Marie-Eve Blanc

Work and High-Risk Alcohol Consumption in the Canadian Workforce

This study examined the associations between occupational groups; work-organization conditions based on task design; demands, social relations, and gratifications; and weekly high-risk alcohol consumption among Canadian workers. A secondary data analysis was performed on Cycle 2.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada in 2003. The sample consisted of 76,136 employees 15 years of age and older nested in 2,451 neighbourhoods. High-risk alcohol consumption is defined in accordance with Canadian guidelines for weekly low-risk alcohol consumption. The prevalence of weekly high-risk alcohol consumption is estimated to be 8.1% among workers. The results obtained using multilevel logistic regression analysis suggest that increased work hours and job insecurity are associated with elevated odds of high-risk alcohol consumption. Gender female, older age, being in couple and living with children associated with lower odds of high-risk drinking, while increased education, smoking, physical activities, and, and economic status were associated with higher odds. High-risk drinking varied between neighbourhoods, and gender moderates the contribution of physical demands. The results suggest that work made a limited contribution and non-work factors a greater contribution to weekly high-risk alcohol consumption. Limits and implications of these results are discussed.

The Contribution of Work and Non-work Factors to the Onset of Psychological Distress : An Eight-year Prospective Study of a Representative Sample of Employees in Canada

The Contribution of Work and Non‐work Factors to the Onset of Psychological Distress: An Eight‐year Prospective Study of a Representative Sample of Employees in Canada: Alain Marchand, et al. School of Industrial Relations, University of Montreal, Canada

Occupation, Work Organization Conditions, and Alcohol Misuse in Canada: An 8-Year Longitudinal Study

This study investigated the specific contribution of occupations and work organization conditions to the onset and recurrent alcohol misuse in Canadian workers between 1994–1995 and 2002–2003. Longitudinal data were derived from Statistics Canadas National Population Health Survey, totaling 6,526 and 6,582 workers (45% females) nested in 1,337 and 1,413 neighborhoods for onset and recurrent alcohol misuse, respectively. Data were analyzed with multilevel logistic regression models. Results suggested a limited contribution for work factors to the onset of alcohol misuse, a stronger influence for them on recurrent alcohol misuse. The studys limitations are discussed.

Work and non-work stressors, psychological distress and obesity: evidence from a 14-year study on Canadian workers

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of work, non-work and individual factors to obesity with regard to gender-related differences, and to clarify the mediating role that psychological distress plays in these dynamics in Canada from 1994 to 2008 using the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS). Design Longitudinal. Settings The NPHS is a randomised longitudinal cohort study with biennial interviews of the Canadian adult population from 18 to 64. Participants 5925 non-obese workers in cycle 1 (49% were women). Measurements Obesity was measured using the body mass index (BMI), with a threshold of BMI >30 kg/m2. BMI was corrected in accordance with the recommendations of Connor Gorber et al to adjust for gender bias in responses. Results Of the work characteristics evaluated, only decision authority was associated with obesity for women but not for men. Living as a couple, child-related strains, psychotropic drug use, hypertension, being physically inactive and low psychological distress were obesity risk factors but were not moderated by gender. Overall, psychological distress did not mediate the associations that work factors have on obesity. Conclusions Our study suggests that men and women differ little in the extent to which work, non-work and individual factors predict obesity. However, for women, the level of decision authority is associated with a lower obesity risk. In addition, psychological distress did not mediate the contribution of work factors and actually seems, contrary to expectations, to decrease the obesity risk when work, non-work and individual factors are taken into account.

Exposure to Work and Nonwork Stressors and the Development of Heart Disease Among Canadian Workers Aged 40 Years and Older: A 16-year Follow-up Study (1994 to 2010)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of work, nonwork, and individual factors to self-reported heart disease, and to evaluate gender-related differences over a period of 16 years among Canadian workers aged 40 years and more. Methods: Using the National Population Health Survey (NPHS, 1994 to 2010), we estimated multilevel logistic regression models (N = 2996). Results: Couple-related strains, being a man, age, hypertension, and body mass index, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. In analysis stratified by gender, physical demands at work and having high child-related strains were associated with heart disease specifically among women. Psychotropic drug use increased the risk of heart disease only in men. Conclusion: Our study suggests that work stressors measured by Statistics Canada NPHS are largely not associated with the risk of heart disease, except in women exposed to physical demands at work.