Exploring psychosocial determinants of health behaviours in shift workers through the development and validation of a Health Belief Model for Shift Workers (HBM-SW) scale

Shift work is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. Emerging research has also demonstrated an association between engagement in shift work and poorer health behaviours. However, little is known about the factors that influence health behaviours in shift workers. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate psychosocial determinants of health behaviours in shift workers, through the development and validation of a Health Belief Model for Shift Workers scale (HBM-SW). Developing a metric which allows for the analysis of associations between psychosocial determinants and health behaviours in shift workers will allow for the identification of patterns and risk factors that may signify which shift workers are at risk for poorer health behaviours. In turn, identifying shift workers who may be at higher risk for chronic diseases. Furthermore, identifying patterns in health behaviours and the psychosocial determinants associated with them, will provide a foundation for the development of interventions which aim to minimise negative health outcomes in shift workers. The proposed research project aims to develop and validate a scale to investigate psychosocial determinants of health behaviours in shift workers by drawing on an established behavioural framework (the HBM). The knowledge gained from the use of the Health Belief Model for Shift Workers (HBM-SW) is anticipated to further inform interventions aimed at improving health outcomes for individuals engaged in shift work. The study will investigate determinants of sleep, nutritional intake, physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol consumption in shift workers, using modelling based on the established Health Belief Model.