High Job Strain and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged Men and Women From the Belgian Job Stress Study

• Give examples of what previous studies have demonstrated about the relationship between perceived job strain and blood pressure (BP). • Compare the results of 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring at work, at home, and during sleep as well as casual BP measurements in workers with and those without self-perceived job strain as estimated by questionnaire responses. • Explain whether and to what extent the association between perceived job strain and BP was influenced by the physical demands of the job. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess whether job strain is associated with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements within a subsample of the Belgian Job Stress Project (BELSTRESS) population. Methods: A group of 89 middle-aged male and female workers perceiving high job strain and an equally large group of workers perceiving no high job strain wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor for 24 hours on a regular working day. Results: Mean ambulatory blood pressure at work, at home, and while asleep was significantly higher in workers wit