DOI: 10.1177/08901171261490288 ISSN: 0890-1171

Patterns of Instrumental and Informational Workplace Health Support Use Among Hospital Service Workers of Low- to Mid-Socioeconomic Status

Ryan J. Walsh, Ryan Colvin, Ann Marie Dale, Rachel G. Tabak, Bradley A. Evanoff
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Purpose

To examine workplace health supports (WHS) use and sociodemographic and organizational correlates among healthcare workers predominantly of low- to mid-socioeconomic status (SES).

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Large U.S. healthcare system, 2018.

Sample

1283 healthcare service workers; 1196 included in final analyses (93.2%).

Measures

Instrumental and informational WHS use; SES; race; age; shift; sex; obesity; organizational health climate; coworker support; supervisor support.

Analysis

Pearson point biserial correlations ( r pb ), phi (Φ) statistics, and multivariable negative binomial regression models were used. Interaction terms between organizational health climate and sociodemographic characteristics were tested.

Results

The median employee used two WHS (one instrumental, one informational). Older age was associated with greater informational WHS use (Φ = .13 to .21), while Black race was associated with greater instrumental WHS use (Φ = .09 to .15). Organizational health climate was modestly associated with healthy eating and physical activity WHS ( r pb = .09 to .11). In adjusted models, age, race, and organizational health climate remained independently associated with WHS use. Modest interaction effects were observed between organizational health climate and race (total and informational models) and sex (total model).

Conclusion

Differentiating WHS by support type reveals meaningful differences in engagement across worker groups. Findings highlight the importance of organizational context. Results should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design and self-reported measures.

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