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Researchers from Harvard observed a reduction in cardiometabolic risk and by extension the chances of cardiovascular disease from a better work-life balance
Greater flexibility at work could reduce cardiovascular risk in specific occupational groups, concludes research from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania. The findings, published in American Journal of Public Health they capture it positive impact from interventions that serve a better balance between professional and personal life.
«The study shows that working conditions are important social determinants of health. When sources of stress in the work environment and work-family conflict were reduced, we noticed reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease to the most vulnerable workers, without negatively affecting their productivity” said Lisa Berkman, a professor of Public Policy and Epidemiology at the Chan School, who led the study. The findings, he added, have potentially significant implications for workers in low- and middle-wage jobs, who traditionally have less control over their schedule and job demands and are subject to greater health disparities.
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The study was conducted by researchers from Network for Work, Family and Health (Work, Family & Health Network – WFHN) an interdisciplinary team from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand how various workplace policies can affect productivity, family life, and the overall health of employees.
In the present research, the interventions took the form retraining of supervisors on the importance of understanding and supporting employees in relation to their family and personal life, as well as training programs for employees and employers/supervisors to jointly find solutions for greater control over the work schedule and tasks. They were 55 high-paid men and women from an IT company and 973 low-paid women from a service company long term care.
Who benefits from the intervention?
The 1,528 workers had measurements of systolic blood pressure, body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, smoking, HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol at the start of the study and again at 12 months. Based on the values, the researchers created a cardiometabolic risk score for each worker, with a higher score indicating a greater chance of developing CVD within the decade.
The results showed that the intervention did not affect cardiometabolic risk for all workers. However, they were observed reductions in cardiometabolic score workers who had higher baseline CVD risk scores, which corresponded to 5.5 years of age-related change for IT company workers and 10.3 years for long-term care workers.
THE age proved to be a key factor, with the score reduction more pronounced to workers over 45 years of age and a higher initial cardiometabolic risk score
«The intervention was designed with the aim of changing the work culture over time in order to alleviate the conflict between the professional and personal life of the employees and ultimately improve their healths,” said another lead researcher Orfeu Buxton, professor of Health Biobehavior at the University of Pennsylvania.