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Salonsalmi A, Kouvonen A, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E, Lallukka T. Work-family conflicts and sickness absence-a register-linked cohort study among young and early midlife employees. Eur J Public Health 2024; 34:316-321. [PMID: 38332545 PMCID: PMC10990516 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work-family conflicts (WFC) have been associated with poor mental health, poor self-rated health and sickness absence. However, studies on short sickness absence are lacking and more information is needed also about long sickness absence regarding the direction of WFC, and potential explaining factors particularly among young and early middle-aged employees. METHODS The Helsinki Health Study baseline survey (2017) among 19- to 39-year-old municipal employees (N = 3683, 80% women, response rate 51.5%) was linked to employer's sickness absence data. The associations of work-to-family conflicts (WTFC) and family-to-work conflicts (FTWC) with short (1-7 days) and long (over 7 days) sickness absence were analyzed using negative binomial regression analysis. Covariates were age, gender, family-related factors and work-related factors. Stratified analyses by occupational class were performed. The results are presented as rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS High WTFC were associated with short (1.25, 1.12-1.40) and long (1.37, 1.11-1.70) sickness absence. High FTWC were also associated with short (1.12, 1.03-1.22) and long (1.24, 1.06-1.45) sickness absence. Adjustment for family-related factors strengthened the associations, whereas adjustment for work-related factors abolished the associations between WTFC and sickness absence. Associations between WFC and sickness absence were observed among two lowest occupational classes only. CONCLUSION WFC are associated with both short and long sickness absence. Work-related factors including the quality of supervisory work and shift work play a role in the association. Intervention studies could determine if improvements in combining work and family life lead to a reduction in sickness absence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aino Salonsalmi
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne Kouvonen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Ossi Rahkonen
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero Lahelma
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tea Lallukka
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Holmlund L, Ljungberg HT, Bültmann U, Brämberg EB. Navigating work and life- a qualitative exploration of managers' and employees' views of return-to-work after sick leave due to common mental disorders. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:372. [PMID: 38317150 PMCID: PMC10840186 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17765-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Incorporating multiple perspectives and contexts in knowledge mobilisation for return-to-work after sick leave due to common mental disorders can promote interprofessional and organisational strategies for facilitating the return-to-work process. This study aimed to explore the facilitators of and barriers to return-to-work after common mental disorders. This exploration considered the perspectives of employees and managers and the realms of work and private life. METHODS A qualitative approach was used with data from 27 semi-structured telephone interviews. The strategic sample consisted of employees who returned to work after sick leave due to common mental disorders (n = 17) and managers responsible for their return-to-work process (n = 10). Thematic analysis conducted in a six-step process was used to generate themes in the interview data. RESULTS The analysis generated three main themes with subthemes, illustrating experiences of barriers to and facilitators of return-to-work positioned in the employees' private and work contexts: (1) Getting along: managing personal difficulties in everyday life; (2) Belonging: experiencing social connectedness and support in work and private life; and (3) Organisational support: fostering a supportive work environment. The results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the return-to-work process, including the challenges individuals face at work and in private life. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests that return-to-work after sick leave due to CMDs is a dynamic and ongoing process embedded in social, organisational, and societal environments. The results highlight avenues for an interprofessional approach and organisational learning to support employees and managers, including space for the employee to recover during the workday. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study recruited employees from a two-armed cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating a problem-solving intervention for reducing sick leave among employees sick-listed due to common mental disorders (reg. NCT3346395).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Holmlund
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Box 210, Sweden.
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Occupational Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Fack 23 200, SE-141 83, Stockholm, Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Helena Tinnerholm Ljungberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Box 210, Sweden
| | - Ute Bültmann
- Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Björk Brämberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Box 210, Sweden
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Box 100, Sweden
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Danielsson L, Frantz A, Holmgren K. Work-related stress is associated with low work ability, but not with poor self-rated health: A cross-sectional study in primary healthcare. Work 2024:WOR230141. [PMID: 38189724 DOI: 10.3233/wor-230141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People seeking care at primary healthcare centres may be exposed to work-related stress, increasing the risk of future sick leave. Thus, it is important to identify work-related stress, and to explore how stress relates to work ability and health. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between work-related stress and a) work ability, and b) self-rated health, among working women and men seeking care for physical or mental health complaints. METHODS This cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data (n = 232) from a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of a brief intervention to prevent sick leave. Data regarding work-related stress, work ability and self-rated health were analyzed using binary logistic regression models. RESULTS In models adjusted for age, gender and education, high work-related stress measured by the Work Stress Questionnaire was significantly associated with low work ability. The highest odds ratio (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.66-6.42) was found between the domain "interference between work and leisure time" and work ability, suggesting a more than three times higher odds for low work ability when perceiving that work interferes with leisure time. No significant association was found between work-related stress and self-rated health. CONCLUSION Health professionals should explore patients' work-related stress when they seek care for physical or mental complaints in primary healthcare. Patients' perceived balance between work and leisure time seems particularly important to address. Increased awareness might facilitate timely, relevant strategies to reduce stress and promote work ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Danielsson
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Frantz
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Holmgren
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Alaie I, Svedberg P, Ropponen A, Narusyte J. Longitudinal trajectories of sickness absence among young adults with a history of depression and anxiety symptoms in Sweden. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:271-279. [PMID: 37437735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety are associated with increased risk of sickness absence (SA), yet the developmental patterns of SA remain unclear. We aimed to identify trajectories of SA in young adults with depression and/or anxiety, accounting for sociodemographic and occupational factors. METHODS Longitudinal study of 1445 twin individuals with elevated depressive/anxiety symptoms in late adolescence or young adulthood (age range: 19-30), assessed in Swedish surveys completed in 2005. Through linkage to nationwide registries, individuals were prospectively followed from 2006 to 2018. The outcome included consecutive annual days of SA, which were analyzed using group-based trajectory modeling. Multinomial logistic regression estimating odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) was used to examine associations of age, sex, and educational level with the resulting SA trajectories. RESULTS Four distinct SA trajectories were identified in the total sample: 'high-increasing' (6 %), 'low-increasing' (12 %), 'high-decreasing' (13 %), and 'low-constant' (69 %). Increasing age was associated with higher odds of belonging to the low-increasing trajectory (OR = 1.07, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.12). Women had higher odds of belonging to the low-increasing trajectory (OR = 1.67, 95 % CI = 1.10-2.53), compared with men. Higher education was associated with lower odds of belonging to high-increasing (OR = 0.34, 95 % CI = 0.22-0.54) and high-decreasing (OR = 0.59, 95 % CI = 0.43-0.81) trajectories, compared with lower education. Few differences were observed in analyses stratified by occupational sector. LIMITATIONS Information on potential confounders (e.g., psychiatric comorbidity, work-environment factors) was not available. CONCLUSIONS Among young adults with prior depression/anxiety, close to every fifth showed rising SA trajectories over time. This calls for targeted strategies to improve public mental health already at young ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Alaie
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Pia Svedberg
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annina Ropponen
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jurgita Narusyte
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Hensing G, Rajagopalan V, Staland-Nyman C. Domestic Factors as Determinant of Sickness Absence with Psychiatric Disorders: A Scoping Review of Nordic Research Published between 2010-2019. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6292. [PMID: 37444138 PMCID: PMC10341713 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20136292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Uneven division of domestic factors may contribute to sex differences in sickness absence with psychiatric disorders. The aim of this scoping review was to compile current Nordic research on domestic factors and sickness absence with psychiatric disorders. A systematic search was performed to identify studies from the Nordic countries published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. Twelve studies were included. Marital status, family situation, work-home interference (in both directions), social affiliation, and loss of child/young adult (suicide, accident, or natural death) were identified as measures of domestic factors. In 8 of the 12 studies, domestic factors were used as co-variates, while four used them as the main exposure. Social affiliation, home-to-work conflict, and total workload were not associated with the outcome. One study found that parents with children older than two years, widows/widowers, and those divorced or unmarried had an increased risk of sickness absence with psychiatric disorders. One study found that work-to-home conflict was associated with sickness absence with stress-related diagnoses in men, and with other mental disorders in women. Finally, one study found that losing a son or daughter aged 16-24 years increased the risk of future sickness absence with a psychiatric disorder regardless of the cause of death. Future studies need to develop concepts, study designs, and measurements to move this research area further. In particular, the concept of "unpaid domestic work" needs theoretical and empirical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnel Hensing
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; (V.R.); (C.S.-N.)
| | - Varsha Rajagopalan
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; (V.R.); (C.S.-N.)
| | - Carin Staland-Nyman
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; (V.R.); (C.S.-N.)
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, 301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
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Kaila-Kangas L, Haukka E, Lallukka T, Rahkonen O, Toppinen-Tanner S, Leino-Arjas P. Work-family conflicts and long-term medically certified sickness absence due to mental disorders - a follow-up study of female municipal employees. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1137. [PMID: 37312062 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16075-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND . Decreased work ability due to mental disorders is a growing concern in Europe. We studied the role of work-family conflicts in association with long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders (LTSA-MD). METHODS . Baseline data were extracted from the Helsinki Health Study for women aged 40 to 55 in full-time work in 2001 - 2002 (N = 2386). Questionnaire responses were linked with register data from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland on SA spells due to mental disorders during 2004-2010. We studied an overall question on satisfaction with combining work and family (WFS) and composite scores of work-to-family conflicts (WTFC) and family-to-work-conflicts (FTWC), and their components in association with the first certified SA spell (≥ 12 calendar days) due to a mental disorder during the follow-up. We performed Cox regression analyses with hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for sociodemographic factors, work schedule, perceived mental and physical strenuousness at work, and self-rated health. First, we examined all participants, and second, only those who reported no prior mental disorder. RESULTS . Poor work-family satisfaction (WFS) was associated with subsequent LTSA-MD, adjusting for all covariates (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.10-2.16). Both high WTFC (1.64; 1.15-2.23), and high FTWC (1.43; 1.02-2.00) increased the probability of LTSA-MD in the full model. When participants with prior mental disorder were excluded, the association between poor WFS and WTFC with LTSA-MD retained while that between FTWC and LTSA-MD attenuated; however, two items of the FTWC were still associated with LTSA-MD: 'Family worries and problems distract you from your work' and 'Family matters prevent you from sleeping enough to do your job well'. Of the WTFC items, the following remained associated with LTSA-MD: 'Problems at work make you irritable at home' and 'Your job takes so much energy you do not feel up to doing things that need attention at home'. The experience of decreased time for work or family did not associate with LTSA-MD. CONCLUSIONS . Among female municipal employees, dissatisfaction with combining work and family and both work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts were associated with subsequent long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena Kaila-Kangas
- Specialized Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00032 Työterveyslaitos, Box 18, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eija Haukka
- Specialized Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00032 Työterveyslaitos, Box 18, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tea Lallukka
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ossi Rahkonen
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Salla Toppinen-Tanner
- Specialized Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00032 Työterveyslaitos, Box 18, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Leino-Arjas
- Specialized Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00032 Työterveyslaitos, Box 18, Helsinki, Finland
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Alaie I, Svedberg P, Ropponen A, Narusyte J. Associations of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Childhood and Adolescence With Adult Labor Market Marginalization. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2317905. [PMID: 37289452 PMCID: PMC10251215 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.17905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Mental health problems in early life are associated with labor market marginalization, especially in youths with persistent internalizing and externalizing problems. However, previous research has not adjusted for familial (genetic and shared environmental) factors. Objective To examine associations of early-life internalizing and externalizing problems with adulthood unemployment and work disability, adjusting for familial factors. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based prospective cohort study included Swedish twins who were born in 1985-1986 and surveyed at 4 consecutive waves across childhood and adolescence until 2005. Through linkage to nationwide registries, participants were followed up from 2006 to 2018. Data analyses were conducted between September 2022 and April 2023. Exposures Internalizing and externalizing problems, assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist. Participants were differentiated regarding duration of internalizing and externalizing problems (persistent, episodic, and noncases). Main Outcomes and Measures Unemployment (180 days or more of being unemployed) and work disability (60 days or more of being sickness absent or disability pensioned) during follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were calculated to obtain cause-specific hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs in the whole cohort and exposure-discordant twin pairs. Results Of 2845 participants, 1464 (51.5%) were female. Incident unemployment was experienced by 944 (33.2%) and incident work disability by 522 (18.3%) participants. Compared with noncases, persistent internalizing problems were associated with unemployment (HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.27-1.92) and work disability (HR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.80-2.99). Similarly, compared with noncases, persistent externalizing problems were associated with unemployment (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.55-2.26) and work disability (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.87-3.03). Persistent cases had overall higher risks of adverse outcomes than episodic cases. After adjustment for familial factors, associations with unemployment were no longer statistically significant, whereas associations with work disability remained or were only slightly reduced. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of young Swedish twins, familial factors explained the associations between early-life persistent internalizing and externalizing problems and unemployment; such factors were comparatively less important for the association with work disability. This suggests nonshared environmental factors may be important for the risk of future work disability among young individuals with persistent internalizing and externalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Alaie
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pia Svedberg
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annina Ropponen
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jurgita Narusyte
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Fida R, Watson D, Ghezzi V, Barbaranelli C, Ronchetti M, Di Tecco C. Is Gender an Antecedent to Workplace Stressors? A Systematic Review and an Empirical Study Using a Person-Centred Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20085541. [PMID: 37107823 PMCID: PMC10139098 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Work is a key domain of life in which gender inequality can manifest, yet gender is rarely the explicit focus of research seeking to understand exposure to stressors. We investigated this research gap in two studies. METHODS Study 1 was a systematic review of the relationship between gender and key stressors (e.g., high demands, poor support, lack of clarity and control). From a total of 13,376,130 papers met our inclusion criteria. Study 2 was a cross-sectional study that included 11,289 employees nested within 71 public organisations (50.6% men). Through a latent profile analysis, we investigated the profiles of stressors separately from men and women. RESULTS The systematic review revealed that, for all stressors, a significant proportion of studies found no significant gender differences, and the review found mixed evidence of greater exposure for both men and women. The results of Study 2 revealed that both genders could be optimally represented by three psychosocial risk profiles reflecting medium, low and high stressors. The results also showed that while the shape of profiles was similar for both genders, men had a higher probability than women of being in the virtuous (i.e., low stressors) profile, and the opposite pattern emerged for the average profile (i.e., medium levels of stressors). Men and women displayed the same likelihood of being classified in the at-risk profile (i.e., high levels of stressors). CONCLUSION Gender differences in exposure to stressors are inconsistent. Although the literature on gender role theory and the gendering of work suggests different exposures to stressors in men and women, we find little empirical support for this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Fida
- Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - David Watson
- Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Valerio Ghezzi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Barbaranelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Matteo Ronchetti
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Di Tecco
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
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Holmlund L, Bültmann U, Bergström G, Warnqvist A, Björk Brämberg E. Are psychosocial work factors and work-home interference associated with time to first full return-to-work after sick leave due to common mental disorders? Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2023; 96:747-755. [PMID: 36964790 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-023-01970-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To (1) examine the time to first full return-to-work (RTW), and (2) investigate whether psychosocial work factors and work-home interference are associated with time to first full RTW after sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMDs). METHODS The cohort study comprised 162 employees on sick leave due to CMDs participating in a two-armed cluster-randomised controlled trial in Sweden. Baseline data consisted of a web-based questionnaire and follow-up data of repeated text messages every fourth week for 12 months. The time to first full RTW was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier Estimator. Parametric Weibull survival models with interval-censored outcomes were used to determine associations between psychosocial work factors and work-home interference with time to first full RTW. In a post hoc analysis, time-interval differences in associations for 0- ≤ 6- versus > 6-12 months were tested. RESULTS During the 12-month follow-up, n = 131 (80.9%) reported a first full RTW. The median time to this RTW was 16 weeks (95% CI 12; 20). High psychological job demands, high emotional job demands, high work-to-home interference (WHI), and low social job support were independently associated with a longer time to first full RTW. Time-interval differences were found for job control and emotional job demands. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial work demands and WHI are associated with a longer time to RTW after sick leave due to CMDs. Work organisations and rehabilitation practices should include accommodations for high psychological and emotional job demands during RTW, as well as pay attention to the risk of spill-over of high job demands into employees' private lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Holmlund
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, P.O.Box 210, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Ute Bültmann
- Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gunnar Bergström
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, P.O.Box 210, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden
| | - Anna Warnqvist
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Division of Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Björk Brämberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, P.O.Box 210, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
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Marti AR, Degerud E, Sterud T. Work-life interference and physician-certified sick leave: a prospective study of a general working population. Eur J Public Health 2023; 33:69-73. [PMID: 36228118 PMCID: PMC9897984 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckac149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work-life interference has been associated with adverse health outcomes. Here, we quantify the association between work-life interference and subsequent sick leave. METHODS Respondents from a randomly drawn cohort of the general working Norwegian population were interviewed in 2009, 2013 and/or 2016. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess prospective associations of self-reported work-life interference and risk of subsequent physician-certified sick leave of 1-16 days (low-level) and >16 days (high-level) in strata of men and women. To quantify the importance of work-life interference as risk factors for sick leave, we estimated the population attributable risk (PAR). RESULTS Both low- and high-level sick leave were most prevalent among women while the prevalence of work-life interference was similar between sexes. Risk of sick leave was higher among women reporting work-life interference sometimes or often in comparison with seldom or never {low- and high-level sick leave odds ratio (OR) = 1.21 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.37] and 1.30 (95% CI = 1.14-1.49), respectively}. The associations for high-level sick leave progressively increased with the level of work-life interference [highest OR = 1.44 (95% CI = 1.19-1.75)]. In men, there was no consistent higher risk of sick leave according to more frequent work-life interference [low- and high-level sick leave OR = 1.00 (95% CI = 0.87-1.14) and 0.98 (95% CI = 0.84-1.16), respectively], but the risk of high-level sick leave tended to be higher among men reporting work-life interference often (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.98-1.50). Estimating PAR, 6.69% (95% CI = 1.52-11.74) of low-level and 9.94% (95% CI = 4.22-15.45) of high-level sick leave could be attributed to work-life interference among women. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported work-life interference was associated with a higher risk of sick leave, with the most consistent results among women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R Marti
- Department of Occupational Health Surveillance (NOA), National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
| | - Eirik Degerud
- Department of Occupational Health Surveillance (NOA), National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom Sterud
- Department of Occupational Health Surveillance (NOA), National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
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Choi B, Seo Y. Developing a short standard questionnaire for assessing work organization hazards: the Healthy Work Survey (HWS). Ann Occup Environ Med 2023; 35:e7. [PMID: 37182115 PMCID: PMC10172462 DOI: 10.35371/aoem.2023.35.e7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background At present, no short standard questionnaire exists for assessing and comparing major work organization hazards in the workplaces of the United States. Methods We conducted a series of psychometric tests (content validity, factor analysis, differential-item functioning analysis, reliability, and concurrent validity) to validate and identify core items and scales for major work organization hazards using the data from the 2002-2014 General Social Surveys (GSSs), including the Quality of Worklife (QWL) questionnaire. In addition, an extensive literature review was undertaken to find other major work organization hazards which were not addressed in the GSS. Results Although the overall validity of the GSS-QWL questionnaire was satisfactory in the psychometric tests, some GSS-QWL items of work-family conflict, psychological job demands, job insecurity, use of skills on the job, and safety climate scales appeared to be weak. In the end, 33 questions (31 GSS-QWL and 2 GSS) were chosen as the least, but best validated core questions and included in a new short standard questionnaire (called the Healthy Work Survey [HWS]). And their national norms were established for comparisons. Furthermore, based on the literature review, fifteen more questions for assessing other significant work organization hazards (e.g., lack of scheduling control, emotional demands, electronic surveillance, wage theft) were included in the new questionnaire. Thus, the HWS includes 48 questions in total for assessing traditional and emerging work organization hazards, which covers seven theoretical domains: work schedule/arrangement, control, support, reward, demands, safety, and justice. Conclusions The HWS is a short standard questionnaire for assessing work organization hazards which can be used as a first step toward the risk management of major work organization hazards in the workplaces of the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- BongKyoo Choi
- Center for Work and Health Research, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Youngju Seo
- Center for Work and Health Research, Irvine, CA, USA
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12
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Holmlund L, Tinnerholm Ljungberg H, Bültmann U, Holmgren K, Björk Brämberg E. Exploring reasons for sick leave due to common mental disorders from the perspective of employees and managers – what has gender got to do with it? Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2022; 17:2054081. [PMID: 35341475 PMCID: PMC8959517 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2022.2054081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the employee and the managerial experience of reasons for sick leave due to CMDs in relation to work and private life, through the lens of a transactional perspective of everyday life occupation and gender norms. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 employees on sick leave due to CMDs and 11 managers. By using transactional and gender perspectives in a reflexive thematic analysis, themes were generated in a constant comparative process. Findings Four themes were identified: a) struggling to keep up with work pressure and worker norms; b) struggling with insecurity in an unsupportive work environment; c) managing private responsibilities through flexible work schedules, and d) managing emotions alongside unfavourable working conditions. Conclusion Sick leave due to CMDs was understood as related to experiences of accumulated events situated in different social, cultural, and societal contexts of everyday life. Practices and policies should encourage an open dialogue about work and private life and health between employees and managers. To build healthy and sustainable work environments practices should also aim for increased awareness of social norms. A better understanding may facilitate the identification of situations in work and private life that are problematic for the employee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Holmlund
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Tinnerholm Ljungberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ute Bültmann
- Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kristina Holmgren
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Björk Brämberg
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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13
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Cezar-Vaz MR, Xavier DM, Bonow CA, Vaz JC, Cardoso LS, Sant’Anna CF, da Costa VZ. Domains of Physical and Mental Workload in Health Work and Unpaid Domestic Work by Gender Division: A Study with Primary Health Care Workers in Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9816. [PMID: 36011463 PMCID: PMC9407714 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Various studies indicate that workload metrics can be used to assess inequities in the division of labor according to gender and in the mental health of health care professionals. In most studies, the workload is portrayed in a way that does not integrate the different fields of work, that is, work in health services and unpaid domestic work. The objective was to determine the effects of the workload domains of health work and unpaid domestic work according to the gender division of health professionals working in primary health care (PHC), and to analyze the workload as an inducer of anxiety disorders and episodes of depression. This cross-sectional study consisted of 342 health care professionals recruited for interview at primary health care units in the extreme south of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Sociodemographic and occupational variables, workload in PHC and unpaid domestic work, and dichotomies of anxiety disorders and episodes of depression were considered. Poisson and multivariate linear regression models were used for data analysis. Cohen's standardized effect size was used to assess the magnitude of the difference between women and men in terms of workload. The female professionals presented higher scores in terms of PHC work and unpaid domestic work and higher proportions of episodes of depression and anxiety disorders compared to males. The male professionals showed that anxiety disorders presented a medium standardized effect size on domestic workload and the level of frustration with family involvement was higher in those with episodes of depression. The results illustrate that the workload metric is an important indicator of female vulnerability to working conditions in PHC and in the family environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Clarice Alves Bonow
- Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-610, Brazil
| | - Jordana Cezar Vaz
- Institute of Dermatology Professor Rubem David Azulalay (Medical Residency), Rio de Janeiro 20020-020, Brazil
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14
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Yang L, Murad M, Mirza F, Chaudhary NI, Saeed M. Shadow of cyber ostracism over remote environment: Implication on remote work challenges, virtual work environment and employee mental well-being during a Covid-19 pandemic. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2022; 225:103552. [PMID: 35255285 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the influence of workplace cyber ostracism on employee online work engagement and employee mental well-being with the mediating roles of remote work challenges such as loneliness, procrastination, work-home interference, and ineffective communication. As amidst lockdown due to COVID-19, the data was collected from 303 respondents through an online questionnaire that was distributed in virtual groups among friends, relatives, and other fellows who were working in the private sector organizations of Pakistan. The hypotheses were tested using the partial least square structural equation modeling PLS-SEM technique. The findings of this study showed that workplace cyber ostracism has a positive and significant impact on employee online work engagement and employee mental well-being. Moreover, results also demonstrated that loneliness, ineffective communication, procrastination, and work-home interference positively and significantly mediate the relationship between workplace cyber ostracism, employee online work engagement, and employee mental well-being. Furthermore, discussion, implications, and limitations were also discussed in this research article.
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15
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Ropponen A, Narusyte J, Wang M, Kärkkäinen S, Mather L, Blom V, Bergström G, Svedberg P. Role of social benefits for future long-term sickness absence, disability pension and unemployment among individuals on sickness absence due to mental diagnoses: a competing risk approach. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2021; 95:867-876. [PMID: 34962585 PMCID: PMC9038880 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01825-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To investigate associations between social benefits and disability pension (DP), long-term sickness absence (LTSA, ≥ 90 days), or unemployment among Swedish twins with sickness absence (SA) due to mental diagnoses. Methods This population-based prospective twin study included register data on first incident SA spell (< 90 days) due to mental diagnoses (ICD 10 codes F00-F99) during the follow-up 2005–2016. SA < 90 days due to other diagnoses than mental diagnoses or any other social insurance benefit was identified for the preceding year of the first incident SA spell due to mental diagnoses (coded yes/no). Comparing those with any previous social benefits vs without, cumulative incidence curve to compare time to an event, and Cox proportional hazards models for cause-specific hazard ratios (HR, 95% confidence intervals, CI) treating first incident DP, LTSA and unemployment as competing risks were modeled. Results During follow-up, 21 DP, 1619 LTSA, and 808 unemployment events took place. Compared to those without, those with at least one benefit had a higher risk for DP (HR 5.03; 95%CI 1.80, 14.01), LTSA (1.67; 1.50, 1.84) and unemployment (1.24; 1.03, 1.50). The cumulative incidence for DP was very low, < 1%, for LTSA 80% with any previous social benefits vs. 60% without, and for unemployment ≤ 5%. Conclusion Social benefits received during the preceding year of SA due to mental diagnoses (< 90 days) predict DP, LTSA, and unemployment. Hence, previous social benefits may provide means for early identification of persons at risk for exit from labor market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Ropponen
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Jurgita Narusyte
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mo Wang
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sanna Kärkkäinen
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.,Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lisa Mather
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Victoria Blom
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.,The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Bergström
- Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden
| | - Pia Svedberg
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Schiff M, Shinan-Altman S, Rosenne H. Israeli Health Care Social Workers' Personal and Professional Concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: The Work-Family Role Conflict. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK 2021; 51:1858-1878. [PMID: 34393658 PMCID: PMC8344873 DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcab114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
This exploratory study focuses on the personal and professional concerns of Israeli social workers in hospitals and community health settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Other studies omitted health care social workers' needs and concerns. Participants included 126 social workers (120 females, 5 males and 1 other gender identity) in hospitals and community health settings who completed an online survey during the height of the first wave of COVID-19 in Israel. Measures included questions on exposure to COVID-19, sense of safety at work, perceived support, and personal and professional concerns. Two open-ended questions about the social workers' concerns and the perceived concerns of their patients were included. The results showed that 17 per cent reported one of their inter-disciplinary team testing positive for COVID-19. Only one-third of the social workers felt safe from COVID-19 infection in their workplace. Mothers of dependent children were more concerned about income loss and about balancing work and family requirements than mothers of older children. 'Home-work conflict' was also a main theme in the qualitative data. In conclusion, the work-home role conflict took an especially heavy toll during the COVID-19 pandemic on social workers who were mothers to dependent children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Schiff
- Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel
| | - Shiri Shinan-Altman
- The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Hadas Rosenne
- Department of Social Work Services, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
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17
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van Hoffen MFA, Rijnhart JJM, Norder G, Labuschagne LJE, Twisk JWR. Distress, Work Satisfaction, and Work Ability are Mediators of the Relation Between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Mental Health-Related Long-Term Sickness Absence. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION 2021; 31:419-430. [PMID: 33074455 PMCID: PMC8172497 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-020-09931-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study investigated the effects of psychosocial working conditions on mental health-related long-term sickness absence and whether distress, work satisfaction, burnout, engagement, and work ability mediated the associations between psychosocial working conditions and mental health-related long-term sickness absence. Methods This cohort study included 53,833 non-sick listed workers who participated in occupational health surveys between 2010 and 2013. The effects of the individual psychosocial working conditions on mental long-term sickness absence were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Mediation analyses were performed to examine the mediating role of distress, burnout, work satisfaction, engagement, and work ability between psychosocial working conditions and mental long-term sickness absence. The mediation analyses were performed using structural equation modeling. Results Role clarity, cognitive demands, emotional demands, work variety, learning opportunities, and co-worker support were related to mental health-related long-term sickness absence after adjustment for other working conditions. The relationship between emotional demands and mental health-related long-term sickness absence was the strongest, OR 1.304 (p < 0.001, 95% CI 1.135 to 1.498). The relation between psychosocial working conditions and mental health-related long-term sickness absence was mediated by distress, burnout, work satisfaction, engagement, and work ability. Distress was the most important mediator between psychosocial working conditions and mental health-related long-term sickness absence. Conclusions Psychosocial working conditions are related to mental health-related long-term sickness absence. After correction for other working conditions, the association between emotional demands and mental health-related long-term sickness absence was the strongest. Psychosocial working conditions are indirectly related to mental health-related long-term sickness absence through mediation by distress, work satisfaction, and work ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke F A van Hoffen
- Department of Research and Development, Human Total Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- HumanCapitalCare, Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië 133-G, 2593 BM, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
| | - Judith J M Rijnhart
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Giny Norder
- Department of Research and Development, Human Total Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne J E Labuschagne
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos W R Twisk
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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18
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Choi B. Developing a Job Exposure Matrix of Work Organization Hazards in the United States: A Review on Methodological Issues and Research Protocol. Saf Health Work 2020; 11:397-404. [PMID: 33329905 PMCID: PMC7728710 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2020.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most job exposure matrices (JEMs) have been developed for chemical and physical hazards in the United States (US). In addition, the overall validity of most JEMs of work organization hazards using self-reported data in the literature remains to be further tested due to several methodological weaknesses. Methods This paper aims to review important methodological issues with regard to a JEM of work organization hazards using self-report data and to present a research protocol for developing a four-axis (job titles, hazards, sex, and time) JEM of major work organization hazards using the US General Social Survey-Quality of Work-Life (GSS-QWL) data (2002–2018; N = 7,100 workers). Results Five methodological weaknesses in existing JEMs of work organization hazards using self-report data were identified: having only two axes (hazard and occupation), using psychometrically weak items and scales, including scales having little interoccupational variability, unresolved optimal minimum numbers of subjects per occupation, and low accessibility. The methodological weaknesses were successfully addressed in the proposed research protocol. Conclusion The work organization JEM to be developed will significantly facilitate and strengthen occupational epidemiological studies on work organization hazards and major health outcomes, improve national and occupational surveillance of work organization hazards, and promote interventions for a healthy work environment in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- BongKyoo Choi
- Department of Medicine and Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, CA, USA.,Center for Work and Health Research, Irvine, CA, USA
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19
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Jones N, Jones M, Greenberg N, Phillips A, Simms A, Wessely S. UK military women: mental health, military service and occupational adjustment. Occup Med (Lond) 2020; 70:235-242. [DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Recently, the UK Armed Forces have revised the ground close combat role to include women.
Aims
To assess the potential mental health impact of this initiative we examined gender differences in deployment patterns, work strain, occupational factors, mental health, alcohol use and help-seeking following operational deployment.
Methods
The study was a secondary analysis of self-report survey data; 8799 men (88%) and 1185 women (12%) provided data. A sub-sample (47%, n = 4659) provided data concerning post-deployment help-seeking. The latter consisted of 408 women (8.8%) and 4251 men (91%).
Results
With the exception of alcohol misuse, which was significantly lower for women, women reported significantly more common mental disorder symptoms, subjective depression and self-harm. Women were significantly more likely to seek help from healthcare providers. Men were significantly more likely to have deployed operationally and for longer cumulative periods. Subjective work strain, but not job control, was significantly lower for women whose military careers were significantly shorter. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom intensity was similar to men.
Conclusions
With the exception of PTSD and alcohol misuse, UK military women experience more mental health-related problems than military men. This finding was not related to the more arduous aspects of military service as women served for shorter times, deployed less and for shorter cumulative periods and were less likely to report work-related stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Jones
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - M Jones
- King’s Centre for Military Health Research, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - N Greenberg
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - A Phillips
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - A Simms
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - S Wessely
- King’s Centre for Military Health Research, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
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20
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Common Mental Disorders and Sickness Absence: A Register-Linkage Follow-Up Study Among Finnish Municipal Employees. J Occup Environ Med 2019; 60:569-575. [PMID: 29389811 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined how common mental disorders (CMD) at different severity levels are associated with short (1 to 3-day), intermediate (4 to 14-day), and long (15+ day) sickness absence (SA) among Finnish municipal employees. METHODS Survey data collected among the 40 to 60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki in 2000 to 2002 were prospectively linked with employer's SA register data (N = 6554). Associations of CMD (GHQ-12) with SA in a 5-year follow-up were examined with quasi-Poisson regression. RESULTS Increasing GHQ-12 scores were associated with a higher number of SA spells. The highest GHQ-12 scores were associated with the highest number of short, intermediate, and long SA spells. Adjusting for social and health-related covariates attenuated the associations but they remained. CONCLUSION Increasing severity of CMD increased the risk of short, intermediate, and long SA among Finnish employees. CMD should be tackled to prevent SA and promote work-ability among aging employees.
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