title: The relations between psychosocial factors at work and health status among workers in home care organizations.
abstract: A considerable proportion of sickness absence and disability pension is caused by subjective health complaints, especially low back pain (LBP). In recent years focus has been on psychosocial characteristics of work as potential risk factors. The aim of this study is to examine the relations between psychosocial work aspects and subjective health complaints, LBP, and need for recovery. A total of 779 employees working in home care participated in a cross-sectional study. Higher psychological demands were associated with subjective health complaints and need for recovery. However, decision authority, skill discretion, and the 2 aspects of social support did not seem to be important factors. Higher psychological demands do not seem to be associated with severity of LBP, but does show an association with sick leave.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Public Health, University of Bergen and Unifob Health, Norway. hege.eriksen@unifob.uib.no
authors.forename: Hege R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ihlebaek
authors.forename: Jeroen P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burdorf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009426:Netherlands; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*