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Can individual health differences be explained by workplace characteristics: a multilevel analysis
- Authors:
- MARKLUND Staffan, BOLIN Malin, VON ESSEN Jan
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 66(3), February 2008, pp.650-662.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Research on work-related health has mainly focused on individual factors. The present study expands the focus by exploring the role of organizational characteristics of workplaces for different individual health outcomes. The aim of the study was to look at differences in relative effect of workplace variations on five health outcomes, and to explain those differences in health outcomes by organizational characteristics. The sample encompassed 90 workplaces in Sweden and about 4300 individuals employed within these workplaces. Measurement of the workplace characteristics was carried out independently of the measurement of the individual's working conditions and health. Organizational data were collected by interviews with local managers at participating workplaces, and individual data were obtained by means of a survey of the employees. The results showed that a significant proportion of the variance in sickness absence, work ability, general health, and musculoskeletal disorders was attributed to the workplace. Of eight tested organizational characteristics, customer adaptation, lean production, and performance control could explain some of this workplace variance. The results also showed that only one organizational effect remained significant when controlled for the individual confounder of age and gender. High customer adaptation is associated with higher sickness absence. This association is not mediated via differences in mental and physical job strain.
Trends in long-term sickness absence in Sweden 1992-2008: the role of economic conditions, legislation, demography, work environment and alcohol consumption
- Authors:
- LIDWALL Ulrik, MARKLUND Staffan
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Social Welfare, 20(2), April 2011, pp.167-179.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
In Sweden, absence from work because of illness or injury has fluctuated considerably over time. This study aimed to identify potentially important factors behind variations in long-term sickness absence. Aggregated data were used to assess factors correlated with the number of ongoing cases of sickness absence lasting more than 59 days. Trends were analysed using statistics from national social insurance records, labour force surveys and other official statistics. Although specific changes in the degree of generosity in the sickness insurance scheme were important in some cases, the results showed no consistent associations for the study period 1992–2008. Men were generally more sensitive to macroeconomic factors than women. Furthermore, compared with earlier findings, workforce composition had less impact on variations in long-term sickness absence. Notably, public health indicators such as alcohol sales and working conditions were clearly related to long-term sick leave during the period under investigation.