Changes in work situation and work ability in young female and male workers. A prospective cohort study

BMC Public Health

Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample at baseline

	Males		Females
	(N = 593, 45%)		(N = 718, 55%)
Work ability; mean, (range), SD	8.7 (1–10) 1.3		8.5 (1–10) 1.6
Individual factors at baseline
	N	%	N	%
Civil status
Cohabit/married/partnership	197	35	308	47
Girl-/boyfriend, not living together	115	20	139	21
Single	252	45	210	32
Education level – highest finished
Compulsory school/high school	516	83	540	73
College/university	72	17	168	27
Occupation with demands of education at college/university level
Yes	44	8	102	15
No	538	92	594	85
Living area
City	222	37	310	43
Not city	371	63	408	57
Birth country
Sweden	559	94	678	94
Other	34	6	40	6
Smoking
No, not at all/seldom	529	89	594	83
Yes, daily/nearly daily	64	11	123	17
Body mass index
< 25 kg/m²	372	64	511	76
≥ 25 kg/m²	206	36	161	24
Physical activity in leisure time
Moderate exercise-hard training	487	83	601	85
Sedentary	99	17	106	15
Chronic pain or ache ( >3 months)
No	487	83	501	70
Yes	99	17	215	30
Symptoms of depression last month
No	301	69	249	50
Yes	138	31	250	50
Experienced health
Good or very good	491	83	517	72
Very bad, bad or moderately	102	17	198	28

ISSN: 1471-2458