A physical fitness programme during paid working hours – impact
on health and work ability among women working in the social service sector: A
three year follow up study
Affiliations: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala
University and Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala Sweden | Section for Personal Injury Prevention, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Institute for Environmental Medicine (IMM), Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Eva Vingård, Occupational
and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital,
Ulleråkersvägen 40, SE- 75185 Uppsala, Sweden. Fax: +46 18 51 99
78; E-mail: eva.vingard@medsci.uu.se
Abstract: In order to study the influence of a physical fitness programme on
work ability among women employed in the social sector an intervention was
offered to 205 women working in the social care sector in a municipality in
Sweden. The reference group comprised 165 women from the same sector working in
another municipality. All participants were employed and answered
questionnaires at baseline and after 36 months. For women younger than
45 years, work ability and general health improved significantly while for
women, 45 years or older, future work expectations improved. For women with
less musculoskeletal pain, improvements were observed regarding future work
expectations, as well as work ability and general health while for women with
more musculoskeletal pain, improvements were observed for general health and
future work expectations. Well-structured physical fitness programmes at the
worksite can be useful in contributing to individual's experiences of
improvements in their own capacity as well as increased health and
wellbeing.
