Clas-Håkan Nygård

Background: The findings regarding mortality risk attributable to psychosocial and physical work demands are inconsistent. Pooled estimates using participant-level data from multiple cohort studies may provide more conclusive evidence. Methods: Four prospective cohort studies conducted in England, Finland, France, and the USA were used (age 36–62 years; n = 41 760). We studied 34 903 and 36 076 individuals who had baseline (1981–2005) information on self-reported psychosocial and physical work demands, respectively. All-cause mortality until the year 2018 was ascertained through linkage to national registers, National Death Index, and company databases. We investigated the associations of psychosocial and physical demands with all-cause mortality separately for females and males using Cox regression models that were adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Using random-effects meta-analysis, we calculated pooled estimates of all-cause mortality for moderate and high exposure levels. Results: During the mean follow-up of 25 years, 2105 deaths occurred among females and 5048 deaths occurred among males with information on psychosocial demands. The corresponding numbers for those with information on physical demands were 2176 and 5101. Fully adjusted models indicated that psychosocial demands were associated with both lower and higher all-cause mortality risks in both sexes. Physical demands increased the risk of all-cause mortality in both sexes and the association was strongest among males with moderate exposure levels (pooled hazard ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.19). Conclusion: The relationship between psychosocial work demands and all-cause mortality remains inconclusive, whereas moderate physical work demands increase the mortality risk among males.

The proportion of elderly citizens is continuously increasing in most of the industrial world

Background: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, many employees were forced to suddenly shift to working from home (WFH). How this disruption of work affected employees’ work ability is not known. In this study, we investigated the developmental profiles of work ability among Finnish higher education employees in a one-year follow-up during the enforced WFH. Secondly, we investigated demographic, organizational, and ergonomic factors associated with the developmental profiles. Methods: A longitudinal web-survey was conducted with four measurement points (April 2020–February 2021). Employees of a Finnish university who answered the questionnaire at baseline and at least at two follow-up surveys (n = 678) were included (71% women, 45% teachers/research staff, 44% supporting staff, 11% hired students). Perceived work ability was measured on a scale of 1–5 in all timepoints. Latent class growth curve analysis was used to identify profiles of work ability. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the associations of demographic factors, perceived stress, musculoskeletal pain, functionality of home for work, and organizational support with the work ability profiles. Results: Six distinct work ability profiles were identified. For most (75%), work ability remained stable during the follow-up. A total of 17% had a favourable trend (very good-stable or increasing) of work ability, and 8% had non-favourable (poor-stable or decreasing). Poor ergonomics at home, low organizational support, high stress, and musculoskeletal pain were associated with non-favourable development of work ability. Conclusions: Heterogeneity in development of work ability during forced WFH was found. Several factors were identified through which work ability can be supported.

We first clarify the definition of sustainable employability, and then we study how the indicators of sustainable employability among older Finnish postal service employees have changed over time. Finally, we estimate the effect of age on these indicators in a two-year follow up. A questionnaire survey among the Finnish postal service employees was conducted in 2016, and a follow-up was conducted in 2018. We analyze data from 1262 subjects who replied to both the baseline and the follow-up surveys. Sustainable employability is defined as a multidimensional construct using nine indicators and covering three domains (health, well-being and employability) based on Fleuren and colleagues’ model. Measurement time (repeated measure) is used as a within-subjects factor, and age is used as a between-subjects factor. The estimated marginal means of the indicators of sustainable employability at the baseline and the follow-up by age in years are calculated. No significant change is found in eight indicators (work ability, time and resources, recovery after work, job satisfaction, motivation, perceived employment, enough training on the job and relevance of work) of sustainable employability after the two-year follow-up. We find a statistically significant effect of time on self-rated health (F = 6.56, p = 0.011). Six out of nine indicators (self-rated health, work ability, time and resources, recovery after work, job satisfaction, and perceived employment) have a statistically significant effect of age between subjects. Partial Eta Squared (ŋ²_p) shows a very small difference in the indicators of sustainable employability during the follow-up, indicating that the employability of the workers was sustained throughout. We used the Fleuren model as the basis for our definition of sustainable employability. Although they are based on single items, these indicators of sustainable employability remain stable after the two-year follow-up. Significant effects of age between subjects are found for six out of nine indicators. The results suggest that age may be an important determinant of sustainable employability.

Tutkimuksessa analysoidaan etäkotihoitotyötä työntekijöiden kokeman työn muutoksen ja työn kuormituksen näkökulmasta. Lisäksi tarkastellaan etäkotihoitotyön tarjoamia mahdollisuuksia työrajoitteisten työntekijöiden työurien pidentämiseen. Aineiston muodostivat Helsingin kaupungin Palvelukeskuksen etähoidossa työskentelevät hoitajat (n=14), joista puolet työskenteli niin sanotusti uudelleensijoitettuna tuki­ ja liikuntaelinperäisen vaivan tai vamman vuoksi. Haastateltavat olivat 22–59­-vuotiaita naisia. Aineisto kerättiin teemahaastatteluina videopuhelun välityksellä elo–lokakuussa 2019 ja helmikuussa 2020. Tulokset osoittavat, että ääni­kuvayhteyden kautta tapahtuva kotihoitotyö on muuttanut sekä työn sisältöjä että työssä tarvittavia valmiuksia. Digitaalisessa asiakassuhteessa korostuvat entisestään luottamus sekä verbaalinen vuorovaikutus ja ohjaus. Kiire ja asiakassoittojen aikataulupaine aiheuttavat työntekijöille psyykkistä kuormitusta. Etäkotihoidossa fyysiset, raskaat asiakassiirrot ja ­nostot jäävät pois, mutta tilalle ovat tulleet istuma­ ja näyttöpäätetyölle tyypilliset yläraajojen ja hartiaseudun rasitustilat. Kaikki haastatellut uudelleensijoitetut työntekijät kokivat, että etähoitotyö oli mahdollistanut heidän työuransa jatkumisen. Haastateltujen etähoitajien mielestä etäkotihoito täydentää ja monimuotoistaa hyvin sekä kotihoitotyötä että palvelutarjontaa.

Purpose: To study the workers’ perception of the quality of work community and its association with intention to retire early, separately among women and men working in Finnish postal service. Methods: A questionnaire survey was sent to all Finnish postal services employees aged ≥ 50 years in 2016 and 44% (n = 2096) replied to the survey (mean age 56.3, 40% women). Employee’s intention to retire before statutory retirement was measured on a scale of 1–5 and dichotomized. The quality of work community was defined by four composite variables: equality at work, flexibility at work, supportive work environment and health or other reason and trichotomized by their tercile values. Odds ratio (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of quality of work community with intention to retire were calculated separately for men and women using log binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results: About one-third of respondents intended to retire early with no significant gender difference in retirement intention. Low equality at work (women OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.60–4.81; men 2.84, 1.80–4.48) and low flexibility at work (women 3.30, 1.94–5.60; men 2.91, 1.88–4.50) was associated with higher likelihood of intention to retire. Among women intention to retire was found less likely due to low supportive work environment (0.52, 0.31–0.89) and among men due to intermediate health or other reason (0.65, 043–0.98). Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of the quality of work community as well as the promotion of work-related health in order to encourage employees to remain at workforce for longer.

This study aimed to identify trajectories of low back pain (LBP) over a 16-year follow-up from midlife to retirement and investigate their association with mobility limitations and disability in activities of daily living (ADL-disability) in later life. The study population consisted of 6257 baseline (1981) respondents aged 44–58 years from Finnish Longitudinal study on Aging Municipal Employees. Repeated measurements of LBP were collected in 1985, 1992 and 1997. We studied persons who had data on LBP at baseline and in at least one of the follow-ups and had information on mobility limitations (n = 2305) and ADL-disability (n = 2359) at a 28-year follow-up in 2009. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify LBP trajectories. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of LBP trajectory and later life mobility limitations and ADL-disability were estimated and adjusted for confounders. Three LBP trajectories with parallel shapes were identified: high-decreasing (19%), intermediate-stable (60%) and low (21%). After adjustment for confounders, high-decreasing trajectory had 3.2 times the odds (95% CI 2.1–4.9) of mobility limitations and 2.9 times the odds (95% CI 2.0–4.2) of ADL-disability as compared to low trajectory. The respective ORs for intermediate-stable trajectory were 1.6 (95% CI 1.2–2.1) and 1.7 (95% CI 1.3–2.3). Among majority of respondents, LBP remained stable over the follow-up. The respondents belonging to intermediate-stable and high-decreasing trajectories of LBP had higher odds of mobility limitations and ADL-disability at old age. This highlights that LBP during midlife to retirement has far-reached consequences on functional ability at old age.