Workability and mental wellbeing among therapeutic prison officers

Walker, Emma J. and Jackson, Craig and Egan, Helen and Tonkin, Matthew (2015) Workability and mental wellbeing among therapeutic prison officers. Occupational Medicine, 65 (7). pp. 549-551. ISSN 09627480 (ISSN)

Text Walker et al 2015_Occ Medicine.docx - Accepted Version Download (25kB)

Abstract

Background: Previous research has examined how age and health can shape workability (WA). This study seeks to explore how a lack of WA (inability) may affect the health of the employee. Aims: To explore the effects of work inability on mental wellbeing among therapeutic prison officers. Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional study of prison officers conducted in a category B English prison using the Work Ability Index (WAI) and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ). Results: Fifty-seven officers (59%) participated and of those 95% achieved GHQ caseness. Officers with poorer WA reported significantly higher GHQ scores. Work inability for mental demands had significant associations with anxiety (β = -0.58, 95% CI -4.21 to -1.88, particularly sleep loss; Pearson's r = -0.66). Conclusions: Our findings present clear associations between poor WA and its impact upon mental wellbeing. The results of this study may help to focus on areas for intervention such as improving WA and promoting mental wellbeing. © The Author 2015.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqv084
Dates:	Date Event 23 January 2015 Published Online 10 March 2014 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Mental wellbeing, Occupation, Prisons, Work ability
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific)
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences > Dept. Psychology
Depositing User:	Yasser Nawaz
Date Deposited:	09 Dec 2016 11:56
Last Modified:	03 Mar 2022 15:42
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/1724

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