Psychosocial Work Factors of the Job Strain Model and All-Cause Mortality: The STRESSJEM Prospective Cohort Study

The role of job strain in the relationship between depression and long-term sickness absence: a register-based cohort study

PURPOSE

Though individuals with depression and those with poor working conditions are more likely to be on long-term sickness absence (LTSA), less is known about how working conditions may modify the associations between depression status and LTSA. This study aims to examine the association between depression and LTSA among Swedish workers with different levels of job strain and its individual components (job demands and job control).

METHODS

All Swedish workers 30 - 60 years old (N = 3,065,258) were studied in 2005. At baseline (2005-2010), workers were categorized as: without depression, being prescribed antidepressants, and being in inpatient/outpatient care. Job strain was measured using a Swedish Job Exposure Matrix, and data on LTSA were obtained from 2011 to 2021. The association between depression and LTSA was assessed using Cox proportional-hazards regression stratified by categories of job strain.

RESULTS

Compared to workers without depression, workers with depression had higher risk of LTSA across all job strain levels. Depression was associated with the highest hazards of LTSA in active jobs, but a similar population attributable fraction (PAF) was found across categories of job strain, indicating similarities between the different categories.

CONCLUSION

There was evidence of a moderating effect of job strain in the relationship between depression and LTSA, but also evidence that this was due to differences in baseline depression prevalence in the different job strain categories. Future research is needed to determine alternative factors which could be relevant for reducing LTSA among those who have already developed depression.

Occupational characteristics and disability-free survival after retirement age: an exploratory analysis from the ASPREE study

Background

Certain occupational characteristics have been linked with poor health and reduced longevity. However, the association between occupational characteristics and survival free of disability in a post-retirement age group has not been investigated.

Methods

We investigated outcomes in 12,215 healthy older Australian adults in the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) and ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) sub-study. The ISCO-88 major occupational groups, settings, and activity levels were assigned based on free-text job descriptions. The Finnish Job Exposure Matrix was used to assign occupational characteristics to the three longest-held jobs. The primary endpoint, disability-free survival, was defined as a composite measure of death, dementia, or persistent physical disability. The endpoint of all-cause mortality was analyzed separately. Because of multiple exploratory analyses, only those associations with a two-sided value of p less than 0.005 were considered statistically significant. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios.

Results

Having worked in an 'elementary' occupation was associated with a reduction in disability-free survival. A specific impact on disability-free survival was observed among those whose work had involved high accident risk and adverse social climate. No significant relationship was identified with those previously exposed to sedentary work, vigorous physical activity, work primarily outdoors, or a range of other occupational characteristics. All-cause mortality was not increased among any of the occupational groups.

Conclusion

This exploratory study found a reduction in disability-free survival among people who worked in 'elementary' occupations, with specific risks associated with occupations involving high accident risks and adverse social climate.

An Agenda for Advancing Research and Prevention at the Nexus of Work Organization, Occupational Stress, and Mental Health and Well-Being

Work characteristics and worker well-being are inextricably connected. In particular, the characteristics of work organization shape and perpetuate occupational stress, which contributes to worker mental health and well-being outcomes. Consequently, the importance of understanding and addressing connections between work organization, occupational stress, and mental health and well-being-the focus of this Special Issue-increasingly demand attention from those affected by these issues. Thus, focusing on these issues in the long-haul truck driver (LHTD) sector as an illustrative example, the purpose of this commentary is as follows: (1) to outline current research approaches and the extant knowledge base regarding the connections between work organization, occupational stress, and mental health; (2) to provide an overview of current intervention strategies and public policy solutions associated with the current knowledge base to protect and promote worker mental health and well-being; and (3) to propose a two-pronged agenda for advancing research and prevention for workers during the 21st century. It is anticipated that this commentary, and this Special Issue more broadly, will both echo numerous other calls for building knowledge and engaging in this area and motivate further research within complementary current and novel research frameworks.

Identifying patients with psychosocial problems in general practice: A scoping review

Objective

We conducted a scoping review with the aim of comprehensively investigating what tools or methods have been examined in general practice research that capture a wide range of psychosocial problems (PSPs) and serve to identify patients and highlight their characteristics.

Methods

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews and the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual on scoping reviews. A systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases (Medline [Ovid], Web of Science Core Collection, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library) for quantitative and qualitative studies in English, Spanish, French, and German with no time limit. The protocol was registered with Open Science Framework and published in BMJ Open.

Results

Of the 839 articles identified, 66 met the criteria for study eligibility, from which 61 instruments were identified. The publications were from 18 different countries, with most studies employing an observational design and including mostly adult patients. Among all instruments, 22 were reported as validated, which we present in this paper. Overall, quality criteria were reported differently, with studies generally providing little detail. Most of the instruments were used as paper and pencil questionnaires. We found considerable heterogeneity in the theoretical conceptualisation, definition, and measurement of PSPs, ranging from psychiatric case findings to specific social problems.

Discussion and conclusion

This review presents a number of tools and methods that have been studied and used in general practice research. Adapted and tailored to local circumstances, practice populations, and needs, they could be useful for identifying patients with PSPs in daily GP practice; however, this requires further research. Given the heterogeneity of studies and instruments, future research efforts should include both a more structured evaluation of instruments and the incorporation of consensus methods to move forward from instrument research to actual use in daily practice.

Shift and Night Work and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: Prospective Results From the STRESSJEM Study

The literature remains sparse and inconclusive about the impact of shift and night work on mortality, and still more on specific causes of death. The objectives were to explore the prospective associations between exposure to shift and night work and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The study was based on a large national representative French prospective cohort of 1,511,456 employees followed up from 1976 to 2002. Exposure to shift and night work relied on a job-exposure matrix, and 3 time-varying measures (current, cumulative, and recency-weighted cumulative exposure) were constructed. Mortality and causes of death were provided by the national registry, and all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer and preventable mortality, and suicide were studied. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to study the associations between shift and night work and mortality. During follow-up, 22,105 deaths occurred for all-cause mortality. In the study of mortality until the end of last job during follow-up, shift and/or night work were associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer and preventable mortality, and suicide (except night without shift work with cancer mortality and suicide) among men. Shift work (especially shift without night work) was associated with all-cause, cancer and preventable mortality among women. The results were similar for current, cumulative, and recency-weighted cumulative exposure. Associations were found for more detailed causes of death: cerebrovascular diseases for both genders, ischemic heart diseases, respiratory cancers, smoking-related mortality, and external causes of death among men, and breast cancer among women. In the study of mortality until the end of follow-up, some additional associations were found among women between night work and all-cause and preventable mortality, and suicide, suggesting long-term or delayed exposure effects. The study may, however, be underpowered to detect all the exposure-outcome associations, especially among women. More research and prevention are needed to reduce mortality among shift and night workers.

Identifying patients with psychosocial problems in general practice: a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Psychosocial problems (PSPs) are common issues associated with negative health outcomes. Since general practitioners are the first point of contact for any health-related concern, understanding their options to recognise patients with PSPs plays an important role as it is essential for early intervention and can prevent serious conditions. The objective of our scoping review is to map published evidence on the usage of instruments to identify patients with PSPs in general practice.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist and the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual on scoping reviews. A systematic search of four electronic databases (Medline (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library) will be conducted for quantitative and qualitative studies published in English, Spanish, French and German. Main study characteristics as well as information on identification instruments will be extracted and visualised in structured tables to map the available evidence. The protocol has been registered with Open Science Framework, https://osfio/c2m6z.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study does not require ethical approval as we will not collect personal data. Dissemination will consist of publications, presentations and other knowledge translation activities.