Abstract
ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate associations between cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress and sickness absence among Japanese male and female workers, in a prospective study.MethodsAmong 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.ResultsAmong 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).ConclusionCardiovascular reactivity to acute stress should be considered at workers' health checks.
Highlights
Sickness absence due to mental illness such as depressive disorders and physical illness such as musculoskeletal pain has become a considerable problem (Kristiansen et al, 2011; Takada, Ebara, & Kamijima, 2010)
The fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for sickness absence according to the z-score of cardiovascular reactivity to stress were computed, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, occupational position, depressive symptoms, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and medical history
Associations of changes in the low frequency (LF)-to-high frequency (HF) ratio during the mirror drawing stress (MDS) task with sickness absence were robust, when limited to sickness absence owing to mental illness:
Summary
Sickness absence due to mental illness such as depressive disorders and physical illness such as musculoskeletal pain has become a considerable problem (Kristiansen et al, 2011; Takada, Ebara, & Kamijima, 2010). Perceived psychological stress levels at work have been investigated, based on a conceptual model, to predict sickness absence, for example, the Job Demand–Control model (Karasek, 1979), the Effort–Reward Imbalance model (Siegrist, 1998), and the Organizational Justice model (Moorman, 1991). These perceived psychological stress levels are a theory-based operationalization of stress at work. The vagus nerve has been known to play a significant role in health and disease, and decreased cardiac vagal tone measured by HRV has been associated with stress at work (Jarczok et al, 2013). HRV is one of the objective indices of autonomic nerve balance that is often related to physiological and psychological responses to stressors (Takada et al, 2010)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
