School environment as predictor of teacher sick leave: data-linked prospective cohort study

BMC Public Health

Marianna Virtanen⁴  Jussi Vahtera³  Tiina Pohjonen¹  Riikka Puusniekka⁶  Tuula Oksanen⁴  Jaana Pentti⁴  SV Subramanian²  Ichiro Kawachi²  Mika Kivimäki⁵  Jenni Ervasti⁴ 

[1] City of Helsinki, Occupational Health Centre, PB 5603, 00099, Helsinki, Finland;Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development and Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building 7th Floor, 716 Boston, Massachusetts, 2115-6096, USA;Turku University Hospital, PB52, 20521, Turku, Finland;Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Centre of Expertise for Work Organizations, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250, Helsinki, Finland;Department of Behavioral Sciences, PB 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland;National Institute for Health and Welfare, PB 30, 00271, Helsinki, Finland

关键词: Ventilation;    School satisfaction;    Perceived indoor air;    Multilevel;    Bullying;   

Others  :  1163116
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-770

 received in 2012-06-20, accepted in 2012-09-10,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and psychosocial problems are common in schools worldwide, yet longitudinal research on the issue is scarce. We examined whether the level of or a change in pupil-reported school environment (IAQ, school satisfaction, and bullying) predicts recorded sick leaves among teachers.

Methods

Changes in the school environment were assessed using pupil surveys at two time points (2001/02 and 2004/05) in 92 secondary schools in Finland. Variables indicating change were based on median values at baseline. We linked these data to individual-level records of teachers’ (n = 1678) sick leaves in 2001–02 and in 2004–05.

Results

Multilevel multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for baseline sick leave and covariates showed a decreased risk for short-term (one to three days) sick leaves among teachers working in schools with good perceived IAQ at both times (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9), and for those with a positive change in IAQ (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9), compared to teachers in schools where IAQ was constantly poor. Negative changes in pupil school satisfaction (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-2.8) and bullying (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.3) increased the risk for short-term leaves among teachers when compared to teachers in schools where the level of satisfaction and bullying had remained stable. School environment factors were not associated with long-term sick leaves.

Conclusions

Good and improved IAQ are associated with decreased teacher absenteeism. While pupil-related psychosocial factors also contribute to sick leaves, no effect modification or mediation of psychosocial factors on the association between IAQ and sick leave was observed.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Ervasti et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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