Job Stress Factors Measured by Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and Sickness Absence Among Japanese Workers: A Longitudinal Study

Overview

Journal Fukushima J Med Sci

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2020 Jun 30

PMID 32595178

Citations 4

Authors

Kumi Hirokawa

Tetsuya Ohira

Mitsugu Kajiura

Hironori Imano

Akihiko Kitamura

Masahiko Kiyama

Takeo Okada

Hiroyasu Iso

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate associations between Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ)-measured job stress factors and sickness absence in Japanese workers. Among 551 healthy, employed Japanese men and women (age range: 21-73 years) who underwent mental health examinations at the Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion between 2006 and 2009, 197 (67 men, 130 women) consented to participate in this study. Their sickness absences until the end of March 2010 were then followed-up via postal mail survey, with 112 participants effectively responding to the question on sickness absence (56.9%). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for age, sex, and lifestyle factors. Among the 112 respondents, 12 took sickness absence after their study entry, as found during the mean 2.3 years of follow-up (258.8 person-years). Among all sickness absences, those of eight participants were because of mental illness. Physical demands were positively associated with increased risks of all sickness absence (adjusted HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.01-7.64). Physical demands were predictive for all sickness absence, and should be alleviated at workplaces to prevent such absence.

Citing Articles

Public school teachers' occupational stress across different school types: a nationwide survey during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Tsubono K, Mitoku S Front Public Health. 2023; 11:1287893.

PMID: 37927853 PMC: 10620961. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1287893.

Multidimensional analysis of schoolteachers' occupational stress by the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire: focusing on gender differences.

Tsubono K, Oba K, Fudetani Y, Ikeda C, Sakamoto J Ind Health. 2023; 62(1):39-55.

PMID: 37245982 PMC: 10869252. DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2023-0018.

The analysis of main stressors among high-stress primary school teachers by job positions: A nationwide survey in Japan.

Tsubono K, Ogawa M Front Public Health. 2023; 10:990141.

PMID: 36620252 PMC: 9815557. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.990141.

Occupational stress and associated risk factors among 13,867 industrial workers in China.

Yan T, Ji F, Bi M, Wang H, Cui X, Liu B Front Public Health. 2022; 10:945902.

PMID: 36466474 PMC: 9714303. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.945902.

References

Andersen L, Fallentin N, Thorsen S, Holtermann A . Physical workload and risk of long-term sickness absence in the general working population and among blue-collar workers: prospective cohort study with register follow-up. Occup Environ Med. 2016; 73(4):246-53. DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2015-103314. View

Wada K, Sairenchi T, Haruyama Y, Taneichi H, Ishikawa Y, Muto T . Relationship between the onset of depression and stress response measured by the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire among Japanese employees: a cohort study. PLoS One. 2013; 8(2):e56319. PMC: 3570457. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056319. View

Kondo K, Kobayashi Y, Hirokawa K, Tsutsumi A, Kobayashi F, Haratani T . Job strain and sick leave among Japanese employees: a longitudinal study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2005; 79(3):213-9. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-005-0027-x. View

Endo M, Muto T, Haruyama Y, Yuhara M, Sairenchi T, Kato R . Risk factors of recurrent sickness absence due to depression: a two-year cohort study among Japanese employees. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2014; 88(1):75-83. DOI: 10.1007/s00420-014-0939-4. View

Fukuda Y, Nakamura K, Takano T . Accumulation of health risk behaviours is associated with lower socioeconomic status and women's urban residence: a multilevel analysis in Japan. BMC Public Health. 2005; 5:53. PMC: 1174875. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-5-53. View

Christensen K, Lund T, Labriola M, Villadsen E, Bultmann U . The fraction of long-term sickness absence attributable to work environmental factors: prospective results from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study. Occup Environ Med. 2007; 64(7):487-9. PMC: 2078464. DOI: 10.1136/oem.2006.028563. View

Hirokawa K, Ohira T, Nagayoshi M, Kajiura M, Imano H, Kitamura A . Occupational status and job stress in relation to cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese workers. Prev Med Rep. 2016; 4:61-7. PMC: 4929058. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.05.010. View

Lund T, Labriola M, Christensen K, Bultmann U, Villadsen E . Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark. BMJ. 2006; 332(7539):449-52. PMC: 1382535. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38731.622975.3A. View

Tsutsumi A, Nagami M, Yoshikawa T, Kogi K, Kawakami N . Participatory intervention for workplace improvements on mental health and job performance among blue-collar workers: a cluster randomized controlled trial. J Occup Environ Med. 2009; 51(5):554-63. DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181a24d28. View

10.

Horita Y, Otsuka Y . [Relationships between workers' interpersonal helping behavior, social supports, job stressors, psychological stress responses, and vigor in manufacturing industry]. Sangyo Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2014; 56(6):259-67. DOI: 10.1539/sangyoeisei.B14007. View

11.

Hirokawa K, Nagayoshi M, Ohira T, Kajiura M, Kitamura A, Kiyama M . Menopausal status in relation to cardiovascular stress reactivity in healthy Japanese participants. Psychosom Med. 2014; 76(9):701-8. DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000121. View

12.

Thielen K, Nygaard E, Andersen I, Diderichsen F . Employment consequences of depressive symptoms and work demands individually and combined. Eur J Public Health. 2013; 24(1):34-9. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckt011. View

13.

Andersen J, Haahr J, Frost P . Risk factors for more severe regional musculoskeletal symptoms: a two-year prospective study of a general working population. Arthritis Rheum. 2007; 56(4):1355-64. DOI: 10.1002/art.22513. View

14.

Tsutsumi A, Shimazu A, Eguchi H, Inoue A, Kawakami N . A Japanese Stress Check Program screening tool predicts employee long-term sickness absence: a prospective study. J Occup Health. 2017; 60(1):55-63. PMC: 5799101. DOI: 10.1539/joh.17-0161-OA. View

15.

Hirokawa K, Ohira T, Kajiura M, Imano H, Kitamura A, Kiyama M . Cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress associated with sickness absence among Japanese men and women: A prospective study. Brain Behav. 2020; 10(4):e01541. PMC: 7177567. DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1541. View

16.

Kivimaki M, Vahtera J, Kawachi I, Ferrie J, Oksanen T, Joensuu M . Psychosocial work environment as a risk factor for absence with a psychiatric diagnosis: an instrumental-variables analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2010; 172(2):167-72. PMC: 2915486. DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwq094. View

17.

Theorell T, Hammarstrom A, Aronsson G, Traskman Bendz L, Grape T, Hogstedt C . A systematic review including meta-analysis of work environment and depressive symptoms. BMC Public Health. 2015; 15:738. PMC: 4522058. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1954-4. View

18.

de Vroome E, Uegaki K, van der Ploeg C, Treutlein D, Steenbeek R, de Weerd M . Burden of Sickness Absence Due to Chronic Disease in the Dutch Workforce from 2007 to 2011. J Occup Rehabil. 2015; 25(4):675-84. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-015-9575-4. View

19.

Mather L, Bergstrom G, Blom V, Svedberg P . High Job Demands, Job Strain, and Iso-Strain are Risk Factors for Sick Leave due to Mental Disorders: A Prospective Swedish Twin Study With a 5-Year Follow-Up. J Occup Environ Med. 2015; 57(8):858-65. DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000504. View

20.

Hirokawa K, Ohira T, Nagayoshi M, Kajiura M, Imano H, Kitamura A . Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate is associated with cardiovascular reactivity to stress in women. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2016; 69:116-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.04.005. View