Gender differences in the effects from working conditions on mental health: a 4-year follow-up

Abstract

The difference between women and men, regarding the numbers of identified occupational and non-occupational risk indicators, may partly be explained by the gender-segregated labour market, and partly by other explanations. In our study, we have not succeeded in collecting the relevant information about occupational conditions that is important for men's mental health.

Long working hours and depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data

“…Descriptive statistics for the identified eligible ten published studies (54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63) are presented in supplementary table C, www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract. php?abstract_id=3712.…”

“…Four studies were from Japan (54,58,59,62), two from Canada (56,61), and one each from the UK (57), Sweden (55), France (60), and South Korea (63). In three studies, there were separate estimates for men and women (54)(55)(56). Adjustment for covariates varied between none (58), stratification by sex (54,55), and multivariable (56,57,(59)(60)(61)(62)(63) In total, the number of participants in published studies and individual participant data was 189 729 (96 275 men, 93 454 women) from 35 countries.…”

“…In three studies, there were separate estimates for men and women (54)(55)(56). Adjustment for covariates varied between none (58), stratification by sex (54,55), and multivariable (56,57,(59)(60)(61)(62)(63) In total, the number of participants in published studies and individual participant data was 189 729 (96 275 men, 93 454 women) from 35 countries. The number of cases with new-onset depressive symptoms was 21 747 (the average onset 11.5%).…”

“…In the Helsinki Health Study (HHS) (74), study members had responded to an enquiry about time worked using a pre-defined categorization (<30, 30-40, 41-50 and >50 hours per week) which, for the purposes of the present analyses, we used 30-40 hours per week (reference group) with >50 working hours as the highest group. In the published studies, there was variation in how long working hours were defined in the analyses: >12 versus ≤8 hours /day (54); ≥41 hours /week versus less (56); >48 hours a week versus less (60); >60 versus ≤50 hours /week (62); 60 or more hours versus less (59); >55/week versus 35-40 (57); >68 hours versus 35-40 (63); ≥40 hours overtime /month versus less (58); and "often working overtime" versus not (55). To evaluate whether this heterogeneity in exposure assessment had an effect on results, we conducted separate analyses for published studies and unpublished individual participant data, in addition to overall pooled estimates.…”

Can working conditions explain differences in eating patterns during working hours?

“…The workplace could also be the origin of various health inequalities 13 , since working conditions have been found to be associated with employees' health behaviour [14][15][16][17] and health [18][19][20][21][22] . Mentally strenuous jobs and high job control are associated with a healthy diet in Finnish female employees 23 , and physical jobs are associated with a snack-dominating meal pattern in male employees 24 .…”