title: Experiences of work ability in young workers: an exploratory interview study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of and influences on work ability in young workers related to their work and life situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a qualitative study of a strategic sample of 12 young female and 12 young male workers, aged 25-30 years, in work or recently left work, recruited from the 5-year follow-up of a Swedish cohort, semi-structured interviews were performed to explore the experiences of work ability in these young workers. Systematic text condensation inspired by phenomenology was used in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Work ability was experienced as complex, consisting of four themes, each with three subthemes. To be alert and have energy, to possess sufficient education, skills and working life experience and experience meaningfulness and engagement in work, were perceived to be fundamental for work ability and were seen as the worker's own responsibility. Moreover, work ability can be improved or reduced by the psychosocial work climate, the work organization and the private life. Optimal work ability was experienced when all themes integrated in a positive way.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Work ability was experienced as the worker's own responsibility that could be influenced by work circumstances and private life. To promote good work ability among young workers, work ability has to be understood in its specific context. Whether the understanding of work ability found in this study is explicit for the group of young adults needs to be explored in a more general population in further research.
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden. maria.bostrom@amm.gu.se.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boström
authors.affiliation: Social Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holmgren
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sluiter
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Box 414, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grimby-Ekman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D000072358:Work-Life Balance; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Alertness; Meaningfulness; Private life; Qualitative interviews; Work ability; Work climate; Work organization; Young workers