Effort-reward imbalance, heart rate, and heart rate variability: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
BACKGROUND
Work stress indicated by effort-reward imbalance is hypothesized to cause autonomic arousal, which, if prolonged or frequent, could contribute to cardiovascular pathology. However, only limited empirical evidence on this mechanism is available.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined associations between effort-reward imbalance, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV).


METHODS
The participants were 457 women and 406 men (mean age 32.3 years) derived from the population-based Young Finns Study. Effort-reward imbalance was defined as the ratio between effort and reward, higher efforts compared to rewards indicating greater imbalance.


RESULTS
In age-adjusted regression models, higher effort-reward imbalance was associated with lower HRV, and lower reward was associated with higher HR among women. These associations were not attenuated after additional adjustments for demographic characteristics and coronary risk factors. No significant associations of effort-reward imbalance or its components with HR and HRV were found in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Our finding of lower HRV and higher HR in young healthy women with high effort-reward imbalance and low rewards provides evidence of a potential mechanism that may link effort-reward imbalance to the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women.
Hintsanen
Mirka
M
Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Elovainio
Marko
M
Puttonen
Sampsa
S
Kivimaki
Mika
M
Koskinen
Tuomas
T
Raitakari
Olli T
OT
Keltikangas-Jarvinen
Liisa
L
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012201:Reward; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology