Health Risks of Job-Related Stress
National and international organizations point to work-related stress as a global problem. Among the top reasons for work-related stress is the pressure to complete tasks with insufficient training, skills, resources or time. Stress sets off adrenaline mechanisms that can tax the body, and studies including those by the World Health Organization and the National Safety Council point to job stress as factors in psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depression; coronary disease; and obesity.
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Psychological Problems
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The World Health Organization lists stressful work conditions as one of the causes of poor mental health. A 2009 study by the Canadian National Population Health Survey that was published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" showed that people with high-stress jobs tended to be twice as likely to suffer major depression as those who have low-stress jobs.
Heart Problems
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A 2007 report in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" indicated that people who have had a heart attack and are then exposed to job stress are doubly likely to have a second heart attack. The research tested 972 patients, men and women, who had had a myocardial infarction -- or heart attack -- and then were employed during the 12 months following the attack. Patients were interviewed at intervals and job-related stress was assessed. Job-related stress fell into categories of high psychological demand and little control over decision making. More than 20 percent of these patients had a second heart attack after returning to work. While there were other factors, chronic exposure to job strain was associated with second attacks.
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Obesity
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Several studies have linked workplace stress with obesity. The University of Rochester Medical Center studied 2,782 employees at a manufacturing facility in upstate New York. Workers reported that downsizing had left them "doing the job of five people" and feeling stressed. To decompress, many looked forward to going home and "vegging out" in front of the television. At times of high stress, snacks with high fat and calories were consumed more frequently from vending machines. Workers said they did not feel they could leave their desks long enough to eat lunch or work out. The combination of stress and the methods to address combined to create obesity, according to the study published in the "Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine" in 2010. The results, researchers said, could apply to any job situation where there were layoffs or lack of control at work.
Miscellaneous
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Numerous other conditions are associated with workplace stress, including headaches, stomach problems, sleeplessness and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, there have been several studies connecting ongoing stress -- such as that in a stressful work situation -- with onset or progression of chronic illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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References
- OSHA: Hospital Hazards: Stress
- World Health Organization: Stress at the Job
- Human Resource Management Guide: Health Effects Of Work-Related Stress And Shift Work
- National Safety Council: Work Related Stress
- World Health Organization: Mental Health Strengthening Our Response
- Reuters: Easing Job Stress May Ward Off Depression
Resources
- Photo Credit stressed woman at work image by Jane Doe from Fotolia.com
