Adverse psychosocial working conditions and subjective health in freelance media workers

• Published in: Work and stress Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 293 - 299
• Main Authors: Ertel, Michael, Pech, Eberhard, Ullsperger, Peter, Von Dem Knesebeck, Olaf, Siegrist, Johannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.2005; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Effort-reward imbalance; flexibility; freelance media workers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insecure work; Occupational psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; reduced ability to relax; subjective health; Work condition. Job performance. Stress; Europe; Germany; Social environment; Human; subjective health; freelance media workers; reduced ability to relax; Stress; Effort-reward imbalance; Occupational environment; Work safety; flexibility; insecure work; Mass media; Working condition
• ISSN: 0267-8373; 1464-5335
• DOI: 10.1080/02678370500307289

In recent years there has been a steady growth of non-standard work contracts in advanced societies. These contracts are characterized by increased flexibility of work arrangements and increased job instability, which holds particularly true for the media industry. This pilot study analyses associations of work stress with subjective health in a group of German freelancers (N = 290) working in the media industry. The measurement of work stress is based on the effort-reward imbalance model. Results of logistic regression analyses indicate significant effects of high effort in combination with low reward (money, esteem, promotion prospects, job security) on subjective health in men and women, with the effects being higher in men. Moreover, among men a critical pattern of coping with work stress enhanced the reported effect. In conclusion, the preliminary evidence from this study indicates an elevated risk of poor subjective health among freelance workers who are exposed to adverse psychosocial work conditions.