SweJEM: Psychosocial working conditions
The job-exposure matrix (JEM) for psychosocial working conditions consists of gender-specific exposure scores regarding psychosocial job demands, job control (decision authority and skill discretion), and social support at work. These scores are based on self-reported levels of these working conditions from 90,000 participants in the Swedish Work-Environment Surveys during the years 1989-2013. The matrix is provided separately for two time periods: 1989-1997 and 1997-2013, respectively.
The job-exposure matrix for the period 1989-1997 was constructed by Fredlund et al. (Fredlund P, Hallqvist J, Diderichsen F. Psykosocial exponeringsmatris. Arbete och hälsa 2000:11). This matrix consists of scores measuring levels of psychosocial job demands, job control, (decision authority and skill discretion), and social support at work regarding 318 occupations classified according to NYK83.
The job-exposure matrix for the period 1997-2013 build on the former matrix. This also consists of scores measuring levels of psychosocial job demands, job control, (decision authority and skill discretion), and social support at work. However, with 355 occupations classified according to SSYK96 (4-digit level).
The job-exposure matrix is available as Excel files including four respective index variables, divided by gender: (1) psychosocial job demands, (2) decision authority at work, (3) skill discretion at work, and (4) social support at work. The job-exposure matrix is also available as Excel files per questionnaire item.
Validity
There has been no possibility to validate this JEM in relation to independent individual-level data concerning job demands, job control, and social support at work. However, the JEM has been used in a number of studies, published during recent years and presenting epidemiological findings agreeing with international studies of the same topics. Please see the following publications which also provide additional information on specific questionnaire items.
Publications
Trajectories of psychosocial working conditions and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a Swedish register-based cohort study.
Pan KY, Almroth M, Nevriana A, Hemmingsson T, Kjellberg K, Falkstedt D
Scand J Work Environ Health 2023 Oct;49(7):496-505
Job demands and job control and their associations with disability pension-a register-based cohort study of middle-aged and older Swedish workers.
Falkstedt D, Almroth M, Hemmingsson T, d'Errico A, Albin M, Bodin T, Selander J, Gustavsson P, Kjellberg K
Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2023 Oct;96(8):1137-1147
Psychosocial working conditions and the risk of diagnosed depression: a Swedish register-based study.
Almroth M, Hemmingsson T, Sörberg Wallin A, Kjellberg K, Burström B, Falkstedt D
Psychol Med 2021 Mar;52(15):1-9