Associations Between the Breakroom Built Environment, Worker Health Habits, and Worker Health Outcomes: A Pilot Study Among Public Transit Rail Operators.

Abstract

To investigate the association between the breakroom built environment and worker health outcomes. We conducted this study in a mass transit organization (rail). We collected a user-reported breakroom quality score (worker survey), a worksite health promotion score (validated audit tool), and self-reported worker health outcomes (survey). Among the 12 breakrooms audited and 127 rail operators surveyed, the average worksite health promotion score was 9.1 (out of 15) and the average user-reported breakroom quality was 3.1 (out of 7). After multivariable regression, breakrooms with higher worksite health promotion scores and user-reported breakroom quality were associated with lower odds of depression and fewer medical disability days. This cross-sectional study demonstrates an association between the quality of the breakroom built environment and worker health, specifically depression and medical disability days.