Blood pressure and fitness for work.
A survey was carried out to determine whether physicians in Occupational Medicine exclude job applicants because of hypertension and to examine the critical blood pressure cut-off values they apply. The survey sampled 116 respondents, members of the American Occupational Medical Association, Central States. Of these, 33 (28%) reported excluding hypertensives from work permanently, as the policy of one or more of the companies they serve. Another 78 physicians (68%) reported excluding hypertensives permanently on their own initiative when there was no company policy. The critical determining diastolic pressure varied from 90 to greater than 130 mm Hg; 22 respondents (19%) excluded individuals with mild hypertension. The results demonstrate that blood pressure is frequently used as a criterion for employment. Additionally, the level of blood pressure precluding work is arbitrary and variable. There is a need for consensus on appropriate guidelines to preclude inappropriate discrimination against hypertensive job applicants.
Murphy
M B
MB
Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, IL 60637.
D001794:Blood Pressure; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009787:Occupational Medicine; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation