Job strain (demands and control model) as a predictor of cardiovascular risk factors among petrochemical personnel.

Background: One of the practical models for the assessment of stressful working conditions due to job strain is job demand and control model, which explains how physical and psychological adverse consequences, including cardiovascular risk factors can be established due to high work demands (the amount of workload, in addition to time limitations to complete that work) and low control of the worker on his/her work (lack of decision making) in the workplace. The aim of this study was to investigate how certain cardiovascular risk factors (including body mass index [BMI], heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking) and the job demand and job control are related to each other.

Materials And Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 500 workers of the petrochemical industry in south of Iran, 2009.

Association between job strain (high demand-low control) and cardiovascular disease risk factors among petrochemical industry workers.

Objective: One of the practical models for assessment of stressful working conditions due to job strain is "job demand and control" or Karasek's job strain model. This model explains how adverse physical and psychological effects including cardiovascular disease risk factors can be established due to high work demand. The aim was to investigate how certain cardiovascular risk factors including body mass index (BMI), heart rate, blood pressure, serum total cholesterol levels, and cigarette smoking are associated with job demand and control in workers.