Health Status of Employees: defining influences on health in the tertiary education industry

Objective: The health status of employees at an Australian university was assessed in order to target subsequent workplace health interventions. Design: A cross-sectional survey of all university employees (academic and general) was undertaken using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) in combination with a sociodemographic questionnaire. This was complemented by interviews with 40 university employees, stratified by level of employment. Setting: The University of New England, New South Wales. A university setting was chosen because previous studies had identified that 50% of employees in the tertiary education industry in Australia were at risk of mental health problems due to stress and workplace pressure compared with 19% of the general population. Results: A response rate of 49% was achieved (514/1047). The total study population attained significantly lower (poorer) mental health status scores than those of the Australian employed persons' sub-group norm. Academic staff reported significantly better physical health than general staff. Grade of employment, age, domestic living arrangements, health service utilisation and smoking were factors associated with variation in health status. Conclusions: The comparatively poor mental health status of Australian university employees combined with variation in health status based on sociodemographic measures poses a public health challenge for those concerned with maintaining and promoting the health of the tertiary education workforce. This study provides a basis for the development and evaluation of appropriate mental health promotion programs at the University of New England and raises questions for further research to explore the need for similar programs in other universities and public sector organisations.