In a large study, researchers followed over 800 workers for 25 years. They found that those with high job strain or an effort-reward imbalance had double the chance of death from cardiovascular disease than those with no such imbalance.

What is "effort-reward imbalance"?

Effort-reward imbalance is basically too much work and pressure and not enough rewards, such as pay or time off. The John D. and Catherine T. McArthur Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health put together a comparison of seven studies, done in the 1990s, on the effects of a negative effort-reward imbalance and resulting health problems. The studies show that health problems such as angina, fatal or non-fatal coronary heart disease, hypertension, psychiatric disorders and coronary restenosis have all been associated with effort-reward imbalances.

Adverse Health Outcomes of Effort-Reward Imbalance at Work

A recent study at the University of Helsinki studied over 800 employees at Valmet factories in Jyväskylä, central Finland. The factories manufacture such things as paper machines, tractors, firearms and gauges. The work tasks of the employees studied varied from foundry work and heavy engineering to precision engineering and clerical and administrative work.

What the researchers found was that the nature of each worker's occupation was not as relevant as the amount of strain. Those who reported high job strain were 2.2 times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with low job strain. Those with little reward for the amount of effort had a 2.4 times higher risk of cardiovascular death.

The researchers also speculated that chronic job stress may also boost a person's chances of heart disease, as well as the chance of ill effects on the hormonal and nervous system function, which are key elements of the cardiovascular system. Additional research points to evidence that work stress may also result in effects such as blood clotting or insulin resistance, which are major risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

The researchers also found that greater risk of heart problems was associated with those who had high cholesterol and BMI (body mass index), regardless of factors such as age, exercise and smoking.

One interesting note was that the link between job strain and cardiovascular disease was the strongest among workers who remained at the same job five years after they were first assessed. This supports the idea that chronic or long-term stress is more likely to cause problems.

The researchers conclude that the findings support the holistic view that, in addition to established heart risks like smoking, inactivity and high-fat diets, psychological factors such as job stress contribute to risks as well.

British Medical Journal October 2002; 325: 857-860

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Long-term stress is clearly a powerful influence on one's health. Some of us don't have the option of switching jobs easily and must make the best of a less than ideal situation.

It is in these scenarios that psychological acupressure tools like EFT can be used to help circumvent the negative results caused by the types of stress identified in the above article.

You can learn how to do EFT in the comfort of your own home, free of charge, with my recently updated Free manual. Thousands of people have used this report to help them effectively treat and resolve emotional stresses in their lives. For a more in-depth look at the EFT process, my EFT series is available on DVD or VHS. If you need further help, there are many professionals that can provide EFT on an individual basis.

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