Adverse health effects of low levels of perceived control in Swedish and Russian community samples

Background: This cross-sectional study of two middle-aged community samples from Sweden and Russia examined the distribution of perceived control scores in the two populations, investigated differences in individual control items between the populations, and assessed the association between perceived control and self-rated health. Methods: The samples consisted of men and women aged 45–69 years, randomly selected from national and local population registers in southeast Sweden (n = 1007) and in Novosibirsk, Russia (n = 9231). Data were collected by structured questionnaires and clinical measures at a visit to a clinic. The questionnaire covered socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, societal circumstances, and psychosocial measures. Self-rated health was assessed by standard single question with five possible answers, with a cut-off point at the top two alternatives. Results: 32.2 % of Swedish men and women reported good health, compared to 10.3 % of Russian men and women. Levels of perceived control were also significantly lower in Russia than in Sweden and varied by socio-demographic parameters in both populations. Sub-item analysis of the control questionnaire revealed substantial differences between the populations both in the perception of control over life and over health. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratios (OR) of poor self-rated health were significantly increased in men and women with low perceived control in both countries (OR between 2.61 and 4.26). Conclusion: Although the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inference, these results support the view that perceived control influences health, and that it may mediate the link between socioeconomic hardship and health

Relation between perceived health and sick leave in employees with a chronic illness

Introduction: To improve work participation in individuals with a chronic illness, insight into the role of work-related factors in the association between health and sick leave is needed. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the contribution of work limitations, work characteristics, and work adjustments to the association between health and sick leave in employees with a chronic illness. Methods: All employees with a chronic illness, between 15 and 65 years of age (n = 7,748) were selected from The Netherlands Working Conditions Survey. The survey included questions about perceived health, working conditions, and sick leave. Block-wise multivariate linear regression analyses were performed and, in different blocks, limitations at work, work characteristics, and work adjustments were added to the model of perceived health status. Changes in regression coefficient (B) (%) were calculated for the total group and for sub-groups per chronic illness. Results: When work limitations were added to the model, the B between health and sick leave decreased by 18% (5.0 to 4.1). Adding work characteristics did not decrease the association between health and sick leave, but the B between work limitations and sick leave decreased by 14%, (5.3 to 4.5). When work adjustments were added to the model, the Bs between sick leave and work limitations and work characteristics changed from 4.5 to 3.4 for work limitations and from 2.1 to 1.9 for temporary contract and from -0.8 to -1.0 for supervisor support. Conclusions: The association between health and sick leave was explained by limitations at work, work characteristics, and work adjustments. Paying more attention to work limitations, characteristics and adjustments offers opportunities to reduce the negative consequences of chronic illness. © The Author(s) 2010

Boundaryless work, psychological detachment and sleep: Does working 'anytime - anywhere' equal employees are 'always on'?

Item does not contain fulltextEmployees have gained increased flexibility in organizing their work in time and space, that is boundaryless work. Managing the boundaries between work and personal life would seem to be crucial if one is to psychologically detach from work during leisure in order to unwind and get sufficient sleep. Drawing from a sample of Swedish professional workers (N = 3,846), a theoretical model was proposed testing the inter-relationships between boundaryless work in time and space, weekly work hours, psychological detachment, sleeping problems and sleep duration using a structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis. Findings showed that working boundlessly in time, that is spread out during the working day and week, was directly associated with both long weekly work hours and lack of psychological detachment. In contrast, working boundlessly in space, that is at several different places, was inversely associated with weekly work hours and had no association with psychological detachment. Psychological detachment, in turn, was directly associated with sleeping problems and inversely associated with sleep duration. Sleeping problems were inversely associated with sleep duration. Employees with long weekly work hours had a low degree of sleeping problems. There was also no association between long weekly work hours and sleep duration. These findings contradict earlier research, however, we interpret these findings as that if one works a great deal but is able to mentally detach from work-related feelings and thoughts during free time, then sleep will not be hampered because perseverative cognitions associated with prolonged biological activation will have been interrupted. As such, psychological detachment can be regarded as the mechanism that mediates the relationships between working 'anytime' and long weekly work hours, and sleep. It was concluded working boundlessly in time increases the likelihood for long weekly work hours and lack of psychological detachment. Hence, employees working 'anytime - all the time' run the risk of 'always being on' resulting in disturbed sleep

Teaching work routine: challenges to nursing professors in contemporary times

Objetivo: Describir la organización del trabajo del docente de enfermería y analizar sus aspectos limitadores y facilitadores. Método: Investigación cualitativa y descriptiva, compuesta de docentes de universidades públicas federales de Río de Janeiro. La recolección de datos ocurrió mediante entrevista semiestructurada. La técnica para el tratamiento de los datos fue el análisis de contenido. Resultados: Participaron 27 docentes. Los elementos facilitadores del trabajo docente fueron: ambiente laboral; autonomía y flexibilidad; aprecio por lo que hace; empleo de las tecnologías; y solidaridad del colectivo profesional. Los elementos dificultadores fueron: alta demanda de trabajo; ritmo laboral intenso; escasez de recurso material y humano; y competitividad académica. Conclusión: La configuración de la organización laboral docente es compleja y multifacética, presentando alta exigencia psicoafectiva, cognitiva y física, lo que potencia que se enfermen dichos trabajadores.Objetivo: Descrever a organização do trabalho do docente de enfermagem e analisar seus aspectos limitadores e facilitadores. Método: Pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, composta por docentes de universidades públicas federais do Rio de Janeiro. A coleta de dados ocorreu em por meio de entrevista semiestruturada. A técnica para o tratamento dos dados foi a análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Participaram 27 docentes. Os elementos facilitadores do trabalho docente foram: ambiente de trabalho; autonomia e flexibilidade; gosto pelo que faz; uso das tecnologias; e solidariedade do coletivo profissional. Os elementos dificultadores foram: alta demanda de trabalho; ritmo laboral intenso; escassez de recursos material e humano; e competitividade acadêmica. Conclusão: A configuração da organização laboral docente é complexa e multifacetada, apresentando alta exigência psicoafetiva, cognitiva e física, o que potencializa o adoecimento desses trabalhadores.Objective: To describe the organization of nursing professors’ work and analyze its limiting and facilitating aspects. Method: A qualitative and descriptive study composed of professors from the federal public universities of Rio de Janeiro. Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews. The content analysis technique was used for data processing. Results: Twenty-seven (27) professors participated. Facilitating elements of the teaching work were: work environment; autonomy and flexibility; liking what they do; use of technologies; and solidarity of the professional group; while hindering elements included: high work demand; intense work rhythm; scarcity of material and human resources; and academic competitiveness. Conclusion: The configuration of the teaching work organization is complex and multifaceted, presenting high psycho-affective, cognitive and physical demands which enhance illness in these workers