el lugar o el momento de realización de la misma al objeto de no disminuir el número de artículos elegibles. En cualquier caso, parece existir un amplio margen de mejora en cuanto al control de las intervenciones y la calidad de los estudios en ambos casos; cuando la AF se realiza en el lugar de trabajo o fuera del mismo (11,13,19,20,37,38) . ...
Background: Physical Activity (PA) programs have
been suggested to lower absenteeism due to illness in sedentary employees. This review examines available scientific literature in order to study PA effects in workplace
absenteeism, considering the program design.
Methods: A search through 4 databases (Medline,
Sportdiscus, Web of Science and Embase), from inception
to December 2017, was conducted to identify control intervention and observational studies about PA and absenteeism published in either English or Spanish language
using PRISMA procedures.
Results: A total of 10 published studies between 1981
and 2017 met the inclusion criteria. Evidence from the review suggests that PA is effective in reducing illness-related absence. Likelihood of being off from the workplace
reported with sedentary workers reach more probabilities
when compared with exercisers.
Conclusions: General PA is considered paramount
in order to lower employees’ absenteeism, which could
be more related to vigorous training. However, there is a
lack of rigorous and more specific studies about the issue.
More focused on the PA effect on absenteeism, adjusted
by intervention variables, research would be desirable.
... Algunos estudios específicamente centrados en intervenciones de AF en el ambiente de trabajo han mostrado que, en general, se reduce el absentismo laboral (10,11,12) , sin embargo otros estudios no lo han confirmado (13,14,15) o bien los efectos encontrados son discretos (16) . Por tanto, es necesario un análisis de información más detallado sobre el absentismo laboral relacionado con enfermedad y para determinar qué relación existe con el nivel de actividad física. ...
... La presente revisión ha considerado cualquier tipo de intervención o exposición a AF, ya fuera dentro o fuera del entorno laboral, pues se han hallado estudios de los dos tipos y no se ha querido considerar el lugar o el momento de realización de la misma al objeto de no disminuir el número de artículos elegibles. En cualquier caso, parece existir un amplio margen de mejora en cuanto al control de las intervenciones y la calidad de los estudios en ambos casos; cuando la AF se realiza en el lugar de trabajo o fuera del mismo (11,13,19,20,37,38) . ...
RESUMEN Fundamentos: Se ha sugerido que los programas de actividad física (AF) podrían reducir el absentismo laboral por motivos de enfermedad en trabajadores sedentarios. Esta revisión tuvo como objetivo examinar la evidencia científica disponible para estudiar los efectos de la AF sobre el absentismo laboral teniendo en consideración el diseño del programa de AF. Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en 4 bases de datos (Medline, Sportdiscus, Web of Science y Embase) de ensayos clínicos y estudios observacionales publicados sobre AF y absentismo laboral, en in-glés y en español, desde el inicio de indización hasta diciembre de 2017, utilizando la metodología PRISMA. Resultados: Un total de 10 estudios publicados cumplieron con los cri-terios de elegibilidad establecidos. Las evidencias encontradas en la revisión sugieren que la AF es efectiva como medida para reducir el absentismo la-boral por motivos de enfermedad. En general, los estudios señalaron que se observan mayores probabilidades de ausentarse del trabajo en trabajadores sedentarios que en los físicamente activos. Conclusiones: La AF en general parece disminuir el absentismo la-boral. En concreto, la AF vigorosa podría obtener mejores resultados que la realizada a intensidad moderada, aunque faltan estudios de intervención más rigurosos y específicos, con un mayor control sobre las variables de intervención. Palabras clave: Actividad física, Absentismo laboral, Trabajadores, Absentismo debido a enfermedad. ABSTRACT Physical activity as a tool to reduce disease-related work absenteeism in sedentary employees: A systematic review Background: Physical Activity (PA) programs have been suggested to lower absenteeism due to illness in sedentary employees. The aim of this review was to examine available scientific literature in order to study PA effects in workplace absenteeism taking the program design into consideration. Methods: A search through 4 databases (Medline, Sportdiscus, Web of Science and Embase), from inception to December 2017, was conducted to identify control intervention and observational studies about PA and absenteeism published in either English or Spanish language using PRISMA procedures. Results: A total of 10 published studies between 1981 and 2017 met the inclusion criteria. Evidence from the review suggested that PA is effective in reducing illness-related absence. Likelihood of being off from workplace reported with sedentary workers reach more probabilities when compared with exercisers. Conclusions: General PA is considered paramount in order to lower employees' absenteeism, which could be more related to vigorous training. However, there is a lack of rigorous and more specific studies about the issue. More focused on PA effect on absenteeism, adjusted by intervention variables, research would be desirable.
... Çalışma hayatının getirdiği fiziksel ve zihinsel stres göz önüne alındığında, çalışan bireylerin spor yapmaya teşvik edilmesi hem bireysel sağlık hem de kurumsal verimlilik açısından kritik öneme sahiptir (Proper et al., 2002). Bu nedenle spora yönelik olumlu tutum ve yaklaşımlar yalnızca bireysel düzeyde değil, kurumsal düzeyde de değerlendirilmelidir. (Smith ve Johnson, 2023) Belediyeler bu açıdan bakıldığında toplumsal sağlık politikalarının uygulanmasında ve halk sağlığının teşvik edilmesinde, devletin de spor politikaları aracılığı ile sağlamış olduğu imkanlardan dolayı önemli kurumlardan biri olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır (Doe ve Smith, 2022). ...
Amaç: Bu araştırmada belediye çalışanlarının farklı demografik özellikler ışığında spora karşı olan tutumlarının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmamızın örneklemini Rize ilinde bulunan il ve ilçe belediye çalışanları oluşturmaktadır. Örneklemimiz 71 erkek, 29 kadın toplam (n=107) personelden oluşmaktadır. Çalışmada “Spora Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Antrenörlerden elde edilen veriler SPSS 26.0 programı ile test edilmiş, verilerin genel özelliklerini belirlemek için tanımlayıcı istatistikler, frekans ve yüzde dağılımlar incelenmiştir. Normal dağılıma sahip verilere p
... Female exercisers working night shifts often report poorer sleep quality, including difficulties falling asleep and maintaining sleep, compared to those working morning shifts. Shift work can lead to chronic sleep deprivation and associated health problems [37][38][39]. ...
Fatigue is a critical issue for female exercisers that may lead to medical errors, degradation in performance, decreased mental acuity, and social problems. Poor sleep quality is also a contributing factor to the fatigue experienced by female exercisers. Overwork is a factor causing poor sleep quality in female exercisers. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between workload, fatigue, and sleep quality among female exercisers in the Sleman Regency District. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 using a self-reported questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Workload questionnaire adapted from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index, the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ), and the Subjective Self Rating of Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) from the WHO Quality of Life Assessment Instrument (WHOQOL-EF) with 200 respondents in Sleman Regency. The PLS equation model was used to analyze the relationship between workload, sleep quality, fatigue, and the indicators of each instrument. The results showed that female exercisers who were over 40 years old, had children at home, had informal work, did daily exercise in the evening, and had a work schedule in the night had a higher risk of fatigue and poorer sleep quality than those below 40 years old who didn’t have children at home, had formal work, did daily exercise in the morning, and had a work schedule in the morning. A subjective self-rating test was used to measure fatigue, sleep quality, and workload. The training load and intensity of exercise programs influenced fatigue levels, which affected sleep quality. Female exercisers may face challenges balancing exercise with other commitments, such as family responsibilities, leading to overtraining and fatigue. The PLS model test showed a significant relationship between sleep quality and the level of perceived fatigue (p-value = 0.000). Workload significantly impacts sleep quality and fatigue risk in female exercisers. Therefore, managing workload is crucial to improving sleep quality and reducing fatigue risk.
... Female exercisers working night shifts often report poorer sleep quality, including difficulties falling asleep and maintaining sleep, compared to those working morning shifts. Shift work can lead to chronic sleep deprivation and associated health problems [37][38][39]. ...
Background. Unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) is a kind of spastic cerebral palsy which is characterized by atypical posture of upper limb, poor eye-hand coordination, and reduced hand skills. These symptoms can restrict a child’s ability to engage in life activities. Purpose. To compare the effectiveness of mirror therapy as well as task-oriented training on hand functions improvement among UCP children. Methods. Sixty children suffering from UCP were randomly allocated into three equal groups. A schemed physical therapy protocol was utilized to the control, mirror therapy (MT), and task-oriented training (TOT) groups. The protocols of mirror therapy and task-oriented training were administered to MT and TOT groups respectively. Assessments of upper extremity skills, hand dexterity, wrist extension range of motion, along with overall grip strength were conducted at baseline and after intervention using the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), Box and Block Test (BBT), universal goniometer, as well as pneumatic squeeze handheld dynamometer respectively. Throughout a total of twelve consecutive weeks, the intervention session was held three days a week. Results. The change amount in all measured hand outcomes were significantly improved following the intervention in all three groups, with the TOT group showing a larger significant effect. Conclusion. Task-oriented training had superior impact than mirror therapy in enhancing hand functions among children having UCP.
... This is confirmed by Pelletier (1996) who posits that today; health promotion play a vital role in providing quality services that may decrease inappropriate or excessive use of medical care. In addition, workplace wellness programs reduced problems on employee presenteeism, a phenomenon occurring when employees are at work but do not feel as productive as usual due to stress, depression, injury or illness (Bonner, 1990;Proper et al., 2002;Musich et al., 2004& Chapman, 2005. Furthermore, while it is not as easily measured as the increase in health care costs, workplace wellness promotes employee morale and productivity which plays a big role in the success of a company or business (Ozminkowski et al., 2002;& Thogersen-Ntoumani & Fox, 2005). ...
Workplace wellness is a risk factor for the health and quality of work performance of employees. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of the university administrative support to workplace wellness at Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines through the triangulation method. The data gathering tool was a five-point Likert scale researcher-constructed questionnaire with a reliability of 0.75. The sample size of the participants in the study was composed of thirty (30) university administrators, one hundred seventy-four (174) faculty members, and ninety (90) non-teaching staff. Results of the study revealed that except for emotional wellness, which was
generally rated “fairly extensive” by the respondents, the extent of the university administrative support given to workplace wellness was in general “moderately extensive”. The findings imply that workplace wellness is practiced in higher educational institutions. In conclusion, the university administrators give credit to the development of the total well-being of the employees.
... On the other hand, physical activity practice was associated with a better quality of life for workers at a university [29]. In addition, previous studies demonstrated that physical activity practice positively affects job satisfaction and job stress [30,31]. A previous study by Bogaert et al., (2014) [32] observed that physical activity practice in leisure time was associated with perceived health in teachers. ...
Chronic high stress levels related to work impact the quality of life (QoL). Although physical activity improves QoL, it is not clear whether this life study habit could attenuate possible relationships between QoL and stress in public school teachers. The sample for this study was made up of 231 teachers from public schools. QoL was assessed using the Short-Form Health Survey and physical activity via Baecke’s questionnaire. A Likert scale assessed stress level perception. Poisson Regression analyzed the association between stress level and QoL domains adjusted for sex, age, and socioeconomic conditions (model 1). In model 2, physical activity level was inserted in addition to model 1. Seven out of eight domains of QoL, except the domain of pain, were associated with high levels of stress (all p < 0.05–model 1). However, in model 2, the associations of the high levels of stress with general health status (p = 0.052) and functional capacity (p = 0.081) domains of QoL were mitigated. Our results indicated that physical activity mitigated the relationship between higher levels of stress and lower perception of general health status and functional capacity domains in secondary public school teachers.
... Workplace programmes usually extend beyond PA to cover healthy eating and nonsmoking. It is claimed that they benefit both the workers and the employers by improving the company's image, productivity, and reducing absenteeism, personnel turnover and medical costs Proper et al., 2002). Similarly, these working adults will usually require transport to and from work, so interventions aimed at encouraging 'active commuting' are also likely to be productive. ...
Increasing levels of sedentary behaviour and decreasing levels of physical activity have been cited as causes of rising obesity rates and pose a significant public health risk. The purpose of this ideas paper is to propose a model of lifespan development that is both relevant and beneficial to the study and promotion of physical activity for health. The proposed model is used in the examination of various community and environmental interventions for the promotion of physical activity. Following the explanation of the physical activity lifespan development model, the framework is used to assess which interventions are most likely to be beneficial to each of three age groups: childhood/early youth, adulthood, and older adulthood. A sample of existing research is then overviewed for each suggested intervention, using a modified RE-AIM framework (Estabrooks & Gyurcsik, 2003). It is concluded that the lifespan development model may be helpful in assessing which physical activity interventions are best suited to various life phases, and also in designing future interventions. Future research considering interventions as a function of life-phase is recommended and the current model of lifespan development is proposed as a useful tool in the creation and examination of physical activity interventions.
... Additional benefits can be observed when physical exercise programs are done in the working environment, such as reducing the cost of employees' health, lowering the absence rate and less turnover of workers (Department of Health, 2009, Oldridge, 2008. Therefore, increasing the level of participation in regular physical activities has become a relevant concern for public health in many countries (Proper et al, 2002;Gerbahard et al., 1990;Owen and Lee, 1989). However, adherence to these programs is a key-factor for this intervention to be effective. ...
Nursing workers are exposed to several risk factors which contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD). Workplace exercise is among the measures for controlling WRMD. However, work organization aspects can affect the adherence to exercise programs. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify organizational aspects related to workers´ exercise adherence in different hospital sectors. Methods: 135 nursing aides from 3 hospital sectors were invited to take part in the study. Personal, occupational aspects and sick leave information were analyzed together with responses to the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). An exercise program was offered over 3 months. Data were analyzed by chi-square tests. Results: Only 1/3 of the workers took part in the exercise program. Most of them (64%/N=24) were from Intensive Care Units. There was no association between exercise adherence and organizational aspects evaluated by the JCQ. There was a difference between exercise adherence and the work sector (p≤0.0001). Conclusions: Other aspects of work organization not evaluated by the JCQ can influence exercise adherence and should be investigated in future studies. In addition, intervention aiming to improve work conditions needs be conducted in a broader context, in which Ergonomics plays a major role.
... Similarly, those students who usually showed a more deficient attention in class tasks improved their attention by 20%. Other studies have shown the benefits of several sessions of acute exercise practiced over several weeks on academic performance [172,173] or work situations [174][175][176]. Thus, these types of strategies, that is, combining acute and regular exercise, could be one of the best ways to implement the potential benefits of physical exercise on cognition in academic and workplace situations. ...
It is widely accepted that physical exercise can be used as a tool for the prevention and treatment of various diseases or disorders. In addition, in the recent years, exercise has also been successfully used to enhance people's cognition. There is a large amount of research that has supported the benefits of physical exercise on human cognition, both in children and adults. Among these studies, some have focused on the acute or transitory effects of exercise on cognition, while others have focused on the effects of regular physical exercise. However, the relation between exercise and cognition is complex and we still have limited knowledge about the moderators and mechanisms underlying this relation. Most of human studies have focused on the behavioral aspects of exercise-effects on cognition, while animal studies have deepened in its possible neuro-physiological mechanisms. Even so, thanks to advances in neuroimaging techniques, there is a growing body of evidence that provides valuable information regarding these mechanisms in the human population. This review aims to analyze the effects of regular and acute aerobic exercise on cognition. The exercise-cognition relationship will be reviewed both from the behavioral perspective and from the neurophysiological mechanisms. The effects of exercise on animals, adult humans, and infant humans will be analyzed separately. Finally, physical exercise intervention programs aiming to increase cognitive performance in scholar and workplace environments will be reviewed.
... That concern is mostly expressed through their actions regarding physical working conditions and providing medical healthcare as well as-to a lesser degree-promotion of physical activity [4]. The results of many studies indicate a positive influence of physical activity, mostly leisure time physical activity, on decreasing the number of sick leaves among the employees [5]. The results of intervention programmes promoting physical activity in a workplace vary-in most cases their impact is positive, in particular in the scope of musculoskeletal complaints, improvement of physical fitness and body mass control [6]. ...
The health condition of working-age males in Poland remains largely associated with long-lasting sick leaves, one of the main reasons of which being cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this work was to develop a prediction model for FIT Treadmill Score (‘FIT’ refers to Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) Project) that only depends on easily accessible somatic data and smoking without the need to perform the exercise test anymore. The study comprised 146 men with a negative cardiological history, aged 26–60, with desk-jobs. By means of regression analysis it was tested to what degree obesity-related indices as well as smoking cigarettes allow for determining the measure level of mortality risk, without the necessity of performing an exercise test. The following independent variables were entered into the linear regression model: age, BMI, Fat%, waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) as well as smoking. Statistically significant factors were singled out from among them. The obtained model accounts for a significant part (over 87%) of the variability of the mortality risk measure among the tested population. Based on the value of the standardised regression coefficient β, it can be stated that age is the factor that mostly determines the mortality risk measure, followed by the WHtR and smoking. The simplicity of the worked-out model and, resulting from it, the possibility of its common application should enable better health monitoring of working-age men with regard to cardiovascular disease occurrence and, related to it, mortality risk, thereby improving the quality of public health management.
... Physical acceleration has been utilized to evaluate PA in participants with severe mental illness (Dubbert et al., 2000) and several clinical settings (Bauman et al., 2016). During exercise with an increasing PA, an increase in the heart rate and sympathetic activity and a decrease in vagal discharge are detected (Proper et al., 2002). Moreover, previous studies have shown that immediately after initiating exercise, the heart rate increases due to a withdrawal of parasympathetic nervous activity and increased sympathetic nervous activity (Rowell & O'Leary, 1990). ...
Depression associates closely with autonomic nervous system and physical activity, however, there have been no studies on the relationship between depression and the coordination of heart rate variability (HRV) and physical acceleration (PA). Ninety-five adult women were divided into non-older and older groups. The non-older group comprised 50 adulte women (below 60 years), and the older group comprised 45 women (above 60 years). HRV and PA data were simultaneously obtained every minute for 24 h during the free-moving day by using the ActiveTracer accelerometer. The ratios of low frequency/high frequency and high frequency were used as HRV indices, indicating sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activities, respectively. Lag time was determined as the time difference indicated by the maximum absolute cross-correlation coefficients obtained from the analysis between the HRV components and the PA. We defined %Lag0 as the % frequency of the lag = 0 min between HRV and PA in 1 h. The General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ28) was used to evaluate the effects of psychological distress, including depression. In the hour before the night’s sleep, %Lag0 was significantly lower in older women with depression (GHQ28 subscale D) than in older women without depression (p <0.05). However, no significant difference between %Lag0 and depression status was observed in the hour after waking in older women. The results suggest that impairments in coordination between HRV and PA are associated with depression in older women, particularly in the hour before a night’s sleep on free-moving days.
... However, examples from cognate literatures are good starting points for presenteeism interventions. Systematic reviews show that workplace health promotion can promote a healthy lifestyle (Maes et al., 2012;Mhurchu et al., 2010), increase work productivity (Proper et al., 2002), and decrease presenteeism (Ammendolia et al., 2016;Cancelliere et al., 2011). However, not every programme will be effective for all participants and there is no 'one size fits all' approach (Formanoy et al., 2016). ...
The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Wellbeing is a comprehensive and cutting-edge work providing the latest insights into a range of perspectives on organizational wellbeing, as well as highlighting global wellbeing issues and exploring new contexts. Topics covered include: digital working and social media, LGBTQIA+ identifications and work, suicide at work, refugee workers, and mental health. A multi- and inter-disciplinary work, this handbook embraces ideas and empirical work from a range of fields including psychology, business and management, economics, and science. This handbook draws together current knowledge whilst also outlining emerging issues and directions, making this an invaluable resource for students and researchers spanning a wide array of disciplines. Part 1: Theoretical Perspectives; Part 2: International Issues and Contexts; Part 3: Developing Organizational Wellbeing; and Part 4: Emerging Issues and Directions.
... The enhancement of vagal modulations via different aerobic exercises in sedentary subjects have been associated to positive outcomes as increased physical fitness, health related parameters, quality of life, and stress resilience [11,[23][24][25]. Interestingly, the influence of these exercise-derived autonomic adaptations on different postures has not been addressed yet. ...
Sedentary behaviors, those that involve sitting and low levels of energy expenditure, have been associated with several adverse cardiometabolic effects. This study evaluated the chronic effects of a combined circuit weight interval training (CWIT) on physical fitness, quality of life, and heart rate variability (HRV), and compared the effects of CWIT-induced autonomic adaptations on different postures in adult sedentary workers. Twenty-seven sedentary workers (age 36.9 ± 9.2 years old, 13 men and 14 women) were divided into two groups: control, who continued their sedentary behavior, and experimental, who were submitted to a CWIT for 12 weeks, completing two ~40 min sessions per week. Monitoring of 8th, 16th, and 24th sessions revealed a moderate training load during sessions. Participants exhibited an improved aerobic capacity (VO2max, 34.03 ± 5.36 vs. 36.45 ± 6.05 mL/kg/min, p < 0.05) and flexibility (22.6 ± 11.4 vs. 25.3 ± 10.1 cm, p < 0.05) after the training period. In addition, they showed greater quality of life scores. However, the CWIT did not change body composition. Interestingly, more HRV parameters were improved in the seated position. The CWIT used in the current study was associated with improvements in several fitness and quality of life parameters, as well as in cardiac autonomic control of HR in adult sedentary workers. Examination of different body positions when evaluating changes in HRV appears to be a relevant aspect to be considered in further studies. Future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with larger samples of both sexes should confirm these promising results.
... In contrast, physical acceleration (PA) is utilized to evaluate physical activity in subjects with severe mental illness [8] and in several clinical settings [9]. During exercise with an increasing PA, in addition to an increase in heart rate, an increase in sympathetic activity and a decrease in vagal discharge are detected [10]. Moreover, previous studies have shown that immediately after the initiation of exercise, heart rate increases due to a withdrawal of parasympathetic nervous activity and an increase in sympathetic nervous activity [11]. ...
Background
We investigated the relationship between psychological distress and the coordination of heart rate variability (HRV) and physical acceleration (PA) during free-moving days in women.
Methods
Ninety-five adult women were divided into younger and older groups. The younger group comprised 50 women (22–59 years), and the older group comprised 45 women (≥ 60 years). HRV and PA data were simultaneously obtained every minute for 24 h during the free-moving day. The ratios of low frequency/high frequency and high frequency in normalized units were used as HRV indices. We defined %Lag0 as the % frequency of the lag = 0 min between HRV and PA in 1 h. The General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ28) was used to evaluate the effects of psychological distress and depression.
Results
In the hour before the night’s sleep, %Lag0 was significantly lower in older women with depression (GHQ28 subscale D) than in older women without depression (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference between %Lag0 and depression status was observed in the hour after waking in older women.
Conclusions
The results suggest that impairments in coordination between HRV and PA are associated with depression in older women, particularly in the hour before a night’s sleep on free-moving days.
... A possibility to improve work ability is through regular activity, as shown in previous studies [7,8]. However, a review [9] concluded that there is insufficient and limited evidence on the effects of interventions for work-related components of aging workers. ...
Background:
To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations.
Methods:
We randomized 265 healthy, sedentary, middle-aged women (45-65 years) to an endurance training group (EG 210 min/week) or a wait-list control group (CG). At baseline and at 6-month follow-up, we assessed work ability (Work Ability Index [WAI]), physical activity (Freiburger activity questionnaire) and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. To examine the influence of baseline work ability, participants were divided into poor-moderate (WAI 1, 7-36 points, n = 83), good (WAI 2, 37-43 points, n = 136) and excellent (WAI 3, 44-49 points, n = 46) WAI subgroups.
Results:
Cardiorespiratory fitness improved significantly after 6 months in the EG but not in the CG. The WAI total score increased significantly in the EG (38.3 ± 5.0 to 39.8 ± 4.9 points) but not in the CG (39.4 ± 4.7 to 39.3 ± 4.9 points), with a significant difference between groups (p < 0.01). In the EG, only the poor-moderate subgroup (WAI 1, 33.0 ± 2.9 to 36.6 ± 4.8 points, p < 0.05) increased the WAI total score, with this increase being significantly higher compared to the good (WAI 2, 40.2 ± 2.1 to, 40.4 ± 3.7 points) and excellent (WAI 3, 45.6 ± 1.5 to 45.7 ± 1.8 points) subgroup.
Conclusions:
A 6-month guided exercise training intervention significantly increases cardiorespiratory fitness with concomitant improvements in work ability in middle-aged previously sedentary hospital employees. Women with low baseline work ability seem to particularly benefit from the intervention, which implies that similar interventions may be particularly beneficial for this group of individuals.
Trial registration:
German Clinical Trails Register Identifier: DRKS00005159. Registered 25 September 2013.
... One way to improve work ability is through regular activity, as shown in previous studies (7,8). ...
Background: To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations.
Methods : We randomized 265 healthy, sedentary, middle-aged women (45-65 years) to an endurance training group (EG 210 min/week) or a wait-list control group (CG). At baseline and at 6-month follow-up, we assessed work ability (Work Ability Index [WAI]), physical activity (Freiburger activity questionnaire) and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. To examine the influence of baseline work ability, participants were divided into poor-moderate (WAI 1, 7-36 points, n=83), good (WAI 2, 37-43 points, n=136) and excellent (WAI 3, 44-49 points, n=46) WAI subgroups.
Results: Cardiorespiratory fitness improved significantly after 6 months in the EG but not in the CG. The WAI total score increased significantly in the EG (38.3±5.0 to 39.8±4.9 points) but not in the CG (39.4±4.7 to 39.3±4.9 points), with a significant difference between groups (p<0.01). In the EG, only the poor-moderate subgroup (WAI 1, 33.0±2.9 to 36.6±4.8 points, p<0.05) increased the WAI total score, with this increase being significantly higher compared to the good (WAI 2, 40.2±2.1 to, 40.4±3.7 points) and excellent (WAI 3, 45.6±1.5 to 45.7±1.8 points) subgroup.
Conclusions: A 6-month guided exercise training intervention significantly increases cardiorespiratory fitness with concomitant improvements in work ability in middle-aged previously sedentary hospital employees. Women with low baseline work ability seem to particularly benefit from the intervention, which implies that similar interventions may be particularly beneficial for this group of individuals.
Trial Registration: German Clinical Trails Register Identifier: DRKS00005159. Registered 25 September 2013, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00005159.
... One way to improve work ability is through regular activity, as shown in previous studies (7,8). ...
Background To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations. Methods We randomized 265 healthy, sedentary, middle-aged women (45-65 years) to an endurance training group (EG 210 min/week) or a wait-list control group (CG). At baseline and at 6-month follow-up, we assessed work ability (Work Ability Index [WAI]), physical activity (Freiburger activity questionnaire) and peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ) by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. To examine the influence of baseline work ability, participants were divided into poor-moderate (WAI 1, 7-36 points, n=83), good (WAI 2, 37-43 points, n=136) and excellent (WAI 3, 44-49 points, n=46) WAI subgroups. Results Cardiorespiratory fitness improved significantly after 6 months in the EG but not in the CG. The WAI total score increased significantly in the EG (38.3±5.0 to 39.8±4.9 points) but not in the CG (39.4±4.7 to 39.3±4.9 points), with a significant difference between groups (p<0.01). In the EG, only the poor-moderate subgroup (WAI 1, 33.0±2.9 to 36.6±4.8 points, p<0.05) increased the WAI total score, with this increase being significantly higher compared to the good (WAI 2, 40.2±2.1 to, 40.4±3.7 points) and excellent (WAI 3, 45.6±1.5 to 45.7±1.8 points) subgroup. Conclusions A 6-month guided exercise training intervention significantly increases cardiorespiratory fitness with concomitant improvements in work ability in middle-aged previously sedentary hospital employees. Women with low baseline work ability seem to particularly benefit from the intervention, which implies that similar interventions may be particularly beneficial for this group of individuals.
... One way to improve work ability is through regular activity, as shown in previous studies (7,8). ...
Background
To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations.
Methods
We randomized 265 healthy, sedentary, middle-aged women (45-65 years) to an endurance training group (EG 210 min/week) or a wait-list control group (CG). At baseline and at 6-month follow-up, we assessed work ability (Work Ability Index [WAI]), physical activity (Freiburger activity questionnaire) and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. To examine the influence of baseline work ability, participants were divided into poor-moderate (WAI 1, 7-36 points, n=83), good (WAI 2, 37-43 points, n=136) and excellent (WAI 3, 44-49 points, n=46) WAI subgroups.
Results
Cardiorespiratory fitness improved significantly after 6 months in the EG but not in the CG. The WAI total score increased significantly in the EG (38.3±5.0 to 39.8±4.9 points) but not in the CG (39.4±4.7 to 39.3±4.9 points), with a significant difference between groups (p<0.01). In the EG, only the poor-moderate subgroup (WAI 1, 33.0±2.9 to 36.6±4.8 points, p<0.05) increased the WAI total score, with this increase being significantly higher compared to the good (WAI 2, 40.2±2.1 to, 40.4±3.7 points) and excellent (WAI 3, 45.6±1.5 to 45.7±1.8 points) subgroup.
Conclusions
A 6-month guided exercise training intervention significantly increases cardiorespiratory fitness with concomitant improvements in work ability in middle-aged previously sedentary hospital employees. Women with low baseline work ability seem to particularly benefit from the intervention, which implies that similar interventions may be particularly beneficial for this group of individuals.
... As an extra benefit, the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle among employees reduces the direct and indirect costs [7]. Another interesting focus concerns the effects of workplace interventions on employee health lifestyle outcomes, such as physical activity, nutrition, weight reduction, or stress management [8,9], whereas it has not been defined how these lifestyle health aspects can contribute to improved work-related outcomes [10]. A meta-analysis of workplace interventions with the aim of improving the health of workers [11] concluded that their effectiveness is determined by the characteristics of the intervention. ...
To determine the effectiveness of workplace interventions and the most effective methodological design for the improvement of employee productivity, work ability, and absenteeism. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of workplace interventions was conducted (PROSPERO, CRD42018094083). The PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases were searched. RCTs from 2000 to 2017 and with employees (18–65 years) were selected. Then, intervention characteristics and work-related outcomes data were extracted. A total of 47 RCTs were included in the systematic review, and 19 RCTs (11 absenteeism, 7 productivity, and 5 work ability) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the effectiveness of workplace interventions for absenteeism was −1.56 (95% CI, −2.67 to −0.44) and −2.65 (95% CI, −4.49 to −0.81) considering only moderate quality RCTs. In contrast, only a few studies of workplace interventions for productivity and work ability were included, which was insufficient for determining the effectiveness and best design for improving these work outcomes. The workplace is an interesting environment to reduce absenteeism, and individualized and counseling interventions with <10 sessions/total were the most effective workplace intervention methodological design for reducing the absenteeism of employees. Future high-quality RCTs that also consider health risks should be implemented to strengthen the results.
... In order for those WHPPs to be effective and to enable employers to reap the beneficial 66 effects of physical activity programs on sick-days (Jacobson and Aldana, 2001;van den Heuvel 67 et al., 2005;Fonseca et al., 2010) and productivity (Proper et al., 2002), employees have to 68 actually participate. Unfortunately, average participation rates in WHPPs remain rather low 69 (Mattke et al., 2014;Rongen et al., 2014). ...
More and more firms decide to implement workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs). However, such programs can only be effective and economically viable if employees actually engage. In an effort to uncover ways to promote employee engagement and hence WHPP effectiveness, the primary aim of this study is to to assess the impact of the inclusion of a gamification element in a worksite health promotion program on health outcomes.
Real-life data from a WHPP provider firm were analyzed. Linear and logistic regression analysis were performed to assess the impact of participating in a step-challenge on average daily step-count and the likelihood of reaching the widely communicated goal of taking at least 10,000 steps per day.
It was found that the inclusion of gamification-elements is significantly positively related to physical activity outcomes: employees who took part in the step-challenge took considerably more steps than employees who did not participate (β=1139.36, p<0.005). Participation increased the likelihood of meeting the recommend goal of 10,000 steps per day significantly versus non-participants (ß=1.81, p ≤ 0.005). Lastly, the results indicate that challenge participation is associated with a considerably greater increase in steps for men than for women.
This research advances the scientific understanding of modern types of workplace health promotion programs that build on digital solutions and gamification. As more and more firms face the challenge of designing a program that actually works, the finding that the inclusion of gamification increases program effectiveness in terms of health outcomes considerably is highly valuable.
... Workplace wellness programs appear to improve physical activity levels. [1][2][3] However, meta-analyses of workplace interventions found studies used unclear or unjustified thresholds for meaningful changes in physical activity and used selfreport. 4,5 The effect of these programs when using objective measures of physical activity is unclear. ...
Objectives
Few adults participate in enough physical activity for health benefits. The workplace provides a unique environment to deliver heath interventions and can be beneficial to the employee and the employer. The purpose of the study was to explore the use of a physical activity counseling (PAC) program and a fitness-based health risk assessment (fHRA) in the hospital workplace.
Methods
A workplace-based intervention was developed utilizing a PAC program and an fHRA to improve physical activity levels of employees. Hospital employees were enrolled in a 4-month PAC program and given the option to also enroll in an fHRA program (PAC + fHRA). Physical activity was assessed by accelerometry and measured at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months. Changes in musculoskeletal fitness for those in the fHRA program were assessed at baseline and 2 months.
Results
For both groups (PAC n = 22; PAC + fHRA n = 16), total and moderate to vigorous physical activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more increased significantly by 18.8 ( P = .004) and 10.2 ( P = .048) minutes per week at each data collection point, respectively. Only participants with gym memberships demonstrated increases in light physical activity over time. Those in the fHRA group significantly increased their overall musculoskeletal fitness levels from baseline levels (18.2 vs 21.7, P < .001). There was no difference in the change in physical activity levels between the groups.
Conclusions
A PAC program in the workplace may increase physical activity levels within 4 months. The addition of an fHRA does not appear to further increase physical activity levels; however, it may improve overall employee musculoskeletal fitness levels.
... Programs aimed at the improvement of the individual capacity, such as exercise or cardiorespiratory fitness, seem to improve work ability among those workers who are exposed to a high physical workload (Lidegaard et al. 2018;Nurminen et al. 2002) In addition, exercise has shown beneficial effects on several health outcomes, including musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. (Proper et al. 2002;Korshøj et al. 2016). Considering the high prevalence of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular disorders among construction workers (Umer et al. 2018;Ma et al. 2018), exercise or cardiorespiratory fitness programs are likely to improve work ability through improved capacity and thereby lowering the relative workload. ...
Purpose
Obesity and high physical workload are both associated with poor work ability, but the interaction between obesity and high physical workload on work ability is not yet fully understood. Obesity and high physical workload may share a common mechanical pathway, possibly leading to a synergistic negative effect on work ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of obesity on work ability in workers with high versus low physical work load.
Methods
A longitudinal study was conducted among 36,435 Dutch construction workers who participated in at least two periodic medical examinations during the years 2008–2015. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the effect of manual material handling and strenuous work postures in sports on the association between obesity and work ability. Work ability was measured using the self-reported Work Ability Index consisting of seven dimensions. Confounding effects were tested for age, educational level, smoking, vigorous physical activity, psychosocial work demands, and working hours. Additive interaction between obesity and physical workload on work ability was tested using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).
Results
Construction workers with overweight (OR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.02–1.16) or obesity (OR = 1.27; 95% CI 1.17–1.38) had an increased risk of poor/moderate work ability. Exposure to manual material handling (OR = 1.58; 95% CI 1.49–1.68) or strenuous work postures (OR = 1.80; 95% CI 1.70–1.90) also increased the risk of poor/moderate work ability. The effect of the combination of obesity with high physical workload was greater than the sum of the individual effects (strenuous work postures: RERI = 0.39; 95% CI 0.10–0.67; manual material handling: RERI = 0.26; 95% CI 0.02–0.51).
Conclusions
Obesity and high physical workload were associated with poor work ability and had a synergistic, negative effect on work ability. Interventions that prevent obesity and high physical workload might have a beneficial effect on work ability.
... More recent studies have also suggested that workplace interventions that are compatible with productive work (i.e., alternative workstations, interventions promoting stair use, and personalized behavioral interventions) reduce sedentarity and increase PA behaviors at work, with some of the interventions (i.e., multi-component and environmental strategies) positively influencing these behaviors in all aspects of daily life (4,5). Nevertheless, the evidence has been inconsistent regarding the impact of these programs on employee productivity, including measures like absenteeism, employee turnover, and job satisfaction (6,7), and the cost-effectiveness for employers (8). In addition, the long-term effects of PA interventions remain to be established. ...
Background: Many of the studies on worksite physical activity (PA) have investigated either the effectiveness of PA programs for employees and the work-related outcomes or health promotion interventions to increase PA. However, studies on barriers and enabling factors for participation are scarce and have generally not been theoretically grounded. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify worksite PA barriers and facilitators from the perspective of the transtheoretical model of change (TTM).
Methods: Thirty employees (15 females and 15 males; Mage = 44.70; SD = 5.20) were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews lasting from 60 to 90 min. Participants came from several organizations that offered PA programs and were at different exercise stages of change. They were invited to describe: (a) general information on the place of PA in their daily lives and in the workplace, and the reasons for (b) worksite PA participation or (c) non-participation. The interview transcripts were analyzed both inductively and deductively with reference to the exercise stages of change.
Results: Three categories of barriers and facilitators related to physical, psychological and environmental dimensions were identified. For all exercise stages of change combined, psychological and environmental barriers were significantly more reported than physical barriers, whereas physical and psychological facilitators were more cited than environmental facilitators. Further qualitative analysis suggested that these categories differed with the exercise stage of change. At the precontemplative and contemplative stages, all types of barriers predominated (e.g., physical constraints due to the workstation, fear of management disapproval, time constraints). At the preparation stage, physical, and psychological needs emerged in relation to worksite PA (e.g., need to compensate for sedentary work, stress regulation). At the action and maintenance levels, physical, psychological, and environmental facilitators were reported (e.g., enhanced physical condition, workplace well-being, social ties). At the relapse stage, specific life changes or events broke the physically active lifestyle dynamics.
Conclusion: This study identified the contribution of different types of worksite PA barriers and facilitators according to the exercise stage of change. The identified facilitators are consistent with the general TTM processes of change, while being specific to the workplace. Practical strategies are discussed.
... Physical activity is one of the most important health behaviors in public health [2], and promoting this behavior is one of the most evident workplace interventions for primary prevention of common mental disorders [3]. Moreover, significant associations between physical activity and work-related outcomes have repeatedly been reported, such as well-being and presenteeism [4], absenteeism, job stress, employee turnover [5], and work ability [6]. These findings indicate that promoting workers' physical activity is indispensable for occupational health promotion and a sustainable workforce. ...
Background:
Psychological and environmental determinants have been discussed for promoting physical activity among workers. However, few studies have investigated effects of both workplace environment and psychological determinants on physical activity. It is also unknown which domains of physical activities are promoted by these determinants. This study aimed to investigate main and interaction effects of workplace environment and individual self-regulation for physical activity on domain-specific physical activities among white-collar workers.
Methods:
A multi-site longitudinal study was conducted at baseline and about 5-month follow-up. A total of 49 worksites and employees within the worksites were recruited. Inclusion criteria for the worksites (a) were located in the Kanto area, Japan and (b) employed two or more employees. Employee inclusion criteria were (a) employed by the worksites, (b) aged 18 years or older, and (c) white-collar workers. For outcomes, three domain-specific physical activities (occupational, transport-related, and leisure-time) at baseline and follow-up were measured. For independent variables, self-regulation for physical activity, workplace environments (parking/bike, signs/bulletin boards/advertisements, stairs/elevators, physical activity/fitness facilities, work rules, written policies, and health promotion programs), and covariates at baseline were measured. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was conducted to investigate multilevel associations.
Results:
Of the recruited worksites, 23 worksites and 562 employees, and 22 worksites and 459 employees completed the baseline and the follow-up surveys. As results of Hierarchical Linear Modeling, stairs/elevator (γ=3.80 [SE=1.80], p<0.05), physical activity/fitness facilities (γ=4.98 [SE=1.09], p<0.01), and written policies (γ=2.10 [SE=1.02], p<0.05) were significantly and positively associated with occupational physical activity. Self-regulation for physical activity was associated significantly with leisure-time physical activity (γ=0.09 [SE=0.04], p<0.05) but insignificantly with occupational and transport-related physical activity (γ=0.11 [SE=0.16] and γ=-0.00 [SE=0.06]). Significant interaction effects of workplace environments (physical activity/fitness facilities, work rules, and written policies) and self-regulation were observed on transport-related and leisure-time physical activity.
Conclusions:
Workplace environments such as physical activity/fitness facilities, written policies, work rules, and signs for stair use at stairs and elevators; self-regulation for physical activity; and their interactions may be effective to promote three domain-specific physical activities. This study has practical implications for designing multi-component interventions that include both environmental and psychological approaches to increase effect sizes to promote overall physical activity.
... [16][17][18][19][20] Similarly, chronic LBP has also been shown to improve with exercise therapy. 21 A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of workplace exercise programs 22 reported that a majority of the included studies showed improvement in absenteeism despite most of the studies being of relatively low quality and showing mixed results in general. This study's objective was to assess the relationship between leisure time exercise and whether workers have ever had modified duty or lost time (MD/LT) due to LBP in an occupational cohort. ...
Objective:
To assess the relationship between leisure time exercise and whether workers ever had modified duty or lost time (MD/LT) due to LBP in an occupational cohort.
Methods:
Workers (N = 827) completed a structured interview assessing characteristics of their Low Back Pain, whether or not the pain caused modified or lost work time, and their participation in leisure time exercise. Odds Ratio of modified/lost time and minutes of exercise participation were assessed.
Results:
Workers who participated in over 316 min/week of leisure time exercise incurred significantly less modified/lost time, Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.46 (95% Confidence Interval 0.23 - 0.98). There also lies a significant trend between increases in leisure time exercise and reductions in modified/lost time (p = 0.0016).
Conclusion:
These results suggest exercise reduces risk of MD/LT from LBP.
... Workplaces are ideal settings to promote physical activity as the majority of working-aged adults spend a third of their day at work 5,6 . Evidence also suggests that physical activity participation boosts employee energy levels, morale, job satisfaction, the ability to cope with stress, and work productivity 7,8 . Consequently, workplaces are increasingly incorporating physical activity facilities on-site such as the provision of gyms and wellness initiatives or access to off-site playing fields and pleasant places to be active 9,10 . ...
The benefit of providing access to physical activity facilities at or near work to support the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) of workers is uncertain. We examined the association between access to physical activity facilities at or near work and the LTPA of workers after adjusting for a range of individual and occupational characteristics. Data was obtained from 60,650 respondents to the 2007–2008 Canadian Community Health Survey. Participants were employed adults ≥18 years of age who had no long-term health condition which reduced their participation in physical activity. Latent class analysis determined naturally occurring combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work. Each combination was balanced by 19 individual and occupational covariate characteristics using inverse probability of treatment weights derived from propensity scores. The association between combinations of physical activity facilities at or near work on LTPA level was estimated by multinomial logistic regression. Five different combinations of physical activity facilities were available to respondents at or near work. Data were analyzed in 2017. All possible physical facilities increased the likelihood for LTPA (OR, 2.08, 95% CI, 1.03–4.20) and other combinations were also positively associated. Respondents with no physical activity facilities were characterized as having a low education, low income, high physically demanding work, poor health and mental health, non-white racial background, and being an immigrant. Access to supportive workplace environments can help workers be physically active. Future research should assess a range of personal, social and environmental factors that may be driving this relationship.
... Worksites offer different health promotion programmes that aim to enhance the health and wellbeing of employees and their families. The effects of worksite physical activity interventions on increasing physical activity levels among adults have been examined by different researchers (Shephard, 2002;Proper et al., 2002;Abraham & Graham-Rowe, 2009). According to recent reviews and reports from the World Health Organization, worksites are a preferred setting for promoting the health and physical activity levels of adults (Dugdill, Brettle, Hulme, McCluskey & Long, 2008;Abraham & Graham-Rowe, 2009). ...
This study applied the self-determination theory to examine the perceived autonomy support and basic psychological needs of women participating in a health-related exercise programme with respect to exercise stage of change (three stages including Preparation, Action, and Maintenance) and exercise type (Aerobic vs Strength & Flexibility). The sample consisted of 316 women (M age=25.1 years, SD=7.2) who completed the Perceived Autonomy Support Scale for Exercise Settings: Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale and the Physical Activity Stages of Change Questionnaire. Participants’ heart rate during the exercise and the exercise content were used to categorize the exercise classes as Aerobic or Strength & Flexibility. Data were analysed using ANOVA and MANOVA (p
... Uit diverse studies blijkt wél, dat roken in belangrijke mate de arbeidsproductiviteit vermindert, en een risicofactor is voor uitval uit werk door arbeidsongeschiktheid en werkloosheid (Burdorf et al., 2008a). Een gebrek aan lichamelijke activiteit lijkt een rol te spelen in ziekteverzuim (Proper et al., 2002). Enkele recente onderzoeken wijzen op de associatie tussen obesitas en een verminderde arbeidsproductiviteit en ziekteverzuim (van Duivenbode et al., 2009;Robroek et al., 2011b;Neovius et al., 2009;Alavinia et al., 2009). ...
Als gevolg van de vergrijzing daalt de arbeidsparticipatie na 2020 naar verwachting met vier procentpunten, van 48% naar 44% van de bevolking. Hierdoor zullen bedrijven in de toekomst met een tekort aan werknemers te maken krijgen. De vraag is of mensen langer willen en kunnen doorwerken. Literatuuronderzoek van het RIVM laat zien dat een groot deel van de werknemers na hun pensioen graag stopt met werken. Gemiddeld wil slechts 14 procent van de werknemers na hun 65ste juist nog doorwerken en 53 procent wil dit niet. Ze willen dat vanwege de inkomsten, maar ook omdat zij zingeving, eigenwaarde en voldoening ontlenen aan arbeid.
Flexibele werktijden om ouderen aan het werk te houden
De Nederlandse overheid heeft enkele maatregelen genomen om de arbeidsparticipatie van ouderen te verhogen, zoals de verhoging van de AOWleeftijd. Uit de literatuurstudie blijkt ook dat het zogenoemde seniorenbeleid (ontziebeleid) een manier is om ouderen die zouden willen of moeten stoppen, aan het werk te houden. Bij dit ontziebeleid worden de werktijden van oudere werknemers, doorgaans na hun 60ste, flexibel: zij hebben meer vrije dagen of een kortere werkweek. Ook kan de zwaarte van het werk worden verlicht of de werktaak inhoudelijk worden aangepast.
Redenen om met 65 jaar te stoppen met werken
Het seniorenbeleid is nodig omdat een aanzienlijk deel van de oudere werknemers (22% tot 36%) wel tot hun 65ste wil blijven werken, maar dat om uiteenlopende redenen niet kan. De belangrijkste reden is de fysieke en psychische belasting van het werk die voor hun leeftijd te zwaar is geworden (22%). Beroepen waar dit aan de orde is zijn stratenmakers, verpleegkundigen en onderwijzers. Daarna volgen niet-inhoudelijke kenmerken van hun werk, zoals slechte arbeidsvoorwaarden, lange reistijd, geen promotiekansen, enzovoort (5%). Voor 3% van de werknemers is hun gezondheid een reden om te stoppen met werken. Zij zijn chronisch ziek, hebben een beroepsziekte (versleten rug), zijn psychisch overbelast, zijn arbeidsongeschikt of kunnen geen emplooi meer vinden. Deze factoren kunnen er ook toe leiden dat werknemers al vóórdat de pensioengerechtigde leeftijd bereikt is, moeten stoppen met werken.
http://www.rivm.nl/Documenten_en_publicaties/Wetenschappelijk/Rapporten/2013/februari/Determinanten_van_afnemende_participatie_van_ouderen
Background and Aims
It is well known that depression is closely associated with the autonomic nervous system and physical acceleration (PA), which may cause functional time‐deviance between these two parameters. Exploring this relationship is important in sustaining the mental and physical health of older adults in daily life. However, few studies have assessed the relationship between depression and the coordination of parasympathetic nervous activity (PSNA) and PA. The present study was designed to investigate whether the coordination between PSNA and PA is associated with the mental state of healthy volunteers in normal daily lives and the underlying mechanism.
Methods
In total, 95 adult women were divided into non‐older and older groups comprising 50 (aged 20–59 years) and 45 (aged 60–85 years) women, respectively. PSNA and PA data were simultaneously obtained every minute for 24 h during the free‐moving day using the ActiveTracer accelerometer. Lag time was determined as the time difference between PSNA and PA, and it was introduced as a parameter of %lag0, which is the percent ratio of the lag = 0 min between PSNA and PA in 1 h. The General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ28) was used to evaluate the effects of psychological distress, including depression.
Results
In the hour before sleep, %lag0 was significantly lower in older women (38.7 ± 6.4) who had higher GHQ28 values (subscale D = 0, n = 12) compared with that in older women (19.4 ± 10.5) with lower values (subscale D ≧ 1, n = 33) (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Impairments in coordination between PSNA and PA are significantly associated with depression in older women, particularly in the hour before sleep on free‐moving days.
Objective:
Research on students' well-being has shown that studies may have an impact on well-being. However, this relationship is complex and involves many other parameters (e.g., food security and physical activity). Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships between food insecurity, PA, and detachment from studies on the one hand, and student well-being, on the other.
Method:
4410 students (mean age = 21.55, 65,192% female) answered an online survey measuring food insecurity, physical activity, detachment from studies, anxiety, burnout, depression, and satisfaction with life.
Results:
A structural equation model (χ [18] = 585.739, RMSEA = .095, 90% CI [0.089; 0.102], CFI = .92, NNFI = .921) indicated that food insecurity negatively predicted, and that detachment from studies and physical activity positively predicted, the latent variable of well-being.
Discussion:
The results of the present study highlight that students' well-being is partly determined by food insecurity, detachment from studies, and PA. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of looking at both the diets of students, as well as the activities and experiences they have outside their studies to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing student well-being and the action leverages to promote it.
This systematic review aimed to verify the quality of analyses using PRISMA guidelines and evaluate the effectiveness of dance/movement therapy (DMT) interventions in individuals with intellectual disabilities. As search engines, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science were used to select the studies under specific requirements. We also used the American Journal of Dance Therapy as an additional search. Five studies were selected after the final screening. Regarding the levels of evidence (LOE), two studies had an LOE of 3 and three studies had an LOE of 4. The risk of bias (ROB) through quality assessment of controlled intervention studies showed a high ROB in all selected studies. Although the results showed the low LOE and high ROB, the selected studies reported that DMT interventions improved motor skills, body knowledge, emotional well-being, skin temperature in fingers, and muscle relaxation in individuals with moderate to severe IQ from young adults to middle-aged adults.
Health-related work absenteeism has an extensive economic and societal impact. Digital health interventions at the workplace can play a beneficial role in reducing the risks of absenteeism. However, the effects of these health interventions are rarely explored in terms of predicting work absenteeism. This paper presents the outcomes of a six month coaching-based digital health intervention. In this intervention, employees receive health or lifestyle coaching by using a smartphone app. We define eight predictors of absenteeism based on an extensive validated health check that the participants have filled throughout the program participation. The predictors are related to mental health, work ability, work stress, physical activity, perceived health and need to recovery after work. We show statistically significant effects of change in multiple predictors of absenteeism as a result of being part of the intervention. Additionally, we define multiple app usage scores founded on the coaching-based smartphone app. They are related to frequency of coach-coachee communication or doing healthy activities. We correlate these app scores with the predictors of absenteeism scores, and detect moderately-strong and significant correlations.KeywordsMobile healthWorkplace digital health interventionCoaching program
El texto que presentamos a continuación tiene por objetivo contribuir empíricamente al campo de la organización de la actividad física y del deporte desde el objeto de estudio de la organización de programas de ejercicio físico en las empresas. El propósito de este innovador proyecto fue abordar el primer gran reto regulado en la convocatoria: “salud, cambio demográfico y bienestar”. En concreto, se ha estudiado la influencia de dos programas de ejercicio físico en tres empresas españolas distribuidas en seis sedes corporativas. Para ello se han recogido los efectos de las intervenciones medidas a través de parámetros físicos, antropométricos y psicosociales. El contenido recogido en la primera parte de este informe de investigación aborda una fundamentación sobre las condiciones laborales y los determinantes de la salud con el fin de justificar la empleabilidad sostenible. Para ello, inicialmente, se ha elaborado un marco teórico de referencia sustentado en intervenciones previas en torno a la evidencia empírica existente y la teoría social crítica con el fin de fundamentar propuestas de intervención futuras que busquen estrategias de actuación colectiva para la supresión de las barreras de práctica de actividad física. La segunda parte recoge la evidencia existente sobre la incidencia de los programas de promoción de actividad física y salud en el lugar de trabajo. Para ello, se realiza un análisis del modelo social europeo a partir de las demandas y barreras de la población activa para identificar las posibles propiedades que han de reunir los programas. Una vez fundamentado el problema de investigación, la tercera parte del informe aborda todo el desarrollo metodológico de la investigación. Tras la presentación de los resultados, se elabora una discusión general sobre los objetivos e hipótesis y se ensaya críticamente la teoría sobre la promoción de la salud en el lugar de trabajo mediante los programas de bienestar. Finalmente, se presentan unas conclusiones considerando las limitaciones del estudio y se elaboran unas líneas futuras de investigación con el fin de intentar acumular una mayor evidencia empírica sobre el objeto de estudio.
Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement bezeichnet die systematische Entwicklung von organisatorischen Rahmenbedingungen, Strukturen und Prozessen mit dem Ziel, gesundheitserhaltende und -fördernde Arbeitsbedingungen zu schaffen. Wie das Wort „Management“ schon impliziert, geht es hierbei um eine Erweiterung der Organisationsentwicklung, die mit konventionellen und bewährten Methoden bearbeitet werden kann, indem regelhafte Prozesse eingeführt und gelebt werden. Es handelt sich um einen langsamen und komplexen Lern- und Veränderungsprozess der gesamten Organisation und der einzelnen Mitglieder, der sich an realistischen Zielen orientieren muss. Es gibt natürliche Schnittstellen zum Arbeitsschutzmanagement im Speziellen und zu Managementsystemen im Allgemeinen. Managementsysteme sind prinzipiell nach denselben Regeln aufgebaut (Kennzahlen zur Steuerung, Durchlaufen des PDCA-Zyklus). Schon an dieser Stelle wird klar, dass der Blick auf die Fehlzeiten allein nicht ausreicht, weil anwesende Mitarbeite nicht mit produktiven Mitarbeitern gleichgesetzt werden können. Nicht jeder, der fehlt ist wirklich krank und nicht jeder, der anwesend ist, ist wirklich gesund. Dieses Phänomen wird als „Präsentismus“ bezeichnet und wirkt sich ökonomisch deutlich stärker aus, als der durch Fehltage verursachte Verlust an Arbeitszeit (Absentismus).
Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) often accompanies alterations in heart rate variability (HRV). The severity of SAS is sometimes evaluated using the oxygen desaturation index (ODI). We hypothesized that effects of the autonomic nervous system could be involved in the coordination between HRV and physical acceleration during free movement in patients with SAS. Among 33 women aged 60 years or older, 19 had a high ODI (>5). Their HRV and physical acceleration were simultaneously obtained every minute for 24 hours. The low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio and the high frequency in normalized units (HFnu) were used as HRV indices. Low levels of %Lag0, defined as the percentage of the lag = 0 min in 1 h, indicated coordination between physical acceleration and HRV. Nineteen participants were divided into group A (high %Lag0 before sleep [n = 9]) or group B (low %Lag0 [n = 10]). In group B participants with a high ODI and low %Lag0 in the hour after waking, HFnu was significantly increased compared to that in group A participants with high ODI and high %Lag0 in the hour after waking (p < 0.05). These results suggest that close associations between high ODI and discoordination between HRV and physical acceleration may be due to higher parasympathetic nervous system activity after waking.
Introduction Considering that physical activity plays a key role in the health of workers, a growing number of researchers are studying its relationship with various workplace outcomes, such as presenteeism. Numerous scientists recognise the relevance of further studying this relationship in order to improve our understanding of it. However, studies about the association between physical activity and presenteeism show some discrepancy in the results obtained. Disparity in the way of measuring presenteeism makes it even more challenging to compare results. In addition, it remains difficult to determine the optimal frequency, intensity, duration and type of physical activity to increase the productivity benefits of physical activity. In light of these issues, clarification through a scoping review of the literature on the subject is warranted.
Method and analysis A search strategy will be conducted in six scientific databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ABI Inform Global, Web of Science and Business Source Premier. A screening process by two independent reviewers will lead to study selection. Quantitative and qualitative studies written in English about the relation between physical activity and presenteeism will be considered for inclusion. Data on the definition and measurement of presenteeism as well as the measurement of physical activity will be extracted. Additional data will be extracted to provide a descriptive overview of studies that have examined the relationship between presenteeism and physical activity.
Ethics and dissemination As this study will be based only on published studies, ethics approval is not required. Through the manner in which the included studies will be presented (categorised by their approach to presenteeism), this scoping review has the potential to improve our understanding of some of the inconsistencies observed in the literature. This review can also identify gaps in the existing evidence base and lead to new avenues of research.
Many individuals are passionate for physical activity such as cycling, running, and soccer. Drawing from the dualistic model of passion, the purpose of the present study was to examine the direct and indirect relationships between passion (harmonious and obsessive) for physical activity, life satisfaction, performance, and innovativeness in organisational settings. Survey data were gathered from 272 cyclists who also occupied employment roles beyond their cycling pursuits. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Results indicated a direct positive relationship between harmonious passion and both performance and innovativeness at work. Moreover, results indicated that perceived life satisfaction indirectly influenced the relationships between harmonious passion and both performance and innovativeness at work. No significant relationships were found between obsessive passion for cycling and either organisational performance outcome. In sum, these findings suggest that passion for physical activity directly and indirectly (through life satisfaction) enhance organisational performance outcomes but only for harmonious passion.
Background
The health and well-being of staff working in the NHS is a significant issue for UK health care. We sought to identify research relevant to the promotion of healthy lifestyles among NHS staff on behalf of NHS England.
Objectives
To map existing reviews on workplace-based interventions to promote health and well-being, and to assess the scope for further evidence synthesis work.
Design
Rapid and responsive scoping search and evidence map.
Participants
Adult employees in any occupational setting and in any role.
Interventions
Any intervention aimed at promoting or maintaining physical or mental health and well-being. Early intervention initiatives and those addressing violence against staff, workplace bullying or harassment were also included.
Main outcome measures
Any outcome related to the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness or implementation of interventions.
Data sources
A scoping search of nine databases was conducted to identify systematic reviews on health and well-being at work. Searches were limited by publication date (2000 to January/February 2019).
Review methods
The titles and abstracts of over 8241 records were screened and a total of 408 potentially relevant publications were identified. Information on key characteristics were extracted from the titles and abstracts of all potentially relevant publications. Descriptive statistics (counts and percentages) for key characteristics were generated and data from reviews and ‘reviews of reviews’ were used to produce the evidence map.
Results
Evidence related to a broad range of physical and mental health issues was identified across 12 ‘reviews of reviews’ and 312 other reviews, including 16 Cochrane reviews. There also exists National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance addressing multiple issues of potential relevance. A large number of reviews focused on mental health, changing lifestyle behaviour, such as physical activity, or on general workplace health/health promotion. Most of the reviews that focused only on health-care staff addressed mental health issues, and stress/burnout in particular.
Limitations
The scoping search process was extensive and clearly effective at identifying relevant publications, but the strategy used may not have identified every potentially relevant review. Owing to the large number of potentially relevant reviews identified from the scoping search, it was necessary to produce the evidence map using information from the titles and abstracts of reviews only.
Conclusions
It is doubtful that further evidence synthesis work at this stage would generate substantial new knowledge, particularly within the context of the NHS Health and Wellbeing Framework [NHS England. Workforce Health and Wellbeing Framework . 2018. URL: www.nhsemployers.org/-/media/Employers/Publications/Health-and-wellbeing/NHS-Workforce-HWB-Framework_updated-July-18.pdf (accessed 10 January 2019)] published in 2018. Additional synthesis work may be useful if it addressed an identifiable need and it was possible to identify one of the following: (1) a specific and focused research question arising from the current evidence map; it may then be appropriate to focus on a smaller number of reviews only, and provide a more thorough and critical assessment of the available evidence; and (2) a specific gap in the literature (i.e. an issue not already addressed by existing reviews or guidance); it may then be possible to undertake further literature searching and conduct a new evidence review.
Funding
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health Services and Delivery Research ; Vol. 8, No. 18. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement bezeichnet die systematische Entwicklung von organisatorischen Rahmenbedingungen, Strukturen und Prozessen mit dem Ziel gesundheitsfördernde Arbeitsbedingungen zu schaffen. Wie das Wort „Management“ schon impliziert, geht es hierbei um eine Erweiterung der Organisationsentwicklung, die mit konventionellen und bewährten Methoden bearbeitet werden kann, indem regelhafte Prozesse eingeführt und gelebt werden. Es handelt sich um einen langsamen und komplexen Lern- und Veränderungsprozess der gesamten Organisation und der einzelnen Mitglieder, der sich an realistischen Zielen orientieren muss. Es gibt natürliche Schnittstellen zum Arbeitsschutzmanagement im Speziellen und zu Managementsystemen im Allgemeinen. Managementsysteme sind prinzipiell nach denselben Regeln aufgebaut (Kennzahlen zur Steuerung, Durchlaufen des PDCA-Zyklus). Schon an dieser Stelle wird klar, dass der Blick auf die Fehlzeiten allein nicht ausreichend ist, weil anwesende Mitarbeiter nicht mit produktiven Mitarbeitern gleichgesetzt werden können. Nicht jeder, der fehlt ist wirklich krank und nicht jeder, der anwesend ist, ist wirklich gesund. Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung leistet einen wichtigen präventiven Beitrag, lenkt den Blick aber zu sehr auf das Tun des Einzelnen.
Effective occupational health measures result in the absence of health impairment (although this consequently remain invisible unless properly monitored). However, in general, existing economic evaluations sketch a mostly bright picture of the benefits of investing in occupational health.
Most work-related diseases are multifactorial in origin and appear after a relatively long latency period between exposure and health effects. Despite the difficulties and the challenges in the economic evaluation of occupational health interventions, both literature and case studies provide evidence of the global rationale for investing in occupational health for enterprises.
We first discuss the value of Occupational Health (OH) from a global perspective. We apply a broad meaning to the word “value”, including financial aspects, legal, moral, and other less tangible effects (such as effects on the corporate image). Next, we synthesise the global evidence on OH, combining indications from the scientific literature with case studies.
Objective:
To encourage increased participation in physical activity among Americans of all ages by issuing a public health recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed for health promotion and disease prevention.
Participants:
A planning committee of five scientists was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine to organize a workshop. This committee selected 15 other workshop discussants on the basis of their research expertise in issues related to the health implications of physical activity. Several relevant professional or scientific organizations and federal agencies also were represented.
Evidence:
The panel of experts reviewed the pertinent physiological, epidemiologic, and clinical evidence, including primary research articles and recent review articles.
Consensus process:
Major issues related to physical activity and health were outlined, and selected members of the expert panel drafted sections of the paper from this outline. A draft manuscript was prepared by the planning committee and circulated to the full panel in advance of the 2-day workshop. During the workshop, each section of the manuscript was reviewed by the expert panel. Primary attention was given to achieving group consensus concerning the recommended types and amounts of physical activity. A concise "public health message" was developed to express the recommendations of the panel. During the ensuing months, the consensus statement was further reviewed and revised and was formally endorsed by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Conclusion:
Every US adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Introdution
Meta-analysis has received a mixed reception since the outset. Some people have rejected what they see as exercises in “mega-silliness,”1 while the purveyors of a highly distinguished series of meta-analyses of perinatal medical care2 have been dismissed as “an obstetrical Baader-Meinhof gang.”3 To some clinicians objecting to the findings of meta-analyses, “a tool has become a weapon.”4 At the other end of the spectrum, the application of a technique that basically consists of calculating a weighted average has been hailed as “Newtonian,”5 and it has been suggested that meta-analysis has left no place for the narrative review article.6 The truth is likely to lie somewhere between these extreme views.
Summary points
Bias can be introduced in many ways into the process of locating and selecting studies for inclusion in meta-analysisStudies with significant results are more likely to get published than studies without significant results, leading to publication biasAmong published studies, those with significant results are more likely to get published in English, more likely to be cited, and more likely to be published repeatedly, leading to English language bias, citation bias, and multiple publication biasIn less developed countries, studies with significant results may be more likely to get published in a journal indexed in a literature database, which can introduce database biasCriteria for including studies in a meta-analysis may be influenced by knowledge of the results of the set of potential studies, leading to inclusion biasThe likely presence or absence of bias should be routinely examined in sensitivity analyses and funnel plots
That meta-analysis holds potential problems can be illustrated by contrasting the conclusions of two meta-analyses comparing low molecular weight heparins and standard heparin in the prevention of thrombosis after surgery.7 8 One group concluded that “low molecular weight …
OBJECTIVE--To encourage increased participation in physical activity among Americans of all ages by issuing a public health recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed for health promotion and disease prevention. PARTICIPANTS--A planning committee of five scientists was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine to organize a workshop. This committee selected 15 other workshop discussants on the basis of their research expertise in issues related to the health implications of physical activity. Several relevant professional or scientific organizations and federal agencies also were represented. EVIDENCE--The panel of experts reviewed the pertinent physiological, epidemiologic, and clinical evidence, including primary research articles and recent review articles. CONSENSUS PROCESS--Major issues related to physical activity and health were outlined, and selected members of the expert panel drafted sections of the paper from this outline. A draft manuscript was prepared by the planning committee and circulated to the full panel in advance of the 2-day workshop. During the workshop, each section of the manuscript was reviewed by the expert panel. Primary attention was given to achieving group consensus concerning the recommended types and amounts of physical activity. A concise \"public health message was developed to express the recommendations of the panel. During the ensuing months, the consensus statement was further reviewed and revised and was formally endorsed by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. CONCLUSION--Every US adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the weekType: CONSENSUS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCEType: JOURNAL ARTICLEType: REVIEWLanguage: Eng
Stress is estimated to cost industry between 75 and 100 billion dollars annually as a result of absenteeism, medical claims and diminished productivity. Two types of stress management programs were studied to evaluate their effectiveness at the worksite. The Time-Life Stress Management Program and a Myers-Briggs Personality Type approach were used. The Time-Life program was given to 113 participants, and 35 participated in the Myers-Briggs program. Baseline stress (strain) scores were obtained using a standardized strain survey instrument. Follow-up strain scores were obtained six to eight months after baseline for 62 percent of the individuals. Both groups showed significant reductions in follow-up strain scores when compared to baseline. Reductions in strain were greater in the group with higher baseline strain scores (Time-Life). Worksite stress management programs have the potential to reduce strain among employees for at least six to eight months.
The purpose of this article is to compare health risk factors and rates of absenteeism of employees at General Mills, Inc. after participating for two years in a voluntary, self-directed health promotion program, called the “TriHealthalon.” Twelve hundred field sales employees were initially targeted to participate in this program, which focused on improving participants' physical, mental, and social well-being. Participants were asked to fill out a computerized lifestyle appraisal form before they started the program in 1985, and again in 1986. The rates of absenteeism were monitored for each individual in the participant and nonparticipant groups for the years 1984 (before the program started), 1985, and 1986. T-tests were performed to compare the rate of absenteeism between the two groups.
Observations show that after two years in the TriHealthalon program, there was an increase in healthy lifestyle behaviors in the participant group, with a five percent decrease in the number of smokers, a 37 percent increase in the number of people who use their seat belts, and a 23 percent increase in the number of people who exercise three times a week. There was no significant difference in absenteeism between the groups in 1984, before the program began. Absenteeism was significantly (p < .05) less in the participant group during 1985 and 1986 after the initiation of the program.
Worksite fitness and health promotion programs have grown exponentially in the past 15 years. To examine the impact of these programs, the literature through 1988 was reviewed. In general, fitness and wellness programs result in increased levels of fitness and a reduction in the risk factors for coronary heart disease. Recent research using control groups has found relations between reduction in health care costs, absenteeism, and turnover and implementation of comprehensive health promotion programs. Issues related to participation rates, program implementation, and evaluation are also addressed.
Objective. —To determine if inadequate approaches to randomized controlled trial design and execution are associated with evidence of bias in estimating treatment effects. Design. —An observational study in which we assessed the methodological quality of 250 controlled trials from 33 meta-analyses and then analyzed, using multiple logistic regression models, the associations between those assessments and estimated treatment effects. Data Sources. —Meta-analyses from the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database. Main Outcome Measures. —The associations between estimates of treatment effects and inadequate allocation concealment, exclusions after randomization, and lack of double-blinding. Results. —Compared with trials in which authors reported adequately concealed treatment allocation, trials in which concealment was either inadequate or unclear (did not report or incompletely reported a concealment approach) yielded larger estimates of treatment effects ( P P =.01), with odds ratios being exaggerated by 17%. Conclusions. —This study provides empirical evidence that inadequate methodological approaches in controlled trials, particularly those representing poor allocation concealment, are associated with bias. Readers of trial reports should be wary of these pitfalls, and investigators must improve their design, execution, and reporting of trials. ( JAMA . 1995;273:408-412)
Objectives.
—To estimate the rate of full publication of the results of randomized clinical trials initially presented as abstracts at national ophthalmology meetings in 1988 and 1989; and to combine data from this study with data from similar studies to determine the rate at which abstracts are subsequently published in full and the association between selected study characteristics and full publication.
Data Sources.
—Ophthalmology abstracts were identified by review of 1988 and 1989 meeting abstracts for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Similar studies were identified either from reports contained in our files or through a MEDLINE search, which combined the textword "abstract" with "or" statements to the Medical Subject Headings ABSTRACTING & INDEXING, CLINICAL TRIALS, PEER REVIEW, PERIODICALS, MEDICAL SOCIETIES, PUBLISHING, MEDLINE, INFORMATION SERVICES, and REGISTRIES.
Study Selection.
—Ophthalmolgy abstracts were selected from the meeting proceedings if they reported results from a randomized controlled trial. For the summary study, similar studies were eligible for inclusion if they described followup and subsequent full publication for a cohort of abstracts describing the results of any type of research study. All studies had to have followed up abstracts for at least 24 months to be included.
Data Extraction.
—Authors of ophthalmology abstracts were contacted by letter to ascertain whether there was subsequent full publication. Other information, including characteristics of the study design possibly related to publication, was taken from the abstract. For the summary study, rates of full publication were taken directly from reported results, as were associations between study factors (ie, "significant' results and sample size) and full publication.
Data Synthesis.
—Sixty-six percent (61/93) of ophthalmology abstracts were published in full. Combined results from 11 studies showed that 51% (1198/2391) of all abstracts were subsequently published in full. Full publication was weakly associated with "significant" results and sample size above the median.
Conclusions.
—Approximately one half of all studies initially presented in abstract form are subsequently published as full-length reports. Most are published in full within 2 years of appearance as abstracts. Full publication may be associated with "significant" results and sample size.(JAMA. 1994;272:158-162)
We need effective ways of getting adults to exercise if we are to meet the Surgeon General's 1990 health goals for the nation. This study reports a comprehensive effort to evaluate the sustained effect of a public health intervention model to achieve these health goals. Employees at four companies (N=2,600) were exposed to a health promotion program, while employees at three comparison companies (N=1,700) were offered an annual health screen. Daily energy expenditure in vigorous activity increased 104% among employees at companies offering the health promotion program, compared with a 33% increase among employees at comparison companies. Changes in exercise habits were corroborated by estimates of maximal oxygen uptake. Exercise and physical fitness improvements were distributed throughout the work force. Meaningful population changes in exercise and physical fitness can be produced at the work site and are of a magnitude that makes it possible to meet the 1990 goals for exercise and physical fitness.
(JAMA 1986;255:921-926)
This study explores the relationship between exposure to a comprehensive worksite health promotion program and health care costs and utilization. The experience of two groups of Johnson & Johnson employees (N=5192 and N=3259) exposed to Live for Life, a comprehensive program of health screens, life-style improvement programs, and worksite changes to support healthier life-styles, was compared with that of a control group (N=2955) over a five-year period. To account for baseline differences, analyses of covariance produced adjusted means for inpatient hospital costs, admissions, hospital days, outpatient costs, and other health costs. Mean annual inpatient cost increases were 42 for two Live for Life groups vs $76 for the non-Live for Life group. Live for Life groups also had lower rates of increase in hospital days and admissions. No significant differences were found for outpatient or other health care costs.(JAMA 1986;256:3235-3240)
Employers are investing large amounts in employee fitness programs; unfortunately, the value of physical exercise and lifestyle programs has yet to be established. This paper provides a critique of the applied and experimental research related to the impact of employee fitness programs on work-related variables and discusses future research directions.
This paper considers the rationale behind the introduction of workplace exercise programmes, and provides a brief review of their benefits. Many efforts towards their evaluation have been inadequate, largely because of a lack of methodological rigour and failure to consider such programmes in their wider organizational context. The evidence to date largely supports the view that for individuals, employee exercise programmes may confer significant benefits-more so for their physical health than for psychological well-being. The evidence for benefits to organizations remains promising but largely inconclusive.
Increasingly, European organizations are developing employee fitness programmes (EFPs) on the assumption that doing so will improve the health, well-being and work performance of employees. Although rigorous evaluation is not common practice among these organizations, this study represents an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of an EFP at the headquarters of the ING bank in Amsterdam. The study focused on possible changes in absenteeism, general well-being, self-confidence and perceived physical condition among EFP participants and non-participants over a 12-month period. Data were collected from 152 white-collar employees subdivided into four groups on the basis of participation or non-participation in the bank's EFP. The results indicated that taking part in an EFP could lead to a significant decrease in absenteeism amongst both regular and irregular participants. With respect to employee general well-being, scores on the factor ‘worn out’ did not differ significantly among the four groups. Differences between a non-exercising group and both EFP and non-EFP exercising groups' scores on the general well-being factor ‘up-tight’ approached significance. No significant differences in self-confidence between the groups were obtained, but significant differences in perceived physical fitness were apparent.
Five hundred and twenty-two workers from two pharmaceutical factories were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group was exposed to a physical activity programme, 15min each session before lunch, 5 times a week for 7 months. Concurrently, the second group of workers had the same exposure to social activity. Perceived workload, fatigue, and efficiency, as well as rates of productivity were examined before and at the end of the study. Repeated Measures ANOVA was applied to the data. The results indicated that, from the outset to the end of the programmes productivity rates remained constant across the whole study in both groups. However, perceptions of workload increased, and perceptions of fatigue decreased significantly in workers of the physical activity group compared to their counter-parts. Subsequently, perceived efficiency increased more in the workers in the physical activity group compared to workers of the social activity group, particularly after lunchtime.
39 men and 37 women (aged 25–67 yrs) underwent aerobic physical exercise (EX), psychological stress management (PSM), or no treatment to alleviate experienced job stress and its consequences of health complaints. Before the experiment, before training, and at 10 wks and 6 mo later, Ss underwent testing, including health, anxiety, job stress, job satisfaction, and coping abilities questionnaires and physiological testing. Both interventions had significant effects, which were specific to the type of intervention. The EX group showed some improved physiological indicators, especially in women, but reported significantly reduced job satisfaction. The PSM group reported increased coping and improved knowledge about stress. Compared to controls, the EX group had fewer health complaints on posttest. The PSM program was a comparatively weak intervention. There were no improvements in job stress and anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A prospective longitudinal study of a group of participants in an industrial physical fitness program during a five-year period compares the disability and major medical costs incurred by the subjects before and after entry into the program. The members of the cohort were employees of an insurance company; most were well educated and held sedentary, white-collar jobs. Participation was voluntary and without financial incentives. The group experienced 45.7% reduction in major medical costs in the postentry year, rather than the expected inflationary increase. There was a reduction of 20.1% in the average number of disability days, and a 31.7% reduction in direct disability dollar costs in the one-year postentry period. The average combined savings per participant were 120.60. Results suggest that worksite wellness programs can make a substantial contribution to the reduction of health care and disability costs.
(C)1984 The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the risk of incidental prostate cancer associated with occupational physical activity in a population of patients treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
Methods: This case–control study was conducted in men aged 45 and over referred for TURP to relieve the symptoms of BPH in one of the eight hospitals of the Quebec City area between October 1990 and December 1992. Cases (n = 64) were all men incidentally diagnosed with prostate cancer and controls were the 546 patients with solely a histological diagnosis of BPH. At the time of their interview, the patients completed a diet history questionnaire and a general questionnaire including a lifetime occupational history. Physical activity was estimated for each job according to data from the US Department of Labor. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of incidental prostate cancer associated with occupational physical activity while adjusting for confounders.
Results: A positive association was observed between ever having a job with sedentary/light work and incidental prostate cancer (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1–3.3). ORs for prostate cancer associated with 0%, 1–49%, and 50% of life spent in jobs with sedentary/light work were 1.0, 1.6 (95% CI = 0.8–3.1), and 2.5 (95% CI = 1.2–5.2), respectively (p-value for trend = 0.01). Occupational physical activity in the job held during the longest period was inversely associated with prostate cancer: ORs were 1.0, 0.5 (95% CI = 0.2–1.2), 0.4 (95% CI = 0.2–0.9) and 0.2 (95% CI = 0.1–0.7) for sedentary, light, moderate, and high/very high levels, respectively (p-value for trend = 0.008).
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that physical activity at work could have a beneficial effect on the occurrence of prostate cancer.
Typescript. Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nebraska at Omaha, 1988. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-65).
An impact evaluation was conducted on a 22-week wellness program implemented in a public school district where 257 employees
voluntarily completed the program. Impact of the program was estimated with a one-group pre-test/post-test design. While most
measurements showed significant improvements for the total participants, analyses based on people with measurements beyond
normal limits during pre-test evaluation (people at higher risk) showed even greater improvements. Across the risk factors
examined, 21–91% of the people at higher risk changed thenelevated measurements to within a normal range. Multiple regression
analyses showed that higher program attendance was only significantly associated with increased exercise time, better improved
diet habits and higher employee satisfaction. Possible confounding factors commonly associated with wellness program evaluation
are discussed. These include possible selection bias, contaminating activities, small sample size and short response time.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of behavioral management techniques on exercise adherence linked to improvements in work capacity and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). One hundred thirty-seven participants in six different worksites on a university campus (five experimental and one comparison site) completed 6 months of a minimally supervised, incentive-based endurance exercise program. All participants in the experimental group contracted to engage in at least four bouts of 30 min of verified aerobic exercise within a prescribed target heart rate range each week for the duration of the program. Forty dollars deposited at the beginning of the program served as a response cost that could be lost as a result of failure to fulfill the weekly contracts. Individuals in the comparison group participated in a similar 6-month program but without the contracts and response cost strategies. Weekly adherence for both groups was strictly defined as verified fulfillment of all four bouts of exercise. Adherence for the experimental group was 97% by this definition, and adherence for the comparison group was 19% (P less than 0.01). VO2max increased 2.6% (P less than 0.01), and treadmill test time increased 16% (P less than 0.01) in the experimental group after the 6-month program, with no significant changes in the comparison group. Recovery heart rates at 2 and 4 min post-exercise were significantly lower at 6 months in the experimental group but not in the comparison group. These data provide evidence that adherence to a 6-month endurance exercise program can be improved significantly through the use of well conceived behavior management strategies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The impact of behavioral risk factors on absenteeism and health-care costs was analyzed among 45,976 employees in a large, diversified industrial work force. A cross-sectional design was used to evaluate health risk appraisal and physical-examination data collected from 1984 through 1988. Employees with any of six behavioral risks had significantly higher absenteeism (range = 10% to 32%) compared with those without risks. These differences led to significantly higher illness costs (defined as compensation, health care, and non-health care benefits) for those with risks compared with those without risks. Annual excess illness costs per person at risk were smoking, 401; excess alcohol, 370; high blood pressure, 272; and lack of exercise, 70.8 million annually. These findings suggest that the cost of key behavioral risks provides an opportunity to manage health-care cost increases through health promotion, financial incentives for healthy lifestyle, and environmental changes that affect health behaviors.
The higher average age of employees, due to the advancement of the compulsory retirement age, and their sedentary lifestyle in automated environments, have become important issues in the workplace, as witnessed in increased incidence of adult disease and decreased physical fitness levels. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a long-term corporate fitness program in helping employees to stay well. The fitness program consisted of medical checkups, physical fitness tests, and a physical training program, given on an individual basis. The medical checkups and physical fitness tests were evaluated in 1499 male employees, with the following results. 1) The incidence of obesity showed no significant change. 2) There were no significant changes in total cholesterol levels nor in the incidence of hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. 3) Physical fitness was markedly improved. 4) There was a decrease in the percentage of smokers. These results suggest that a long-term corporate fitness program is effective for improving the health and fitness levels of employees and for preventing the progression of adult disease.
Employee absenteeism is an important economic variable that needs to be examined by occupational health nurses when evaluating worksite health promotion programs. Two of the three Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plan studies suggested that their programs acted to contain absenteeism among program participants. The worksite programs that met with success tended to be comprehensive and to have strong management support. Strengths of the three studies included the use of comparison groups and pretest measures of absenteeism in the analyses. Limitations included selection bias, subject dropout over time, limited monitoring of the program process, and the use of an analysis method that did not consider the statistical characteristics of the absenteeism variable.
This paper reports on a study of the absenteeism experience of two groups of Johnson & Johnson employees over a 3-year period. Employees at four company sites (n = 1406) where LIVE FOR LIFE, a comprehensive health promotion program, had been introduced, were compared with employees at five company sites (n = 487) without the health promotion program. Analyses of covariance were employed to control for differences between the two study groups with respect to age, gender, job classification (wage or salaried), as well as baseline levels of absenteeism. Adjusted mean levels of absenteeism among wage earners in the LIVE FOR LIFE groups were found to decline over the study period, and were significantly lower (P less than .01) than mean levels for the non-LIVE FOR LIFE wage employees in the final year of the study. No significant differences were found for salaried personnel.
Worksite health promotion, a rapidly growing form of preventive health service, may include health risk appraisal with communication of findings to the individuals tested. It may also assist in achieving and maintaining physical and mental fitness, controlling alcohol use, avoiding or quitting tobacco and other drugs, and otherwise maintaining health protective habits, while providing opportunities to control high blood pressure, and reduce elevated blood cholesterol, obesity, and other health hazards. This article presents a synopsis of the evolution of that movement and reviews the experience of one industrial firm that has endeavored to document and evaluate its effort. Such a review may be helpful in consolidating the various findings to date and in indicating the complexity of assessing the health and economic consequences of such an endeavor in private companies.
This study examined the relationship between participation in a facility-based fitness program and the number of reported absences from work due to illness. Employees who became members had a history of fewer absences before the program began in 1987 than employees who did not become members. Comparing 1988 with 1986, members experienced a significant decrease in absences, whereas nonmembers did not. Male and female members experienced 0.42 and 1.0 fewer days absent in 1988 than in 1986, respectively. Controlling for gender and previous absences, members could be expected to have 1.2 fewer absences in 1988 than nonmembers. On average, those who participated most frequently experienced the greatest improvement in attendance. A significant interaction between participation and 1986 absences indicated that a member's decrease in absences depended both on how many absences the member had to begin with, and how much he or she participated. Members having a high number of absences in 1986 could expect the greatest benefit from frequent participation.
To determine whether fitness alters psychological and physiological indices of well-being, male police officers were assigned to either an aerobic or anaerobic training condition or to a no treatment control group. The training groups met three times per week in 45 min sessions aimed at improving either cardiovascular endurance or muscle strength. Aerobic fitness level, heart rate, blood pressure and self-report of stress and well-being were measured prior to and following 10 weeks of training. Post-training fitness measures confirmed the effectiveness of training and between group differences for physiological and self-report measures were found. Subjects undergoing aerobic training evinced larger changes on the self-report measures of well-being and stress than the anaerobic trainers and both groups showed significant improvement when compared to controls. This experiment provides support for the hypothesis that exercise, and in particular aerobic exercise, has positive effects of well-being. It is suggested that future research might usefully explore the particular contribution of different aspects of the training situation to these effects.
We evaluated the impact of a comprehensive workplace health promotion program on absences among full-time employees in a large, multi-location, diversified industrial company. A pretest-posttest control group design was used to study 41 intervention sites and 19 control sites with 29,315 and 14,573 hourly employees, respectively. Blue-collar employees at intervention sites experienced an 14.0 percent decline in disability days over two years versus a 5.8 percent decline at control sites. This resulted in a net difference of 11,726 fewer disability days over two years at program sites compared with non-program sites. Savings due to lower disability costs at intervention sites offset program costs in the first year, and provided a return of $2.05 for every dollar invested in the program by the end of the second year. These results suggest that comprehensive workplace health promotion programs can reduce disability days among blue collar employees and provide a good return on investment.
A random sample of 517 employees was studied to determine differences in health care costs and absenteeism among exercisers and nonexercisers during the start-up of a corporate health and fitness program. Exercise was associated with decreased illness absence among female exercisers (47 v 69 hours, P less than .05) and there was a trend for illness absence to be inversely related to advancing age among exercisers, whereas illness absence increased among nonexercisers. Total health care costs among exercisers was lower (male 639) than among nonexercisers (male 1,535). Due to the large variation in the individual cost, the differences between exercisers and nonexercisers were not statistically significant. Ambulatory health care cost for nonexercisers (males 883) were significantly higher than the costs for exercisers (males 243). Because the differences were found upon program initiation, they were thought to be characteristics of exercisers and not due to exercise itself.
In 1970 the Los Angeles County Occupational Health Service began a program to monitor the health status and to increase the physical fitness of its 1,800 fire fighters. By 1973 physical examinations including resting ECG and blood laboratory studies had been completed for all fire fighters. In addition, the oldest 998 fire fighters were tested for physical work capacity (PWC), job-related strength performance, and spine flexibility. Exercise prescriptions and health enhancement counseling were given by exercise physiologists at the time of testing, and one hour per shift was assigned for the exercise. Data were not kept to determine compliance with the exercise program but physical activity was evaluated by interview and the same physiological measurements were made at each examination. By 1982 departmental averages for PWC had increased 16%, with the oldest age group (older than 50 years) showing the most marked improvement. The percentage of habitual smokers decreased from 44% to 25%. High levels of PWC, strength, and flexibility were found to be inversely related to workers' compensation costs. Fire fighters with below-average PWCs subsequently experienced 2.6 times more myocardial infarctions than their above-average counterparts. While it is difficult to determine the influence of any one factor on the collective wellbeing of the fire fighters, it is logical to assume that this program has had an important beneficial effect on the maintenance of a healthy work force.
Employee fitness programs may be evaluated by comparing program participants with nonparticipants on program outcome variables. This study was designed to identify how participants in an employee fitness program may selectively differ from nonparticipants. Joiners were more likely to have engaged in prior fitness activity, to consider fitness a high priority, and to have more positive attitudes about keeping fit. Traditional factors such as demographic or health status variables were not different between joiners and nonjoiners. Although the fitness center was not systematically selecting the more fit employee, participants were different from nonparticipants in terms of attitudinal and behavioral factors which reflect a health promotion orientation.
The long-term impact of an employee fitness program has been evaluated at the Canada Life Assurance Company. Seven years after initiation of the program, a 29-item questionnaire was distributed to all employees. A blood lipid profile was obtained on 100% enthusiasts identified by the program coordinator (34F, 30M). Fifty program enthusiasts (25F, 25M) also repeated the physiological tests undertaken at entry to the program seven years earlier. Questionnaire responses were obtained from a total of 511 employees; 392 of these had participated in the classes at some stage. However, 170 now classed themselves as 'drop-outs', and only 156 subjects saw their exercise class attendance as remaining the same or improving. Defection seemed to follow a semi-logarithmic curve, with a median time of 20 weeks participation. Waning enthusiasm was reflected in an absence of difference in HDL cholesterol between continuing class members and non-participants. Moreover, the enthusiastic participants had on average lost lean mass, muscle strength and aerobic power over the seven years, while increasing total body mass and skinfold thicknesses. Absenteeism and health-care usage was less in continuing program participants than in drop-outs, but this seemed to reflect medical reasons for defection from classes. One apparent continuing advantage was a lesser turnover among participants (16.9 versus 25.0%). A second encouraging feature of the survey was an increased involvement of program members in community exercise programs. We conclude that employee fitness programs develop exercise awareness, but may lack the intensity and the duration to have a major impact upon fitness scores.
Poor productivity, absenteeism and an adverse lifestyle are sometimes attributed to alienation of the labour force. We have tested this hypothesis in a population of 534 non-unionized white-collar workers at the head offices of two major life assurance companies in Toronto. Observations were made at both companies over an initial, pretrial year, and during and following the introduction of an employee-fitness programme at the experimental company. Relative to the control, the experimental subjects showed increases of aerobic power and flexibility, with a decrease of body fat over the course of the 6-month programme. Associated changes included (i) a 22% decrease of absenteeism and (ii) a 16.2% decrease of employee turnover among regular participants in the fitness classes, with (i) a reduction of hospital usage and (ii) a decreased usage of medical services by all employees of the experimental company. A crude company measure of productivity suggested small gains at both experimental and control companies (Δ2.7%). Lifestyle was substantially improved in programme participants (up to 2-year reduction of ''Health Hazard'' appraised age, reflecting among other variables a decreased usage of alcohol and cigarettes). Initially, worker satisfaction was high. Changes over the course of the study were few. Multiple regression analysis established the relationship: ΔAbsenteeism = -0.07ΔV̇O2(max)-0.06ΔJDI (work) + 0.02 (ΔV̇O2max·ΔJDI) (r2 = 0.17, p < 0.001). This implies that an employee fitness programme reduces absenteeism independently of any more general effect upon worker satisfaction, although the response to the activity programme is smaller in those subjects showing a substantial change of job satisfaction. Our results do not support the hypothesis of substantial alienation in this type of employment.
A quasi-experimental research design is used to evaluate Carolina Healthstyle, a health promotion project for South Carolina state employees. A 10% stratified random sample of employees was surveyed in the Spring of 1983 and again in 1984. Eighteen agencies were intervention agencies and the rest comparison that year. This article reports changes with simple before-after comparisons in the intervention agencies and matched pair analysis and randomized block designs to compare intervention and comparison agencies. Results are reported for smoking, exercise safety, nutrition, stress, and alcohol. Significant increases in exercise were found in both intervention and comparison agencies. The number of smokers decreased in intervention from 30%-26% with no change in comparison agencies. Safety practices changed at similar rates in both intervention and comparison groups. Consumption of chicken increased significantly only in the intervention agencies. Few other diet or stress changes were found. There were changes in alcohol consumption in intervention agencies only. The presence of the comparison group helps to separate the program effects from secular trends.
The life table method of analysis was used to study the differences in turnover during a 4-year period among employees who participated in a corporate health and fitness program and those who did not. The study population consisted of 1,360 workers hired between Jan 1, 1982, and Dec 31, 1985, of whom 747 were exercisers; and 1,788 persons hired between Jan 1, 1978, and Dec 31, 1981, of whom 869 were exercisers. Age, sex, general job category, and duration of employment were taken into account in the analysis. For both groups the probability of continued employment among exercisers was significantly greater than among nonexercisers. The differences were particularly profound among female clerical employees. The study did not attempt to assess the causal nature of this relationship. However, we speculate that health and fitness programs influence turnover in employment groups where the personal financial benefits are the greatest.
The impact of a comprehensive worksite health promotion program on employee absenteeism in a large metropolitan school district was evaluated. Participants in the program (n = 3,846) did not differ from nonparticipants (n = 8,290) in age or sex distributions. Program participants improved their physical fitness, body composition, coronary risk factors, and overall feeling of well-being. Absenteeism was determined for the study year and for the previous year from records in the district personnel office. Absenteeism differences were evaluated by analysis of covariance by using age, sex, ethnic group, and the previous year's absenteeism as covariates. Participants who completed the health promotion program had an average of 1.25 days less absenteeism (P less than 0.0001) during the study year than nonparticipants. Regression analyses indicated that improvement in physical fitness was associated with less absenteeism. The results suggest that a reduction in absenteeism due to the health promotion program was possibly associated with an improvement in physical fitness.
This study explores the relationship between exposure to a comprehensive worksite health promotion program and health care costs and utilization. The experience of two groups of Johnson & Johnson employees (N = 5192 and N = 3259) exposed to Live for Life, a comprehensive program of health screens, life-style improvement programs, and worksite changes to support healthier life-styles, was compared with that of a control group (N = 2955) over a five-year period. To account for baseline differences, analyses of covariance produced adjusted means for inpatient hospital costs, admissions, hospital days, outpatient costs, and other health costs. Mean annual inpatient cost increases were 42 for two Live for Life groups vs $76 for the non-Live for Life group. Live for Life groups also had lower rates of increase in hospital days and admissions. No significant differences were found for outpatient or other health care costs.
We need effective ways of getting adults to exercise if we are to meet the Surgeon General's 1990 health goals for the nation. This study reports a comprehensive effort to evaluate the sustained effect of a public health intervention model to achieve these health goals. Employees at four companies (N = 2,600) were exposed to a health promotion program, while employees at three comparison companies (N = 1,700) were offered an annual health screen. Daily energy expenditure in vigorous activity increased 104% among employees at companies offering the health promotion program, compared with a 33% increase among employees at comparison companies. Changes in exercise habits were corroborated by estimates of maximal oxygen uptake. Exercise and physical fitness improvements were distributed throughout the work force. Meaningful population changes in exercise and physical fitness can be produced at the work site and are of a magnitude that makes it possible to meet the 1990 goals for exercise and physical fitness.
A prospective longitudinal study of a group of participants in an industrial physical fitness program during a five-year period compares the disability and major medical costs incurred by the subjects before and after entry into the program. The members of the cohort were employees of an insurance company; most were well educated and held sedentary, white-collar jobs. Participation was voluntary and without financial incentives. The group experienced 45.7% reduction in major medical costs in the postentry year, rather than the expected inflationary increase. There was a reduction of 20.1% in the average number of disability days, and a 31.7% reduction in direct disability dollar costs in the one-year postentry period. The average combined savings per participant were 120.60. Results suggest that work-site wellness programs can make a substantial contribution to the reduction of health care and disability costs.
An investigation of the relationship between exercise adherence and job performance was conducted over a six-month period among a group of white-collar workers (3,231) eligible to participate in a corporate fitness program. The study population was divided into four job categories - management (561), professional (1,265), clerical (1,078), and other (327) - and five exercise adherence groups - nonmember (1,090), nonexerciser (926), exercised less than one time per week (738), exercised one to two times per week (238), and exercised more than two times per week (239). Current job performance ratings were determined for all individuals. A strong association (p less than .01) was observed between above average performance and increasing adherence levels. An inverse relationship was demonstrated between poor performance and increasing adherences levels (p less than .0001). In each adherence group no differences in performance were noted when prior performance was compared with current performance. On the basis of these findings there appears to be a positive although probably noncausal relationship between exercise adherence in a corporate fitness program and above average job performance.
The effects of an employee fitness program upon absenteeism and productivity were investigated in a controlled trial involving two large offices. During the six-month experimental program, the test company developed substantial gains of fitness. However self-reports and supervisor evaluations showed small and relatively similar gains of productivity, with reduction of absenteeism at both test and control companies. Further studies on a large scale are warranted. The presently observed changes probably reflect (1) sample attenuation, (2) seasonal trends, and (3) a "Hawthorne" effect. If the last factor is substantiated, employee fitness programs may be of economic interest, despite the nonspecific nature of the resultant gains in productivity.
Responses to an employee fitness programme have been examined in a total of 1125 volunteers (both male and female), recruited from a test and a closely matched control company. Evaluations covered 3 months prior to and 6 months after introduction of the programme, with 534 subjects participating consistently in the research.About 20% of the test company employees participated in the exercise classes. Gains of maximum oxygen intake and flexibility, with a loss of body fat were seen in the group of subjects as a whole, changes being largest in adherents to the exercise programme. The general attitudes of the employees towards their employment improved, but the job-description index of Smith, Kendal and Hulin did not register parallel gains. Employee turnover in a 10-month period was substantially lower in programme adherents (15%) than in the remainder of company employees (15%). Productivity showed small (3-4%) gains in both test and control companies. Absenteeism of high adherents was reduced by 22% relative to other employees.Given 20% participation in an exercise class, there is a potential for a 1% reduction of company pay-roll costs resulting from reduced turnover and absenteeism. However, it is not clear whether this is a specific consequence of the fitness programme or a more general reaction to improved working conditions.
The purpose of this investigation was to identify the longitudinal physiological and cardiological changes that occurred in a sample of male NASA executives who participated in an individualized physical conditioning program for 10 years. Only 19% discontinued program participation. Oxygen uptake increased significatnly during the 10 years and the increase was attributed to those who exercised three or more days per week. Serum cholesterol exhibited an upward trend similar to the trend reported in the Framingham population, but systolic blood pressure decreased with age. About 30% of the executives exhibited cardiac arrhythmias during exercise. The incidence of PVCs and PACs increased with age. During the period studied, five executives developed sudden acute myocardial symptomatology which was not detected by the exercise stress test.
To determine if inadequate approaches to randomized controlled trial design and execution are associated with evidence of bias in estimating treatment effects.
An observational study in which we assessed the methodological quality of 250 controlled trials from 33 meta-analyses and then analyzed, using multiple logistic regression models, the associations between those assessments and estimated treatment effects.
Meta-analyses from the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database.
The associations between estimates of treatment effects and inadequate allocation concealment, exclusions after randomization, and lack of double-blinding.
Compared with trials in which authors reported adequately concealed treatment allocation, trials in which concealment was either inadequate or unclear (did not report or incompletely reported a concealment approach) yielded larger estimates of treatment effects (P < .001). Odds ratios were exaggerated by 41% for inadequately concealed trials and by 30% for unclearly concealed trials (adjusted for other aspects of quality). Trials in which participants had been excluded after randomization did not yield larger estimates of effects, but that lack of association may be due to incomplete reporting. Trials that were not double-blind also yielded larger estimates of effects (P = .01), with odds ratios being exaggerated by 17%.
This study provides empirical evidence that inadequate methodological approaches in controlled trials, particularly those representing poor allocation concealment, are associated with bias. Readers of trial reports should be wary of these pitfalls, and investigators must improve their design, execution, and reporting of trials.
To estimate the rate of full publication of the results of randomized clinical trials initially presented as abstracts at national ophthalmology meetings in 1988 and 1989; and to combine data from this study with data from similar studies to determine the rate at which abstracts are subsequently published in full and the association between selected study characteristics and full publication.
Ophthalmology abstracts were identified by review of 1988 and 1989 meeting abstracts for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Similar studies were identified either from reports contained in our files or through a MEDLINE search, which combined the textword "abstract" with "or" statements to the Medical Subject Headings ABSTRACTING & INDEXING, CLINICAL TRIALS, PEER REVIEW, PERIODICALS, MEDICAL SOCIETIES, PUBLISHING, MEDLINE, INFORMATION SERVICES, and REGISTRIES.
Ophthalmology abstracts were selected from the meeting proceedings if they reported results from a randomized controlled trial. For the summary study, similar studies were eligible for inclusion if they described followup and subsequent full publication for a cohort of abstracts describing the results of any type of research study. All studies had to have followed up abstracts for at least 24 months to be included.
Authors of ophthalmology abstracts were contacted by letter to ascertain whether there was subsequent full publication. Other information, including characteristics of the study design possibly related to publication, was taken from the abstract. For the summary study, rates of full publication were taken directly from reported results, as were associations between study factors (ie, "significant" results and sample size) and full publication.
Sixty-six percent (61/93) of ophthalmology abstracts were published in full. Combined results from 11 studies showed that 51% (1198/2391) of all abstracts were subsequently published in full. Full publication was weakly associated with "significant" results and sample size above the median.
Approximately one half of all studies initially presented in abstract form are subsequently published as full-length reports. Most are published in full within 2 years of appearance as abstracts. Full publication may be associated with "significant" results and sample size.
To further the development of criteria for clinically important changes in outcomes seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and trials.
Small group discussions and voting on specially designed profiles based on a 6 factor 2 level factorial design for changes seen in patients and trials. The purpose was to bring out the implicit opinions of participants on these issues, to complement the explicit opinions expressed in the OMERACT questionnaire. This took place at a conference of rheumatologists, methodologists, biostatisticians, regulatory, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry personnel with an interest in therapies for patients with RA. Data from patients with RA and randomized clinical trials of second line drugs in patients with RA formed the basis to create 64 patient profiles and 64 trial profiles. The profiles contained information on changes in 6 measures: swollen joint count, tender joint count, pain, patient global assessment, physician global assessment and physical disability. The profiles were prepared on 4" x 5" cards and presented to the participants in packages of 64 in random order, in 2 different group sessions. Participants were assigned to 8 groups that contained a mix of all types of participants, with a majority of clinicians in each group. In the patient profile session, individual participants scored whether the profile represented important improvement. In the trial profile session, participants did likewise for important difference between the drugs. After structured discussion the group then voted: consensus was defined as agreement by at least 70% of the group. We decided that an important improvement or difference was present in the profiles on which at least 6 of the 8 groups had achieved consensus. The changes in the profiles showing important improvement or difference can be used to suggest minimum criteria for each of the 6 measures.
The lower quartile of the change present in the patient profiles with important improvement varied from 17% (swollen joints) to 49% (disability); the median of these quartiles was 36%. The lower quartile of the differences present in the trial profiles with important differences varied from 13% (tender joints) to 26% (physician global); the median of these quartiles was 18%.
This approach has provided a beginning for less arbitrary definition of criteria for important change in patients and trials. It might be suggested that for patients, an improvement of at least 36% should be clinically important, while an active drug needs to be at least 18% better than placebo to be clinically important.