Occupational and Environmental Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Occupational exposures among hairdressers and the occurrence of hormone-related conditions.","authors":"Kemi Ogunsina, Kaylla A Richardson, Alexandra White, Che-Jung Chang, Dale P Sandler, Katie M O'Brien","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110207","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the association between hairdresser exposures and hormone-related conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using data from 50 800 eligible Sister Study participants (enrolled 2003-2009, aged 35-74 years), we estimated ORs and 95% CIs for associations between ever working as a hairdresser (n=1803) and prevalent fibroids, endometriosis, hysterectomy and oophorectomy. We estimated HRs and 95% CI for incident fibroids, endometriosis, breast, uterine and ovarian cancers among ever hairdressers versus never hairdressers. We also examined associations of hormone-related diseases and professional use of products such as bleach, perms, chemical straighteners, permanent hair colour, hairspray, barbicide, formaldehyde and alcohol, comparing data from 985 long-term hairdressers who worked ≥2 years to non-long-term hairdressers (never workers and those working <2 years).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ever-hairdressers were more likely than never-hairdressers to have had a prebaseline hysterectomy (OR=1.23: 95% CI 1.11 to 1.36). Hysterectomies were more common among long-term hairdressers with more frequent applications of perms, chemical straighteners and permanent hair colour compared with less frequent applicators or never hairdressers. Ever-hairdressers had higher rates of incident endometriosis (477 cases, HR=1.61: 95% CI 1.08 to 2.38) compared with never-hairdressers, but there were no notable associations between working as a hairdresser and fibroids (1805 cases, HR=1.04: 95% CI 0.80 to 1.34), breast cancer (4628 cases, HR=0.98: 95% CI 0.83 to 1.16), ovarian cancer (300 cases, HR=1.33: 95% CI 0.77 to 2.29) or uterine cancer (447 cases, HR=1.04: 95% CI 0.60 to 1.77). In race-stratified analyses, Black hairdressers were more likely to be diagnosed with fibroids than Black never-hairdressers (201 cases, HR=1.56: 95% CI 0.93 to 2.62).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Hairdresser occupation was associated with increased odds of hysterectomy and increased rates of incident endometriosis and possibly fibroids among Black women.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"597-606"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13000904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146003858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work participation and disability pension after work-related PTSD: trajectories and impact of occupation.","authors":"Mads Lillethorup Persson, Morten Vejs Willert, Marianne Kyndi, Vita Ligaya Dalgaard","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110412","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110412","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study examines work participation (WP) and disability pension (DP) among patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at Danish Departments of Occupational Medicine. The aim was to identify WP trajectories and determine whether occupation is associated with poor labour market attachment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A nationwide longitudinal study was conducted on register data from patients diagnosed with PTSD at Departments of Occupational Medicine in Denmark from 2000 to 2015. WP was operationalised as a score (WPS, Work Participation Score) derived from the proportion of weeks in employment relative to the possible number of work weeks per year. WPS is dichotomised as low (≤75%) or high (>75%). Group-based trajectory models were used to identify patterns of WP. Logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of occupation on WPS and DP.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 1187 patients, 58% had low WPS and 43% entered DP after 3 years. Three trajectories were identified from prediagnosis to postdiagnosis: sustained low WPS (12.5%), shift from high to low WPS (50.7%) and near-full recovery (36.8%). Patients in the occupations 'plant and machine operator and assemblers' (OR=3.25; 95% CI: 1.28 to 8.23) and 'prison guards' (OR=2.50; 95% CI: 1.23 to 5.08) had higher odds of low WPS, but only 'prison guards' (OR=1.84; 95% CI: 0.97 to 3.49) had potentially higher odds of receiving DP after 3 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Work-related PTSD is associated with a high risk of low WPS after 3 years. Specific occupations are associated with poorer labour market attachment, underscoring the need for prevention and recovery interventions.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>NCT04459793.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"589-596"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146113996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of a peer coaching intervention for occupational physicians on time allocated to preventive tasks: a cluster randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Suzanne Orhan Pees, Sandra H van Oostrom, Frederieke G Schaafsma, Karin I Proper","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110432","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110432","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To support occupational physicians (OPs) in the execution of preventive tasks, a peer coaching intervention was developed and implemented in existing peer groups. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the intervention on OPs' execution of preventive tasks in practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 41 peer groups, including 231 OPs, participated in this cluster randomised controlled trial, of which 21 groups were assigned to the intervention group (N=106) and 20 to the control group (N=125). The intervention consisted of three peer coaching meetings aimed to promote the execution of preventive tasks. Data regarding the execution of preventive tasks, measured as percentage of their working time and hours allocated to specific preventive tasks, were collected at baseline, 6-month and 12-month follow-up. The effect of the intervention was examined by linear multilevel analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both the intervention and control group increased the percentage of working time allocated to prevention, from 14% at baseline to 17% at 12-month follow-up, but no significant differences between the study groups were found. For specific preventive tasks, the intervention group increased their time allocated to giving secondary prevention advice by 5 monthly hours compared with baseline.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The intervention was found not to have an effect on the percentage of working time allocated to prevention, possibly due to contextual factors. However, intervention effects were found for giving secondary preventive advice. Future studies should focus on the willingness of employers and occupational health and safety to invest in prevention and refinement of the intervention under study.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>ISRCTN15394765.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"571-578"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13018782/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146086626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occupational determinants of Long COVID in the population-based COVICAT cohort.","authors":"Sara De Matteis, Dario Consonni, Ana Espinosa, Rafael de Cid, Natalia Blay Magriña, Gemma Castaño-Vinyals, Marianna Karachaliou, Miguel Angel Alba Hidalgo, Kyriaki Papantoniou, Judith Garcia, Manolis Kogevinas, Kurt Straif","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110398","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Occupational factors affect SARS-CoV-2 infection risk, but the occupational factors associated with Long COVID (LC) are unknown. We aimed to address this issue using individual data in a population-based cohort.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the prospective COVICAT study, 2020-2023, Catalonia, Spain, we examined the association between occupational determinants and LC. Among subjects with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, those employed in the pandemic and with occupational information were analysed. Different metrics, including four job-exposure matrices, were used to evaluate individual occupational risk factors for LC (postinfection symptoms ≥3 months). Poisson models were used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 2054 workers (1308 women, 746 men) aged 40-69 years, 486 developed LC (23.7%). Workers in jobs at high COVID-19 risk according to all metrics including health/social care, education, retail, transport and security showed higher LC risk. The main drivers of increased risk were close contact with colleagues and the public (RR up to 1.50; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.91), no social distance at workplace (up to 1.46; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.84), rare or no use of facemask (1.41; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.83) and commute by public transport (1.58; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.08). Working on-site during the pandemic was also associated with a higher LC risk compared with teleworking (1.57; 95% CI 1.19 to 2.09). Individual non-occupational risk factors for LC included female sex, comorbidities, obesity, number and severity of acute infections; vaccination and older age were protective.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In a population-based cohort, several occupational factors increased LC risk. Focused preventive strategies are warranted to avoid the associated public health burden. LC should be recognised and compensated as an occupational disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"579-588"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145708792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of cold spells and heat waves with frailty trajectory among older adults: a longitudinal study from the JAGES Study.","authors":"Wenjing Zhao, Zhiqiang Ren, Shigekazu Ukawa, Naoki Kondo, Xudong Liu, Akiko Tamakoshi","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110240","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110240","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The impact of extreme weather on frailty trajectories in older adults remains unclear. This study explored the associations between cold spells/heat waves and frailty trajectories among this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 6582 older adults who completed four survey waves of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 were included. Frailty was assessed using the Kihon Checklist, and frailty trajectories were identified using group-based trajectory models. The cumulative number of days participants were exposed to cold spells and heat waves was calculated. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to examine associations between extreme temperature exposure and frailty trajectories, with adjusted ORs and 95% CIs estimated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three frailty trajectories were extracted and labelled as frailty worsening, frailty maintenance and frailty improvement. Of the 6582 participants, 20.8%, 49.8% and 29.4% were subsequently classified into the above three trajectories. Every 1-day increment of cold spell that participants suffered was associated with 5.4% (95% CI 1.040 to 1.067) increased risk of frailty worsening after adjustment for covariables; similarly, for each additional day of heat wave participants were exposed to, the risk of frailty maintenance and frailty worsening raised by 1.6% (95% CI 1.004 to 1.028) and 4.5% (95% CI 1.032 to 1.058), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cold spells and heat waves are linked to higher frailty worsening risk in older adults, emphasising the need for targeted public health interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"607-613"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146019460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic accuracy of chest X-ray screening for silicosis: a systematic review, meta-analysis and modelling study.","authors":"Patrick Howlett, Ashwin Durairaj, Maia Lesosky, Johanna Feary","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2024-110000","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2024-110000","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chest X-ray (CXR) is widely used for silicosis diagnosis, despite concerns regarding sensitivity. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of CXR for silicosis screening compared with CT, high-resolution CT (HRCT) and autopsy, and modelled the relationship between CXR sensitivity and disease severity.Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 July 2024 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42024513830). Meta-analyses were performed by reference standard and at increasing reference test severity cut-offs. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool assessed risk of bias. In scenarios of fixed and relative sensitivity, according to disease severity, we estimated missed silicosis cases and the number needed to screen (NNS) in hypothetical populations of low (5%), medium (15%) and high (30%) silicosis prevalence.Twenty studies included 2156 participants and 1105 silicosis cases. CXR had moderate sensitivity (0.76; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.86, I²=84%) and high specificity (0.89, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.95, I²=57%) compared with HRCT in 12 studies, and low sensitivity (0.50, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.55, I²=0%) and high specificity (0.91, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.93, I²=20%) compared with autopsy in two studies. CXR sensitivity increased with higher reference test severity cut-offs. Clinically relevant numbers of cases were missed in fixed and relative sensitivity scenarios; increased prevalence and less severe disease resulted in more missed cases and a lower NNS.Silicosis severity and reference test type both plausibly influence CXR sensitivity. Assuming either fixed or relative sensitivity results in missed silicosis cases. Judicious HRCT screening is likely to improve case detection.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"614-620"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13018840/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145960067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of safety interventions on behavioural changes and blood lead levels in Thai fishnet sinker workers.","authors":"Donrawee Waeyeng, Supabhorn Yimthiang, Siriporn Darnkachatarn, Areeya Madsusan, Junjira Mahaboon","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109986","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109986","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Lead poisoning is a public health concern, particularly for workers in high-risk industries like fishnet sinker manufacturing. This study evaluated the impact of safety interventions based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) on safety behaviours and blood lead levels (BLLs) of fishnet sinker workers in Thailand.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 6-month quasi-experimental study was conducted in two fishing-net sinker manufacturing villages in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand, involving 60 workers assigned to an intervention group (n=30) or a control group (n=30). The intervention promoted protective behaviours such as hand washing, wearing masks, changing clothes after work, washing work clothes separately and cleaning work areas with a wet towel. Behavioural changes were assessed using TPB constructs, and a structural equation model was used to validate their relationships with behaviours. Lead surface contamination and BLLs were measured before and after the intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After 6 months, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in self-reported safety behaviours. Median lead surface contamination remained unchanged (-1.9 µg/100 cm², p=0.918) and mean BLLs were maintained at preintervention levels (+0.6 µg/dL, p=0.431). In contrast, the control group showed no significant improvement in safety behaviours, experienced a notable increase in mean BLLs (+2.7 µg/dL, p=0.003) and had no significant change in lead surface contamination (+6.9 µg/100 cm², p=0.229).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that TPB-based interventions improve safety behaviours and prevent further increases in occupational lead exposure. These low-cost, resource-based strategies show potential for adaptation in similar high-risk industries, contributing to workplace safety and public health protection.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"556-562"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145918081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting low back pain-related absenteeism in the Spanish general working population.","authors":"Jesús Seco-Calvo, Ana Royuela, Vicente Rodríguez-Pérez, Francisco Kovacs","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110435","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110435","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To identify factors associated with an increased risk of low back pain (LBP)-related sick leave and to develop prognostic models for both the likelihood and duration of such leave.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 7262 actively working adults were recruited consecutively during their annual check-ups. Seventy-seven variables were assessed, including sociodemographic, clinical, work-related, LBP-related and psychosocial factors. Outcomes included the occurrence of LBP-related sick leave and the number of days on leave over an 18-month follow-up period. Multivariable prognostic models were developed RESULTS: During the follow-up, 535 participants (7.4%, 95% CI 6.8 to 8.0) took LBP-related sick leave, of whom 162 were off work for ≥30 days. Predictors of taking sick leave were older age, not being self-employed, a usual LBP episode duration >14 days, higher job insecurity, greater self-expectations of taking sick leave and stronger perceived economic consequences of being on leave. Predictors of longer sick leave (≥ 30 days) were not being self-employed and experiencing LBP while in bed. The models demonstrated good calibration but poor discrimination (C-statistics: 0.607 and 0.604).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Predicting LBP-related sick leave and its duration among the general Spanish workforce remains challenging. Psychosocial and economic variables outweigh clinical or biological predictors. Self-employment is the only factor associated with a lower risk of both sick leave and being off work for ≥30 days.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number: </strong>NCT00667316.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"547-555"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12911557/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145828165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of heat exposure on workers' health and safety: a scoping review.","authors":"Xiaocong Guo, Chizitara Nkwopara, Cheryl E Peters, Paul J Villeneuve, Christopher B McLeod","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110281","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110281","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Several studies have synthesised the health impacts of occupational heat exposure, yet previous reviews were limited in scope and only focused on specific diseases, high-risk industries or selected countries. This scoping review aimed to summarise global epidemiological evidence on health outcomes associated with occupational heat exposure, examine factors that may modify heat-health associations among workers and identify knowledge gaps to inform the development of more effective jurisdiction-specific heat policies.A search strategy reflecting heat, worker and health was applied to Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, CINAHL and Web of Science, and grey literature of EuropePMC, ProQuest and SafetyLit, to retrieve studies investigating associations between occupational heat exposure and illness and injury. Studies were independently reviewed by two reviewers to assess eligibility. A narrative synthesis approach was used to compare, contrast and synthesise the most relevant findings.This review included 92 studies that estimated associations between heat and various health outcomes, including workplace illness and injury, heat-related illness and deaths, kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, abnormal bone mineral density, skin diseases, eye diseases, infertility and mortality. The included studies presented conflicting evidence on heat-health associations: some observed stronger risks with rising temperatures, some observed smaller positive or reduced risks at extreme temperatures and others reported no associations. The discrepancies may be explained by differences in heat measurements and outcome ascertainments, methodological limitations, geographical variations and the varying impacts of demographic, work-related and individual factors.Jurisdiction-specific heat policies are needed to protect workers from acute and chronic health conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"563-570"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145912399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in exposure to positive leadership behaviours and subsequent changes in workers' depressive symptoms and risk of onset of antidepressant treatment.","authors":"Kathrine Sørensen, Johan Simonsen Abildgaard, Paul Maurice Conway, Louise Dalsager, Ida E H Madsen, Jeppe Karl Sørensen, Reiner Rugulies","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110361","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110361","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Using consecutive waves of a Danish nationwide survey, we investigated in a quasi-experimental design whether changes in positive leadership behaviours were associated with subsequent changes in depressive symptoms and risk of antidepressant treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sample 1 consisted of 6062 workers participating in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Sample 2 consisted of 15 619 workers participating in either 2012-2014 or 2016-2018. We measured leadership behaviours by an eight-item scale and depressive symptoms by the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and linked register data on purchase of antidepressants. Using linear and logistic regression, we adjusted for covariates and estimated the association between changing levels of leadership behaviours and subsequent depressive symptoms and onset of antidepressant treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In sample 1, changing from high to low levels of exposure to positive leadership behaviours from 2012 to 2014 was associated with a higher MDI score in 2016 (sample 1, regression coefficient: 1.12, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.56), whereas changing from low to high levels was associated with a lower MDI score (-1.84, 95% CI -2.51 to -1.17). In sample 2, ORs for antidepressant treatment ranged from 1.06 to 1.21 with wide CIs that included unity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study suggests that a decrease in positive leadership behaviours has a hazardous effect on workers' level of depressive symptoms, whereas an increase has a beneficial effect. There were no clear associations with antidepressant treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"540-546"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12911650/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145774916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}