Differential effects of mental and physical health and coping style on work ability: a 1-year follow-up study among
Hanneke van de Vijfeijke1, Fenna R M Leijten, Jan Fekke Ybema
1From the Department of Social and Organizational Psychology (Ms Vijfeijke and Dr Taris), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Public Health (Ms Leijten and Drs Robroek and Burdorf), Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) (Ms Leijten and Drs Ybema and van den Heuvel), Hoofddorp, the Netherlands; Department of Public and Occupational Health (Dr van der Beek), the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Body@Work (Dr van der Beek), Research Center on Physical Activity, Work and Health, TNO-VU/VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Objective:
This study examines whether mental and physical health relate differently to work ability and whether these associations vary with coping style.
Methods:
A 1-year longitudinal study was conducted among 8842 employees aged 45 to 64 years from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation. On-line questionnaires measured self-perceived mental and physical health at baseline and coping and work ability at follow-up. The data were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis.
Results:
Active coping and good mental and especially physical health predicted high work ability at follow-up. Avoidant coping was negatively related to work ability. Seeking support was unrelated to work ability. Interaction effects of coping and health on work ability were weak.
Conclusions:
Successful coping styles and good health predict high work ability, and thus, promoting such factors can help improve sustainable employability.
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