Title: Entrepreneurs' health - the importance of psychosocial working conditions and individual factors

Authors: Stig Vinberg; Kjell Terje Gundersen; Mikael Nordenmark; Johan Larsson; Bodil J. Landstad

Addresses: Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 83125 Östersund, Sweden. ' Faculty of Education, Nord-Trøndelag University College, Postbox 2501, 7729 Steinkjer, Norway. ' Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 83125 Östersund, Sweden. ' Department of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 Östersund, Sweden. ' Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 83125 Östersund, Sweden; Faculty of Health Sciences, Nord-Trøndelag University College, Postbox 2501, 7729 Steinkjer, Norway

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to identify individual characteristics, individual resources and psychosocial working conditions that explain health among micro enterprise entrepreneurs. The study investigated a sample consisting of 139 Swedish entrepreneurs, who individually answered a questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed for self-rated health, sickness presence and sickness absence. Relevant predictor variables for self-rated health were age, change competence, job demands (reversed), physical exercise, social activities and social support. For sickness presence (reversed) the predictor variables gender (male), age and job demands (reversed) contributed significantly. None of the predictor variables contributed significantly to sickness absence. One conclusion is that improving entrepreneurs' health should focus on both individual and organisational measures. Another conclusion is that entrepreneurs' health might be an underestimated resource for entrepreneurial behaviour.

Keywords: entrepreneurs; micro enterprises; psychosocial working conditions; job demands; change competence; occupational health; sickness presence; sickness absence; Sweden; entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial behaviour; micro firms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2012.049829

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.374 - 390

Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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