Repeated exposure to effort–reward imbalance, increased blood pressure, and hypertension incidence among white-collar workers: Effort–reward imbalance and blood pressure

Objectives ermine whether men and women with repeated ERI exposure have increased BP means or higher hypertension incidence over a 3-year follow-up. To examine the potential modifying effect of age and overcommitment. s udy cohort was composed of 1,595 white-collar workers (629 men and 966 women) assessed at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Ambulatory BP measures were taken every 15 min during a working day. ERI at work was self-reported using validated scales. BP means at follow-up and cumulative incidence of hypertension were respectively modeled with analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) and log-binomial regression. s men, no association was observed between repeated ERI exposure and BP. Among women, age had a modifying effect. Women < 45 years old exposed to ERI at both times had significantly higher BP means at follow-up (122.2/78.9 mm Hg) than those unexposed (120.4/77.4 mm Hg). In women ≥ 45 years old, the cumulative incidence of hypertension was 2.78 (95% CI: 1.26–6.10) times higher among those exposed to ERI at both times. Men and women in the higher tertile of overcommitment had higher BP means (men: 128.9/82.2 mm Hg, women: 121.9/78.0 mm Hg) than those in the lower tertile (men: 127.2/81.3 mm Hg, women: 120.6/77.0 mm Hg). sion rospective study showed that, among women, repeated ERI exposure led to a significant age-specific increase in BP means and a major age-specific increase in hypertension incidence. These results suggest that primary intervention aimed at reducing ERI may contribute to lower BP and prevent hypertension in women.