Job strain (demands and control model) as a predictor of cardiovascular risk factors among petrochemical personnel

Abstract

BACKGROUND: One of the practical models for the assessment of stressful working conditions due to job strain is job demand and control model, which explains how physical and psychological adverse consequences, including cardiovascular risk factors can be established due to high work demands (the amount of workload, in addition to time limitations to complete that work) and low control of the worker on his/her work (lack of decision making) in the workplace. The aim of this study was to investigate how certain cardiovascular risk factors (including body mass index BMI, heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking) and the job demand and job control are related to each other. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 500 workers of the petrochemical industry in south of Iran, 2009. The study population was selected using simple random statistical method. They completed job demand and control questionnaire. The cardiovascular risk factors data was extracted from the workers hygiene profiles. Chi-square (chi (2)) test and hypothesis test (eta) were used to assess the possible relationship between different quantified variables, individual demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that a significant relationship can be found between job demand control model and cardiovascular risk factors. Chi-square test result for the heart rate showed the highest (chi (2) = 145.078) relationship, the corresponding results for smoking and BMI were chi (2) = 85.652 and chi (2) = 30.941, respectively. Subsequently, hypothesis testing results for cholesterol and hypertension was 0.469 and 0.684, respectively. DISCUSSION: Job strain is likely to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular risk factors among male staff in a petrochemical company in Iran. The parameters illustrated in the Job demands and control model can act as acceptable predictors for the probability of job stress occurrence followed by showing a high trend of CVD risk factors.