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Do Sleep Problems Explain the Association Between Work Stress and the Trajectories of Work Ability From Midlife to
Marika Kontturi1, Prakash Kc, Jenni Ervasti
1From the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland (M.K., P.K., K.H., M.V.); Unit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland (P.KC.); Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland (P.KC., J.P., J.V., S.S.); Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland (J.E.); Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (J.P.); Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland (S.M.); Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland (J.V., S.S.); and Division of Insurance Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (M.V.).
Objective:
This study examined whether mid-life work stress, defined as job strain and effort-reward imbalance (ERI), predicts work ability trajectories observed 12 years preceding the individual pensionable age. In addition, the role of sleep problems as a mediator in these associations was examined.
Methods:
Survey data were collected from 2707 Finnish municipal employees.
Results:
Identified work ability trajectories were "stable excellent," "stable good," "moderate," and "low decreasing." Baseline job strain and ERI were associated with a greater likelihood of belonging to impaired work ability trajectories when compared with "stable good" trajectory. Baseline sleep problems explained the association of job strain by 38% and of ERI by 54%.
Conclusions:
Mid-life work stress is associated with work ability in the last years preceding pensionable age. Sleep problems might be a potential mediator in these associations.
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