Affiliations: ArboNed Corporate Accounts, Zwolle, The
Netherlands | ArboNed, Groningen, The Netherlands | Department of Social Medicine, University Medical
Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Note: [] Address for correspondence: C.A.M. Roelen, ArboNed Corporate
Accounts, PO Box 158, 8000 AD Zwolle, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 38 4554700;
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Background: General health in the working population is thought to
depend on working conditions. Objective: This survey studied job demands and health
complaints in working white and blue collar employees. We expect physical and
psychological job demands to be differentially distributed among white and blue
collar workers. Do they report health complaints consistent with their working
conditions? Method: Cross-sectional study of 323 white and 383 blue collar
workers. They completed the Basic Occupational Health Questionnaire, a valid
and reliable self-report questionnaire about health, work and working
conditions. The results were analysed using Chi-square and logistic regression
analysis, controlling for educational level as a proxy of socioeconomic status.
Results: The questionnaires of 280 white and 251 blue collar
workers were suitable for analysis. White collar workers reported higher
psychological job demands, and blue collar workers reported higher physical
demands. In both occupational groups, low back pain, fatigue and upper
respiratory complaints were most common. The rates of low back pain and pain in
the lower extremity were higher in blue collar workers, as were regular
headaches, pain in the cardiac region and feeling sleepy. However, these
relationships substantially weakened when the educational level was adjusted
for. Conclusions: Despite the differential distribution of job
demands, white and blue collar workers reported similar health complaints.
Health in the working population depended predominantly on socioeconomic
status. Interventions to improve general health of employees should be directed
at their socioeconomic position instead of working conditions.
Keywords: Physical job demands, psychological job demands, occupation, blue collar, white collar, general health
