Psychosocial Stressors at Work and Atrial Fibrillation Incidence: An 18-Year Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial stressors at work, defined by the job strain and effort-reward imbalance at work (ERI) models, were shown to increase coronary heart disease risk. No previous study has examined the adverse effect of psychosocial stressors at work from both models on atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence. The objective of this study was to examine the separate and combined effect of psychosocial stressors at work from the job strain and ERI models on AF incidence in a prospective cohort study. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 5926 white-collar workers (3021 women and 2905 men) free of cardiovascular disease at baseline were followed for an average of 18 years. Job strain (high psychological demands combined with low decision latitude) and ERI were assessed using validated instruments. AF events were identified in medical databases with universal coverage. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated using Cox regression models, controlling for socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle-related and clinical risk factors. A total of 186 AF incident events were identified over 18 years. Workers exposed to job strain (HR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.14-2.92]) and ERI (HR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.05-1.98]) had a higher risk of AF in fully adjusted models. Combined exposure to job strain and ERI was associated with a 2-fold AF risk increase (HR, 1.97 [95% CI, 1.26-3.07]). CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial stressors at work from the job strain and ERI models are associated with an increased risk of AF, separately and in combination. Workplace prevention strategies targeting these psychosocial stressors at work may be effective to reduce the burden associated with AF.

Low Social Support at Work and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in a Repeated Cross-sectional Study of White-Collar Workers.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies on the effect of low social support at work on blood pressure showed mixed results. Few previous studies have used ambulatory blood pressure and examined whether the effect of low social support at work vary among men and women. The aim of this study was to examine the association between low social support at work, ambulatory blood pressure means and hypertension prevalence, in a sample of white-collar workers men and women. METHODS: A repeated cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected three times during a 5-year period, among 3919 white-collar women and men. At each time, coworker and supervisor social support at work were measured using validated scales. Ambulatory blood pressure was measured every 15 min during a working day. General estimating equations were used. RESULTS: In adjusted models, women exposed to low coworker (+0.6 mmHg) and low supervisor social support at work (+0.7 mmHg) had slightly higher diastolic blood pressure means when compared to unexposed women. In men, those with low coworker social support at work had higher diastolic (+0.7 mmHg) blood pressure while those with low supervisor social support had a higher prevalence of hypertension (prevalence ratio = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04-1.24). CONCLUSIONS: Men with low supervisor social support at work had a higher prevalence of hypertension. Low social support at work was associated with modest increases in diastolic blood pressure among men and women. Workplace prevention strategies aiming to increase social support at work could lead to beneficial effects on worker's cardiovascular health.