Psychosocial working conditions and cognitive complaints among Swedish employees

The Cognitive Function at Work Questionnaire (CFWQ): A new scale for measuring cognitive complaints in occupational population

Cognitive functioning is a relevant work and health related topic, however, validated methods to assess subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) at work are lacking. We introduce the Cognitive Function at Work Questionnaire (CFWQ) for measuring SCC in occupational settings. 1-year follow-up data of 418 employees from a Finnish public media service company was analyzed. Participants completed web-based CFWQ, cognitive tests and a broad set of questionnaires for evaluating depression, anxiety, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, burnout, stress, mental job burden, work ability, cognitive errors, and perceived health. The factor analysis yielded a model with the CFWQ subdomains: Memory, Language, Executive Function, Speed of Processing, Cognitive Control and Name Memory. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .87) and the test-retest constancy (ICC = .84) reflected good reliability. Correlation between the CFWQ and cognitive errors at work ranged from .25 to .64 indicating adequate concurrent validity. Employees with depression, insomnia and burnout symptoms had higher (p < .001) CFWQ scores than participants without these symptoms. Depression and burnout symptom severity as well as accumulation of mood, sleep, and psychosocial stressors were associated with higher CFWQ scores (p < .001 in all). The CFWQ appears psychometrically sound measure for the assessment of SCC in occupational population.

The role of hormones in the pathogenesis and treatment mechanisms of delirium in ICU: The past, the present, and the future

Delirium is an acute brain dysfunction. As one of the common psychiatric disorders in ICU, it can seriously affect the prognosis of patients. Hormones are important messenger substances found in the human body that help to regulate and maintain the function and metabolism of various tissues and organs. They are also one of the most commonly used drugs in clinical practice. Recent evidences suggest that aberrant swings in cortisol and non-cortisol hormones might induce severe cognitive impairment, eventually leading to delirium. However, the role of hormones in the pathogenesis of delirium still remains controversial. This article reviews the recent research on risk factors of delirium and the association between several types of hormones and cognitive dysfunction. These mechanisms are expected to offer novel ideas and clinical relevance for the treatment and prevention of delirium.

The relational effects of perceived organizational support, fear of COVID-19, and work-related stress on the safety performance of healthcare workers

This paper assesses the relational effects of perceived organizational support (POS), fear of COVID-19 (FOC-19), and work-related stress (WRS) on the safety performance of healthcare staff. The sample for this research was extracted from the University College Hospital (UCH) in the Oyo State of Nigeria. The participants were midwives, doctors, auxiliary services staff, and nurses who functioned in a COVID-19 hospital ward, fever or respiratory ICU, Auxiliary services, or outpatient clinics. This investigation espoused a clinical cross-sectional survey involving self-reported surveys. Of the 150 questionnaires distributed, 147 were fit for scrutiny and analyzed with Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 28). This paper established a relationship between POS and safety performance (SP). Besides, it showed a significant positive correlation between FOC-19 and SP. It further noted that work-related stress negatively relates to safety performance. Moreover, this study showed the significant joint strong influence of POC, FOC-19, and WRS on the safety performance of healthcare workers. Hence, healthcare institutions are encouraged to create adequate support for healthcare workers, particularly during a global health crisis. Government and healthcare institutions should also develop an awareness program on the danger and consequences of getting infected by the virus or infecting other significant others. This will increase the fear of COVID-19 and, consequently, health workers’ safety performance. Besides, it is recommended that the management of healthcare institutions provides a proper work structure and schedule to help reduce workloads, consequently reducing WRS, as lowering it improves healthcare workers’ safety performance.

The effects of psychological risk factors at work on cognitive failures through the accident proneness

BACKGROUND

Various agents such as psychosocial items and accident proneness can affect cognitive failures through different paths. The probable paths are the direct effects of workplace psychosocial items on cognitive failures and their indirect effects on cognitive failures through the mediator variable of accident proneness, which has not yet been studied by others. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate these paths.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 164 male employees of Karoon Sugar Company in 2018. The participants were asked to complete a background and demographic questionnaire, Broadbent cognitive failures scale, accident proneness questionnaire, and Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire. Obtained data were analyzed and modeled using the statistical descriptive method, ANOVA, independent t-test, Pearson correlation test, and path analysis in the SPSS and AMOS software.

RESULTS

The results of the path analysis showed that, not only, some psychosocial risk items had a significant direct effect on cognitive failures, but also, they could affect cognitive failures through the accident proneness, indirectly. Work-family conflict and social support from supervisors by coefficients of 0.188 and - 0.187 had the highest direct effects, respectively. The highest indirect effects belonged to justice and respect, and work-family conflict by coefficients of - 0.220 and 0.199, respectively. The highest total effects were also related to the work-family conflict and justice and respect by coefficients of 0.387 and - 0.381, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In total, our results showed that some psychological items could, directly and indirectly, increase cognitive failure through accident proneness.

[Do digital technologies at work impact mental health of employees?]

Hintergrund

Die traditionelle Arbeitsstressforschung identifizierte eine große Zahl von Stressoren. Die Technik als Stressquelle stand dagegen lange nicht im Fokus des Interesses.

Fragestellung

Dieser Artikel beschreibt das Konzept des Technostresses und diskutiert mögliche Risiken und Chancen digitaler Technologien bei der Arbeit und deren Auswirkungen auf die psychische Gesundheit.

Material und Methode

Übersicht zur Konzeptualisierung von Technostress, potenzieller Wirkmechanismen und Zusammenfassung empirischer Ergebnisse zum Einfluss auf die psychische Gesundheit.

Ergebnisse

Bisher wurden mehrere Domänen von Technostress definiert. Obgleich die Evidenzbasis schmal ist und Studien mit methodischen Einschränkungen behaftet sind, so legen erste Ergebnisse zumindest nahe, dass sich bestimmte Arten von technischem Stress bei der Arbeit ungünstig auf die psychische Gesundheit auswirken können. Zugleich können digitale Technologien auch positive Auswirkungen auf das psychische Wohlbefinden von Arbeitnehmern haben, wenn sie z. B. eine bessere Arbeitsorganisation ermöglichen.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Digitalisierung der Arbeit scheint sowohl Chancen als auch Risiken für die psychische Gesundheit der Beschäftigten zu haben. Implikationen für weitere Forschung in diesem sich entwickelnden Feld werden herausgearbeitet.

The relationship among sleep reactivity, job-related stress, and subjective cognitive dysfunction: a cross-sectional study using path analysis

Insomnia, job-related stress, and cognitive dysfunction affect the mental health of workers. However, the relationships among sleep reactivity, job-related stress, and subjective cognitive dysfunction in workers remains not fully understood. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the relationships among these variables in Japanese adult workers. In total, 536 adult workers in Japan were evaluated using the Japanese version of Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test, Brief Job Stress Questionnaire, and Cognitive Complaints in Bipolar Disorder Rating Assessment to assess sleep reactivity, job-related stress, and subjective cognitive function, respectively. Path analysis was also carried out. The results of the path analysis showed that sleep reactivity significantly influenced on subjective cognitive dysfunction directly and indirectly via job stressors and stress reaction. Our results may not be generalizable to underage workers because only adult workers were included, which is a limitation of this study. The results of the present study suggest that job-related stress mediates the effect of sleep reactivity on subjective cognitive dysfunction in Japanese adult workers. This underscores the need to evaluate the mediating effect of job-related stress in addressing the subjective cognitive dysfunction associated with insomnia in workers.

Corporate social responsibility and internal stakeholders' health and well-being in Europe: a systematic descriptive review

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can contribute to the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental performance in organizations. However, the relationship between CSR, employee health and well-being has not been frequently assessed despite an increased awareness that this relationship can contribute to sustainable workplaces. To identify studies addressing the relationship between CSR and employee health and well-being within the EuCIropean context, we conducted a systematic literature search using Web of Science and Medline. Of the 60 articles screened for inclusion, 16 were retained. The results suggest that the majority (n = 14) of the identified studies aimed to understand the impact of CSR strategies on employees' job satisfaction. None of the studies investigated the relationship between internal CSR and physical health. There was no clarity in the measurement of either internal CSR or the extent to which it affected employee outcomes. There is a need for consensus on measurement of internal CSR and of the health and well-being-related outcomes. Public health and occupational health researchers should be part of the discussion on the potential role of CSR in physical and psychological health outcomes beyond job satisfaction.

Resilience and Subjectively Experienced Stress Among Paramedics Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

Paramedics play a vital role in the healthcare system by providing professional support in situations of direct threat to patient health and life. They experience numerous difficulties during their work, which result in occupational stress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their work has become even more demanding. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of resilience in the subjective experience of stress among paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out in two phases, in October-November 2019 (N = 75) and in May-June 2020 (N = 84), using the Sense of Stress Questionnaire (Skala Poczucia Stresu) and the Resilience Scale (Skala Pomiaru Prężności).

RESULTS

Paramedics exhibited higher intrapsychic stress before the COVID-19 pandemic. Tolerance of failure and treating life as a challenge were higher during the pandemic, in contrast to optimism and the ability to mobilize in difficult situations. Paramedics who were in contact with patients with COVID-19 experienced higher stress. Perseverance and determination, openness to new experiences and sense of humor, as well as competences and tolerance of negative emotions were revealed to play a key part in mitigating subjectively experienced stress.

CONCLUSION

Paramedics' subjectively experienced stress was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paramedics who were in direct contact with patients with COVID-19 experienced higher stress. They had sufficient psychological resources, in the form of resilience (perseverance and determination, openness to new experiences, sense of humor, and competences and tolerance of negative emotions), which allowed them to cope with the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Benevolence - Associations With Stress, Mental Health, and Self-Compassion at the Workplace

Objective

Benevolence is an emerging concept in motivation theory and research as well as in on pro-social behavior, which has stimulated increasing interest in studying factors that impair or facilitate benevolence and effects thereof. This exploratory study examines the associations between benevolence, stress, mental health, self-compassion, and satisfaction with life in two workplace samples.

Methods

In the first study n = 522 (38% = female, median age = 42) participants answered questionnaires regarding self-reported stress symptoms (i.e., emotional exhaustion), depressive symptoms and benevolence. In the second study n = 49 (female = 96%) participants answered questionnaires regarding perceived stress, self-compassion, anxiety, depression symptoms, and benevolence.

Results

In study 1, measures of emotional exhaustion (r = −0.295) and depression (r = −0.190) were significantly negatively correlated with benevolence. In study 2, benevolence was significantly negatively correlated with stress (r = −0.392) and depression (r = −0.310), whereas self-compassion (0.401) was significantly positively correlated with benevolence. While correlations were in expected directions, benevolence was not significantly associated with Satisfaction with Life (r = 0.148) or anxiety (r = −0.199) in study 2.

Conclusion

Self-assessed benevolence is associated with levels of perceived stress, exhaustion, depression, and self-compassion. Future studies are warranted on how benevolence is related to stress and mental ill health such as depression and anxiety, and if benevolence can be trained in order to decrease stress and mental ill health such as depression and anxiety in workplace settings.

Outdoor Office Work - An Interactive Research Project Showing the Way Out

The physical boundaries of office work have become increasingly flexible. Work is conducted at multiple locations outside the office, such as at clients’ premises, at home, in cafés, or when traveling. However, the boundary between indoor and outdoor environment seems to be strong and normative regarding how office work is performed. The aim of this study was to explore how office work may be conducted outdoors, understanding how it is being experienced by office employees and identifying its contextual preconditions. Based on a two-year interactive research project, the study was conducted together with a Swedish municipality. Fifty-eight participants engaged in the collaborative learning process, including 40 half-day workshops and reflective group discussions, co-interviews, and participants’ independent experimentation of bringing work activities outdoors. Data was collected via interviews, group discussions and a custom-made mobile application. The results showed that a wide range of work activities could be done outdoors, both individually and in collaboration with others. Outdoor work activities were associated with many positive experiences by contributing to a sense of well-being, recovery, autonomy, enhanced cognition, better communication, and social relations, but also with feelings of guilt and illegitimacy. Conditions of importance for outdoor office work to happen and function well were found in the physical environment, where proximity to urban greenspaces stood out as important, but also in the sociocultural and organizational domains. Of crucial importance was managers’ attitudes, as well as the overall organizational culture on this idea of bringing office work outdoors. To conclude, if working life is to benefit from outdoor office work, leaders, urban planners and policymakers need to collaborate and show the way out.

Mental Health, Greenness, and Nature Related Behaviors in the Adult Population of Stockholm County during COVID-19-Related Restrictions

International data suggest that exposure to nature is beneficial for mental health and well-being. The restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have created a setting that allows us to investigate the importance of greenness exposure on mental health during a period of increased isolation and worry. Based on 2060 responses from an online survey in Stockholm County, Sweden, we investigated: (1) whether the COVID-19 pandemic changed peoples’ lifestyle and nature-related habits, and (2) if peoples’ mental health differed depending on their exposure to greenness. Neighborhood greenness levels were quantified by using the average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) within 50 m, 100 m, 300 m, and 500 m buffers surrounding the participant’s place of residence. We found that the number of individuals that reported that they visited natural areas “often” was significantly higher during the pandemic than before the pandemic. Higher levels of greenness surrounding one’s location of residence were in general associated with higher mental health/well-being and vitality scores, and less symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived and cognitive stress, after adjustments for demographic variables and walkability. In conclusion, the results from the present study provided support to the suggestion that contact with nature may be important for mental health in extreme circumstances.

Subjective cognitive complaints and permanent work disability: a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

Work disability (WD) is a medico-legal concept that refers to disability benefits (DB) granted due to diseases. We assessed whether subjective cognitive complaints (SCC)-presenting as self-rated difficulties of concentration, memory, clear thinking, and decision making-predict permanent WD in knowledge-intensive occupations.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study with up to 7-year follow-up, we combined the SCC questionnaire results with reliable registry data on the DBs of 7161 professional/managerial employees (46% females). We excluded employees who were on long-term sickness absence (SA) or had received a DB at baseline. The exposure variable was the presence of SCC. Age and SA before the questionnaire as a proxy measure of general health were treated as confounders and the analyses were conducted by gender. The outcome variable was a granted DB. The cumulative incidence function illustrates the difference between SCC categories, and the Fine-Gray model estimates the predictors of WD during the 8-year follow-up.

RESULTS

The annual incidence of DB was 0.15% in the entire cohort: 0.18% among the females, and 0.12% among the males (p = 0.795). The most common primary reasons for permanent WD were mental (36%) and musculoskeletal (20%) disorders. SCC predicted DB in both genders when controlling for age and prior SA. Hazard ratios were 2.9 with a 95% confidence interval 1.4-6.0 for the females and 3.7 (1.8-7.9) for the males.

CONCLUSION

Subjective cognitive complaints predict permanent WD in knowledge-intensive occupations. This finding has implications for supporting work ability and preventing work disability among employees with cognitively demanding tasks.

The social and health implications of digital work intensification. Associations between exposure to information and communication technologies, health and work ability in different socio-economic strata

Purpose

Older employees are often thought to be vulnerable to negative effects of information and communication technology (ICT). Our study aims to examine associations between work-related ICT exposure (i.e. ICT use or digital work intensification), physical health, mental health and work ability (WA). We examine whether these associations are modified by socio-economic position (SEP).

Methods

We analysed cross-sectional data from 3180 participants (born in 1959 and 1965) in wave 3 of the representative German lidA cohort study. We performed hierarchical multiple regression to assess the distinct associations of ICT use and digital work intensification with mental and physical health and WA. We stratified analyses by SEP and controlled for age, sex, and digital affinity.

Results

92% of participants reported ICT use at work. Almost 20% reported high levels of digital work intensification, while a similar proportion did not experience digital work intensification. In bivariate analyses, ICT use by itself was not significantly associated with mental health or WA in the total sample or when stratified. Digital work intensification displayed negative associations with mental health and WA. In hierarchical multiple regressions, digital work intensification showed consistently negative associations with mental health and work ability of similar strength across SEP.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that ICT use, per se, does not negatively impact older workers. Digital work intensification may be associated with worse mental health and work ability. Research on health and social implications of work-related ICT should differentiate patterns of ICT exposure and assess modifications by SEP to better gauge the ambiguous effects of ICT.

Healthcare managers' experiences of technostress and the actions they take to handle it - a critical incident analysis

Background

Healthcare managers, in comparison with other healthcare professionals, have an increased likelihood of experiencing technostress at work. Since knowledge about the causes and severity of technostress and about the strategies healthcare managers use to handle it is limited, the aim of this study was to describe their experience of technostress and the actions they employ to address it.

Methods

An explorative design based on the critical incident technique was used. In total, 20 healthcare managers (10 women, 10 men) from four hospitals in two county councils in Sweden were purposively selected according to professional background, hierarchical management position, control span, time in the management position, and sex. Semi-structured interviews with regard to critical incidents and actions taken to handle technostress were conducted.

Results

Healthcare managers’ experiences of technostress (n = 279) were categorised related to three main areas. These involved ‘negative aspects of digital communication’ (e.g. high workload, invasion of private life, and negative feelings related to digital communication), ‘poor user experience of ICT systems (such as illogicality of the ICT system, time-consuming ICT system, or malfunctioning ICT system) and ‘needs to improve organisational resources’ (e.g. needs associated with digital literacy, user influence and distribution of work and ICT systems). Actions taken to handle technostress (n=196) were described relating to three main areas involving ‘culture, norms and social support’ (such as good email culture, and co-worker support), ‘individual resources’ (e.g. individual strategies and competence) and ‘organisational resources’ (such as IT-related assistance and support).

Conclusions

Healthcare managers described negative aspects of digital communication, poor user experience of ICT systems, and lack of organisational resources as potential technostress creators. These problems were handled by taking action related to culture, norms and social support, and individual as well as organisational resources. All these features, along with consideration of healthcare managers’ job demands and resources in general, should be incorporated into actions monitored by healthcare organisations to improve or maintain a sustainable digitalised environment for healthcare managers.

Trial registration

Regional Ethics Board in Linköping #2017/597–31. Registered 20 March 2018. URL not available.

Technostress at work and mental health: concepts and research results

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The ongoing digitalization has profound consequences for work in modern economies. It is, therefore, important to investigate if digital technologies increase stress at work (i.e. 'technostress') and lead to impaired mental health. This article describes the concept of technostress and discusses possible risks and opportunities of digital technologies at work and their effect on mental health.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies report that the use of digital technologies is associated with specific psychosocial demands (e.g. higher workload, complexity, conflicts between work and other life domains) and resulting psychobiological stress reactions. It is, however, still unclear if this kind of technostress causes mental disorders because epidemiological studies are missing. Yet, an increasing number of studies suggests that well designed digital work may promote good health if it optimizes work organization or enables greater flexibility, and increases control and autonomy at work.

SUMMARY

Digitalization of work seems to have both opportunities and risks for the mental health of employees. The number of studies is currently limited and further research is necessary to describe the advantages and disadvantages more precisely.

Subjective cognitive complaints and sickness absence: A prospective cohort study of 7059 employees in primarily knowledge-intensive occupations

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Subjective cognitive complaints predict sickness absence.

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Age and prior absence also predict sickness absence in an additive fashion.

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Maintenance of resources is important in knowledge-intensive occupations.

Knowledge-intensive work requires capabilities like monitoring multiple sources of information, prioritizing between competing tasks, switching between tasks, and resisting distraction from the primary task(s). We assessed whether subjective cognitive complaints (SCC), presenting as self-rated problems with difficulties of concentration, memory, clear thinking and decision making predict sickness absence (SA) in knowledge-intensive occupations. We combined SCC questionnaire results with reliable registry data on SA of 7743 professional/managerial employees (47% female). We excluded employees who were not active in working life, on long-term SA, and those on a work disability benefit at baseline. The exposure variable was the presence of SCC. Age and SA before the questionnaire as a proxy measure of general health were treated as confounders and the analyses were conducted by gender. The outcome measure was the accumulated SA days during a 12-month follow-up. We used a hurdle model to analyse the SA data. SCC predicted the number of SA days during the 12-month follow-up. The ratio of the means of SA days was higher than 2.8 as compared to the reference group, irrespective of gender, with the lowest limit of 95% confidence interval 2.2. In the Hurdle model, SCC, SA days prior to the questionnaire, and age were additive predictors of the likelihood of SA and accumulated SA days, if any. Subjective cognitive complaints predict sickness absence in knowledge-intensive occupations, irrespective of gender, age, or general health. This finding has implications for supporting work ability (productivity) among employees with cognitively demanding tasks.

Repeated exposure to high ICT demands at work, and development of suboptimal self-rated health: findings from a 4-year follow-up of the SLOSH study

PURPOSE

The knowledge about the association between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) demands at work and self-rated health (SRH) is insufficient. The aim of this study was to examine the association between repeated exposure to high ICT demands at work, and risk of suboptimal SRH, and to determine modifications by sex or socioeconomic position (SEP).

METHODS

A prospective design was used, including repeated measurement of ICT demands at work, measured 2 years apart. SRH was measured at baseline and at follow-up after 4 years. The data were derived from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH), including 4468 gainfully employees (1941 men, 2527 women) with good SRH at baseline.

RESULTS

In the total study sample, repeated exposure to high ICT demands at work was associated with suboptimal SRH at follow-up (OR 1.34 [CI 1.06-1.70]), adjusted for age, sex, SEP, health behaviours, BMI, job strain and social support. An interaction between ICT demands and sex was observed (p = 0.010). The risk was only present in men (OR 1.53 [CI 1.09-2.16]), and not in women (OR 1.17 [CI 0.85-1.62]). The risk of suboptimal SRH after consistently high ICT demands at work was most elevated in participants with high SEP (OR 1.68 [CI 1.02-2.79]), adjusted for age, sex, health behaviours, BMI and job strain. However, no significant interaction between ICT demands and SEP regarding SRH was observed.

CONCLUSION

Repeated exposure to high ICT demands at work was associated with suboptimal SRH at follow-up, and the association was modified by sex.

Work motivation in patients with bipolar disorder: Associated factors

BACKGROUND

Occupational functioning is severely impaired in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Work motivation (WM), defined as the psychological processes that determine the direction, intensity, and persistence of action within the work, is an essential component of work-related functioning.

AIM

To assess whether WM is affected in patients with BD and which clinical and sociodemographic factors are related to low WM.

METHODS

In all, 95 euthymic BD patients were invited to answer the Motivation for Work Questionnaire and the Rating Scale on Subjective Cognitive Deficits in Bipolar Disorder (COBRA).

RESULTS

A total of 49.5% ( n = 47) of the patients were classified in the Low Motivated (LM) group. Unemployment and the report of more subjective cognitive complaints were predictors of poor WM in this sample ((OR) = 3.01 and 7.10, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived cognitive deficits related to the disorder and current unemployment negatively impact WM in patients with BD. In addition to symptomatic recovery, the need of the inclusion of personal and occupational areas in the comprehensive treatment of patients with BD is necessary.

When safety climate is not enough: Examining the moderating effects of psychosocial hazards on nurse safety performance

AIM

To examine the association between components of safety climate and psychosocial hazards with safe work behaviours and test the moderating effects of psychosocial hazards on the safety climate-safety performance relationships.

BACKGROUND

The effects of a strong safety climate on safety performance are well cited, however, the conditions that have an impact on this relationship warrant attention. While the psychosocial hazards commonly reported by nurses are predictors of well-being and job attitudes, evidence suggests that these may also place boundaries on the effects of safety climate on safe work practices.

DESIGN

This study used a cross-sectional design to collect data from 146 nurses.

METHODS

Participants were recruited through convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods in 2017. Nurses completed an online questionnaire and received a $5 e-gift card as compensation. SPSS v.23 and PROCESS v3.0 were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

A strong safety climate was positively associated with nurses' safety performance. While psychosocial hazards did not predict safety performance, they did moderate the safety climate-performance relationship. High levels of perceived stressors weakened the association between promoting two-way safety communication, the use and implementation of procedures to promote safe work practices and management's endorsement of health and safety with safe work performance.

CONCLUSION

The positive effects of safety climate on nurses' safety performance are contingent on the levels of psychosocial hazards nurses experience. When aiming to improve safety performance among nurses, it is important for efforts to also focus on the psychosocial conditions of the work environment.

Job strain and cognitive change: the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between job strain and subsequent cognitive change over approximately 11 years, using data from the population-based Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area follow-up study.

METHODS

The sample ranged from 555 to 563 participants, depending on the outcome, who reported psychosocial characteristics corresponding to the full-time job they held at baseline (1993-1996). Overall cognitive performance was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and verbal memory was measured by the ImmediateWord Recall Task and Delayed Word Recall Task at baseline and follow-up (2004-2005). Multiple linear regression was used to examine the association between job strain and cognitive change, and inverse probability weighting was used to account for differential attrition.

RESULTS

Participants with high job demands (psychological or physical demands) and/or low job control had greater decrease in the MMSE and memory scores than those with low job demands and high job control. After adjustment for baseline outcome scores, age and sex, the greatest decrease was observed in participants with high job demands and low job control (MMSE: -0.24, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.11; verbal memory scores: -0.26, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.07). The differences were partially explained by sociodemographic characteristics, occupational prestige and health factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this prospective study suggest that job strain is associated with and may be a potential modifiable risk factor for adverse cognitive outcomes.

Superior cognitive goal maintenance in carriers of genetic markers linked to reduced striatal D2 receptor density (C957T and DRD2/ANKK1-TaqIA)

Maintaining goal representations is a critical component of cognitive control and is required for successful performance in many daily activities. This is particularly important when goal-relevant information needs to be maintained in working memory (WM), updated in response to changing task demands or internal goal states, and protected from interference by inhibiting counter-goal behaviors. Modulation of fronto-striatal dopamine is critical for updating and maintaining goals and representations. Here we test the hypothesis that a genetic predisposition (C957T T+ and DRD2/ANKK1-TaqIA A+) for reduced striatal D2 receptor availability would facilitate goal maintenance using the AX-continuous performance task (AX-CPT), on a sample of 196 adults (25-67 y). We demonstrate that carriers of two polymorphisms that have been linked to reduced striatal D2 receptor density show increased performance on context-dependent (BX) trials, and that the effect of these polymorphisms was only significant for long ISI trials where the demand for goal maintenance is high. The current results add further knowledge to the role of D2 receptor functioning in cognitive stability and flexibility, and could have implications for understanding cognitive deficits in patients characterized by altered dopamine functioning.

Socioeconomic status, gender and dementia: The influence of work environment exposures and their interactions with APOE ɛ4

It is a well-established fact that unfavourable social and economic conditions have a negative impact on health and longevity. Recent findings suggest that this is also true of age-related dementias. Yet most common indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) say very little about the actual mechanisms at play in disease development. The present paper explores five work exposure characteristics, all of which have a clear social gradient, that could potentially shed further light on the relationship between SES and dementia. Specifically, it investigates whether these exposures could moderate the impact of a well-known genetic risk factor: the APOE ɛ4 allele. The empirical analyses are based on data from a Swedish population study (n = 1019). Main occupation was linked to The Job Exposure Matrix to estimate the individuals’ exposure to the following work environment factors: work control, support, psychological demands, physical demands and job hazards. All analyses were conducted using binary logistic regression and focused specifically on gene-work exposure interactions. A significant main effect of work control on dementia risk was detected for males (OR = 0.68; p< 0.05), but not for females. However, control was found to significantly moderate the effect of APOE ɛ4 in both genders, albeit in different ways. These findings do not only underscore the importance of considering interactions between social and genetic risk factors to better understanding multifactorial diseases such as dementia. They also propose that gender- and class-based inequities interact, and hence must be considered simultaneously, also in relation to this particular disease.

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There are steep social gradients in exposure to various work environment conditions.

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Work control alters the effect of APOE ɛ4 in both genders, albeit in different ways.

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High work control protects male, but not female, APOE ɛ4-carriers.

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‘Male’ high control jobs differ greatly from ‘female’ high control jobs.

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Gender- and class-based inequities interact also in the development of dementia.

The Role of Work-Related Factors in the Development of Psychological Distress and Associated Mental Disorders: Differential Views of Human Resource Managers, Occupational Physicians, Primary Care Physicians and Psychotherapists in Germany

Objectives: This study analyses the perceived relevance of stress-dimensions in work-settings from the differential views of Human Resource Managers (HRM), Occupational Physicians (OP), Primary Care Physicians (PCP) and Psychotherapists (PT) in Germany. Methods: Cross-sectional study design, using a self-report questionnaire. Descriptive measures and explorative bivariate methods were applied for group-comparisons. Results are presented as rankings of perceived importance and as polarity profiles of contrasting views. Results: N = 627 participants completed the questionnaires (HRM: n = 172; OP: n = 133; PCP: n = 136; PT: n = 186). The stress dimensions with the highest mean ratings across all four professions were: ‘social relationships in the work place’ (M = 3.55, SD = 0.62) and ‘superiors´ leadership style’ (M = 3.54, SD = 0.64). Mean ratings of perceived relevance of stress dimensions differed most between HRM and the three medical professions. Conclusions: The perceived importance of work-related stress-dimensions seems to be higher in the medical disciplines (OP, PCP, PT) than in the group from the management sector (HRM). However, no fundamental disagreement on the role of work-related stress-dimensions seems to hinder e.g., intensified efforts of cooperation across sectors in tackling the “stress-pandemic” and improving the (mental) health of employees.

Workplace Exposures and Cognitive Function During Adulthood: Evidence From National Survey of Midlife Development and the O*NET

OBJECTIVE

Expand understanding of the role of selected workplace exposures (ie, occupational complexity, conflict in the workplace, pace of work, and physical hazards) in adults' cognitive function.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data (n = 1991) from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study; restricted to participants who completed telephone-based cognitive assessments of episodic memory, executive functioning, and self-perceived memory. Occupational exposure data were harvested from the ONET Release 6.0.

RESULTS

Greater complexity was associated with better self-perceived memory among women and men, and better episodic memory and executive functioning among women. Greater physical hazards were independently associated with poorer episodic memory and executive functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Objective assessments of physical and psychosocial exposures in the workplace are independently associated with cognitive outcomes in adulthood, with psychosocial exposures being particularly pronounced among women.

Use of information communication technology and stress, burnout, and mental health in older, middle-aged, and younger workers - results from a systematic review

The aim of this systematic review is to summarise quantitative studies in occupational settings observing the association between Information communication technology (ICT) and stress, and burnout, considering age as an effect modifier. A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted through the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Psycinfo, and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were occupational settings and content relevant to our research question. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Two interventional, 4 cohorts, and 29 cross-sectional studies were found. ICT use in occupational settings was associated with stress seen in cross-sectional studies, but not in interventional studies. There was a concordant association with ICT and burnout in different study designs. Overall, there were no linear trends between age and technostress. We suggest that the observed associations were mostly present in the middle-aged working population and that these associations need to be supported in further studies.

Subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care

AIMS

The aim of this study was to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care.

BACKGROUND

Cognitive functioning is a critical component for nurses in the assurance of error prevention, identification and correction when caring for patients. Negative changes in nurses' cognitive and psychosocial functioning can adversely affect nursing care and patient outcomes.

DESIGN

A descriptive correlational design with stratified random sampling.

METHOD

The sample included 96 nurses from the major geographic regions of the United States. Over 9 months in 2016-2017, data were collected using a web-based survey. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function.

RESULTS

Overall, participants reported minimal work function impairment and low levels of subjective cognitive complaints, depression and stress. In multivariate analyses, depression was not associated with nurses' work function. However, perceived stress and subjective concerns about cognitive function were associated with greater impairment of work function.

CONCLUSION

Nurses experiencing subjective cognitive complaints should be encouraged to address personal and environmental factors that are associated with their cognitive status. Additionally, stress reduction in nurses should be a high priority as a potential intervention to promote optimal functioning of nurses providing direct patient care. Healthcare institutions should integrate individual and institutional strategies to reduce factors contributing to workplace stress.

Prevalence of mind and body exercises (MBE) in relation to demographics, self-rated health, and purchases of prescribed psychotropic drugs and analgesics

This study aims to identify any differences regarding gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES), self-rated health, perceived stress and the purchase of prescribed drugs among people who practice mind and body exercises (MBE) extensively compared to people who do not.

METHODS

The study includes 3,913 men and 4,803 women aged 20-72 who participated in the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). The respondents were divided into three groups depending on frequency of MBE practice (never/seldom/often). Measures regarding MBE practice, health behaviors, self-rated health, and illnesses were drawn from the SLOSH questionnaire, while more objective measures of socioeconomic status and education were derived from registry data. In addition, data on purchases of prescription drugs for all respondents were included in the study. These data were obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, which contains information about prescription drugs dispensed at Swedish pharmacies. Separate analyses were performed for mental MBE (mindfulness, meditation, relaxation techniques) and physical MBE (yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong), respectively.

RESULTS

A high intensity MBE practice is cross-sectionally related to poor self-assessed health (sleeping problems, pain, depressive symptoms, mental disorders), high levels of stress, and high levels of purchases of psychotropic drugs and analgesics. These cross-sectional relationships are generally stronger for mental MBE than for bodily-directed MBE. More women than men are practicing MBE on a regular basis, and physically active people participate to a greater extent in MBE compared with the physically inactive.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the study shows that frequent participation in mind and body exercises is associated with high levels of purchases of psychotropic drugs and analgesics as well as with poor self-assessed health and high levels of stress. However, since this is a cross-sectional study, it is impossible to establish cause and effect, and to further investigate the associations found; longitudinal studies that can account for temporality between covariates and MBE use are needed.

Midlife work-related stress is associated with late-life cognition

To investigate the associations between midlife work-related stress and late-life cognition in individuals without dementia from the general population. The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study population (n = 2000) was randomly selected from independent Finnish population-based surveys (baseline mean age 50 years). Participants underwent two re-examinations in late life (mean age 71 and 78 years, respectively). 1511 subjects participated in at least one re-examination (mean total follow-up 25 years). Work-related stress was measured using two questions on work demands administered in midlife. Multiple cognitive domains were assessed. Analyses were adjusted for several potential confounders. Higher levels of midlife work-related stress were associated with poorer performance on global cognition [β-coefficient, -0.02; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.05 to -0.00], and processing speed [β -0.03, CI -0.05 to -0.01]. Results remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders. Work-related stress was not significantly associated with episodic memory, executive functioning, verbal fluency or manual dexterity. This study shows that global cognition and processing speed may be particularly susceptible to the effects of midlife work-related stress.

Associations between systemic pro-inflammatory markers, cognitive function and cognitive complaints in a population-based sample of working adults

BACKGROUND

The knowledge is limited regarding the relation between systemic inflammatory biomarkers and subjective and objective cognitive functioning in population-based samples of healthy adults across the adult age-span. Thus, the aim of this study was to study a selection of four pro-inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, MCP-1, TNF-α, CRP) in relation to executive cognitive functioning, episodic memory and subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) in a population-based sample of 215 working adults (age 25-67).

RESULTS

Higher levels of MCP-1 were associated with poorer executive cognitive functioning, even after adjustments for demographical factors, health status/conditions, SCC and depressive symptoms. IL-6 and CRP were associated with poorer executive cognitive functioning, but these associations covaried with age especially and were not present after adjustment for demographical factors. MCP-1 was associated with poorer episodic memory, but this association also covaried with age especially and was not present after adjustment for demographical factors, and CRP was associated with episodic memory only among participants without reported health conditions. Higher MCP-1 levels were also associated with more SCC and this association covaried with depressive symptoms, while higher levels of TNF-α were associated with less SCC.

CONCLUSION

Low grade inflammatory processes in terms of higher systemic levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers (MCP-1, IL-6 & CRP) were associated with poorer executive functioning in this sample of working adults, and MCP-1 was so after extensive adjustments. Support for associations between these biomarkers and episodic memory and SCC were more limited. Future research should address the causality of associations between low grade inflammatory processes and cognitive functioning.

Computer use at work is associated with self-reported depressive and anxiety disorder

Background

With the development of technology, extensive use of computers in the workplace is prevalent and increases efficiency. However, computer users are facing new harmful working conditions with high workloads and longer hours. This study aimed to investigate the association between computer use at work and self-reported depressive and anxiety disorder (DAD) in a nationally representative sample of South Korean workers.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was based on the third Korean Working Conditions Survey (2011), and 48,850 workers were analyzed. Information about computer use and DAD was obtained from a self-administered questionnaire. We investigated the relation between computer use at work and DAD using logistic regression.

Results

The 12-month prevalence of DAD in computer-using workers was 1.46 %. After adjustment for socio-demographic factors, the odds ratio for DAD was higher in workers using computers more than 75 % of their workday (OR 1.69, 95 % CI 1.30−2.20) than in workers using computers less than 50 % of their shift. After stratifying by working hours, computer use for over 75 % of the work time was significantly associated with increased odds of DAD in 20–39, 41–50, 51–60, and over 60 working hours per week. After stratifying by occupation, education, and job status, computer use for more than 75 % of the work time was related with higher odds of DAD in sales and service workers, those with high school and college education, and those who were self-employed and employers.

Conclusions

A high proportion of computer use at work may be associated with depressive and anxiety disorder. This finding suggests the necessity of a work guideline to help the workers suffering from high computer use at work.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40557-016-0146-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Information and communication technology demands at work: the association with job strain, effort-reward imbalance and self-rated health in different socio-economic strata

Purpose

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) is common in modern working life. ICT demands may give rise to experience of work-related stress. Knowledge about ICT demands in relation to other types of work-related stress and to self-rated health is limited. Consequently, the aim of this study was to examine the association between ICT demands and two types of work-related stress [job strain and effort-reward imbalance (ERI)] and to evaluate the association between these work-related stress measures and self-rated health, in general and in different SES strata.

Methods

This study is based on cross-sectional data from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health collected in 2014, from 14,873 gainfully employed people. ICT demands, job strain, ERI and self-rated health were analysed as the main measures. Sex, age, SES, lifestyle factors and BMI were used as covariates.

Results

ICT demands correlated significantly with the dimensions of the job strain and ERI models, especially with the demands (r = 0.42; p < 0.01) and effort (r = 0.51; p < 0.01) dimensions. ICT demands were associated with suboptimal self-rated health, also after adjustment for age, sex, SES, lifestyle and BMI (OR 1.49 [95 % CI 1.36–1.63]), but job strain (OR 1.93 [95 % CI 1.74–2.14) and ERI (OR 2.15 [95 % CI 1.95–2.35]) showed somewhat stronger associations with suboptimal self-rated health.

Conclusion

ICT demands are common among people with intermediate and high SES and associated with job strain, ERI and suboptimal self-rated health. ICT demands should thus be acknowledged as a potential stressor of work-related stress in modern working life.

Relationship between Work Ability Index and Cognitive Failure among Nurses

INTRODUCTION

Frequent nursing errors are considered as factors that affect the quality of healthcare of patients. Capable nurses who are compatible with work conditions are more focused on their tasks, and this reduces their errors and cognitive failures. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between work ability index (WAI) and cognitive failures (CFs) as well as some factors that affect them in nurses working in the ICU, CCU, and emergency wards.

METHODS

This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted with 750 nurses at educational hospitals affiliated with the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2015. A questionnaire of work ability index and cognitive failures was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20 and the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, chi-squared, ANOVA, and the Kruskal-Wallis tests.

RESULTS

Using the Pearson correlation test, the results of this study showed that there is a significant, inverse relationship between WAI, personal prognosis of work ability, and mental resources with CFs along with all its subscales in nurses (p < 0.05). In addition, there was an inverse and significant relationship between the total score of CFs and the estimated work impairment due to diseases (p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation of CFs with age and experience, while WAI was inversely related to age, work experience, and body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). WAI and CFs were related significantly to working units (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Considering the results obtained in this study, WAI and the cognitive status of nurses were lower than the specified limit. It is suggested that the work ability of nurses be improved and that their CFs be reduced through various measures, including pre-employment examinations, proper management of work-shift conditions, and using engineering and administrative strategies to ensure the safety of hospitalized patients.

A Diagnosis of Insomnia Is Associated With Differential Expression of Sleep-Regulating Genes in Military Personnel

Sleep disturbance is a common and disturbing symptom in military personnel, with many individuals progressing to the development of insomnia, which is characterized by increased arousals, wakefulness after sleep onset, and distorted sleep architecture. The molecular mechanisms underlying insomnia remain elusive, limiting future therapeutic development to address this critical issue. We examined whole gene expression profiles associated with insomnia. We compared subjects with insomnia (n = 25) to controls (n = 13) without insomnia using microarray gene expression profiles obtained from peripheral samples of whole blood obtained from military personnel. Compared to controls, participants with insomnia had differential expression of 44 transcripts from 43 identified genes. Among the identified genes, urotensin 2 was downregulated by more than 6 times in insomnia participants, and the fold-change remained significant after controlling for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and medication use. Urotensin 2 is involved in regulation of orexin A and B activity and rapid eye movement during sleep. These findings suggest that differential expression of these sleep-regulating genes contributes to symptoms of insomnia and, specifically, that switching between rapid eye movement and nonrapid eye movement sleep stages underlies insomnia symptoms. Future work to identify therapeutic agents that are able to regulate these pathways may provide novel treatments for insomnia.

Prevalence and incidence of memory complaints in employed compared to non-employed aged 55-64 years and the role of employment characteristics

Objectives

To examine the association of employment status and characteristics with prevalent and incident memory complaints (MC) in 55–64-year-olds.

Methods

Subjects were participants of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). Respondents with baseline data were selected to examine the association of employment status (n = 1525) and employment characteristics (n = 1071) with prevalent MC (i.e., MC at baseline). Respondents without MC at baseline were selected to examine the association of employment (n = 526) and employment characteristics (n = 379; working hours, job prestige, job level, psychological job demands, iso-strain) with incident MC (i.e., no MC at baseline and MC at three-year follow-up). Associations were adjusted for relevant covariates (demographics, memory performance, physical health, mental health, personality traits). Logistic regression was applied. Data were weighed according to gender and age of the Dutch population.

Results

At baseline 20.5% reported MC. At three-year follow-up, 15.4% had incident MC. No associations were found between employment status and MC. Adjusted analysis revealed that individuals with high occupational cognitive demands were more likely to have prevalent MC.

Conclusions

Middle-aged workers are equally as likely to experience MC as non-working age-peers. Among workers, those with cognitively demanding work were more likely to experience MC, independent of memory performance. Memory decline due to ageing may be noticed sooner in 55–64-year-olds performing cognitively demanding work.

Improved Sleep in Military Personnel is Associated with Changes in the Expression of Inflammatory Genes and Improvement in Depression Symptoms

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Sleep disturbances are common in military personnel and are associated with increased risk for psychiatric morbidity, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, as well as inflammation. Improved sleep quality is linked to reductions in inflammatory bio-markers; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

METHODS

In this study, we examine whole genome expression changes related to improved sleep in 68 military personnel diagnosed with insomnia. Subjects were classified into the following groups and then compared: improved sleep (n = 46), or non-improved sleep (n = 22) following three months of standard of care treatment for insomnia. Within subject differential expression was determined from microarray data using the Partek Genomics Suite analysis program and the ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to determine key regulators of observed expression changes. Changes in symptoms of depression and PTSD were also compared.

RESULTS

At baseline, both groups were similar in demographics, clinical characteristics, and gene-expression profiles. The microarray data revealed that 217 coding genes were differentially expressed at the follow-up-period compared to baseline in the participants with improved sleep. Expression of inflammatory cytokines were reduced including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-13, with fold changes ranging from -3.19 to -2.1, and there were increases in the expression of inflammatory regulatory genes including toll-like receptors 1, 4, 7, and 8 in the improved sleep group. IPA revealed six gene networks, including ubiquitin, which was a major regulator in these gene-expression changes. The improved sleep group also had a significant reduction in the severity of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Interventions that restore sleep likely reduce the expression of inflammatory genes, which relate to ubiquitin genes and relate to reductions in depressive symptoms.

Sleep, cognition, and normal aging: integrating a half century of multidisciplinary research

Sleep is implicated in cognitive functioning in young adults. With increasing age, there are substantial changes to sleep quantity and quality, including changes to slow-wave sleep, spindle density, and sleep continuity/fragmentation. A provocative question for the field of cognitive aging is whether such changes in sleep physiology affect cognition (e.g., memory consolidation). We review nearly a half century of research across seven diverse correlational and experimental domains that historically have had little crosstalk. Broadly speaking, sleep and cognitive functions are often related in advancing age, though the prevalence of null effects in healthy older adults (including correlations in the unexpected, negative direction) indicates that age may be an effect modifier of these associations. We interpret the literature as suggesting that maintaining good sleep quality, at least in young adulthood and middle age, promotes better cognitive functioning and serves to protect against age-related cognitive declines.

Subjective cognitive complaints and the role of executive cognitive functioning in the working population: a case-control study

Background

Cognitive functioning is important for managing work and life in general. However, subjective cognitive complaints (SCC), involving perceived difficulties with concentration, memory, decision making, and clear thinking are common in the general and working population and can be coupled with both lowered well-being and work ability. However, the relation between SCC and cognitive functioning across the adult age-span, and in the work force, is not clear as few population-based studies have been conducted on non-elderly adults. Thus, the present study aimed to test the relation between SCC and executive cognitive functioning in a population-based sample of employees.

Methods

Participants were 233 employees with either high (cases) or low (controls) levels of SCC. Group differences in neuropsychological test performance on three common executive cognitive tests were analysed through a set of analyses of covariance tests, including relevant covariates.

Results & Conclusions

In line with the a priori hypotheses, a high level of SCC was associated with significantly poorer executive cognitive performance on all three executive cognitive tests used, compared to controls with little SCC. Additionally, symptoms of depression, chronic stress and sleeping problems were found to play a role in the relations between SCC and executive cognitive functioning. No significant associations remained after adjusting for all these factors. The current findings contribute to an increased understanding of what characterizes SCC in the work force and may be used at different levels of prevention of- and intervention for SCC and related problems with executive cognitive functioning.