Intolerance of uncertainty and job satisfaction among self-employed people with chronic health conditions: Age as a moderator

Abstract

Self-employed individuals often go through periods of uncertainty and experience concerns regarding their business. Chronic health conditions (CHC) often intensify the sense of uncertainty and concerns for the future of their business. This study aims to examine the associations between health conditions, intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and job satisfaction among self-employed individuals with CHC. This study involved 294 self-employed participants with CHC (cancer, cardiac diseases, respiratory diseases, or inflammatory bowel diseases). Participants reported moderate levels of physical symptoms and job satisfaction. Physical symptoms were associated with lower job satisfaction. Mediation analysis showed that IU fully mediated the relationship between physical symptoms and job satisfaction, such that greater physical symptoms were associated with higher IU, which in turn predicted lower job satisfaction. Moderation analysis further revealed that this indirect relationship was significant only among older adults. The findings suggest that future research and policy efforts should consider IU and age as key psychological and demographic factors affecting job satisfaction. It is particularly important to implement tailored support programs, flexible work policies, and age-sensitive interventions so that these vulnerable populations can improve their occupational outcomes and quality of life.