Marko Elovainio1, Tarja Heponiemi2, Hannamaria Kuusio2, Markus Jokela3, Anna-Mari Aalto2, Laura Pekkarinen2, Anja Noro2, Harriet Finne-Soveri2, Mika Kivimäki4, Timo Sinervo2. 1. 1 National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland 2 Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland marko.elovainio@thl.fi. 2. 1 National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 3. 3 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK. 4. 2 Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland 3 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK 4 Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The association between psychosocial work environment and employee wellbeing has repeatedly been shown. However, as environmental evaluations have typically been self-reported, the observed associations may be attributable to reporting bias. METHODS: Applying instrumental-variable regression, we used staffing level (the ratio of staff to residents) as an unconfounded instrument for self-reported job demands and job strain to predict various indicators of wellbeing (perceived stress, psychological distress and sleeping problems) among 1525 registered nurses, practical nurses and nursing assistants working in elderly care wards. RESULTS: In ordinary regression, higher self-reported job demands and job strain were associated with increased risk of perceived stress, psychological distress and sleeping problems. The effect estimates for the associations of these psychosocial factors with perceived stress and psychological distress were greater, but less precisely estimated, in an instrumental-variables analysis which took into account only the variation in self-reported job demands and job strain that was explained by staffing level. No association between psychosocial factors and sleeping problems was observed with the instrumental-variable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results support a causal interpretation of high self-reported job demands and job strain being risk factors for employee wellbeing.
BACKGROUND: The association between psychosocial work environment and employee wellbeing has repeatedly been shown. However, as environmental evaluations have typically been self-reported, the observed associations may be attributable to reporting bias. METHODS: Applying instrumental-variable regression, we used staffing level (the ratio of staff to residents) as an unconfounded instrument for self-reported job demands and job strain to predict various indicators of wellbeing (perceived stress, psychological distress and sleeping problems) among 1525 registered nurses, practical nurses and nursing assistants working in elderly care wards. RESULTS: In ordinary regression, higher self-reported job demands and job strain were associated with increased risk of perceived stress, psychological distress and sleeping problems. The effect estimates for the associations of these psychosocial factors with perceived stress and psychological distress were greater, but less precisely estimated, in an instrumental-variables analysis which took into account only the variation in self-reported job demands and job strain that was explained by staffing level. No association between psychosocial factors and sleeping problems was observed with the instrumental-variable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results support a causal interpretation of high self-reported job demands and job strain being risk factors for employee wellbeing.
Authors: Isik U Zeytinoglu; Margaret Denton; Catherine Brookman; Sharon Davies; Firat K Sayin Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2017-06-21 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: Johanna Persson; Gerd Johansson; Inger Arvidsson; Britt Östlund; Charlotte Holgersson; Roger Persson; Christofer Rydenfält Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-03-15 Impact factor: 2.655