Job Quality as an Upstream Social Determinant of Health in Middle Age.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether the association between job quality and health can be explained by its effects on other social determinants of health (SDOH). We ran hybrid path analyses using data from two waves of a national survey of middle-aged adults to test direct and indirect effects of T1 job quality on health outcomes at T2, through effects on T2 housing, health care, social, and money challenges. Poor job quality predicted housing, health care, social, and money challenges in all models. Indirect effects of T1 poor job quality emerged for T2 physical health-related quality of life via housing challenges, T2 drug misuse via housing and health care challenges, and T2 depressive symptoms via housing and social challenges. Results support job quality as an upstream issue that can affect health through its impact on other SDOH.