Lack of Detachment and Impaired Sleep Connect Perceived Unfairness with Health Complaints: a Population-Based Mediation Test

In a sample of 8223 working individuals, representative for Swiss employees, a lack of detachment from daily problems and sleep problems were tested to mediate the association between experienced unfairness in life and health problems. Mediation was compared with respect to the life domain of unfairness (work life or private life), sex and age (ages 18 to 45 and older than 45). Unfairness at work and private unfairness were tested separately with mutual control of other domains of unfairness. In an analysis of overall unfairness in life, unfairness in both domains was summed up. Both life domains of unfairness were related directly and indirectly with health problems. All indirect paths were significant. The sum of unfairness at work and unfairness in private life showed the strongest direct and indirect association with health problems. Sleep problems turned out to be a stronger mediator than lack of detachment. Differences in mediation between men and women were not significant. Sleep problems were a significantly stronger mediator in older, compared with younger, individuals. Sleep problems seem to connect experienced unfairness at different life domains with health impairments. The study adds knowledge to the health-related interplay of work, leisure, and sleep.