The Association between Occupational Categories and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events: A Cohort Study in Iranian Male Population.

Background: Besides the traditional cardiovascular risk factor, some novel risk factors like occupation and career can play an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVDs) incidence. Objective: To assess the association between occupational categories and their positions with cardiovascular events (CVEs) in an Iranian male population. Methods: We followed 2134 men aged 35–65 years for 14 years during the Isfahan Cohort Study (2001–2015) for CVEs including ischemic heart disease and stroke. Firstly, Occupations were classified into 10 categories of International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO). Each category was then classified into one of the 4 pre-specified categories, namely high/low skilled white collars and high/low skilled blue collars. White-collar workers referred to managerial and professional workers in contrast with blue collar workers, whose job requires manual labor. Results: The mean age of studied participants was 46.9 (SD 8.3) years. 286 CVE incidents were recorded; unstable angina had the highest rate (46%); fatal stroke, the lowest (3%). There were no significant difference was observed between white and blue collars in terms of CVE incidence, as well as their high and low skilled subgroups. Hazard ratio analysis indicated a significantly higher risk of CVEs only for low-skilled white-collar workers (crude HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.13); this was not significant after adjustment for confounding variables. Conclusion: There is no association between occupational categories and incidence of cardiovascular events among Iranian male population.

Study objective: Occupational structure represents the unequal geographical distribution of more desirable jobs among communities (for example, white collar jobs). This study examines joint effects of social class, race, and...

In light of increasing interest in the workplace as a site for primary prevention of chronic disease, more information concerning the current health status of workers is needed. This report compares "blue collar" (n = 2118) and "white collar" (n = 1900) respondents from a population-based random sample survey conducted in two southeastern New England communities. The specific responses were to a household interview and physiological measures emphasizing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These risk factors were elevated blood cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, smoking, being overweight and physical inactivity. Designation as blue or white collar was based upon the Standard Occupational Classification Manual. Gender specific comparisons of physiological status and self-reported knowledge attitudes and behaviors related to cardiovascular disease revealed that blue collar workers are at higher risk only for certain controllable risk factors, namely smoking and body mass index (women only). Contrary to other reports in the literature we have not found any significant difference in blood pressure or total cholesterol between the two groups. Even when people in high risk categories (systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm/Hg, diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mm/Hg cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL) were studied the distributions were equally similar in both blue and white collar workers among each gender group. These findings indicate that educational interventions should target all segments of the population regardless of the nature of their occupation. More emphasis should be placed on offering programs to increase knowledge and improve health-related attitudes of blue collar workers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intraocular Pressure, Ocular Hypertension, and Glaucoma: A Comparison of White and Blue Collar Workers: Imran Ahmad Qureshi, et al. Department of Physiology, Rawalpindi Medical College—The course of glaucoma is an insidious one and most cases remains asymptomatic until the visual field has been seriously diminished. Consequently, it is a disease suited to a preventive approach. The intraocular pressure (IOP) distribution and prevalence of ocular hypertension and glaucoma have never been described in industrial workers. After controlling all IOP affecting factors, we investigated levels of intraocular pressure and its association with certain health parameters along with the prevalence of ocular hypertension and glaucoma in healthy white and blue collar workers in Karachi, the largest city in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In both groups, the histogram shows a skew to the right, so that the distribution was not Gaussian. This study reports that on an average, per decade, white collars have 1.1 mmHg (p<0.001) higher IOP than blue collar subjects. The average per decade increases were 0.47 mmHg and 0.33 mmHg in white and blue collar workers respectively. The age effect was statistically insignificant until the age of 40 years in both groups, after which it became quite significant. Differences in mean IOP (left minus right) were found to be 0.15 mmHg (p<0.2), and 0.12 mmHg (p<0.05) in white and blue collar subjects, respectively. In normal subjects IOP was weakly but statistically significantly correlated with the heart rate and systolic blood pressure. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and age were found to be risk factors for ocular hypertension. In both normotensive and ocular hypertensive subjects, weight and height were not correlated significantly. Ocular hypertensive subjects (IOP>21 mmHg) were 2.48 times more numerous in white collar than in blue collar subjects. Most of the ocular hypertensive and several glaucoma patients were diagnosed during this survey. The results therefore strongly suggest that in routine health examination, tonometry should be included.

Occupation, fibrinogen, and heart disease

SummaryIntroductionIn spite of traditional cardiovascular risk factor, the different occupations can play an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVDs) incidence. We aimed to assess the correlation between the occupational classes, based on the International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO), and CVDs in Iran as a developing country.MethodsWe followed the 2440 men, aged 35-65 years and without history of CVDs over fourteen years; 2001 to 2015 during the Isfahan Cohort Study. ISCO was used to classify occupations into 10 categories. Incidence rates of ischemic heart diseases and stroke were recorded. Socioeconomic demographic data including marital state, income and place of living and metabolic risk factors were also recorded.ResultsThe mean age was 46.97 ± 8.31 years old. 272 cardiovascular events (CVEs) were recorded that unstable angina was the highest recorded with 49% prevalence and the fatal stroke had the lowest outbreak (1%). The unemployed/jobless group and elementary occupations (9th ISCO category) had higher and lower relative frequency in CVEs respectively. There was non-significant decrease in CVEs in all of categories except of 4th (clerical support workers) and 10th (armed forces) groups in comparison to unemployed/jobless subjects (P > 0.05). After considering of the group 7 as a reference group (most absolute CVEs frequency), in fully adjustment analysis group 4 had significant risk for CVEs (P = 0.04).ConclusionsThis study indicates that working as clerical support workers (4th ISCO category) is associated with higher significant risk for IHD and stroke incidence in comparison to craft and related trades workers (7th group of ISCO).

Inequalities in health and mortality between white and blue collar workers have been well documented in western countries, particularly among men. Studies regarding occupation related mortality disparities in Asian populations including Chinese are limited. We included 74,941 40-70 years old Chinese women from the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) in an analysis of occupation and mortality. An in-person interview was conducted at enrolment to obtain lifetime job history as well as lifestyle and other potential risk factors for each participant. Each job title was coded in three digits according to the Chinese National Standard Occupation and Industry Codes Manual, and the categories of white and blue collar work were defined based on this coding. The information on mortality was provided by annual linkage to the Shanghai Vital Statistics Registry. Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and cause-specific mortality. In comparison with lifetime white collar workers, lifetime blue collar workers had 18% excess in all cause-mortality (HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.04-1.34) and 12% excess in cancer deaths (HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.93-1.35) after adjustment for lifestyle and other potential risk factors. A significantly increased risk was also associated with mortality from diabetes (HR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.06-3.37). There were no statistically significant differences in mortality between white and blue collar workers for other causes of death including circulatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal or other diseases among this population. Our study provides suggestive evidence that blue collar workers may have a higher risk of total cancer mortality compared to white collar workers among women in Shanghai. Citation Format: Bu-Tian Ji. Cancer and all-cause mortality among white and blue collar workers in middle-aged and elderly chinese women in a prospective cohort study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3437.

This study observes the perceived meanings of McDonalds’ Happy Meal®promotional videos produced by two different social classes of workers, which are White and Blue Collar workers as respondents. After finding out what the perceived meanings are from the respondents, writer proceeds on to the analyzing process in order to find out the differences between White and Blue Collar respondents’ perceived meanings. The study uses descriptive qualitative approach to explain the meaning of qualitative material in a more systematic way. The writer concludes that white collar respondents tend to prioritize pride, prestige and esteem. Meanwhile, blue collar respondents tend to prioritize their primary needs and responsibilities before spending on secondary needs.

In this report the data regarding coronary heart disease (CHD) from the 1990 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey are used to examine the relationship between risk factor knowledge and health related behaviors among currently employed white collar (N = 5,349) and blue collar (N = 4,158) men workers. Blue collar employees have less knowledge about CHD risk factors, less favorable risk factors status, and poorer health practices than their white collar workers. Despite these findings within each occupational group, the relationship of knowledge to either risk factor status or health practices is similar. Knowledge is generally related to the attempts to change behaviors. However, for the different risk factors, the associations vary. For example, knowledge of cigarette smoking as a risk factor of CHD is negatively associated with reported ever smoking or current smoking, but not with heavy smoking. In contrast, knowledge of overweight, high serum cholesterol, and high blood pressure as CHD risk factors is not associated with risk factor status. These results suggest that while difference in level of knowledge and risk profiles remain between blue collar and white collar employees, the associations between knowledge and risk profiles are similar. Programs located at worksites must continue to provide education opportunities about the risk factors, especially among blue collar workers.

The sense of coherence, occupation and the risk of coronary heart disease in the Helsinki Heart Study

Risks, survival and trends of malignant melanoma among white and blue collar workers in Sweden.

BackgroundThe physical activity pattern of the population, as well as the tasks of different occupational groups, have changed over the past decades. Hence, studies within and between different occupational groups, and not just between white and blue collar workers, are central for current risk group analyses. The aim was to study clustering of unhealthy lifestyle factors in different occupational groups in a large sample of men and women from the Swedish working population.Methods72,855 individuals aged 18-75 years (41% women) from the Swedish working population who participated in a nationwide occupational health service screening between 2014-2019 were included in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Nine different occupational groups were identified based on the International Standard Classification of Occupation 2008. Exercise, diet, smoking habits and perceived health were self-reported. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated using a submaximal cycle test. Blood pressure and BMI was assessed through physical examination. Logistic regression modelling assessed OR (95%CI) for clustering of unhealthy lifestyle factors, defined as ‘3 of the following; low exercise, poor diet, daily smoking, poor perceived health, low fitness, high blood pressure and high BMI in the different occupational groups.ResultsThe OR (95% CI) for clustering of unhealthy lifestyle factors were, compared to managers that served as reference, 1.00 (0.89-1.11) for professionals, 1.25 (1.11-1.39) for associate professionals, 1.93 (1.71-2.18) for clerical support workers, 2.40 (2.14-2.70) for service and sales workers, 1.63 (1.29-2.05) for agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, 2.23 (1.99-2.49) for craft and related trades workers, 2.52 (2.25-2.83) for plant and machine operators, and assemblers, and 2.62 (2.26-3.05) for elementary occupations. Comparing occupational groups within ‘service and sales workers’ and ‘plant and machine operators, and assemblers’, revealed significantly higher OR for professionals in care workers (OR2.92 (2.55-3.34)) and in drivers (OR 3.32(2.86-3.87)) compared to each of the main occupational groups.ConclusionThere were large variations in clustering of unhealthy lifestyle-related factors between as well as within different white and blue collar occupations. This study suggest that targeted measures of health promotion are foremost needed in blue collar occupations, however with some white collar sub-occupations being at similar need as blue collar occupations.

Background: General health in the working population is thought to depend on working conditions. Objective: This survey studied job demands and health complaints in working white and blue collar employees. We expect physical and psychological job demands to be differentially distributed among white and blue collar workers. Do they report health complaints consistent with their working conditions? Method: Cross-sectional study of 323 white and 383 blue collar workers. They completed the Basic Occupational Health Questionnaire, a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire about health, work and working conditions. The results were analysed using Chi-square and logistic regression analysis, controlling for educational level as a proxy of socioeconomic status. Results: The questionnaires of 280 white and 251 blue collar workers were suitable for analysis. White collar workers reported higher psychological job demands, and blue collar workers reported higher physical demands. In both occupational groups, low back pain, fatigue and upper respiratory complaints were most common. The rates of low back pain and pain in the lower extremity were higher in blue collar workers, as were regular headaches, pain in the cardiac region and feeling sleepy. However, these relationships substantially weakened when the educational level was adjusted for. Conclusions: Despite the differential distribution of job demands, white and blue collar workers reported similar health complaints. Health in the working population depended predominantly on socioeconomic status. Interventions to improve general health of employees should be directed at their socioeconomic position instead of working conditions.

Purpose: In this study, factors of metabolic syndrome and nutritional status were examined according to gender and occupations using the 2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: This study was conducted on 1,750 workers (male : 892, female : 858) aged between 30 and 64, who participated in a health survey, health examination, and nutrition survey using the 6th 2013 KNHANES. Occupations were classified into white collar and blue collar workers, and nutrient intake was analyzed using a food frequency questionnaire. Analysis of complex sample design data through SPSS 19.0 was used for analysis. Results: The prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome among blue collar (35.1%) was higher than that among white collar workers (26.8%) in male subjects (p < 0.05) as well as in blue collar (24.8%) compared to white collar workers (8.9%) in female subjects (p < 0.001). Intake frequency per week, considering one portion by food category, showed significant differences in cooked rice (p < 0.05) and bakeries and confectioneries (p < 0.05) in make workers as well as stew and casserole (p < 0.01) and fruits (p < 0.05) in female workers. With regard to nutrient intake by occupation and gender, white collar workers consumed a greater amount of nutrients (not including total energy intake) compared to blue collar workers in both male and female workers. With regard to nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) according to gender and occupation, white collar workers showed higher numbers than blue collar workers in both male and female subjects. Conclusions: This study examined the prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome and nutrient intake according to gender and occupation. In both male and female subjects, blue collar workers showed higher prevalence rates compared to white collar workers, and their diet quality was worse than white collar workers" diet quality. Considering this result, customized nutrition education according to gender and occupation should be provided to workers to prevent diseases.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the extent to which changes in blood pressure, smoking, and serum cholesterol concentration explain the observed increase in socioeconomic differences in mortality from ischaemic heart disease...