Occupational Class Inequalities in Behavioral and Biological Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease among Workers in Medium- and Small-scale Enterprises

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether occupational class inequalities existed in the behavioral and biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease among workers in medium-and small-scale enterprises. We asked 1,900 enterprises in the Ishikawa prefecture who were users of an external heath check-up facility to supply anonymous individual data in 2009. The 446 enterprises consented to the invitation. The study population was 12,625 individuals (8,104 males and 4,521 females) 16-59 yr of age. We compared indices among occupational classes. The indices of lipid and glucose metabolism were used only for subjects 40-59 yr of age. The results of this study revealed occupational class inequalities in the prevalence of current smoking, heavy drinking and hypertension in men. These inequalities were more prominent among men in the younger age group than in the older age group. In men, the most disadvantaged occupational class was transportation workers, followed by laborers. Occupational class inequalities in smoking were also found among female workers. However, the influences of occupational class on obesity and indices of lipid or glucose metabolism were inconsistent. A strategy for health promotion that targets the disadvantaged population is necessary for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Is there an occupational status gradient in the development of periodontal disease in Japanese workers? A 5-year prospective cohort study

“…A nationally representative cross-sectional survey in Japan showed that men in lower-status occupations, such as the service, transport, and labor sectors, were significantly more likely to exhibit health-risk behaviors, including smoking, alcohol drinking, or physical inactivity, which are known risk factors of periodontal disease, 2 – 6 than were professionals. 40 Similarly, our results of difference in the RR between adjusted models indicated that health behaviors partially explained the association between occupational status and periodontal disease. According to the framework by Brunner and Marmot, 41 periodontal disease is also affected by contextual factors, such as social environment and work, individual health behaviors, and psychological resistance (e.g., personality or coping) and vulnerability (e.g., life events or chronic stressors).…”

The Effect of Age on the Relationships between Work‐related Factors and Heavy Drinking

“…A cross-sectional study from the US by Harford et al 6) showed that the percentage of drinkers in white-collar occupations in men was higher than in blue-collar occupations, while the men in blue-collar who drink have a higher average daily consumption than drinkers in white-collar occupations. We also reported a cross-sectional study of male workers in smaller sized enterprises that showed that the frequency of heavy drinkers was higher in manual workers and transportation workers compared with white-collar workers 11) . Some studies have also reported that highly hazardous physical working conditions are associated positively with heavy and binge drinking 18,23) .…”

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis on the Health Checkup Data and the Lifestyle Habits of Medicated Residents: A Population-Based Cohort Study

“…Many studies have found that smoking directly affects lipid metabolism [41][42][43][44][45][46][47]. The Hisayama study found that the risk of coronary artery disease was 2.8 times greater in the smoking group compared to the non-smoking and nonhypertensive groups [48].…”