An investigation into the effects of vacations on the health status in male white-collar workers

There are many stress factors in occupational settings, and the lack of vacations could be one of factors in the context of work stress. The authors have been studying the relationship between workload and employee health. This time, an investigation into the effects of leisure vacations on worker health status using male white-collar employees aged 20–60 years engaged in a manufacturing company was conducted. The subjects were questioned on work stress factors including vacations and modifiers in their occupational settings, and on psychological and physiological stress reactions; that is, how often they were able to take leisure vacations every year, their average working hours a day and work stress factors from the Demand-Control-Support model. The questions also examined other factors concerning the employees such as type-A behavior and lifestyles as modifiers, diseases of the employees, physical complaints, feelings about sleep, perceived stress, job and life satisfaction, and stress reactions as measured by physiological examination. Correlation and logistic regression analysis were conducted with the 551 eligible subjects. The results were as follows: Leisure vacation was decreasingly related to some of psychological stress reactions after adjustment was made for working hours and for modifiers. Less vacation was increasingly related to the workers’ diseases especially among the employees aged 20–34, though the association was not statistically significant. Vacations did not show obvious association with physiological measures. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness and possibility of leisure vacation in controlling fatigue and maintaining the health of workers. Vacation should always be taken into consideration as a stress factor in a survey of the health problems of white-collar workers.     

Psychosocial conditions on and off the job and psychological ill health: depressive symptoms,impaired psychological wellbeing,heavy consumption of alcohol

Background: Psychiatric epidemiology has revealed a number of associations between gender, socioeconomic status, and psychiatric disorders.

Aims: To examine psychosocial conditions on and off the job in relation to psychological ill health.

Methods: Longitudinal design with 24 year follow up of employed persons (190 women, 177 men). Interview and questionnaire data on work and leisure conditions were collected in 1969 and 1993. Risk analyses were performed in relation to three outcomes in 1993: depression within the preceding 12 months, impaired psychological wellbeing, and heavy alcohol use.

Results: Thirteen per cent of the women and 11% of the men showed symptoms of depression, 21% and 22% had impaired psychological wellbeing, and 7% and 15% respectively were heavy alcohol users. Dissatisfaction with the quality (women) or quantity (men) of social contacts 24 years earlier was a significant risk factor for depression. Dissatisfaction with the quality of social contacts was also associated with impaired psychological wellbeing (among women), and dissatisfaction with leisure time activities was associated with heavy alcohol use (among men). Frequent overtime work 24 years earlier was associated with heavy alcohol use among women. Cross sectional analyses also showed associations between psychological ill health and some work related factors (mentally demanding work and lack of job pride).

Conclusions: Perceived inadequacies in social contacts, and practical obstacles to social relationships are viewed as risk factors for depression. In this longitudinal study, work related factors, including mental demands and time pressure, do not appear sufficiently associated with psychological ill health.

     

工伤患者50例心理状况分析及心理康复措施

目的初步了解工伤患者的心理状况,为制定合理有效的心理康复措施提供依据。方法随机抽取天津市职工医院住院工伤患者50例,采用症状自评量表(SCL-90)进行心理状况评估,通过SPSS 16.0统计软件包,采用t检验进行数据统计,分析工伤患者与国内常模的差异。结果工伤患者与国内常模相比,总分(工伤患者146.06±41.6,国内常模129.96±38.76)、总均分(工伤患者1.6±0.46),国内常模(1.44±0.43)、阳性项目数(工伤患者36.68±19.11,国内常模24.92±18.41)、阳性项目均分、阴性项目数、躯体化因子、强迫症状因子、抑郁因子、焦虑因子及饮食睡眠因子共10个项目的差异有统计学意义(均P0.01)结论工伤患者在受伤后易产生不同程度的心理问题,需要对工伤患者采取有针对性的心理康复措施,增强工伤患者康复的积极性,帮助工伤患者重新回归社会。     

Pain-Related Work Interference is a Key Factor in a Worker/Workplace Model of Work Absence Duration Due to Musculoskeletal Conditions in Canadian Nurses

Objective To examine the role of pain experiences in relation to work absence, within the context of other worker health factors and workplace factors among Canadian nurses with work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. Methods Structural equation modeling was used on a sample of 941 employed, female, direct care nurses with at least one day of work absence due to a work-related MSK injury, from the cross-sectional 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses. Results The final model suggests that pain severity and pain-related work interference mediate the impact of the following worker health and workplace factors on work absence duration: depression, back problems, age, unionization, workplace physical demands and low job control. The model accounted for 14 % of the variance in work absence duration and 46.6 % of the variance in pain-related work interference. Conclusions Our findings support a key role for pain severity and pain-related work interference in mediating the effects of workplace factors and worker health factors on work absence duration. Future interventions should explore reducing pain-related work interference through addressing workplace issues, such as providing modified work, reducing physical demands, and increasing job control.     

Moderating effects of psychological job strain on the relationship between working hours and health: an examination of white-collar workers employed by a Japanese manufacturing company

The effects of working hours on health were examined taking psychological job strain into account. White-collar workers employed at the main office of a Japanese manufacturing company provided data for analysis done in 1997. The eligible subjects were 286 workers aged 20-39. Causal relationships between working hours, health, and psychological job strain were examined by covariance structure analyses. The main findings were as follows: Not only working hours but also sleeping hours and vacations affected the workers' effort to deal with work as a work-related hour factor. Decision authority and skill discretion of Karasek's psychological job strain items significantly constituted a discretion in the work factor, and this factor moderated the effects of the work-related hour factor on health. The effects of psychological job strain, especially discretion, must always be taken into account in examinations of working hours and health.     

Can strenuous leisure time physical activity prevent psychological complaints in a working population?

Aims

To investigate the longitudinal relation between strenuous leisure time physical activity and psychological complaints (depression and emotional exhaustion) in a Dutch working population in order to find evidence for the preventive role of physical activity in the development of psychological complaints.

Methods

All data came from the Study on Musculoskeletal disorders, Absenteeism, Stress, and Health (SMASH), a three year follow up study that started between 1994 and 1995. The study population consisted of 1747 workers from 34 companies. Generalised estimating equation (GEE) analyses were performed to investigate the longitudinal relation between strenuous leisure time physical activity and psychological complaints using models with and without a time lag. Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the relation between physical activity and sickness absence due to psychological complaints during the three year follow up study.

Results

Only in workers with a sedentary job was strenuous leisure time physical activity (1–2 times per week) significantly associated with a reduced risk of future depression and emotional exhaustion. This was not the case for physical activity at higher frequencies (⩾3 times per week). There was a dose‐response relation between strenuous leisure time physical activity and poor general health which was strongest in workers with a sedentary job. Strenuous leisure time physical activity (1–2 times per week) was associated with a lower risk of long term absenteeism (>21 days), whereas physical activity at a higher frequency was not.

Conclusions

Results suggest that strenuous leisure time physical activity might play a role in the prevention of future psychological complaints, poor general health, and long term absenteeism in a working population. Workers with a sedentary job seem to benefit more from strenuous leisure time physical activity than workers without a sedentary job.     

Work stress and mental health in a changing society

BACKGROUND: The aim of this representative study in the Hungarian population was to analyse the association between work-related factors and self-reported mental and physical health after controlling for negative affect and hostility as personality traits. METHODS: The effects of job related factors on Beck Depression Score, WHO well-being score and self-rated health (SRH) were analysed in a representative sample of 3153 male and 2710 female economically active Hungarians. RESULTS: In both genders negative affect was the most important correlate of depression, well-being and SRH, whereas hostility was closely associated only with depression. Job insecurity, low control and low social support at work, weekend work hours, job-related life events and dissatisfaction with work and with boss were independent mental health risk factors, but there were important gender differences. Job related factors seem to be equally important predictors of mental health as social support from family. CONCLUSION: The results of this large national representative study indicate that independent of negative affect and hostility, a cluster of stressful work-related psychosocial conditions accounts for a substantial part of variation in self-reported mental and physical health of the economically active population in Hungary.     

Prevalence of Self-Reported Work-Related Injuries and Their Association with Psychological Symptoms in General Working Population of Taiwan

Objectives This study investigated the prevalence of self-reported work-related injuries across occupational groups and examined their association with the risk of psychological symptoms in general working population of Taiwan. Methods Data from a national survey conducted in 2013 of a representative sample of general working people of Taiwan was analyzed, consisting of 12,528 male and 8396 female workers aged 25~65 years. Information about work-related injuries including work-related disease occurred over the previous 12 months prior to the survey was obtained by a standardized questionnaire. The presence of psychological symptoms was assessed by the Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS). Also obtained were participants’ socio-demographic characteristics, working hours, job control, psychological job demands, physical job demands and job insecurity. Results Over a year, 14.91 % of male and 11.53 % of female working people had experienced work-related injuries. Workers with lower educational level, manual workers, the self-employed as well as employers of small enterprise were at higher risks for work-related injuries. Findings from multivariate logistic regression analyses with adjustment of gender, age, working hours and psychosocial work conditions showed that employees with experiences of work-related injuries over the past year were at a substantially higher risk for psychological symptoms (OR = 2.42) as compared to employees who had no experiences of work-related injuries. Conclusion A sizable proportion of workers are affected by work-related injuries and these workers are at higher risk for psychological symptoms. The psychosocial consequences of work-related injuries deserve further investigation and interventions.     

Risk Factors for Work-related Fatigue in Students With School-Year Employment

PurposeTo explore potential risk factors for acute and chronic work-related fatigue in students working at a paid job while pursuing school studies. Although work-related fatigue was identified as a potential hazard for youth health, academic achievement, and occupational safety, very few studies have specifically addressed its correlates and possible predictors.MethodsCross-sectional data from an ongoing prospective cohort study of health risk behaviors in adolescents was used to identify factors associated with increased levels of acute and chronic fatigue in 209 students aged 17–18 years working during the school year. Multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed with acute and chronic fatigue levels as dependent variables, and demographic, work, and health factors as potential explanatory variables.ResultsAverage hours worked per week by students was 14.7 hours. It was observed that higher psychological distress, poorer health perception, greater sleep debt, and higher exposure to physical work factors were associated with higher levels of acute fatigue. Also, it was observed that higher psychological distress, poorer health perception, higher exposure to physical work factors, and holding multiple jobs were associated with higher levels of chronic fatigue. The number of hours worked weekly was associated with neither acute nor chronic work-related fatigue.ConclusionsFindings suggest that prevention strategies devised to minimize work-related fatigue in students should consider exposure to physical work factors. Results also re-emphasize the importance of obtaining sufficient sleep so as to prevent high levels of acute work-related fatigue.     

Prior psychiatric problems in rehabilitation clients with work-related injuries

Psychiatric histories were obtained in 56 patients beginning rehabilitation following a work-related injury in order to establish the temporal relationship between the onset of psychiatric problems and the date of the work injury. The presence of major depression and alcohol abuse was determined using structured, directed interviews and the criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A history of either alcohol abuse or depression was found in 36 (64.3%) of the 56 subjects. Of these 36 subjects, 32 (88.9%) reported a history of psychiatric problems that antedated the work injury. These data suggest that, in injured workers, the conceptualization of psychiatric problems solely as reactive illnesses in otherwise psychiatrically healthy persons is often inaccurate. Furthermore, these data suggest the hypothesis that the presence of clinical depression or alcohol abuse may increase the risks of a work-related injury.     

Illness due to work or to an overactive thyroid?

An incapacity to work brought about by stress was diagnosed in two women aged 40 and 38. They were both in conflict situations at work and had psychological problems. They stopped working but remained tired and irritable. After being unfit for work for more than a year they were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism which was treated appropriately. They both recovered and resumed work. Hyperthyroidism can impair physical and mental functioning. Presenting symptoms may be confusing, specifically if work-related factors appear to be the obvious implication. In The Netherlands, employees who become ill, consult their general practitioner or a medical specialist, who are concerned with diagnosis and treatment. They also report to their employer's occupational-health department, where the physician focuses on work-related factors that may impair health and on assessment of disability. Communication between all parties should be optimal.     

User experience predicts the effectiveness of a gamified recovery app

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated that vacations help workers recover from occupational stress, but this effect typically fades within 2 weeks of returning to work. To proactively reduce occupational stress, regular engagement in recreational activities is vital. During vacations, workers intuitively engage in recovery behaviors. The gamified smartphone application (app), Holidaily, was developed to encourage workers to engage in recreational activities during and beyond their vacation and integrate them into daily working life. To date, evidence is scarce on whether vacation-related recovery can be enhanced with a gamified app and whether the user experience (UX) of an app can significantly impact health.

Objectives

This study examined whether UX of a gamified app predicts users’ improvement in recovery from work-related stress.

Methods

Data were gathered from 171 Holidaily users, levels of recovery assessed 2 weeks pre- and post-vacation. The relationship between UX and change in recovery were examined by regression analysis.

Results

Holidaily users experienced substantially prolonged recovery, where the apps UX uniquely predicted recovery. This improvement could not be explained by sociodemographic or work-related variables, vacation length or pre-vacation level of depression.

Conclusions

Our findings support prior research demonstrating the effectiveness of apps promoting psychological health and are the first to reveal an app’s effectiveness augmenting recovery from work-related stress. Findings also highlight that the health effectiveness of an app is dependent on its UX.

     

Longitudinal study of associations between perceived health status and self reported diseases in the French Gazel cohort

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although perceived health status is an indicator widely used in epidemiological studies, its relation to various diseases is not well known. The objective of this study is to examine these relations in detail. DESIGN: Marginal models used for a longitudinal study of the association between three health scales and 47 diseases among 12 164 men and 44 diseases among 4415 women. SETTING: French Gazel cohort during the period from 1991 to 1996. MAIN RESULTS: The general health status scale was significantly associated with 43 diseases among men, and 31 among women. Some of these significantly associated diseases were physical (for example, cancer and cerebrovascular accident) and others, psychological (for example, depression). The mental fatigue scale was more specifically associated with psychological disorders, including sleep problems, depression, and nervous diseases. Moreover, modifications in subjects' assessment of their health from one year to the next were generally associated with modifications in reported diseases. CONCLUSION: Although the mechanism that relates the presence of a disease to perceived health status remains in question, these results show clearly that there is a close association between these two domains that justifies the use of perceived health as a proxy for self reported diseases.     

The effect of pre-employment factors on job control, job strain and psychological distress: a 31-year longitudinal study

This study examined the role of pre-employment factors, such as maternal antenatal depression, low birth weight, childhood socioeconomic position, early adolescence health risk behaviours and academic performance, in the relationship between work characteristics (low job control and high job demands, or job strain) and psychological distress at age 31. The data of 2062 women and 2231 men was derived from the prospective unselected population-based Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort study. Results of linear regression models showed that being female, father's low socioeconomic position, and poor academic achievement in adolescence were linked to low control and high job strain jobs at age 31, and that low control and high job strain were associated with psychological distress at age 31. Although having lower school grades, high absence rate from school, and moderate alcohol consumption at age 14 were significant predictors of psychological distress at age 31, the associations between job control, job strain and psychological distress remained after controlling for these and other pre-employment effects. As such, pre-employment factors do seem to link people to risky work environments, which in turn seem to relate strongly to psychological distress. However, the relationship between pre-employment factors and later psychological distress in adulthood is not completely explained by job environment.     

私营口腔门诊医生职业紧张与抑郁、焦虑和睡眠的关系

目的 调查广州市私营口腔门诊医生的职业紧张状况及其与抑郁、焦虑和睡眠的相关性。
方法 选取195名口腔医生, 采用医生工作压力量表(包括工作因素、患者因素、临床责任/判断因素等三个因素)评估其职业紧张状况, 使用心理社交工具简介版本(BEPSI-K)评估其心理压力, 通过主观问卷评估口腔科医生的心理健康状况, 即抑郁评分(CES-D评分)、焦虑指数(STAI)和睡眠质量指数(PSQI); 采用多元线性回归统计方法分析职业紧张、心理压力同心理健康的相关性。
结果 医生工作压力量表的平均分为(3.11±0.63)分。BEPSI-K、CES-D、STAI-S和PSQI量表评分异常率分别为52.3%、41.5%、13.3%、53.8%。CES-D与其心理压力、医生工作压力(患者因素和临床责任/判断因素)的相关性有统计学意义(P < 0.01);STAI-S与其饮酒、心理压力、医生工作压力(患者因素和临床责任/判断因素)相关性有统计学意义(P < 0.01);PSQI与其心理压力、医生工作压力(患者因素和临床责任/判断因素)的相关性有统计学意义(P < 0.01)。
结论 广州市私营口腔医生职业紧张和心理压力问题较严重, 压力主要取决于医患关系。两者可能会导致抑郁、焦虑及睡眠质量下降。建议重视对口腔医生的心理健康教育, 以预防因工作压力而带来的心理疾患。
     

Reduced risk of hospitalization associated with influenza vaccination in Canada

To evaluate the effectiveness of influenza vacation, we conducted analyses at both individual level and health region level. The association between influenza vaccination and hospital admission was examined among 128,677 subjects 12+ years of age who participated in a national survey in 2005. Both influenza and hospital admission proportions varied across health regions. Health regions with higher proportions of influenza vaccination had significantly lower proportions of hospitalization. A 10% increase in influenza vaccination less than 1 year ago was associated with a reduction of 11% in the risk of hospitalization over a 12-month time period at the health region level.     

Influence of work-related factors and individual characteristics on work ability among Dutch construction workers

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of individual characteristics, health problems, lifestyle factors, and work-related factors with work ability among Dutch construction workers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, the study population consisted of 19 507 Dutch construction workers who had participated in a voluntary periodic medical examination in 2005 and for whom complete information on laboratory tests and spirometry was available. The main outcome of the study was work ability, measured by the work ability index. Independent variables consisted of physical and psychosocial work-related factors, individual characteristics, lifestyle factors, and some objective health indicators. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to determine the influence of different factors on work ability. RESULTS: Physical workload and, to a less extent, psychosocial factors at work together explained 22% of the variability in work ability. Age, leisure-time physical activity, lung obstruction, and cardiovascular risk profile explained about 10% of the workers' ability to work, but, when adjusted for work-related risk factors, their effects became very small. Awkward back posture, static work postures, repetitive movements, and lack of support at work had the highest influence on work ability. CONCLUSIONS: In the construction industry, work-related risk factors were the most important in association with work ability. This finding suggests that interventions aimed at preventing construction workers from dropping out of the workforce should primarily focus on reducing physical and psychosocial load at work.     

Describing patients with a duration of sick leave over and under one year in Norway

Objective: This study aimed to describe the somatic, social, psychological, and work-related factors that characterize participants with a duration of sick leave over and under one year. Methods: During 2012, 181 patients on long-term sick leave were consecutively recruited and asked to answer an extensive survey. Several outcomes were reported, addressing work-related factors and somatic, psychological, and social symptoms. In cross-sectional analyses, sick leave duration was dichotomized as > or < one year, based on Norwegian legislation. Linear and logistic regressions were used to estimate population probabilities and means. Results: The estimated prevalence of pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression was overall high. There was a tendency towards a higher prevalence of fatigue, anxiety, and depression in those with sick leave duration less than one year, with the exception of sleep problems, which was more frequent in the population with longer duration. Relationship with friends, family, co-workers, and the last workplace were worse in the population with longer duration. Conclusions: Cross-sectional analyses indicated that social and work-related problems are more adverse in patients with longer duration of sick leave, while psychological and somatic symptoms appear less adverse. This is one of the first studies quantitatively demonstrating these differences through comprehensive, simultaneously measured self-report questionnaires.     

Occupational and social variation in subjective health complaints

OBJECTIVES: Occupational and social factors are thought to be important determinants of health inequality. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between occupation, lifestyle and subjective health complaints (SHC). METHODS: SHC and self-reported sickness absence were recorded in a cross-sectional study of 662 individuals aged between 16 and 67 from five occupational groups: blue-collar, school/education, health service, white-collar and service. Differences in SHC and sickness absence were investigated. A model of sociodemographic, lifestyle and work-related factors was tested to examine associations with SHC. RESULTS: Few differences in SHC and sickness absence were found when educational level, age and gender were controlled for. Female health service workers did, however, show significantly higher prevalence of pseudoneurological complaints compared with white-collar workers. Male blue-collar workers had significantly higher frequency of sickness absence than white-collar workers; otherwise, there were no significant differences in frequency and duration of sickness absence. The model explained very little of the variance of SHC (R(2)(adj) = 0.15) and occupational group was not significantly associated with health. Physical workload and sleep quality showed significant relationships with SHC for both genders. Education, however, was a significant factor for women only. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in health found between major occupational groups in this sample were mainly explained by gender differences. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and work-related factors explained little of the variance in SHC, suggesting that factors such as psychological demands, perceived job stress, coping and other psychological factors might be of stronger importance for SHC.     

Productivity Loss at Work; Health-Related and Work-Related Factors

Introduction Productivity loss is an increasing problem in an aging working population that is decreasing in numbers. The aim of this study is to identify work-related and health-related characteristics associated with productivity loss, due to either sickness absence or reduced performance at work. Methods In this cross-sectional study, data of the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey of 2007 were used, which includes a national representative sample of 22,759 employees aged 15 to 64 years. Demographic characteristics, health-related and work-related factors were assessed with a questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to study the relationship of work-related and health-related factors with low performance at work and sickness absence in the past 12 months. Results Poor general health, the number of longstanding health conditions, and most types of longstanding health conditions were associated with productivity loss. Health-related factors were in general stronger associated with sickness absence than with low performance at work. Performance: poor health OR 1.54 CI 1.38–1.71, >1 health conditions OR 1.21 CI 1.09–1.35; sickness absence: poor health OR 2.62 CI 2.33–2.93, >1 health conditions OR 2.47 CI 2.21–2.75. Of the different types of longstanding health conditions, only psychological complaints and to a small extent musculoskeletal symptoms, were associated with low performance (respectively OR 1.54 CI 1.27–1.87; OR 1.09 CI 1.00–1.18). Low performance at work was less likely among employees with high physically demanding work (shift work OR 0.70 CI 0.63–0.76, using force OR 0.78 CI 0.72–0.84, and repetitive movements OR 0.74 CI 0.70–0.79). Psychosocial factors were stronger associated with low performance at work than with sickness absence (performance: job autonomy OR 1.28 CI 1.21–1.37, job demands OR 1.23 CI 1.16–1.31, emotionally demanding work OR 1.73 CI 1.62–1.85; sickness absence: job autonomy ns, job demands OR 1.09 CI 1.03–1.17, emotionally demanding work OR 1.09 CI 1.02–1.16). Conclusion Except for psychological complaints, workers with a longstanding health condition generally perform well while being at work. Nevertheless, the likelihood of taking sick leave is increased. Among work-related factors, psychosocial work characteristics have the strongest relation with productivity loss, mostly with performance while at work.