MODELING OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND HEALTH - THE IMPACT OF THE DEMAND-CONTROL MODEL ON ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND ON WORKPLACE PRACTICE

Karesek's demand-control model has been extremely influential and is w idely used to predict a range of health outcomes, yet there have been comparatively few intervention studies and relatively little evidence of its impact on the design of work to improve health. This article di scusses the tension between meeting the need for a model of psychosoci al work factors and health outcomes which is simple enough to be theor etically useful in multidisciplinary research over a wide range of occ upations yet is specific enough to generate useful information to infl uence policies and guide interventions. It is suggested that the succe ss of the model in driving research has led to the neglect of a range of other psychosocial factors. Furthermore, while the appeal of the mo del lies in its apparent simplicity, variables are too broadly defined and complex to easily translate research findings into practical reco mmendations. To provide more practically useful evidence about risk fa ctors, it is suggested that epidemiological studies should employ more clearly defined and specific variables incorporated in more complex p sychosocial models which take into account the work context and the ch anging nature of work. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.