Abstract
In our earlier study of security guards, we showed that higher occupational stress was associated with health impairments (metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases) and work disability. The aim of this study was to further explore the association of specific occupational stressors with health impairments and work disability parameters in 399 Serbian male security guards (aged 25–65 years). Ridge linear regression analysis revealed that, after controlling for age, body mass index, and smoking status, professional stressors including high demands, strictness, conflict/uncertainty, threat avoidance and underload were significant positive predictors of fasting glucose, triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate, Framingham cardiovascular risk score, and temporary work disability. The security profession is in expansion worldwide, and more studies are needed to establish precise health risk predictors, since such data are generally lacking.
Highlights
IntroductionIn our earlier study of security guards, we showed that higher occupational stress was associated with health impairments (metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases) and work disability
In our earlier study of security guards, we showed that higher occupational stress was associated with health impairments and work disability
The aspects noxious exposures, extrinsic time pressure, and threat avoidance did not significantly contribute to the total Occupational Stress Index (OSI) scores, their scores were quite high in relation to their maximum score
Summary
In our earlier study of security guards, we showed that higher occupational stress was associated with health impairments (metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases) and work disability. Some personality characteristics (e.g., impulsivity, aggressiveness), which are sometimes noted among security guards [18, 19], can predispose for enhanced response to psychological stress, escalation of conflict, and counterproductive problem-solving strategies [20, 21] These workers often work in unfavourable (too cold or too hot, noisy, dusty) working environments and conditions, such as confined workspaces, fixed body position and static effort, irregular and extended working hours, shift work, night work, and often. Hyperglycaemia (77.2 %), dyslipidaemia (82.7 %), hypertension (69.9 %), metabolic syndrome (77.7 %), and diabetes (38.8 %) had much higher prevalence than in the general population or male workers in other professions in Serbia [39,40,41,42] or the world [43] This surprisingly high prevalence of health impairments was not related to obesity (as one could expect, considering the known association between these health impairments and adiposity), as most security guards (56.9 %) were not overweight or obese. 360 Jovanović J, et al The influence of specific aspects of occupational stress on security guards’ health and work ability: detailed extension
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