Work-related stress doesn’t just affect mental health; it can significantly impact physical well-being, especially for men. Research has consistently shown that job strain, characterized by heavy workloads, tight deadlines, and lack of autonomy, contributes to both psychological and cardiovascular health issues.
A recent study has further illuminated that job stressors not only increase the risk of heart disease but also exacerbate it when combined with the feeling of “effort-reward imbalance.”
“Effort-reward imbalance occurs when employees invest high effort into their work, but perceive the rewards they receive as insufficient or unequal,” explained Mathilde Lavigne-Robichaud, lead study author and doctoral candidate in population health at CHU de Quebec-University Laval Research Center.
According to the study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, male workers experiencing either job strain or effort-reward imbalance were found to be 49% more likely to develop heart disease compared to those without such stressors.
Moreover, men facing both stressors simultaneously were twice as likely to have heart disease.
The detrimental impact of job strain and effort-reward imbalance on cardiovascular health is comparable to the effects of obesity on the risk of coronary heart disease, the researchers noted.
Given the amount of time people spend at work, understanding these relationships is crucial for public health and workplace well-being.
“Our study underscores the urgent need to address stressful working conditions proactively, in order to foster healthier work environments that benefit both employees and employers,” Lavigne-Robichaud emphasized.
This research is among the few that examines how combined job stressors, including low pay and inflexible work conditions, compound the risk of heart disease. Job strain specifically refers to environments where employees face high demands and little control over their work.
The study tracked over 6,400 white-collar workers in Canada over nearly two decades, focusing on their job strain levels and effort-reward imbalances in relation to heart disease incidence. The study did not find conclusive results among women, highlighting a potential area for further research.
