Affiliations: Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg,
Göteborg, Sweden | Department of Analysis and Forecasts, Statistical
Analysis Unit, Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Agency, Sweden | Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of
Insurance Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Social Medicine, Department of Public Health and
Community Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg,
Göteborg, Sweden | Department of Clinical Neuroscience and
Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska
Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Kristina Holmgren, Social Medicine,
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at
the University of Gothenburg, PO Box 453, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
Tel.: +46 31 786 6863; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Introduction: Earlier research has shown that bad psychosocial
working conditions contribute to sick-leave. Some theorists argue that skewed
gender composition can be one of the factors contributing to bad psychosocial
working conditions. Objectives: We examine whether workplace gender composition has an
effect on the association between job strain and sick-leave. Methods and participants: Associations were assessed using a
case-control study with Swedish data collected in 2008 (n=5595). Results: Results indicated that there was an association between
high strain jobs and sickness absence among both women (Adj. OR 2.04, CI95%
1.62–2.57) and men (2.24, 1.67–3.01). Furthermore, both women
(2.87, 1.34–6.26) and men (2.53, 1.74–3.69) in male-dominated
workplaces had the highest risk for sickness absence due to high strain jobs.
Male-dominated workplaces were, in general adverse for both women and men. Conclusions: The results indicated that a minority position
strengthens job strain for women while it weakens the association for men.
Using modern gender theories, we could argue that some of these results might
be explained by the general use of masculinity as the social norm in the labor
market. However, findings from this study need to be validated by further
research.
Keywords: Gender composition, job strain, psychosocial working conditions, sickness absence
