Hulls, P M (2022) The epidemiology of health and wellbeing in the workplace: managing and measuring occupational stress and behavioural factors in a male-dominated industry. PhD thesis, University of Bristol, UK.
Abstract
This mixed-methods thesis explores the epidemiology of health and wellbeing in maledominated workplaces, with a specific focus on the UK construction industry. A systematic review identified 35 workplace interventions aiming to improve health and wellbeing in male-dominated industries. Albatross plots indicated evidence of positive associations for musculoskeletal disorders, but there was little meta-analytic summary evidence of intervention effect on body mass index (p=0.18) and blood pressure (diastolic p=0.63; systolic p=0.86). Qualitative interviews (n=32) with construction professionals explored experiences of occupational stress and its impact on health and wellbeing. Occupational stress was viewed as an inherent feature of the workplace, and participants felt competing priorities prevented health and wellbeing being adequately addressed. Participants were receptive to a workplace health intervention but suggested that management support and 'buy in' was necessary to give employees permission to prioritise their health and wellbeing. Occupational stress can impact on health behaviours, such as cigarette smoking. The stopWatch was developed as a smartwatch dosimeter to measure cigarette smoking, and may have a role in interventions. A field trial of stopWatch in a small population (n=6) of construction professionals found stopWatch only detected 31% of cigarettes smoked in the workplace, while other practical issues were identified. Shift work in the construction industry is associated with higher injury risk and poorer sleep. Secondary analysis of Understanding Society and Generation Scotland datasets found evidence that night shift work was associated with higher DNA methylation for body mass index (0.79 [95%CI 0.02, 1.56]) and lower DNA methylation scores for educational attainment (-0.18 [-0.30, -0.07]). Night shift workers had greater age acceleration, based on two measures of epigenetic age (0.80 [0.42, 1.18]; p < 0.001; 0.46 [0.00, 0.92]; p=0.05). This thesis provides novel information exploring how stress in construction management can impact on health and provides recommendations for workplace interventions and their evaluation via non-invasive approaches.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | De Vocht, F; Langford, B and Martin, R |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | population; wellbeing; injury; occupational stress; UK; employee; professional; interview |
| Index terms: | interview, evidence, field trial, acceleration, Scotland, occupational stres, construction industry, society, systematic literature review, injury, blood pressure, health and wellbeing, secondary analysis, dataset, health behaviour, construction professional, well-being, population |
| Subjects: | mental health and wellbeing, industry analysis, data science, communities and social development, research evaluation and metrics, occupational health and safety management, health behaviours and lifestyles, health monitoring assessment and metrics, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, health conditions and diseases, project controls, data management, demography, Geography, professional development |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Stakeholder Management, Time Control, Digital Applications, Information Management, Urban Studies |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here