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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Courtney McNamaraORCiD, Dr Viviana AlbaniORCiD, Professor Clare BambraORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.BACKGROUND: Social inequalities in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are evident across all European regions. Employment and working conditions are important determinants of NCDs, however, few comparative studies have examined how these conditions contribute to health inequalities. This study therefore examines the association of non-standard employment and poor working conditions with occupational inequalities in multiple NCDs and whether there are differences by gender and across European regions. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from 20 European countries for women and men aged 25-75 (n = 19 876), from round 7 of the European Social Survey. Data were analyzed for self-rated health (SRH) and 9 NCDs: heart/circulatory problems, high blood pressure, arm/hand pain, breathing problems, diabetes, severe headaches, cancer, obesity and depression. We used logistic regression models, stratified by gender, and adjusted rate ratios to examine whether occupational inequalities in NCDs were reduced after adjusting for non-standard employment and poor working conditions, across European regions. RESULTS: After adjustment, occupational inequalities were significantly reduced across all regions of Europe. Reductions were particularly large among the lowest occupational group and for poor-SRH, depression and obesity. For these conditions, reductions were in the range of 60-99%. CONCLUSIONS: Employment and working conditions are important determinants of occupational inequalities in NCDs. Labour market regulations should therefore be considered in the formulation of NCD prevention strategies.
Author(s): McNamara CL, Toch-Marquardt M, Albani V, Eikemo TA, Bambra C
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: European Journal of Public Health
Year: 2021
Volume: 31
Issue: 1
Pages: 181-185
Print publication date: 01/02/2021
Online publication date: 18/11/2020
Acceptance date: 02/04/2018
Date deposited: 10/05/2021
ISSN (print): 1101-1262
ISSN (electronic): 1464-360X
Publisher: Oxford University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa175
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa175
PubMed id: 33207369
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