The Relationship Between Perception and Preventive Behaviors for Office Syndrome Among Supportive Personnel at a University in Chanthaburi Province

Abstract

This study employed a descriptive correlational research design to examine the relationship between health belief patterns and preventive behaviors for office syndrome among 200 support personnel in a university located in Chanthaburi Province. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s formula. The participants were selected through proportional allocation followed by simple random sampling from each department. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising six sections: (1) personal information; (2) perceived susceptibility to office syndrome; (3) perceived severity of office syndrome; (4) perceived benefits of preventive behaviors; (5) perceived barriers to preventive behaviors; and (6) preventive behaviors for office syndrome. The reliability of parts 2 to 6 was tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, yielding values of .86, .81, .90, .70, and .77, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the relationships were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

The findings revealed that the participants demonstrated a moderate level of preventive behaviors for office syndrome. Perceived susceptibility to office syndrome was positively correlated at a low level with preventive behaviors (r = 0.23, p < .01). Perceived severity showed a very low positive correlation with preventive behaviors (r = 0.18, p < .05). Perceived benefits of preventive behaviors had a low positive correlation with preventive behaviors (r = 0.21, p < .05). In contrast, perceived barriers to preventive behaviors were not significantly associated with preventive behaviors for office syndrome. These findings suggest that nurses or relevant personnel should organize health promotion activities utilizing the Health Belief Model as a conceptual framework to prevent Office Syndrome.