Association between exposure to work stressors and cognitive performance.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between work stress and cognitive performance.


METHODS
Cognitive performance of a total of 99 women (mean age = 47.3 years) working in hospital wards at either the top or bottom quartiles of job strain was assessed using validated tests that measured learning, short-term memory, and speed of memory retrieval.


RESULTS
The high job strain group (n = 43) had lower performance than the low job strain group (n = 56) in learning (P = 0.025), short-term memory (P = 0.027), and speed of memory retrieval (P = 0.003). After controlling for education level, only the difference in speed of memory retrieval remained statistically significant (P = 0.010).


CONCLUSIONS
The association found between job strain and speed of memory retrieval might be one important factor explaining the effect of stress on work performance.
From the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (Mr Vuori, Ms Akila, Dr Kalakoski, Ms Pentti, Dr Kivimäki, Dr Vahtera, Dr Härmä, and Dr Puttonen), Helsinki, Finland; University College London (Dr Kivimäki), UK; and University of Turku and Turku University Hospital (Dr Vahtera), Finland.
Marko
M
Vuori
Ritva
R
Akila
Virpi
V
Kalakoski
Jaana
J
Pentti
Mika
M
Kivimäki
Jussi
J
Vahtera
Mikko
M
Härmä
Sampsa
S
Puttonen
D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires