"Is complexity of work associated with risk of dementia? The Canadian Study of Health And Aging"
by Kröger, Edeltraut; Andel, Ross; Lindsay, Joan; Benounissa, Zohra; Verreault, René; Laurin, Danielle (2008)
Abstract
The authors evaluated the association of complexity of work with data, people, and things with the incidence of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, while adjusting for work-related physical activity. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging is a 10-year population study, from 1991 to 2001, of a representative sample of persons aged 65 years or older. Lifetime job history allowed application of complexity scores and classification of work-related physical activity. Analyses included 3,557 subjects, of whom 400 were incident dementia cases, including 299 with Alzheimer's disease and 93 with vascular dementia. In fully adjusted Cox regression models, high complexity of work with people or things reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratios were 0.66 (95% confidence interval: 0.44, 0.98) and 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.52, 0.99), respectively) but not Alzheimer's disease. For vascular dementia, hazard ratios were 0.36 (95% confidence interval: 0.15, 0.90) for high complexity of work with people and 0.50 (95% confidence interval: 0.25, 1.00) for high complexity of work with things. Subgroup analyses according to median duration (23 years) of principal occupation showed that associations with complexity varied according to duration of employment. High complexity of work appears to be associated with risk of dementia, but effects may vary according to subtype.
Key Passage
In conclusion, high complexity of work with people and things may protect against dementia and its subtypes. This effect may be stronger with prolonged exposure, but high complexity with data may increase risk for those being exposed to it for most of their working life. It will be important to examine these observations in studies carried out in other settings, including detailed assessments of occupational complexity, physical effort at work, and work and lifestyle characteristics such as social networks, job strain, and other occupational exposures. (p.829)
Keywords
Dementia, Cognitive Decline, Cognitive Function, Metal Development, Stress, Work Stress, Health RiskThemes
Psychological Centrality of WorkLinks to Reference
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwm382
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18263600
- https://academic.oup.com/aje/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/aje/kwm382
- https://academic.oup.com/aje/article-abstract/167/7/820/84121
- https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/167/7/820/84121
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