Why Employee Health Matters in Education
Teachers and non-teaching personnel help schools operate effectively, support students, and maintain educational services. Their health can affect individual well-being, work attendance, and the continuity of school activities. However, employees in educational institutions may face different work schedules, responsibilities, and opportunities to maintain healthy routines.
Noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, remain important public health concerns in the Philippines. Risk indicators such as elevated blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, and high blood glucose can help identify people who may benefit from further assessment. These measurements do not automatically establish a medical diagnosis, but they can provide useful information for preventive health programs.
The study by Santos, Mallari, and Samson examined the health profiles of teaching and non-teaching personnel within the Schools Division Office of Pampanga. By comparing physical measurements and laboratory results, the authors provided information that may help workplace health planners identify areas for screening, health education, and clinical follow-up.
How the Researchers Assessed Employee Health
The researchers used a quantitative cross-sectional design, which captures information about a population at a particular point or period rather than following participants over time. The study included 200 personnel: 100 teaching employees and 100 non-teaching employees.
Participants provided information about previously diagnosed health conditions and selected health-related behaviors. These included dietary habits, physical activity, sleep, smoking, and alcohol use. The researchers also assessed physical measurements, including blood pressure, height, and weight, which were used to calculate body mass index (BMI).
Laboratory testing covered fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid profiles. The lipid profile included total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides. Laboratory results were available for 190 participants: 94 teaching personnel and 96 non-teaching personnel.
The researchers analyzed the data using Jamovi statistical software. Their analysis compared health indicators between the two employee groups and examined selected relationships between physical activity and health measurements. Because the design was cross-sectional, the findings show associations and group differences rather than proving that particular work roles or behaviors caused specific health outcomes.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Showed Significant Differences
The results identified statistically significant differences between teaching and non-teaching personnel in several measurements.
Blood pressure was higher among non-teaching personnel. Their average systolic blood pressure was 128.4 mmHg, compared with 124.7 mmHg among teaching personnel. Average diastolic blood pressure was 81.5 mmHg in the non-teaching group and 78.4 mmHg in the teaching group. The differences were statistically significant.
Several cholesterol and triglyceride measurements were also higher among non-teaching personnel. The group's average total cholesterol was 197.0 mg/dL, compared with 187.8 mg/dL among teaching personnel. Average LDL cholesterol was 121.0 mg/dL among non-teaching personnel and 105.3 mg/dL among teaching personnel. Triglyceride levels averaged 143.5 mg/dL and 128.6 mg/dL, respectively.
HDL cholesterol, often described as “good” cholesterol because of its role in transporting cholesterol, showed the opposite pattern. Teaching personnel had an average HDL level of 55.2 mg/dL, compared with 50.7 mg/dL among non-teaching personnel.
In contrast, the study found no statistically significant difference in average BMI or fasting blood sugar between the groups. Average BMI was 24.7 among non-teaching personnel and 24.3 among teaching personnel. Average fasting blood sugar was 96.7 mg/dL and 96.9 mg/dL, respectively.
These findings indicate that the differences were concentrated in selected cardiovascular indicators rather than appearing across every health measurement. They should not be used to label all members of either occupational group as healthy or unhealthy. Individual results can vary considerably, and clinical interpretation depends on a person's broader health circumstances.
Physical Activity and the Limits of the Findings
The researchers also examined whether physical activity was associated with selected health measurements. The analysis did not find statistically significant relationships between physical activity and BMI, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, or triglyceride levels in this sample.
This result does not establish that physical activity has no health benefits. The analysis focused on selected associations within a cross-sectional dataset and cannot capture every possible influence on health. Factors such as age, sex, medication use, existing medical conditions, and other lifestyle characteristics may affect the measurements and could help explain differences between employee groups.
The article also reported relationships between participants' previously reported diagnoses and corresponding measurements. However, some people with a prior diagnosis had measurements below the study's elevated thresholds, while some participants without a reported diagnosis had elevated readings. This reinforces the distinction between a screening result and a clinical diagnosis. A single measurement cannot fully describe an individual's health status, and concerning results should be reviewed by qualified health professionals.
Implications for Workplace Health Programs
The findings offer practical considerations for the Schools Division Office of Pampanga and other educational institutions seeking to strengthen employee wellness programs.
First, regular and accessible health screening can help personnel identify measurements that may require further medical assessment. Blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid testing can contribute to preventive care when results are interpreted appropriately and followed by clinical guidance.
Second, health programs should be designed around employees' needs rather than assumptions about their job categories. The observed group differences may justify examining access to screening and health education, but they do not establish that occupational role itself caused the differences.
Third, institutions can use anonymized, aggregate health data to guide voluntary wellness initiatives, including education on cardiovascular risk, nutrition, physical activity, and the importance of appropriate medical follow-up. Individual results should remain confidential, and employees should not be stigmatized because of their health measurements.
The study's central practical message is that workplace health monitoring can help identify areas for prevention, but it should be accompanied by careful interpretation and follow-up. As Santos, Mallari, and Samson's findings suggest, comparing health indicators can inform planning; understanding individual circumstances remains essential to effective care.
About the Authors
R’mon Ian C. Santos, the corresponding author, Maria Hazel G. Mallari, and Maria Hazel B. Samson are affiliated with the Schools Division Office of Pampanga, Philippines. Their article examines employee health profiles, including physical measurements, laboratory indicators, and selected health-related behaviors.
The published article information available for this report does not specify the authors' academic degrees or individual fields of expertise. Those details are therefore not inferred or added.
Source
Article title: “Health Profile of Teaching and Non-Teaching Personnel of the Schools Division Office of Pampanga: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study”
Journal: Formosa Journal of Science and Technology (FJST), Volume 5, Issue 9, 2026, pp. 2619–2630.
Authors: R’mon Ian C. Santos, Maria Hazel G. Mallari, and Maria Hazel B. Samson.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i9.167
Official journal website: https://journalfjst.my.id/index.php/fjst
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