Work organization, job insecurity, and occupational health disparities

The legacy of immigration policies and employment exclusion: Assessing the relationship between employment exclusions and immigrant health

Restrictive federal and state immigration policies create conditions of employment exclusion that may negatively influence the health of immigrants. In particular, these policy effects are reflected in labor market and workplace experiences that determine the types of work and employment opportunities that immigrants are able to access and pursue. This study examines the relationship between both cumulative and individual measures of employment exclusion and self-rated health and psychological distress among Asian and Latino immigrants in California, and whether this relationship is modified by legal status. We used data from the Research on Immigrant Health and State Policy (RIGHTS) study (n = 2010). We used both multivariable logistic regression and linear regression models for our analyses. For cumulative models, labor market exclusion was associated with poor health (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.46). Workplace exclusion was also associated with poor self-rated health (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.82) and increased psychological distress (β = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.31, 1.07). For individual measures of employment exclusion, settling for a job - a labor market exclusion - and working in a dangerous job and experiencing wage theft - workplace exclusions - were associated with poor health and increased psychological distress. There was no evidence that the association between employment exclusions and health varied by legal status. These findings demonstrate that the combined effect of employment exclusions is detrimental to immigrant health. To improve population health, public health researchers should continue to interrogate the policy conditions at the federal, state, and local level that exclude immigrants from employment opportunities and workplace protections.

Black Americans' Diminished Health Returns of Professional Occupations: A Thirty-Year Follow-Up Study of Middle-Aged and Older Adults

INTRODUCTION

Occupational classes exert substantial effects on both subjective and objective health outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether the health impact of similar occupational classes varies across racial groups among middle-aged and older adults in the United States.

AIM

Grounded in the theory of Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs), which posits that health benefits from resources such as employment are systematically weaker for racial minority populations, particularly Non-Latino Black individuals, this study tested Black-White disparities in the effects of similar occupational classes on health outcomes in middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

Utilizing data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we employed a 30-year longitudinal design with a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Six occupational classes-operator, managerial, professional specialty, sales, clerical/admin, and service-served as the key predictor variables (independent variables), with race as the moderator. Various health outcomes, including self-rated health, chronic disease, body mass index (BMI), activities of daily living (ADL), and cognitive function, were measured longitudinally from wave 1 to wave 15 (from baseline to 30 years later). Statistical analyses, incorporating logistic regression models, were conducted to assess associations between occupational class and health outcomes overall and based on race.

RESULTS

Our analysis included 7538 Non-Latino White or Non-Latino Black participants followed for up to 30 years. Initial findings revealed positive health effects of professional occupations on cognitive function and self-rated health over 30 years of follow-uWe also identified significant interactions between race and professional occupational class on all health outcomes, indicating notable racial differences in the effects of professional occupations on health outcomes across domains. The effects of professional occupational class were weaker for Non-Latino Black individuals than for Non-Latino White individuals.

CONCLUSION

Consistent with the Minorities' Diminished Returns theory, our findings indicated less pronounced positive effects of professional occupations on a wide range of health outcomes for Non-Latino Black individuals compared to Non-Latino Whites. These disparities emphasize the critical need to address structural factors that contribute to the diminished returns of prestigious occupations for Non-Latino Black populations.

Ramifications of Precarious Employment for Health and Health Inequity: Emerging Trends from the Americas

Precarious employment (PE), which encompasses the power relations between workers and employers, is a well-established social determinant of health that has strong ramifications for health and health inequity. In this review, we discuss advances in the measurement of this multidimensional construct and provide recommendations for overcoming continued measurement challenges. We then evaluate recent evidence of the negative health impacts of PE, with a focus on the burgeoning studies from North America and South America. We also establish the role of PE in maintaining and perpetuating health inequities and review potential policy solutions to help alleviate its health burden. Last, we discuss future research directions with a call for a better understanding of the heterogeneity within PE and for research that focuses both on upstream drivers that shape PE and its impacts on health, as well as on the mechanisms by which PE causes poor health.

The association of sociodemographic characteristics with work disability trajectories during and following long-term psychotherapy: a longitudinal register study

PURPOSE

This register-based study examined the trajectories of depression or anxiety disorder-related work disability during and following long-term psychotherapy and identified sociodemographic factors that indicate membership in different trajectory groups.

METHODS

Data were drawn from national registers (Statistics Finland, Social Insurance Institution of Finland). Participants included a random sample of Finnish working-age individuals (18-55 years) who started psychotherapy treatment between 2011 and 2014 and were followed for 5 years: 1 year before and 4 years after the onset of psychotherapy (N = 3 605 individuals; 18 025 person-observations across five time points). Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to assign individuals to work disability trajectories by the number of annual mental health-related work disability months. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations between trajectory group membership and baseline sociodemographic factors of age, gender, occupational status, and geographical area of residence.

RESULTS

Four mental health-related work disability trajectories were identified: stable very low (72%), decrease (11%), persistent low (9%) and persistent high (7%). Those with older age, female gender, lower occupational status, and living in sparsely populated geographical areas were more likely to belong to the most unfavorable trajectory group of persistent high work disability. The presence of multiple risk characteristics substantially increased the probability of belonging to the most adverse trajectory group.

CONCLUSIONS

Sociodemographic factors were associated with the course of mental health-related work disability in association with psychotherapy. Rehabilitative psychotherapy does not function as an equal support resource for work ability in all parts of the population.

Does adolescent depression modify the association between psychosocial job stressors and mental health in emergent adulthood?

BACKGROUND

Job stressors can be particularly harmful to the mental health of disadvantaged groups through differential exposure, differential sensitivity to the effects of exposure, or both. In this paper, we assess the extent to which emergent adult workers with an adolescent history of high depression symptoms may be differentially sensitive to the effect of job stressors on mental health.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of three waves of the Australian arm of the International Youth Development Study (n = 1262). We used multivariable linear regression to assess whether self-reported measures of high depression symptoms at one or two time points in adolescence (ages 11-16 years) modified the cross-sectional association between four self-reported job stressors (job demands, job control, job strain, and incivility at work) and psychological distress (Kessler-10 scores) in emergent adulthood (ages 23-27 years).

RESULTS

For all four job stressors, there was a consistent pattern of approximately a doubling in the magnitude of association for participants with a history of high depression symptoms at two points in adolescence compared with those with no history of depression. However, results of effect modification analysisfor only job demands and job strain excluded chance as a potential explanation.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings showed partial support for the hypothesis that a history of high depression symptoms in adolescence predicts stronger associations between job stressor exposures and psychological distress among those employed in emergent adulthood. The limitations of this secondary analysis suggest a need for purpose-designed studies to answer this important research question more definitively.

Health inequalities among young workers: the mediating role of working conditions and company characteristics

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have investigated health inequalities among young workers. The objectives of this study are to assess the extent of health inequalities in a sample of job starters and to explore the contribution of job demands and organisational factors.

METHODS

We analyze data from the BIBB/BAuA Youth Employment Survey 2012. The cross-sectional survey includes a representative sample of 3214 German employees, apprentices, and trainees aged 15-24 years. Individuals were grouped by their years of schooling into low (< 12 years) and high levels of education (≥ 12 years). Regression analysis estimated the link between education and four health outcomes: self-rated health, number of health events, musculoskeletal symptoms, and mental health problems over the last 12 months. Counterfactual mediation analysis tested for indirect effects of education via working conditions (i.e., physical and psychosocial job demands) and company characteristics (i.e., company size, health prevention measures, financial situation, downsizing). All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, nationality, region, working hours, job tenure, employment relationship, and economic sector.

RESULTS

Highly educated workers reported better self-rated health (b = 0.24, 95% CI 0.18-0.31) and lower numbers of health events (Rate Ratio (RR) = 0.74, 95% CI 0.67-0.82), musculoskeletal symptoms (RR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.66-0.80) and mental health problems (RR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93). Total job demands explained between 21.6% and 87.2% of the educational differences (depending on health outcome). Unfavourable company characteristics were associated with worse health, but showed no or only small mediation effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Health inequalities are already present at the early working career due to socio-economically stratified working hazards. To enhance prevention measures that aim at reducing inequalities in workplace health, we propose shifting attention towards earlier stages of life.

Corporate influenced state preemption and health: A legal mapping analysis of workers' rights preemption bills in the US south

Work is a structural determinant of health. As local governments have taken the lead on implementing workers' rights policies, state governments have increasingly been using preemption to block local them. These policies would improve work and employment conditions, particularly for Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-wage workers. Thus, preemption of workers' right policies is an important health equity issue. Legal epidemiology methods were used to analyze and quantify worker's rights preemption bills introduced in southern state legislatures between 2009 and 2019. Between 2009 and 2019, over 100 workers' rights preemption bills were introduced in southern state legislatures, and there was significant variation between states. Preemption of local paid leave and minimum wage ordinances were the most common. Textual analysis of the bills revealed that states prioritize the perspectives of employers instead of workers. State labor policies are prioritizing the perspectives of businesses over workers resulting in a labor environment that creates structural advantages for employers and is hostile to the well-being of workers. Preemption is part of the political and social context that is shaping the association between work and health in and is likely re (creating) racial and economic inequities.

Racial and Ethnic Inequities in the Return-to-Work of Workers Experiencing Injury or Illness: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Non-White workers face more frequent, severe, and disabling occupational and non-occupational injuries and illnesses when compared to White workers. It is unclear whether the return-to-work (RTW) process following injury or illness differs according to race or ethnicity.

OBJECTIVE

To determine racial and ethnic differences in the RTW process of workers with an occupational or non-occupational injury or illness.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted. Eight academic databases - Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, ASSIA, ABI Inform, and Econ lit - were searched. Titles/abstracts and full texts of articles were reviewed for eligibility; relevant articles were appraised for methodological quality. A best evidence synthesis was applied to determine key findings and generate recommendations based on an assessment of the quality, quantity, and consistency of evidence.

RESULTS

15,289 articles were identified from which 19 studies met eligibility criteria and were appraised as medium-to-high methodological quality. Fifteen studies focused on workers with a non-occupational injury or illness and only four focused on workers with an occupational injury or illness. There was strong evidence indicating that non-White and racial/ethnic minority workers were less likely to RTW following a non-occupational injury or illness when compared to White or racial/ethnic majority workers.

CONCLUSIONS

Policy and programmatic attention should be directed towards addressing racism and discrimination faced by non-White and racial/ethnic minority workers in the RTW process. Our research also underscores the importance of enhancing the measurement and examination of race and ethnicity in the field of work disability management.

[Working poverty and self-rated health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative study over time using 1995-2021 Socioeconomic Panel data]

BACKGROUND

The working poor are considered a vulnerable group. This study examines whether health disparities between working-poor and non-working-poor workers have worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing them over time with earlier periods of economic crisis and social and labor market policy reform.

METHODS

The analyses are based on the Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP, 1995-2020) and the Special Survey on Socioeconomic Factors and Consequences of the Spread of Coronavirus in Germany (SOEP-CoV, 2020-2021). All employed persons aged 18-67 years were considered for the analyses to calculate the risks of poor subjective health due to working poverty using pooled logistic regression by sex.

RESULTS

Subjective health improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Differences in health between the working poor and those who were not working poor remained relatively constant between 1995 and 2021. Individuals who were more likely to be in working poverty over time had the highest risk of inadequate health. The health disparities associated with the frequency of working poverty increased over time and peaked for both sexes in the pandemic. Significant sex differences were not identified.

DISCUSSION

This study illustrates the social embeddedness of working poverty as a determinant of poor health. In particular, those who were more likely to experience working poverty during their working lives are considered to be particularly vulnerable to inadequate health. Tendentially, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to reinforce this gradient in health.

Occupational Safety and Health Equity Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Scoping Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to either reduce or exacerbate occupational safety and health (OSH) inequities in the workplace, and its impact will be mediated by numerous factors. This paper anticipates challenges to ensuring that the OSH benefits of technological advances are equitably distributed among social groups, industries, job arrangements, and geographical regions. A scoping review was completed to summarize the recent literature on AI's role in promoting OSH equity. The scoping review was designed around three concepts: artificial intelligence, OSH, and health equity. Scoping results revealed 113 articles relevant for inclusion. The ways in which AI presents barriers and facilitators to OSH equity are outlined along with priority focus areas and best practices in reducing OSH disparities and knowledge gaps. The scoping review uncovered priority focus areas. In conclusion, AI's role in OSH equity is vastly understudied. An urgent need exists for multidisciplinary research that addresses where and how AI is being adopted and evaluated and how its use is affecting OSH across industries, wage categories, and sociodemographic groups. OSH professionals can play a significant role in identifying strategies that ensure the benefits of AI in promoting workforce health and wellbeing are equitably distributed.

Exploring the employment determinants of job insecurity in the French working population: Evidence from national survey data

Studies are lacking on the employment determinants of job insecurity, that may be helpful to determine highly exposed groups and to assess the feasibility of constructing job-exposure matrices (JEMs) for this occupational exposure. The objectives were to explore the employment determinants of job insecurity in a nationally representative sample of the French working population. The study was based on the cross-sectional data of the 2013 national French working conditions survey including a sample of 28,293 employees, 12,283 men and 16,010 women. Job insecurity was assessed using one single item related to the fear of job loss in the next 12 months. Gender, age, and educational level were studied as well as the following employment variables: temporary/permanent work contract, full/part time work, job seniority, occupation, economic activity of the company, public/private sector, and company size. The associations with job insecurity were studied using bivariate and multivariate analyses. One quarter of the study sample was exposed to job insecurity, without any difference between genders. Lower age and lower educational levels were associated with job insecurity. Employees who had a temporary work contract, lower job seniority, who were working in low-skilled occupational groups, in manufacturing (for both genders) and construction (among men), and in the private sector had a higher prevalence of exposure to job insecurity. The two major employment variables associated with job insecurity were temporary work contract (prevalence ratios>2) and private sector (prevalence ratios>1.4) for the whole sample and for both men and women. Our findings suggested that intervention/prevention measures could be oriented towards specific highly exposed groups of the working population, especially those exposed to temporary work contract and/or working in the private sector. Our study also underlined that constructing JEMs for job insecurity may be possible and could be a useful tool for large-scale occupational health studies.

Excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among in-person nonhealthcare workers in six states, September 2020-June 2021

BACKGROUND

While the occupational risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection for healthcare personnel in the United States has been relatively well characterized, less information is available on the occupational risk for workers employed in other settings. Even fewer studies have attempted to compare risks across occupations and industries. Using differential proportionate distribution as an approximation, we evaluated excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among non-healthcare workers in six states.

METHODS

We analyzed data on occupation and industry of employment from a six-state callback survey of adult non-healthcare workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and population-based reference data on employment patterns, adjusted for the effect of telework, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We estimated the differential proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry using the proportionate morbidity ratio (PMR).

RESULTS

Among a sample of 1111 workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, significantly higher-than-expected proportions of workers were employed in service occupations (PMR 1.3, 99% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.5) and in the transportation and utilities (PMR 1.4, 99% CI 1.1-1.8) and leisure and hospitality industries (PMR 1.5, 99% CI 1.2-1.9).

CONCLUSIONS

We found evidence of significant differences in the proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among respondents in a multistate, population-based survey, highlighting the excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection borne by some worker populations, particularly those whose jobs require frequent or prolonged close contact with other people.

Job satisfaction and job security as moderators in the relationships among job demands, musculoskeletal symptoms, and work performance

PURPOSE

This study examined whether job satisfaction and job security moderate the path from physical demands and job strain to impaired work performance via musculoskeletal symptoms in the upper extremities (MSUE). Moderation effects on five paths were examined: (1) from job strain to MSUE; (2) from job strain to work performance; (3) from physical demands to MSUE; (4) from physical demands to work performance; (5) from MSUE to work performance.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 669 full-time workers from 9 manufacturing and 3 healthcare facilities. Data were collected via health interviews, on-site physical exposure assessments, and computation of the Strain Index by ergonomists, and self-administered questionnaires on psychosocial factors. Structural equation modeling and zero-inflated negative binomial regression analysis were performed to examine the moderation effect on each path.

RESULTS

Job satisfaction moderated the relationship between MSUE and impaired work performance (B = - 0.09, 95% CI: - 0.15, - 0.04) and job security moderated the relationship between physical demands and MSUE (B = - 0.64, 95% CI: - 1.17, - 0.11). Interaction between job satisfaction and MSUE was significant on both the occurrence (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87, 0.97) and the degrees of impaired work performance (mean ratio: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.97, 0.99), while the interaction between job security and physical demands was significant only on the degrees of MSUE (mean ratio: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99).

CONCLUSION

Job satisfaction and job security can, respectively, mitigate the adverse impacts of working with MSUE and physical demands on work performance. Workplace interventions to improve workers' job satisfaction and job security can contribute to their musculoskeletal health and work performance.

Physical Work Exposures of Older Workers: Does Measurement Make a Difference?

Physically demanding work at later ages, which is especially prevalent among disadvantaged groups, is associated with long-term health outcomes and may contribute to health inequality over the life course. Past studies of these issues have relied on occupational characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), but few have assessed how O*NET compares to survey reports when measuring occupational exposures in analyses of socioeconomic status, work conditions, and health. We compare Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 16,683 working respondents) and O*NET measurements of general physical activity, frequency of lifting/handling objects, and frequency of stooping-related postures required at work. Pearson correlations between the HRS items and corresponding O*NET items vary from weak to moderate for lifting/handling and stooping-related postures to relatively large for general physical activity. Though they are measured on different scales, both the HRS and O*NET measures of physical demands reveal similar sex, racial/ethnic, and educational differentials in exposure to physically strenuous work. We fit random effects Poisson models to assess how these measures predict accumulation of functional limitations, a potential long-term consequence of strenuous working conditions. Comparable HRS and O*NET measures have similar associations with functional limitations. We also consider an average of physical demand items available in O*NET, finding that this measure has similar associations with functional limitations as the O*NET measure of general physical activity. These results suggest that O*NET characteristics and HRS respondent reports produce comparable disparities in physical work exposures (PWEs) and associations between physically demanding work and declines in physical functioning.

Precarious employment and workplace health outcomes in Britain

RATIONALE

The world of work is changing rapidly, and precarious employment is becoming more prevalent in Britain and elsewhere, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis. This is despite the evidence linking employment precarity to adverse health outcomes, and the policy discourses advocating for high-quality jobs.

OBJECTIVE

I seek to establish empirically the extent and nature of the potential link between employment precarity and health outcomes, which is done chiefly at the workplace level. The research can be vital from the perspective of informing policy, given that the workplace represents the level where key policy levers operate.

METHODS

I use nationally representative data from the British Workplace Employment Relations Survey. Four workplace health outcomes (WHOs; viz., injuries, illnesses, job satisfaction, and job anxiety) have been used to examine if organizations with precarious employment arrangements are likely to experience adverse health outcomes. I use alternative econometric approaches to compare organizations that reported to have three types of precarious employment arrangements, viz., shift working, annualised hours, and zero-hours contracts (ZHCs), vis-à-vis their counterparts without such arrangements.

RESULTS

The results obtained reveal that workplaces with precarious employment arrangements are significantly unhealthier, and those with the most insecure form of precarious employment perform particularly worst in this respect.

CONCLUSIONS

Precarious employment may become ever more prevalent as organizations contend with economic fallouts from shocks such as Brexit or Covid-19. This may lead to sub-standard health outcomes. The positive influence of trade unions on working conditions has largely been decimated and the workforce in Britain is ageing. These combinations may pose significant challenges to public health including mental health crises. Public policy ought to help minimise adverse health outcomes linked to employment precarity.

SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Prevalence among Industrial Livestock Operation Workers and Nearby Community Residents, North Carolina, 2021 to 2022

Industrial livestock operations (ILOs), particularly processing facilities, emerged as centers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks in spring 2020. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 underestimate true prevalence. To investigate the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, we enrolled 279 participants in North Carolina from February 2021 to July 2022: 90 from households with at least one ILO worker (ILO), 97 from high-ILO intensity areas (ILO neighbors [ILON]), and 92 from metropolitan areas (metro). More metro (55.4%) compared to ILO (51.6%) and ILON participants (48.4%) completed the COVID-19 primary vaccination series; the median completion date was more than 4 months later for ILO compared to ILON and metro participants, although neither difference was statistically significant. Participants provided a saliva swab we analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 IgG using a multiplex immunoassay. The prevalence of infection-induced IgG (positive for nucleocapsid and receptor binding domain) was higher among ILO (63%) than ILON (42.9%) and metro (48.7%) participants (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.80; reference category ILON and metro combined). The prevalence of infection-induced IgG was also higher among ILO participants than among an Atlanta health care worker cohort (PR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.80 to 3.33) and a general population cohort in North Carolina (PRs, 6.37 to 10.67). The infection-induced IgG prevalence increased over the study period. Participants reporting not masking in public in the past 2 weeks had higher infection-induced IgG prevalence (78.6%) than participants reporting masking (49.3%) (PR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.19 to 2.13). Lower education, more people per bedroom, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and more contact with people outside the home were also associated with higher infection-induced IgG prevalence. IMPORTANCE Few studies have measured COVID-19 seroprevalence in North Carolina, especially among rural, Black, and Hispanic/Latino communities that have been heavily affected. Antibody results show high rates of COVID-19 among industrial livestock operation workers and their household members. Antibody results add to evidence of health disparities related to COVID-19 by socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Associations between masking and physical distancing with antibody results also add to evidence of the effectiveness of these prevention strategies. Delays in the timing of receipt of COVID-19 vaccination reinforce the importance of dismantling vaccination barriers, especially for industrial livestock operation workers and their household members.

Job Insecurity and Company Behavior: Influence of Fear of Job Loss on Individual and Work Environment Factors

The purpose of this research is to analyze to what extent job insecurity is related to different factors related with quality of work life. Specifically, it refers to the individual (work-family balance, job satisfaction, labor and professional development, motivation at work, and well-being at work) and work environment (conditions and environment and safety and health at work) dimensions of the construct. The sample group consisted of 842 workers (375 men and 467 women), aged between 18 and 68 years, from Bahía de Banderas, Mexico. Pearson correlation coefficients between the different variables were carried out, as well as MANOVA and ANOVA analyses and a linear regression analysis. The results showed that workers with low job insecurity obtained higher scores in work-family balance, job satisfaction, labor and professional development, motivation at work, well-being at work, conditions and environment, and safety and health at work, in relation to workers with moderate and high insecurity. The regression analysis confirmed that individual factors explain 24% and environmental factors 15% of job insecurity. This article makes an approximation to the phenomenon of job insecurity in the Mexican context, where the relationship of this variable with quality of work life is verified.

Dementia and COVID-19 among Older African American Adults: A Scoping Review of Healthcare Access and Resources

African American/Black communities comprise 12.2% of the U.S. population, with a COVID-19 infection rate of more than 18% and marginal access to healthcare services. This scoping review synthesizes the emerging evidence on healthcare accessibility among older African American adult communities with dementia and COVID-19, as well as the resource requirements for this population during the pandemic. Searches of different databases for empirical studies and other sources on dementia and COVID-19 among older African American adults yielded 13 studies that met the following inclusion criteria: (a) focus on dementia and COVID-19, (b) sampled older African American adults, (c) investigated healthcare accessibility and resources, and (d) published between 2019 and 2022. Following the initial selection of the studies, eight were selected for relevance based on the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thematic analysis indicated that older African Americans with dementia and COVID-19 experienced longer delays in accessing timely healthcare, including transportation, intensive care units (ICUs), and mechanical ventilation. They also had reduced healthcare resources associated with a lack of health insurance, low financial resources, and an increased length of hospital stay, which further aggravated the negative effects of comorbid dementia and COVID-19 infections. Evidence showed that racial and age disparities affected older African American adults with dementia and COVID-19, resulting in lower healthcare access and marginal resources. This is consistent with historical and systemic inequities in meeting the healthcare needs of people of color in the United States, which was compounded for older African Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inequality in workplace support for various types of precarious workers compared with permanent workers in Japan: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine, by sex, whether precarious workers in Japan receive less support in the workplace than permanent workers.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire in 2022. We stratified participants by sex and performed modified Poisson regression analysis. The outcomes were support from supervisors, co-workers, occupational health professionals, and no one. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated for contract workers, part-time workers, and dispatched workers, using permanent workers as reference.

RESULTS

This study had 21 047 participants. For men, 87.9% were permanent workers; for women, 50.7% were permanent workers and 37.3% were part-time workers. For workplace support, 47.5% of men and 45.2% of women selected superiors; 41.8% of men and 50.5% of women selected colleagues; 16.8% of men and 6.2% of women selected occupational health professionals. Female contract workers were less likely to receive support from their supervisors (aPR 0.88) or co-workers (aPR 0.89). Male part-time workers were less likely to be supported by their co-workers (aPR 0.86). Dispatched workers were less likely to be supported by their supervisors (men aPR 0.71, women aPR 0.84) and co-workers (men aPR 0.73, women aPR 0.77). Part-time and dispatched workers were less likely to receive support from occupational health professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

Precarious workers could get less workplace support than permanent workers. This may contribute to occupational health problems with precarious workers.

Psychosocial risk factors for low back pain in US workers: Data from the 2002-2018 quality of work life survey

BACKGROUND

Examining workplace psychosocial risk factors for back pain becomes increasingly important because of the changing nature of work and rising healthcare costs. Some psychosocial risk factors for back pain, such as work and family imbalance, exposure to a hostile work environment, and job insecurity, are understudied for the working population in the United States.

METHODS

Data used in this study came from the Quality of Work Life Survey (QWL), a supplementary module of the General Social Survey conducted in the United States. Data from the 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 QWL surveys were used in these analyses, giving a total sample size of 6661. Five domains of workplace psychosocial risk factors for back pain were examined, including job strain, low social support, work-family imbalance, exposure to a hostile work environment (harassment and discrimination), and job insecurity. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of each psychosocial risk factor for back pain with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model after controlling for job physical factors, occupation, and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

RESULTS

Significant associations were found between back pain and several psychosocial factors including job strain (aOR 1.19; CI 1.00,1.41), work-family imbalance (aOR,1.42; CI 1.22,1.64), harassment (aOR 1.40; CI 1.15,1.71), and discrimination (aOR 1.20 CI 1.00,1.44).

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between a variety of workplace psychosocial factors and back pain. Our findings suggest directions in future longitudinal research to examine emerging workplace psychosocial factors for back pain.

The Emergence of Precarious Employment as a Determinant of Health in Europe and the Relevance of Contextual Factors: A Critical Research Synthesis

Precarious employment as a determinant of health remains on the rise in Europe, in contrast to the European Pillar of Social Rights. Research in epidemiology, public health, and occupational health research has debated the health impacts of precarious employment. A number of studies have concluded that precarious employment contributes to poor health. More recent research has focused on the contextual influences of the association between precarious employment and health. Accordingly, we argue that the welfare state and the specific institutional arrangements on the national level determine and mediate the extent of the association between precarious employment and health. This research synthesis: (a) debates explanations for the rise of precarious employment in Europe, (b) illustrates how precarious employment has risen in Europe since the 1980s, (c) indicates empirical findings of the association between precarious employment and health in Europe, (d) discusses how research explains between-country differences of the association between precarious employment and health, and (e) presents empirical findings on the contextual determinants of the association between precarious employment and health in Europe.

Employment Precarity and Increased Risk of Hazardous Occupational Exposures Among Residents of High Socioeconomic Hardship Neighborhoods

BACKGROUND

While there is evidence that workers in nonstandard employment arrangements are disproportionately exposed to recognized occupational hazards, existing studies have not comprehensively examined associations between employment precarity and exposure to occupational hazards for these workers in the USA. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between employment precarity and occupational hazards in two contiguous high socio-economic hardship neighborhoods in Chicago.

METHODS

Using a community-based participatory research approach, community researchers administered a community-developed survey to 489 residents of Greater Lawndale who reported current or recent employment in a job that met at least one characteristic of precarious employment (e.g. unpredictable schedule, insecure work, no living wage/benefits). Employment precarity was calculated using a modified version of the Employment Precarity Index (EPI) developed by the Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario group. We modeled the association between employment precarity and occupational exposures using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

We identified a high prevalence of precarious employment in this sample, as well as a high prevalence of self-reported exposure to recognized occupational hazards. Increases in relative employment precarity were significantly associated with self-reported exposure to chemical and biological hazards, physical hazards, and slip, trip, strike, fall, trap or crush hazards at work.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the importance of using community research approaches and robust measures of employment characteristics, such as the EPI, to evaluate associations between employment precarity and hazardous exposures. These results suggest that variability in employment situations and resultant relative employment precarity are important predictors of exposure to recognized occupational hazards. Findings also suggest that health inequities observed among precariously employed workers may be partly explained by increased risk for exposure to occupational hazards, which has implications for community health and should be investigated in future longitudinal research.

Job Demand-Control and Hypertension in African Americans and Non-African Americans

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine if occupational stress is a social determinant of elevated hypertension among African Americans.

METHODS

Currently employed, full-time adults from the Midlife in the United States Refresher and Midlife in the United States Milwaukee Refresher studies reported data on demographics, job characteristics, and medical history.

RESULTS

African American workers reported less job control and greater physical job demands than non-African Americans. Both physical and psychological job demands were independently associated with greater odds of high blood pressure. Job strain was associated with high blood pressure and differed by race ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The elements of the job-demand control model differed by race and were most relevant for African Americans when exposed to high job demands and low job control. However, there was no evidence of differential vulnerability for either psychological demands, control, or physical demands for African Americans.

Work-related fatigue: A hazard for workers experiencing disproportionate occupational risks

BACKGROUND

Long working hours and fatigue are significant occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards for working populations who experience disproportionate risks of injury and illness. These groups include young or new workers, aging workers, contingent and temporary workers, immigrant and nonnative workers, female workers, minority workers, workers with low levels of education and lower socioeconomic status, and small business employees. An increasing focus on newer determinants of health in the workplace, such as health equity and work-life conflict, in worker populations at greater risk for injury or illness, provides an opportunity for researchers to address the causes and consequences of work-related fatigue in high-risk populations.

METHODS

Articles in the OSH literature that addressed fatigue in higher-risk workers were identified by the authors or recommended by subject matter experts in workplace fatigue as part of a Working Hours, Sleep and Fatigue Forum. Additional articles were identified by searching for a combination of specific at-risk worker group titles (e.g., female workers, temporary workers) with fatigue or working hours.

RESULTS

There remains a paucity of research specifically addressing working hours and fatigue among disproportionately at-risk worker populations. The literature reviewed in this paper suggests that several of these populations are at increased risk of fatigue due to multiple factors, such as irregular shifts, lack of access to fatigue management resources, and socioeconomic barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is needed to identify solutions to address fatigue in working populations who may be at greater risk for its consequences by virtue of adverse socioeconomic and related factors. Interventions to address work-related fatigue in specific at-risk worker groups should also consider the multiple and overlapping categories of risk within these populations.

Fear of Job Loss and Hypertension Prevalence Among Working Latino Adults

Evidence indicates that stress increases cardiovascular disease risk. Latinos are disproportionately employed in precarious work conditions that can trigger hypertension risk. We examined if fear of job loss, a work stressor, was associated with hypertension among U.S. Latinos. We utilized 2015 National Health Interview Survey data from working Latino adults (n = 2683). In multivariate logistic regression models, we examined if fear of job loss was associated with hypertension, adjusting for age, sex, education, household income, and health insurance, and whether nativity status modified this relationship. Fear of job loss was significantly associated with increased probability of reporting hypertension among Latino workers in fully adjusted models (PR 1.55, 95% CI 1.18-2.03), compared with no fear of job loss. This relationship varied by nativity. These findings suggest that work-related conditions may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk among Latinos and public health initiatives should promote behavioral interventions in work settings.

Relationship between Precarious Employment and Unmet Dental Care Needs among Korean Workers: A Longitudinal Panel Study

Background and Objectives: Precarious workers experience certain conditions, such as low income, instability in employment, and lack of social security. Precarious employment has increased barriers to the use of dental care services, resulting in more unmet dental care needs. The aim of this study was to identify unmet dental care needs among precarious workers in Korea's labor market, using data from the Korea Health Panel Survey (2011-2017). Materials and Methods: Based on job and income security criteria, four groups were formed: Group A (individuals with job and income security), Group B (individuals reporting job security with income insecurity), Group C (individuals reporting job insecurity with income security), and Group D (individuals with job and income insecurity). We measured self-reported unmet dental need or the inability to receive necessary dental care owing to the past economic burdens. Panel logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the effect of precarious employment on unmet dental care needs for all participants. Results: Approximately 16% of the respondents reported having unmet dental care needs. Unmet dental care needs owing to economic reasons were higher among male workers in groups C and D than among male workers in Group A. In particular, male workers aged 50 years and above in Group B were 3.36 times more likely to have unmet dental care needs than those in Group A. In Group D, female workers showed a high probability of having dental care needs owing to economic reasons. Moreover, female workers aged 18-49 years witnessed an increase in unmet dental care needs. Conclusions: Korean workers with unstable employment and/or income are at a higher risk of having unmet dental care needs owing to financial factors. The findings suggest an urgent need to implement robust national health insurance policies to improve efforts aimed at reducing unmet dental care needs that potentially decreases the disparity in oral health among precariously employed workers. Furthermore, it is necessary to implement comprehensive labor market policies such as sickness benefits for those in precarious employment.

The development and initial validation of a new working time scale for full-time workers with non-standard schedules

BACKGROUND

Working time characteristics have been used to link work schedule features to health impairment; however, extant working time exposure assessments are narrow in scope. Prominent working time frameworks suggest that a broad range of schedule features should be assessed to best capture non-standard schedules. The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-dimensional scale that assesses working time exposures and test its reliability and validity for full-time workers with non-standard schedules.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using full-time, blue-collar worker population samples from three industries - transportation (n = 174), corrections (n = 112), and manufacturing (n = 99). Using a multi-phased approach including the review of scientific literature and input from an advisory panel of experts, the WorkTime Scale (WTS) was created and included multiple domains to characterize working time (length, time of day, intensity, control, predictability, and free time). Self-report surveys were distributed to workers at their workplace during company time. Following a comprehensive scale development procedure (Phase 1), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (Phase 2) and, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (Phase 3; bivariate correlations were used to identify the core components of the WTS and assess the reliability and validity (Phase 4) in three samples.

RESULTS

Phase 1 resulted in a preliminary set of 21 items that served as the basis for the quantitative analysis of the WTS. Phase 2 used EFA to yield a 14-item WTS measure with two subscales ("Extended and Irregular Work Days (EIWD)" and "Lack of Control (LOC)"). Phase 3 used CFA to confirm the factor structure of the WTS, and its subscales demonstrated good internal consistency: alpha coefficients were 0.88 for the EIWD factor and 0.76-0.81 for the LOC factor. Phase 4 used bivariate correlations to substantiate convergent, discriminant, and criterion (predictive) validities.

CONCLUSIONS

The 14-item WTS with good reliability and validity is an effective tool for assessing working time exposures in a variety of full-time jobs with non-standard schedules.

Work as a Social Determinant of Racial Health Inequalities

Interdisciplinary research posits that work is a social determinant of health contributing to racial inequalities in death, disease, and well-being amongst Black individuals in the United States. This study aims to advance research by integrating two theoretical frameworks (Warr's Vitamin Model and Assari's "differential exposure" and "differential gain" mechanisms) to investigate the role of work in eudemonic well-being. We included a nationally representative sample of adults who participated in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher and Milwaukee Refresher projects in 2011-2014, alongside corresponding occupational information (O*NET 17.0). The results of this study indicated that three of nine studied job characteristics systematically differ by race. We found evidence of differential gain by race on psychological well-being. Job characteristics had either benign or negative associations with well-being among Black individuals but consistently positive associations with well-being among non-Black individuals. In contrast to Warr's Vitamin Model, we found little evidence of curvilinear health effects of job characteristics (only 5.5% were statistically significant). Finally, it was found that advanced educational attainment benefited multiple dimensions of well-being among Black individuals but had benign or negative implications for non-Black individuals, after controlling for demographics. Overall, the results highlight racial inequalities in eudemonic well-being because Black individuals face challenges in obtaining jobs that are beneficial to well-being. Collectively, the results reinforce the idea that work is a social determinant of health.

Delegation and consultation on operational and tactical issues: Any difference in their potentialities for a healthier psychosocial work environment?

Background

Despite the growing number of studies on direct participation labor‐management practices, little is known about the role of their different discretionary degrees (delegation or consultation) and topics in their relationship with the psychosocial work environment by occupational groups.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study on the relationship between direct participation and work‐related psychosocial risks (using COPSOQ‐ISTAS21 v3) on a representative sample of the salaried and wage‐earning employees in Spain (n = 1807). Prevalence ratios were calculated using adjusted Poisson regression models, controlling for 10 other labor‐management practices, sex, and age, and stratified by occupational group.

Results

The use of direct participation was either associated consistently with a healthier psychosocial work environment (mostly in manual occupations, which presented twice as many positive associations as nonmanual occupations, and of greater strength, mostly in the control and social support dimensions) or there were no significant associations (mostly among nonmanual occupations and in relation to work pace). More frequent and stronger associations were observed when consultation and delegation were used in combination. If used separately, consultation achieved better results among manual occupations and delegation among nonmanual occupations. Direct participation topics were not important for results in manual occupations whereas results were better on tactical (vs. operational) issues in nonmanual occupations.

Conclusions

Direct participation does not change power structure, but it may be a useful intervention at the company level to reduce work‐related psychosocial exposures and associated diseases among workers in manual occupations, and consequently for decreasing occupational exposures and health inequalities.

Differences between men and women in their risk of work injury and disability: A systematic review

Background

Health responses associated with occupational exposures can vary between men and women.

Aims

This study reviewed the work injury and disability risks associated with similar types of occupational exposures for men and women within and across occupations.

Materials & Methods

A systematic review was undertaken of observational studies published between 2009 and 2019. Studies were required to empirically compare men and women for associations between occupational exposures and work injury or disability outcomes. Included studies were appraised for methodological quality and medium to high rated studies were compared for risk differences between men and women.

Results

Of 14,006 records identified, 440 articles were assessed for methodological quality, and 33 medium to high rated studies were included and reviewed. Among all occupations, the association between physical exposures, job demands, noise, and repetitive tasks, and injury risk were stronger among men. The relationship between repetitive tasks and sickness absence was stronger among women. Most studies examining psychological exposures found no risk differences for men and women across occupations. Men were at higher injury risk in certain occupations in primary and secondary industry sectors involving physical exposures and some chemical/biological exposures. Women were at higher injury risk for the physical demands and repetitive tasks of health care and aluminum production occupations.

Conclusion

This review found that men and women can have different work injury and disability risks, both across and within the same occupations, for some physical exposures and to a lesser extent for some chemical and biological exposures. These differences might be a result of occupation‐specific task differences.

Occupational stress in industry setting in Benin 2019: A cross-sectional study

Background

Occupational stress is a psychosocial risk in the workplace. Working conditions in industrial settings may lead to occupational stress. In Benin, however, there is little epidemiological data on occupational stress in industrial settings. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with occupational stress in industrial settings in Benin in 2019.

Methods

This was a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted from January 31 to April 11, 2019, among 15 cotton ginning plants. Sampling was exhaustive for permanent workers and stratified in clusters by shift for occasional cotton gin workers. Data were collected through Karasek and Siegrist questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using R software. Binary multivariable logistic regression was performed. The significance level was p < 0.05.

Results

Of 1883 workers included, 90.8% were male. The median age was 38 years (IQR: 28 years to 49 years). The prevalence of occupational stress was 77.7% (95% CI: 75.8–79.6). Psychological demand was high in 93.0% of workers and 83.9% had low decision latitude. Among the workers, 16.3% had low social support and 89.9% had a low recognition score at work. Factors associated with occupational stress were: being an occasional vs. permanent worker (aOR 6.43, 95% CI 4.18 to 9.88); age less than 38 years (aOR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.76); high intensity physical activity at work (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.73); working in production vs. administration (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.45); spending fewer than 4 years at the current work location (aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.44); and scoring low for recognition at work (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.23). Noise exposure and being a shift worker were significant in univariable analysis, but not multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

Occupational stress is very common among workers in industrial settings. The implementation and evaluation of preventive measures against these risk factors is necessary.

Did Immigrants Perceive More Job Insecurity during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic? Evidence from German Panel Data

Immigrants have been affected more than native-born ethnic majority populations by the negative economic consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This contribution examines whether they have also experienced higher levels of perceived job insecurity, reflected in a differential increase in financial concerns and the fear of job loss during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This empirical study employs the SOEP-CoV survey, which assesses the socio-economic consequences of SARS-CoV-2. It is embedded in the ongoing German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). We present OLS models to compare perceptions of job insecurity across groups, capturing the situation before and during the pandemic. The analyses reveal that first-generation immigrants reported more financial worries, and they perceived a higher chance of job loss than second-generation immigrants and the native-born ethnic majority. This difference in economic concerns emerged only in the pandemic. Despite covering a wide range of conditions signaling objective risk of job loss, as well as individuals’ means and resources for dealing with looming job loss, these disparities persisted in the empirical study. Considering group-membership-related feelings of acceptance and inclusion could provide a promising route for future inquiry that may allow the remaining gap in subjective job insecurity to be accounted for.

How Working Conditions, Socioeconomic Insecurity, and Behavior-Related Factors Mediate the Association Between Working Poverty and Health in Germany

Objectives: Aims of this study were to Schmitt (Advances in Life Course Research, 2021, 47: 100402) analyze the association of working poverty with mental and physical health-related quality of life and (Wang and Ford, J Organ Behav, 2020, 41 (9): 895–914) to explain these associations by behavior-related factors (heavy drinking, smoking status, body mass index), socioeconomic insecurity (deprivation in living standards, economic worries), and mental working conditions (effort-reward imbalance, job insecurity).

Methods: A total of 11,500 employees aged 17–67 from the German Socioeconomic Panel (2014, 2015, and 2016) were used, and mediation analyses with inverse odds weighting stratified by gender were conducted.

Results: Working poverty was significantly associated with both outcomes for both genders. Deprivation in living standards contributed the most to differences in mental health, with a mediated proportion of 60.3% (men) and 44.4% (women). Differences in physical health were significantly mediated by inadequate living standards in women, with a mediated proportion of 73.7%, whereas none of the mediators considered were significant in men.

Conclusion: Indicators of socioeconomic insecurity contributed most to the association of working poverty with mental and physical health. Results highlight the relevance of policy initiatives to strengthen the socioeconomic living conditions of the working poor.

Characterizing observable COVID-19 controls in Pacific Northwest grocery stores

Utilizing a longitudinal, observational study, grocery store health and safety controls implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic across stores in two cities were characterized. Sixteen stores between Seattle, WA (n = 9) and Portland, OR (n = 7) were visited monthly by the study team from May 2020 to January 2021, and observations of controls were recorded using a standardized checklist in REDCap. The checklist included questions on the presence or absence of controls such as physical barriers, social distancing markers, required masking of customers, cleaning of check-out stands, and closures of store areas. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the proportion of stores with a certain control each month. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to explore how controls changed over time, and whether differences were observed between cities or by income of the area the store serves. Source control (e.g., mask requirements) and engineering controls (e.g., physical barriers at checkout) were the most common and consistent controls observed across stores and over the study period. Controls such as having special hours for vulnerable populations, demarcations on aisles for directionality, and cleaning check-out stands between customers varied significantly over time (p < 0.05 in the mixed-effects model). Having an employee present to clean baskets and carts, as well as physical barriers between self-checkouts, were significantly more common in stores in areas above the median income (p < 0.05 in the mixed-effects model). To best protect workers and shoppers from infectious agents, controls should be evidence-based, consistently implemented across grocery stores, and coupled with administrative practices and policies to promote worker wellbeing.

Joint Effects of Socioeconomic Position, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender on COVID-19 Mortality among Working-Age Adults in the United States

Substantial racial/ethnic and gender disparities in COVID-19 mortality have been previously documented. However, few studies have investigated the impact of individual socioeconomic position (SEP) on these disparities. Objectives: To determine the joint effects of SEP, race/ethnicity, and gender on the burden of COVID-19 mortality. A secondary objective was to determine whether differences in opportunities for remote work were correlated with COVID-19 death rates for sociodemographic groups. Design: Annual mortality study which used a special government tabulation of 2020 COVID-19-related deaths stratified by decedents' SEP (measured by educational attainment), gender, and race/ethnicity. Setting: United States in 2020. Participants: COVID-19 decedents aged 25 to 64 years old (n = 69,001). Exposures: Socioeconomic position (low, intermediate, and high), race/ethnicity (Hispanic, Black, Asian, Indigenous, multiracial, and non-Hispanic white), and gender (women and men). Detailed census data on occupations held by adults in 2020 in each of the 36 sociodemographic groups studied were used to quantify the possibility of remote work for each group. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age-adjusted COVID-19 death rates for 36 sociodemographic groups. Disparities were quantified by relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. High-SEP adults were the (low-risk) referent group for all relative risk calculations. Results: A higher proportion of Hispanics, Blacks, and Indigenous people were in a low SEP in 2020, compared with whites. COVID-19 mortality was five times higher for low vs. high-SEP adults (72.2 vs. 14.6 deaths per 100,000, RR = 4.94, 95% CI 4.82-5.05). The joint detriments of low SEP, Hispanic ethnicity, and male gender resulted in a COVID-19 death rate which was over 27 times higher (178.0 vs. 6.5 deaths/100,000, RR = 27.4, 95% CI 25.9-28.9) for low-SEP Hispanic men vs. high-SEP white women. In regression modeling, percent of the labor force in never remote jobs explained 72% of the variance in COVID-19 death rates. Conclusions and Relevance: SARS-CoV-2 infection control efforts should prioritize low-SEP adults (i.e., the working class), particularly the majority with "never remote" jobs characterized by inflexible and unsafe working conditions (i.e., blue collar, service, and retail sales workers).

Self-perceived job insecurity and self-reported health: Differences between native-born and migrant workers based on evidence from the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey

This paper analyses the association between self-perceived job insecurity and self-reported health by comparing two population groups, native-born and migrant workers, in EU15 countries. The econometric analysis employs data from the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey that was released in 2017. The health outcome examined in this study is self-reported health, which is a subjective indicator. Self-perceived job insecurity is an individual’s subjective evaluation of the possibility of future job loss. The association between job insecurity and self-reported health was tested using standard probit models and standard ordered probit models, considering the entire population sample, only native-born workers, only migrant workers. The results show that workers who think that they might lose their jobs have a lower probability of reporting very good and good health than workers who do not worry about losing their jobs, with job insecurity reducing the probability of reporting good health more for migrant workers than for native-born workers.

Trends in fatal occupational injuries in Latino/a workers relative to other groups, North Carolina 2000-2017

BACKGROUND

Latino/a workers may experience higher fatal occupational injury rates than non-Latino/a workers. In North Carolina, the Latino/a population more than doubled between 2000 and 2017. We examined fatal occupational injuries among Latino/a and non-Latino/a workers in North Carolina over this period.

METHODS

Information on fatal occupational injuries was abstracted from records of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the death certificate records held by the North Carolina Office of Vital Records. Estimates of the working population were derived from the decennial census and American Community Survey. Estimates of annual rates of fatal occupational injury for the period January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2017 were derived for Latino/a workers and compared to Black and White workers not identified as Latino/a.

RESULTS

Over the study period, 1,783 fatal occupational injuries were identified among non-Latino/a workers and 259 fatal occupational injuries among Latino/a workers in North Carolina. The majority of fatal occupational injuries among Latino/a workers occurred among males employed in construction and agriculture. While the fatal occupational injury rate among Latino/a workers declined over the study period, the rate among Latino/a workers was higher than among non-Latino/a White and Black workers; moreover, fatal occupational injury rates for Latino/a workers trended upwards during the most recent years of the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Latino/a workers in North Carolina have the highest fatal occupational injury rate of any race/ethnicity group.

Competence in Daily Activities and Mental Well-Being among Technical Intern Trainees in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Migrant workers are at a greater risk of having low mental well-being compared to their local counterparts. The Japanese government accepts migrants through its Technical Intern Training programs, but the factors associated with their mental well-being remain unclear. This study aimed to (1) assess trainees' competence and importance in daily activities and (2) examine the association between their competence and mental well-being. We conducted a cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires. We recruited trainees through their supervising organizations and social media. We used the Occupational Self-Assessment tool to measure competence and importance in daily activities and the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index to measure mental well-being. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the association between competence and mental well-being. Among 383 trainees, 30.6% felt difficulty expressing themselves, and 27.4% felt difficulty accomplishing goals. Almost 50% valued self-care, working towards their goals, and managing their finances. Higher competence scores were associated with higher mental well-being scores (B = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.52, 1.00). Competence may be a key to having higher mental well-being among migrant trainees in Japan. A supportive and enabling environment, as well as mental health promotion at the community level, may improve trainees' competence in daily activities.

Perceived Risk of Job Instability and Unethical Organizational Behaviour Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Family Financial Pressure and Distributive Injustice in the Tourism Industry

The economic disaster precipitated by the pandemic of COVID-19 changed people’s perceptions of ordinary job stability and elevated it to an ultimate high level. To avoid being laid off, employees who are concerned about job stability may engage in unethical activities in the name of their employer. In this study, the influence of job instability on unethical organizational behaviour (UOB) was investigated through the mediating role of family financial pressure and distributive injustice. Perceptions of 830 employees working in hotels (5-star and 4-star) and travel agencies (Category A) were explored and further analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results asserted that family financial pressure and distributive injustice partially mediated the effects of job insecurity on UOB. Important insights on theoretical and practical implications were further deliberated towards the end of this study.

Work-related injury burden, workers' compensation claim filing, and barriers: Results from a statewide survey of janitors

BACKGROUND

Janitors are a low-wage, ethnically and linguistically diverse, hard-to-reach population of workers with a high burden of occupational injury and illness.

METHODS

Data from an extensive multimodal (mail, phone, web) survey of janitors in Washington State were analyzed to characterize their working conditions and occupational health experiences. The survey included questions on demographics, work organization and tasks, health and safety topics, and discrimination and harassment. The survey was administered in eight languages.

RESULTS

There were 620 complete interviews. The majority completed the survey by mail (62.6%), and in English (85.8%). More than half of responding janitors were female (56.9%), and the mean age was 45 years. Twenty percent reported having a (health-care-provider diagnosed) work-related injury or illness (WRII) in the past twelve months. Women and janitors who were Latino had significantly higher relative risk of WRII. Increased risk was also associated with several work organization factors that may indicate poor working conditions, insufficient sleep, and possible depression. Half of injured janitors did not file workers' compensation (WC) claims.

CONCLUSIONS

Janitors reported a high percentage of WRII, which exceeded previously published estimates from Washington State. Women and Latino janitors had significantly increased risk of WRII, and janitors' working conditions may influence the unequal distribution of risk. WRII surveillance via WC or medical care usage in janitors and other low-wage occupations may reflect substantial underreporting. Characterizing the nature of janitors' work experience can help identify avenues for prevention, intervention, and policy changes to protect the health and safety of janitors.

Work alienation as a mediator between work from home-related isolation, loss of task identity and job insecurity amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

This sudden disruption of work in the world due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unravelling situations hitherto unknown to researchers and therefore requires careful and thorough investigation. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between work from home (WFH) isolation, WFH loss of task identity and job insecurity amid COVID-19 pandemic WFH arrangements by focusing on information technology/information technology-enabled services (IT/ITES) sector employees in India. The study also investigated the mediating role of work alienation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from IT/ITES sector employees who were working from home. The sample size was 312, with 71.8% males and 28.2% females. The study used a descriptive research design. Analysis of the data was carried out using partial least square structural equation modeling. All constructs–independent and dependent–were reflectively measured. The evaluated quality parameters (discriminant validity, reliability, collinearity, common method bias) for all the constructs were found to be within acceptable limits.

Findings

Findings from the study indicate that WFH-related isolation and loss of task identity have a significant direct impact on job insecurity. These, along with the mediating construct of work alienation, predicted a 35.8% variance in job insecurity. The study found that work alienation provided complementary mediation between the independent constructs evaluated.

Originality/value

This study attempts to scrape the surface and gain insight into the problems that may arise in the new world of work. This paper presents an attempt to explain some of the psychological pitfalls associated with WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand their impact on job insecurity.

Submission to the Australian Senate Select Committee on Job Security on the Impact of Insecure or Precarious Employment on the Economy, Wages, Social Cohesion, and Workplace Rights and Conditions

The Australian Senate announced a Select Committee in December of 2020 "to inquire into and report on the impact of insecure or precarious employment on the economy, wages, social cohesion and workplace rights and conditions." This New Solutions "Document" is a submission to the Australian Senate from independent Australian researchers focusing on the role of perceived job (in)security in this context, acknowledging that it only briefly addresses the role of unemployment, precarious employment, and other aspects of the broader phenomenon of insecure work. Submissions closed in March of 2021, and the Australian Senate is due to report its findings on 30 November 2021.

Prevalence of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders and its associated risk factors among janitorial workers: A cross-sectional study

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

•

WRMSDs is one of the causes of disability globally with significant economic impact.

•

The prevalence of WRMSDs among janitorial workers in university setting is scarce.

•

Regular screening is essential for monitoring the progress of severity of musculoskeletal symptoms.

•

WRMSDs surveillance will be beneficial for improvement of work procedures and practices.

Modification Effect of Job Demand and Contingent Work Schedule on Overweight and Obesity Among Civil Servants in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

Evidence indicated that shift work is a contributing factor to risk of obesity and leads to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but few researches have examined the moderating effects of job demand and contingent work schedule on overweight and obesity. Thus, we assessed the modification effect of contingent work schedules and job demand on overweight and obesity among Taiwan's civil servants.

METHODS

Multistage stratified random cluster sampling was used based on a proportional probabilistic sampling (PPS) in a national survey for civil servants. A total of 20,046 participants from 647 registered governmental institutions were enrolled and anonymously and voluntarily filled out web-based questionnaires.

RESULTS

Compared to fixed work schedule, odd ratios (ORs) of obesity and overweight were 1.63 and 1.78 times in contingent work schedule, respectively. In addition, the modification effects of contingent work schedule and high job demand on overweight and obesity with Rothman's synergy index were 2.43 and 2.56, respectively. Using a hierarchical regression model adjusted for covariates, both high job demand and contingent work schedule were interactively associated with overweight and obesity compared to low job demand and fixed work schedule.

CONCLUSION

Since precarious schedules affect employee's obesity through work-related stress and unhealthy behaviors, further research is needed to determine whether interventions aimed at modification of work schedule may be useful in combating obesity.

Inequitable Flow of Animals in and Out of Shelters: Comparison of Community-Level Vulnerability for Owner-Surrendered and Subsequently Adopted Animals

There is increasing awareness among animal shelter professionals regarding the role of shelters in perpetuating inequities in pet ownership, although the relationship between owner vulnerabilities and animal shelter services is largely understudied. Currently, there is no literature comparing the sociodemographic conditions of communities where surrendered animals originate and communities where they are adopted. The present study compared the "flow" of surrendered animals between originating communities (incoming) and communities where they were adopted (outgoing; n = 21,270). To analyze community-level vulnerability, we used the Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD), which has four dimensions of social vulnerability. We found that three of the four CIMD dimensions were significantly different between surrendering and adopting communities (Ethnocultural Composition, Situational Vulnerability (SV), Economic Dependency, but not Residential Instability). For further investigation, we also grouped our analysis by intake groups (small animal n = 2,682; puppy n = 973; dog n = 3,446; kitten n = 6,436; cat n= 7,733) and found multiple relationships for which the incoming and outgoing CIMD quintiles were different. For example, for both puppies and kittens, the median outgoing SV quintile ranks were statistically significantly lower (less vulnerable) than incoming quintile ranks, with the effect size being moderate (puppy r = 0.31, kitten r = 0.30; p ≤ 0.0025), supporting the concern of the flow of certain animals from more vulnerable to less vulnerable communities. The results of this research provide a basis for understanding potential inequities in the use of shelter services to surrender or adopt an animal. Furthermore, these methods allow animal shelters to assess community needs and create interventions to reduce intake and increase adoption of animals. Finally, these data provide further support that animal sheltering is best considered from a One Welfare perspective.

Age and gender differences in the relationship between obesity and disability with self-perceived employment discrimination: Results from a retrospective study of an Australian national sample

BACKGROUND

Health status is a crucial determinant of an individuals' labour market outcomes. The present study investigates the association between obesity and disability with perceived employment discrimination within Australia.

METHODS

A total of 17,174 person-year observations from the 11,079 respondents were analysed using four waves of data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The primary outcome examined was employment discrimination, using obesity and disability as the main exposure variables. The longitudinal random-effects regression technique was applied to investigate the between-person differences in employment discrimination associated with obesity and disability.

RESULTS

The findings suggest that more than one in ten (12.68 %) Australians experienced employment discrimination. The odds of being discriminated against while applying for a job were 1.56 times (aOR: 1.56, 95 % CI: 1.15-2.11) higher for obese than their healthy weight counterparts in youngest women. Adults with a disability had 1.89 times (aOR: 1.89, 95 % CI: 1.65-2.17) higher odds of being discriminated against than peers without disability.

CONCLUSION

The results provide evidence that obesity and disability contribute to employment discrimination in Australia. The findings can assist government and related agencies to consider the adequacy of existing discrimination legislation and help organisations to develop appropriate policies to address discrimination against obese and disabled people in their workplaces.

Self-Reported Physical Demands Associated With Crops and Job Tasks Among Latinx Hired Child Farmworkers

OBJECTIVE

Physical demands of work performed by Latinx hired child farmworkers are poorly understood. This paper describes crops, tasks performed, and the most common dimensions of physical demands of work in this population.

METHODS

Survey interviews were conducted in 2017 with 202 Latinx children aged 10 to 17 years employed on North Carolina farms. Analysis focused on job characteristics for the past week and included factor analysis of an 18-item questionnaire on physical work demands.

RESULTS

The most common crops and tasks reported were topping/suckering tobacco and picking sweet potatoes or berries. Three factors (awkward postures, repetitive motion, strenuous work) accounted for 53% of the variance in physical demands.

CONCLUSIONS

Follow-up of hired child farmworkers should be undertaken to understand the long-term effects of physical work demands on their health.

Physical work conditions and disparities in later life functioning: Potential pathways

Research in the US on the social determinants of reduced physical functioning at older ages has typically not considered physical work conditions as contributors to disparities. We briefly describe a model of occupational stratification and segregation, review and synthesize the occupational health literature, and outline the physiological pathways through which physical work exposures may be tied to long-term declines in physical functioning. The literature suggests that posture, force, vibration, and repetition are the primary occupational risk factors implicated in the development of musculoskeletal disorders, through either acute injuries or longer-term wear and tear. Personal risk factors and environmental and structural work characteristics can modify this association. In the long-term, these musculoskeletal disorders can become chronic and ultimately lead to functional limitations and disabilities that interfere with one's quality of life and ability to remain independent. We then use data on occupational characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) linked to the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) to examine disparities among sociodemographic groups in exposure to these risk factors. Occupations with high levels of these physical demands are not limited to those traditionally thought of as manual or blue-collar jobs and include many positions in the service sector. We document a steep education gradient with less educated workers experiencing far greater physical demands at work than more educated workers. There are pronounced racial and ethnic differences in these exposures with Hispanic, Black, and Native American workers experiencing higher risks than White and Asian workers. Occupations with high exposures to these physical risk factors provide lower compensation and are less likely to provide employer-sponsored health insurance, making it more difficult for workers to address injuries or conditions that arise from their jobs. In sum, we argue that physical work exposures are likely an important pathway through which disparities in physical functioning arise.