Occupation-specific screening for future sickness absence: Criterion validity of the trucker strain monitor (TSM)
article
Background: Monitoring psychological job strain may help occupational physicians to take preventive action at the appropriate time. For this purpose, the 10-item trucker strain monitor (TSM) assessing work-related fatigue and sleeping problems in truck drivers was developed. Objectives: This study examined (1) test-retest reliability, (2) criterion validity of the TSM with respect to future sickness absence due to psychological health complaints and (3) usefulness of the TSM two-scales structure. Methods: The TSM and self-administered questionnaires, providing information about stressful working conditions (job control and job demands) and sickness absence, were sent to a random sample of 2000 drivers in 1998. Of the 1123 responders, 820 returned a completed questionnaire 2 years later (response: 72%). Results: The TSM work-related fatigue scale, the TSM sleeping problems scale and the TSM composite scale showed satisfactory 2-year test-retest reliability (coefficient r =0.62, 0.66 and 0.67, respectively). The work-related fatigue, sleeping problems scale and composite scale had sensitivities of 61, 65 and 61%, respectively in identifying drivers with future sickness absence due to psychological health complaints. The specificity and positive predictive value of the TSM composite scale were 77 and 11%, respectively. The work-related fatigue scale and the sleeping problems scale were moderately strong correlated (r =0.62). However, stressful working conditions were differentially associated with the two scales. Conclusions: The results support the test-retest reliability, criterion validity and two-factor structure of the TSM. In general, the results suggest that the use of occupation-specific psychological job strain questionnaires is fruitful. © Springer-Verlag 2004.
Topics
ArbeidsparticipatiePsychological health complaintsPsychological job strainSickness absenceStressful working conditionsAbsenteeismControlled studyCorrelation coefficientDriverHealth statusMajor clinical studyMedical informationOccupational diseasePredictionPsychologic assessmentRandomizationRating scaleReliabilityScreening testSelf reportSensitivity and specificitySleep disorderStressValidation processWork environmentAdultAutomobile DrivingCohort StudiesDenmarkFatigueHumansMaleMass ScreeningMiddle AgedOccupational ExposureProspective StudiesQuestionnairesSensitivity and SpecificitySick LeaveStress, Psychological
TNO Identifier
238373
ISSN
03400131
Source
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 78(1), pp. 27-34.
Pages
27-34
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