Thumbnail Image
Publication

“Some people sit, some people stand, that’s just what we do ”: A qualitative exploration of sit-stand desk use in naturalistic settings

Deery, Elizabeth
; 
Buckley, John
; 
Morris, Michael
; 
Kennedy, Lynne
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Affiliation
Ulster University; Keele University; University of Chester; Qatar University
EPub Date
Publication Date
2024-03-11
Submitted Date
Collections
Clinical Sciences and Nutrition
Show all metadata
Files
Thumbnail Image
Article - VoR
Adobe PDF, 802.84 KB
Other Titles
Abstract
Prolonged sedentary behaviour is associated with poor health. Office-based workers spend much of the working day sitting. Sit-stand desks have become a popular intervention, but real-life experiences of the value of sit-stand desks remain relatively unexplored outside of research-led interventions. A qualitative study was therefore undertaken to explore real-life experiences, including perceived barriers, and facilitators of using sit-stand desks. Six focus-group interviews were undertaken with a total of 34 desk-based employees in North-West England. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged: The Sedentary Office, Motivators, and The Active Office. The Sedentary Office highlighted participants’ frustration with an increasingly sedentary office environment. Motivators to reducing sitting time were knowledge of the health consequences of prolonged sitting, previous (ill) health, and the potential benefits expected. The Active Office highlighted the importance of control, choice, enhanced interaction with colleagues, and the benefits associated with moving more and enhancing an overall sense of workplace wellbeing. Perceived benefits, facilitators, and barriers - experienced and observed – from sit-stand desk use in the real world were examined, thus contributing to important discussions of transferability. Overall, the study shed light on the perceived facilitators, benefits, and drawbacks of sit-stand desk work whilst also giving evidence of the real-world acceptability and research translation of sit-stand desk use. Future research should examine this in multiple contexts and should explore implications of an increasing prevalence in home working.
Citation
Deery, E., Buckley, J., Morris, M., & Kennedy, L. (2024). “Some People Sit, Some People Stand, That’s Just What We Do”: a Qualitative Exploration of Sit-Stand Desk Use in Naturalistic Settings. Occupational Health Science, 8, 505–531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-024-00176-0
Publisher
Springer
Journal
Occupational Health Science
Research Unit
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10034/629071
DOI
10.1007/s41542-024-00176-0
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
2367-0134
EISSN
2367-0142
ISBN
ISMN
Gov't Doc
Test Link
Sponsors
Unfunded
Additional Links
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41542-024-00176-0