Job control and ambulatory blood pressure

Abstract

Objective: The effect of work on blood pressure (BP) in a general population with appropriate adjustment for confounders is not well defined. High job control has been found to be associated with lower BP and with nocturnal BP dipping. However, with older workers this may be compromised and has not been studied extensively. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a primary care-based sample (N=2047) aged 50–69 years. Data were collected on sociodemographic factors, medication, clinic, and ambulatory blood pressure. Job control was measured using two scales from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) (possibility for development and influence at work). Nocturnal systolic BP (SBP) dipping was the reduction in SBP from day- to night-time using ambulatory SBP readings. Results: In general, BP increased with age, male gender, and higher body mass index. Workers with high influence at work and high possibility for development were more likely to have high asleep SBP [odds ratio (OR) 2.13, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05–4.34, P=0.04], (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.11–4.66, P=0.03) respectively. Influence at work and awake BP were inversely associated: awake SBP (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.35–4.41, P<0.01), awake DBP (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.24–4.72, P=0.01). No association was seen between job control and nocturnal SBP dipping. Conclusion: Older workers with high job control may be more at risk of cardiovascular disease resulting from high day- and night-time BP with no evidence of nocturnal dipping

The relation of work-related factors with ambulatory blood pressure and nocturnal blood pressure dipping among aging workers

“…One earlier study has reported that low job control is related to higher asleep systolic BP and decreased nocturnal systolic BP dipping in younger hypertensive men (Fan et al 2013). In older workers, low control, measured by possibility for influence and development at work, has also been associated with higher asleep systolic BP, but not with systolic nocturnal BP dipping (Mc Carthy et al 2014). In our study, the differences in awake and asleep BP values and systolic nocturnal BP dipping between the low and high control groups remained small, even after performing a sensitivity analysis without participants on hypertensive medication.…”

“…However, it is unclear how job demands and job control separately associate with ambulatory BP and especially with nocturnal BP dipping in aging workers (Landsbergis et al 2013). Two previous studies have examined the relation of job strain and nocturnal BP dipping in middle-aged participants (Clays et al 2011;Fan et al 2013), and only one study (Mc Carthy et al 2014) with job control as the only exposure variable has focused on nocturnal BP dipping in the older workers (aged 50-69 years).…”

Positive Work: A Multidimensional Overview and Analysis of Work-Related Drivers of Wellbeing

“…Indeed, over 100 years ago, Hayhurst (1915) explored the impact of occupational strain on outcomes like cardiac functioning. Today there are a wealth of studies analysing nervous system outcomes, particularly in relation to the physical drivers of wellbeing, such as the association between job control and blood pressure (McCarthy et al 2014), or between shift-work exposure (an aspect of workload and scheduling) and heart-rate variability (a biomarker of physical and mental health) (Bernardes Souza et al 2014).…”

An Evaluation of the Significance of Work-Related Influence Factors on Fitness and the Development of Medical and Orthopaedic Conditions in Military Executives

“…Blood pressure is a particularly significant parameter in this context. Positions involving a high level of personal responsibility have proven to contribute less to high blood pressure [ 6 ]. Incidence depends on age, sex, and BMI, with older employees in positions of high responsibility being more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases [ 6 ].…”

“…Positions involving a high level of personal responsibility have proven to contribute less to high blood pressure [ 6 ]. Incidence depends on age, sex, and BMI, with older employees in positions of high responsibility being more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases [ 6 ]. Physical fitness is an important parameter for coping with demands [ 7 ].…”