title: Heart rate variability and urinary catecholamines from job stress in korean male manufacturing workers according to work seniority.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between job stress and indicators of autonomic nervous system activity in employees of the manufacturing industry. A total of 140 employees from a company that manufactures consumer goods (i.e., diapers and paper towels) were recruited for participation in this study. Job stress was assessed using Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using a heart rate monitor, and urinary catecholamines were measured by an HPLC-ECD. Information on demographic characteristics, previous job history, smoking status and alcohol consumption was also collected. Job stress did not have a significant effect on HRV or catecholamines. However, low-frequency HRV was significantly higher in the high-strain group of subjects with a short duration of employment. Low- and high-frequency HRV were higher in the high-strain group than in the low-strain group, but these differences were not statistically significant. The results of the present study indicate that low-frequency HRV was significantly higher in the high-strain group of subjects with a short duration of employment. In addition, the results of this study show that HRV can be used as a potential physiologic indicator of job stress in employees with a short duration of employment.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Omics Center, Life/Health Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kijung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jungsun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo-Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Daehee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000652:urine*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines