Job Control and Ambulatory Blood Pressure

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 40; no. 5; pp. iii+457 - 464
• Main Authors: Mc Carthy, Vera JC, Perry, Ivan J, Greiner, Birgit A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helsinki Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01.09.2014; Nordic Association of Occupation Safety and Health; Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health; Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health; Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Ambulatory blood pressure; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Body Mass Index; Cardiology. Vascular system; cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Coronary heart disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; dbp; diastolic blood pressure; Employment - psychology; Exercise; Female; Health risks; Heart; Humans; Hypertension; Internal-External Control; job control; job strain; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Mortality; Occupational medicine; Older workers; P values; Professional Autonomy; psychosocial; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; sbp; Sex Factors; Sleep - physiology; Stress; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; systolic blood pressure; Tobacco chewing; Work environment; work stress; Europe; Ireland; Denmark, Copenhagen; SBP; cardiovascular disease; stress; DBP; diastolic blood pressure; work stress; psychosocial; coronary heart disease; job strain; hypertension; systolic blood pressure; Systolic pressure; Diastolic pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Occupational exposure; Psychosocial risk; Occupational environment; Arterial pressure; Occupational responsibility; Blood pressure; Ambulatory; Professional activity; Human; Hypertension; Psychosocial factor; Coronary heart disease; Physical job demand; Stress; Hemodynamics; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3435

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.