title: Psychosocial job characteristics, wealth, and culture: differential effects on mental health in the UK and Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most research on the influence of psychosocial job characteristics on health status has been conducted within affluent Western economies. This research addresses the same topic in a middle-income Southeast Asian country, enabling comparison with a Western benchmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed and compared the Health Survey for England conducted in 2010 and the Thai Cohort Study data at 2005 baseline for workers aged 35-45 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess relationships between psychosocial job characteristics and health, measured as Adjusted Odd Ratios (AOR), controlling for potential covariates in final analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both UK and Thai working adults, psychological distress was associated with job insecurity (AOR 2.58 and 2.32, respectively), inadequate coping with job demands (AOR 2.57 and 2.42), and low support by employers (AOR 1.93 and 1.84). Job autonomy was associated with psychological distress in the UK samples (AOR 2.61) but no relationship was found among Thais after adjusting for covariates (AOR 0.99). Low job security, inability to cope with job demands, and low employer support were associated with psychological distress both among Thai and UK workers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Job autonomy was an important part of a healthy work environment in Western cultures, but not in Thailand. This finding could reflect cultural differences with Thais less troubled by individualistic expression at work. Our study also highlights the implications for relevant workplace laws and regulations to minimise the adverse job effects. These public health strategies would promote mental health and wellbeing in the population.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Building 62 Mills Road, Acton 2601, Canberra, Australia. vasoontara.yieng@anu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Vasoontara
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yiengprugsawan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. alazzarino@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Antonio Ivan
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lazzarino
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. asteptoe@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Building 62 Mills Road, Acton 2601, Canberra, Australia. sam-ang.seu@stou.ac.th.|School of Human Ecology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi, Thailand. sam-ang.seu@stou.ac.th.
authors.forename: Sam-ang
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Seubsman
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Building 62 Mills Road, Acton 2601, Canberra, Australia. adrian.sleigh@anu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Adrian C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sleigh
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015279:Organizational Culture; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013785:Thailand; D006113:United Kingdom