Mediating effect of working conditions on the association between education and early labour market exit: a cohort study of Swedish men.

Objectives: It is not fully known what explains educational inequalities in early labour market exits. This study aims to examine the mediating effect of exposure to unfavourable working conditions, measured by low job control and high physical workload, on the association between education and early labour market exit among men.

Methods: This register-based study included all men born 1951-1953, who underwent Swedish military conscription in late adolescence and had a registered educational level in 2005 (n=115 998). These men were followed from ages 53-55 to 64 regarding early labour market exit (disability pension, long-term sickness absence, long-term unemployment, early old-age retirement with and without income). Mediation analysis was used to examine the role of job control and physical workload in explaining the educational differences in early exit. Factors measured in childhood and late adolescence were included as confounders.

Results: The proportion mediated by job control was around 17% and for physical workload around 22% for the least educated men for exit through disability pension, long-term sickness absence and long-term unemployment. For early old-age retirement with and without income, working conditions were not mediating factors, except for job control mediating up to 18% for exit through early old-age retirement with income.

Conclusions: Job control and physical workload seem to be important factors explaining the educational differences in most early exit routes, also after accounting for early life factors. These results indicate the importance of improving working conditions to decrease inequalities in early labour market exit and prolong working life.