Gender differences in male- and female-dominated occupations among two age cohorts of the lidA study

Background: The German labour market is highly gender-segregated in two directions horizontal and vertical. Regarding horizontal segregation, in 2009, nearly 49% of men and more than 36% of women worked in a professional group with a gender ratio of 4:1 [1]. Only a small proportion of women and men worked in a gender-balanced profession. According to existing research results male- and female-dominated occupations might be associated with health differences and even with mental disorders [2]. Besides, employees are increasingly faced with work and non-work risk factors for poor mental health (e.g. depressiveness) that can also be traced back to the gender-segregated labour market [3]. In this context, we will examine whether male- and female-dominated occupations are associated with depressiveness. Furthermore, we will investigate whether job characteristics, particularly work-related commitment and stress, and non-work conditions, such as work-family imbalance, mediate the relationship between gender-segregated occupation and depressiveness. Data and Methods: A total of 6,270 employees of the first wave of the lidA-study (leben in der Arbeit) – a German Cohort Study on Work, Age and Health – was analysed. A literature based gender ratio for horizontal gender-segregation was used as the independent variable. The dependent variable depressiveness was measured by the simplified Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-V). The mediator work-family conflict was assessed by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II), psychosocial work stress and overcommitment was recorded by the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. Additionally, our analysis was adjusted for covariates, in particular the socioeconomic status (e.g. education, income) and age. Mediation analysis is conducted according to Baron and Kenny (1986) [4]. Results: We expect that the relationship between gender-segregation and depressiveness is mediated by work and non-work factors. Discussion: Workplace situation and work tasks of both genders in male- and female-dominated occupations have to be considered. Regarding gender-segregation, for men and women different health outcomes have to be assumed. Concerning domestic obligations, different meanings for both genders should be presumed. In addition, the gender pay gap should be discussed.