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Physical and psychosocial work factors as explanations for social inequalities in self-rated health

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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

We investigated the contribution of physical and psychosocial work factors to social inequalities in self-rated health (SRH) in a sample of Danish 40 and 50 years old occupationally active women and men.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, the study population consisted of 3338 Danish women and men. Data were collected by postal questionnaires in 2000 (baseline) and 2006 (follow-up). The independent variable, socioeconomic position (SEP), was assessed by the highest achieved educational level at baseline. We conducted gender-stratified parallel multiple mediation analyses. In the mediation analyses, SEP was categorised as SEP I, II, III, VI and V among men. Among women, SEP was dichotomised into SEP I–IV and V. The outcome, SRH, was assessed at baseline and follow-up. A wide range of physical and psychosocial work factors were included as potential mediators.

Results

We found a social gradient in SRH across all levels of SEP among men. Among women, we only found a poorer SRH among those with the lowest SEP. Mediation analyses showed that work factors together accounted for 56% of the social inequalities in SRH among men and 44% among women. In both genders, ergonomic exposures and job insecurity seemed to play the major role for social inequalities in SRH. For women only, we also found noise to contribute to the social inequalities in SRH.

Conclusion

Physical and psychosocial work factors partially explained social inequalities in SRH among both genders. Improvement of the working environment can potentially contribute to the reduction of social inequalities in health.

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Correspondence to Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen.

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Conflict of interest

None declared.

Human subject research approval

According to Danish law, research studies that use solely questionnaire and register data do not need approval from the National Committee on Health Research Ethics (National Committee on Health Research Ethics, 2011).

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Brønholt, R.L.L., Hansen, M.B., Islamoska, S. et al. Physical and psychosocial work factors as explanations for social inequalities in self-rated health. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 94, 335–346 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01582-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01582-x

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