Influence of occupational stress and satisfaction on risk of depression among older workers: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

Background: Exposure to occupational stressors has been linked to poor mental health. However, few studies have examined these relationships among older workers who may have different susceptibility to negative effects of occupational stressors because of aging.

Objective: To determine the cross-sectional relationship between exposure to occupational stressors and risk of depression among older workers.

Methods: Data are from the pooled 2004/2006 waves of the Health and Retirement Survey, a nationally-representative sample of US adults aged 50+. The sample was restricted to currently employed participants who had complete data on occupational stressors (N = 2,792). Stressors were measured using a modified version of Karasek's demand-control job stress/satisfaction scale. Depression was assessed using the CESD. A series of hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between occupational stressors and risk of elevated depressive symptoms. Analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, occupational characteristics, and health behaviors (BMI, smoking status, and alcohol use).

Results: In fully-adjusted models, higher job stress was associated with elevated risk of depression (OR: 1.91, p<0.0001), and high job satisfaction was protective for depression (OR: 0.60, p<0.003). There was a gradient interaction between job stress and satisfaction on risk of depression: Relative to low stress/high satisfaction (reference), low stress/low satisfaction (OR: 1.57), high stress/high satisfaction (OR: 2.28), and high stress/low satisfaction (OR: 3.01), all p<0.05.

Conclusions: In this sample of working older adults, job stress and satisfaction had independent and interactive effects on risk of depression. These effects persisted after controlling for demographic and behavioral factors.