The Assessment of Health Risk Behaviours among the Administrative Staff at an Institution of Higher Education

Abstract

Background: Health risk behaviours can impair an individual's physical and/or mental health. University administrators experience a sedentary lifestyle such as smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating habits, and work-related stress. Objective: This study assessed the health risk behaviours of administrators at an institution of higher education in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted among 67 participants using an online questionnaire, focusing on demographics, work-related stress and environment, lifestyle-related behavior, and physical activity levels. SPSS, version 26 (2020), was used to compute the data. Results: The results of this study report significant mean value for administrative staff. Participants reported that they preferred physical activity as a coping mechanism. Administrators admitted to being stressed in their work situation for two weeks or more consecutively and to feeling overwhelmed by the workload. They reported working standard office hours from 08:30 to 16:30. On most days of the week, administrators reported they ate breakfast with at least one drink of alcohol and tried smoking. They spend hours playing video or computer games, sitting at a desk, and have poor sleep quality. Conclusion: Health risk behaviors such as smoking, excessive drinking, and having a sedentary lifestyle can harm job productivity.