Does Midlife Forgetfulness Influence Positive and Negative Aspects of Social Relations at Work?: Results From the Danish Working Environment Cohort Study

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 62; no. 9; pp. 738 - 745
• Main Authors: Ishtiak-Ahmed, Kazi, Hansen, Åse Marie, Mortensen, Erik Lykke, Garde, Anne Helene, Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard, Gyntelberg, Finn, Islamoska, Sabrina, Lund, Rikke, Phung, Thien Kieu Thi, Waldemar, Gunhild, Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-09-2020; Copyright by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Cohort analysis; Regression analysis; Regression coefficients; Working conditions
• ISSN: 1076-2752; 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001954

OBJECTIVES:We investigated whether midlife forgetfulness was prospectively associated with changes in social relations at work (SRW) among occupationally active individuals in Denmark.
METHODS:We analyzed data of 2,339 men and women participating in the first (1990) and second (1995) survey of the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study, responding to questions on working environment, SRW and forgetfulness. We used multiple linear regression analysis while adjusting for potential confounders.
RESULTS:At baseline (1990), 517 (22.1%) study participants were categorized as forgetful. Forgetfulness was prospectively associated with a decline in one of the investigated items reflecting a negative aspect of SRW (experiencing teasing, regression coefficient = 0.07, 95% CI0.03–0.11), while no association was observed with positive aspects of SRW.
CONCLUSIONS:Our findings did not support the hypothesis that memory problems such as midlife forgetfulness negatively affect SRW.