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Associations of combining paid work and family care with gender-specific differences in depressive symptoms among older workers and the role of work characteristics

Authors :
Femmy M Bijnsdorp
Allard J van der Beek
Marjolein I Broese van Groenou
Karin I Proper
Swenneke G van den Heuvel
Cécile RL Boot
Source :
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, Vol 48, Iss 3, Pp 190-199 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH), 2022.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to provide insight into (i) how the combination of paid work and family care is longitudinally associated with gender-related differences in depressive symptoms and (ii) the role of work characteristics in this association. METHODS: Data were derived from STREAM, a Dutch prospective cohort study of older workers aged 45–64 years. Respondents were included if they were employed in at least one measurement between 2015 and 2017 (N=12 447). Mixed-models were applied to disentangle between-person (BP) and within-person (WP) effects of family caregiving on depressive symptoms. Analyses were stratified by gender. Work characteristics (social support, autonomy, emotional and mental workload) were separately added to the multivariable models. RESULTS: For older employees, family caregiving was positively associated with depressive symptoms between and within persons for both women [BP B=0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52–1.08; WP B=0.32, 95% CI 0.08–0.56] and men (BP B=0.75, 95% CI 0.45–1.05; WP B=0.25, 95% CI 0.01–0.48). Social support at work reduced the adverse effect of family care on depressive symptoms for women (BP) and men (BP and WP). Emotional workload partly explained the effect of family care for both women and men (BP). CONCLUSIONS: The longitudinal association between family care and mental health was similar for male and female employees. Resources at work (ie, social support) could protect caregiving employees against depressive symptoms. More research is needed regarding the relative impact of the care context compared to the work context of working family caregivers.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
03553140 and 1795990X
Volume :
48
Issue :
3
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.74cfc5b046394965beccc66cc128b273
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4014