The Correlation between Work Stress and Hypertension among Industrial Workers: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Hypertension is the most prevalent non-communicable disease in Indonesia. Stress is one of the modifiable risk factors of hypertension. Work stress is a complaint or disorder of physical, psychological, or social conditions, related to work and can be experienced by workers. This study was aimed to investigate the correlation between work stress and hypertension among industrial workers. A cross-sectional study in 100 male workers in the production department of a manufacturing industry in Bekasi, Indonesia, was conducted. The measurement of work stress was obtained by Work Stress Questionnaire (WSQ) and categorized as workers with work stress and without work stress. Hypertension was defined according to 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. The relationship of variables was analyzed by chi-square test and stated as prevalence ratio (PR). The confounder of age was adjusted using logistic regression. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in workers with work stress, PR = 5.58, 95% CI 1.54-20.23 (p=0.005). Adjusted PR after adjusting for age was 6.27, 95% CI 1.71-23.06 (p=0.006). In conclusion, there is a significant correlation between work stress and hypertension among industrial workers.