Longitudinal associations of effort and reward at work with changes in cognitive function: evidence from a national study of U.S. workers.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine longitudinal associations of workplace effort and reward with changes in cognitive function among United States workers. METHODS: Data from the national, population-based Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study with a 9-year follow-up were used. Validated workplace effort and reward scales were measured at baseline, and cognitive outcomes (including composite cognition, episodic memory, and executive functioning) were measured with the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) at baseline and follow-up. Multivariable linear regression analyses based on generalized estimating equations (GEE) examined the longitudinal associations under study. RESULTS: Among this worker sample of 1,399, after accounting for demographics, socioeconomics, lifestyle behaviors, health conditions, and job control, high reward at baseline was associated with increased composite cognition (regression coefficient: 0.118 [95% CI: 0.049, 0.187]), episodic memory (0.106 [0.024, 0.188]), and executive functioning (0.123 [0.055, 0.191]) during follow-up. The joint exposure of 'high effort and high reward' was also associated with increased composite cognition (0.130 [0.030, 0.231]), episodic memory (0.131 [0.012, 0.250]), and executive functioning (0.117 [0.017, 0.216]), while the combination of 'low effort and high reward' was associated with increased composite cognition (0.106 [0.009, 0.204]) and executive functioning (0.139 [0.042, 0.235]). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that workplace high reward is related to improved cognitive scores among United States workers. Future research should investigate larger cohorts over longer timespans and expand into disease outcomes such as dementia. If these findings emerge as causal, relevant workplace rewards to promote worker cognitive health should be considered.

Discrimination in the Workplace Linked to Psychological Distress: A Longitudinal Study in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between workplace discrimination and psychological distress across nine years using data from the Midlife in the Unites States (MIDUS) study. METHODS: Workplace discrimination was measured with a validated 6-item scale at baseline with three categories (low, intermediate, and high), and psychological distress was measured with the Kessler-6 scale at baseline and follow-up. In total, 1,546 workers were analyzed by linear regression. RESULTS: High levels of workplace discrimination were significantly associated with increased psychological distress at follow-up (crude ß = 0.633, 95% CI = 0.307, 0.959). After adjusting for demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and health-related behaviors, associations were slightly attenuated (fully adjusted ß = 0.447, 95% CI = 0.115, 0.780). CONCLUSIONS: High workplace discrimination was longitudinally associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Organizations should actively prevent discrimination which may improve workers' mental health consequently.

Working Conditions and Wellbeing among Prison Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Comparison to Community Nurses.

The psychological health and work challenges of nurses working in prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic are understudied. We evaluated the work and wellbeing characteristics of a California prison nurse group, with a comparison to those of a community nurse group. From May to November 2020, an online survey measured psychosocial and organizational work factors, sleep habits, psychological characteristics, COVID-19 impacts, and pre-pandemic recall among 62 prison nurses and 47 community nurses. Prison nurses had significantly longer work hours (54.73 ± 14.52, p < 0.0001), higher pandemic-related work demands, and less sleep hours (5.36 ± 1.30, p < 0.0001) than community nurses. Community nurses had significantly higher pandemic-related fear levels (work infection: p = 0.0115, general: p = 0.0025) and lower perceived personal protective equipment (PPE) supply (p = 0.0103). Between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, both groups had significantly increased night shift assignments and decreased sleep hours, but the prison group had increased work hours. Although not statistically significant, both groups had high occupational stress and prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Our results indicate that prison nurses experienced work and wellbeing challenges during the pandemic. Future research and practice ought to address nurses' workload, PPE, and psychological resources in correctional facilities and healthcare organizations.

Associations of COVID-19 Related Work Stressors with Psychological Distress: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Californian Workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert immense societal impacts, with recent data showing inequitable distribution of consequences among racial and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to assess associations between COVID-related work stressors and psychological distress, with special emphasis on differences by race and ethnicity. Data were from the population-based California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2020. Associations of individual and cumulative work stressors, including job loss, reduced work hours, and working from home, with psychological distress in 12,113 workers were examined via multivariable linear regression, and stratified analyses were conducted for racial and ethnic subgroups. After adjustment for covariates, compared to workers with no work stressors, those who experienced either one or two/more work stressors had higher psychological distress (ßs and 95% CIs were 0.80 [0.51, 1.09] and 1.98 [1.41, 2.56], respectively). Notably, experiencing cumulative (two/more) work stressors had much stronger effects on psychological distress among participants who were Black (ß and 95% CI were 3.51 [1.09, 5.93]) or racial minorities (ß and 95% CI were 3.57 [1.10, 6.05]). Occupational consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased psychological distress in Californian workers and inequitably distributed, with racial and ethnic minorities suffering the greatest burden.