Application of Karasek's demand/control model a Canadian occupational setting including shift workers during a period of reorganization and downsizing.
To apply Karasek's Job Content Model to an analysis of the relationships between job type and perceived stress and stress behaviors in a large company during a period of reorganization and downsizing.
Cross-sectional mail-out, mail-back survey.
A large Canadian telephone/telecommunications company.
Stratified random sample (stratified by job category) of 2200 out of 13,000 employees with a response rate of 48.8%.
Responses to 25 of Karasek's core questions were utilized to define four job types: low-demand and high control = "relaxed"; high demand and high control = "active"; low demand and low control = "passive", and high demand and low control = "high strain." These job types were compared against self-reported stress levels, perceived general level of health, absenteeism, alcohol use, exercise level, and use of medications and drugs. Similar analyses were performed to assess the influence of shift work.
Employees with "passive" or "high strain" job types reported higher levels of stress (trend test p