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Understanding key determinants of health climate in building construction projects

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Abstract

Health climate is critical for achieving a better health performance in building construction projects. However, the topic is rarely investigated by extant literature. The aim of this study is to identify key determinants of health climate in building construction projects. To achieve this goal, a hypothesis was established between practitioners’ perceptions of health climate and their health status, based on a comprehensive literature review and structured interviews conducted with experienced experts. Then, a questionnaire was developed and administered for data collection. Partial least-squares structural equation modeling was used for data processing and hypothesis test. Results showed that health climate in building construction projects is positively correlated with the health status of the practitioners, and that employment involvement was the most important determinant of health climate in building construction projects, followed by management commitment, and supportive environment. Moreover, significant factors under each determinant of health climate were also disclosed. As limited research has been conducted to examine health climate in building construction projects, this study bridges the knowledge gap and is a contributory work to the current body of knowledge of construction health. Additionally, the findings of this study can provide authorities and practitioners with a deeper understanding of construction health and thereby helping them bring forward more feasible measures to improve health in building construction projects. Thus, this study is useful to the practice as well.

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Data availability

The datasets or analyses during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71901224) and Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China (Grant No. 2020JJ5779). Sincere thanks also go to industry and academic experts who have participated in surveys, for both interview and questionnaire.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71901224) and Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China (Grant No. 2020JJ5779).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, 68 South Shaoshan Road, Changsha, China

    Si-Yi Li & Ming Shan

  2. School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, 960 South Wanjiali Road, Changsha, China

    Zhao Zhai

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  1. Si-Yi Li
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  2. Ming Shan
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  3. Zhao Zhai
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Si-Yi Li: methodology, formal analysis, investigation and writing—original draft preparation. Ming Shan: conceptualization, writing—review and editing, Supervision. Zhao Zhai: writing—reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Ming Shan.

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Li, SY., Shan, M. & Zhai, Z. Understanding key determinants of health climate in building construction projects. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 51450–51463 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25950-5

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