Page 12 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 12
avje delovno aktivne populacije | health of the working-age population 10 er, the number of employees should also be taken into account. The amount of
physical activity is statistically significantly related to the work efficiency index
only in the group of teacher assistants (χ2 (2) = 8.878, p = 0.012).
Discussion
Research done in kindergarten is generally performed on kindergarten teach-
ers and assistants regarding their health status (Wirth et al., 2016), voice health
and risk factors for voice loss (Helidoni et al., 2012), mental health (Čecho et al.
2019), musculoskeletal disorders and the connection between musculoskele-
tal disorders and mental health (Ono et al., 2002; Pirbalouti et al., 2017) and re-
garding ergonomic adjustments of workplace (Burford et al., 2017). Our study
revealed the level of physical activity and offered an insight into the working
ability among different groups of employees in kindergarten. We noticed that
only in the group of teacher assistants, the amount of physical activity was
statistically significantly related to the work efficiency, though we expected to
find correlations in all groups of employees. Regular physical activity main-
tains solid fitness, better mental health and maintains or improves work effi-
ciency. However, regular physical activity is important also for the evaluation
of competency for their work among kindergarten teachers/assistants. Physi-
cally active preschool teachers evaluate competencies for planning, organising,
implementing and evaluating physical activities higher (Retar and Lepičnik-
Vodopivec, 2017). Regular physical activity of kindergarten teachers/assistants
is not only important regarding health and the overall quality of life but also
as a factor of their perception of their own competencies for professional work.
Conclusions
Kindergarten brings together different groups of employees who face differ-
ent types of workload in their work. In accordance with the daily workload,
the promotion of health protection and enhancement at the workplace must
be adapted to the needs of each group of employees. It is also recommended to
encourage regular physical activity of all groups of employees in kindergarten.
References
BURFORD, E.-M., ELLEGAST, R., WEBER, B., BREHMEN, M., GRONE-
BERG, D., SINN-BEHRENDT, A. and BRUDER, R., 2017. The compar-
ative analysis of postural and biomechanical parameters of preschool
teachers pre- and post-intervention within the ErgoKiTa study. Ergonom-
ics, vol. 60, no. 12, pp. 1718–1729.
ČECHO, R., ŠVIHROVÁ, V., ČECHO, D., NOVÁK, M. and HUDEČKOVÁ,
H., 2019. Exposure to mental load and psychosocial risks in kindergarten
teachers. Zdravstveno varstvo, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 120–128.
EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK, n. d.. Work
ability index [online]. [viewed 13 December 2019]. Available from: https://
physical activity is statistically significantly related to the work efficiency index
only in the group of teacher assistants (χ2 (2) = 8.878, p = 0.012).
Discussion
Research done in kindergarten is generally performed on kindergarten teach-
ers and assistants regarding their health status (Wirth et al., 2016), voice health
and risk factors for voice loss (Helidoni et al., 2012), mental health (Čecho et al.
2019), musculoskeletal disorders and the connection between musculoskele-
tal disorders and mental health (Ono et al., 2002; Pirbalouti et al., 2017) and re-
garding ergonomic adjustments of workplace (Burford et al., 2017). Our study
revealed the level of physical activity and offered an insight into the working
ability among different groups of employees in kindergarten. We noticed that
only in the group of teacher assistants, the amount of physical activity was
statistically significantly related to the work efficiency, though we expected to
find correlations in all groups of employees. Regular physical activity main-
tains solid fitness, better mental health and maintains or improves work effi-
ciency. However, regular physical activity is important also for the evaluation
of competency for their work among kindergarten teachers/assistants. Physi-
cally active preschool teachers evaluate competencies for planning, organising,
implementing and evaluating physical activities higher (Retar and Lepičnik-
Vodopivec, 2017). Regular physical activity of kindergarten teachers/assistants
is not only important regarding health and the overall quality of life but also
as a factor of their perception of their own competencies for professional work.
Conclusions
Kindergarten brings together different groups of employees who face differ-
ent types of workload in their work. In accordance with the daily workload,
the promotion of health protection and enhancement at the workplace must
be adapted to the needs of each group of employees. It is also recommended to
encourage regular physical activity of all groups of employees in kindergarten.
References
BURFORD, E.-M., ELLEGAST, R., WEBER, B., BREHMEN, M., GRONE-
BERG, D., SINN-BEHRENDT, A. and BRUDER, R., 2017. The compar-
ative analysis of postural and biomechanical parameters of preschool
teachers pre- and post-intervention within the ErgoKiTa study. Ergonom-
ics, vol. 60, no. 12, pp. 1718–1729.
ČECHO, R., ŠVIHROVÁ, V., ČECHO, D., NOVÁK, M. and HUDEČKOVÁ,
H., 2019. Exposure to mental load and psychosocial risks in kindergarten
teachers. Zdravstveno varstvo, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 120–128.
EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK, n. d.. Work
ability index [online]. [viewed 13 December 2019]. Available from: https://
