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. 2021 Oct 26;18(21):11218.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111218.

Precarious Employment and Psychosocial Hazards: A Cross-Sectional Study in Stockholm County

Signild Kvart  1 , Johanna Jonsson  1 , Theo Bodin  1   2 , Carin Håkansta  1   3 , Bertina Kreshpaj  1 , Cecilia Orellana  1 , Per-Olof Östergren  4 , Lotta Nylén  5   6 , Nuria Matilla-Santander  1
Affiliations

Precarious Employment and Psychosocial Hazards: A Cross-Sectional Study in Stockholm County

Signild Kvart et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Precarious employment (PE) has been linked to adverse health effects, possibly mediated through psychosocial hazards. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to explore if higher levels of PE are associated with psychosocial hazards (experiences of violence, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, high demands, and low control) and to explore gender differences in these patterns. The study is based on survey- and register data from a sample of 401 non-standard employees in Stockholm County (2016-2017). The level of PE (low/high) was assessed with the Swedish version of the employment precariousness scale (EPRES-Se) and analysed in relation to psychosocial hazards by means of generalized linear models, with the Poisson family and robust variances. After controlling for potential confounders (gender, age, country of birth, and education), the prevalence of suffering bullying (PR 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13) and discrimination (PR 1.52, 95% CI: 1.00-2.32) was higher among individuals with a high level of PE. Regarding the demand/control variables, a high level of PE was also associated with low control (PR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.30-1.96) and passive work (the combination of low demands and low control) (PR 1.60, 95% CI: 1.23-2.08). Our findings suggest that workers in PE are more likely to experience psychosocial hazards, and these experiences are more prevalent among women compared to men. Future longitudinal studies should look further into these associations and their implications for health and health inequalities.

Keywords: employment conditions; precarious employment; psychosocial work environment; work environment hazards.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funder had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
DAG (directed acyclic graph) for the effect of level of precarious employment (PE) on psychosocial hazards.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prevalence of workplace violence, sexual harassment, and discrimination, according to gender and level of PE. (n = 401).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Prevalence of hazards related to demands and control, according to gender and level of PE (n = 401).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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