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Associations between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant and Danish cleaners

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Abstract

Introduction

Non-Western cleaners have reported better psychosocial work environment but worse health compared with their Danish colleagues. The aim of this study was to compare the association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant cleaners and Danish cleaners.

Methods

Two hundred and eighty-five cleaners from nine workplaces in Denmark participated in this cross-sectional study. The cleaners were identified as non-Western immigrants (n = 137) or Danes (n = 148). Blood pressure was measured in a seated position, and psychosocial work environment was assessed by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). In each population, multivariate logistic regressions were applied testing for an association between each of the COPSOQ scales and hypertension.

Results

Models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking, workplace and physical work exertion showed that high Trust regarding management (OR = 0.50) and high Predictability (OR = 0.63) were statistically significantly associated with low prevalence of hypertension in the Danish population. In the immigrant population, no significant associations were found. Analyses on interaction effects showed that associations between Meaning of work and hypertension were significantly different among the two populations (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Psychosocial work factors were associated with hypertension among Danes, but not among non-Western immigrants. This divergent association between psychosocial work environment and hypertension between Danes and non-Western immigrant cleaners may be explained by different perceptions of psychosocial work environment.

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Acknowledgments

This study is part of the FINALE programme supported by a grant from the Danish Working Environment Research Foundation and The Committee on Sports Research under the Danish Ministry of Culture.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Kasper Olesen, Isabella G. Carneiro, Marie B. Jørgensen, Reiner Rugulies, Charlotte D. N. Rasmussen, Andreas Holtermann & Mari-Ann Flyvholm

  2. Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Karen Søgaard

Authors
  1. Kasper Olesen
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  2. Isabella G. Carneiro
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  3. Marie B. Jørgensen
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  4. Reiner Rugulies
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  5. Charlotte D. N. Rasmussen
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  6. Karen Søgaard
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  7. Andreas Holtermann
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  8. Mari-Ann Flyvholm
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mari-Ann Flyvholm.

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Olesen, K., Carneiro, I.G., Jørgensen, M.B. et al. Associations between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant and Danish cleaners. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 85, 829–835 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0728-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0728-2

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