Excessive Physical Demands in Modern Worklife and Characteristics of Work and Living Conditions of Persons at Risk

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 363 - 377
• Main Authors: Karlqvist, Lena K, Härenstam, Annika, Leijon, Ola, Schéele, Patrik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helsinki Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01.10.2003; National Institute for Working Life; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; National Institute of Occupational Health (Denmark); National Institute of Occupational Health (Norway); Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol Drinking; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Chemical hazards; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise; Female; Humans; Life Style; Logistic Models; Logistic regression; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Men; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Occupational medicine; Occupations; physical activity; Physical Fitness; physical risk factors; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Socioeconomic Factors; Task Performance and Analysis; Womens health; Work life; working conditions; Working women; Workloads; Sweden; Europe; unpaid work; exposure assessment; gender; paid work; metabolic level; Physical exercise; Human; Work place; Self evaluation; Sex; Male; Epidemiology; Workload; Energetic cost; Leisure; Occupational medicine; Life style
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.743

objectives This study attempted to identify work and leisure-time conditions and life-style factors associated with excess metabolic levels (metabolic demands exceeding one-third of a person's aerobic capacity) at work among men and women. Methods The study focused upon psychological, ergonomic, and physically loading factors and chemical and physical environmental conditions. Data were obtained through self-reports, interviews, workplace analyses, technical measurements, and observations. Gender-specific calculations were used in univariate analyses and in stepwise logistic regression models for excess metabolic level. Results Twenty-seven percent of the men and twenty-two percent of the women worked at an excess metabolic level during their workday. Awkward work postures, heavy manual materials handling, high circulatory strain, chemical exposures, noise levels, much routine work, and many obstacles to job performance characterized their work conditions. The women had low skill discretion and more often atypical workhours, while the men showed high circulatory strain during leisure-time activities. Important negative life-style factors were a high consumption of alcohol for the men and a high body mass index and no or little regular physical exercise for the women. Conclusions Metabolic demands in worklife today remain high. The women who exceeded the recommended metabolic level at work in this study were characterized by low pay, poor health, and children at home, in addition to high physical load and psychosocial strain at work. These characteristics indicate a group with few possibilities to leave a hazardous job for a less physically demanding one. The men who worked at an excess metabolic level seemed to be characterized more by a life-style common in some male-dominated work cultures with monotonous work.