Difference of the associations between self-rated health and demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and psychosocial work environment between two types of Chinese worksite

BACKGROUND: Although studies of self-rated health (SRH) are conducted widely in developed countries, comprehensive assessments of the determinants of SRH in Chinese are scarce, particularly for working Chinese individuals. Determinants of SRH might differ among worksites based on differences in the nature and stress associated with different jobs, work intensity, and the lifestyles of employees. METHODS: Two thousand and forty questionnaires that addressed SRH, demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and the psychosocial work environment were administered to employees at two worksites. A total of 1644 subjects provided complete data for analysis (80.6% response rate). RESULTS: Participants from government departments had significantly better SRH than did those from high-tech enterprises (61.1% vs. 67.5%, respectively). Lifestyles were significantly less healthy at government departments compared with high-tech enterprises, whereas the psychosocial work environment was better. The results of unadjusted and adjusted models revealed differences between the potential health-influencing factors of participants based on their type of worksite. In logistic regression models, gender was strongly associated with SRH in all participants, whereas length of service was correlated with SRH only in participants from high-tech enterprises. In high-tech enterprises, good SRH was less common in physically inactive subjects vs. physically active participants (OR = 0.561). In government departments, passive smoking was negatively associated with SRH significantly. Social capital (OR = 1.073) and job control (OR = 1.550) were positively correlated with SRH in high-tech enterprises. Job control was the only psychosocial factor significantly associated with SRH in government departments. CONCLUSIONS: Participants from different types of worksite reported different SRH, healthy lifestyles, and psychosocial work environments. Moreover, the association between SRH and demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and the psychosocial work environment significantly differed by type of worksite.