A multifactorial health risk questionnaire

to assess the relations between cardiovascular risk factors and psychological or socio-economic status.

We used a self-questionnaire including data upon usual risk factors, anxiety, depression, behavioural pattern, somatic manifestations, life style, incomes and work-related stress. We gathered 955 people, mainly attending an occupational health examination, filling anonymously the same restricted questionnaire (83 questions).

Non-working people represented only 4.4 per cent of the study group and included mainly retired people. They differed significantly from wage earners by a higher level of cardiovascular risk and depression, respectively 15.8 (s.d. 11.3) versus 7.8 (6.7) and 5.6 (3.5) versus 3.9 (2.8). These differences can be related to older age of this group. Among working people, 30 per cent felt job-insecurity; they differed significantly from working people by a higher level of anxiety, 8.9 (3.7) versus 7.5 (3.3). There was no difference concerning the absolute cardiovascular risk or the behavioural pattern. A comprehensive self questionnaire is proposed.