Table 4 Association of work stress (effort–reward imbalance, job strain) and socioeconomic position (occupational grade) with three measures of poor health
Poor self-rated healthAngina on exertionDepression
Model I† OR (95% CI)Model II‡ OR (95% CI)Model I† OR (95% CI)Model II‡ OR (95% CI)Model I† OR (95% CI)Model II* OR (95% CI)
ERI* occupational grade
    Low ERI/high occupational grade111111
    Low ERI/low occupational grade1.79 (1.26 to 2.55)1.67 (1.07 to 2.64)1.18 (0.79 to 1.75)1.13 (0.76 to 1.69)1.50 (0.91 to 2.45)1.45 (0.88 to 2.39)
    High ERI/high occupational grade2.04 (1.31 to 3.17)1.62 (1.13 to 2.33)2.23 (1.44 to 3.47)2.03 (1.30 to 3.19)4.19 (2.53 to 6.93)4.20 (2.53 to 6.97)
    High ERI/low occupational grade3.08 (1.88 to 5.05)2.30 (1.38 to 3.84)2.48 (1.46 to 4.22)2.24 (1.30 to 3.88)8.05 (4.70 to 13.79)8.20 (4.75 to 14.15)
    Synergy index1.14 (0.51 to 2.55)1.00 (0.38 to 2.66)1.05 (0.38 to 2.89)1.05 (0.34 to 3.19)1.91 (0.99 to 3.69)1.99 (1.02 to 3.85)
Job strain* occupational grade
    No strain/high occupational grade111111
    No strain/low occupational grade1.48 (1.03 to 2.14)1.36 (0.93 to 1.99)0.96 (0.64 to 1.44)0.91 (0.61 to 1.38)1.48 (0.95 to 2.31)1.42 (0.91 to 2.23)
    Strain/high occupational grade1.53 (0.93 to 2.53)1.45 (0.87 to 2.42)1.05 (0.61 to 1.83)1.00 (0.58 to 1.75)1.85 (1.05 to 3.27)1.82 (1.03 to 3.23)
    Strain/low occupational grade3.17 (2.06 to 4.87)2.89 (1.85 to 4.52)1.85 (1.15 to 2.98)1.70 (1.04 to 2.77)2.60 (1.53 to 4.40)2.61 (1.53 to 4.44)
    Synergy index2.14 (0.78 to 5.85)2.30 (0.68 to 7.77)1.03 (0.35 to 2.68)1.03 (0.32 to 2.98)1.20 (0.41 to 3.49)1.28 (0.42 to 3.91)

  • ERI, Effort–reward imbalance; OR, odds ratio.

  • *Adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, smoking and physical inactivity.

  • †Adjusted for age and gender.

  • ‡Adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, physical inactivity and negative affectivity.

  • Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratios (95% CI) and synergy index (95% CI)).