Investigation of the health condition of the "shukko" person in a certain Japanese company

Abstract

The influence of the "shukko" (temporary transfer) work system on health was examined. "Shukko" is a Japanese individual work system. The life-time employment system was general in Japan. "Shukko" work system was devised to reduce the number of personnel in Japan. "Shukko" personnel belong to their present company but they must do the work of another company. Generally, the disadvantages of "shukko". Personnel are greater than in former "shukko" The subjects are 483 office workers in a certain industrial company. 143 workers work in a subsidiary of this company (Age: 42.2 +/- 5.5) (strategic shukko group), 30 workers work in the other company, having resigned their administrative post in the head office (55.6 +/- 2.1) (Demotion by the manager shukko group), and 310 workers work in the head office of this company (41.8 +/- 5.2) (head office working group). The medical examination results (degree of obesity, systolic blood pressure (SBP), GPT, GGTP, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), fasting blood sugar (FBS), uric acid (UA), electrocardiography (ECG), and gastrography were compared by mean of multiple regression analysis. In the "Demotion by the manager shukko" group, the average age and SBP were higher than in the other groups. (p < 0.0001). The "strategic shukko" group was compared with the "head office working" group. There is no significant difference in average age. The average SBP (p < 0.001) and FBS (p < 0.0001) of the "head office working" group was significantly higher than those of the "strategic shukko" group. ECG findings were more serious in the "Demotion by the manager shukko" group than in the other groups (p < 0.0001). There is a significant correlation between SBP and "degree of obesity, FBS and UA" (p < 0.0001). There is significant correlation between FBS and "GGTP, SBP, UA, GPT and TG" (p < 0.0001). And there is significant correlation between ECG findings and "working form and SBP" (p < 0.05). The prevention and early diagnosis of geriatric diseases is important for the "Demotion by the manager shukko" group, and their average age is older than that of the other groups. A problem with the head office working group is obesity. In this group it is important to take into consideration life related diseases. The workers complaint a lot in the "strategic shukko" group, but there are no abnormal findings. We think that their complaints are due to their mental stress. In this group measuring mental stress is important.