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. 2018 Jan 17;18(1):149.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5047-z.

Retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions as predictors of prospectively assessed sickness absence and disability pension among older workers

Emil Sundstrup  1 , Åse Marie Hansen  2   3 , Erik Lykke Mortensen  3   4 , Otto Melchior Poulsen  2 , Thomas Clausen  2 , Reiner Rugulies  2   3   5 , Anne Møller  6   7 , Lars L Andersen  2   8
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Retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions as predictors of prospectively assessed sickness absence and disability pension among older workers

Emil Sundstrup et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The aim was to explore the association between retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions during working life and prospectively assessed risk of sickness absence and disability pension among older workers.

Methods: The prospective risk of register-based long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and disability pension was estimated from exposure to 12 different psychosocial work characteristics during working life among 5076 older workers from the CAMB cohort (Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank). Analyses were censored for competing events and adjusted for age, gender, physical work environment, lifestyle, education, and prior LTSA.

Results: LTSA was predicted by high levels of cognitive demands (HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10-1.56)), high levels of emotional demands (HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.07-1.48)), low levels of influence at work (HR 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64)), and high levels of role conflicts (HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09-1.65)). Disability pension was predicted by low levels of influence at work (HR 2.73 (95% CI 1.49-5.00)) and low levels of recognition from management (HR 2.04 (95% CI 1.14-3.67)).

Conclusions: This exploratory study found that retrospectively assessed high cognitive demands, high and medium emotional demands, low influence at work, low recognition from management, medium role clarity, and high role conflicts predicted LTSA and/or disability pension.

Keywords: Appreciation; Disability pension; Early retirement; Influence at work; Psychosocial demands; Psychosocial work characteristics; Sickness absence; Social support.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The present study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (j.nr. 2015–41-4232). The local ethical committee and Danish Data Protection Agency have previously approved the CAMB as a database combining three cohorts: approval No. H-A-2008-126 and No. 2013–41-1814, respectively [26]. Participants were informed about the content and purpose of the CAMB study and gave their written informed consent to participate [26].

Consent for publication

Not Applicable

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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