This study analyzed the relationship between stressful work environments, physical fitness, and employee well-being, and proposed the “survival of the fittest” model. The “survival of the fittest” model was tested to determine whether physical fitness reduced the negative health outcomes of stressful work environments. Stressful work environments were framed through the job demands-control model (Karasek, 1979), and employee well-being was assessed through cardiovascular health and psychological well-being. Physical fitness was measured as cardiorespiratory endurance. Main effect and interaction effect models were tested using hierarchical regression and nonlinear structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses techniques. This study showed that employee well-being is negatively affected by current work trends. The results indicated that the interaction effect of high strain jobs (high job demands and low job control) negatively affected cardiovascular health, but not psychological well-being. Psychological well-being was negatively affected by high job demands, and low job control independently (main effects), whereas cardiovascular health was not negatively affected by these main effects. The results also indicated that fitness, when measured as a state, did not produce the hypothesized stress reducing effects, nor the expected improvements in cardiovascular health and psychological well-being. A discussion of these results includes an analysis of group differences, an evaluation of the fitness measure, and an examination of the sample population. This dissertation contributed to the occupational health and stress literature by offering conceptual and methodological improvements over past research. Specifically, I analyzed the job demands-control model through a focused measure of job control and a descriptive measure of job demands. Psychological well-being included the emotional exhaustion measure of burnout, and a measure of anxiety and depression not previously tested in this literature stream. Objective measures of cardiovascular health (blood pressure) and physical fitness (step test) were obtained, and data were gathered from a cross-sectional sample of 100 working adults. Furthermore, the application of nonlinear SEM techniques allowed for the simultaneous examination of physiological and psychological health outcomes, which provided a holistic view of the work stress and employee well-being relationship not previously found in this literature.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 272-295.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1994. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 21, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Dent M. Rhodes (chair), Barbara L. Nourie, Kenneth F. Jerich, Jerry D. Foster. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-187) and abstract. Also available in print.

Submitted by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-06T17:45:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO PRISCILLA AZEVEDO. 2014.pdf: 977398 bytes, checksum: 99cade26b601d5a6b89e416e1d042340 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-07T14:13:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO PRISCILLA AZEVEDO. 2014.pdf: 977398 bytes, checksum: 99cade26b601d5a6b89e416e1d042340 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-07T14:13:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO PRISCILLA AZEVEDO. 2014.pdf: 977398 bytes, checksum: 99cade26b601d5a6b89e416e1d042340 (MD5) / O processo de consolidação do SUS tem colocado problemas e desafios aos gestores e técnicos do setor saúde, os quais englobam questões ligadas aos trabalhadores. Este estudo objetiva compreender e analisar o processo de implementação da Política Estadual de Gestão do Trabalho e Educação na Saúde (PGTES) na Bahia, no período de 2008 a 2012, identificando os fatores que facilitaram ou dificultaram esse processo. Para tanto, utiliza o referencial da teoria do ciclo da política pública e caracteriza-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa exploratória, do tipo estudo de caso. Entrevistas semi-estruturadas foram realizadas com 19 informantes chave que tiveram participação na implementação da PGTES. Foram analisados relatórios de gestão e documentos referentes às estratégias de desenvolvimento e implementação da PGTES. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo categorial. Os resultados apontaram ações importantes implementadas pela PGTES, quais sejam: novo Plano de Cargos, Carreiras e Vencimento, ampliação da qualificação de trabalhadores de nível médio e de nível superior, melhor relação e aproximação com as instituições de ensino, fortalecimento das diretorias na capacidade de ampliar ações, cursos de formação em gestão do trabalho, aumento do número de profissionais concursados, institucionalização do planejamento, maior interlocução com lideranças do controle social, regulamentação dos estágios, aula pública do SUS, dentre outros. O estudo revelou que dificuldades técnicas e de operacionalização de recursos para processos educativos, assim como fragilidade no financiamento das ações de gestão do trabalho, representaram os maiores obstáculos à implementação da PGTES na Bahia. / The consolidation process of the SUS has posed problems and challenges to managers and technicians in the health sector, which include issues related to workers. This study aims to understand and analyze the implementation process of the State Policy-Making for Work and Education in Health (PGTES) in Bahia, in the period 2008-2012, identifying the factors that facilitated or hindered this process. We also use the public policy cycle as the theoretical framework and is characterized as an exploratory qualitative research, the case study type. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 key informants who have participated in the implementation of PGTES. Management reports and documents relating to the development strategies and implementation of PGTES were analyzed. Data were subjected to analysis of categorical content. The results showed significant actions taken by PGTES, as: new plan posts, career and salaries, expansion of qualifying mid-level and higher-level workers, better relationship and proximity to educational institutions, strengthening the ability of boards to expand actions, training courses on management of work, increasing the number of gazetted professionals, institutionalization of planning, greater dialogue with leaders of social control, regulation of internships, public class SUS, among others. The study revealed that technical difficulties and in the operationalization of resources to educational processes, as well as fragile financing of the actions of work management, were major obstacles to the implementation of PGTES in Bahia.