Urooj Malik (MPhil, 2016-2018) Supervisor: Shazia Qayyum, PhD
The current study aimed to explore the relationship between physical work environment, sick building syndrome and mental health of factory workers. It was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between physical work environment, sick building syndrome and mental health of factory workers. Physical work environment would be a predictor of mental health and sick building syndrome would be a mediator between physical work environment, and mental health of factory workers. Further the study assumed that females would be higher on physical work environment, sick building syndrome and mental health than males. Sample of the study consisted of 300 men and women factory workers (men = 150, women = 150) by using purposive sampling technique. Physical Work Environment Scale (PWES; Erikson, 1999), Sick Building Syndrome Questionnaire (SBSSQ; Israeli & Pardo, 2011), and Subjective well-being Scale (WBS; Stone & Christopher, 2013) were used for assessment. Descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, regression analysis and independent sample t– test were used to analyze data. The results revealed that physical work environment had a negative relationship with sick building syndrome and mental health of factory workers. Indoor air quality had a negative relationship with mental health and lighting, ergonomics and acoustics had a positive relationship with mental health of factory workers. Physical work environment was a positive predictor of mental health of factory workers. Sick building syndrome was a mediator between physical work environment and mental health of factory workers. Women scored more on physical work environment, sick building syndrome and mental health than men. Findings were discussed in the light of previous literature.
Keywords: Physical work environment, sick building syndrome, mental health, factory workers.
