Abstract
ObjectivesWomen have a higher incidence of mental health problems compared with men. Psychosocial stressors at work are associated with mental health problems. However, few prospective studies have examined the association between these stressors and objectively measured outcomes of mental health. Moreover, evidence regarding potential differences between women and men in this association is scarce and inconsistent. This study investigates whether psychosocial stressors at work are associated with the 7.5-year incidence of medically certified work absence due to a mental health problem, separately for women and men.MethodsData from a prospective cohort of white-collar workers in Canada (n=7138; 47.3% women) were used. We performed Cox regression models to examine the prospective association between self-reported psychosocial stressors at work (job strain model) at baseline and the 7.5-year HR of medically certified work absence of ≥5 days due to a mental health problem.ResultsDuring follow-up, 11.9% of participants had a certified work absence, with a twofold higher incidence among women. Women (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.93) and men (HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.05) exposed to high strain (high demands and low control) had a higher incidence of work absence compared with those unexposed. Among women only, those exposed to an active job situation (high demands and high control) also had a higher risk (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.56).ConclusionsPrevention efforts aimed at reducing psychosocial stressors at work could help lower the risk of work absence for both women and men. However, important differences between women and men need to be further studied in order to orient these efforts.
Funder
Medical Research Council Canada
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Reference40 articles.
1. Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010
2. Black DC , Frost D . Health at work - an independent review of sickness absence. London: The Stationery Office, 2011.
3. OECD/EU. Health at a Glance: Europe 2018: State of health in the EU cycle. Paris 2018.
4. Mental Health Commission of Canada . Making the case for investing in mental health in Canada, 2016.
5. Astbury J . Gender disparities in mental health. mental health: a call for action by World health ministers. Ministerial Round Tables 2001, 54th World Health Assembly 2001:73–92.
Cited by
8 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献