Associations between health culture, health behaviors, and health-related outcomes: A cross-sectional study

PLoS One. 2017 Jul 26;12(7):e0178644. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178644. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Background: To examine the associations between demographic characteristics, health behaviors, workplace health culture, and health-related outcomes in Chinese workplaces.

Methods: A total of 1508 employees from 10 administrative offices and 6 enterprises were recruited for a cross-sectional survey. Self-administered questionnaires mainly addressed demographic characteristics, health behaviors, workplace health culture, and health-related outcomes including self-rated health, mental health, and happiness.

Results: The proportion of participants who reported good health-related outcomes was significantly higher in those working in administrative offices than those working in enterprises. The result of the potential factors related to self-rated health (SRH), mental health, and happiness by logistic regression analyses showed that age and income were associated with SRH; type of workplace, age, smoking, and health culture at the workplace level were associated with mental health; and beneficial health effects of direct leadership was positively associated with happiness. Moreover, there were some similar results among 3 multivariate regression models. Firstly, good SRH (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.744), mental health (OR = 1.891), and happiness (OR = 1.736) were more common among highly physically active participants compared with those physical inactive. Furthermore, passive smoking was negatively correlated with SRH (OR = 0.686), mental health (OR = 0.678), and happiness (OR = 0.616), while health culture at the individual level was positively correlated with SRH (OR = 1.478), mental health (OR = 1.654), and happiness (OR = 2.916).

Conclusions: The present study indicated that workplace health culture, health behaviors, and demographic characteristics were associated with health-related outcomes. Furthermore, individual health culture, physical activity, and passive smoking might play a critical role in workplace health promotion.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Happiness
  • Health Behavior*
  • Health Status*
  • Humans
  • Income
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Workplace / standards*

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.