The Effects of Work Environment Area on Job Stress and Heart Rate Variability-Focused on the Forest and City Area

Abstract

The study compared the worker's job stress and heart rate variability (HRV) between forest area and city area. This study deducted the application possibility of HRV as physiological index and influences of forest area on worker's job stress. One hundred eighty-eight researchers submitted to the following tests: A general questionnaire, the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), and the heart rate variability tests. Low Frequency component (LF), High Frequency component (HF) in HRV values significantly were correlated with insufficient job control, organizational system subscales in job stress. Activity of the parasympathetic nervous system increased in 40s workers at forest area than at city area. lnLF/HF of 40's workers as representatives of sympathetic nervous system in city area was higher than in forest area. job stress scores in forest area was lower than in city area. Based on this study, forest area near the work environment would effect on the worker's job stress mitigation. We suggest that the improvement of work environment by making forest area would be useful for the management of job stress.