High Levels Of Work Stress Research Articles

Work stress and metabolic and hemostatic risk factors.

A high level of work stress has been associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. This study examined the effect of work stress on a cluster of metabolic and hemostatic risk factors. Blood was collected three times, on the first, third, and fifth day of a work week, from 124 middle-aged, white-collar workers. Metabolic measures were insulin, glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol. Hemostatic measures were fibrinogen, tissue-type plasminogen activator activity, tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen, and type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen. Chronic work stress was defined according to Siegrist's model as 1) a combination of high effort and low reward at work (effort-reward imbalance) or 2) high overcommitment (an exhaustive work-related coping style). Overcommitment, but not imbalance or the imbalance-overcommitment interaction, was associated with an impaired fibrinolytic system, as reflected in decreased tissue-type plasminogen activator activity levels and increased type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen levels on all three measurement occasions. After controlling for body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, glucose, and insulin, the relation between overcom-mitment and the fibrinolytic factors was attenuated but remained significant. The results suggest that individuals with an exhaustive coping style at work have an impaired fibrinolytic capacity that is possibly due to the effects of chronic stress on insulin resistance.

Effects of work stress on psychological well-being and job satisfaction: The stress-buffering role of social support

Abstract The aim of the research was to examine further the relationships among levels of work stress, social sup port, and well-being. In the first instance, it was proposed that high levels of work stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, work overload, and underutilisation of skills) would have a negative impact on job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Second, it was proposed that the perceived availability of support for work-related problems would have both direct and stress-buffering effects on levels of well-being. These hypotheses were tested in a study of 153 employees of a large public sector organisation. After control of the potential confounding effects of neuroticism, there was some support for the proposed affects of work stress and social support on well-being. Role ambiguity and role conflict emerged as significant predictors of both psychological well-being and job satisfaction. There was also some support for the proposed role of underutilisation of skills; however, contrary to e...