Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort
OBJECTIVES: This study determined the prospective relation between physical workload and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and examined if work-unit social capital may buffer the effect of high physical workload on LTSA. METHODS: We included 28 925 participants from the Danish Well-being in HospitAL...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3874
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| _version_ | 1831538034721423360 |
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| author | Eszter Török Alice Jessie Clark Annette Kjær Ersbøll Jakob Bue Bjorner Andreas Holtermann Reiner Rugulies Anthony D LaMontagne Allison Milner Naja Hulvej Rod |
| author_facet | Eszter Török Alice Jessie Clark Annette Kjær Ersbøll Jakob Bue Bjorner Andreas Holtermann Reiner Rugulies Anthony D LaMontagne Allison Milner Naja Hulvej Rod |
| author_sort | Eszter Török |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVES: This study determined the prospective relation between physical workload and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and examined if work-unit social capital may buffer the effect of high physical workload on LTSA. METHODS: We included 28 925 participants from the Danish Well-being in HospitAL Employees (WHALE) cohort, and followed them for two years. Physical workload and social capital were self-reported and categorized into low, medium, and high. Physical workload was analyzed on the individual level, whereas social capital was analyzed on the work-unit level. LTSA data were obtained from the employers’ payroll system. We performed two-level logistic regression analyses: joint-effect and stratified analyses adjusted for baseline covariates. RESULTS: High versus low physical workload was associated with a higher risk of LTSA [odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.40–1.72]. There was a multiplicative interaction (P=0.007) and a tendency of sub-additive interaction [relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) -0.49, 95% CI -1.03–0.06] between physical workload and social capital. Doubly exposed employees had the highest risk of LTSA (OR 2.45; 95% CI 2.02–2.98), but this effect was smaller than expected from the sum of their main effects. CONCLUSIONS: We found a prospective relation between physical workload and LTSA but no evidence of high social capital buffering the effect of high physical workload. High physical workload was a risk factor for LTSA at all levels of social capital and employees exposed to both exposures had the highest risk of LTSA. Interventions should aim at both improving social capital and reducing physical workload in order to efficiently prevent LTSA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:17:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-83828a81b8b44b11bda6c9a341ba7e4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0355-3140 1795-990X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:17:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-83828a81b8b44b11bda6c9a341ba7e4e2022-12-21T22:12:15ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2020-07-0146437338110.5271/sjweh.38743874Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohortEszter Török0Alice Jessie ClarkAnnette Kjær ErsbøllJakob Bue BjornerAndreas HoltermannReiner RuguliesAnthony D LaMontagneAllison MilnerNaja Hulvej RodDepartment of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark.OBJECTIVES: This study determined the prospective relation between physical workload and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and examined if work-unit social capital may buffer the effect of high physical workload on LTSA. METHODS: We included 28 925 participants from the Danish Well-being in HospitAL Employees (WHALE) cohort, and followed them for two years. Physical workload and social capital were self-reported and categorized into low, medium, and high. Physical workload was analyzed on the individual level, whereas social capital was analyzed on the work-unit level. LTSA data were obtained from the employers’ payroll system. We performed two-level logistic regression analyses: joint-effect and stratified analyses adjusted for baseline covariates. RESULTS: High versus low physical workload was associated with a higher risk of LTSA [odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.40–1.72]. There was a multiplicative interaction (P=0.007) and a tendency of sub-additive interaction [relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) -0.49, 95% CI -1.03–0.06] between physical workload and social capital. Doubly exposed employees had the highest risk of LTSA (OR 2.45; 95% CI 2.02–2.98), but this effect was smaller than expected from the sum of their main effects. CONCLUSIONS: We found a prospective relation between physical workload and LTSA but no evidence of high social capital buffering the effect of high physical workload. High physical workload was a risk factor for LTSA at all levels of social capital and employees exposed to both exposures had the highest risk of LTSA. Interventions should aim at both improving social capital and reducing physical workload in order to efficiently prevent LTSA. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3874 work environmenteffect modificationworkloadcollaborationlong-term sickness absencehealthcaresocial capitaloccupation cohortmulti-level analysistrustjusticebufferstressphysical workloadsickness absence |
| spellingShingle | Eszter Török Alice Jessie Clark Annette Kjær Ersbøll Jakob Bue Bjorner Andreas Holtermann Reiner Rugulies Anthony D LaMontagne Allison Milner Naja Hulvej Rod Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health work environment effect modification workload collaboration long-term sickness absence healthcare social capital occupation cohort multi-level analysis trust justice buffer stress physical workload sickness absence |
| title | Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| title_full | Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| title_fullStr | Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| title_short | Physical workload, long-term sickness absence, and the role of social capital. Multi-level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| title_sort | physical workload long term sickness absence and the role of social capital multi level analysis of a large occupation cohort |
| topic | work environment effect modification workload collaboration long-term sickness absence healthcare social capital occupation cohort multi-level analysis trust justice buffer stress physical workload sickness absence |
| url |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3874
|
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