RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Neighbourhood socioeconomic status, health and working conditions of school teachers
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 326
OP 330
DO 10.1136/jech.2006.052878
VO 61
IS 4
A1 Virtanen, Marianna
A1 Kivimäki, Mika
A1 Elovainio, Marko
A1 Linna, Anne
A1 Pentti, Jaana
A1 Vahtera, Jussi
YR 2007
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/61/4/326.abstract
AB Objective: To investigate the associations of workplace neighbourhood socioeconomic status with health behaviours, health and working conditions among school teachers. Method: The survey responses and employer records of 1862 teachers were linked to census data on school neighbourhood socioeconomic status. In the multilevel analysis, adjustments were made for demographics, work factors and the socioeconomic status of the teacher’s own residential area. Setting: 226 public schools in Finland. Results: Teachers working in schools from neighbourhoods with the lowest socioeconomic status reported heavy alcohol consumption (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.32 to 3.83) and higher probability of doctor-diagnosed mental disorders (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.12) more often than teachers working in schools located in the wealthiest neighbourhoods. After controlling for the socioeconomic status of the teacher’s own residential area, only heavy alcohol consumption remained statistically significant. Teachers working in schools with lower socioeconomic status also reported lower frequency of workplace meetings, lower participation in occupational training, lower teaching efficacy and higher mental workload. Conclusions: School neighbourhood socioeconomic status is associated with working conditions and health of school teachers. The association with health is partially explained by the socioeconomic status of the teachers’ own residential neighbourhoods. An independent association was found between low socioeconomic status of school neighbourhoods and heavy alcohol use among teachers.