School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Department of Human Services, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Stress Health. 2024 Oct;40(5):e3445. doi: 10.1002/smi.3445. Epub 2024 Jul 14.
Chronic health conditions (CHCs) involve physical, psychological, and social challenges and can have a significant negative impact on work ability, which can then affect performance and job satisfaction. However, the various effects of CHCs on business operations and maintenance among self-employed workers are understudied. This study examined four common CHCs that are characterised by persistent symptoms and can prompt major life changes: respiratory disease, heart conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer survivorship. Groups were compared regarding the CHC's impact on business maintenance (declining in income and activity, and slowing business growth), and well-being. A sample of 294 self-employed workers with these CHCs completed questionnaires about how their conditions affect their businesses, physical symptoms, and well-being. The four CHCs had substantial negative effects on business maintenance. Differences were found in reported changes in income, activity, and growth between individuals with inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. No differences in well-being occurred among self-employed people with different CHCs. In the overall sample, work absences and slowing business growth were negatively associated with well-being. Although the groups differed in the severity of symptoms, threat to life, and treatment regimen, the CHCs had similar effects on most business maintenance factors and well-being. Moreover, the results indicate that the inability to maintain a business can negatively affect well-being.
慢性健康状况（CHCs）涉及身体、心理和社会方面的挑战，会对工作能力产生重大负面影响，从而影响绩效和工作满意度。然而，CHC 对自营职业者的业务运营和维持的各种影响研究较少。本研究考察了四种常见的 CHC，这些疾病具有持续性症状，并可能引发重大生活变化：呼吸道疾病、心脏疾病、炎症性肠病和癌症生存。比较了各组 CHC 对业务维持（收入和活动减少，业务增长放缓）和幸福感的影响。294 名患有这些 CHC 的自营职业者完成了关于其病情如何影响其业务、身体症状和幸福感的问卷。四种 CHC 对业务维持有重大负面影响。患有炎症性肠病和癌症的个体在收入、活动和增长方面的报告变化存在差异。不同 CHC 的自营职业者在幸福感方面没有差异。在整个样本中，缺勤和业务增长放缓与幸福感呈负相关。尽管各组在症状严重程度、生命威胁和治疗方案方面存在差异，但 CHC 对大多数业务维持因素和幸福感的影响相似。此外，结果表明无法维持业务可能会对幸福感产生负面影响。
