title: The impact of occupational stress factors on temporary work disability related to arterial hypertension and its complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine which specific groups of occupational stress factors influence the duration of temporary work disability related to arterial hypertension and joint complications/co-morbidities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Workers (n = 1398; 1009 in the exposed group, 389 in the control group) with arterial hypertension who worked at one workplace for a minimum of 10 years were divided into 10 subgroups, depending on the presence of joint complications/co-morbidities. The intensity of seven groups of occupational stress factors, the total score of Occupational Stress Index (OSI) and the average number of lost working days during 1 year were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of lost working days due to arterial hypertension and joint complications/co-morbidities was significantly higher in the exposed group. In all subgroups of the exposed group there was a high correlation between the number of lost working days and the total OSI score. Specific occupational stress factors were associated with specific complications: High Demands with chronic myocardial infarction, Strictness with cerebral haemorrhage, Conflict/Uncertainty with cerebral infarction, Extrinsic Time Pressure with acute myocardial infarction, and Avoidance/Symbolic Aversiveness with non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are specific groups of occupational stress factors which can influence the duration of work disability associated with certain complications and co-morbidities of arterial hypertension.
authors.affiliation: a Aegean Medical Service - Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lazaridis
authors.affiliation: b Medical Faculty of Niš , Serbia.|c Institute of Occupational Health of Niš , Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.affiliation: b Medical Faculty of Niš , Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Occupational Health of Niš , Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Šarac
authors.affiliation: b Medical Faculty of Niš , Serbia.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jovanović
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007592:Joint Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Occupational Stress Index; arterial hypertension; co-morbidity; lost working days; occupational stress factors