Occupational stress, suppressed anger, and hypertension

The present study examined the modifying effect of suppressed anger on the relationship between job stress and hypertension. The study population consisted of a random sample of male hourly workers, aged 40-63 years, employed at one of two plants in the metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Those men currently taking antihypertensive medication were excluded from the analyses. With both plants combined, stratified analyses indicated that, compared to men who do not habitually suppress their anger, hypertension was more strongly associated with self-reports of an uncertain job future and dissatisfaction with coworkers and promotions among men who suppress their anger. Using logistic regression procedures, these interactions between suppressed anger and job stress significantly predicted hypertension status, controlling for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, and family history of hypertension. These findings suggest that a coping-related characteristic such as anger expression may be an important modifier of the relationship between job stress and hypertension.