Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

<div><p>Background</p><p>Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints.</p><p>Cross-sectional results</p><p>High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and overqualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders.</p><p>Prospective results</p><p>Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders. The associations between quantitative demands and future cognitive complaints were stronger in women.</p><p>Discussion/Conclusions</p><p>The findings indicate that psychosocial working conditions should be taken into account when considering cognitive complaints among employees.</p></div

Relationship between unemployment rates (% unemployed 15–74 years of age from April 2006 to April 2010, y axis to the left) in Sweden according to official statistics.

<p>The vast majority of questionnaires in SLOSH were collected in April-May 2006, 2008, 2010. The diagram also shows changes in SLOSH means for non-listening manager (red), depressive symptoms (yellow), psychological demands (green) and decision latitude (blue) at work. Scores have been transformed to number of standard deviations, and 2006 is reference ( = 0). These numbers are displayed on the y axis to the right.</p

Product moment correlations between all study variables in 2006 (n = 4484).

<p>Product moment correlations between all study variables in 2006 (n = 4484).</p

Flowchart showing recruitment and participation in 2006.

<p>Flowchart showing recruitment and participation in 2006.</p

Mean scores in 2006, 2008 and 2010 for “non-listening” leadership in different educational strata.

<p> <b>P-values (association between education and ”non-listening” for all the three years p<0.0001.</b></p

Mean leadership scores in different educational strata and in the three study years.

<p>Mean leadership scores in different educational strata and in the three study years.</p

Mean scores in 2006, 2008 and 2010 for “self centered” leadership in different educational strata.

<p> <b>P-values (association between education and ”self-centered”) for 2006 0.013, for 2008 0.059 and for 2010 0.001.</b></p