Abstract
Background: While a large literature links psychosocial workplace factors with health and health behaviors, there is very
little work connecting psychosocial workplace factors to healthcare utilization.
Methods: Survey data were collected from two different employers using computer-assisted telephone interviewing as a
part of the Work-Family Health Network (2008-2013): one in the information technology (IT) service industry and one
that is responsible for a network of long-term care (LTC) facilities. Participants were surveyed four times at six month
intervals. Responses in each wave were used to predict utilization in the following wave. Four utilization measures were
outcomes: having at least one emergency room (ER)/Urgent care, having at least one other healthcare visit, number of
ER/urgent care visits, and number of other healthcare visits. Population-averaged models using all four waves controlled
for health and other factors associated with utilization.
Results: Having above median job demands was positively related to the odds of at least one healthcare visit, odds ratio
[OR] 1.37 (P<.01), and the number of healthcare visits, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.36 (P<.05), in the LTC sample.
Work-to-family conflict was positively associated with the odds of at least one ER/urgent care visit in the LTC sample,
OR 1.15 (P<.05), at least one healthcare visit in the IT sample, OR 1.35 (P<.01), and with more visits in the IT sample,
IRR 1.35 (P<.01). Greater schedule control was associated with reductions in the number of ER/urgent care visits, IRR
0.71 (P<.05), in the IT sample.
Conclusion: Controlling for other factors, some psychosocial workplace factors were associated with future healthcare
utilization. Additional research is needed.