Associations between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant and Danish cleaners

TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant and Danish cleaners

AU - Olesen, Kasper

AU - Carneiro, Isabella G

AU - Jørgensen, Marie B

AU - Rugulies, Reiner

AU - Rasmussen, Charlotte D N

AU - Søgaard, Karen

AU - Holtermann, Andreas

AU - Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - Introduction: Non-Western cleaners have reported better psychosocial work environment but worse health compared with their Danish colleagues. The aim of this study was to compare the association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant cleaners and Danish cleaners. Methods: Two hundred and eighty-Wve cleaners from nine workplaces in Denmark participated in this cross-sectional study. The cleaners were identified as non-Western immigrants (n = 137) or Danes (n = 148). Blood pressure was measured in a seated position, and psychosocial work environment was assessed by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). In each population, multivariate logistic regressions were applied testing for an association between each of the COPSOQ scales and hypertension. Results: Models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking, workplace and physical work exertion showed that high Trust regarding management (OR = 0.50) and high Predictability (OR = 0.63) were statistically significantly associated with low prevalence of hypertension in the Danish population. In the immigrant population, no significant associations were found. Analyses on interaction effects showed that associations between Meaning of work and hypertension were significantly different among the two populations (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Psychosocial work factors were associated with hypertension among Danes, but not among non-Western immigrants. This divergent association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension between Danes and non-Western immigrant cleaners may be explained by different perceptions of psychosocial work environment.

AB - Introduction: Non-Western cleaners have reported better psychosocial work environment but worse health compared with their Danish colleagues. The aim of this study was to compare the association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant cleaners and Danish cleaners. Methods: Two hundred and eighty-Wve cleaners from nine workplaces in Denmark participated in this cross-sectional study. The cleaners were identified as non-Western immigrants (n = 137) or Danes (n = 148). Blood pressure was measured in a seated position, and psychosocial work environment was assessed by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). In each population, multivariate logistic regressions were applied testing for an association between each of the COPSOQ scales and hypertension. Results: Models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking, workplace and physical work exertion showed that high Trust regarding management (OR = 0.50) and high Predictability (OR = 0.63) were statistically significantly associated with low prevalence of hypertension in the Danish population. In the immigrant population, no significant associations were found. Analyses on interaction effects showed that associations between Meaning of work and hypertension were significantly different among the two populations (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Psychosocial work factors were associated with hypertension among Danes, but not among non-Western immigrants. This divergent association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension between Danes and non-Western immigrant cleaners may be explained by different perceptions of psychosocial work environment.

KW - Adult

KW - Blood Pressure/physiology

KW - Denmark

KW - Emigrants and Immigrants/psychology

KW - Female

KW - Health Status

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension/diagnosis

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Occupational Diseases/diagnosis

KW - Psychology

KW - Stress, Psychological/etiology

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

KW - Work/psychology

KW - Workplace/psychology

U2 - 10.1007/s00420-011-0728-2

DO - 10.1007/s00420-011-0728-2

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22179817

SN - 0340-0131

VL - 85

SP - 829

EP - 835

JO - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

JF - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

IS - 7

ER -