Factors associated with workability in Spanish health centre workers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Health Services Research
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Workability is a framework for evaluating workforce health.
• Spain lacks studies on workability and its determinants, despite high life expectancy.
• Understanding workability is crucial for maintaining a healthy workforce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between workability and health/work variables in Spanish health center employees.
• To identify factors influencing workability in a key occupational group.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 1184 health center workers.
• Utilized questionnaires measuring workability, health, and work-related factors.
• Analyzed workability as both a one-factor and two-factor construct using multinomial logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Workability (one-factor) associated with physical/mental health, work hours, insomnia, work-life balance, training, accident history, and contract type.
• The two-factor model identified older age, living alone, and longer professional experience as linked to lower workability.
• Increased sensitivity with the two-factor measure revealed additional influencing factors.

Conclusions:

• Identified key factors associated with health center workers' workability.
• The two-factor workability index (WAI) demonstrates superior psychometric properties.
• Age and years of professional experience are significant factors requiring consideration in workability interventions.