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Cardiovascular Disease
O6C.2 Differences in cardiovascular risk factor profiles across occupational groups
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  1. Lucy A Barnes1,
  2. Marine Corbin1,
  3. Hayley J Denison1,
  4. Amanda Eng1,
  5. Andrea ‘t Mannetje1,
  6. Stephen Haslett2,3,
  7. David McLean1,
  8. Lis Ellison-Loschmann1,
  9. Rod Jackson4,
  10. Jeroen Douwes1
  1. 1Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
  2. 2Institute of Fundamental Sciences – Statistics, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
  3. 3Statistical Consulting Unit, The Australian National University, Acton, Australia
  4. 4Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Background Differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between occupations have been observed, but what specific risk factors underlie these patterns remains unclear. This study assessed how established CVD risk factors differ across occupational groups in New Zealand, and whether patterns differ by gender and ethnicity.

Methods Two probability-based sample surveys of the general New Zealand adult population (2004–2006; n=3003) and of the indigenous peoples of New Zealand (M&_x0101;ori; 2009–2010; n=2107), for which occupational histories and lifestyle factors were collected, were linked with routinely collected health data. For males and females in each cohort, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol were dichotomised and compared between occupational groups using age-adjusted logistic regression. In addition, two way tables and chi-squared tests were used to compare the distribution of risk factors between white and blue-collar workers.

Results The prevalence of ever smoking was greater in blue-collar compared to white-collar workers of both cohorts, i.e. general population male (56%; 47%), general population female (62%; 47%), M&_x0101;ori male (68%; 55%) and M&_x0101;ori female (84%; 64%). For diabetes and high cholesterol, differences were statistically significant only for general population females (11%; 6% and 26%; 16% respectively). Hypertension prevalence was higher in blue versus white-collar workers for general population females (36%; 29%), M&_x0101;ori males (43%; 36%) and M&_x0101;ori females (44%; 37%), but not for general population males (35%; 34%). Results by occupational group revealed the same patterns with some noteworthy exceptions. In both cohorts, clerks had an increased risk of hypertension, particularly among males. Male agricultural workers in the general population cohort had a reduced risk of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, but this pattern was not observed for females or among M&_x0101;ori.

Conclusion This study showed differences in profiles of known CVD risk factors across occupations, with some notable ethnic and gender differences.

https://doi.org/10.1136/OEM-2019-EPI.150

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