Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study

Background: Research findings are equivocal on relations between the psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). This might be partly due to studies having focused on a restricted set of psychosocial dimensions, thereby failing to capture all relevant domains. Aims: Fi...

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Main Authors: Houdmont, Jonathan, Clemes, S., Munir, F., Wilson, K., Kerr, Robert, Addley, Ken
Format: Article
Published: Oxford University Press 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29206/
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author Houdmont, Jonathan
Clemes, S.
Munir, F.
Wilson, K.
Kerr, Robert
Addley, Ken
author_facet Houdmont, Jonathan
Clemes, S.
Munir, F.
Wilson, K.
Kerr, Robert
Addley, Ken
author_sort Houdmont, Jonathan
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Research findings are equivocal on relations between the psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). This might be partly due to studies having focused on a restricted set of psychosocial dimensions, thereby failing to capture all relevant domains. Aims: First, to examine cross-sectional associations between seven psychosocial work environment domains and LTPA in a large sample of UK civil servants. Second, to profile LTPA and consider this in relation to UK government recommendations on physical activity. Method: in 2012, Northern Ireland Civil Service employees completed a questionnaire including measures of psychosocial working conditions (Management Standards Indicator Tool) and LTPA. We applied bivariate correlations and linear regression analyses to examine relations between psychosocial working conditions and LTPA. Results: Of ~26,000 civil servants contacted, 5,235 (20%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty-four per cent of men and 17% of women reported having undertaken ≥30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days in the past week. Job control (-0.08) and peer support (-0.05) were weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in men. Job role (-0.05) was weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in women. These psychosocial work characteristics accounted for 1% or less of the variance in LTPA. Conclusions: Longitudinal research to examine cause-effect relations between psychosocial work characteristics and leisure-time physical activity might inform the potential for psychosocial job redesign to increase employees’ physical activity during leisure time.
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spelling nottingham-292062020-05-04T17:01:41Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29206/ Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study Houdmont, Jonathan Clemes, S. Munir, F. Wilson, K. Kerr, Robert Addley, Ken Background: Research findings are equivocal on relations between the psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). This might be partly due to studies having focused on a restricted set of psychosocial dimensions, thereby failing to capture all relevant domains. Aims: First, to examine cross-sectional associations between seven psychosocial work environment domains and LTPA in a large sample of UK civil servants. Second, to profile LTPA and consider this in relation to UK government recommendations on physical activity. Method: in 2012, Northern Ireland Civil Service employees completed a questionnaire including measures of psychosocial working conditions (Management Standards Indicator Tool) and LTPA. We applied bivariate correlations and linear regression analyses to examine relations between psychosocial working conditions and LTPA. Results: Of ~26,000 civil servants contacted, 5,235 (20%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty-four per cent of men and 17% of women reported having undertaken ≥30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days in the past week. Job control (-0.08) and peer support (-0.05) were weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in men. Job role (-0.05) was weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in women. These psychosocial work characteristics accounted for 1% or less of the variance in LTPA. Conclusions: Longitudinal research to examine cause-effect relations between psychosocial work characteristics and leisure-time physical activity might inform the potential for psychosocial job redesign to increase employees’ physical activity during leisure time. Oxford University Press 2015-03-01 Article PeerReviewed Houdmont, Jonathan, Clemes, S., Munir, F., Wilson, K., Kerr, Robert and Addley, Ken (2015) Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study. Occupational Medicine, 65 (3). pp. 215-219. ISSN 0962-7480 Civil servants; Leisure-time physical activity; Management Standards Indicator Tool; Psychosocial work environment; Work-related stress http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/65/3/215.abstract?sid=c940c609-1d26-4cbf-b02f-5e6035f266c3 doi:10.1093/occmed/kqu208 doi:10.1093/occmed/kqu208
spellingShingle Civil servants; Leisure-time physical activity; Management Standards Indicator Tool; Psychosocial work environment; Work-related stress
Houdmont, Jonathan
Clemes, S.
Munir, F.
Wilson, K.
Kerr, Robert
Addley, Ken
Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title_full Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title_fullStr Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title_full_unstemmed Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title_short Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study
title_sort psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the stormont study
topic Civil servants; Leisure-time physical activity; Management Standards Indicator Tool; Psychosocial work environment; Work-related stress
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29206/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29206/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29206/