Abstract
Background: The literature that has investigated to what extent a change in employment contributes to good health is contradictory or shows inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an association exists between a change in employment and cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neuropsychological diseases in a sample of 10,530 Belgian workers in a seven-year follow-up study period. Methods: The following factors were analysed: Demographic variables, a change in employment and the work-related risks. Individuals being on medication for cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neuropsychological diseases were used as proxies for the three health issues. Logistic regression models for autocorrelated data with repeated measures were used to examine each medication type. Results: A change in employment and psychosocial load can have an important effect on the health of cardiovascular employees. Demographic variables, such as BMI and age, are risk factors for all three medications. Repetitive, manual tasks, handling static, exposure to noise levels of 87 dB, mechanical and/or manual handling with loads, and shift work were found to be positively associated with medications taken for musculoskeletal diseases. Exposure to noise 80 dB(A), managing physical loads and night work were found to be associated with being on medication for neuropsychological diseases. Physical activity and skill levels were considered to be protective factors for being on medication for neuropsychological diseases. Conclusions: Change in employment and psychosocial load were found as two important risk factors for being on medication for cardiovascular (CVD). Dealing with loads, doing shift work and being daily exposed to the noise of 87 dB correlated with being on medication for musculoskeletal (MSD). Dealing with physical loads, doing night work and being exposed to the noise of 80 dB were risk factors for being on medication for neuropsychological (NPD). While doing physical activity and reporting higher skill levels were found to be protective factors for NPD.
Highlights
It is reported that on average people change jobs twelve times during their career
Some risks related to specific employment types were considered. These were included as yes/no binary variable categories: stress at work, improper or unacceptable behavior at work, work-related exhaustion, noise at work [21], mechanically and/or manual handling with loads, manual lifting/holding/carrying, manual pulling and/ or pushing, manual repetitive tasks, handling static loads, shift work with and without task-specific risks, night work with and without task-specific risks, and a psychosocial load
Male employees changing employment versus those who did not show differences in: BMI, stress at work, work-related exhaustion, noise levels of 85 dB or 87 dB, mechanically and/or manual handling with loads, holding, carrying, handling static loads, shift work without task-specific risks and psychosocial loads
Summary
It is reported that on average people change jobs twelve times during their career. A longitudinal study published by the Bureau of Labour Statistics demonstrated that men had a total of 12.1 jobs and women a total of 11.6 jobs between the ages of 18 and 46. Health plays an important role in work capabilities, which is influenced by physical and psychosocial demands at work, and by the employees’ mental and physical capabilities and lifestyle factors. Results: A change in employment and psychosocial load can have an important effect on the health of cardiovascular employees. Demographic variables, such as BMI and age, are risk factors for all three medications. Conclusions: Change in employment and psychosocial load were found as two important risk factors for being on medication for cardiovascular (CVD). Dealing with physical loads, doing night work and being exposed to the noise of 80 dB were risk factors for being on medication for neuropsychological (NPD).
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