[Predictors of mental health status and working ability of blue-collar workers].

BACKGROUND From the 1980s, the research focused on factors influencing work ability among older workers has been developed. In Poland, these issues were not in the field of interest until 2001, when the Polish government established a new research project on work activity and ageing. One of its main topics was the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and work ability. The aim of the presented study was to find out psychosocial work characteristics that influence the level of work ability and mental health status. The attention was also paid to the role of coping with occupational stress and life style perceived as factors protecting against the decrease in work ability and mental health problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS The cross-sectional study was performed in the group of 400 blue-collar male workers employed in large industrial plants. RESULTS Several predictors of work ability were found. There were: age, stress experienced due to lack of rewards at work, and mental health status. A properly composed diet was the only factor that positively correlated with work ability. Taking into account mental health status, it was found that stress experienced due to organizational uncertainty, expression of negative emotion at work and amount of alcohol drunk negatively correlates with good mental health status. CONCLUSIONS A high level of physical activity performed after work and a wide range of different coping strategies in use positively correlate with good mental health