Πολιτική υγείας και παρεμβάσεις για την αύξηση της φυσικής δραστηριότητας ενηλίκων με καθιστική ζωή

Φύκα, Αικατερίνη

Health policy and interventions to increase physical activity in adults with a sedentary life

Master Thesis

Author

Φύκα, Αικατερίνη

Date

2025

Abstract

The present study investigated the levels of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, and health behaviors among professional public transport drivers in the region of Attica, aiming to highlight factors affecting their health and to assess their attitudes towards potential interventions, in order to formulate recommendations for appropriate health policies. A total of 33 drivers participated, to whom a structured electronic questionnaire was administered. The participants were adults employed in various sectors of public transportation in Attica (taxis, metro, urban buses, and intercity buses). Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS software. Results showed that sedentary behavior is directly related to the professional environment, due to the nature of the work, as drivers spend 10–14 hours per day in sedentary activities. Moreover, drivers with more years of work experience (36% with 11–20 years and 40% with >20 years) reported lower levels of physical activity and more health problems (76%), indicating the cumulative effect of prolonged sedentary work. Factors such as age, gender, work experience, and smoking emerged as critical determinants of drivers’ health status and physical activity. Specifically, age was negatively associated with light physical activity, gender with levels of light physical activity (p<0.05), while obesity was significantly associated both with participation in exercise (p<0.05) and with smoking (p<0.001). In addition, significant associations were recorded between type of occupation and health problems (x²=9.481, p<0.05). For the effective promotion of physical activity, several intervention packages were proposed and evaluated by the participants. The majority considered the combination of governmental (31%) and individual measures (27%) as the most effective strategy, while exclusively technological solutions (15%) were perceived less positively. These findings are consistent with the international literature, according to which multicomponent interventions (ergonomic, behavioral, and technological) show the best results in reducing sedentary behavior. Overall, the study highlights critical aspects of the professional and personal lives of professional drivers, providing valuable data for the improvement of their health, well-being, and quality of life. Despite the limitation of the small sample size, the results underscore the need for the development of targeted interventions that integrate ergonomic improvements, organizational reforms through institutionalized governmental measures, as well as actions promoting physical activity during leisure time.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Οικονομικά και Διοίκηση της Υγείας

Department

Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

Number of pages

157

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/18100

Collections

Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα