Influence of job strain and emotion on blood pressure in female hospital personnel during workhours

Abstract

A homogeneous sample of 56 women who were between the ages of 20 and 59 years and worked in acute emergency care, child psychiatry, or a pediatric outpatient clinic comprised the subjects of this study to determine the relationship between job strain and blood pressure. Job strain was measured with a standardized questionnaire, and blood pressure during workhours with self-triggered equipment. Endocrine factors (morning concentration of plasma prolactin, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone) and emotional states recorded in diaries were also studied. Significant interrelationships occurred among perceived job strain, plasma prolactin, and diastolic blood pressure during workhours even when body mass index, age, family history of hypertension, level of education, and mood state were adjusted for in a multiple regression analysis. Thus job strain of female care givers was associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure during workhours and also with diastolic blood pressure at rest, but not with blood pressure during leisure time.