More than a Paycheck: The Relationship between Perceived Occupational Stress and Health Indicators

Overview

The complex hormonal mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system provide the physiological conditions necessary to cope with a sudden crisis or emergency. Chronically stressful conditions cause ongoing activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis and have been linked to musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and endocrine ailments. This research sought to identify statistically significant correlations between occupational stress and health indicators. Female teachers (N=51), aged 25-50, were administered Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (2000) and an experimental Occupational Stress Scale (OSS-16). Job reference information, medical history, exercise and sleep habit data were also collected. Participants were measured for waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, VO2max, and short-term memory. Regression analyses indicated a strong correlation between the two stress scales (R=0.789, p<0.001). No significant correlations between perceived or occupational stress and blood pressure or VO2max were identified, disproving the hypothesis. Correlations between occupational stress and waist circumference (R=0.296, p=0.035) and perceived stress and short-term memory (R=-0.278, p=0.049) were identified in support of the hypothesis. Correlation between occupational stress and teaching experience (R=0.421, p=0.002) was identified, as were correlations between perceived and occupational stress and sleep quality (R=0.453, p=0.0001; R-0.402, p=0.004). High participant involvement in regular aerobic exercise programs could have reduced cardiovascular correlations. This research suggests the validity of OSS-16 as a stress measuring tool, which if used in longitudinal studies, could expose the progression of the long-term health effects of chronic occupational stress.

Competition history

• ISEF 2015 Biomedical and Health Sciences · Entry BEHA025I

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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