8000019 Aspects of conceptual precision in epidemiological research on psychosocial working conditions and health

<h3>Background</h3> The possible impact on health of psychosocial working conditions can be better understood when psychosocial demands and resources are well defined. Useful definitions of these factors would also ease the understanding of issues regarding their measurement, i.e. validity and reliability. <h3>Method</h3> Two types of examples are taken up, on the one hand the concepts job demand control models and the effort reward imbalance models, on the other hand single factors such as quantitative demands and quality of leadership. Through these examples we take up issues regarding conceptual definitions and measurements of psychosocial working conditions. <h3>Results</h3> In social epidemiological research, we find that most psychosocial models and single factors are poorly defined. <h3>Discussion</h3> The conceptual precision of models and single factors dealing with psychosocial working conditions should be improved. Research funding – being scarce – has had a focus on empirical results, i.e. the association between psychosocial factors and health, and not on theory and methods. The emerging emphasis on also interventions highlights this conceptual deficit even more.