JOEM: Job Demand-Control and Hypertension (November 2022)-JOEM: Job Demand-Control and Hypertension (November 2022)

JOEM: Job Demand-Control and Hypertension (November 2022)

Pdf Summary

A study aimed to determine if occupational stress is a social determinant of elevated hypertension among African Americans. The study analyzed data from employed adults in the United States and found that African American workers reported lower job control and higher physical job demands compared to non-African Americans. Both psychological and physical job demands were independently associated with greater odds of high blood pressure. The study also found that job strain, defined as high psychological demands coupled with low job control, was associated with high blood pressure and differed by race, with African Americans being more susceptible. However, there was no evidence of differential vulnerability to job demands or control for African Americans compared to non-African Americans. The study supports the job-demand control model and suggests that high job demands and low job control are most relevant for African Americans in relation to hypertension. The findings highlight the importance of considering occupational stress as a social determinant of health and addressing job-related factors in efforts to achieve health equity.

Keywords

occupational stress

social determinant

elevated hypertension

African Americans

job control

physical job demands

psychological job demands

high blood pressure

job strain

health equity