Showing papers by "Hermann Burr published in 2006"
TL;DR: The findings indicate that the work environment influences the risk of developing severe depressive symptoms and that different factors play a role for men and women.
Abstract: The authors analyzed the impact of psychosocial work characteristics on the incidence of severe depressive symptoms among 4,133 (49% women) employees from a representative sample of the Danish workforce between 1995 and 2000. Psychosocial work characteristics at baseline included quantitative demands, influence at work, possibilities for development, social support from supervisors and coworkers, and job insecurity. Severe depressive symptoms were measured with the five-item Mental Health Inventory of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, with a cutoff point of 52. Women with low influence at work (relative risk (RR) = 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 3.82) and low supervisor support (RR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.20, 3.43) were at increased risk for severe depressive symptoms after exclusion of cases at baseline and adjustment for sociodemographic factors, baseline depression score, and health behaviors. Further adjustments for socioeconomic position did not change the result substantially. Additional analyses showed that a one-standard deviation increase on the influence scale resulted in a 27% decreased risk of severe depressive symptoms. Among men, job insecurity predicted severe depressive symptoms (RR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.02, 4.07). The findings indicate that the work environment influences the risk of developing severe depressive symptoms and that different factors play a role for men and women.
280 citations
TL;DR: Severe depressive symptoms, as measured with the MHI-5, increased the risk of future long-term sickness absence in the general Danish working population, however, effects were not linear, but occurred mostly only in those employees with high levels of depressive symptoms.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of depressive symptoms on long-term sickness absence in a representative sample of the Danish workforce. This prospective study is based on 4,747 male and female employees, participating in the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study. Depressive symptoms were measured at baseline. Data on sickness absence were obtained from a national register on social transfer payments. Onset of long-term sickness absence was followed up for 78 weeks. The cumulative 78 weeks incidence for the onset of long-term sickness absence was 6.5% in men and 8.9% in women. Both men and women with severe depressive symptoms (≤52 points) were at increased risk of long-term sickness absence during follow-up (men: HR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.18, 6.12; women: HR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.25, 4.11), after adjustment for demographic, health related, and lifestyle factors. When we divided the depressive symptom scores into quartiles, we found no significant effects with regard to long-term sickness absence. Severe depressive symptoms, as measured with the MHI-5, increased the risk of future long-term sickness absence in the general Danish working population. However, effects were not linear, but occurred mostly only in those employees with high levels of depressive symptoms.
154 citations
TL;DR: Employment in occupations involving exposure to work related threats and violence is a risk factor for depression and stress related disorders in both sexes and have implications for health and safety at work policies.
Abstract: Objective: To examine the risk of depression and stress related disorders as a function of occupational exposure to violence and threats. Design: Population based nested case-control study. Setting: All gainfully employed Danes. Cases and controls: 14 166 hospital inpatients and outpatients, aged 18–65, treated for affective or stress related disorders during 1995–1998 selected from The Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register and 58 060 controls matched for age, sex, and time, drawn from Statistics Denmark’s Integrated Database for Labour Market Research. Main outcome measure: Clinical psychiatric diagnosis (WHO ICD-10) of affective (F30–39) or stress related (F40–48) disorders compared with controls by the occupation held the year before treatment. The occupation held the year before treatment was used as exposure proxy. Results: Potential exposure to occupational violence is associated with significantly increased relative risks of both disorders in either sex (women: depression RR 1.45 CI 1.27 to 1.65, stress RR 1.32 CI 1.19 to 1.46; men: depression RR 1.48 CI 1.18 to 1.86, stress RR 1.55 CI 1.29 to 1.84). Work related threats are associated with increase in the risk of depression in women (RR 1.48 CI 1.23 to 1.79) and the risk of stress related disorders in men (RR 1.59 CI 1.32 to 1.91). Risks rose with increasing prevalence of violence and threats. The results remain significant and only slightly attenuated after controlling for extent of professional contact with people other than colleagues. Conclusions: Employment in occupations involving exposure to work related threats and violence is a risk factor for depression and stress related disorders in both sexes. These findings have implications for health and safety at work policies.
133 citations
TL;DR: The study showed that differences in work environment exposures account for 40% of the cases of high sickness absence, suggesting a potential for reducing sickness absence through multifactorial interventions towards smoking, obesity, physical and psychosocial work environment Exposure.
Abstract: Aim To investigate the associations between psychosocial and physical work environment exposures and sickness absence from work taking into account health, health behaviour and employer characteristics known to affect sickness absence. Methods In 1995, a random sample of 5574 employees aged 18-64 years were interviewed. In 2000, 3792 of those still employed supplied data on days absent from work the year preceding the date of follow-up. Associations between risk factors at baseline and sickness absence at follow-up were studied. Logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Sickness absence was associated with working with arms lifted/hands twisted, extreme bending/stooping of the back/neck, repetitive monotonous work, low skill discretion, low decision authority, obesity, current and former smoking, poor self-rated health, female gender, increasing age and public employer. The aetiological fraction attributable to differences in work environment exposures was calculated to be 40%. Conclusion The study suggests a potential for reducing sickness absence through multifactorial interventions towards smoking, obesity, physical and psychosocial work environment exposures. The study showed that differences in work environment exposures account for 40% of the cases of high sickness absence.
132 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a prospective follow-up of a representative sample of gainfully employed Danes, considering known or suspected confounding factors, was performed to estimate the risk of circulatory disease.
Abstract: Background: Previous studies of the risk of heart disease after shift work reached different estimates and review authors disagree about the validity of some of the studies. A cross sectional study showed that shift workers had a higher prevalence of nearly every unfavourable work environment factor investigated. Conflicts at work and low decision latitude were more frequent among shift workers, and all-day walking or standing work and part-time jobs were more often found among female shift workers. Objectives: To estimate the risk of circulatory disease in a prospective follow up of a representative sample of gainfully employed Danes, considering known or suspected confounding factors. Methods: A cohort of 5517 people who were gainfully employed in 1990 were followed up for all hospital treatments due to circulatory diseases (390–458, ICD-8; I00–I99, ICD-10) from 1991 to 2002 inclusive. A log linear Poisson regression model was applied to control confounding factors and calculate the relative risk for 927 men and women working nights, evenings, or other non-day shifts compared to 4579 day workers. Results: Non-day workers compared to day workers had a relative risk (RR) for all circulatory diseases of 1.31 (95% CI 1.06–1.63). Without control for BMI and smoking, the RR estimate was 1.33 (95% CI 1.07–1.65). For a subgroup of workers with at least three years’ seniority, the RR was 1.40 (95% CI 1.09–1.81). The population based aetiological fraction of shift work was estimated to 5%. Conclusion: This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that shift work carries an excess risk of circulatory diseases.
103 citations
TL;DR: The findings are not corroborating the hypothesis that hairdressers are at increased risk of infertility, but small risks in the entire group or high risks in small subgroups may not be detected by the study.
Abstract: Background One in seven married couples is involuntarily infertile. Several chemical exposures in the work environment have been hypothesized to affect female reproduction, and some are present in products used in hairdressing and related trades. Recent Swedish findings indicate that employment in hairdressing poses a risk for female reproductive function. This study examined the possible association between work as a hairdresser and subsequent hospital contact due to female infertility. Methods A cohort of all women in Denmark aged 20-44 years on 1 January 1998 (baseline) and registered as economically active hairdressers, according to national registers, was formed to calculate age-standardized risk ratios (RRs) for hospital contacts due to female infertility during a 5-year follow-up period. Hairdressers were compared to a standard population, that is, all economically active women in Denmark aged 20-44 years at baseline, and to women working as shop assistants. Results Sixty-eight cases of hospital contact due to female infertility were observed among the female hairdressers. On the basis of the standard population, the expected number was 73.27, which gives an observed RR of 0.928 (95% CI: 0.72-1.18). Hairdressers and shop assistants exhibited similar rates of hospital contact due to female infertility (1.01; 95% CI: 0.77-1.29). Conclusion The findings are not corroborating the hypothesis that hairdressers are at increased risk of infertility, but small risks in the entire group or high risks in small subgroups may not be detected by the study.
21 citations