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Recovery intention: its association with fatigue in the working population

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the association of the intention to recover from work with fatigue and its moderating effect on the link between occupational characteristics and fatigue.

Methods

Three hundred and eighty Austrian employees (nurses, teachers and administrative staff) participated in a survey assessing fatigue, the intention to create and engage in recovery activities and effort–reward imbalance as a measure of job characteristics. Data were analysed by regression analysis.

Results

Recovery intention was negatively associated with fatigue. This association was especially pronounced under conditions of high effort–reward imbalance, thus suggesting a buffering effect. Effort–reward imbalance, in return, was positively related to prolonged fatigue, indicating that fatigue was partly work related in the present sample.

Conclusions

Individuals differ in their intent to engage in recovery activities. Those high in recovery intention are less exhausted, especially under conditions of more demanding and less rewarding work characteristics. Thus, a promotion of recovery intentions could contribute to the prevention of work-related fatigue.

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Acknowledgments

The study was financially supported by the European Union within the framework of the INTERREG IIIC SITAR 001 programme for the Region of Burgenland, Austria.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Hygiene, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Gerhard Blasche

  2. Cluster of Rheumatology, Balneology, and Rehabilitation, Institute for Biological Rhythm Research, Ludwig Boltzmann Society, Quellenhof, 431, Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria

    Wolfgang Marktl

Authors
  1. Gerhard Blasche
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  2. Wolfgang Marktl
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Correspondence to Gerhard Blasche.

Additional information

Gerhard Blasche is formerly known as ‘Strauss-Blasche’.

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Blasche, G., Marktl, W. Recovery intention: its association with fatigue in the working population. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 84, 859–865 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0651-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0651-6

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