Development of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Worker Well-Being Questionnaire

Ramya Chari, Steven L. Sauter, Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers, Wenjing Huang, Gwenith G. Fisher, Chia-Chia Chang

ResearchPosted on rand.org Jul 30, 2025Published in: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Volume 64, No. 8, pages 707-717 (August 2022). DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002585

Objective

This article describes development of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ).

Methods

The NIOSH WellBQ was developed through literature reviews and expert panel recommendations. We drew from a representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized, US working population to pilot the questionnaire. Psychometric analyses were performed on data from 975 respondents to finalize items and optimize the NIOSH WellBQ's psychometric properties.

Results

The final questionnaire consists of 16 scales, 5 indices, and 31 single items across 5 domains: (1) work evaluation and experience; (2) workplace policies and culture; (3) workplace physical environment and safety climate; (4) health status; and (5) home, community, and society (experiences and activities outside of work). The instrument demonstrated adequate reliability and validity.

Conclusions

The NIOSH WellBQ is a reliable and valid instrument that comprehensively measures worker well-being.

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Topics

Document Details

  • Copyright: Ramya Chari, Steven L. Sauter, Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers, Wenjing Huang, Gwenith G. Fisher, Chia-Chia Chang
  • Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
  • Availability: Non-RAND
  • Year: 2022
  • Pages: 11
  • Document Number: EP-71015

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