BACKGROUND: Work ability (WA) describes the physical and intellectual resources on which individuals can rely to respond to work demands. While several studies have investigated the protective role of work-related psychosocial factors on WA, only a few have examined differences across age cohorts. Moreover, few studies have investigated WA in the educational context and most of those did not consider preschool teachers. AIMS: To examine the role of psychosocial factors (support from colleagues, support from supervisors, work meaning, reward, skill discretion and autonomy) in sustaining WA among preschool teachers in different age cohorts. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of preschool teachers employed in the municipal educational services of a city in northwest Italy. Study subjects completed a self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the 706 study subjects, in the 35-44 age cohort, support from colleagues was positively associated with WA. In the 45-54 age cohort, WA was found to be associated with reward and skill discretion while in the 55-63 age cohort, work meaning was significantly associated with WA. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that potential protective factors for WA may differ between age cohorts. They also suggest that in order to sustain WA effectively, interventions in working populations should be tailored to employees' ages.
BACKGROUND: Work ability (WA) describes the physical and intellectual resources on which individuals can rely to respond to work demands. While several studies have investigated the protective role of work-related psychosocial factors on WA, only a few have examined differences across age cohorts. Moreover, few studies have investigated WA in the educational context and most of those did not consider preschool teachers. AIMS: To examine the role of psychosocial factors (support from colleagues, support from supervisors, work meaning, reward, skill discretion and autonomy) in sustaining WA among preschool teachers in different age cohorts. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of preschool teachers employed in the municipal educational services of a city in northwest Italy. Study subjects completed a self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the 706 study subjects, in the 35-44 age cohort, support from colleagues was positively associated with WA. In the 45-54 age cohort, WA was found to be associated with reward and skill discretion while in the 55-63 age cohort, work meaning was significantly associated with WA. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that potential protective factors for WA may differ between age cohorts. They also suggest that in order to sustain WA effectively, interventions in working populations should be tailored to employees' ages.
Authors: Giacomo Garzaro; Ilaria Sottimano; Matteo Di Maso; Enrico Bergamaschi; Maurizio Coggiola; Daniela Converso; Sergio Iavicoli; Enrico Pira; Sara Viotti Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-05-12 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Petr Hlaďo; Jaroslava Dosedlová; Klára Harvánková; Petr Novotný; Jaroslav Gottfried; Karel Rečka; Markéta Petrovová; Bohumil Pokorný; Ilona Štorová Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-12-09 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Inmaculada Mateo-Rodríguez; Emily Caitlin Lily Knox; Coral Oliver-Hernández; Antonio Daponte-Codina Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-01-20 Impact factor: 3.390