Three Types of Work Stress Increasing in the U.S., According to SUNY Downstate Researchers
May 24, 2017
Findings May Explain Why Declines in Cardiovascular Disease and Related Mortality
Have Slowed
Brooklyn, NY – Researchers at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s School of Public Health have determined that two stressful work characteristics, low job control and “job strain” – that is, high-demand, low-control work – have been increasing in the U.S. since 2002.
The findings were presented at the Seventh International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) Conference on Work Environment and Cardiovascular Diseases, in Varese, Italy, by Paul A. Landsbergis, PhD, EdD, MPH, associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and earlier by lead author and SUNY Downstate Doctor of Public Health candidate Stephanie Myers at SUNY Downstate Research Day in Brooklyn, NY.
Dr. Landsbergis said, “We determined that two stressful work characteristics, low job control, and ‘job strain,’ or high-demand, low-control work, have been increasing in the U.S. since 2002. Both of these job stressors are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, or CVD.”
He continued, “This may help to explain why the years-long declines in the incidence of CVD and mortality from CVD have slowed.” Dr. Landsbergis added, “We also found an increase in ‘work-family conflict,’ which likely reflects increasing burdens faced by working parents in the U.S.”
This is the first analysis looking at trends in work characteristics over 12 years using Quality of Work Life (QWL) surveys developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The four surveys analyzed (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014) are based on representative samples of the U.S. employed population.
The full reference for the ICOH presentation is: Myers S, Govindarajulu U, Joseph M, Landsbergis P. Trends in Work Characteristics, 2002-2014: Findings from the U.S. National NIOSH Quality of Work Life surveys (poster). 7th ICOH International Conference on Work Environment and Cardiovascular Diseases, May 4, 2017, Varese, Italy.
The abstract of the findings is published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 2017, Vol. 24(2S) 4–6; DOI: 10.1177/2047487317698913, on page 51.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.