Körperliche Aktivität und Wohlbefinden im deutschen Handwerk

Background: In light of the current shortage of people working in the skilled crafts and trades sector (craftspeople), which is further compounded by occupational health risks, it is important to examine the health-related potential and resources of craftspeople in greater detail. Therefore, the objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of physical activity and subjective well-being in the German craft sector. Methods: The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) and included 1830 craftspeople from defined trades. The sample was stratified and a design and adjustment weight was calculated. Physical activity was assessed using the European Health Interview Survey – Physical Activity Questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) and subjective well-being using the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA), taking into account predetermined criteria and weighting factors. Results: It can be observed that craftmen are more likely to engage in heavy physical work than craftwomen. The average time spent on health-promoting activities is 222 min per week, while the mean well-being score is 69.62. Craftspeople who perform heavy physical work have a lower well-being than those with moderate and sedentary activities. However the difference is not significant. Leisure-related activities correlate significantly with subjective well-being. Conclusion: The results confirm previous studies showing increased work-related activity among craftspeople. On average, German craftspeople meet the WHO recommendations for health-promoting activities, but there is clear potential in the implementation of muscle-strengthening activities. Health promotion activities should take gender and age differences into account and be adapted to craft-specific work requirements.