Working Life Course Research Articles

Psychosocial conditions during school-age as determinants of long-term labour market attachment: a study of the Northern Swedish Cohort from the 1980s to the 2020s

BackgroundThis study, conducted on a Swedish population cohort, explores how internalized (depressive and functional somatic) and externalized (smoking, drinking, truancy, vandalism, delinquency) mental health symptoms, as well as close interpersonal relations (family climate and school connectedness) reported during adolescence, influence the work-life course up to late midlife.MethodsWe examined repeated measurements of labour market status from age 16 to 56 using sequence analyses. We identified five different labour market attachment (LMA16-56) trajectories, namely ‘strong,’ ‘early intermediate,’ ‘early weak,’ ‘late weak,’ and ‘constantly weak.’ Multinomial logistic regressions were employed to relate each of the nine determinants to the identified trajectories.ResultsWhen compared to the risk of ‘strong’ LMA16-56, adversity in all conditions, except for vandalism, entailed a higher risk of the ‘constantly weak’ trajectory. Moreover, all conditions, except for functional somatic symptoms, entailed a higher risk of the ‘late weak’ LMA16-56. The risk of the ‘early intermediate’ LMA16-56 was non-significant across all the conditions.ConclusionsThis study contributes to existing knowledge through its novel exploration of labour market attachment and the revelation of the significance of proximal interpersonal relationships in attachment outcomes. Additionally, the study reaffirms the importance of externalizing behaviour, while suggesting that internalized symptoms in adolescence might have a less influential, though not negligible, role. These results underscore the importance of addressing acting out behaviour and nurturing human relationships during compulsory basic education, when the entire age group is still within reach. This approach aims not only to reduce frictions in the school-to-work transition but also to prevent midlife labour market attachment problems that may arise with delayed intervention.

Rethinking job loss in an age of assetisation: Lessons from the study of precarious older workers

Studies of job loss and deindustrialisation have tended to reproduce findings of long-term disadvantage for people and places. Far from purely reflecting matters of historical interest, recent studies have found that deindustrialisation exhibits a ‘half-life’ in which effects linger for generations after major closures. But these literatures are yet to fully consider job loss in contemporary societies where workers’ lives have been transformed by assetisation. Historical studies of deindustrialisation have tended to focus on times and places where assets were marginal to working-class peoples’ lives. Combining insights from parallel literatures on deindustrialisation, job loss and assetisation, this article addresses the questions: How important is asset ownership for workers during mass closure events? And to what extent does asset ownership generate new fault-lines of inequality between workers when confronted with job loss and its aftermath? These questions are addressed by quantifying financial outcomes, home ownership, and retirement arrangements for a group of nearly 900 older workers whose long careers were extinguished by major plant closures in 2017. While findings demonstrate that workers with greater asset ownership were relatively protected from the negative impacts of unemployment and precarious work, they also contribute to recent debate about the role of labour in the asset economy by pointing to the dynamic interaction of assets and employment over the working life course; that outcomes from job loss are shaped by the interaction of assets and employment, not assets or employment.

The working life expectancy of American adults experiencing depression

ObjectivesTo estimate the working life expectancies (WLE) of men and women with depression, examining depression by symptom trajectories from the late 20s to early 50s, and to estimate WLE by race/ethnicity and educational attainment.MethodsData from 9206 participants collected from 1979 to 2018 in the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort were used. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Short Form at four time points (age 28–35, age 30–37, age 40, and age 50). Labor force status was measured monthly starting at age 30 until age 58–62. Depressive symptom trajectories were estimated using growth mixture modeling and multistate modeling estimated WLE from age 30–60 for each gender and depressive symptom trajectory.ResultsFive latent symptom trajectories were established: a persistent low symptom trajectory (n = 6838), an episodic trajectory with high symptoms occurring before age 40 (n = 995), an episodic trajectory with high symptoms occurring around age 40 (n = 526), a trajectory with high symptoms occurring around age 50 (n = 570), and a persistent high symptom trajectory (n = 277). The WLE for men at age 30 was 30.3 years for the persistent low symptom trajectory, 22.8 years for the episodic before 40 trajectory, 19.6 years for the episodic around age 40 trajectory, 18.6 years for the episodic around age 50 trajectory, and 13.2 years for the persistent high symptom trajectory. Results were similar for women. WLE disparities between depression trajectories grew when stratified by race/ethnicity and education level.ConclusionsRoughly a quarter of individuals experienced episodic depressive symptoms. However, despite periods of low depressive symptoms, individuals were expected to be employed ~5–17 years less at age 30 compared to those with low symptoms. Accessible employment and mental health disability support policies and programs across the working life course may be effective in maintaining work attachment and improving WLE among those who experience depression.

Skills to stay: social processes in agricultural skill acquisition in rural Karnataka

Skill development is considered to be critically important for the eradication of poverty and for social inclusion in the Global South. The Indian government launched broad reforms under the Skill India Mission in 2015 to train 400 million Indians by 2022. However, little is known about the social processes of skill acquisition, especially within the agricultural sector in rural India. In 2020–2021, we conducted work-life course interviews with 66 men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 in a village in southern Karnataka to better understand the informal and non-formal processes of skill acquisition in agriculture and allied activities. We argue that in the absence of formal skilling opportunities, the existing informal and non-formal skilling landscapes are filtered through the intersecting identities of gender, generation, caste and class, and are central in shaping farming futures.

Emotional demands at work and risk of hospital-treated depressive disorder in up to 1.6 million Danish employees: a prospective nationwide register-based cohort study.

ObjectivePrevious studies on effects of emotional demands on depression have relied on self-reported exposure data and lacked control for potential confounding by pre-employment risk factors for depression. This study used a register-based design to examine the risk of hospital-treated depressive disorder in relation to occupational levels of emotional demands at work, furthermore addressing the role of risk factors for depression before workforce entry.MethodsWe analyzed data from two Danish register-based cohorts – Job Exposure Matrix Analyses of Psychosocial Factors and Healthy Ageing in Denmark (JEMPAD, N= 1 665 798) (17) and Danish Work Life Course Cohort (DaWCo, N=939 411), which link assessments of emotional demands by job exposure matrices to records of hospital-treated depressive disorder among employees aged 15–59 years at baseline (average follow up: 9.7 years in JEMPAD, 7.3 years in DaWCo). Potential confounders comprised sociodemographics, job control, work-related violence and physical demands at work. In DaWCo, we followed individuals from their entry into the workforce, and also included data on risk factors for depression before workforce entry (eg, parental income, education, and psychiatric diagnoses).ResultsEmployees in occupations with high emotional demands had an increased risk of hospital-treated depressive disorder with confounder-adjusted hazard ratios of 1.32 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24‒1.41] and 1.19 (95% CI 1.09‒1.30) in JEMPAD and DaWCO, respectively. This association remained after controlling for risk factors before workforce entry.ConclusionsThis study suggests that employees in occupations with high emotional demands are at increased risk of hospital-treated depressive disorder. This increased risk was neither attributable to reporting bias nor explained by the included risk factors for depression recorded before workforce entry.

Occupational Differences in Metabolic Syndrome Incidence Among Older Workers

This study investigates whether the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and its components, differs by occupational group among older workers (45-65 years) and whether health behaviors (smoking, leisure-time physical activity, diet quality) can explain these differences. We analyzed data from older workers (N=23 051) from two comprehensive measurement waves of the Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank. MetS components were determined by physical measurements, blood markers, medication use, and self-reports. Occupational group and health behaviors were assessed by questionnaires. The association between occupational groups and MetS incidence was examined using Cox regression analysis. Health behaviors were subsequently added to the model to examine whether they can explain differences in MetS incidence between occupational groups. Low skilled white-collar (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.39) and low skilled blue-collar (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.69) workers had a significantly higher MetS incidence risk during 3.65 years follow-up than high skilled white-collar workers. Health behaviors reduced the strength of the association between occupational group and MetS incidence most among low skilled blue-collar workers (i.e. 10.3% reduction) as unhealthy behaviors were more prevalent in this occupational group. Similar occupational differences were observed on MetS component level. To conclude, MetS incidence in older workers differs between occupational groups and health behaviors only explain a small part of these differences. Health promotion tailored to occupational groups may be beneficial specifically among older low skilled blue-collar workers. Research into other factors that contribute to occupational differences is needed, as well as studies spanning the entire working life course.

İş Deneyimi Olmayan Gençler İçin Çalışmanın Anlamı: Görgül Bir Araştırma

The aim of this study is to present a description of the meaning of work by analysing the thoughts of young people on working, work, business life and success. The data were collected with 15 fill-in-the-blank questions given to 21 students in the university elective Introduction to Professional Working Life course at a foundation university. Later, the inquiries used in the call for the issue of Reflective magazine with the theme Working, not working, unable to work” were added to this questionnaire and data were collected from 3 more students studying in Turkey and continuing their higher education in Europe. The data were coded and analyzed with the help of MaxQDA qualitative data analysis program and implications have been made on things that cannot be tolerated in business, study, business life, fears while looking for a job, etc. We can say that the young people participating in the research generally attribute positive meanings to work/business, they are hopeful for success through working, they are afraid of being unemployed, and the meaning of working for them is a matter of survival rather than self-actualization.

Metabolic syndrome incidence in an aging workforce: Occupational differences and the role of health behaviors

This study investigates whether the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and its components, differs by occupational group among older workers (45–65 years) and whether health behaviors (smoking, leisure-time physical activity, diet quality, and alcohol consumption) can explain these differences. A sample of older workers (N = 34,834) from the North of the Netherlands was investigated. We analyzed data from two comprehensive measurement waves of the Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank. MetS components were determined by physical measurements, blood markers, medication use, and self-reports. Occupational group and health behaviors were assessed by questionnaires. The association between occupational groups and MetS incidence was examined using logistic regression analysis. Health behaviors were subsequently added to the model to examine whether they can explain differences in MetS incidence between occupational groups. Low skilled white-collar (OR: 1.24; 95 % CI: 1.12, 1.37) and low skilled blue-collar (OR: 1.37; 95 % CI: 1.18, 1.59) workers had a significantly higher MetS incidence risk than high skilled white-collar workers. Similar occupational differences were observed on MetS component level. Combinations of unhealthy behaviors were more prevalent among blue-collar workers. MetS incidence in older workers differs between occupational groups and health behaviors explain a substantial part of these differences. Health promotion tailored to occupational groups may be beneficial specifically among older low skilled blue-collar workers. Research into other factors that contribute to occupational differences is needed as well as studies spanning the entire working life course.

Work-related violence and depressive disorder among 955,573 employees followed for 6.99 million person-years. The Danish Work Life Course Cohort study: Work-related violence and depression

BackgroundWe examined the association between probability of work-related violence and first diagnosis of depressive disorder whilst accounting for the potential selection of individuals vulnerable to depression into occupations with high probability of work-related violence. MethodsBased on a pre-published study protocol, we analysed nationwide register data from the Danish Work Life Course Cohort study, encompassing 955,573 individuals followed from their entry into the workforce, and free from depressive disorder before work-force entry. Depressive disorder was measured from psychiatric in- and outpatient admissions. We measured work-related violence throughout the worklife by the annual average occupational risk of violence exposure. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we examined the longitudinal association between work-related violence (both past year and cumulative life-long exposure) and first depressive disorder diagnosis, whilst adjusting for numerous confounders including parental psychiatric and somatic diagnoses, childhood socioeconomic position, and health services use before workforce entry. ResultsThe risk of depressive disorder was higher in individuals with high probability of past year work-related violence (hazard ratio: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.16) compared to employees with low probability of exposure, after adjustment for confounders. Among women, associations were robust across industries, whereas among men, associations were limited to certain industries. LimitationsViolence was measured on the job group and not the individual level, likely resulting in some misclassification of the exposure. ConclusionsWork-related violence may increase the risk of depressive disorder, independent of pre-existing risk factors for depressive disorder. These findings underline the importance of preventing work-related violence.

Cumulative employment intensity and complexity across the life course and cognitive function in later life among European women and men

PurposeRelatively little is known about how working-age life course cumulative exposure to employment intensity and job complexity informs older-age cognitive function. We investigate these associations, separately for men and women, and net of known confounders. MethodsUsing retrospective lifetime employment histories of Europeans born 1923–1959 (2004–2009, N = 22 266), we calculate cumulative working-age exposure to nonemployment, full-time and part-time employment, and a professional occupation. In gender-stratified linear regression models, these indicators predict cognitive function score based on the DemTect scale and Mini Mental State Exam. ResultsNonemployment ≥25% of the working life course was associated with poorer cognitive function for men by −0.43 points (95% CI = −0.79, −0.06) on a 19-point scale. Women's full-time employment, even if <25% of the working lifetime, was associated with a cognitive advantage over never-employment by 0.60 points (95% CI = 0.17, 1.02). Compared to predominantly nonprofessionally employed men, those working professionally for ≥75% of the life course had better cognition by 0.38 points (95% CI = 0.16, 0.60). ConclusionsThis paper provides novel evidence that older-age cognitive functioning is associated with cumulative exposure to both employment intensity and complexity, but that these relationships vary by sex.

Cumulated and most recent job control and risk of disability pension in the Danish Work Life Course Cohort (DaWCo).

BackgroundPrevious studies have found low job control to be associated with a higher risk of disability pension (DP). Most studies have measured job control only at one time-point, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the role of exposure duration. This study examines the prospective association between job control and DP measuring exposure both cumulated throughout work life and most recent.MethodsWe included 712 519 individuals (about 4.5 million person-years) from The Danish Work Life Course Cohort which follows young employees in Denmark from their entry into the labour market. Job control was assessed with a job exposure matrix and DP with register data on public transfer payments. We adjusted for several potential life course confounders, including physical demands at work and parental socioeconomic position and psychiatric and somatic diagnoses.ResultsEmployees in occupations with low job control had a higher risk of DP. There were effects of both cumulated and most recent job control when mutually adjusted. Fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were 1.14 [95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.11–1.17] and 1.15 (95% CI 1.02–1.29) for cumulated and most recent job control, respectively. Without mutual adjustment, estimates were 1.15 (95% CI 1.13–1.18) and 1.55 (95% CI 1.39–1.72) for cumulated and most recent low job control, respectively.ConclusionsLow job control predicts a higher risk of DP, even after adjustment for physical demands at work. The results indicate both gradual and short-term effects of low job control on DP risk.

Environmental barriers to and facilitators of labour market participation as experienced by disabled people living in Switzerland

Forming part of a larger project on how disabled people exercise active citizenship in nine European countries, this study examined factors that enhance or hamper disabled peoples’ opportunities to participate fully and on equal terms with others in the domain of work. Twenty-six, gender-balanced life course interviews with persons living in Switzerland and representing four impairment groups and three age cohorts were conducted. Applying qualitative content analysis, we found that over the entire work life course environmental factors such as support structures and attitudes were most salient (as compared to personal factors and impairment effects), and that facilitating and impeding factors cut across impairment groups and age cohorts. To achieve parity of participation and to enhance people with disabilities’ active citizenship and opportunities to access, and flourish in, the labour market, society has to both recognize their rights and provide sufficient economic resources to remove existing barriers. Points of interest Having a paid job is an important aspect and sign of a person's social participation and inclusion. We collected personal stories of disabled people living in Switzerland to identify the barriers and support they experienced in finding and maintaining a suitable paid job. Most of the barriers identified were environmental and could have been addressed by workplace adjustments and policy changes. The diversity of the disabled interviewees was reflected in the barriers and support they experienced. However, the presence or absence of support from family members, job counsellors, employers and work colleagues played an important role across different types of disabilities. Recognizing and understanding the barriers that disabled people experience with regard to paid employment will help to develop appropriate social responses and individual strategies for self-help.

Cohort profile: the Danish Work Life Course Cohort study (DaWCo)

PurposeThe Danish Work Life Course Cohort (DaWCo) was initiated to study relations between working conditions, health and labour market affiliation using repeated measures of these factors throughout the working life,...

Job control and risk of disability pension in the nationwide Danish Work Life Course Cohort

Abstract Background A large number of studies have found job control to be consistently associated with an increased risk of disability pension. However, most previous studies have measured job control by self-report, introducing possible reporting bias inflating the risk estimates. Furthermore, previous studies have not accounted for the potential selection of individuals with pre-existing risk factors for disability pensioning into low control jobs. Methods We analyzed data from the nationwide register-based Danish Work Life Course Cohort (DAWCO; n = 960,562 with approx. 6 million person-years). We measured job control annually by a job exposure matrix, based on a scale of five self-reported items from The Danish Work Environment Cohort Study, and disability pension using registers on public transfer payments. To account for potential selection into occupations with lower levels of job control, we included numerous life course confounders, including parental socioeconomic position and psychiatric and somatic diagnoses. Results Employees in jobs with lower levels of job control had increased risk of disability pensioning. The association attenuated after adjustment for confounders but was not explained by selection into job groups with lower levels of job control (hazard ratio: 1.16 (95% CI: 1.03-1.31). Conclusions Our findings suggest that lower levels of job control are associated with an increased risk of disability pension, and that this association is explained by neither reporting bias nor a selection of individuals with an increased risk of disability pensioning into job groups with lower levels of job control. Key messages Lower levels of job control appear associated with an increased risk of disability pension independent of life course confounders. Further research is needed on preventive measures in occupations with low levels of job control.

Emotional demands at work and risk of depressive disorder: A nationwide Danish cohort study

Abstract Background Studies suggest that high emotional demands at work are associated with increased risk of depression. However, most previous studies have measured emotional demands using self-report and estimates may be inflated due to reporting bias. Furthermore, no study has yet accounted for the potential selection of individuals with increased risk of depressive disorder into occupations with high emotional demands. Methods We analyzed data from two separate nationwide register-based Danish cohorts, The Danish Work Life Course Cohort (n = 955,712; person-years=6.99 mill.), and the JEMPAD study (n = 1,680,214; person-years=21.73 mill.). We measured emotional demands annually by job exposure matrices, and depressive disorder using registers on psychiatric hospital treatment. Emotional demands were categorized as quartiles. To account for selection into jobs with high emotional demands, we adjusted for numerous confounders, including health services use before workforce entry, parental socioeconomic position, and psychiatric and somatic diagnoses. The present abstract reports preliminary results based on a subset of the study population used as a development sample (n = 16,163, person-years=168,889). Final results will be available for the conference. Results Preliminary findings showed a tendency towards an increased risk of depressive disorder for employees in occupations with the highest level of emotional demands (hazard ratio: 1.20 (95% CI: 0.85-1.69). The association was similar with and without adjustment for confounders and was not explained by selection into occupations with high emotional demands. Conclusions If confirmed in analyses of the full study population, our results suggest that high emotional demands at work may be associated with increased risk of depressive disorder, and that this association is explained by neither reporting bias nor a selection of individuals vulnerable to depression into occupations with high emotional demands. Key messages Emotional demands may be associated with an increased risk of depressive disorder. Further research is needed to explore the potential for workplace prevention of high emotional demands.

Bipolar disorder and depression in early adulthood and long‐term employment, income, and educational attainment: A nationwide cohort study of 2,390,127 individuals

Mood disorders are known to be associated with poor socioeconomic outcomes, but no study has examined these associations across the entire worklife course. Our goal was to estimate the associations between bipolar disorder and depression in early adulthood and subsequent employment, income, and educational attainment. We conducted a nationwide prospective cohort study including all individuals (n = 2,390,127; 49% female) born in Denmark between 1955 and 1990. Hospital-based diagnoses of depression and bipolar disorder before age 25 were obtained from the Danish psychiatric register. Yearly employment, earnings, and education status from ages 25 to 61 were obtained from the Danish labor market and education registers. We estimated both absolute and relative proportions. Population rates of hospital-diagnosed depression and bipolar between ages 15-25 were 1% and 0.12%, respectively. Compared to individuals without mood disorders, those with depression and particularly bipolar disorder had consistently poor socioeconomic outcomes across the entire work-life span. For example, at age 30, 62% of bipolar and 53% of depression cases were outside the workforce compared to 19% of the general population, and 52% of bipolar and 42% of depression cases had no higher education compared to 27% of the general population. Overall, individuals with bipolar disorder or depression earned around 36% and 51%, respectively, of the income earned by individuals without mood disorders. All associations were smaller for individuals not rehospitalized after age 25. Severe mood disorders with onset before age 25, particularly bipolar disorder, are associated with persistent poor socioeconomic outcomes across the entire work-life course.

Psychosocial working conditions and depressive disorder: disentangling effects of job control from socioeconomic status using a life-course approach

PurposeJob control, the combination of skill discretion and decision authority, is considered a central component of the psychosocial working environment. This longitudinal study examines the relation between job control and risk of incident depressive disorder using a life-course approach.MethodsWe analyze data from The Danish Work Life Course Cohort study, including all Danish individuals aged 15–30 who entered the Danish labor market during 1995–2009 and were free from depressive disorder at entry (955,573 individuals). We measured job control using a job exposure matrix. Depressive disorders were measured using information from nationwide registers of psychiatric in- and outpatient admissions. Using Cox regression models we estimated the prospective association between job control and risk of incident depressive disorders. Analyses accounted for a range of potential confounders prior to workforce entry including socioeconomic status in adolescence and parental psychiatric and somatic diagnoses prior to labor market entry, together with potential confounders in adulthood including income, education, and demographics.ResultsLower levels of past year job control were associated with a higher risk of depressive disorder after adjustment for all covariates (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.16–1.38). Results stratified by gender showed associations for both men (HR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.19–1.61) and women (HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.08–1.32). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the level of job control at work affects the risk of clinically diagnosed depressive disorder, and that this association is not due to confounding by socioeconomic status.

The association between early-onset schizophrenia with employment, income, education, and cohabitation status: nationwide study with 35\xa0years of follow-up

PurposeIndividuals with schizophrenia have been reported to have low employment rates. We examined the associations of schizophrenia with employment, income, and status of cohabitation from a work life course perspective.MethodsNationwide cohort study including all individuals (n = 2,390,127) born in Denmark between 1955 and 1991, who were alive at their 25th birthday. Diagnosis of schizophrenia (yes/no) between ages 15 and 25 was used as an exposure. Employment status, annual wage or self-employment earnings, level of education, and cohabitant status from the age of 25–61 (years 1980–2016) were used as outcomes.ResultsSchizophrenia diagnosis between ages 15 and 25 (n = 9448) was associated with higher odds of not being employed (at the age of 30: OR 39.4, 95% CI 36.5–42.6), having no secondary or higher education (7.4, 7.0–7.8), and living alone (7.6, 7.2–8.1). These odds ratios were two-to-three times lower and decreasing over time for those individuals who did not receive treatment in a psychiatric inpatient or outpatient clinic for schizophrenia after the age of 25. Between ages 25–61, individuals with schizophrenia have cumulative earning of $224,000, which is 14% of the amount that the individuals who have not been diagnosed with schizophrenia earn.ConclusionsIndividuals with schizophrenia are at high risk of being outside the labour market and living alone throughout their entire life, resulting in an enormous societal loss in earnings. Individuals with less chronic course of schizophrenia had a gradual but substantial improvement throughout their work life.

Relative Education and the Advantage of a College Degree.

What is the worth of a college degree when higher education expands? The relative education hypothesis posits that when college degrees are rare, individuals with more education have less competition to enter highly-skilled occupations. When college degrees are more common, there may not be enough highly-skilled jobs to go around; some college-educated workers lose out to others and are pushed into less-skilled jobs. Using new measurements of occupation-level verbal, quantitative, and analytic skills, this study tests the changing effect of education on skill utilization across 70 years of birth cohorts from 1971 to 2010, net of all other age, period, and cohort trends. Higher-education expansion erodes the value of a college degree, and college-educated workers are at greater risk for underemployment in less cognitively demanding occupations. This raises questions about the sources of rising income inequality, skill utilization across the working life course, occupational sex segregation, and how returns to education have changed across different life domains.

Retrospectively assessed physical work environment during working life and risk of sickness absence and labour market exit among older workers

ObjectiveTo determine the prospective association between retrospectively assessed physical work environment during working life and prospectively assessed sickness absence and labour market exit among older workers.MethodsUsing Cox regression analyses we...