Globalization, Work, and Cardiovascular Disease

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Occupational Health
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading global cause of death, with increasing risk factors like hypertension and diabetes.
• While CVD mortality declines in industrialized nations, work environment factors, particularly psychosocial stressors, are linked to rising CVD risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review empirical evidence on the relationship between work, psychosocial stressors, and CVD.
• To present a theoretical model explaining how economic globalization impacts work organization and CVD risk.
• To propose future research directions and policy recommendations for preventing work-related CVD.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of empirical studies linking work environment characteristics to CVD.
• Development of a theoretical model illustrating the pathway from economic globalization to CVD risk via work stressors.
• Analysis of "upstream" factors such as precarious employment and lean production.

Main Results:

• Psychosocial work stressors, including high demands, low job control, and effort-reward imbalance, are associated with increased CVD risk.
• These stressors can lead to chronic biological arousal and unhealthy behaviors, exacerbating CVD risk.
• Economic globalization influences labor markets, worsening job characteristics and contributing to CVD.

Conclusions:

• Work environment characteristics significantly contribute to the burden of cardiovascular disease.
• Policy interventions targeting work organization and job quality are needed for CVD prevention.
• Further epidemiologic research is essential to fully understand and mitigate work-related CVD.