Workplace Stress Prompts Spike in Doctors’ Visits

In that job stress affects physical and mental health, Concordia University (Canada) researchers examined the association between job related stress and health care utilization.  Sunday Azagba and colleagues analyzed  nationally representative data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS) for data on adults ages 18 to 65 years — the bulk of the labor force, assessing  the number of healthcare visits, chronic illnesses, marital status, income level, smoking and drinking habits.  The team found that visits to doctors rose 26% among workers in high stress jobs, as increased job stress causes increase the number and extent of physical, mental and emotional ailments experienced.  Writing that: “Job strain may be positively associated with the utilization of health care services,” the researchers conclude that:  improving psychosocial working conditions and educating workers on stress-coping mechanisms could be beneficial for the physical and mental health of workers.”