title: Development and reliability testing of a self-report instrument to measure the office layout as a correlate of occupational sitting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spatial configurations of office environments assessed by Space Syntax methodologies are related to employee movement patterns. These methods require analysis of floors plans which are not readily available in large population-based studies or otherwise unavailable. Therefore a self-report instrument to assess spatial configurations of office environments using four scales was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scales are: local connectivity (16 items), overall connectivity (11 items), visibility of co-workers (10 items), and proximity of co-workers (5 items). A panel cohort (N = 1154) completed an online survey, only data from individuals employed in office-based occupations (n = 307) were used to assess scale measurement properties. To assess test-retest reliability a separate sample of 37 office-based workers completed the survey on two occasions 7.7 (±3.2) days apart. Redundant scale items were eliminated using factor analysis; Chronbach's α was used to evaluate internal consistency and test re-test reliability (retest-ICC). ANOVA was employed to examine differences between office types (Private, Shared, Open) as a measure of construct validity. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine relationships between spatial configuration scales and the duration of and frequency of breaks in occupational sitting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of items on all scales were reduced, Chronbach's α and ICCs indicated good scale internal consistency and test re-test reliability: local connectivity (5 items; α = 0.70; retest-ICC = 0.84), overall connectivity (6 items; α = 0.86; retest-ICC = 0.87), visibility of co-workers (4 items; α = 0.78; retest-ICC = 0.86), and proximity of co-workers (3 items; α = 0.85; retest-ICC = 0.70). Significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences, in theoretically expected directions, were observed for all scales between office types, except overall connectivity. Significant associations were observed between all scales and occupational sitting behaviour (p ≤ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All scales have good measurement properties indicating the instrument may be a useful alternative to Space Syntax to examine environmental correlates of occupational sitting in population surveys.
authors: Central Queensland University, Institute for Health and Social Science Research, Centre for Physical Activity Studies, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. m.duncan@cqu.edu.au
authors: Mitch J
authors: MJ
authors: Duncan
authors: Mahbub
authors: M
authors: Rashid
authors: Corneel
authors: C
authors: Vandelanotte
authors: Nicoleta
authors: N
authors: Cutumisu
authors: Ronald C
authors: RC
authors: Plotnikoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D011187:Posture; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D017132:Workplace
references: Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2007 Oct;14(5):660-5
references: 17925625
references: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2004 Mar 15;1(1):7
references: 15169560
references: Diabetes Care. 2008 Apr;31(4):661-6
references: 18252901
references: Circulation. 2004 Aug 10;110(6):666-73
references: 15277321
references: Eur Heart J. 2011 Mar;32(5):590-7
references: 21224291
references: Am J Prev Med. 2011 Aug;41(2):189-96
references: 21767727
references: Stat Med. 1998 Jan 15;17(1):101-10
references: 9463853
references: Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2008 Jul;2(4):292-298
references: 22905272
references: Am J Prev Med. 2012 Sep;43(3):298-303
references: 22898123
references: Prev Chronic Dis. 2005 Jul;2(3):A16
references: 15963318
references: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2005 Sep 05;2:11
references: 16138933
references: J Phys Act Health. 2010 Nov;7(6):697-705
references: 21088299
references: Diabetes. 2007 Nov;56(11):2655-67
references: 17827399
references: Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2010 Jul;38(3):105-13
references: 20577058
references: Am J Public Health. 2003 Sep;93(9):1552-8
references: 12948979
references: Psychiatry Res. 1989 May;28(2):193-213
references: 2748771
references: Circulation. 2010 Jan 26;121(3):384-91
references: 20065160
references: Am J Prev Med. 2005 Aug;29(2):91-7
references: 16005804
references: Arch Environ Occup Health. 2012;67(3):125-7
references: 22845724
references: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Oct;43(10):1907-12
references: 21926535
references: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 Aug;35(8):1381-95
references: 12900694
references: J Phys Act Health. 2010 Nov;7(6):718-23
references: 21088301
references: Am J Health Promot. 2003 Sep-Oct;18(1):83-92
references: 13677966
references: Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2000 Oct;28(4):153-8
references: 11064848
references: Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 May;24(5):600-6
references: 10849582
references: Am J Prev Med. 2007 Dec;33(6):450-4
references: 18022060
references: Am J Health Promot. 2007 Mar-Apr;21(4 Suppl):346-52
references: 17465180
references: Am J Prev Med. 2009 Jun;36(6):484-90
references: 19460656
references: Health Promot J Austr. 2011 Apr;22(1):38-43
references: 21717836
references: Biometrics. 1977 Mar;33(1):159-74
references: 843571
references: Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2005 Oct;33(4):175-81
references: 16239834
references: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):998-1005
references: 19346988