STRESS AT WORK ENHANCES RISK OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION IN GENERAL POPULATION. WHO MONICA-PSYCHOSOCIAL PROGRAM

Objective: To determine the effects of stress at work on the risk of arterial hypertension (AH) in population of 25–64 years in Russia/Siberia Design and method: Under the III screening of the WHO MONICA-psychosocial program, a random representative sample of a population of both sexes aged of 25–64 years in Novosibirsk was examined in 1994 (n = 1346, 48.8% males; mean age 44.9 ± 0.4 years, response rate - 77.3%). The screening program performed in frame budgetary issue # AAAA-A17-117112850280-2. It's included: registration of socio-demographic data, determination of stress at work. The duration of follow-up was 16 years. Results: A high level of stress at work was in 29.5% of men and 31.6% of women (p > 0.05). An increase in the level of high stress at the workplace was found for men - workers engaged in moderate physical labor (34.7%) compared with women (17.7%) in this group (p < 0.05). The risk of AH over a 16-year period in those who experiencing stress at work was 1.4-fold higher in men and 1.27-fold higher in women. An increase in the risk of hypertension was observed in widowed men HR = 2.5. Risk of AH gradually increased in women depending on age group: 35–44 years – HR = 1.699; 45–54 years – HR = 2.472 and 55–64 years – HR = 2.694 (p for all < 0.05). Conclusions: High levels of stress at work increased the risk of hypertension both in men and women.