Work-privacy Conflict Research Articles

Explaining presenteeism behaviour with the theory of planned behaviour - a longitudinal study.

This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to explore presenteeism, where individuals work despite being ill. The research seeks to understand how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control are associated with presenteeism behaviours. A longitudinal design was employed, involving 2814 employees from 16 companies. Data were collected using a survey on two measurement points, which included validated scales and vignettes to assess attitudes toward presenteeism. The data were analysed using cluster analysis and a linear mixed effects regression to evaluate the TPB model. Three clusters of attitudes toward presenteeism were identified through cluster analysis. The model explained 27.8% of the variance in the fixed effects and 52.6% in the combined fixed and random effects. The regression model found associations between presenteeism and factors such as quantitative demands, work-privacy conflict, and leadership culture. Attitudes towards presenteeism were a strong predictor, with specific clusters showing differing propensities to work while ill. The study confirms the suitability of the TPB in explaining presenteeism. It highlights the importance of individual attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping presenteeism. The findings suggest that promoting a health-supportive workplace culture, including open communication about illness, might reduce presenteeism.

Stress perception, coping behaviors and work-privacy conflict of student midwives in times of COVID-19 pandemic: the “Healthy MidStudents” study in Germany

BackgroundStudent midwives deliver care for women under challenging job demands, which may affect their mental health– thus creating a high need for health promotion. Given the lack of research addressing this topic, the aim of this study is to examine the links between stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perception of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies of student midwives in northern Germany.MethodsData were collected using a cross-sectional online-survey at nine midwifery study sites in northern Germany from October 2022 to January 2023. 342 student midwives (response rate: 61.3%) were surveyed on stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies. Descriptive, linear regression and moderation analyses were run to test explorative assumptions.ResultsResults revealed that higher levels of perceived stress were reported by 13.4% of student midwives. Social support (M = 13.76, SD = 2.19) and active stress coping (M = 10.72, SD = 2.01) were identified as most prevalent coping behaviors in the present sample. It was found that work-privacy conflict was positively associated with stress perception (ß = 0.53, p =.001) and maladaptive coping behaviors (alcohol and cigarette consumption: ß = 0.14, p =.015), and negatively associated with adaptive coping behaviors (positive thinking: ß = − 0.25, p =.001, social support: ß = − 0.23, p =.001). Students with children reported significantly lower levels of social support than students without children. 55.6% of student midwives perceived a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies (mostly on lectures, seminars, and contact with fellow students).ConclusionsKey findings highlighted moderate stress levels among student midwives during theoretical study stage. Based on current research, prevalence of high stress levels among student midwives remains unclear. Given the overall heterogeneous, limited research on student midwives’ stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict and perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies, implications for research are suggested, e.g. longitudinal studies at different time points and settings and interventional studies. Findings provide a starting point for implementation of workplace health promotion in theoretical and practical stages of midwifery science study programs, e.g. training courses on stress prevention and adaptive coping, and for improvement of working conditions.

Digital stress perception among German hospital nurses and associations with health-oriented leadership, emotional exhaustion and work-privacy conflict: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe use of digital information and communication technologies (ICT) can be accompanied by increased technostress for nursing staff, which in turn can be associated with health consequences. In addition, the use-related constant accessibility through ICT can have a negative impact on health-related recovery and regeneration phases. Health-promoting behaviors of supervisors can influence health complaints and conflicts between employees’ work and private lives. The present study investigates whether there is a corresponding relationship between digital stressors (technostressors) as well as health-oriented leadership and health outcomes among nurses.MethodsIn a quantitative online survey, hospital nursing staff (n = 243) was asked about techno-invasion, social environment, emotional exhaustion, work-privacy conflict and on the supervisors’ health-oriented staff-care dimensions awareness, value of health and health-oriented leadership behavior (HoL: awareness, value of health and health behavior). The associations of technostress, HoL and health outcomes were tested using regression analyses and performing a correlation.ResultsSignificant positive associations between techno-invasion and health outcomes had been found. Social environment was not (positively) significantly related to either emotional exhaustion or work-privacy conflict. Health-oriented leadership moderated the association between social environment and work-privacy conflict.ConclusionsThe results confirm the relevance of measures to reduce technostress and the importance of health-oriented leadership as a health-promoting resource. For practice, offers should be implemented for a balanced work and personal life of the nursing staff as well as establishing competence trainings for supervisors to learn and implement health-promoting behaviors. When technology use can’t be reduced, options could be created to ensure that nurses’ work and private lives become more balanced. These could represent mindfulness practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for work-privacy-conflict and parent–child-bonding in mothers and fathers

During the COVID-19 pandemic, working parents have been faced with a double burden by struggling to satisfy their children’s needs as well as dealing with altered working requirements at the same time. In the unprecedented context of a pandemic, the present study extends the existing literature to investigate the association between work-privacy-conflict (WPC) and parent–child-bonding in families with children aged 0–34 months old. Additionally, the potential moderating role of working from home is considered. Data of the present cross-sectional study (n = 385) were collected in Germany between May and June 2020 as part of the DREAMCORONA study. Mothers (n = 165) and fathers (n = 220) currently working completed the Work-Privacy-Conflict Scale and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. A hierarchical linear regression analysis including the confounders sex, working from home, working hours per week, age of index child, and childcare revealed a significant association between higher WPC and poorer parent–child-bonding (ß = 0.154, 95 % CI [0.02, 0.28]). In a second linear regression analysis stratified by sex, only the association within the sample of men remained significant (ß = 0.240, 95 % CI [0.07, 0.39]). Working from home had no significant moderating effect on the association between WPC and parent–child-bonding. Given our results, it seems particularly important for working parents to maintain a balance between work and private life as it could not only affect themselves but also the emotional connection to their child. Future research should consider additional factors, such as mental health, parenting, and couple dynamics when investigating the interference of WPC with parent–child-bonding. Additionally, a longitudinal approach will be necessary to establish causal relations between WPC and parent–child-bonding.

Mental health of working parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: can resilience buffer the impact of psychosocial work stress on depressive symptoms?

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has confronted working parents with an accumulation of stressors regarding changes in work, family, and social life, putting their mental health at risk. Stressors include altered working conditions such as working from home or changes in working hours as well as the difficulty to reconcile work and childcare due to the closure of childcare facilities. The present study examined the relationship of psychosocial work stress (i.e., work-privacy conflict and effort-reward imbalance at work) and depressive symptoms in working parents and whether this association was moderated by individual resilience.MethodsData of the present study (n = 452) were collected in Germany between May and June 2020 as part of the DREAMCORONA study. A subsample of working mothers (n = 191) and fathers (n = 261) completed the subscale for work-privacy conflict (WPC) of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Multiple linear regression analyses including moderation were performed, controlling for gender, working hours per week, and a lifetime history of depression as potential confounders.ResultsBoth WPC (β = 0.336, p < .001) and ERI (β = 0.254, p < .001) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience moderated the relationship between ERI and depressive symptoms (β = − 0.101, p = .018), indicating that higher resilience weakened the relationship. However, this effect was not found regarding the relationship between WPC and depressive symptoms (β = 0.055, p = .167).ConclusionsThe results highlight the need for measures to reduce psychosocial work stressors such as WPC and ERI during the COVID-19 pandemic on the one hand and to promote resilience on the other hand. The findings partially support the potential protective role of resilience buffering the association between psychosocial stress and mental health in working parents. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this effect.

Burnout and work-privacy conflict – are there differences between full-time and part-time physicians?

BackgroundChanges in everyday work with regard to working time models have reached the medical profession. The number of physicians working part-time is steadily increasing. At the same time, however, the population's need for care is also rising. This can reinforce the impending shortage of doctors in the future. The aim was to investigate differences in work-privacy conflict and burnout among physicians working full-time or part-time.MethodThe present study includes data from a baseline survey of the long-term study of physicians with different medical backgrounds. The analysis focused on a sub-sample of 598 physicians (not self-employed). The two main outcomes under investigation—burnout and work-privacy conflict—were measured using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory adapted for health care professionals, as well as the associated subscale of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Data analyses included descriptive statistics followed by regression models.ResultsDescriptive analyses show, that 31.8% of physicians are working part-time, whereas 68.2% are working full-time. The part-time subsample is significantly older, and female physicians are more likely to work part-time. With regard to workload and work-privacy conflict, significant differences between part-time and full-time physicians were only observed in terms of work-privacy-conflict. However, regression analysis underline the importance of possible confounding variables (such as medical setting) within the relationship between job size and job-related well-being.DiscussionDifferences in working hour arrangements (full-time or part-time work) are only accompanied by less work-privacy conflict. No differences with regard to burnout (patient-related, work-related or personal) could be obtained. Rather, the data suggests that other job-related variables may play a role and should be further investigated.

Higher Work-Privacy Conflict and Lower Job Satisfaction in GP Leaders and Practice Assistants Working Full-Time Compared to Part-Time: Results of the IMPROVEjob Study.

Background: Work-privacy conflict (WPC) has become an important issue for medical professionals. The cluster-randomized controlled IMPROVEjob study aimed at improving job satisfaction (primary outcome), with additional outcomes such as examining the work-privacy conflict in German general practice personnel. Using baseline data of this study, the relationship between work-privacy conflict and job satisfaction (JS) was analyzed. In addition, factors associated with higher WPC were identified. Methods: At baseline, 366 participants (general practitioners (GPs) in leadership positions, employed general practitioners, and practice assistants) from 60 German practices completed a questionnaire addressing socio-demographic data and job characteristics. Standardized scales from the German version of the COPSOQ III requested data concerning job satisfaction and work-privacy conflict. Both scores range from 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest). Multilevel analysis accounted for the clustered data. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS and RStudio software, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Job satisfaction was 77.16 (mean value; SD = 14.30) among GPs in leadership positions (n = 84), 79.61 (SD = 12.85) in employed GPs (n = 28), and 72.58 (SD = 14.42) in practice assistants (n = 254). Mean values for the WPC-scale were higher for professionals with more responsibilities: GPs in leadership positions scored highest with 64.03 (SD = 29.96), followed by employed physicians (M = 45.54, SD =30.28), and practice assistants (M = 32.67, SD = 27.41). General practitioners and practice assistants working full-time reported significantly higher work-privacy conflict than those working part-time (p < 0.05). In a multilevel analysis, work-privacy conflict was significantly associated with job satisfaction (p < 0.001). A multiple regression analysis identified working hours, as well as and being a practice owner or an employed physician as factors significantly influencing WPC. Discussion: WPC was high among general practice leaders and practice personnel working full-time. Future interventions to support practice personnel should focus on reducing WPC, as there is good evidence of its effects on job satisfaction.

Psychosocial Burden and Strains of Pedagogues-Using the Job Demands-Resources Theory to Predict Burnout, Job Satisfaction, General State of Health, and Life Satisfaction.

The current study examines the Job Demands-Resources theory among pedagogical professionals. A total of 466 pedagogues (n = 227 teachers; n = 239 social workers) completed the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire online. After testing the questionnaire structure using confirmatory factor analysis, a JD-R-based prediction model to predict effects of strains on the outcome constructs of burnout, job satisfaction, general state of health, and life satisfaction was estimated. The results confirm the questionnaire structure (RMSEA= 0.038; CFI = 0.94) as well as the fit of the prediction model (RMSEA = 0.039; CFI = 0.93). The outcome constructs could be predicted by emotional demands, work–privacy conflict, role conflicts, influence at work, scope for decision making, and opportunities for development (0.41 ≤ R² ≤ 0.57). Especially for life satisfaction, a moderator analysis proved the differences between teachers and social workers in the structure of the prediction model. For teachers, quantitative demands and work–privacy conflict are predictive, and for social workers, role conflicts and burnout are predictive. The study offers starting points for job-related measures of prevention and intervention.

Work-life conflict and cardiovascular health: 5-year follow-up of the Gutenberg Health Study.

IntroductionWork-life conflicts (WLC) may impact health, but few studies prospectively consider the impact of WLC on objective outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. Using data from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS), we examined if WLC at baseline was associated with an increased five-year incidence of cardiovascular events (myocardial infarct, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, sudden cardiac death). We also considered if WLC was associated with incident hypertension and arterial stiffness and if the effects of WLC on cardiovascular health differ for men and women.MethodsA working subsample of the 15,010 GHS cohort participants completed the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, which included five "work-privacy conflict" questions at baseline and at the five-year follow-up. Relative risks for incident hypertension due to increased WLC at baseline (WLC scores exceeding 60 out of 100) were estimated with Poisson regression in the subgroup of participants without hypertension at baseline (n = 2426). Categories of WLC at baseline and follow-up were also used to examine the risk of hypertension due to chronic/recurrent WLC. In this subgroup, we also examined the association between WLC as a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 with change to arterial stiffness after five years using linear regression. Hazard ratios were estimated for incident cardiovascular events in a larger subsample of participants without prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline (n = 3698) using Cox regression. We used various multivariable regression models to adjust for sex, age, socioeconomic status, occupational, household, and cardiovascular risk factors.ResultsWe found no association between WLC and incident hypertension or increased arterial stiffness. The fully-adjusted relative risk for WLC >60 at baseline and hypertension was 0.93 (95% 0.74–1.17). The risk of hypertension due to chronic/recurrent WLC >60 was increased but not statistically significant (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.83–1.54). Overall, hazard ratios for incident cardiovascular events were also not increased. However, stratifying the results by sex resulted in a hazard ratio of 1.47 (95% CI 0.54–3.98) for incident cardiovascular disease among women in the fully adjusted model.ConclusionsAlthough our results were not statistically significant, they indicate that WLC is negatively impacting the cardiovascular health of women. While these results need to be confirmed with additional research and a longer follow-up, interventions to prevent WLC will promote health and could be especially beneficial for women.

Precarious working conditions and psychosocial work stress act as a risk factor for symptoms of postpartum depression during maternity leave: results from a longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundThe majority of Western women work during their reproductive years, but past research has often neglected the influence of work-related factors on postpartum mental health. Especially postpartum depression (PPD) is an enormous psychological burden for mothers. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prospective impact of precarious working conditions and psychosocial work stress during pregnancy (such as work-privacy conflict and effort-reward imbalance at the job) on symptoms of maternal PPD.MethodsIn the prospective-longitudinal cohort study DREAM (DResdner Studie zu Elternschaft, Arbeit und Mentaler Gesundheit), N = 587 employed women were questioned about their work during pregnancy and their mental health 8 weeks after delivery.ResultsMultiple regression analyses revealed that work-privacy conflict, low reward at work, and precarious working conditions significantly predicted symptoms of PPD, even when controlling for lifetime depression, anxiety, education, parity, and age.ConclusionOur results indicate that psychosocial work stress and precarious working conditions have important implications for maternal peripartum mental health. They might act as prospective risk factors for PPD during the period of maternal leave. Hence, future research should focus on preventative measures targeting work life.

Returning to work after sickness absence due to common mental disorders: study design and baseline findings from an 18\u2009months mixed methods follow-up study in Germany

BackgroundWith nearly 30 % of the general population experiencing one mental disorder in 12 months, common mental disorders (CMDs) are highly prevalent in Germany and mainly affect the workforce. Therefore, the processes of successfully returning to work (RTW) and achieving a sustainable RTW (SRTW) are important not only for recovery but the prevention of negative consequences like job loss or disability retirement. While factors influencing and predicting the time until RTW are well-investigated in other countries, research on determinants of RTW and SRTW has received little attention in Germany. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the RTW and SRTW processes due to CMDs from the employees´ perspective in Germany.MethodsThis prospective cohort study uses a convergent parallel mixed methods design with a quantitative sample and qualitative sub-sample. Two hundred eighty-six participants of the quantitative study and a sub-sample of 32 participants of the qualitative study were included. The primary outcome of the quantitative study is the time until RTW and full RTW. The secondary outcome is the sustainability of RTW. The following measures will be used to cover work-, RTW- and health-related factors: working time, duration of sickness absences, functional ability, work ability, RTW self-efficacy, social support, work-privacy conflict, job satisfaction, job crafting and depressive symptoms. Quantitative and qualitative data will be integrated at the end.DiscussionThe paper provides an overview on study design, recruitment, sample characteristics and baseline findings of an 18 months mixed methods follow-up study in Germany. This study will provide evidence of (S)RTW processes and its influencing factors due to CMDs in Germany and therefore contribute to further improvement of its (S)RTW practices.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (ID: DRKS00010903, July 28, 2017, retrospectively registered).

Social support and work engagement in police work

Purpose Job resources are positively related to work engagement within the motivational process of the job demands–resources model (JD–R). Little is known about mediating mechanisms within that process. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-efficacy and work–privacy conflict as mediators of the relationship between social support and work engagement in a sample of police officers. Design/methodology/approach In total, 811 German police officers completed a cross-sectional online survey that assessed social support by supervisors and co-workers, work–privacy conflict, self-efficacy and work engagement. Structural equation modeling was conducted. Findings Self-efficacy and work–privacy conflict partially mediated the relationship between social support and work engagement. The direct effect of social support and work engagement was confirmed, too. Practical implications Health promotion approaches in police work should foster social support by supervisors and co-workers. Social support eases challenges of work–life balance and self-efficacy and promotes police officers’ work engagement. Originality/value The findings validate the motivational process of the JD-R model in a sample of police officers. Job resources and personal resources are interrelated in the prediction of work engagement. Moreover, job resources facilitate dealing with specific job demands, which promotes work engagement, too.

Do Occupational and Patient Safety Culture in Hospitals Share Predictors in the Field of Psychosocial Working Conditions? Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in German University Hospitals.

Background: In the healthcare sector, a comprehensive safety culture includes both patient care-related and occupational aspects. In recent years, healthcare studies have demonstrated diverse relationships between aspects of psychosocial working conditions, occupational, and patient safety culture. The aim of this study was to consider and test relevant predictors for staff’s perceptions of occupational and patient safety cultures in hospitals and whether there are shared predictors. From two German university hospitals, 381 physicians and 567 nurses completed a questionnaire on psychosocial working conditions, occupational, and patient safety culture. Two regression models with predictors for occupational and patient safety culture were conceptually developed and empirically tested. In the Occupational Safety Culture model, job satisfaction (β = 0.26, p ≤ 0.001), work‒privacy conflict (β = −0.19, p ≤ 0.001), and patient-related burnout (β = −0.20, p ≤ 0.001) were identified as central predictors. Important predictors in the Patient Safety Culture model were management support for patient safety (β = 0.24, p ≤ 0.001), supervisor support for patient safety (β = 0.18, p ≤ 0.001), and staffing (β = 0.21, p ≤ 0.001). The two models mainly resulted in different predictors. However, job satisfaction and leadership seem to play an important role in both models and can be used in the development of a comprehensive management of occupational and patient safety culture.

Psychosocial burden and strains in geriatric nursing: comparison of nursing personnel with and without migration background

Because of demographic changes the nursing care sector is faced with alack of qualified employees in the medium and long term. The shortage in the work force is caused by high workloads and unfavorable working conditions. In response to this shortage, there have been attempts to recruit qualified nursing staff from abroad and also to improve the integration of people with amigration background living in Germany into the job market. Based on aquantitative cross-sectional study of 366 nurses, the psychosocial burden and strains among employees with amigration background (n = 112) and without amigration background (n = 254) were examined. For this purpose, 13scales of the German version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) were used for the assessment of psychosocial factors at work. The results were compared with professional group-specific reference values (geriatric care) from the COPSOQ database. The comparison of nursing staff with and without amigration background revealed that the emotional demands, work-privacy conflict and role conflicts factors received asignificantly better rating among nursing staff with amigration background, while development opportunities were rated worse by this population group. The surveyed nursing staff exhibited higher stress values compared to the COPSOQ reference group in almost all scales. Nursing staff with amigration background need to be supported with respect to development opportunities. Suitable education and training measures may offer adequate career perspectives and may encourage employees to stay in their jobs.

Effort-Reward Imbalance, Work-Privacy Conflict, and Burnout Among Hospital Employees.

Studies investigating the relative importance of effort-reward imbalance and work-privacy conflict for burnout risk between professional groups in the health care sector are rare and analyses by educational attainment within professional groups are lacking. The study population consists of 1422 hospital employees in Switzerland. Multivariate linear regression analyses with standardized coefficients were performed for the overall study population and stratified for professional groups refined for educational attainment. Work-privacy conflict is a strong predictor for burnout and more strongly associated with burnout than effort-reward imbalance in the overall study population and across all professional groups. Effort-reward imbalance only had a minor effect on burnout in tertiary-educated medical professionals. Interventions aiming at increasing the compatibility of work and private life may substantially help to decrease burnout risk of professionals working in a health care setting.

Informal caregiving, work-privacy conflict and burnout among health professionals in Switzerland - a cross-sectional study.

Health professionals were found to have an elevated burnout risk compared to the general population. Some studies also reported more emotional exhaustion - a component of burnout - for health professionals with informal caregiving responsibilities for children (double-duty child caregivers) or adults (double-duty adult caregivers) or a combination of both (triple-duty caregivers) compared to health professionals without informal caregiving roles (formal caregivers). However, the potential mediating effect of the work-privacy conflict in this relationship as well as differences between occupational groups have not yet been studied in healthcare settings. To assess the impact of informal caregiving on burnout risk among health professionals and whether this relationship is mediated by work-privacy conflict or differs between occupational groups. Data were collected through an employee survey in six hospitals from German-speaking Switzerland in 2015/2016. Mediation analyses were performed using linear mixed models with fixed effects for caregiving situation and work-privacy conflict as well as random effects for hospitals. Triple-duty caregivers were found to have a significantly higher burnout risk compared to formal caregivers only. Work-privacy conflict did not mediate this relationship, except among the "other health professionals" group. Additional and large-scale studies focusing on the combination of formal and informal caregiving roles are needed to better understand its effect on burnout among healthcare professionals and to evaluate the role of work-privacy conflict.

Psychosocial Hazard Analysis in a Heterogeneous Workforce: Determinants of Work Stress in Blue- and White-Collar Workers of the European Steel Industry.

The European steel industry’s workforce is highly heterogeneous and consists of various occupational groups, presumably facing different psychosocial stressors. The few existing studies on the subject mainly focused on physical constraints of blue-collar workers, whereas the supposable psychosocial workload received only little research attention. This is remarkable considering the challenges associated with statutory required risk assessment of psychosocial hazards. Valid measures of hazard analysis must account for various stressors and reliably identify them, also between occupational groups. The present study, based on a sample of blue- and white-collar workers (N = 124) from the European steel industry, aims to provide a first insight into psychosocial stressors and strain at work in this rarely researched industrial sector. Furthermore, two well-known theoretical roadmaps in job analysis are examined regarding their utility for risk assessment in heterogeneous workforces: the German standard version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the short version of the effort–reward imbalance questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the COPSOQ was better suited to predict various strain indices in the present sample. Especially stressors relating to socioemotional aspects, such as work-privacy conflict, revealed a reasonable impact, indicating the need for comprehensive solutions at the organizational level instead of solutions focusing on single workplaces. To conclude, a broadly diversified and validated approach in psychosocial risk assessment is needed to adequately assess the variety of psychosocial factors at work and in different occupational groups.

The Gutenberg health study: associations between occupational and private stress factors and work-privacy conflict.

BackgroundWork-privacy conflict (WPC) is no longer a rarity but constitutes a societal problem. The objectives of the present study were (1) to investigate the distribution and prevalence of WPC among the employed participants in the Gutenberg Health Study at baseline and (2) to study the dependence of WPC on a broad range of private life and occupational characteristics as well as on psychosocial working conditions.MethodsThis analysis is based on a representative, population-based sample of 3,709 employees participating in the Gutenberg Health Study. Descriptive and bivariable analyses were carried out separately for women and men. Distribution and prevalence of WPC were examined according to socio-demographic and occupational characteristics as well as psychosocial working conditions. Further, stepwise selection of Poisson log-linear regression models were performed to determine which socio-demographic and occupational characteristics were most associated with the outcome variable WPC and to obtain adjusted prevalence ratios from the final model. The multivariable analyses were conducted both separately for women and men and with all subjects together in one analysis.ResultsThere was a high prevalence of WPC in the present study (27.4 % of the men and 23.0 % of the women reported a high or very high WPC). A variety of factors was associated with WPC, e.g. full-time employment, depression and many of the psychosocial risk factors at work. Also, the multivariable results showed that women were of higher risk for a WPC.ConclusionsBy affecting the individual work life, home life, and the general well-being and health, WPC may lead to detrimental effects in employees, their families, employers, and society as a whole. Therefore, the high prevalence of WPC in our sample should be of concern. Among women, the risk for suffering from WPC was even higher, most likely due to multiple burdens.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-2881-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Work-privacy conflict and musculoskeletal pain: a population-based test of a stress-sleep-mediation model

ABSTRACTPrevious research has shown that work–privacy conflict (WPC) is associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP), but the processes involved are unclear. This study simultaneously tested strain and sleep problems as mediators in three mediation paths (WPC →strain→MSP; WPC →sleep problems→MSP; and WPC →strain→sleep problems→MSP). Total mediation (including all three mediation paths) was expected to be stronger in older compared to younger participants, in participants doing shift work compared to those with regular work time, and in women compared to men. In a representative sample of the Swiss working population (N = 3438), WPC, strain, sleep problems, and MSP were assessed by self-report. A set of linear regressions and bootstrapping were used to test the indirect path coefficients. All three mediation paths were significant (ps < .001). The total indirect effect was stronger in women compared to men (p = .036) but mediation did not differ based on working schedules or age. However, tests of higher order moderated mediation showed that mediation was significantly higher in women aged 45 or older who did shift work than in all other combinations (p = .036). A process model postulating strain and sleep problems to mediate the association between WPC and MSP was empirically supported. Work redesign should reduce WPC in order to reduce strain, prevent sleeping problems, and reduce work-related MSP.

The Gutenberg Health Study: measuring psychosocial factors at work and predicting health and work-related outcomes with the ERI and the COPSOQ questionnaire

BackgroundSeveral instruments have been developed to assess psychosocial workload. We compared two of these instruments, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) with regard to congruent validity and internal validity.MethodsThis analysis is based on a population-based sample of the baseline examination of 2,783 employees from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS). About half of the participants completed the ERI questionnaire (n = 1,342), the other half completed the COPSOQ (n = 1,441). First, the two samples were compared and descriptive analyses were carried out calculating mean values for both instruments in general, then separately for age, gender and main occupational groups. Second, we analyzed the relationship between ERI and COPSOQ scales on the workplace situation and on the workplace outcomes: job satisfaction, general health, burnout, satisfaction with life, by applying stepwise logistic regression analysis.Results and discussionFor the majority of occupations, high effort as reflected by the ERI corresponded with high demands as reflected by the COPSOQ. Comparably, high reward (according to ERI) yielded a good agreement with high “influence and development” (according to COPSOQ). However, we could also find differences between ERI and COPSOQ concerning the intensity of psychosocial workload in some occupations (e.g., physicians/pharmacists or warehouse managers/warehousemen/transport workers). These differences point to differing theoretical concepts of ERI and COPSOQ. When the ability of ERI and COPSOQ was examined to determine the associations with health and work outcomes, burnout could be better predicted by the COPSOQ; this might be due to the fact that COPSOQ comprises the constructs “work-privacy conflict” and “emotional demand”, which are closely related to burnout. However, methodological differences between these instruments limit their direct comparability.ConclusionsThe ERI and COPSOQ instrument yielded similar results for most occupational groups. The slightly stronger association between psychosocial workload as assessed by COPSOQ and burnout might be explained by its broader approach. The ability of the ERI and COPSOQ instrument to reflect relevant risk factors for clinically manifest disorders (e.g., coronary heart disease) will be derived from subsequent prospective analyses of the GHS with the follow-up data.