The clustering of health-related occupational stressors among contemporary wage-earners

In this study, it is investigated whether a typology can be imposed upon a
sample of wage-earners, based on their exposure to a broad number of
occupational stressors: quantitative, emotional, and physical demands,
repetitive movements, atypical schedules, low job control, relationships with
superiors, job insecurity, and bullying behaviour. Also associations between
this typology and measures of emotional problems (EP) and musculoskeletal
complaints (MC) are tested. Logistic regression and a latent class cluster
analysis are performed on a representative sample of 10,074 Flemish (Belgian)
employees. Five clusters are revealed: ''low stress'', ''high stress'', ''manualpassive'',
''human contact'', and ''high demand''. These clusters are showing a
clear socioeconomic distribution and distinct associations with EP and MC--
with the ''high stress cluster'' being the most problematic. Health-damaging
occupational stress clusters are prevalent at both higher and lower
socioeconomic positions. This is suggesting a complex relationship between
occupational stressors and socioeconomic health variations.