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Exploring workplace related health resources from a salutogenic perspective: Results from a focus group study among healthcare workers in Sweden

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bringsén, Åsa; | Andersson, H. Ingemar | Ejlertsson, Göran | Troein, Margareta

Affiliations: School of Health and Society, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden | Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Åsa Bringsén, School of Health and Society, Kristianstad University, 291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden. Tel.: +46 44 204 098; Fax: +46 44 204 019; E-mail: asa.bringsen@hkr.se

Keywords: Positive occupational health psychology, health promotion, subjective experiences, nursing

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1356

Journal: Work, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 403-414, 2012

Received 20 August 2009
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Accepted 7 October 2010
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Published: 2012
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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore healthcare workers' opinions on workplace related health resources relevant to promotion of their health.

Participants: 16 registered nurses and 19 assistant nurses, from a medical emergency ward at a medium sized hospital in the south of Sweden, participated in the study.

Methods: Eight focus group interviews were conducted, the material was condensed and conventional qualitative content analysis was used to elicit and identify patterns in the expressed opinions of the participants.

Results: The analysis yielded four themes that were labelled the reward, the team, the mission and the context. An explanatory model was constructed consisting of concentric circles, with the reward at the core. The qualitative analysis also revealed two divergent patterns; some of the participants associated positive health with stability while others referred to flexibility.

Conclusions: The results from this study have contributed to the body of knowledge regarding salutogenic health indicators in the field of work and health research in particular as well as in health promotion in general. The findings show that individuals can have diverse responses to any given work situation, and this should be taken into account before implementation of salutogenic health promotion programs.

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