title: The demand-control model for job strain: a commentary on different ways to operationalize the exposure variable.
abstract: Demand-control has been the most widely used model to study job strain in various countries. However, researchers have used the model differently, thus hindering the comparison of results. Such heterogeneity appears in both the study instrument used and in the definition of the main exposure variable - high strain. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess differences between various ways of operationalizing job strain through association with prevalent hypertension in a cohort of workers (Pro-Health Study). No difference in the association between high job strain and hypertension was found according to the different ways of operationalizing exposure, even though prevalence varied widely, according to the adopted form, from 19.6% for quadrants to 42% for subtraction tertile. The authors recommend further studies to define the cutoff for exposure variables using combined subjective and objective data.
authors.forename: Márcia Guimarães de Mello
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Vivianne Melo
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faerstein
authors.forename: Claudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Washington
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Junger
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology