Documents Kouvonen, Anne 5 results

"Background We examined whether higher effort–reward imbalance (ERI) and lower job control are associated with exit from the labour market.Methods There were 1263 participants aged 50–74?years from the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing with data on working status and work-related psychosocial factors at baseline (wave 2; 2004–2005), and working status at follow-up (wave 5; 2010–2011). Psychosocial factors at work were assessed using a short validated version of ERI and job control. An allostatic load index was formed using 13 biological parameters. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Exit from the labour market was defined as not working in the labour market when 61?years old or younger in 2010–2011.Results Higher ERI OR=1.62 (95% CI 1.01 to 2.61, p=0.048) predicted exit from the labour market independent of age, sex, education, occupational class, allostatic load and depression. Job control OR=0.60 (95% CI 0.42 to 0.85, p=0.004) was associated with exit from the labour market independent of age, sex, education, occupation and depression. The association of higher effort OR=1.32 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.73, p=0.045) with exit from the labour market was independent of age, sex and depression but attenuated to non-significance when additionally controlling for socioeconomic measures. Reward was not related to exit from the labour market.Conclusions Stressful work conditions can be a risk for exiting the labour market before the age of 61?years. Neither socioeconomic position nor allostatic load and depressive symptoms seem to explain this association."

"Background Prospective studies on the relationship between organisational merger and mental health have been conducted using subjective health indicators. The objective of this prospective occupational cohort study was to examine whether a negative change during an organisational merger is an independent predictive factor of psychiatric morbidity. Method Survey data on organisational characteristics, health and other factors were collected prior to (1996) and after the merger (2000); register data on psychiatric morbidity were collected at baseline (1/1/1994 - 30/9/2000) and during the follow-up (1/10/2000 - 31/12/2005). Participants were 6511 (77% men) industrial employees aged 21–65 years with no register-based diagnosed psychiatric events prior to the follow-up (the Still Working Study). During the follow-up, 252 participants were admitted to the hospital due to psychiatric disorders, were prescribed a psychotropic drug or attempted or committed suicide. Results A negative self-reported change in the work organisation during the merger was associated with increased risk of postmerger psychiatric event (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.14). This association was independent of mental health-related factors measured before the merger announcement, such as demographic characteristics, occupational status, personal orientation to life, self-rated health, self-reported psychiatric morbidity or chronic disease. Conclusion A negative change in work organisation during an organisational merger may elevate the risk for postmerger psychiatric morbidity. "

"BACKGROUND: Recent studies have emphasised the multidimensional nature of the social capital concept, but it is not known whether the health effects of social capital vary by dimension. The objective of this study was to examine the vertical component (ie, respectful and trusting relationships across power differentials at work) and the horizontal component of workplace social capital (trust and reciprocity between employees at the same hierarchical level) as risk factors for subsequent depression.METHODS: A cohort of 25 763 Finnish public sector employees who were initially free from depression was followed up on average 3.5 years for new self-reported physician-diagnosed depression and recorded antidepressant prescriptions derived from national registers.RESULTS: Factor analysis confirmed the existence of vertical and horizontal components of workplace social capital. The odds for new physician-diagnosed depression and antidepressant treatment were 30-50% higher for employees with low vertical or horizontal workplace social capital than for their counterparts with high social capital at work. In mutually adjusted models, vertical and horizontal social capital remained independent predictors of physician-diagnosed depression and antidepressant treatment.CONCLUSION: These results highlight the importance of both vertical and horizontal components of workplace social capital as predictors of employee mental health."

"Objectives
To examine the impact of recurrent, as compared with single, reports of back pain on exit from paid employment over decades of follow-up.
Methods
The study sample was from the British Whitehall II Study cohort (n=8665, 69% men, aged 35–55 at baseline), who had provided information about their reports of back pain between 1985 and 1994. Data about exit from paid employment (health-related and non-health related exit, unemployment and other exit) were collected between 1995 and 2013. Repeated measures logistic regression models were fitted to examine the associations, and adjust for covariates.
Results
Recurrent pain was reported by 18% of participants, while 26% reported pain on an occasion and 56% did not report pain. Report of back pain on an occasion was not associated with health-related job exit, whereas recurrent pain was associated with such an exit (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.99), when compared with those who did not report pain. These associations were somewhat stronger among middle-grade and lower-grade employees, while these associations were not seen among higher-grade employees. Differences in associations by age and psychosocial working conditions were small.
Conclusions
These results highlight the need for early detection of recurrent back pain to prevent exit out of paid employment for health reasons. As the risk varies by occupational grade, this emphasises the importance of identification of high-risk groups and finding ways to address their modifiable risk factors."