Stressful work environments do more long-term harm than meets the eye. They may increase men’s risk for heart disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S.
In a newly released study, two workplace factors influenced men’s incidence of heart disease: job strain and effort-reward imbalance. Men with stressful jobs who don’t feel adequately rewarded, such as through salary, face twice the risk of heart disease compared to those not working under those conditions. Men who have either a stressful job or feel they get little reward for their effort have a 49% increased risk of heart disease. The authors report that the increased risk for heart disease is comparable to the risks obesity poses.
