Job dimensions associated with severe disability due to cardiovascular disease

This study explored associations among job activities and disability due to cardiovascular disease by merging national disability data with independently-obtained job activity data. Disability data were taken from a 1978 U.S. health interview survey (n = 9855). Expert ratings of job activities (dimensions) were obtained from a job analysis database (n = 2485 occupations). The two databases were merged such that job dimension data were imputed to each occupation in the disability database. Odds ratios for cardiovascular disability were calculated for scores in the second, third, and fourth quartiles for each of the 32 job dimensions, using scores in the first quartile as the standard. Job dimensions associated with cardiovascular disability were (a) hazardous situations; (b) vigilant work and responsibility for others; (c) exchanging job-related information; and (d) attention to devices. Occupations identified with high scores on these job dimensions included transportation jobs (air traffic controllers, airline pilots and attendants, bus drivers, locomotive engineers, truck drivers), teachers (preschool, adult education), and craftsmen/foremen (machinists, carpenters, and foremen).