The Role of Job Control and Job Demands in Becoming Physically Active during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

Valerie Hervieux, Hans Ivers, Claude Fernet and Caroline Biron
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Valerie Hervieux: Department of Management, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Hans Ivers: School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Claude Fernet: Department of Human Resources Management, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Caroline Biron: Department of Management, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: Organizational studies suggest that certain psychosocial working conditions are liable to foster positive health outcomes, such as engaging in leisure-time physical activities. However, the psychosocial factors contributing to this improvement remain unexplored, particularly in the workplace and in the context of the decline observed in the physical activity level of the population worldwide. The objective of the study was to examine whether exposure to different combinations of psychosocial working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic predicts the probability of becoming physically active among Quebec workers. Job demands, job control, and physical activity were assessed three times during the first year of the pandemic via an online questionnaire among physically inactive workers ( n = 440). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between various combinations of psychosocial risks and physical activity. A total of 117 participants became physically active during the study. After controlling for covariates, active jobs increased the odds of becoming physically active, compared to high-strain jobs (OR = 2.57 (95% CI 1.13 to 5.87)). Having a highly demanding job may not negatively impact physical activity if workers have enough job control to achieve the required tasks.

Keywords: physical activity; job control; job demands; psychosocial working conditions; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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