The association between study characteristics and outcome in the relation between job stress and cardiovascular disease - a multilevel meta-regression analysis.

Objectives: Studies about job strain and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have yielded inconsistent results, which hinders making a firm conclusion about the association. Inconsistent findings may be the result of methodological differences. If the relative CVD risk is influenced by methodological differences, these differences should be explored in more detail in future research to clarify which methodological characteristics are inherent to obtain the most accurate estimate between job strain and CVD risk.

Depressed mood in the working population: associations with work schedules and working hours.

The impact of working time arrangements (WTA) on health has been studied extensively. Still, little is known about the interrelation between work schedules, working hours, and depressed mood. For work schedules, the underlying assumptions regarding depressed mood refer to a disturbance of social and biological rhythms, whereas for working hours, the assumptions relate to workload and work capacity.

Fatigue and job stress as predictors for sickness absence during common infections.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of health and work-related factors as predictors of subsequent sickness absence when experiencing common infections (common cold, flu-like illness, and gastroenteritis). Self-administered questionnaire data were used (baseline n = 12,140). To perform the analysis, employees reporting common infections in the final questionnaire were selected.

Cancer mortality in a cohort of licensed herbicide applicators.

Objectives: In order to expand our knowledge on the possible long-term health effects of exposure to herbicides, we updated the follow-up of a cohort of 1341 licensed herbicide applicators in the Netherlands. The earlier report indicated that there might be an increased risk for multiple myeloma in this group. Although that finding was statistically significant, the result was based on a small number of cases.

Common infections and the role of burnout in a Dutch working population.

Objective: To determine if burnout is a risk factor for common cold, flu-like illness and gastroenteritis.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 12,140 employees at baseline, using three consecutive self-administered questionnaires. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) was used to define employees with burnout complaints (Level 1) and clinical burnout (Level 2).

Job insecurity as a risk factor for common infections and health complaints.

The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal effect of job insecurity on common infections and health complaints. Self-administered questionnaire data from the Maastricht Cohort Study (n = 12, 140) were used. We used Generalized Estimating Equations analyses to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals.

Prevalence of common infections among employees in different work schedules.

This study examined the prevalence of common infections among employees in different work schedules. Self-administered questionnaire data from the Maastricht Cohort Study on "Fatigue at Work" (n = 12,140) were used. Job title was used as a matching variable between day and shift workers to control for their different work environment.