A cross-sectional study of self-reported work conditions and psychiatric health in native Swedes and immigrants

Several studies have demonstrated that immigrants in Scandinaviancountries are more affected by psychosocial disabilities thanthe native-born population. The aim of the study was to evaluatethe possible impact of work-related stressors on psychiatrichealth in immigrants compared to native Swedes. The study includeda cluster selected cohort of 1,040 men born in 1944 (participationratio=79.9%), living in Gothenburg, Sweden. Of these, 182 (18.0%)were immigrants, defined as being born outside Sweden. Informationon work conditions and psychiatric health were obtained by self-administeredquestionnaires. Employment in native Swedes showed inverse associationsto frequent use of anxiolytics relative risk (RR)=0.2; 95%confidence interval (Cl)=0.067ndash;0.4], frequent use of hypnotics(RR=0.1; Cl=0.02–0.2) and use of antidepressants (RR=0.3;Cl=0.2–0.5). None of the employed immigrants used anxiolyticsor hypnotics frequently. Swedes seemed to display a number ofpsychiatric ill-health factors related to working conditions.These factors included frequent use of hypnotics, frequent insomnia,use of antidepressants, a high degree of melancholy, and wererelated to shift work, dissatisfaction with current work andmanagement and a low degree of influence on work situation,often related to a high degree of stress at work and a frequentdesire to change type of work. These associations were not seenin immigrants, apart from the risk of frequent insomnia (RR=4.7;Cl=1.2–18.3) and dissatisfaction with colleagues (RR=10.4;Cl=2.27ndash;48.8) when working in shift. With a few exceptions,non-optimal working environment was associated with a low degreeof life satisfaction in both groups. It was hypothesized thatoptimal working conditions are important for maintaining psychiatrichealth, and that immigrants, when employed, seem less affectedby impaired working conditions than native Swedes.