Determinants of the Attitude to Work and Subjective Health

Abstract

Shift workers' attitude to work hours is determined by insufficient time for social activities, and ratings of poor sleep quality and sleepiness, whereas the attitude to the work situation is determined by psychosocial work factors. The aim of the present paper was to examine whether this is also seen in a group of day time workers. Secondly, we investigated whether the predicted association could be replicated when independent measures were. Finally, the relation between self-rated health and attitude questions was also examined. Sample 1 included 110 day time workers (only questionnaire data) and sample 2 included 22 three-shift workers (questionnaire and diary data). In sample 1, a negative attitude to work hours was mainly associated with insufficient time for social activities, poor sleep quality, a poor psychosocial work climate and young age. A negative attitude to the work situation was predicted by a poor psychosocial work climate, a poor self-rated health (SRH), insufficient time for social activities, and having few small children. SRN, pain, and anxiety/depressive complaints were mainly associated with the attitude to the work situation, whereas sleep quality was associated with the attitude to work hours. In the sample of three-shift workers, a negative attitude to work hours was associated with a high level of sleepiness, whereas a negative attitude to the work situation was associated with a negative attitude to work hours and low influence over work tasks. A poor sleep quality was associated with a negative attitude to work hours. The results confirmed our hypothesis that the attitude to work hours is related to insufficient time for social activities, sleep quality and sleepiness. Psychosocial work factors, in particular psychosocial support and climate as well as influence over work, and the attitude to work hours were the main predictors of the attitude to the work situation.