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Table 3 Associations of various job characteristics and working conditions with different health outcomes

From: The social gradient in work and health: a cross-sectional study exploring the relationship between working conditions and health inequalities

 

Poor self-rated health

Limited physical functioning (2–4)

Long sickness absence (6+ days/yr)

Strong stress feelings (4–5)

Increased burnout symptoms (16–24)

 

%a

aORb

%a

aORb

%a

aORb

%a

aORb

%a

aORb

Total study population

14.1

 

9.2

 

15.5

 

15.1

 

6.4

 

‘Blue-collar’ job characteristics

          

• Poor promotion prospects (57.2%d)

8.9

1

6.4

1

12.7

1

10.0

1

3.4

1

17.6

2.16***

11.2

1.69**

17.3

1.44**

19.0

2.14***

8.6

2.79***

• Uniform arm or hand movementsc (49.7%d)

11.3

1

6.5

1

12.7

1

13.8

1

5.5

1

16.9

1.46**

12.0

1.64**

18.4

1.26

16.3

1.32*

7.4

1.48

• Repetitive workc (48.7%d)

10.4

1

5.1

1

12.2

1

14.3

1

5.2

1

17.8

1.66***

13.4

2.30***

19.0

1.37*

15.8

1.29

7.8

1.97**

• Painful or tiring posturec (43.5%d)

8.6

1

5.0

1

12.5

1

12.2

1

3.6

1

21.3

2.71***

14.6

2.96***

19.2

1.46**

18.8

1.80***

10.2

3.59***

• Inflexible working hours (41.4%d)

12.3

1

7.4

1

12.0

1

14.7

1

5.8

1

16.6

1.23

11.9

1.29

20.6

1.67**

15.7

1.24

7.4

1.68*

• Carrying heavy loadsc (33.4%d)

12.3

1

7.0

1

13.7

1

14.5

1

5.7

1

17.6

1.41*

13.8

1.76***

18.9

1.19

16.0

1.29

8.0

1.96**

• Physically demanding job (32.5%d)

11.0

1

7.2

1

13.3

1

14.5

1

5.1

1

20.5

1.94***

13.5

1.55*

19.8

1.36*

17.1

1.44*

9.4

2.73***

• Monotonous workc (29.3%d)

11.2

1

6.4

1

12.3

1

13.4

1

4.4

1

21.1

2.02***

16.2

2.57***

23.3

1.85***

19.2

1.73***

11.4

3.66***

• Low job autonomy (21.8%d)

12.7

1

7.7

1

14.0

1

14.4

1

5.7

1

18.0

1.29

14.7

1.53*

20.2

1.37*

17.9

1.49*

9.3

2.29***

‘White-collar’ job characteristics

          

• High responsibility (88.4%d)

14.8

1

8.7

1

20.5

1

11.6

1

6.7

1

13.9

1.01

9.1

1.21

14.8

0.82

15.7

1.46

6.4

1.11

• High time pressure (73.3%d)

10.7

1

8.2

1

15.8

1

8.1

1

3.1

1

15.2

1.70**

9.4

1.37

15.4

1.14

17.9

2.50***

7.7

2.54***

• Frequent interruptions (59.9%d)

14.8

1

10.4

1

17.2

1

9.3

1

3.0

1

13.5

1.06

8.5

1.04

14.2

0.98

19.1

2.24***

8.6

2.88***

• Steadily growing workload (58.3%d)

14.8

1

8.3

1

14.8

1

8.7

1

3.0

1

13.3

0.91

10.0

1.33

15.9

1.19

19.8

2.68***

8.9

3.29***

• Regular overtime (33.3%d)

13.7

1

10.4

1

16.8

1

12.1

1

4.8

1

14.3

1.35

6.9

1.04

12.6

0.91

21.3

1.94***

9.6

1.94**

• Low social support (20.8%d)

12.1

1

8.8

1

14.8

1

11.0

1

3.6

1

20.6

1.99***

10.6

1.34

17.2

1.26

29.4

3.24***

16.6

5.14***

• Status inconsistency (18.7%d)

12.6

1

8.6

1

15.1

1

13.8

1

5.1

1

20.1

1.93***

10.6

1.51*

15.9

1.14

20.4

1.54**

12.4

2.54***

• Job insecurity (17.5%d)

12.3

1

9.0

1

13.6

1

13.5

1

5.3

1

21.0

1.99***

9.7

1.23

22.8

1.97***

22.3

1.85***

11.9

2.46***

• Work time changes at short notice (15.3%d)

13.9

1

9.8

1

15.3

1

13.6

1

5.4

1

14.6

1.24

6.8

1.04

15.2

1.20

23.7

1.88***

12.1

2.28***

• Poor work-life compatibility (15.2%d)

12.8

1

8.7

1

14.5

1

12.2

1

4.1

1

20.9

2.05***

12.0

1.77**

20.8

1.82***

31.4

3.43***

19.9

6.64***

  1. *p≤.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001.
  2. a Prevalence rates regarding health outcome of characterised group (lower percentage) and reference group (upper percentage).
  3. b OR adjusted for sex, age and education (with those not exposed and not working under such condition as reference group).
  4. c Applies partly, largely or fully to the job situation.
  5. d Frequency of job characteristic in the study sample.
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