A recent study conducted by a researcher at Université Laval has revealed that approximately one in five cases of coronary heart disease among white-collar workers can be attributed to job strain and an imbalance between effort and recognition in the workplace.
The study found that job strain was responsible for 18% of coronary heart disease cases, lack of recognition for effort contributed to 3%, and a combination of both stressors led to 19.5% of cases. Lead author Mathilde Lavigne-Robichaud highlighted the significant impact of psychosocial stressors at work on cardiovascular health, drawing from over 30 years of evidence.
Tracking over 6,000 white-collar workers for 15 years, the researchers utilized data from the PROspective Québec study to explore the relationship between work-related stress and heart disease. They identified a group of 6,295 individuals without pre-existing coronary heart disease for their analysis.
The study’s findings align with existing knowledge on how workplace stressors can influence coronary heart disease development through chronic exposure. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system due to stress can trigger cardiovascular events by affecting factors like heart rate, blood pressure, and coronary functions.
The researchers also established a causal connection between job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and cardiovascular disease. They proposed that addressing modifiable risk factors such as reducing psychological demands, increasing employee involvement in decision-making, and enhancing opportunities for professional growth could help mitigate the impact of psychosocial stressors on blood pressure and hypertension.
According to Lavigne-Robichaud, implementing strategies to alleviate workplace stress could not only prevent a significant portion of coronary heart disease cases but also improve overall worker health. The study’s results were published in the scientific journal JACC: Advances by the American College of Cardiology.
