Occupational stress also had a strong connection with poorer work ability.
Quality of life can be the most comprehensive concept that defines human well-being. A positive effect on the quality of life is now also seen as an important indicator of the quality of healthcare. The ability to work is also of great importance to both the employees themselves and the public economy. In her dissertation, Elina Bergman examined which factors are related to the quality of life and self-motivated work ability of Pori city employees.
In this study, sleep quality was found to be strongly related to both quality of life and work ability. The improvement in the quality of sleep was also related to the improvement in the quality of life and work ability during the one-year follow-up. In addition, the increase in the use of sleeping pills was associated with a decrease in work ability.
– All these results show the crucial importance of sleep for our well-being. I think healthcare professionals should ask patients about sleep in the same way they ask about exercise and nutrition, and effective treatments should also be available for diagnosed sleep disorders, Bergman believes.
– In addition, we should all learn to value sleep, live a lifestyle that supports good sleep and at least try not to sleep too little.
Cardiovascular risk factors and protective factors are also related to quality of life
Bergman’s thesis is part of the PORTAAT (PORi to Aid Against Threats) study, which aims to investigate the cardiovascular risk and protective factors of employees in the city of Pori. A total of 836 volunteers participated in the study in 2014 and 2015. Information was collected using self-administered questionnaires, and physical examinations and laboratory measurements were performed. Most of the participants were women.
In his research, Bergman also looked at the connection of traditional cardiovascular disease risk and protective factors to quality of life.
Participants’ cardiovascular health was assessed using the American Heart Association’s idea of โโ”Ideal cardiovascular health,” which provides cutoff values โโfor optimal levels for seven key measures of cardiovascular health. The goal of the concept is to be a non-smoker, of normal weight, have a healthy diet and meet the exercise recommendations. In addition, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and fasting glucose must be at a favorable level. Bergman found that participants who achieved ideal measures also rated their quality of life better on average.
In a separate study, frequent consumption of healthy foods was associated with better quality of life in female participants. In this study, the use of unhealthy foods was not associated with quality of life.
– Unhealthy food, of course, has many harmful effects on health, Bergman points out.
In the study, healthy and unhealthy foods were defined in accordance with the Nordic nutritional recommendations. Foods considered healthy were, for example, vegetables, fruits and berries, fish, whole grain products, vegetable oils and nuts.
– I think that the list of healthy foods could be used as very simple dietary advice, for example during short visits to the doctor in primary care. And perhaps the motivation for a lifestyle change would be more easily found in well-being and a good quality of life than in the threat of heart disease a decade from now, Bergman suggests.
PhD Elina Bergman’s academic dissertation on the thesis “The quality of life of public sector employees in the city of Pori in relation to self-reported work ability” will be presented on November 11, 2022 at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Turku.
HT
Source: University of Turku
Source: The Nordic Page