Work stress related lipid disorders and arterial hypertension in professional drivers: A cross-sectional study

Djindjić, Nataša; Jovanović, Jovica; Djindjić, Boris; Jovanović, Milan M.; Pešić, Milica; Jovanović, Jovana · 2013 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.2298/vsp1306561d

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Summary

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between occupational stress and cardiovascular risk factors, specifically arterial hypertension and lipid disorders, among male professional drivers. The research was motivated by the growing recognition of occupational stress as a potential contributor to cardiovascular disease, despite inconsistent findings in previous literature regarding its link to lipid profiles and blood pressure. The study aimed to determine if specific aspects of the Occupational Stress Index (OSI) correlated with these health outcomes in a high-stress occupational group. The study included 439 middle-aged male professional drivers (aged 35–60) from the Niš region, categorized into four groups: city bus drivers (n=94), intercity bus drivers (n=100), truck drivers (n=123), and taxi drivers (n=122). Participants were recruited during systematic preventive examinations between 2008 and 2010. Occupational stress was assessed using a standardized OSI questionnaire, which measures seven aspects: high demands, strictness, underload, extrinsic time pressure, noxious exposure, avoidance/symbolic aversiveness, and conflict/uncertainty. Clinical data included fasting serum lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL) and blood pressure measurements. Statistical analyses employed binary logistic regression, adjusting for age and years of occupational exposure, to assess the association between OSI scores and the presence of hypertension or dyslipidemia. Results indicated significant differences in both stress levels and cardiovascular risk markers across driver subgroups. City bus drivers exhibited the highest total OSI scores (82.79 ± 3.5) and the highest prevalence of hypertension (98.9%) and dyslipidemia (96.8%), while taxi drivers had the lowest OSI scores (71.61 ± 4.4) and lowest prevalence of these conditions. Logistic regression revealed that total OSI was significantly associated with arterial hypertension (OR 5.59; 95% CI 2.24–7.95) and dyslipidemia (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.09–2.80). Specifically, the "underload" aspect of stress was the strongest predictor for hypertension (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.04–2.58) and elevated LDL cholesterol (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.19–2.1). Total OSI was also significantly associated with elevated LDL (OR 2.64), triglycerides (OR 3.27), and low HDL cholesterol (OR 3.29). The study concludes that occupational stress, particularly the dimension of underload, is significantly associated with elevated blood pressure and adverse lipid profiles in professional drivers. These findings suggest a potential mechanistic link between job stress and coronary heart disease risk. The authors recommend regular periodic medical examinations and workplace interventions aimed at reducing total occupational stress and underload as critical components of primary prevention strategies to mitigate cardiovascular risk in this population.

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• stress driving

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• Empirical Findings: physiological data