Towards a biochemical approach to occupational stress management

Abstract

Given the immense and growing cost of occupational stress to society through lost productivity and the burden to healthcare systems, current best practices for detecting, managing and reducing stress in the workplace are clearly sub-optimal and substantially better methods are required. Subjective, self-reported psychology and psychiatry-based instruments are prone to biases whereas current objective, biology-based measures produce conflicting results and are far from reliable. A multivariate approach to occupational stress research is required that reflects the broad, coordinated, physiological response to demands placed on the body by exposure to diverse occupational stressors. A literature review was conducted to determine the extent of application of the emerging multivariate technology of metabolomics to occupational stress research. Of 170 articles meeting the search criteria, three were identified that specifically studied occupational stressors using metabolomics. A further ten studies were not specifically occupational or were of indirect or peripheral relevance. The occupational studies, although limited in number highlight the technological challenges associated with the application of metabolomics to investigate occupational stress. They also demonstrate the utility to evaluate stress more comprehensively than univariate biomarker studies. The potential of this multivariate approach to enhance our understanding of occupational stress has yet to be established. This will require more studies with broader analytical coverage of the metabolome, longitudinal sampling, combination with experience sampling methods and comparison with psychometric models of occupational stress. Progress will likely involve combining multi-omic data into a holistic, systems biology approach to detecting, managing and reducing occupational stress and optimizing workplace performance.

The Use of Biomarkers in Research with Nursing Personnel: A Narrative Review

“…Therefore, the use of biomarkers in studies with such professionals can assist in tracking diseases and in the diagnostic process. This tracking can then result in better prognoses and responses to treatments, as work activity can lead the person who performs it to become sick [66]. The professionals in this occupation are subject to inadequate working conditions, which favor health problems, which can be of a physical or psychological nature [67].…”

Gender Disparities in Health Biomarkers, Lifestyle Patterns, and Nutritional Status among Bank Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…On the other hand, testosterone has been associated with elevated CoQ10 levels, highlighting a hormonal role in CoQ10 synthesis [ 31 ]. The influence of occupational stress may further alter hormonal and metabolic responses differently in men and women [ 32 , 33 ], ultimately leading to varied effects on their health and well-being. Regardless of the complex interplay between the above-mentioned factors, sex-specific differences in PA and sedentary behaviors may also contribute to divergent health outcomes between males and females [ 34 , 35 , 36 ], emphasizing the importance of tailored interventions to promote an active lifestyle.…”

Three-Faceted Approach to Perceived Stress: A Longitudinal Study of Stress Hormones, Personality, and Group Cohesion in the Real-Life Setting of Compulsory Basic Military Training

“…There is still a lack of research that assesses stress during basic military training from a multifaceted perspective and links all three domains. This is an important research gap because stress is a multiphased phenomenon "characterized by different triggers, different responses, and affecting the whole body" [28]. Therefore, it is best captured by a combination of instruments [29].…”