Association between physical activity and sickness absenteeism in university workers

Educational patterns of health behaviors and body mass index: A longitudinal multiple correspondence analysis of a middle-aged general population, 2007-2016

Social differences in body mass index and health behaviors are a major public health challenge. The uneven distribution of unhealthy body mass index and of unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and harmful alcohol consumption has been shown to mediate social inequalities in chronic diseases. While differential exposures to these health variables have been investigated, the extent to which they vary over the lifetime in the same population and their relationship with level of education is not well understood. This study examines patterns of body mass index and multiple health behaviors (smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption), and investigates their association with education level among adults living in Northern Norway. It presents findings from a longitudinal multiple correspondence analysis of the Tromsø Study. Longitudinal data from 8,906 adults aged 32-87 in 2007-2008, with repeated measurements in 2015-2016 were retrieved from the survey's sixth and seventh waves. The findings suggest that most in the study population remained in the same categories of body mass index and the three health behaviors at the follow-up, with a clear educational gradient in healthy patterns. That is, both healthy changes and maintained healthy categories were associated with the highest education levels. Estimating differential exposures to mediators of health inequalities could benefit policy priority setting for tackling inequalities in health.

An occupational health survey on health utility and occupational diseases in Chinese university staff to inform cost-utility analysis

Background

The occupational health of university staff bears great social and economic value for which health utility is an indivisible aspect. Utility is also the primary data for the cost-utility analysis of occupational health programs. Health utility and occupational diseases have not been reported for the university staff in China. In the light of "Healthy China," we conducted this study aiming to (1) estimate the health utility of university staff to inform cost-utility analysis and (2) screen and identify potential occupational diseases for this occupation and examine their impacts on health.

Methods

An occupational health survey was conducted in a sample of working-age university staff. Participants were interviewed face-to-face using the WHO Health and Work Performance Questionnaire and the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument to measure health conditions and health utility, respectively. The univariate analysis included the t-test, chi-square test, and correlation techniques. Multivariate generalized linear models were applied to evaluate the significance of each health condition when controlling for other factors.

Results

The sample (n = 154) had a mean age of 40.65 years and consisted of slightly more women (51.30%). Participants attained a mean (standard deviation) health utility of 0.945 (0.073). The most affected domain was anxiety/depression with 62 (40.26%) participants reporting problems, followed by pain/discomfort which captured 60 (37.66%) staff with problems. Thus, pain and psychologically related conditions were prevalent. Multivariate models identified two conditions that can significantly reduce the health utility. The psychological/emotional conditions were associated with a utility loss of -0.067 (95%CI: -0.089, -0.045). The pain in body parts other than the head, neck, and back reduced the utility by -0.034 (95%CI: -0.055, -0.014).

Conclusion

Working-age staff in Chinese universities may have a lower health utility than the general population. Psychological conditions and musculoskeletal pain appear like occupational diseases. With the health utility data available, economic evaluation of cost-utility should follow up to facilitate the implementation of cost-effective programs.

Does Regular Physical Activity Improve Personal Income? Empirical Evidence from China

A lack of adequate exercise threatens human health, weakening human capital accumulation. The relationship between exercise and income has become the focus of attention in health economics. In terms of reducing body weight and improving physical fitness, diet and physical exercise are intertwined and become effective ways to shape a healthy state. Based on individual-level survey data from China, this study quantified the economic returns of habitual exercise behavior by using an endogenous switching regression model (ESRM) to eliminate selection bias. The study shows that (1) participants in the group with regular exercise behavior increased their income by 3.79% compared with those not exercising regularly; (2) for the group with no regular exercise behavior, regular exercise increased their income by 13.36% compared with those not exercising regularly. Additionally, empirical evidence shows that both drinking and smoking can significantly increase individual income, despite unhealthy habits. These results suggest that the habit of regular physical activity plays a vital role in increasing individual income and improving overall national health, and the effect of individual behavior on income is affected by national culture. The outcomes are empirical evidence for the Chinese government to promote Healthy China Action and support developing countries worldwide to enable habitual exercise, stimulating a policy of exercise behavior.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Relationship Between Exercise, Physical Activity, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Japanese Workers

Background

Studies have determined that exercise and physical activity positively affect physical and mental health, and that healthy workers contribute to increased work performance. The relationship between the time spent on exercise during leisure time and physical activity, including work, with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in workers is unclear, with variations observed between occupational types. This cross-sectional study examined these associations among Japanese workers from various occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

An Internet-based national health survey—Collaborative Online Research on Novel-coronavirus and Work-study (CORoNaWork study)—was conducted among 33,087 Japanese workers in December 2020. After excluding invalid responses, 27,036 participants were categorized into four and five groups according to exercise and physical activity time, respectively. Each group's scores were compared on each of the four questions on the Japanese version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health-Related Quality of Life (CDC HRQOL-4) using generalized linear models. Age-sex adjusted and multivariate models were used to compare each index of the CDC HRQOL-4.

Results

Compared to the reference category (almost never), any level of exercise (ORs 0.56–0.77) and physical activity (ORs 0.93–0.88) were associated with better self-rated health in the multivariate model. Any exercise was also associated with significantly reduced odds for physically or mentally unhealthy days; however, high levels of physical activity (≥120 min/day) were associated with significantly increased odds for these outcomes (ORs = 1.11 and 1.16, respectively).

Conclusions

The results suggest that exercise habits are more critical to workers' HRQOL than physical activity. Interventions that encourage daily exercise even for a short time are likely to be associated with better workers' health and work performance.

Relationships between Physical Activity, Work Ability, Absenteeism and Presenteeism in Australian and New Zealand Adults during COVID-19

Public health movement and social restrictions imposed by the Australian and New Zealand governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the working environment and may have affected health behaviours, work ability, and job performance. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between health behaviours and work ability and performance during COVID-19 restrictions and if health behaviours were related to demographic or population factors. A cross-sectional survey was used to gather responses from 433 adult employees in Australia and New Zealand between June and August 2020. The survey requested demographic information and used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Work Ability Index, and the World Health Organisation's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. Multivariate regression models were used to explore relationships between the identified variables while controlling for several possible confounders. Being sufficiently physically active was associated with higher reported physical (aOR = 2.1; p = 0.001) and mental work abilities (aOR = 1.8; p = 0.007) and self-reported job performance (i.e., lower presenteeism) (median +7.42%; p = 0.03). Part-time employees were 56% less likely (p = 0.002) to report a good or very good mental work ability. Those with existing medical conditions were 14% less likely (p = 0.008) to be sufficiently active and 80% less likely (p = 0.002) to report rather good or very good physical work ability. Being sufficiently active was associated with higher physical and mental work abilities and better job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers should support opportunities for regular physical activity and provide specific support to individuals with medical conditions or in part-time employment.

Domain-Specific Active and Sedentary Behaviors in Relation to Workers' Presenteeism and Absenteeism

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations between domain-specific sedentary and active behaviors and workers' presenteeism and absenteeism in a sample of company employees.

METHODS

This study recruited participants (n = 2466) from a nationwide online survey database (Japan, 2019). Participants completed a questionnaire that captured data on relative and absolute presenteeism and absenteeism and domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviors.

RESULTS

Daily minutes of work-related physical activity were negatively associated with relative absenteeism. Daily minutes of leisure-related physical activity were positively associated with absolute presenteeism (ie, better productivity). Daily minutes of total physical activity were negatively and positively associated with relative absenteeism and absolute presenteeism (ie, better productivity). There was also a positive association between car sitting time and absolute absenteeism.

CONCLUSIONS

A change in work culture and practices that support active behaviors at work and outside of work may improve employee's productivity indices.

Influence of age on functional capacity and work ability in Chilean workers: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To determine if there are differences in functional capacity and work ability between older and younger active workers in public institutions, and to relate functional capacity to work ability.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study evaluated 360 subjects from two public institutions, a university and a high-complexity regional hospital. The participants were divided into 3 age ranges 40-49, 50-59 and ≥ 60 years. The following evaluations were applied: a multidimensional assessment questionnaire, work ability and functional capacity using physical tests (strength, flexibility and balance).

RESULTS

There are no significant differences in work ability among the different age groups (P > 0.05). Significant differences were found according to age group in 30-s chair-stand test (30-s CST), 1 repetition maximum (1RM) extending the knee 90° (1RM-leg extension) and 1RM of handgrip strength (1RM-handgrip), upper body flexibility, lower body flexibility, static balance or dynamic balance (P < 0.05). Only the variables 30-s CST (rs = 0.13, P = 0.018), lower body flexibility (rs = 0.13, P = 0.012) and static balance (rs = 0.13, P = 0.012) were related to work ability.

CONCLUSIONS

There are differences in functional capacity as the workers' ages increase. By contrast, work ability does not present any differences when comparing older and younger adults. Some physical tests of the lower extremities presented a small correlation with work ability.