title: High job control enhances vagal recovery in media work.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Job strain has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. In modern media work, time pressures, rapidly changing situations, computer work and irregular working hours are common. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been widely used to monitor sympathovagal balance. Autonomic imbalance may play an additive role in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of work demands and job control on the autonomic nervous system recovery among the media personnel.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the cross-sectional postal survey of the employees in Finnish Broadcasting Company (n = 874), three age cohorts (n = 132) were randomly selected for an analysis of HRV in 24 h electrocardiography recordings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the middle-aged group, those who experienced high job control had significantly better vagal recovery than those with low or moderate control (P < 0.01). Among young and ageing employees, job control did not associate with autonomic recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High job control over work rather than low demands seemed to enhance autonomic recovery in middle-aged media workers. This was independent of poor health habits such as smoking, physical inactivity or alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Expertise for Health and Work Ability, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinisalo
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahlberg
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahkola
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Partinen
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hublin
authors.forename: Aslak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savolainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D020452:Journalism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology