Occupational status and job stress in relation to cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese workers

• Job stressors are associated with changes in stress reactivity in men and women.
• Job stressors associated with stress reactivity in male managers/professionals.
• Job stressors associated with stress reactivity in female general workers.
• Occupational status and gender differences should be considered.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of occupational status and job stress factors on cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese workers. In this baseline assessment between 2001 and 2009 in Osaka, Japan, we examined 928 healthy Japanese employees (330 men, 598 women) from two occupational statuses: managers/professionals and general workers. A brief job stress questionnaire was used to evaluate job stress levels. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate, heart rate variability (high-frequency [HF], low-frequency [LF], LF/HF], and peripheral blood flow were measured at rest and during two stressful tasks. Changes in stress reactivity were calculated as the difference between the measured variables during the tasks and the rest period. Men showed inverse associations between quantitative job overload and DBP, heart rate, and LF/HF, between physical demands and blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and between a poor physical environment and HF. Men also had positive associations between qualitative job overload and heart rate, and between physical demands and peripheral blood flow (all p < 0.05). Women showed inverse associations between qualitative job overload and SBP, and showed positive associations between qualitative job overload and peripheral blood flow, and between a poor physical environment and SBP (all p < 0.05). When stratified by occupational status, significant associations between job stress and changes in stress reactivity were observed in male managers/professionals and female general workers (p < 0.05). Job stress levels are associated with changes in cardiovascular stress reactivity in men and women. Occupational status may modify these associations.