title: Allostatic load and work conditions.
abstract: Adverse work characteristics and poor social support have been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and other adverse health outcomes in otherwise apparently healthy adults. We undertook a cross-sectional study to evaluate the relationship between objective health status and work characteristics in industrial workers in Germany. Volunteers (n=324) were recruited from a representative random sample (n=537) of employees of an airplane manufacturing plant. Psychosocial work characteristics were assessed by the 52-item, 13-subscale salutogenetic subjective work analysis (SALSA) questionnaire, which assesses potentially salutogenic and pathogenic conditions. Factor analysis revealed three factors: decision latitude, job demands and social support. Biological health status was determined by the revised allostatic load score with 14 components: body-mass index, waist-to-hip ratio; systolic and diastolic blood pressure; plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor-necrosis factor-alpha, HDL, cholesterol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; glycosylated hemoglobin; urinary cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and albumin. Score points were given for values in the high-risk quartile (maximum=14). General linear models revealed that older individuals and men had significantly higher allostatic load scores than younger participants or women. Of the SALSA factors, only job demands related significantly to allostatic load. The effect of demands was stronger in older individuals. Post-hoc analysis showed possible positive associations between high job demands and blood pressure or CRP, and between low social support and nocturnal excretion of cortisol or plasma levels of CRP. We conclude that this cross-sectional study on industrial employees found a weak association between a health summary score based on objective medical data and self-reported adverse work characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Turnerstr 1, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schnorpfeil
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noll
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ehlert
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Joachim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*