Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers
Abstract Background With the advent of workplace health and wellbeing programs designed to address prolonged occupational sitting, tools to measure behaviour change within this environment should derive from empirical evidence. In this study we measured aspects of validity and reliability for the Oc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2016-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3537-4 |
| _version_ | 1818775425894055936 |
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| author | Scott J. Pedersen Cecilia M. Kitic Marie-Louise Bird Casey P. Mainsbridge P. Dean Cooley |
| author_facet | Scott J. Pedersen Cecilia M. Kitic Marie-Louise Bird Casey P. Mainsbridge P. Dean Cooley |
| author_sort | Scott J. Pedersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background With the advent of workplace health and wellbeing programs designed to address prolonged occupational sitting, tools to measure behaviour change within this environment should derive from empirical evidence. In this study we measured aspects of validity and reliability for the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire that asks employees to recount the percentage of work time they spend in the seated, standing, and walking postures during a typical workday. Methods Three separate cohort samples (N = 236) were drawn from a population of government desk-based employees across several departmental agencies. These volunteers were part of a larger state-wide intervention study. Workplace sitting and physical activity behaviour was measured both subjectively against the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and objectively against ActivPal accelerometers before the intervention began. Criterion validity and concurrent validity for each of the three posture categories were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients, and a bias comparison with 95 % limits of agreement. Test-retest reliability of the survey was reported with intraclass correlation coefficients. Results Criterion validity for this survey was strong for sitting and standing estimates, but weak for walking. Participants significantly overestimated the amount of walking they did at work. Concurrent validity was moderate for sitting and standing, but low for walking. Test-retest reliability of this survey proved to be questionable for our sample. Conclusions Based on our findings we must caution occupational health and safety professionals about the use of employee self-report data to estimate workplace physical activity. While the survey produced accurate measurements for time spent sitting at work it was more difficult for employees to estimate their workplace physical activity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:56:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36bd1cfeb257475ab7ac6eafaea6f240 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:56:50Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-36bd1cfeb257475ab7ac6eafaea6f2402022-12-21T21:10:19ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582016-08-011611610.1186/s12889-016-3537-4Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workersScott J. Pedersen0Cecilia M. Kitic1Marie-Louise Bird2Casey P. Mainsbridge3P. Dean Cooley4Active Work Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of TasmaniaSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of TasmaniaSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of TasmaniaActive Work Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of TasmaniaActive Work Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of TasmaniaAbstract Background With the advent of workplace health and wellbeing programs designed to address prolonged occupational sitting, tools to measure behaviour change within this environment should derive from empirical evidence. In this study we measured aspects of validity and reliability for the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire that asks employees to recount the percentage of work time they spend in the seated, standing, and walking postures during a typical workday. Methods Three separate cohort samples (N = 236) were drawn from a population of government desk-based employees across several departmental agencies. These volunteers were part of a larger state-wide intervention study. Workplace sitting and physical activity behaviour was measured both subjectively against the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and objectively against ActivPal accelerometers before the intervention began. Criterion validity and concurrent validity for each of the three posture categories were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients, and a bias comparison with 95 % limits of agreement. Test-retest reliability of the survey was reported with intraclass correlation coefficients. Results Criterion validity for this survey was strong for sitting and standing estimates, but weak for walking. Participants significantly overestimated the amount of walking they did at work. Concurrent validity was moderate for sitting and standing, but low for walking. Test-retest reliability of this survey proved to be questionable for our sample. Conclusions Based on our findings we must caution occupational health and safety professionals about the use of employee self-report data to estimate workplace physical activity. While the survey produced accurate measurements for time spent sitting at work it was more difficult for employees to estimate their workplace physical activity.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3537-4Physical activitySitting behaviourWorkplaceExercise |
| spellingShingle | Scott J. Pedersen Cecilia M. Kitic Marie-Louise Bird Casey P. Mainsbridge P. Dean Cooley Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers BMC Public Health Physical activity Sitting behaviour Workplace Exercise |
| title | Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers |
| title_full | Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers |
| title_fullStr | Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers |
| title_short | Is self-reporting workplace activity worthwhile? Validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk-based workers |
| title_sort | is self reporting workplace activity worthwhile validity and reliability of occupational sitting and physical activity questionnaire in desk based workers |
| topic | Physical activity Sitting behaviour Workplace Exercise |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3537-4 |
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