health and the workplace

iwin's research on health and the workplace research emphasizes the relationship between the work environment and employee health outcomes.

recent projects include:
Creating Healthy Organizations in Kentucky
Latino Farmworker Health Project
Quality Jobs: Flexibility for Working Families
Job Quality and Depression for Low-Wage Workers

creating healthy organizations in kentucky

Research suggests that supervisor support and leadership practices impact employee stress, health and well-being. iwin is pleased to announce the release of its Creating Healthy Organizations: Promising Practices in Kentucky report. This extensive case study report defines health and wellness from a holistic organizational perspective and highlights Kentucky organizations with exemplary practices and cultures of health and wellness.

iwin thanks the following 23 companies for their participation (in alphabetical order): Al J. Schneider Co.; Benefit Insurance Marketing; Central Bank; Central Baptist Hospital; City of Paducah; Community Trust Bank; Eastern Kentucky University; EQT Corporation; Farmers National Bank; Frankfort Regional Medical Center; GE Appliances & Lighting; Georgetown College; Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance; LG&E and KU; Logan Aluminum; Norton Healthcare; Papa John's International; R. J. Corman Railroad Group; SHPS, Inc.; University of Louisville; University of Kentucky; Wellpoint (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield).

If you have questions about the project, please contact Lee Ann Walton at leeannwalton@uky.edu.

proyecto de salud de los trabajadores del campo: latino farmworker health project

Research suggests that negative occupational health outcomes are associated with psychological stressors in the work environment. Despite the high number of Latinos in farm work, few studies have examined how psychosocial aspects of work impact Latino farmworker health. Those studies that have looked at large-scale agricultural or animal processing facilities, which are different than small-scale farm or horse production operations common in Kentucky.

The purpose of this pilot project is to explore how certain aspects of the work environment impact occupational health outcomes for Latino farmworkers in Central Kentucky. Specifically, this study will:

1) explore the physical and psychological aspects of the work environment for Latino workers in small-scale crop and horse production worksites in Central KY including such aspects as social support, supervisory practices, job design, and job demands and stressors.
2)determine which of the above factors contribute to occupational injury and illness among Latino farmworkers.

If you have questions about the project, please contact Jess Miller Clouser at jess.clouser@uky.edu or at 859.323.0587.

quality jobs in the new millennium: incorporating flexible work options as a strategy to assist working families

Principal Investigator: Jennifer Swanberg, Ph.D., UK iwin
Co-Principal Investigator: Leigh Ann Simmons, Ph.D., UK

This study seeks to explore the model of job quality in relation to the employees' self perceived physical health status. The study concludes that when demographic and other job quality variables are controlled, flexible work options, coworker support, and employment insecurity are major predictors of the employees' self-reported health status.

This project was supported with a grant from the UK Center for Poverty Research through the Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Swanberg at jswanberg@uky.edu.

working poor blues: job quality and depression among low-wage workers in the united states

Principal Investigator: Leigh Ann Simmons, Ph.D. UK
Co-Principal Investigator: Jennifer Swanberg, Ph.D. UK iwin

This study examines the job quality factors associated with mental health status for wage and salaried workers in the U.S. Results show that low psychological demands, high flexibility, high coworker support, and low job insecurity were associated with better mental health, and that individuals who were working poor and job insecure were more likely to have poor mental health.

This project was supported with a grant from the UK Center for Poverty Research through the Department of Health and Human Services. For more infomation contact Dr. Jennifer Swanberg at jswanberg@uky.edu.