Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress associated with sickness absence among Japanese men and women: A prospective study

Factors Influencing Depressive Symptoms in Middle-Aged South Korean Workers by Job Type: A Population-Based Study

Depressive symptoms can be influenced by different factors, including job types. In this study, we identified factors that affect depressive symptoms among South Korean workers by job type using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Examined respondents were between 40 and 69 years (N = 9375). A complex sample linear regression analysis revealed various significant factors based on job type. For office workers, the number of household members, health-related quality of life, diabetes, sitting time, subjective health, and stress were significant influencing factors for depressive symptoms (explanatory power of 23.2%) (p < 0.001). For service workers, gender, health-related quality of life, food intake, aerobic exercise, sitting time, subjective health, and stress were significant influencing factors for depressive symptoms (explanatory power of 49.6%) (p < 0.001). For labor workers, gender, type of living, health-related quality of life, BMI, weight change, weight control, aerobic exercise, diabetes, subjective health, and stress were significant influencing factors for depressive symptoms (explanatory power of 35.8%) (p < 0.001). These differences highlight the need for customized programs targeted at each job type to maintain and promote mental health among workers.

Job stress factors measured by Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and sickness absence among Japanese workers: A longitudinal study

This study aimed to investigate associations between Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ)-measured job stress factors and sickness absence in Japanese workers. Among 551 healthy, employed Japanese men and women (age range: 21-73 years) who underwent mental health examinations at the Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion between 2006 and 2009, 197 (67 men, 130 women) consented to participate in this study. Their sickness absences until the end of March 2010 were then followed-up via postal mail survey, with 112 participants effectively responding to the question on sickness absence (56.9%). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for age, sex, and lifestyle factors. Among the 112 respondents, 12 took sickness absence after their study entry, as found during the mean 2.3 years of follow-up (258.8 person-years). Among all sickness absences, those of eight participants were because of mental illness. Physical demands were positively associated with increased risks of all sickness absence (adjusted HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.01-7.64). Physical demands were predictive for all sickness absence, and should be alleviated at workplaces to prevent such absence.

Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress associated with sickness absence among Japanese men and women: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate associations between cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress and sickness absence among Japanese male and female workers, in a prospective study.

METHODS

Among healthy employed Japanese workers who underwent mental health checks between 2006 and 2009, data of 111 participants were analyzed. Changes in blood pressure, pulse rate, peripheral blood flow (PBF), and heart rate variability (HRV) (high frequency [HF] and low frequency [LF]) were calculated using differences between the two tasks, mirror drawing stress [MDS] and a maze task, and the postperiod value. Sickness absence through March 2010 was followed up by mail survey (average follow-up 2.3 years). Logistic regression analysis was used, adjusting for lifestyle factors.

RESULTS

Among 12 participants who took sickness absences, eight were owing to mental problems. Changes in the LF during the MDS and maze tasks and LF-to-HF ratio during the MDS task were positively associated with all sickness absences (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.09, 1.03-4.22; 2.04, 1.09-3.82; and 3.10, 1.46-6.58, respectively). Changes in PBF during the MDS task were also associated with increased risk of sickness absence (OR, 95% CI: 2.53, 1.10-5.81).

CONCLUSION

Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress should be considered at workers' health checks.