Work Ability, Work-Related Health, and Effort–Reward Imbalance: A Cross-Sectional Study among University Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand

Chamnong Thanapop, Sasina Jit-akson, Dusanee Suwankhong, Irniza Rasdi, Warangkana Chankong and Sasithorn Thanapop ()
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Chamnong Thanapop: Master of Public Health Programme, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon-Si-Thammarat 80160, Thailand
Sasina Jit-akson: Master of Public Health Programme, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon-Si-Thammarat 80160, Thailand
Dusanee Suwankhong: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Thaksin University, Phattalung 93210, Thailand
Irniza Rasdi: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Warangkana Chankong: Department of Health Sciences, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand
Sasithorn Thanapop: Master of Public Health Programme, School of Public Health, Walailak University, Nakhon-Si-Thammarat 80160, Thailand

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, university policies and public health measures resulted in university staff facing hazardous work environments and psychological health problems. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, work-related health, effort and reward imbalance (ERI), and work ability among university staff in southern Thailand. Data were collected using stratified random sampling of 381 participants between April and September 2022. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between the variables. The majority of the participants were female (63.5%) and aged below 45 years old (52%). Nearly 70% of the participants reported the absence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while half of them were overweight, and 54.9% had an effort–reward ratio (ERR) greater than one. Most participants reported good-to-excellent work ability (82.4%). The probability of having poor-to-moderate work ability was higher among staff working from home (adj. OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.6), those with NCDs (adj. OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 2.0, 6.4), those who followed poor health behaviors (adj. OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.4, 4.9), and those who had an ERR greater than one (adj. OR = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.5, 5.6). In conclusion, the majority of university staff in southern Thailand had good-to-excellent work ability. Work ability was associated with the presence of NCDs, poor health behavior, working from home, and ERI. Therefore, universities should create suitable occupational health programs and resources to mitigate the negative effects of work conditions, including ERI, and promote healthy behaviors for their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and future disasters.

Keywords: work ability; work-related health; effort–reward imbalance; university staff; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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