Table 5

Interaction between level of and change in psychosocial work environment in employees with low and high SES

Combination of psychosocial predictors			SES
Level in 1990			Change between 1990 and 1993			Low income		High income
Level in 1990			Change between 1990 and 1993			Absence rate^4-150	Rate ratio	Absence rate^4-150	Rate ratio
Participation in decision making^†	Job demands (psychological)^‡						p=0.031
Good		Decreased	33.9	1.00	23.2	1.00
Good		Increased	41.0	1.21	23.9	1.03
Poor		Decreased	44.0	1.30	25.4	1.09
Poor		Increased	49.4	1.46	32.3	1.39
Skill discretion^†	Job demands (physical)^‡						p=0.007
Good		Decreased	47.8	1.00	24.1	1.00
Good		Increased	49.6	1.04	29.1	1.21
Poor		Decreased	40.1	0.84	31.2	1.29
Poor		Increased	55.6	1.16	33.4	1.39
Job demands^†	Job control (total)^‡						p=0.029
Low		Improved	36.5	1.00	15.2	1.00
Low		Impaired	40.2	1.10	24.9	1.64
High		Improved	38.4	1.05	21.8	1.43
High		Impaired	52.5	1.44	29.4	1.93
Job demands^†	Skill discretion^‡						p<0.001
Low		Improved	36.8	1.00	13.0	1.00
Low		Impaired	39.7	1.08	23.7	1.83
High		Improved	35.4	0.96	25.8	1.98
High		Impaired	48.2	1.31	30.1	2.32
Job demands^†	Participation in decision making^‡						p=0.004
Low		Improved	47.5	1.00	17.4	1.00
Low		Impaired	41.8	0.88	25.0	1.44
High		Improved	43.8	0.92	26.5	1.52
High		Impaired	50.4	1.06	29.4	1.69

↵4-150 Absence rate per 100 person years adjusted for poor health habits (high alcohol consumption, smoking and sedentary lifestyle) and biological risk factors (high body mass index). ^†Cut off points for level refer to ±1 SD. ^‡Cut off points for change refer to ±0.5 SD. ^§Interaction between level of a job characteristic, change in a job characteristic and SES.