Occupation and ischemic heart disease in the European Community: a comparative study of occupations at potential high risk

Abstract

Four longitudinal studies of mortality and morbidity by occupation based on individual record linkage of information and two cross-sectional studies of mortality were compared in order to identify occupations at high risk of ischemic heart disease. In more than one country an increased risk of ischemic heart disease was found in drivers of buses, taxies, and lorries, in bakers, in naval officers and fishermen, in hotel and restaurant workers, in senior police, customs, and other uniformed men, in barbers and hairdressers, in warehouse and wholesale staff, as well as in laboratory assistants and in radio and telegraph operators. Occupations found at high risk in Denmark were also found at high risk in Great Britain and Italy. These occupations may be at genuine high risk. None of these groups work day-work only and several of the groups have psychologically demanding work but unsatisfactory decision authority. Identification of occupations at high risk may help to develop focused preventive strategies.