title: Prevalence of cardiovascular health and its relationship with job strain: a cross-sectional study in Taiwanese medical employees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prevalence and associated factors of cardiovascular health as defined by the AHA among different job categories in health settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional and hospital-based survey. A total of 1329 medical professionals with a mean age of 38 years in a regional hospital in Taiwan were recruited. Information for seven combined indicators including blood pressure, fasting sugar, blood cholesterol, body mass index, time of physical activity, dietary pattern and smoking status was obtained from the employees' health profiles and questionnaires. Degree of job strain was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire, which was derived from Karasek's demand-control model. Three types of cardiovascular health were identified as poor, intermediate and ideal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of cardiovascular health in this study's population was ideal in 0.2% of the sample, intermediate in 20.6% and poor in 79.2%. There was a significantly higher percentage of poor health in workers with high strain (85.1%), and in the professions of nurse (85.3%) and physician assistant (83.1%). In the multivariate analysis, the only significant factor correlated with job strain was physical inactivity. After being adjusted, workers with high strain exhibit a higher prevalence of physical inactivity compared to those with low strain (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.38 to -2.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical inactivity is the only significant factor correlated with job strain and is associated with a work situation characterised by high strain and the professions of nurse and physician assistant. Strategies for workplace health promotion should focus on employee health literacy and motivation to exercise regularly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Sin-Lau Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Health Care Administration, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Administration, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiang-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE