Job Stressors and Mental Health

Republished: Is hypertension associated with job strain? A meta-analysis of observational studies

“…First, several different constructs and operationalised definitions of job strain are described in the literature 42. An exhaustive but not exclusive list of such constructs would include Karasek and Theorell’s model combining job demands and control,43 the Occupational Stress Index (OSI)44 integrating several paradigms of stress-related cardiovascular dysfunction, Hockey's construct of ‘resources’ or total burden on the human operator,45 the ‘Effort-Distress Model’ of Folkow,46 Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) paradigms,47 Demand-Control Questionnaire (DCQ) constructs,48 the Work Organisation Matrix (WOM) for imputing job title averages of job characteristics to study subjects49 and the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model of work stress 50…”

Why are job stressors relevant for psychiatry?

“…A growing body of epidemiological evidence links exposure to work stressors with adverse mental health outcomes. 1 Empirical data, including a large number of longitudinal studies supporting this relationship, are strong and consistent. A meta-analysis including nearly 75 000 employees of various occupations from several European countries and Canada, found that job strain, effort-reward imbalance, low decision latitude, low social support, high psychological demands as well as job insecurity were predictive of mental ill health at follow-up.…”

“…1 Clinical experience also suggests that work stressors that have an impact on neurophysiological function, as seen in ERP and qEEG, play a role in the mental health processes under examination. 1…”

“…2 With regard to specific psychiatric diagnoses, several large-scale longitudinal studies have demonstrated a significant association between exposure to job strain and depression. 1-3 In a case-control study from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register comparing 14 166 psychiatric patients with 58 060 referents, low job control was found to be associated with an increased risk of anxiety disorders in men. 4 An increased risk of suicide has been reported among several stressful occupations, most consistently among physicians 1,5 and other health professionals, with harassment/degrading experiences implicated as a contributory factor.…”

Return To Work As A Treatment Objective For Patients With Chronic Pain?

“…Return to work is associated with a multitude of health and mental health benefits. Conversely, prolonged absence from work is associated with a multitude of adverse health outcomes [8,9]. For example, research from Australia showed that unemployment leads to increased mortality [10].…”