Stress management, aging, and disease

The association of stress management, work, anti individual factors with th e incidence of upper-back disorders and coronary heart disease was studied according to the House paradigm of stress research. The features of work co ncerned its organization and social environment. Stress management and indi vidual factors covered coping styles, sense of coherence, family roles, gen der, and age. These factors were measured by questionnaire studies in 1992 when the subjects (n = 1101, mean age 58 years) were active workers, ann ag ain in 1997. Manageability and withdrawal stress response prevented upper-b ack disorders, whereas dissatisfaction with the work schedule predicted the se disorders. Male gender predicted coronary heart disease.