Predictors of Changing Level of Work Ability Index Among Employees of Public and Industrial Sector

Hasad Imamovic; Pranjić Nurka

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2020.4914

Authors

Hasad Imamovic Primary Health Care Home Kalesija, Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pranjić Nurka Department of Occupational Medicine, Tuzla University School of Medicine, Bosnia and Herzegovina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2020.4914

Keywords:

Work ability index, Public sector employees, Industry sector workers, Predictors

Abstract

AIM: The aim of the study is to evaluate work ability index with individual and work condition factors; and comparatively evaluate the predictors of WAI levels in the field of individual and workplace factors all within the public administration sector and industrial sector employees.

METHODS: The longitudinal survey included 500 respondents (the total sample = 300, response rate was 60%, and mean age 40.78) in two cohorts: 171 (57%) employees of the public administrative and health sectors (cohort 1) and 129 (43%) workers of the manufacturing sector (cohort 2). The men comprised 152 (51%) of the study population. The work ability index (WAI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the work ability and its predictors.

RESULTS: Decreased level of WAI predicted among all respondents: Larger number of diseases (p < 0.001) and more days of sick leave (p < 0.001). Unexpected protectors for increased level of WAI among public service employees were: Higher mental demands of work (β = 0.220, 95%CI, 0.723–1.301, p < 0.001), as among industry sector workers higher physical demands of work (β = 0.198, 95%CI, 0.824–1.234, p < 0.001), and higher mental demands of work (β = 0.137, 95% CI, 1.888–2.050, p < 0.001), too.

CONCLUSION: The determinants of WAI are mental capacity and physical endurance, and a high level of education. The number of chronic illnesses, long sick leave, lower levels of education or reduced levels of continuing lifelong education and worse self-prognosis of work over the next 2 years all significantly affect the decrease or loss of working capacity.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Plum Analytics Artifact Widget Block

References

Ilmarinen J. Work ability-a comprehensive concept for occupational health research and prevention. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35(1):1-5. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1304 PMid:19277432

Malamardi SN, Kamath R, Tiwari R, Nair BV, Chandrasekaran V, Phadnis S. Occupational stress and health-related quality of life among public sector bank employees: A cross-sectional study in Mysore, Karnataka, India. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2015;19(3):134-7. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.173998 PMid:26957810

Juszczyk G, Czerw AI, Religioni U, Olejnczak D, WalusiakSkorupa J, Banas T, et al. Work ability index (WAI) values in a sample of the working population in Poland. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019;26:78-84. https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/91471 PMid:30922034

Hanaysha J. Improving employee productivity through work engagement: Evidence from higher education sector. Manag Sci Lett. 2016;6(1):61-70. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2015.11.006

van den Berg TI, Elders LA, de Zwart BH, Burdorf A. The effects of work-related and individual factors on the work ability index: A systematic review. Occup Environ Med. 2009;66:211-20. https:// doi.org/10.1136/oem.2008.039883 PMid:19017690

Lindquist TL, Beilin LJ, Knuiman MW. Influence of lifestyle, coping, and job stress on blood pressure in men and women. Hypertension. 1997;29(1):1-7. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.hyp.29.1.1 PMid:9039072

Ahlstrom L, Grimby-Ekman A, Hagberg M, Dellve L. The work ability index and single-item question: Associations with sick leave, symptoms, and health-a prospective study of women on long-term sick leave. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010;36(5):404-12. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.2917 PMid:20372766

Ilmarinen J. The work ability index (WAI). Occup Med. 2007;57:160.

Ilmarinen J, Tuomi K, Seitsamo J. New dimensions of work ability. Int Congr Ser. 2005;1280:3-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ics.2005.02.060

Kujala V, Tammelin T, Remes J, Vammavaara E, Ek E, Laitinen J. Work ability index of young employees and their sickness absence during the following year. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2006;32(1):75-84. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.979 PMid:16539175

Eskelinen L, Kohvakka A, Merisalo T, Hurri H, Wägar G. Relationship between the self-assessment and clinical assessment of health status and work ability. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991;17(1):40-7. PMid:1838820

Reeuwijk KG, Robroek SJ, Niessen MA, Kraaijenhagen RA, Vergouwe Y, Burdorf A. The prognostic value of the work ability index for sickness absence among office workers. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0126969. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone. 0126969 PMid:26017387

Alavinia SM, van den Berg TI, van Duivenbooden C, Elders LA, Burdorf A. Impact of work-related factors, lifestyle, and work ability on sickness absence among Dutch construction workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35(5):325-33. https://doi. org/10.5271/sjweh.1340 PMid:19554244

Pranjic N, Maleš-Bilić LJ, Beganlić A, Mustajbegović J. Mobbing, stress, and work ability index among physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Survey study. Croat Med J. 2006;47(5):750-8. PMid:17042067

Pranjić N, Maleš-Bilić LJ. Work ability index, absenteeism and depression among patients with burnout syndrome. Mater Sociomed. 2014;26(4):249-52. https://doi.org/10.5455/ msm.2014.249-252 PMid:25395887

Tuomi K, Ilmarinen J, Jahkola A, Katajarinne L, Tulkki A. Work Ability Index. 2nd ed. Helsinki: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; 1998.

Tuomi K, Ilmarinen J, Eskelinen L, Järvinen E, Toikkanen J, Klockars M. Prevalence and incidence rates of diseases and work ability in different work categories of municipal occupations. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991;17(1):67-74. https://doi. org/10.1037/t58607-000 PMid:1792531

Mohammadi S, Ghaffari M, Abdi A, Bahadori B, Mirzamohammadi E Attarchi M. Interaction of lifestyle and work ability index in blue collar workers. Glob J Health Sci. 2015;7(3):90-7. https://doi. org/10.5539/gjhs.v7n3p90 PMid:25948429

Godinho MR, Greco RM, Teixeira MT, Teixeira LR, Guerra MR, Chaoubah A. Work ability and associated factors of Brazilian technical-administrative workers in education. BMC Res Notes. 2016;9:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-015-1837-x PMid:26725043

Costal G, Sartori S, Bertoldo B, Olivato D, Ciuffa V, Antonacci G. The work ability index in hospital workers. G Ital Med Lav Ergon. 2005;27(3):355-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ics.2005.02.079 PMid:16240594

Nilsson S, Ekberg K. Employability and work ability: Returning to the labour market after long-term absence. Work. 2013;44(4):449-57. https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-2012-1402 PMid:22927605

Kiss P, Walgraeve M, Vanhoorne M. Assessment of work ability in aging fire fighters by means of the work ability index preliminary results. Arch Public Health. 2002;60(3-4):233-43.

Pranjic N, Gonzales JM, Cvejanov-Kezunović L. Perceived work ability index of public service employees in relation to ageing and gender: A comparison in three European countries. Zdr Varst. 2019;58(4):179-88. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0023 PMid:31636726

Van den Berg, Tilja IJ, EldersLA, Burdorf A. The effects of work-related and individual factors on work ability: A systematic review. In: Promotion of Work Ability towards Productive Aging. United States: CRC Press; 2008. p. 25-8. https://doi. org/10.1201/9780203882511.ch3

Ya-Yuan H, Chyi-Huey B, Chien-Ming Y, Ya-Chuan H, Lin TT, Chih-Hung L. Long hours’ effects on work-life balance and satisfaction. Biomed Res Int. 2019;2019:5046934. PMid:31341900

Keivan S, Tahere E, Majid M. Study the relation between work ability index and life style in mechanics of thermal power plant. J Occup Hyg Eng. 2016;3(3):47-55.

Ali K, Javad M, Vahid G, Narges K, Hamidreza M, MohammadHE. Using work ability index and work-related stress to evaluate the physical and mental fitness of Iranian telecom tower climbers. J Inj Violence Res. 2018;10(2):105-12. https://doi.org/10.5249/ jivr.v10i2.996 PMid:29991668

Mazloumi A, Rostambadi A, Saraj JN, Jabraeil RA. Work ability index (WAI) and its association with psychosocial factors in one of the petrochemical industries in Iran. J Occup Health. 2012;54(2):112-8. https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.11-0150-oa PMid:22333439

Boschman JS, van der Molen HF, Frings-Dresen MH. Sluiter JK. The impact of common mental disorders on work ability in mentally and physically demanding construction work. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2014;87(1):51-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s00420-012-0837-6 PMid:23254510

Vangelova K, Dimitrova I, Tzenova B. Work ability of aging teachers in Bulgaria. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2018;31(5):593- 602. https://doi.org/10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01132 PMid:29910469

Bethge M, Spanier K, Neugebauer T, Mohnberg I, Radoschewski FM. Self-reported poor work ability: An indicator of need for rehabilitation? A cross-sectional study of a sample of German employees. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2015;94(11):958- 66. https://doi.org/10.1097/phm.0000000000000281 PMid:25888659

Saremi M, Madvari RF, Laal F, Noorizadeh N, Rahimi E. Assessment of mental workload, workability and musculoskeletal disorders of firefighters. J Community Health Res. 2019;8(3):139-47. https://doi.org/10.18502/jchr.v8i3.1562

Attarchi M, Ghaffari M, Abdi A, Mirzamohammadi E, Seyedmehdi SM, Rahimpour F, et al. Assessment of the relationship between physical working conditions and different levels of work ability. Glob J Health Sci. 2014;6(4):213-20. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v6n4p213 PMid:24999133

Vuorio T, Suominen S, Kautiainen H, Korhonen P. Determinants of sickness absence rate among Finnish municipal employees. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2019;37(1):3-9. https://doi.org/10.10 80/02813432.2019.1568710

Hosseininejad M, Ghafaari M, Labbafinejad Y, Mirzamohammadi E, moslemi S, Mohtasham S, et al. Influence of short term and long-term sickness absence on work ability index. Iran Occup Health. 2019;16:1-12.

Kujala V, Remes J, Ek E, Tammelin T, Laitinen J. Classification of work ability index among young employees. Occup Med (Lond). 2005;55(5):399-401. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqi075 PMid:16040772

Barmby TA, Ercolani MG, Treble JG. Sickness absence: An international comparison. Econ J. 2002;112:F315-31. https:// doi.org/10.1111/1468-0297.00046