The nine research questions addressed in this thesis along with their associated
alternative hypothesis (Ha) are presented below:
1. What is the international evidence of the prevalence of tobacco smoking,
physical active, alcohol consumption, and dietary habits, specifically sugar, fat
and fruit and vegetable intake, among nurses and student nurses?
2. What is the percentage of nursing and midwifery professionals compared to
other professions and occupations in the UK, who report a current disability,
health problem that affects the amount or kind of work undertaken, and low
satisfaction with life associated with disability or health problems?
3. What role do demographics and work variables in explaining the answer to
research question two? Specifically, the following eight alternative
hypotheses are tested:
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and
reporting a current disability.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and
reporting a health problem that affects the amount of work an individual is
able to undertake.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and
reporting a health problem that affects the type of work an individual is able
to undertake.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and
reporting a current disability.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and
reporting a health problem that affects the amount of work an individual is
able to undertake.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and
reporting a health problem that affects the type of work an individual is able
to undertake.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and
reporting a low satisfaction with life.
4. What is the prevalence of: back and neck problems; heart, blood pressure or
circulation problems; diabetes mellitus; ‘depression or bad nerves’; and
progressive illness among nursing and midwifery professionals compared to
other professions and occupations?
5. What is the association with demographics and work variables and the
occurrence of: back and neck problems; heart, blood pressure or circulation
problems; diabetes mellitus; ‘depression or bad nerves’; and progressive
illness among nursing and midwifery professionals compared to other work
groups? In answering this question, the following ten alternative hypotheses
are tested:
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
occurrence of back and neck problems among nursing and midwifery
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
occurrence of heart, blood pressure or circulation problems among
nursing and midwifery professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
occurrence of diabetes mellitus among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
occurrence of ‘depression or bad nerves’ among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
occurrence of a progressive illness among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and the
occurrence of back and neck problems among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and the
occurrence of heart, blood pressure or circulation problems among
nursing and midwifery professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and the
occurrence of diabetes mellitus among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and the
occurrence of ‘depression or bad nerves’ among nursing and midwifery
Ha: There is a significant association between work variables and the
occurrence of a progressive illness among nursing and midwifery
professionals compared to other work groups.
6. What percentage of: nurses; other health professionals; care workers;
teachers; and other occupations in Scotland self-report to smoke tobacco,
engage in physical activity, and consume alcohol and fruit and vegetables?
7. What is the association between health behaviours, demographics and (i)
self-assessed health, (ii) the presence of a long-term illness, (iii) the presence
of a mental health condition, and (iv) satisfaction with life among nurses
compared to other occupational groups in Scotland? To answer these the
following eight alternative hypotheses are considered:
Ha: There is a significant association between health behaviours and self-
assessed health among nurses compared to other occupational groups in
Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between health behaviours and the
presence of a long-term illness among nurses compared to other
occupational groups in Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between health behaviours and the
presence of a mental health condition among nurses compared to other
occupational groups in Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between health behaviours and
satisfaction with life among nurses compared to other occupational groups in
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and self-
assessed health among nurses compared to other occupational groups in
Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
presence of a long-term illness among nurses compared to other
occupational groups in Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and the
presence of a mental health condition among nurses compared to other
occupational groups in Scotland.
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and
satisfaction with life among nurses compared to other occupational groups in
Scotland.
8. What percentage of nursing and midwifery professionals who reported poor health left the workforce between 2003 and 2016 compared to other
occupational groups?
9. How do demographics and behavioural variables and life satisfaction relate to early workforce exit of nurses and midwives compared to other
occupational groups? In answering this question, the following three
alternative hypotheses are tested:
Ha: There is a significant association between demographics and
workforce exit among nurses and midwives compared to other occupational
Ha: There is a significant association between behavioural variables and
workforce exit among nurses and midwives compared to other occupational
groups.
Ha: There is a significant association between satisfaction with life and
workforce exit among nurses and midwives compared to other occupational
groups.