In a recent paper published by BMC Public Health a team of researchers including DRIVERS' Johannes Siegrist describe the effects of work-related stress on depression in older employees.
Using data from three longitudinal ageing studies (SHARE, HRS, ELSA), including 5650 men and women in 13 countries, they find significantly increased chances of depressive symptoms two years later among participants experiencing work-related stress in terms of effort-reward imbalance and low job control. In addition, they find that social and labour policies reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms resulting from effort-reward imbalance. Explaining the results, they suggest that the health threatening stress response of effort-reward imbalance at work may be less pronounced in a 'protective policy context', because job insecurity may seem less threatening if social protection exists. Conversely, work-related stress and resultant depressive symptoms may be much more pronounced in a non-protective policy environment.
These results hold importance in the context of an ageing society and high levels of early labour market exit due to ill health, as they indicate that more ambitious social (protection) spending modifies the health threatening effect of effort-reward imbalance. Furthermore, they show that action is needed in two distinct areas: 1) action to tackle effort-reward and low work control in the workplace, 2) action to support and improve social protection policies.
DRIVERS is building on this knowledge base, and will publish a series of reports over the coming year to highlight specific actions that may be taken to improve health and reduce health inequalities in Europe.
To read the paper, click here.
