The association between job strain, depressive symptoms, and cardiovascular disease risk: results from a cross-sectional population-based study in Québec, Canada

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health Vol. 93; no. 8; pp. 1013 - 1021
• Main Authors: Power, Niamh, Deschênes, Sonya S., Ferri, Floriana, Schmitz, Norbert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-11-2020
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Occupational Stress; Original Article; Quebec; Rehabilitation; Risk Factors; Quebec; Work; Cardiovascular disease; Depression; Framingham risk score; Job strain
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-020-01550-5

Purpose
Job strain (high psychological demands and low decision control) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unclear if job strain is associated with CVD risk score independently of depression, an established risk factor for CVD. This study investigated whether there is an association between job strain and CVD risk score, when depressive symptoms are controlled for. Sex differences were examined.
Methods
Data came from the CARTaGENE study, a community health survey of adults in Québec, Canada (
n
 = 7848). Participants were working adults aged 40–69 years. CVD risk was estimated using the Framingham risk score. Job strain was measured as the ratio of job demands to control using the Job Content Questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between job strain and CVD risk score controlling for depressive symptoms. There was no interaction effect between job strain and depressive symptoms in the association with CVD risk score.
Results
High job strain was reported in approximately 21% of participants, high Framingham risk score was observed in approximately 9%. Job strain was associated with the Framingham risk score (
B
 = 0.73,
p
 < 0.001, adjusted for age, sex, and education) and controlling for depressive symptoms did not significantly change the association (
B
 = 0.59,
p
 < 0.001).
Conclusion
The results suggest that the job strain is associated with CVD risk score and that this association is not explained by depressive symptoms. Similar associations were observed for males and females.