Job stress and major coronary events: results from the Job Stress, Absenteeism and Coronary Heart Disease in Europe study.
OBJECTIVE
The intention of this study is to investigate the relationship of the demands/control/strain model with hard coronary events in an epidemiological, prospective, multicenter, European study.


RESULTS
Six cohorts (Brussels, Ghent, Lille, Barcelona, Göteborg and Malmö) from four European countries (Belgium, France, Spain and Sweden) consisting of 21 111 middle-aged male subjects participated between 1993 and 1996 in the baseline survey of the Job Stress, Absenteeism and Coronary Heart Disease in Europe (JACE) study. The Karasek strain model of psychological demands (five items)/control (nine items) was used. During a mean follow-up of 40 months 185 acute coronary events or coronary deaths were observed. Age-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for developing an acute coronary event were 1.46 [CI 95% confidence interval (1.08-1.97)] for high against low psychological demands and 1.53 (95% CI 1.0-2.35) for strained (high demands plus low control) against relaxed (low demands plus high control) groups. After adjustment for standard cardiovascular risk factors the HR for developing a coronary event for those above or equal to the median against those below the median of psychological demands was 1.46 (95% CI 1.08-1.97) whereas the HR for strained against relaxed groups is 1.46 (95% CI 0.96-2.25). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.


CONCLUSIONS
In this European, multicenter, prospective, epidemiological study the Karasek job strain model was an independent predictor of acute coronary events, with the psychological demands scale emerging as the important component.
Kornitzer
Marcel
M
School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. bmkornitzer@bezeqint.net
deSmet
Patrick
P
Sans
Susana
S
Dramaix
Michele
M
Boulenguez
Charles
C
DeBacker
Guy
G
Ferrario
Marco
M
Houtman
Irene
I
Isacsson
Sven-Olof
SO
Ostergren
Per-Olof
PO
Peres
Inaki
I
Pelfrene
Edwin
E
Romon
Monique
M
Rosengren
Anika
A
Cesana
Giancarlo
G
Wilhelmsen
Lars
L
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology