Abstract
Job strain has been associated with hypertension among younger workers; however, whether this relationship persists among
older workers, particularly older racial/ethnic minorities, is unresolved. This study evaluated whether job strain and workplace
discrimination are associated with hypertension and poor blood pressure control among older workers and whether these relationships
vary by gender and race/ethnicity. Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study, and analysis was restricted to employed
participants with complete information on job strain and blood pressure (N = 3,794). In adjusted models, high job strain was associated with lower likelihood of hypertension (odds ratio (OR): 0.75,
95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63, 0.89) relative to low job strain. Stratified analyses indicated this association was only
significant among white (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.86) and male (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.79) workers. High job strain was
not significantly associated with hypertension among African American (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.63, 2.07) or Hispanic (OR: 0.56,
95% CI: 0.29, 1.09) workers. Workplace discrimination was not associated with hypertension among any group. Neither job strain
nor discrimination was associated with poor blood pressure control. These findings suggest that persistence in work characterized
by high job strain in later life may signal resilience to the influence of work-related stressors on health. Future research
efforts should examine the factors that contribute to gender and racial differences in these relationships.
older workers, particularly older racial/ethnic minorities, is unresolved. This study evaluated whether job strain and workplace
discrimination are associated with hypertension and poor blood pressure control among older workers and whether these relationships
vary by gender and race/ethnicity. Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study, and analysis was restricted to employed
participants with complete information on job strain and blood pressure (N = 3,794). In adjusted models, high job strain was associated with lower likelihood of hypertension (odds ratio (OR): 0.75,
95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63, 0.89) relative to low job strain. Stratified analyses indicated this association was only
significant among white (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.86) and male (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.79) workers. High job strain was
not significantly associated with hypertension among African American (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.63, 2.07) or Hispanic (OR: 0.56,
95% CI: 0.29, 1.09) workers. Workplace discrimination was not associated with hypertension among any group. Neither job strain
nor discrimination was associated with poor blood pressure control. These findings suggest that persistence in work characterized
by high job strain in later life may signal resilience to the influence of work-related stressors on health. Future research
efforts should examine the factors that contribute to gender and racial differences in these relationships.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s12552-011-9041-7
- Authors
- Briana Mezuk, Department of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA USA
- Kiarri N. Kershaw, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA
- Darrell Hudson, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
- Kyuang Ah Lim, Epidemiology, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea
- Scott Ratliff, Department of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA USA
- Journal Race and Social Problems
- Online ISSN 1867-1756
- Print ISSN 1867-1748