Potential Contribution of Work-Related Psychosocial Stress to the Development of Cardiovascular Disease and Type II Diabetes: A Brief Review

Abstract

Two of the major causes of death worldwide are cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes. Although death due to these diseases is assessed separately, the physiological process that is attributed to the development of cardiovascular disease can be linked to the development of Type II diabetes and the impact that this disease has on the cardiovascular system. Physiological, genetic, and personal factors contribute to the development of both these disorders. It has also been hypothesized that work-related stress may contribute to the development of Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This review summarizes some of the studies examining the role of work-related stress on the development of these chronic disorders. Because women may be more susceptible to the physiological effects of work-related stress, the papers cited in this review focus on studies that examined the difference in responses of men or women to work-related stress or on studies that focused on the effects of stress on women alone. Based on the papers summarized, it is concluded that (1) work-related stress may directly contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease by inducing increases in blood pressure and changes in heart rate that have negative consequences on functioning of the cardiovascular system; (2) workers reporting increased levels of stress may display an increased risk of Type II diabetes because they adopt poor health habits (ie, increased level of smoking, inactivity etc), which in turn contribute to the development of cardiovascular problems; and (3) women in high demand and low-control occupations report an increased level of stress at work, and thus may be at a greater risk of negative health consequences.

Work‐related psychosocial stress and the risk of type 2 diabetes in later life

“…Men and women at the same occupational level have similar response to stress during working hours; whereas after work, men tend to relieve more rapidly than women . It is likely that stress related to home and family life, such as household responsibilities and child care, prolongs reaction to stress in women . This study is the first to test the effect of household burden in the association between work stress and T2DM.…”

“…Other factors outside of work, such as stress related to home and family life may pose additional weight to work stress. Some studies reported that combined stress from work and family multiplies the risk of depressive symptoms and accelerates coronary disease progression , indicating that effect of work stress may be amplified by household burden.…”

Occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters

“…For example, in a recent study performed among Japanese firefighters, the quantity of work, the role conflict and ambiguity, inadequate support from the supervisor, shift work and low self-esteem were significantly related to depressive symptoms [4]. Occupational stress has also been associated with other physical and behavioral problems such as hypertension [16], cardiovascular disease [17], and alcohol and substance abuse [18]. It is also well documented that employee stress may negatively affect business performance since it has been associated with reduced productivity in the workplace [19].…”

Prevention of cardiovascular diseases – Prophylactic program in a selected enterprise

“…Rodzaje działań profilaktycznych organizowanych przez pracodawcę, którymi są zainteresowani pracownicy wieloprofilowego przedsiębiorstwa Jednym z głównych czynników ryzyka ChUK, postrzeganym jako najczęściej występujący czynnik ryzyka tych chorób w środowisku pracy, jest stres. Wiele badań wskazuje na to, że stres związany z pracą zawodową może bezpośrednio przyczyniać się do rozwoju chorób sercowo-naczyniowych poprzez indukowanie wzrostu ciśnienia tętniczego i zmiany w częstości skurczów serca u pracowników [11][12][13].…”