Perceived work ability index of public service employees in relation to ageing and gender: A comparison in three European countries
, and | Oct 01, 2019
About this article
Article Category: Original scientific article
Published Online: Oct 01, 2019
Page range: 179 - 188
Received: Mar 10, 2019
Accepted: Aug 22, 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0023
Keywords
© 2019 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Work ability determinates compared by ageing (n=1653).
| Work ability determinates | Age groups (years) |
P-value* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤54 1287 | ≥55 366 | |||
| Work ability score groups | poor, 195 (12) | 178 (13.8) | 17 (4.6) | 32.552 |
| moderate, 399 (24) | 321 (24.9) | 78 (21.3) | 0.001 | |
| good, 613 (37) | 444 (34.6) | 169 (46.2) | ||
| excellent, 446 (27) | 344 (26.7) | 102 (27.9) | ||
| Current work ability | from minimal 1 | 8 (0.6) | 4 (1.1) | 27.575 |
| compared with lifetime best | 2 | 1 (0.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0.002 |
| 3 | 13 (1.0) | 1 (0.3) | ||
| 4 | 20 (1.6) | 1 (0.3) | ||
| 5 | 51 (3.9) | 12 (3.3) | ||
| 6 | 59 (4.7) | 17 (4.6) | ||
| 7 | 152 (11.8) | 53 (14.5) | ||
| 8 | 312 (24.3) | 116 (31.7) | ||
| 9 | 296 (22.9) | 93 (25.4) | ||
| to maximal 10 | 375 (29.1) | 69 (18.8) | ||
| Work ability in relation | very poor | 121 (9.5) | 20 (5.5) | 8.571 |
| to mental demands | rather poor | 177 (13.7) | 42 (11.5) | 0.073 |
| moderate | 243 (18.9) | 69 (18.8) | ||
| rather good | 453 (35.2) | 148 (40.4) | ||
| very good | 293 (22.7) | 87 (23.8) | ||
| Number of diagnosed | 5 | 102 (7.9) | 52 (14.2) | 29.895 |
| diseases | 4 | 48 (3.7) | 19 (5.2) | 0.001 |
| 3 | 80 (6.2) | 35 (9.5) | ||
| 2 | 125 (9.7) | 38 (10.4) | ||
| 1 | 186 (14.5) | 64 (17.5) | ||
| 0 | 746 (58.0) | 158 (43.2) | ||
| Estimated impairment | In my opinion, I am entirely unable to work | 215 (16.7) | 23 (6.3) | 39.108 |
| of health influence to work | I feel I am able to do only part- time work | 102 (7.9) | 23 (6.3) | 0.001 |
| I must often slow down my work pace or change | 102 (7.9) | 17 (4.6) | ||
| I must sometimes slow down my work pace or | 107 (8.3) | 30 (8.2) | ||
| change my work methods | ||||
| I am able to do my job, but it causes some symptoms | 241 (18.7) | 80 (21.9) | ||
| There is no hindrance/I have no disease | 520 (40.5) | 193 (52.7) | ||
Numerical screening data of a sample (n=1653).
| Characteristics of subjects | Mean ± SD | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 45.06±10.90 | 1.00 | 72.00 |
| Length of service (years) | 20.74±11.12 | 0.00 | 51.00 |
| Sick- leave (days) | 5.72±23.71 | 0.00 | 334.00 |
| WAI score | 40.08± 6.17 | 1.00 | 49.00 |
Results of the multiple linear regression analyses for respondents with excellent work ability (n=446) and for respondents with poor work ability index (n=195) as dependent variables; demographic factors and work environment factors obtained (independent variables).
| Predictors of work ability | β | P-value | 95% Confidence | interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | 0.008 | 0.612 | -0.587 | 0.995 |
| Country | -0.185 | 0.000 | -5.612 | -2.576 |
| Age | 0.002 | 0.892 | -0.370 | 0.425 |
| Marital status | -0.019 | 0.252 | -0.792 | 0.209 |
| Educational level | 0.123 | 0.000 | 0.778 | 2.414 |
| Current WA compared with lifetime best | 0.280 | 0.000 | 0.973 | 1.421 |
| Physical demands of work | -0.084 | 0.003 | -0.023 | -0.046 |
| Mental demands of work | -0.048 | 0.022 | -1.085 | -0.084 |
| Health impairment influence to work | -0.062 | 0.002 | -0.805 | -0.186 |
| Lower incidence of sick leave | 0.052 | 0.019 | 0.091 | 0.988 |
| Prognosis of WA in two next years´ time | 0.273 | 0.000 | 1.182 | 1.906 |
| Mental resources | 0.063 | 0.085 | -0.112 | 1.711 |
| Sex | -0.022 | 0.472 | -0.429 | 0.199 |
| Country | 0.334 | 0.000 | 0.659 | 1.728 |
| Age | -0.030 | 0.413 | -0.233 | 0.096 |
| Marital status | -0.078 | 0.021 | -0.527 | - 0.043 |
| Educational level | -0.191 | 0.001 | -0.771 | -0.201 |
| Current WA compared with lifetime best | 0.338 | 0.000 | 0.701 | 1.048 |
| Physical demands of work | 0.452 | 0.001 | 0.054 | 0.080 |
| Mental demands of work | 0.194 | 0.000 | 0.561 | 1.151 |
| Health impairment influence to work | 0.452 | 0.000 | 0.054 | 0.080 |
| Higher incidence of sick leave | 0.058 | 0.085 | 0.029 | 0.448 |
| Prognosis of WA in two next years´ time | 0.331 | 0.000 | 1.062 | 1.624 |
| Decline of mental resources | 0.097 | 0.005 | 0.092 | 0.510 |
Correlation between WAI dimensions’ and gender; and correlation between WAI dimensions’ and aging in all respondents (n=1653).
| Spearman correlation between |
Correlation factor | Spearman correlation between |
Correlation factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current work ability compared with lifetime best | 0.036 (>0.05) | Current work ability compared with lifetime best | |
| Mental demands of work | Mental demands to work | ||
| Health impairment influence to work | Health disorders influence to work | ||
| Sick leave during one year | -0.025 (>0.05) | Sick leave during one year | 0.043 (>0.05) |
| WA prognosis for two years | WA prognosis for two years | -0.006 (>0.05) | |
| Enjoyment of daily tasks | -0.047 (>0.05) | Enjoyment of daily tasks | |
| Be physically and psychological active | 0.003 (>0.05) | Be physically and psychological active | 0.026 (>0.05) |
| Optimism about the future | 0.000 (>0.05) | Optimism about the future | -0.046 (>0.05) |
| Decreased WAI score | Decreased WAI score |
Characteristics of a sample per gender (n=1653).
| Characteristics of subjects | No (%) |
P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man 562 (34) | Women 1091 (66) | |||
| Country | B&H, 590 (36) | 174 (31.0) | 416 (38.1) | 21.275 |
| Monte Negro, 266 (16) | 73 (13.0) | 193 (17.7) | 0.001 | |
| Spain, 797 (48) | 315 (56.0) | 482 (44.2) | ||
| Age-groups (years) | 18-34, 330 (20) | 105 (18.7) | 225 (20.6) | 96.706 |
| 35-44, 416 (25) | 126 (22.4) | 290 (26.6) | 0.001 | |
| 45-54, 537 (33) | 172 (30.6) | 365 (33.5) | ||
| 55-64, 336 (20) | 136 (24.2) | 200 (18.3) | ||
| 65 or more than 65, 34 ( 2) | 23 (4.1) | 11 (1.0) | ||
| Occupations in public sector | Health care providers, 563 (34) | 106 (18.9) | 457 (41.9) | 27.911 |
| Children and youth teachers, 865 (52) | 381 (67.8) | 484 (44.4) | 0.001 | |
| Others administrative officers, 225 (14) | 75 (13.3) | 150 (13.7) | ||
| Marital status | married, 1109 (67) | 387 (68.9) | 722 (66.2) | 11.432 |
| single | 131 (23.3) | 232 (21.3) | 0.043 | |
| divorced | 30 (5.3) | 95 (8.7) | ||
| widowed | 25 (4.4) | 42 (3.8) | ||
| Educational level | low, 60 (3) | 24 (4.3) | 36 (3.3) | 20.649 |
| medium, 724 (44) | 230 (40.9) | 494 (45.3) | 0.001 | |
| high, 869 (53) | 308 (54.8) | 561 (51.4) | ||
| Work ability score groups | poor, 195 (12) | 53 (9.4) | 142 (13.0) | 18.442 |
| moderate, 399 (24) | 112 (19.9) | 287 (26.3) | 0.000 | |
| good, 613 (37) | 218 (38.8) | 395 (36.2) | ||
| excellent, 446 (27) | 179 (31.9) | 267 (24.5) | ||
| Current work ability | from minimal 1 | 3 (0.5) | 9 (0.9) | 22.173 |
| compared with | 2 | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.1) | 0.014 |
| lifetime best | 3 | 2 (0.4) | 12 (1.1) | |
| 4 | 6 (1.1) | 15 (1.4) | ||
| 5 | 27 (4.8) | 36 (3.3) | ||
| 6 | 18 (3.2) | 58 (5.3) | ||
| 7 | 83 (14.7) | 122 (11.2) | ||
| 8 | 163 (29.0) | 265 (24.3) | ||
| 9 | 117 (20.8) | 272 (24.9) | ||
| to maximal 10 | 143 (25.5) | 301 (27.5) | ||
| Work ability in relation | very poor | 39 (6.9) | 109 (9.9) | 8.367 |
| to mental demands | rather poor | 75 (13.4) | 144 (13.0) | 0.079 |
| moderate | 92 (16.4) | 220 (20.1) | ||
| rather good | 212 (37.7) | 389 (35.5) | ||
| very good | 144 (25.6) | 236 (21.5) | ||
| Number of diagnosed | 0 | 298 (52.9) | 606 (55.6) | 6.124 |
| diseases | 1 | 99 (17.6) | 151 (13.8) | 0.294 |
| 2 | 60 (10.7) | 103 (9.5) | ||
| 3 | 38 (6.8) | 77 (7.0) | ||
| 4 | 24 (4.2) | 43 (3.9) | ||
| 5 | 43 (7.7) | 111 (10.2) | ||
| Estimated impairment | In my opinion, I am entirely unable to work | 76 (13.5) | 162 (14.9) | 18.937 |
| of health influence to work | I feel I am able to do only part- time work | 40 (7.1) | 85 (7.8) | 0.004 |
| I must often slow down my work pace or change | 33 (5.9) | 86 (7.9) | ||
| I must sometimes slow down my work | 39 (6.9) | 98 (8.9) | ||
| pace or change my work methods | ||||
| I am able to do my job, but it causes some symptoms | 93 (16.6) | 228 (20.9) | 4.432 | |
| There is no hindrance/ I have no disease | 281 (50.0) | 432 (39.6) | 0.489 | |
| Sick leave during | 100-365 days | 15 (2.7) | 26 (2.4) | |
| the past year | 25-99 days | 13 (2.3) | 43 (3.9) | |
| 10-24 days | 30 (5.4) | 69 (6.3) | ||
| ≤ 9 days | 133 (23.6) | 256 (23.5) | ||
| 0 days | 371 (66.0) | 697 (63.9) | ||
| Own forecast of work ability | unlikely | 12 (2.1) | 31 (2.8) | 31.560 |
| for the next two years | not certain | 65 (11.6) | 247 (22.6) | 0.001 |
| relative certain | 485 (86.3) | 813 (74.5) | ||
| Enjoy your regular daily | often | 198 (35.0) | 362 (34.0) | 11.401 |
| activities (mental resource) | rather often | 204 (36.0) | 362 (34.0) | 0.044 |
| sometimes | 123 (22.0) | 253 (22.0) | ||
| rather seldom | 35 (6.0) | 113 (10.0) | ||
| never | 2 (1.0) | 1 (0.0) | ||