The Impact of Psychosocial and Physical Work Experience on Mental Health: A Nested Case Control Study

This investigation is a nested case control study based on a large cohort of sawmill workers employed in 14 sawmills in British Columbia (BC) in Western Canada. The purpose of the study was to assess the association between objectively measured physical and psychosocial work conditions and objectively measured mental health outcomes using a longitudinal study design. The investigation ensured that all cases and controls were free of mental health disease for a 5-year period prior to commencement of the study. The study found that Sikh sawmill workers had elevated odds for all the mental health outcomes investigated, and that workers with low duration of employment had elevated odds for adjustment reaction and acute reaction to stress. After controlling for sociodemographic and nonphysical/nonpsychosocial work condition confounders, high psychological demand was associated with elevated odds for neurotic disorder.