Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

Stenfors, Cecilia U. D.; Hanson, Linda L. Magnusson; Oxenstierna, Gabriel; Theorell, Töres; Nilsson, Lars‐Göran · 2013 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060637

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Summary

This study investigates the associations between psychosocial working conditions and self-reported cognitive complaints, such as difficulties with concentration, memory, and decision-making, among Swedish employees. Motivated by the increasing cognitive demands of modern, information-intensive workplaces and the prevalence of cognitive symptoms in stress-related conditions, the research aims to determine how specific work factors influence cognitive health. The study specifically examines whether these relationships hold prospectively and how they are mediated by depressive symptoms, sleeping problems, and gender. The researchers utilized data from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH), a nationally representative sample. The analysis included a cross-sectional sample of 9,751 gainfully employed individuals (2008) and a prospective sample of 3,644 individuals surveyed at two time points two years apart (2006 and 2008). Sequential multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the impact of various psychosocial factors, including quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, skill discretion, decision authority, social support, material resources, qualification level, and workplace conflicts. Models adjusted for general confounders (e.g., age, income, health status), depressive symptoms, and sleeping problems. Prospective analyses further adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints to isolate longitudinal effects. Cross-sectional results indicated that high quantitative demands, ICT demands, underqualification, and workplace conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints. Conversely, social support, good material resources, and overqualification were negatively associated with complaints. Skill discretion and decision authority showed weak negative associations. Gender differences were observed, with conflicts more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men after adjusting for general confounders. Prospectively, high quantitative demands, ICT demands, and underqualification remained robust positive predictors of future cognitive complaints, even after adjusting for baseline complaints and health confounders. Social support was negatively associated with future complaints. Notably, the prospective association between quantitative demands and cognitive complaints was significantly stronger in women than in men. The findings suggest that psychosocial working conditions are significant determinants of cognitive complaints in the workforce. High job demands, particularly those related to quantity and ICT usage, along with underqualification and conflict, contribute to cognitive difficulties, while social support and adequate resources serve as protective factors. The study highlights that these relationships are not merely cross-sectional but predictive of future cognitive issues, independent of prior cognitive status. Furthermore, the stronger impact of quantitative demands on women suggests gender-specific vulnerabilities in workplace stress responses. These results imply that interventions aimed at reducing cognitive complaints should address specific psychosocial stressors, particularly ICT overload and quantitative pressure, while enhancing social support and resource availability.

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