Summary of studies and participants.

1Study acronyms: COPSOQ-I: Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire version I; DWECS: Danish Work Environment Cohort Study; FPS: Finnish Public Sector Study; HeSSup: Health and Social Support; HNR: Heinz Nixdorf Recall study; IPAW: Intervention Project on Absence and Well-being; POLS: Permanent Onderzoek Leefsituatie; PUMA: Burnout, Motivation and Job Satisfaction study; SLOSH: Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health; WOLF: Work Lipids and Fibrinogen.2Participants with complete data on job strain, age, sex and socioeconomic position. SD: standard deviation.