'Workload' and risk of myocardial infarction--a prospective psychosocial analysis

The study group consisted of 5187 building construction workers aged 41-61 in Greater Stockholm who had all responded to a psychosocial questionnaire and had been in full-time work without long-lasting illness episodes in the year before the study. A factor analysis of about 60 psychosocial variables was performed, and on this basis three indices were formed. The study group was followed for two years in official registers yielding information on morbidity and mortality. The 'workload' index was demonstrated to be significantly associated with subsequent risk of myocardial infarction.