Exploration of individualized goals and ergonomic modifications to address sedentary behaviors and perceived health and well-being among office workers.

Abstract

Office workers spend significant time in sedentary behaviors. Exploration of interventions to address this concern is warranted. This study explored the impact of individualized goals and ergonomic modifications on sedentary behaviors and perceived health and well-being among office workers. A six-week, one-group, pre- and post-test design was utilized to assess sedentary behaviors and perceptions of health and well-being among office workers using the RAND 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), actigraphy, and a workstation assessment. Statistically significant improvements were noted from pre- to post-test on the RAND SF-36 for energy/fatigue (p = 0.000) and emotional well-being (p = 0.049) and subjective sleep quality using the PSQI (p = 0.005). Participants (n = 17) could set up to two goals related to health and well-being. A majority of the 31 established goals were met: increase physical activity (n = 11/16), reduce sedentary behavior (n = 8/11), and improve personal health (n = 3/4). The use of individualized goals and ergonomic modifications is effective for addressing perceived health and well-being among office workers. However, limited statistical significance was found regarding the impact of these interventions on sedentary behaviors or activity levels.