Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40165147›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Exploring experiences and perceptions of early withdrawal from a height-adjustable sit-to-stand desk intervention among South African office workers.

Merling Phaswana, Sunday O Onagbiye, Philippe Jean-Luc Gradidge

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Merling PhaswanaDepartment of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Merling.phaswana@wits.ac.za.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5917-1619
Sunday O OnagbiyeDepartment of Health and Exercise Sciences, Frederick Community College, Maryland, 21702, USA.
Philippe Jean-Luc GradidgeDepartment of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5225-1184

Funding

South African National Research Fund CPRR23030380650South African National Research Fund TTK23030380785
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe increasing sedentary behaviour and burden of non-communicable diseases among office workers raise significant concerns. Height-adjustable sit-to-stand desks offer a potential solution, yet uptake remains challenging, limiting their effectiveness and long-term adoption. The experiences of office workers who withdrew from a height-adjustable sit-to-stand desk intervention need to be explored to inform program refinement.

methodsA qualitative approach was used, with pre-identified themes guiding data collection, while subthemes emerged inductively from transcripts and field notes. Twelve participants with a mean age of 46.0 years were conveniently sampled. These office workers withdrew from a height-adjustable standing desk randomised controlled trial and did not form any part of other studies. One-on-one semi-structured interviews guided data collection about the participants' experiences and reasons for early withdrawal from the intervention. Data were thematically analysed using Atlas.ti 23.

resultsMost participants were female (n = 10, 83.3%). All participants completed high school, while 41.7% completed a postgraduate degree from a university and credit bureau company. Despite the participants' understanding of the benefits of height-adjustable sit-to-stand workstations, most of the participants discontinued the intervention due to perceived barriers that aligned with the themes: "discomforts and dislikes", "applicability and practicality", "people's perception-i.e., what other people will say" and "transitioning to electronic sit-to-stand desks".

conclusionsThe findings of this study may assist in formulating a policy to improve compliance with height-adjustable sit-to-stand workstations in the workplace. Future studies should consider individual preferences, design, functionality, knowledge, and motivation to ensure effective implementation, utilisation, and compliance with height-adjustable sit-to-stand workstations.

Indexed as

Interior Design and FurnishingsSitting PositionStanding PositionAdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchSedentary BehaviorSouth AfricaWorkplaceHealth benefitsHeight-adjustable sit-to-stand deskOffice-based workersSedentary behaviourWithdrawalWorkplace

Identifiers

PMID40165147
PMCPMC11956473

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.