Associations between positive changes in perceived work characteristics and changes in fatigue.

Little is known about the natural course of fatigue among employees. An adequate understanding of its development and risk factors is important to prevent chronic health complaints and absenteeism. This longitudinal study investigated associations between positive changes in perceived work characteristics (ie, a decrease in job demands, an increase in decision latitude, and an increase in social support) and changes in fatigue by performing hierarchical regression analyses. The work characteristics of the demand-control-support model were selected as predictors. The outcome measures emotional exhaustion and psychologic distress were investigated as secondary outcomes. The results showed that, compared with a stable work situation, positive changes in perceived social support, decision latitude, and psychologic job demands went together with a decrease in fatigue. Similar results were found for the secondary outcomes emotional exhaustion and psychologic distress.