Wanqiu Yang1, Timothy Sim2, Ke Cui3, Jun Zhang4, Yanchun Yang4, Xiaohong Ma5. 1. 1Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China. 2. 4Department of Applied Social Sciences,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Hung Hom,Hong Kong. 3. 5School of Public Administration,Sichuan University,Chengdu,China. 4. 6The Mental Health Center,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,China. 5. 7Psychiatric Laboratory and Mental Health Center,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,Chengdu,China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Health care workers performing rescue tasks in large-scale disaster areas are usually challenged in terms of physical and mental endurance, which can affect their lifestyles. Nevertheless, data on whether health care workers tend to adopt healthy lifestyles after disasters are limited. This paper compares the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors among health care workers with that among non-health care workers in a postdisaster area. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in August 2016. The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire was used to interview 261 health care workers and 848 non-health care workers. RESULTS: Results of the multivariable linear models showed that health care workers had lower physical activity levels (ß=-1.363, P<.0001), worse stress management (ß=-1.282, P<.0001), slower spiritual growth (ß=-1.228, P=.002), and poorer interpersonal relationships (ß=-0.814, P=.019) than non-health care workers. However, no significant differences were found in either nutrition (ß=-0.362, P=.319) or health responsibility (ß=-0.421, P=.283). CONCLUSIONS: Health care workers had less healthy lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, stress management, spiritual growth, and interpersonal relationships. Further studies are needed to develop health-improving interventions for health care workers in postdisaster areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:230-235).
OBJECTIVE: Health care workers performing rescue tasks in large-scale disaster areas are usually challenged in terms of physical and mental endurance, which can affect their lifestyles. Nevertheless, data on whether health care workers tend to adopt healthy lifestyles after disasters are limited. This paper compares the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors among health care workers with that among non-health care workers in a postdisaster area. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in August 2016. The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire was used to interview 261 health care workers and 848 non-health care workers. RESULTS: Results of the multivariable linear models showed that health care workers had lower physical activity levels (ß=-1.363, P&lt;.0001), worse stress management (ß=-1.282, P&lt;.0001), slower spiritual growth (ß=-1.228, P=.002), and poorer interpersonal relationships (ß=-0.814, P=.019) than non-health care workers. However, no significant differences were found in either nutrition (ß=-0.362, P=.319) or health responsibility (ß=-0.421, P=.283). CONCLUSIONS: Health care workers had less healthy lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, stress management, spiritual growth, and interpersonal relationships. Further studies are needed to develop health-improving interventions for health care workers in postdisaster areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:230-235).
Entities:
Keywords:
disasters; health care workers; health-promoting lifestyle profile