High Psychosocial Work Demands, Decreased Well-Being, and Perceived Well-Being Needs Within Veterinary Academia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Higher psychosocial work demands in veterinary and academic professions are associated with decreased occupational, physical, and mental well-being. COVID-19 introduced far-reaching challenges that may have increased the psychosocial work demands for these populations, thereby impacting individual- and institutional-level well-being. Our objective was to investigate the psychosocial work demands, health and well-being, and perceived needs of faculty, staff, residents and interns at the Ontario Veterinary College, in Ontario, Canada, during COVID-19. A total of 157 respondents completed a questionnaire between November 2020 and January 2021, that included the Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-III) and open-text questions on perceived needs for well-being. Results showed that COPSOQ-III dimensions of quantitative demands, recognition, sense of community, burnout, stress, and depressive symptoms, were significantly worse in our study population than the Canadian norm. Quantitative and emotional demands, health and well-being (including depressive symptoms, stress, cognitive stress, somatic stress, and burnout), and work-life conflict were also reported to have worsened since the COVID-19 restrictions for most respondents. Females and caregivers had higher odds of experiencing increased work demands, and decreased health and well-being, compared to males and non-caregivers. However, male caregivers experienced worsened supervisor relations, compared to female caregivers. Social capital also worsened for clinical and part-time employees, compared to full-time and non-clinical employees. Respondents identified increased workload support, community-building, recognition of employees' capacities and personal needs, flexible work schedules, and consistent communication, as strategies to increase well-being during COVID-19 and generally. Overall, our findings suggest that COVID-19 has increased occupational demands, work-life conflicts, and decreased well-being in veterinary academia. Institutional-level interventions are discussed and recommended to aid individual and institutional well-being.

Occupational Exposures Associated with Life Expectancy without and with Disability

Policies to extend working lives often do not take into account potentially important health inequalities arising from differences in occupational exposures. Little is known about which occupational exposures are associated with these inequalities. This study aims to examine differences in life expectancy without and with disability by occupational exposures. Longitudinal data (1992–2016) on disability and physical and psychosocial work demands and resources of 2513 (former) workers aged ≥55 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were used. Gender specific life expectancies without and with disability by occupational exposures were calculated using multistate survival models. Women aged 55 years with high physical work demands had a lower life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.02–1.57 years), whereas there was no difference for men. Men and women with high psychosocial work demands and resources had a longer life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.19–2.14 years). Life expectancy with disability did not significantly differ across occupational exposures. Workers with higher psychosocial demands and resources and lower physical demands can expect to live more disability-free years. Information on occupational exposure helps to identify workers at risk for lower life expectancy, especially without disability, who may need specific support regarding their work environment.

Psychosocial work demands and physical workload decrease with ageing in blue-collar and white-collar workers: a prospective study based on the SLOSH cohort

ObjectivesPsychosocial work demands and physical workload are important causes of ill health. The dramatic demographic changes in society make it important to understand if such factors change with ageing, but this is presently not known. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether psychosocial work demands and physical workload change across 8 years of ageing, whether occupational groups show different trajectories of change and if such trajectories are reflected in sleep or fatigue.MethodsA cohort of 5377 participants (mean age: 47.6±11.6 (SD) years, 43.2% males, 40.2% blue-collar workers) was measured through self-report in five biannual waves across 8 years. Mixed model regression analyses was used to investigate change across ageing.ResultsPsychosocial work demands decreased significantly across 8 years (Coeff: −0.016±0.001), with the strongest decrease in the high white-collar group (Coeff=−0.031±0.003) and the oldest group. Physical workload also decreased significantly (Coeff=−0.032±0.002), particularly in the blue-collar group (Coeff=−0.050±0.004) and in the oldest group. Fatigue decreased, and sleep problems increased with ageing, but with similar slopes in the occupational groups. All effect sizes were small, but extrapolation suggests substantial decreases across a working life career.ConclusionsThe decrease in psychosocial work demands and physical workload suggests that the burden of work becomes somewhat lighter over 8 years. The mechanism could be ‘pure’ ageing and/or increased experience or related factors. The gradual improvement in the work situation should be considered in the discussion of the place of older individuals in the labour market, and of a suitable age for retirement. The results also mean that prospective studies of work and health need to consider the improvement in working life with ageing.

P.2.24 The effect of the exposure to work-related potentially traumatic events on occupational functioning (work limitations) among firefighters: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether firefighters’ exposure to work-related trauma events is related to work limitations that form part of social health.MethodsIn 2016, 618 firefighters from four cities in Gyeongsangnam-do participated in this study. They were analyzed using a health-related work limitations questionnaire, experience and type of work-related trauma, Korea Depression Scale, and the World Health Organization quality of life assessment instrument. The health-related work limitations consisted of three scales: ‘physical work demands,’ ‘psychosocial work demands,’ and ‘environmental work demands.’ The analysis was done by hierarchical logistic regression analysis.ResultsOf the subjects, 70.2% remembered traumatic experiences they had experienced during their job. The total work limitations were 21.5%; the limitation of physical work demands was 16.8%, that of psychosocial work demands was 15.5%, and that of environmental work demands was 13.8%. Logistic regression analysis of the final model 3 showed that, if firefighters have experience of their own risks and personal injury, physical (95% CI=1.169–9.405), psychosocial (95% CI=1.080–8.609), and environmental (95% CI=1.659–14.402), the total (95% CI=1.439–9.678) work limitation was significantly increased. When there was a memory of a terrible body or injury, the total work limitations increased significantly (95% CI=1.092–3.905).ConclusionsWhen firefighters are exposed to trauma events during their jobs, these have a negative impact on their work. In order to protect and improve the occupational functions of firefighters, effective prevention and management of work-related trauma incidents should be considered.

Musculoskeletal disorders among workers in plastic manufacturing plants

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have indicated an association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and physical work demands. Psychosocial work demands have also been identified as possible risk factors, but findings have been inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate factors associated with upper back, neck and upper limb MSD among workers from 14 plastic manufacturing companies located in the city of Salvador, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to survey a stratified proportional random sample of 577 workers. Data were collected by questionnaire interviews. Factor analysis was carried out on 11 physical demands variables. Psychosocial work demands were measured by demand, control and social support questions. The role of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and household tasks was also examined. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors related to upper back, neck and upper limb MSDs. RESULTS: Results from multiple logistic regression showed that distal upper limb MSDs were related to manual handling, work repetitiveness, psychosocial demands, job dissatisfaction, and gender. Neck, shoulder or upper back MSDs were related to manual handling, work repetitiveness, psychosocial demands, job dissatisfaction, and physical unfitness. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders requires: improving the work environment, reducing biomechanical risk factors, and replanning work organization. Programs must also be aware of gender specificities related to MSDs.

Interactions between physical and psychosocial demands of work associated to low back pain

OBJECTIVE: To examine the interaction between physical and psychosocial demands of work associated to low back pain. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in a stratified proportional random sample of 577 plastic industry workers in the metropolitan area of the city of Salvador, Northeast Brazil in 2002. An anonymous standard questionnaire was administered in the workplace by trained interviewers. Physical demands at work were self-rated on a 6-point numeric scale, with anchors at each end of the scale. Factor analysis was carried out on 11 physical demand variables to identify underlying factors. Psychosocial work demands were measured by demand, control and social support questions. Multivariate analysis was performed using the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: The factor analysis identified two physical work demand factors: material handling (factor 1) and repetitiveness (factor 2). The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that factor 1 was positively associated with low back pain (OR=2.35, 95% CI 1.50;3.66). No interaction was found between physical and psychosocial work demands but both were independently associated to low back pain. CONCLUSIONS: The study found independent effects of physical and psychosocial work demands on low back pain prevalence and emphasizes the importance of physical demands especially of material handling involving trunk bending forward and trunk rotation regardless of age, gender, and body fitness.