Workplace Stress: Marmot et al

Marmot et al (1997)

Since the 1960s a long-term series of studies has been running on the relationships between workplace stress and health. They also include various individual and social risk factors such as smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, obesity and socioeconomic status. Participants are taken from London-based government civil servants, and the studies are therefore referred to as the Whitehall studies. In the first, Whitehall I, clear differences between workers were found with regard to heart problems and mortality rates: workers in lower-paid grades had twice the illness rate of workers in the highest paid grade. Differences in high risk factors (eg: workers in lower grades tend to smoke more and have higher levels of blood pressure) accounted for about a quarter of this difference.

Marmot et al. (1997) analysed data from over 7000 participants in the Whitehall II study. Participants were followed up over five years. All were…