Psychosocial work environment in relation to changes in selected biochemical parameters in district nurses

Sixty-four female district nurses between the ages of 25 and 60 in the greater Stockholm area were subjects in a longitudinal study of psychosocial work environment and biochemical serum parameters. Each participant filled out questionnaires and had blood drawn on four different occasions at three-month intervals during one year. The rating on the fourth occasion showed psychosocial work environment to have deteriorated--social climate and authority over decisions were significantly inferior to those on previous occasions. These changes were accompanied by small but significant elevations of serum cholesterol, calcium and triglycerides. Another pattern was also observed which was probably due to increased health habit awareness--a progressive decrease in glycated haemoglobin and gamma glutamyl transferase. No significant interactions were observed with age or smoking habits--old and young subjects did not differ in their change patterns over time, nor did smokers in respect to non-smokers.