Ping pong health! : A table tennis intervention for improved health at the workplace

• Introduction: Physical activity has a positive impact on physical and psychological well-being (Delisle, Werch, Wong, Bian, & Weiler, 2010), as well as social relations and skills development (Lamu & Olsen, 2016; Perkins & Williamon, 2014). Adopting a “healthy organization” culture through health programs, with strong senior and middle management support, and using interventions can promote health at workplaces (Rajaratnam et. al., 2014). We, therefore, consider it relevant to have physical activity, social relations and skill development as the starting point in a tabletennis intervention at the workplace.Aim: The aim was to develop, implement, and evaluate an intervention for improving health and wellbeing in the workplace by introducing table tennis.Methods and results: The intervention design consisted of two workshops and five table tennis sessions. Thirteen employees from a warehouse within the retail sector participated in the intervention. The participants had various backgrounds in table tennis and sport in general, different motives to participate, and came from different groups of employees (management and stock). After an introductory workshop, two table tennis coaches held one training session a week over the fiveweek intervention period. The employees were divided in to two groups and each group had a 45-minute session. The evaluation is in progress at present. Pre- and post-measurement has been conducted using health questionnaires Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). These will be analysed using a Bayesian paired t-test analysis. Based on the results of the questionnaire focus group interviews will be conducted with participants. Three focus groups of 4-5 participants in each group. The questions will focus on 24 experiences of the intervention and reflections on future directions for table-tennis and wellbeing activities at the workplace. Finally, there will be a workshop pointing out future directions for sport-based health activities at the workplace.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Annan hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Other Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Health

well-being

workplace intervention

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)