Journal Article

Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

Stenfors, Cecilia U. D., Oxenstierna, Gabriel, Nilsson, Lars-Göran, Magnusson Hanson, Linda, Theorell, Töres

2013

Overview

Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints. High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, under qualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and over qualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders. Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and under qualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders. The associations between quantitative demands and future cognitive complaints were stronger in women. The findings indicate that psychosocial working conditions should be taken into account when considering cognitive complaints among employees.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Burnout / Cognition - physiology / Cognitive ability / Cognitive disorders / Cognitive impairment / Communication / Conflict, Psychological / Conflicts / Cross-Sectional Studies / Decision making / Depression - psychology / Educational Status / Employees / Female / Follow-Up / Gender / General-Population / Health aspects / Humans / Information technology / Intragroup Conflict / Job Demand-Control / Leadership / Male / Medicine / Memory / Mental-Health / Middle Aged / Occupational Health / Older-People / Physiological aspects / Population-Based Sample / Prospective Studies / Psychology / psykologi / Public health / Regression analysis / Self-Rated Health / Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - psychology / Social and Behavioral Sciences / Social aspects / Social interactions / Social Support / Stress Reactions / Stress, Psychological / Studies / Subjective Memory Complaints / Women / Workers / Working conditions / Workload - psychology / Workload - statistics & numerical data / Workplace - psychology