High job control enhances vagal recovery in media work.
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.
Lindholm
Harri
H
Centre of Expertise for Health and Work Ability, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Sinisalo
Juha
J
Ahlberg
Jari
J
Jahkola
Antti
A
Partinen
Markku
M
Hublin
Christer
C
Savolainen
Aslak
A
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