Job stress depressing, bad for heart – study
[ UniNews Vol. 15, No. 11
26 June - 10 July 2006 ] By Matthew Johnston
Up to a third of cardiovascular disease among working Victorian men and a third of depression in women is attributable to job stress, according to a comprehensive study of health and wellbeing in Victorian workers by University of Melbourne researchers.
The research, commissioned by VicHealth and led by Associate Professor Anthony LaMontagne in the University’s School of Population Health, also found that women are more likely to be exposed to job stress than men, and work stress is higher in young employees in lower job status.
The report included a major review of evidence that job stress is related to adverse effects on employee and organisational health, and estimated the contribution of job stress to ill health among Victorian workers.
“The people who need help reducing job stress are generally the least powerful in the workplace, such as young people with low skill levels,” Associate Professor LaMontagne said.
The study included a survey-based assessment of working conditions for a sample of 1100 working Victorians, as well as a separate in-depth qualitative interview study of 41 individuals in 29 Victorian organisations.
Participants in the qualitative interview study included local health and safety representatives, public and private employers, trade unions, employer associations, and the Victorian WorkCover Authority.
Associate Professor LaMontagne said the study shows how individuals are not the only ones suffering because of workplace stress. Organisations are experiencing costs such as higher employee turnover.
“Our research shows that organisations using high systems approaches to managing stress – interventions that combine organisational and individual approaches – will have better outcomes.
“High systems approaches were shown to lead to lower absenteeism and workers compensation claims, as well as benefiting individual workers’ health.
“My hope is that the prevalence of job stress-related disease will fall as employers see the cost benefits of maintaining the health and wellbeing of individual workers,” he said.
For the full report see www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/workplacestress
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