title: High job strain is associated with inflammatory markers of disease in young long-haul bus drivers.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. The study was aimed to investigate the association between job strain and inflammation markers and to examine factors contributing to high strain. The long-haul bus drivers (n = 825) were recruited from a Taiwanese transportation company. The psychosocial work environment was measured by a validated job content questionnaire (JCQ). Plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) were analyzed as inflammation markers. Job strain effects and its interaction with age were analyzed by logistic regression. Explained variance (Nagelkerke R square) was applied to select important stressors. The crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the effect of high strain on high hs-CRP and Hcy were not significant. However, there was significant interaction between job strain and age (p = .014). The significantly increased risk of high strain on high hs-CRP was found among drivers younger than 35 years old (OR = 2.71), but not in driver groups age 35 to 49 and older than 50. The contributing factors to high strain were varied among the 3 age groups. The 3 stressors found for young drivers were having rest time less than 8 hours between 2 shifts, being physically inactive during leisure time, and frequent driving more than 12 hours a day. Job strain interacted with age influenced hs-CRP levels. The risk of inflammatory disease markers only increased in high strained group of young drivers. Appropriate work shift systems should be implemented to increase off-duty time, reduce sleep restrictions, and increase physical activity during leisure time.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center.
authors.forename: Su-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center.
authors.forename: Ching-Huang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University and Hospital.
authors.forename: Tung-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs.
authors.forename: Ming-Hsiu
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center.
authors.forename: Saou-Hsing
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein